w^. •■H ^. !?■ ■ " \ - •.- ..^.:it .--?r«i T ■'^-^ ■ ^ ■ ^ THE LIBRARY OF THE UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA GIFT OF Lewis F. Langfeld A CONTAINING THE AUTHOR'S MENUMCIATION OF Ui^IVEISSAlilSM, EXPLAINED AND ENLARGED ; THE NOTICES AND ASPERSIONS OF ANSV/ERED AND repelled; ARGUME?JTS AND PRINCIPIiES OF UNIVERSALISTS, EXAMINED AND EXPLODED, AND REI.I«ION AND REVELATION VINDICATED, AGAINST SS.EFTICISM AN© Ij^FIDEI^ITY. BY LEWIS C. TODD. " As we have received mercy we faint not, biitliave renounced the hidden things of dishonesty, not walking in craftiness, nor hand- ling the word of God deceitfully ; but by manifestation of the truth, commending ourselves unto every iiui's conscience in the sight of God." H. Corinthians iv. 1,2. PUBLISHED BY O- SPAFFORD, ERIE, PA. . PRINTED BY JOSEPH M. STEHRETT. 18 sir JVESTERN DISTRICT OF PENXSYLVAXIA, totcit : Be it rkmemberkd, that on the thirtieth day of January, Anno Domini, 1834, OLIVER SPAFFORD, of the said District, hath deposited in this Otiice the title of a Book, the title of which is in the words following, to wit : "A Defence, containing 1st. The author's renunciation of Uni- versalism, explained and enlarged ; '2d. The notices and asper- sions of Ujiiversalist Editors, answered and repelled ; 3d. The fundamental arguments and principles of Universalists, examined and exploded, and 4th. Religion and revelation vindicated, against skepticism and infidelity. By Lewis C Todd. As we have re- ceived mercy we faint not, hut have renounced the hidden things of dishonesty, not walking in craitiness, nor handling the word of God deceitfully ; but by manifestation of the truth, commending ourselves to every man's conscience in the sight of God." — IL Cor. IV. 1—2. The right whereof ho claims as Proprietor, in conformity with an act of Congress, entitled " An act to amend the several acts res- ^o.H„„ — '• v;.K., •• E. J. ROBERTS, (Itrknffhe Western District of Pennsfflranin. ** A: thirty, man suspects Iiimself a fool, Knows it at forty, ami reforms his plan." — Young. Good reader, in Chapter I. of this book, you will find a "Renunciation of Universalism," made in the spring of 1833; with some notes now appended, in consequence of the attacks of universalists. Upon reflection and obser- vation, I became convinced that there are some people so good that they need no peiial restraints ; but that there are many others so bad that nothing but fear of ymal suffer- ings will restrain them ; and indeed some too bad to be restrained by anything. Such I learned to be the melan- choly but true picture of human nature. And as such I became satisfied, that universalism possessed not enough o( terrour io restrain the corrupt j^art of mankind from crime. True, the terrours of hell, or gehenna, have not restrained all the wicked ; but they have co-operated much with hu- man laws to secure the peace of society. With these views, I reviewed the question in the light of scripture; and be- came convinced, that universalism is not the doctrine of Christ and the apostles. Hence I conceived it my duty to renounce that doctrine. But liaving strong feelings of af- fection toward many universalists, 1 concluded to do it in language of kindness. And as I was heartily tired of theo- logical controversy, I tried to avoid any appearance of hos- tile intentions toward them ; and admitted much in favour of their morality, while 1 said not a irord or syllable, in the Renunciation, against the morality of any of them. Yet 1 suggested, that the doctrine did not operate as a restraint on the vicious so as to reform them. This I had fondly hoped would render any personal attack from them unne- cessary. But very soon universalist papers began their at- tacks upon wCiimd iny motives, from the banks of (he Mis- sissippi to the coasts of Maine I But these men had al- ways re|)resented themselves, as distinguished from all other sects in the world, as a non-])ersecuting, charitable, benevolent, peaceable people; of course they must have an excuse for disregarding the solemn f/wi/ts of the Re- nunciation ; and waging a personal war with its author. — Tliey therefore accused me of jiersecuting them — of slan- dering them — of calling them all immoral, &c. ! Had they attacked only the positions of the Renunciation, instead of me, this book would never have beeu written. I intended to have nothing farther to do with universalism ; but found AA ^-i.. IV PHEFACK. not only editors, &c. but many iinprincipletl men offended with me ! And all those who have personally al)used me, and who seem to be so enraged at me for giving my honest opinion on a general subject, were persons of no moral character, except the editors and preachers. I do not recol- lect that I have been abused or blamed for my opinion, by a single man of moral habits, except these writers. This makes me think, that I am not so much to blame for think- ing, txs they suppose. I regret that men will /fg-/f7 for opinion. What are opinions ? They have neither /orwi, figure, visibility, solidity, colour, nor gravity ! Yet they have been the pretext for alienating friends, whelming na- tions in blood, and involving millions in ruin. Editors might have quarrelled about opinions till they were grey for all me; but their aspersions against me, I confess did not tend to convince me that universalism made men char- itable ; ihey were considered uncalled for, unjust, and cruel. And as far as I am acquainted, every honourable and can- did universalist is of the same opinion. Being thus accu- sed and condemned, I tliought it proper to give my assail- ants 21 few gentle touches of the pen. Ifl have touched them harder in my personal defence against their personal attacks, in Chapter IT. than was necessary, it was not in- tended. It is true, that I sometimes found it diflicult, to restrain the pen in repelling their personal abuse ; and I held it back with all my might, sometimes, lest it should .scratch them too much. I disclaim all intention to injure them G5 men, or to impeach, in the leart, their individual and private characters. For if I cannot sustain my own opinions without becoming the assassin of private charac- ter, I had rather they would go unsustained. I found it necessary to remark upon the conduct of many professors of the doctrine without particularizing individuals ; but they are in the midst of comujunity : and those, who do not know that I speak trnth on the subject, are at liberty to think me mistaken. Chapter III. contains a small part of, .my arguments against the doctrine. It is only a sketch of proof. To go over the nhole ground of t. ontroversy would re(|uire vol- umes. There are many imperfections in it of a literary kind ; and many ideas are so briefly, or partially, or imperfectly expressed, that my opponents may easily find meanings that I never intended. The work was not intended as a display of learning or talent. It is perfectly an extemporaneous composition. Commenced in October last, it was written in. about three months; and mostly at leisure times, be- tween circuit appointments. Indeed much of it was never read over until it was ia type. But it is thought to be in- t«lligible and sufficient for honest inquirers. That it will either convince or confound such, as " convinced against their will, are of the same opinion still," I have not the vanity to suppose. I think it cannot be fairly controvert- ed in its general and leading arguments. Having succeeded in defending myself against the as- saults of my old brethren in the ministry, whom I esteem- ed much, I now forgive their unjust aspersions; and feel perfectly friendly toward them all. If they now feel dis- jjosed to bury the tomahawk as respects individual crimina- tion ; and do the best they can with my arguments on gen- eral principles, 1 think there will be no occasion to reply. But if they say, " our voice is still for war," and " gird on the sword" of personal wrath, I shall be governed by cir- cumstances. Though I stand alone, like David, surround- ed v/ith ahostof Goliahs — no — I wilinotsay whatlshall do. After all that had been said by men, who knew not, and could not judge my motives, I should not have attempted a defence, had not their aspersions been echoed over by the unprincipled part of society, who love mischief. Such a worthless and miserable brotherhood, (unfortunately for honourable universalists,) cling to their cause, echo their sayings, fight their battles, and blight their system with an incurable curse. Such characters hieiv certain that 1 could make no defence; that 1 could not adduce a single passage of Scripture ; and dare not contradict the sayings of their leaders, if they were ever so false, on account of their unbounded talent to make out what they wish right or wrong ! I never loved publick life. But friends urged, and I yielded. My object has always been to do good. Most of my publick labours have doubtless been useful ; as they had no necessary connexion with the question, whether all will certainly be saved or not. And when I found by ac- tual experiment, that universalism could not be success- fully used to persuade people to be good, I thought it con- sistent to abandon it. I always professed to be fallible ; al- ways said I did not know that all would be saved ; always said I would renounce the doctrine, should I ever be con- vinced it was errour. If my converts have followed ray ad- vicbf and lead good lives, they will do well enough ; if not, it is their own fault. Is it such an unheard of thing, that one should change his opinion on one point, that it must be wafted over half the Avorld, and arouse the sleepless ven- geance of all the professors of exclusive charity ? Must 1 be proclaimed over the globe as a liar, a hypocrite, an im- postor, an atheist, &c. for changing my views on one ques- *i(Mi ' Have not my persecutors changed their opinions of me by their own confessions? Why may not my o«'n opinions change as well as theirs ? My ideas in this book are original, as I have never read much against universahsm. How far my views now accord with those of any body of people, I scarcely know, having never read their systems much ; but I have given my own views ; and no body is responsible for the ideas but myself. On the other Hand, I am responsible for no opinions but such as 1 voluntarily lay before the publick. Let no man accuse me of holding doctrines, or saying things that I have never written. ChapterJV. was written and published by the author in the latter part of the " Genius of Liberty." I have given it here, because many conceived it capable of doing much good, as it is a clear and brief vindication of revealed reli- gion ; though about one-third of it as originally publish- ed, is now omitted for want of room. The Renunciation has already produced much effect in the region where it appeared. And this book tvill do much in improving universalists, while it will convince many that their doc- trine is but a pleasing vision, unsupported by reason and Scripture, and never to be realized. And when the au- thor shall sleep, cold and unconscious in the silent grave, where the storms of sectarian malice will fall in vain, he believes this book will be doing good — that it will be some instrumental in restraining; the young, the giddy, and the paj^sionate, from vice and ruin — will sometimes shake a criminal purpose — sometimes palsy the daring hand ere it strike a fatal blow ; and blast the embryos of blood and hor- rour, ere they yvrhig the soul with unavailing anguish.-^ Lord grant it. Erie, Pa. Feb. 17, 1834. CHAPTERI. Page. Reiiuiiciation of uiiiversalism, with notes, 9 CHAPTER II. Notices and aspersions of univefsalist editors and preachers, ex- amined and repelled. I. Notice of the RdMunciatioii in the " Mag. & Advocate," of. Utica, by the Jnn. Editor, 25 Ix. Remarks on the " gathering of the men of war," and Mr. Stacy's report, 29 III. Review of the Renunciation, by Rev. D. Skinner, Edi- tor of Mag. & Advocate, Utica, 37 IV. Rev. S.R. Smith's "opinion," considered, 73 V. Additional remarks and facts bearing oti the Renunciation, 88 CHAPTER HI. Tlie fundamental arguments and principles ofuniccrsalists, cf amined and exploded. SECTION I. Inlroductorv i-emariis on the belief of universaiism, 99 .SECTION II. Some of the fundamental reasons of uuiversalism, examined, 108 SECTION 111. Au examination of the Old Testament ibr nniversalism, 127 SECTION IV. Passages in the New Testament supposed to teach univcrvsai- ism, considered, 139 SECTION V. The punishment of ein, not in this life, 187 SECTION VI. Future retribution, proved by implication, from the Scrip- tures, 19G SECTION vn. Passages of Scripture, in which gehenna. rendered liell> oc- curs, considered, 218 SECTION VIIl. The rich man and Lazarus, considered, 234 LO AT EM'S. SECTION IX. The duration ofl'iilurc misery, and the Groek adjective, Aiu- nion, considered, 245 SECTIO.f X. Several classes of Scriptures, which indubitably prove univer- sal doctrine untrue, considered, 258 CHAPTER IV. Rdigion ami Revelation vimlicated, against Skepticism and Infidelity. I. On the existence of God, 274 II. A belief in God essential to morality 279 III. The subject of a revelation, considered, 292 IV. The necessity of a divine revelation, considered, 299 V. The origin of Christianity, true unless Jesus was an im- postor, 3]1 VI. Proofs of Christianity from the immediate disciples of Christ, 'MS Vil. Did Jesus rise from the dead? 325 VIII. Evidence drawn from prophecy, 332 L\. Inspiration of the Scriptures, ' 341 RENUNCIATION OF UNIVEIISALISM. Havin'g become sufficiently eatnblislied in my doubts of the truth and utility of the universalian doctrine, as a sys- tem, I now think it my duty to lay my dissent belbie the publicU. That this important change in my sentiments and feef- ings may be tiie better understood, I shall give a partial or brief history of the operations of my mind. Passing over the reflections of early life, suffice it to say, that I became a preacher of universal salvation ; and was ordained as such in Fairfield, Herlumer co. N. Y. about eight years ago.* I believed the doctrine true, and though% that in propor- tion as it was propagated, mankind would become good and happy. I preached in different p;^rts far and near ; and itinerated over an extensive region of coiintry, suffering the excesses of heat and cold, and the pitiless peltings of stor- my skies, and muddy roads. No danger or eflbrt did I con- sider too great that was possible; for I beiiev.e, for a num- ber of years, I should often have rejoiced in the martyr's privilege of attesting my faith. Some years since, how- ever, I occasionally reflected that, although the doctrine * The nniversalist paper of New-York, as well as Rev. S. R. 8mith, luiiversnlist preacher of Clinton, (N. Y.) interpret this to mean, that I commencpd preachivg only eight years ago, when in fact, I commenced preaching in the very rei^ion where the Rennn- ciation was made, more than twelve years ago. For year?, I preached universal salvation, without asking for any ecclesiastical connexion with universalists; but my meaning was as I said in the Renunciation, that I became a preacher of the doctrine ; (hut I conceived it of no importance tcJien) and was orrl a iv c d ns nuch about eight years ago. Mr. Smith was at the ordination ; and I should have supposed he might have utiderstood uie as I aa'xc]. or- dained, and not cainmenccd preaching. The little hungry Fish, which tried to nibble something from the Renunciation at James- town, hximediately after its appearance, did not so much as Z/n'c at that point, although it knew that I had preached in that place more than twelve years ago. !<' RKNUNClATlON had spread iiiiicli fsister than I liad anlicipated, it did not seem to produce the eiFects I had expected. Tliis gradu- ally cooled my ardour and diminished my zeal, so that for some years I cared but little whether I preached or not. In this state of mind, believing universalism to be the true sense of the Bible when rightly construed ; and being una- ble to see any considerable good resulting Irom the system, I was much inclined to doubt divine revelation.* I could not go entirely into infidelity, nor feel much confidence in revelation. At length 1 heard of the bewitching fiiscina- tions of the infidelity of New-York; and read most of the eloquent effusions of that woman, who prostituted the splendid gifts, which heaven gave to honour and adorn her sex, to the execrable business of sapping the foundations of social oi-der, and overturning the fair fabrick of female hon- our and happiness, and pouring corruption deep and bound- less over all the sacred demarcations that distinguish man- kind from brutes. Atjirsf, my mind was awfully contaminated with her sweeping and ruinous principles. But upon more deliber- ate reflection, I saw the vortex into which such principles must inevitably draw mankind. I saw it would be in the moral world like putting out the suu and moon and every star in the natural, barely because men had eyes of their own to see with. Such was my state of mind two years ago. I saw the necessity of religion, but still had only a cold, * Editors. A:c. thou(;lit they had a ^reat advantage of me, because I was honest enough to own, that 1 had been, at times, inclined to doubt divine revelation. Such indintU'wn to doubt was not wil- lingly cherished and entertained Non- ifthe editors will risk tlieir reputation with their brethren, and their interest with their sub- scribers, by declaring, tipun their honour, that they were never in- clined to doubt divine revelation in the common acceptation of the ])hrasc; and ifthey will take as much pains in their papers, and devote as much room, to expose the faults of infidels, to impeach their motives, vilify and burlesque dieir actions, &c. as they have these of professed friends of Christianity, lor one year, I shalldoubt not " the evident change iu the moral complexion of their paper ;" but more than three-fourths of their subscribers would discontinue ! OF UMVKUSALlSM, H dark, and inofTicient faith in any. At times J wasextveine- ly unhappy, so much so as ahnost to wish for death.* Tlie^ conversion of Dr. Btednian, of Mayville, has been a subject with me of much reflection. I knew his former business * Univcrsalist editors htive attempted to prove from this para- graph, that I was «n atheist for two years or more previous to my Renunciation. They wish to make this out, because they have always pretended that no universalist ever changed his views. Al- thongli hundreds who were once considered universalists — who professed to be, and were as much so to all appearailte as any body, have been known to renounce the scheme, yet it is at once declared that they never were nniversahsts. There can be no doubt, if Hozea Eallou, the yery father of modern universalism, were to renounce !iis sentiments on this point, the whole phahmx of universafist editors would malie it out clearly that he never was a universalist. Many there are, who have been heard to say " Mr. Todd is the best nniversahst preacher I ever heard. He proves his doctrine by such clear and convincing arguments. He does not blackguard so nuich as some of them. And he preaches so much practice as well as doctrine, that nobody can find any fault with many of his discourses." And now the same persons have been heard to say, " JMr. Todd never was a real universalist. He never understood the doctrine. I always knew he was dishonest, though 1 used to stand up for him," &c. Others say, " he was so destitute of the true principles of univer.salism, it is no wonder his writings and preaching should do no good." The same pei-sons say again, "his writings stand as a bulwark around universalism which he can never overthrow." Dr. Danforth of Laona, wrote me thus, *• the universalists of this county have long flattered them- selves, that they had one, who was able to defend their cause agamst all opposition ! But now hov/ fallen ! How has the mighty fallen !" &c. It is a great pity any body should fall ; but from the account universalists give of themselves, I should think them the last people in the world to trample upon one because he had been so unfortunate as to fall. Many other wild, contradictory, and ab- surd things have been said; and all in consequence of one man's opniiou on one question ! I had no idea before of the vast impor- tance that could be attached to my ideas ! I find my words are watched; and my most trifling expressions — even some that I never make, are reported to universalist editors for publication. — Nay, if I happen to spit, it is published ! (See note page 74.) I did not say i!i the Renunciation that I had been an atheist. The infidels of New-York were atheists or nearly so ; but the question whether there bo a God was not the principal question discussed in their writings. They generally wrote on political and philo- sophical principles; and their discussions were such as tended to draw the mind from the religion of the Bible — to weaken our faith, and embitter our feelings toward the teachers of piety. So far, "my mind was contaminated with her ruinous principles," but I never got so far as to be an atheist. One would suppose, by ^heir being so sure tliat I was an atheist, that they considered athe- rZ RE-NL^CMTION was vei'y lucrative, and I persuaded myself tfint be had be- coim exterually religious for the sake of still increasing his pecuniary business. For he was such a strong and^ euiightened infidel that I was persuaded nothing but God could really convert him to Christianity, and I doubted whether God would interpose for any such purpose. But last summer when I found that same man had abandoned all his lucrative business, and gone into the world to preaph — that he had left wealth and affluence rnd all eart^jy comforts behind him — v/hen I reflected that'' he had been 'avaricious and worldly and skeptical as any other mau: and that he was now liberal and kind, and his whole soul novi^ devoted to religion, and was even villing to be a meth- odist ; ail this satisfied me that he was indeed converted by the invisible agency of the Holy Spirit. This, together with some other things not necessary to be named, made some peculiarly serious impressions upon my mind. I be- gan to look with renewed and deeper attention upon the system of universalism as I professed it. I had seen it rise and spread in all directions. At firstlknew of only two or three advocates of the system, now there were hundreds. Thousands were becoming its friends, and I thought it in- dicated an ultimate triumph over all other systems. So its friends generally seem to believe. This often induced rae to look forward to future genera- tions, and contemplate them and their condition as though ihey were to be my children. Something would seem to ask, " what will be their social, moral, and religious state? Are the« effects of the doctrine 7iow (so far as they are visi- ble to observation from the multitude that profess it) such as to promise any substantial and lasting good to future idui a common failing inihe fraternity. Be that as it may, I never was an atheist, and never professed to be ; and do not recollect that I ever had adoubtof i!)8 existence of a Supreme Being in my life. Theoreticalatheism I consider proof of mental aberration. I tiiiak it the result of an intense efFort to comprehend what is incom- prehensible. OF UNIVKRSALISM. IS a.fres, when it comes to be ultimately universal? Are men more apt to be honest, benevolent, social, kind, humble, tolerant, and pious, in consequence of being converted to uiiiversalism? Are such abandoned and black-hearted, wretches, as love to trample in scorn upon every thing sa- cred, made to tremble and stand abashed by this doctrine ? Are the wicked reformed or restrained by its powerful in- fluence?" Such like questions often crowded upo.n my mind with such atfecting and overwhelming energy, that I iQoked around with deep solicitude to see its good effects. 1 began earnestly to review the course generally pursued by universalists, with a view to judge of the common eflects of the doctrine. I ardently desired to see the boasted good, which I and others had ascribed to it. But the more 1 looked the more I must confess I discovered a moral waste.* *^' Moral waste here might seem to convey a different idea from that intended. My meaning (as may be seen from other parts of tlie Renunciation,) was not that universalists were immoral; but that however moral they might be, I had no evidence that univer- saiism made them so. Men migfit be moral, and yet believe the moon to be a great cheese ! But that would not pi-ovethe doctrine, that the moon is a great cheese, tends to promotQ morality. The plain sense of the words is, that I could see no moral good ichatcver in the effects of the doctrine; though I might find many good peo- ple who believed it. Is it not known, that men may be moral, al- though they believe many things that have no moral eflect on them wliatever? I have known many moral men become universalists and continue moral. And I have known many very immoral per- sons, who had no principles or religion, who had neglected the sub- ject, till their attention became aroused to universalism. They have believed, but not reformed I When persons of good morality continue so after embracing universalism, it is reasonable to con- clude, that habit or other things produce the good effect. But let universalism be preached to vicious and imraoral persons in all the forms that it admits of— though they may easily be mado to believe it, their habits will not alter in consequence of being convinced.— I never did know a vicious person reformed and made better by be- coming a universalist. And from good authority, I shall show in this book, that universalism has done notnore good in other hands than in mine. To my own knowledge, and that of the community, universalism, in places where " our venerable Br. Stacy" has la- boured for two or three years past, has reformed not the drinking, the gambling, the profane or the vicious, in the least. The editors have poured out their vials of" charity" upon me like torrents for persecuting universalists, calling them immoral, &c. in the Renun- ciation. But where do they find it? I challenge the whole corps of 2 1-i ^ RE^•u^■CIATIO^' 1 had seen the blessed inflaeDce of the doclrine spread out often on paper, but I could not see them any where else ! No — God knows I am honest in this assertion. I do not feel to abuse the denomination, but it is true, that I could not for my life see any good resuhing to society from the stn- tiraent. This conviction rolled in upon my mind and my feelings with tremendous effect. Alas — thought I, have I been spending "my labour for that which satisfieth not!" Are all my efforts useless, and only tending to make looser the restraints of religion and virtue? I recollected of de- livering a discourse in this place a year ago last v»iuter, pub- lished in the 1st volume of the Genius of Liberty, design- ed to arouse univcrsalists to something like a religious course, if they did not mean indeed to identify their cause with infidelity. I was given to understand that they want- ed no such preaching, and although frequently solicited to preach here since, my answer has been substantially, that 1 would when. I was satisfied they wanted to learn how to be- uuiversalist editors to find a single word against the morals of univer- salist? in the Renunciation. I did not, at the time, intend to take any hostile course against universalists ; nor did I intend to either preach or write against any christian sect. I intended to let " mad opinions" take care of themselves. I intended to judge all opinions by their practical utility, and all men by their practical goodness. To promote the christian virtues, and persuade to a good life was my grand object; and I had found nniversa'.ism to be of no use in such a work. This is the great sin : for which I have been made to feel the vengeance of the *' only non-persecuting denomination." I have still taught that all the good will be saved. But the editors are not satisfied with that. It is not liberal enough. They wish to have it di niuctly and clearly understood, that more than the good, all the wickijd too, will certainly be saved .' They think the wicked will be very likely to reform if they are sure they will be saved at all events ! I am perfectly v/iiling the vicious should have the trouble to fear the damnation of hell, or else take the trouble to re- form. JMost all the universalists, who are generally considered can- did and virtuous men, (except these writers,) so far as I have con- Versed with them on the subject, acknowledge, that they have the best evidence that the natura of the subject admits of, that the belief that all will be saved positively and unconditionally, has no good effect in the piety and morals of xuen. They admit that the course pursued toward me, by a class of men, for the honest expression of my views on that subject, b full proof that miiversalism does not make men tolerant. • OF U?flVER8ALlS3I. i.t come better. But with these iajpressious, I was obHged stiii^to be a universahst; for 1 could not make up my mind Cuiiy to be an infidel, and viewed all the doctrines of the orthodox almost with abhorrenceT I could much easier have gone into infidelity than orthodoxy. My'prejudices were so strong against the orthodox generally, that I mis- apprehended many oftheir sentiments, and believed them all either very ignorant or unprinciple .•! hypocrites. V/iih such feelings, 1 concluded one Sunday last summer to go in and hear Mr. Giljet, of the Presbyterian church in this village. My object principally was to enable myself to expose some of the gross inconsistencies of his doctrine. — But he preached on practical social duties ; I was highly pleased and edified with the whole discourse. In the af- ternoon I went again, and discovered as 1 thought some errours, but in consequence of the happy effect of his first sermon, 1 could not feel it in my heart to find any fault with him before the publick ; fori found myself beginning to respect his feelings, which I had formerly si}orted wkh in a very wanton manner; and had verily thought I was serving God in so doing. Soon after I heard him again, and final- ly was induced to hear as often as possible ; for the more I heard the more satisfied I was that his grand object was not to oppress and injure human society as Ihad supposed, but to upbuild practical religion and morality, and thus sub- serve the best interests of men, as well as to promote the declarative glory of God. Ihad certainly supposed that presbyterian clergymen were the most unprincipled men iu the world, though from their superiour literary altain- nieuts, I did not hold them in such perfect contempt as I did the methodist clergy. But upon becoming acquainted with the above individual, I .was constrained to perceive that I had been blind with prejudice; and was further per- suaded by degrees that his preaching and gen%rai views were useful to the community around hira. T.ast v/^']ier I attended the protracted meeting in this J6 RENU-NGIITIO--^ place, to see if indeed tiicy conducted it in the Indicroirs and revolting manuer represented by their op))onents. — Candour demands of me the statement that I heard not a single sarcastiek expression or unchristian insinuation, or any thing else, more than serious practical preaching, and impressive appeals to sinners to come to Christ and live. — There were some things that infidels might net rpprove, and that abandoned people n)ight condemn: but I thinU there was nothing that any christian could be displeased with. About this time it began to be talked that I hiid renoun- ced universalism. I had not done it, neither had 1 deter- mined that I should. I was dissatisfied with it, as being not calculated to build up serious and devout societies; but 5 dared not immediately renounce it, through fear that my objections were the result of some intellectual hallucina- tion, or temporary prejudice, or hypochondrical affection, and might finally wear off. Being thus circumstanced, I felt it improper for me to urge upon my readers a belief ia universal salvation. It vvas also equally improper for me to urge objections to the theory until 1 should become ful- ly established either against or for it. Therefore I took the onl}' course reiiiuining forme, which was lo confine my publick remarks to subjects not immediately connected with the question; and to urge upon my readers such con- siderations as I believed would be useful to them. Although, 1 liave for some time thought I should ulti- mately renounce the doctrine, yet 1 was determined not lo do it so hastily as not to be fully conscious of d(>ing right. I published an article in the 44th No. 2d volume Genius of Liberty, from the Boston Trumpet, by a Resioratiunist, which professes to give an account of the religious condi- tion of universalists generally in New England. The reackji- is requested to peruse it. The editor of the Trum- pet ^erts that it is a misrepresentation. How it may be in New Ea^laud, I do cot know ; but this I know, that it \i^ or UMVKiiSALlSM. 17 not a misrepresentation of their religious condition so fur ao I know any thing about them. I would not speak harshiy of them. My affections have clung to them with almost the grasp of desparation. Certainly as a people they de- serve no evil at my hands. I only wish to speak of the general effects of the doctrine. I know individuals among them of the most amiable dispositions and characters, that would honour any profession. But I do not think their doctrine ever made them so. I candidly aver in the fear of God, that I do not believe the doctrine ever made a single^* soul any better tlian he otherwise would have been, while it has been the means of removing necessary restraints, and giving latitude to thousands, whose propensities and pas- sions needed restraint, whereby they have indulged in crim- inal pursuits and gone to perdition. 1 only judge from what I know — from what I have seen, in reference to the general effects of the doctrine. "The tree must be known by its fruits." And after taking the fruits of the tree of universalism into long and deliberate and prayerful consid- eration, so far as I have ever seen them, I am compelled to conclude the tree is radically defective — that God never de- signed to give mankind a religion which would do them no good, and about which most of its friends would feel so perfectly indifferent as universalists generally do about their religion. When 1 learn of a single drunkard, or swearer, or gambler, or debauchee, or knave, being reform- ed in consequence of the universalist doctrine, I shall think better of its influence than I do now — for it is my solemn opinion that such an instance never occurred. And I would gladly hold up this truth to all the friends of the doctrine, and make it speak out in thunder to their consciences — and then ask themif they will still teach this doctrine to their children? Being aroused lo these considerations, I began to ask again whether the Bible did teach universalism in its own plain unsophisticated construction. In the first place, it is 3* 18 RIINUJCCIATIO^ manifest that /iO/>e and /ear are the two great sources of human vaUtions. Hope is powerful when balanced by fear hi inducing men to action. Men will never do much for an object because they hope for it, unless they /ear that they shall not obtain it without action. Induce an avari- cious man to believe that he shall become rich whether he works or not, and he may ardently /?o/7e to be so; bnt such hope would never induce him to work. On the other hand induce him to believe that if he works he shall become , rich, and to fear that if he does not he will be poor, and this hjpe and ftar together will make him active. So when we look impartially into tlie scriptures, we shall find the /jope of reward and the /mr o-f punishment, every where held forth, as the proper irKlucements to a good life. These are the inducements — they are parallel through the Bi- ble — the one would have no practical effect without the ether. Tn reference to this point I have examineil Prof. Stewart's learned work on those original terms which de- iioe the duration of future liappiness and future misery, and I think he clearly shows that the rewards and punish- ments of a future world are parallel and o( equal duration. I know that most of universalists deny the existence of even any punishment in a future state. But I should cer- tainly think it much fairer for them to say at once, that they did not regard the unvarnished sense of the Bible at all, and only used it as a kind of popular mantle in which to dress up a system of palpable infidelity.* They may come * I do not pretend here to accuse all universalists, who deny fu- ture punishment, of dishonesty ; but that they do not believe in the scriptures in their plain natural unvarnished sense. To bring peo- ple to their system, their principal business is to varnish over tiie scriptures so as to give them the a]>pearance of teaching what common readers would never have suspected from the words. — The r-ystera, in my opinion, is so near deism, as to be precisely the same in its moral effects. There are many good moral deists. — Those men, who would be u>oraI without any religious restraint, would be good moral deists ; and so with this system. But such is not the moral constitution of all men. And as all ought to support the laws necessary to restrain the vicious, so all ought to support religion necessarj' to the security and execution of those laws. Such OF UNIVERSALISM. 19 out with a vengeance on me for saying so much ; but if they must, they must — I never shrink from the convictions of right. If any man of sense can read Balfour's Essays, and other writings which I could'name, and not be convinced, universalism, I conceive to be opposed to the unvarnished word of (Jod, as will appear in the third chapter of this work. And every at- tempt to mako\!;e scriptures teach it, only tends to lessen the con- fidence of men, in the authority atid imequivocal huignage of divine revelation; and to increase unbelievers, and multiply opposersto religion; and to break the strongest chains which bind the corrupt, a:id save the innocent fro Pw the perjnry, perfidy, and crinies of otiiers. This is the reason why I tliink it would be fairer or better for mankind and for posterity, if the advocates of that doctrine would openly espouse deism. For T do not believe, that by preach- ing open infidelity, they could undermine the christian faith, and increase hostility to religion as fast as they do now. I think it im- possible to look over the country, and trace universajism in a-ny place where it prevails to any extent, and not be satisfied of this truth. Many professed universabsts have told me, at different tim.es, that they only supported universalism as a means of putting down superstition, (revealed religion.) Bfany preachers take u kind of dark course on the subject of future punishment. They preach present punishuient; and all their counnon arguments are calculated to induce a belief that punishment must be licre and no where else. Yet they do not say but there may he punishment in a future state! Hence, while they teach r.Vrra universalism in all its material features, they hold in reserve, the advantage of taking shelter under restorationisniy whenever they are met with Scrij)- tures in debate, which they cannot evade, and which they must allow to tp?ich future punishment. Mr. Kneeland was for years a learned and eminent universalrst teacher. He became anAtlieist; and says, that the fundamental principles, taught by modern nniversalists and himself, ai-e the same. That the elements of his system are all found in their argu- ments. That the principal universalist writers and teachere are ongagedin tlie same ^rcaf work that he is, viz : to bring mankind out of superstition into reason and nature. He claims the honour of acting openly and honestly in promoting the sauie results, which he sayshis nniversalistcoadjutorsare promoting in their own way. I am informed by a reputable gendeman from Boston that uuiveV salist societies in that region open their temples, and pay him for his instructions on atheism, or pantheism, which is substantially the same thing. Universalist preachers, whether hone&t themselves or not, hold )ip to the people an inefficient rehgion — a religion that never harrows up the guilty conscience, that never made a guilty nerve to tremble. They philosophise and speculate, until ihey bring their hearers into a habit of do7(bting — and they generally doubt on, till nothing is imdoubtcd to them, except that priestcraft iss the principal evil in the world ! This fact is now well known to almost the whole community. Universalist preachers may have good motives of action; but their professed followers generally look upon them as counteracting revealed religion. They Lave 20 RK^L.^■cIATIo^' that materiiilisra and atheisin are at the bottom, he can do what I canuot. And I am not accustomed to shrink from an open avowal of my couclusious on account of the frowns or smiles of my fellow beings. What bave 1 on earth lo fear ? In a few days I shall be in another world ! And so will be the multitudes that now rage and clamour about opinions. The only object, then, worthy of me or any other man, is to do something that will gild the way from earth with peace ; and leave with our children some salu- tai'y principles to guide them safely amidst the temptations of the world. I do not intend here to discuss the subject of future pun- ishment, though it is not impossible I may do it hereafter. Suffice it to say, I know of no argument against eternal pun- ishment that can be drawn from the fair construction of the Scriptures. And as to the conclusions drawn from known facts, they are as much in favour of the hypothesis as against it. Some have pretended that, as I have said and written so much for universal salvation, I have no right to come out against it now. I clung to the system as long as I consci- entiously could ; and having seen more and more, and re- flected more and more on the subject, and its relations and tendencies, I rim fully satisfied that I ought to abandon it. It must be because I know more than I once did, cr less. Some time in the last winter, I received of Mr. Gillet, Bishop Home's evidences of revealed religion. I read it wiih increasing avidity. It was the first work I had ever read in proof of the divine authority of the Bible. Every objection that ever I thought of, and many more, were there conclusively answered. The Scriptures were supported by thousands of such admirers, who assume the name ofuniversalists, laugh at their wit, and chuckle at their perversions of scripture, yet those admirers well kuow their instructions to be rapidly un- dermining the christian faith. They suppose such to be the object of universalism. Infidelity has been extended in the state of New York and New England by tiiat means to a great extent. OF UMViiaSALlSM. 21 evidence that botli cistonisLed und overwhelmed in}' whole mind. I thanked God that I had seen the work. What liave been my experimental impressions since, it may not be necessary to rehite at this time. The idea of separating myself from those wlio have beeii my friends, has been indeed a subject of exquisite feeling. But when contrasted with the sense of duty, there was no alternative. Those whose friendship i» worth retaining will not be the less friendly because I pursue the course which my judgement dictates and my conscience approves. From what 1 have already seen and heard, I have reason to expect my motives will be assailed. Those men whose own motives are mercenary will impute such to me. I am now prepared in the strengtli of the Lord Jesus to bear whatever of calumny or reviling this act may call into beiug. And 1 hope to possess a disposition to forgive all such uncharitable aspersions, as will grow out of the same dark prejudices and anti-christian animosities, which I have felt and cherished with blind and devoted infatuation. May lliat God whose free grace is as a river, forgive them and me, and bring them ultimately, by the efficiency of jjis spirit, to see and feel the power and truth of the religion of ChriFt. For some time 1 have contemplated, in consequence of my conviction of the utter inefficiency of univeisalism, to go into private business, and retire from all publick life. — Were it not for the sweeping prevalence of infidelity, which 1 deprecate as subversive of the most important iiiterestB of men, I think still it wot: id be my choice. But on tlie whole, I have concluded to follow the still small voice of the Deity, to go where that directs and do what that re- quires. Forme to doubt that God has exerted a special influ- ence over my views and feelings for some time past, would bo to doubt the evidence of my own sensations. And al- though these may be fallacious, yet no one can safely dis- regard what he is made to feel. -^ KE.\tr.\'CIATIO:> Ifauy are nstonishet] nt the course i have taken they are uo more astonished than I am. It has been brought about gradually to be sure, but by tlie invisible action of agent^j over which I liad no control. If I aai to blame for my present impressions, 1 am as much to blame because the sun shines. It has been said and will be reiterated throucii the coun • p try, and I may he thus noticed in the universalist publica- tions, that my object is popularity. I do not say that they are actuated by such motives, but admit that they arc prob- ably as honest as I have been. And if they really posscrs •the charity for which they claim distinction, they will not insinuate any such thing of me. If I have been any way distinguished as a lover of popularity, or if indeed my pres- eat course was a very popular one, there might be some small ground for such a suspicion, though no ground such a charge. But this is not true, as I am able to sht)w that I have recently rejecteil opportunities to se- cure a much greater chance of popularity ihan I can over expect from this course. If it shall be said that my object is money, I shall be able to exhibit facts, such as would satisfy any candid mind that it is not the case. I can show that 1 have pursued a course in ray own paper, which I anticipated would subject me to a serious loss. I can also show that for some time past I have had induce- ments of a pecuniary kind held out to me as a promulgator of universalism far greater than I can ever expect from any other connexion. If all tb.is does not satisfy, which kind Providence has granted me, as I think, for that express purpose, and many think me yet in reality a universalist, jjrofessing anoti^er sentiment for inercenary purposes, let them consider that this is only saying, that universalism has so little influence over its disciples, that they may pro- fess any thing else for popularity or money I Which would i>e only another argument v/hy I ought to abandon it. ilowever, none will ii^upute to me&uch motives of action, OF UNIVERSALISM. '4'S except sucli as know of no other motives of action — that have no principles, — no affections — and thxt never dream- ed of doing any thing because it was right! And those who make such insinuations are always those very men whose sole object in t.heir- business is professedly money, just as if I had not as good a right to pursue my worldly interests, as other men ! ■- , I acknowledge that! have motives of action, but I deny that the expectation of either money or popular applause has any partjn this business. But I have heard men spiy that Paul and Peter subjected themselves to a whole life of suffering, and death itself, for the purpose of making money ! From such men I expect neither justice nor mercy 1 Sucli as never act from pure and good motives are very apt to think others do not. — Men who are seldom sincere are apt to suspect the sincerity of others. Men who despise the Bible are apt to think oth- ers must despise it too, and sucli as hate religion will think others must, and will hate them if they do not. Let it not be thought that I consider this step of mine of trilling consequence. I have approached it with the most deliberate consideration. Neither do I despise the feelings of hundreds of good friends who will feel tenderly and grievously affected with this annunciation. There are hon- est and good universalisfs. Such will feel astonished and grieved. For them I could drop a tear, but I could not refrain from this act, and still be worthy of their regard. — So I feel, and so I must ace or be a slave. God has willed that it should be so; yet let it not be supposed that 1 feel no affection for good universalists. I believe there are many such who will go to heaven, though I believe not that the sentiment generally makes men better. Men are not to be punished at all for being universalists, but only for wick- ed actions. My objections to universalisrn are founded mainly upon the fact of its inefficiency to reform the wick- ed, and to promote the growth and living energy of vital ^ RENt:>'CIATIO:< piety. God has made us free moral agents, and he has made us capable ot'obtaining a supply of worldly comforts, by the due improvement of our faculties, and of ^'eing meas- urably happy ; but without the improvemeni of these fa- culties, we cannot secure even the common comforts of this world. So 1 think the relig.*on «f our Lord Jesull'" Christ teuches us to expect our future condition will be according to the character we form. This gives to virtue its best encouragement and brightest hopes, and to vice its most powerful restraint. It attaches the most solemn sanction to the laws of God, and binds in the strongest chains the dearest interests of men. And when we reflect that many men ivill break over all restraints — will nehher regard the laws of honour, or humanity, the holy affections of kindred beings, the tears of the innocent, nor the love of God, the hopes of heaven nor the terrours of hell, who would wish to diminish the means of restraining the wicked ? The love of God has much in it to interest and affect the heart of a christian, but it cannot act where it is not. We might go to the pirate, or any cold, malicious, conscienee- seared wretch, and preach the love of God to him, and he would still laugh, and whet the murdering knife for another riotira. The grand object of all religion is to make men good. — For this Jesus came on earth and died. For this the apos- tles laboured and offered up their lives. For this the mar- tyrs bled. And to cherish any religion which has not this effect is to strike a fatal blow at the best interests of our race. Sincerely and deliberately believing that such is the effect of the universalian doctrine, I appeal to the heart search- ing God for the purity of my motives, while I hereby pub- lickly renounce the doctrine as unscriptural and of perni- cious tendency ; and I withdraw from all ecclessiastical connexion with the people called universahsts. LEWIS C. TODD. Jamtstoicn, May 25, 1633. I CHAPTER II* V]&« rrotlo** and Aspersions of Unl-rersallst EMUtors mmI Presuohers examined and repelled^ r' Notice of the Renunciation in the " Magazim and Advocate^'' of Utica. By the junior Editor. '* He that is first in his own cause, seemeth jast, but hie njeigh- bourcoraeth and searcheth him." — Prov. xvm. 17. I do not expect to reply to any more of the aspersions of universalist editors than to vindicate myself, and ray Itenun- ciation. Having done this, I shall leave them with th© publicU, who have generally knowledge enough of their veracity to appreciate their statements, without much effort on my part to repel them. I did not intend to come out in any hostile form against professed universalists. And I will not say a word against any that are really friends to Christ, but I shall in this work declare many truths about a proportion of the professors of that system, especially some of its teachers. I do it from a sense of duty to my- self, to God, and to mankind. Some of these men have long enjoyed the privilege of publishing to the world, every thing which a perverted understanding, and an imagination trained to the trade of sophistry could devise, about the subject of this review. And some might cot be able fully to understand them without my assistance. It is now ray turn to be heard in my defence. The universalist paper at Utica is owned by Rev. D. Skin- ner ; but he has a man by the name of ^. B. Grosh in his employ as junior editor of the paper, It would seem, that this man is hired^ for the purpose of writing such articles as the design of the paper requires, but which are too scur- rilous for the editor. This Grosh first opened ihe subject ©s«d, the Deril in court, a« prosecuting atterney into n AarS&CIOJTI OF Vl* iTXMAl.lt is ihc bargain ? They were not wjiJing to take my own words Tolantarily laid before the publick ; and content themaelvee with garbling them into something that might militate against me ; but they must get somethiog more. Some- thing that should come in a shape to suit their feelings better than any thing from my own pen ! Now I admit that something very much like the report in words did pass between us. But there are some trifling variations in toordM, which make a wide variation in the sense and application of the report. Much he omitted ; added a little ; and altered a little. So that many things are made to look otherwise in the report than in the original. He repre- sents the following dialogue to have passed between as, which I present as a specimen. *' Why, the universalists or those calling themselves such, in this town, (Jamestown) if they had the power, would rip me open and draw the last drop of blood from my heart. Why, Br. T. said I, what do you mean ! you are crazy ! The universalists here are your friends. No, he answered they are not. 1 know them, and what I know I know as well as any other man. I doubt not, said I, that you know vjhat you know, as well as any man. But you do not know this. These are unreasonable suspicions — unfounded jealousies. Why do you suffer yourself to indulge such jealousies ? to destroy your own peace and the peace of your friends ? The universalists are your friends ; they have patronized you, (just as if patronage was all the prin- ciple a man could have,) perhaps not so much as your mer- its deserved; but as much probably as they thought they were able. No said he, they are not my friends — they are mad with me for attempting to vindicate the christian re- ligion.** To this extract from Mr. Stacy's report, I say, I did teJl him there were men in Jamestown, ca/Zcrf universalists, who would do as above if they dare. And distinctly told him that I judged so from the abuse 1 had received from them personally, and that I had been told that such persons were malicious enough to do it, (meaning only two or three) and all this for having written much recently and published ifl foretir of religioo and the B}bl€. I did not represent tmi- versalists generally either in Jamestown or anj where else as being desirous to murder me ; as the editors would wish to have it suppo.sed, so as to arouse the vengeance of all universalists against iiie. I did farther represent pro- fessed universalists genetally, but not universally, as exas- perated against me for vindicating divine revelation. I told him that I had the fullest evidence of this, from numerous letters sent in from subscribers ; from the ver- bal declarations of many ; from the general murmur of dissatisfaction on that account through the country ; and from the other numerous indications that I beheld. All this I told him, in substance, though I do not pretend to have a memory to relate a familiar conversation, monthi afterwards, '* in the very words," as he says of most of his report. I also told him, that when I became satisfied that universalism was to be identified with infidelity, I would renounce it, let them do what they would or call me what they would. That I would do it though death or flames might be the consequence ; for I should consider it a duty I owed myself, my God, my children, and mankind. Again he reports, '• But still he complained that our societies were made up of deists ; that our hearers were mostly deists and scof- fers of religion — that this was the case with the societies in the order generally — that the common method of preach- ing in the order was rather calculated to brow beat ortho- doxy than to promote piety, (every reader acquainted loitK them knows it is even so.) That they did not feel sufficient- ly interested to give a reasonable support to their preach- ers — that their main object in forming societies, support- ing preaching, and attending meeting, was to oppose and break down other denominations ; and he awfully feared that infidelity would overspread the whole christian world, &c. &c." There. is no mistake in the substance of the above only what consists In omitting what would have made it better understood. As to their *' not feeling interested enough lo Eopport preaching, I told him a reason of it was, that most of its pr«fp.s»orf wer« really unbelievers in religion. 34 AlFX&STOjrt »T (TiriVEa«Al.I»V8 and, therefore, woold pay nothing from religious principle. That though most such men would now pay liberally to support universalisra, because they thought it instrumen- tal io overthrowing religious denominations, that they would not pay a cent after this object should be accomplished. I told him they supported universalism not as religion but m a means of putting down religion — as an opposition. I told him that I, or any other unirersalist preacher, who wa« able to preach down other orders, could get a rich support, so long as other orders were supported — but as our busi- aess was opposition, the moment we conquered the ortho- dox, our supporters would turn round and trample us un- der foot. I farther told him, that I had recently had several opportunities to settle myself as a preacher of the doctrine, but that I could not see good enough resulting from it t© stimulate me to action. I told him I had a higher object in living than to get a living. That I did not wish to set myself up as a stage player, just to amuse infidels, because I could live by it. That I could be satisfied with little, accompanied with a consciousness of doing good, and with- ©ut that no salary would satisfy me. All that and much more I told him, expressing in the most pointed terms, that I was dissatisfied and disappointed with the denomination, on account of their indifference to piety, the profanity, gambling, and other bad habits so common among them. I had made similar complaints to Mr. Stacy, more or less, I think, every opportunity I had enjoyed with him, since he moved into the country, for some years. He forgot, of •curse, to report all these things, but adds in a very graa©- fal manner, " On the whole, I found his mind in a state of great db- quietude, and it was clearly discoveralle, that he felt as though he had been neglected — ihat he had not received the suppart 3.Qd patronage which he deserved, which I have reason to fear was too true." Now how was all this clearly discovered ? He does not pi««tttiid that I said so, but admits that I assigned other rea- SXAHIJVED AJ(D EEPSt.i.SO. 35 >oDS ifl abniidajQce for my " disquietude." Y«l ht dlscor- srs clearly^ that such reasons as 1. assigned could aotreally be the true cause of any disquietude'in the mind of a uni- ^ersaUst preacher ! And since ray mind was disquieted, he " clearly discovers'' that I did not receive the support which [ deserved I ! He does not inform us whether he made this * clear discovery" with a telescope or a microscope ; or ivhether he concluded, that, because I was a universalitt jreacher, therefore, I could not possibly care for any thing ?lse, but " patronage and support." I do not mean ** by my means to insinuate that" patronage and support ar« he sole end and aim of all his actions, and how he should nake such clear discoveries about others, I cannot tell. Men seem to have two objects in persuading their friends :hat my reasons for renouncing universalism are not what [ allege. 1. This would counteract the effects of my Ro- aunciation upon the honest and candid part ofuniversa- ists; and 2. This would admonish them to give more, and support the rest of the preachers better. It may be "te- merity," however, to insinuate that these heralds of " ben- svolence, and love, and charity, and good will" can possi- jly have any regard to their own interests, or even to **the recompense of reward." He adds, *'Br. Todd had conducted his paper with much abihty rad faithfulness, especially wnfi/ the latter part of it.'* Br. Stacy then was well pleased with the paper, until th« laffer part of it. Compare this with his remark in the »ame report, where speaking of the rumours that I had changed my views, he says, " but they at length assumed i cast, which, together with the evident change in the marcU wmplexion of his paper, (the Genius of Liberty) entitled ;hem to some notice." Now let us inquire what this *' ev- ident change in the moral complexion of my paper" was ? Why — I had written and published a number of sermon* md essays against profane swearing, gambling, intemper- iQce, ani other victs ; and had urged the necessity and im- 98 AJtr39Aioss or Si'vivciisAi.itr* portaace of pietj, ten times more for the laft the mootfas than formerly. Besides, I had been publishing •' a vindi- cation of religion" against infidelity. A few consciencious, sincere subscribers expressed much satisfaction with the ** evident change in the moral complexion of the paper." But many subscribers were not pleased with it. And I am sorry Mr. Stacy has informed us, that " he conducted his paper with much ability and faithfulness, especially until the latter part ofity 1 think he must have been absent mind- «d when h© wrote that ; for I cannot believe he really thought the latter part of the paper, after the " evident change" worse than before. To finish with Mr. Stacy, I think him a very good sort of a man. I think him blind with opinional zeal, so that he does not see the religiout character of his party as dark as it really is. But I have conversed with him too muoh not to know that he has seen, acknowledged, and regretted, that they were not generally much like christians. I think he would like to see Christianity, in his sense of it, prevail, with all its morai principles and blessings. Some say he has told in some places, that I have been employed to write for the metho- dists at a great salary. But I do not believe it possible, as he told me he had not a doubt of my honesty in this change, and he has told some others the same. Instance, Rev. Mr. Choich, christian preacher. EXAMI!0 RKrii:LI.KD. , 61 •* sider these things and return me an answer, you will "much oblige an old friend, as also at present. "i2ev. L. C. Todd.'' "ALFRED PECK. To the above, I answered immediately, that I had doubts both of the truth and utility of the doctrine, and therefore could not be instrumental, under amy conditions, in dissem- inating it. Mr. Skinner, in one of his papers, invidiously wishes to know, how much I wrote and published in my paper in favour of universalism, after I received this letter. I tell him none. For many weeks before my Renunciation, I neither wrote for nor against the doctrine of the salvation of all men, but on subjects of much greater importance. — Neither did I publish any thing on that subject, except some articles which my printer got in without my appro- bation.* " City of Troy, April 23rf, 183-3. " Rev. L. C. Todd — I have purchased the ♦' Gospel An- ♦* chor." Wo are desirous of discovering a more favoura- '•ble aspect of things than what at present exhibits itself; ** and having heard from several of our friends, that you " have come to the conclusion to discontinue the " Genius "of Liberty" at the close of the present volume, \ have in- "dulged the hope that some arrangement might be made " to our 7nMiw«Z advantage^by a transfer of your list of sub- *Sorae have said that I continued my paper after I became con- vinced of the impropriety of universalism. I answer, I had a per- fect right to continue my paper as long a^ I pleased. I had agreed to publish the paper to the end of the volume, und v/as bound to fulfil ray agreement. But I w^as not bound to teach universalisn) iu all the paper, but had agreed to teach religion and morality in some parts of it. After I began to suspect strongly the errour of univer- salism, I ceased to teach ii; entirely, although I had not come to a full determination respecting it ; and I finished out the volume in vindication ofrehgion and morality, which made t!:e "evident, change in the moral complexion of the paper." I was morally bound to stop teaching universalism, when I thought the evidence against it preponderated over that in its favour, but I had a perfect right to select ray own time and way to announce my conclusion on the subject During the whole of tho pxpor, I advocated such principles to the end, as I tliought, at Uio time^ oorreotaad usclul to my readers. 62 A8PER310:'S or U^•IVEKSALlSTa entious kind. And he admitted to me, that universalists generally were not pious, and that he had, for years, monrn- ed over the course they pursued in relation to religion. — A gentleman returned in the spring previous to my Re- nunciation, and said they would give me any salary almost I asked, if I would come there ; but as he had heard of my taking a strange course for a universalist to take, he only mentioned it to others, and I have it by information. By letter I had also frequent and urgent invitations to many places, and high encouragements proposed. I have been thus particular, because certain people of " unbounded charity," having on the " bonds of perfectness," have echo- ed their insinuations through the country, that I havo done this for money, because I could not get a support as a uni- rersalist I &c. Money v/as never my first object in preach- ing — but had it been so, I should certainly have gone on. My sermons averaged me while a miiversalist 77Jor« than tJiree dollais to one now. When these things are considered, v.'as I not justified in the charitable presumption, that "none but men of no principle ; who never acted but from mercenary motives, would impute such to me ?" And, indeed, all universalists at all distinguished for candour, with whom I have convers- ed, not excepting Mr. Stacy, have acknowledged, they be- lieved my motives good. So I was right in predicting that universalists generally would not impugn my motives against all evidence — that none but the worthless and un- principled would do it, unless a horde of restless and in- terested editors should be considered partial exceptions, which is, however, by many, doubted. In another num- ber of Mr. Skinner's pape», he says, that he expects 1 shall draw a good salary out of the methodist fund ! And that metbodist clergy get greater salaries than any otbei;protes- lant clergy get in America I ! I do not know but 1 am wrong to put an exclamation point as "a mark of wonder cr surprise" after any thing ne might say. One vould KXAMirtED ANP REPELLED. C5 suppose, ha considered his readers out of their senses, aud ready to believe any thing from him, if they knew it false. I never intimated in all my writings, that methodist preach- ers get any thing more than a poor support. More than half of them are local preachers, who do not travel a cir- cuit, and such are not allowed by the discipline to receive any thing for preaching. These are a numerous body who preach Sundays without pay, and labour the rest of their time. As to the circuit preachers, they have a small sup- port if their friends please to let them have it; but they must leave all other pursuits, have no home on earth ; but move their families yearly from place to place. They have neither chance to make money nor enjoy it if they had it. Look at them when you will, unless a methodist travelling preaoher had property before he started, you will always find him poor, and his family poor. They are from home and cannot enjoy much of the ease and comfort of home ; nor the endearments of domestick life ; nor administer much to the necessities of dependant families. They are prudent, and frugal, and obliged to be so. They are as pilgrims in the world, preaching from place to place, with scarcely a place to rest, till they arrive at theirheavenly home. They visit every place where there seems a chance to gain friends to Christ. They explore the wilderness and the abodes o( poverty. They find out almost every lane and hamlet. — They wind along every valley ; cross every river ; and climb every mountain. Burning sands ; autumnal storms ; wintry snows, and piercing winds, are their companions I Often does the tear of mingled emotion gather on the cheek, as they tread the lonely path, and endure the dreary way, reflecting upon the homeless and pitiless life, which ben- evolence points out for them, and the corruption and mis- ery which it prompts them to mitigate. But their bosoms burn with the love of God, and their ambition is to reclaim men from wicked pursuits, and guide them to happiness litre, and heaven hereafter. Yet these weatherbcaten soU 6* 66 sPl:KSIo^s of universalists diers of the cross are held up as a luxurious and money ma- king class of men, by universalist editors — and these edi- tors would have us believe that they are the true friends and the only friends of rehgion ! Paiue, Hume and Voltaire, were as valuable friends. No — 1 never accused them of making money by preaching. I had seen it in universa- list prints before, but I always despised the falsehood. — Though a universalist, I had too much conscience to pre- tend any such thing. I will here add a letter that I have received from Rev. Mr. Brunson, who stands high in the estimation of (he country ; and who has been long intimately acquainted with every thing that belongs to the pecuniary concerns of the methodist church. " Meodville.Pa. Oct. 29th, 1833. "Dear Brother — Yours of the 20th inst. has just come •'to hand, in which you make certain inquiries, relative to *' the pecuniary support of the methodist ministry. In re- " ply to which I will briefly state facts as they exist. " The discipline of the methodist episcopal church, does "not so much provide for the support of her ministers, as ** limit ihem to a certain amount which they are permitted ♦•to receive ; provided, the voluntary contributions of our "people give us that amount. The policy of this rule is " to preserve a pure and spiritual ministry, by holding- out no *^ pecuniary considerations to men to become her ministers, "60 that if any man solicits the privilege of preaching among " us, his motives must be of a spiritual and cot of a pecuni- ^'■ary character. Indeed, I know of but few ministers "among us, but who suflfer pecuniary loss from year to "year. "Our discipline permits, or allows each itinerant minis- " t^r to receive, (if he can get it from the voluntary contri- " fcution of his hearers.) th^ sum of one hundred dollars per " annum, and his necessary travelling expenses. If he has '' a wife, he is allowed to receive the same amount for her; KXAMINKD AND REPELLED. 67 '* aod for ^afth child under seven years of age sir{«en dollars ; ** and for each child over seven and under fourteen, twenty- ^^four dollars ; and after that age nothing. But if the con- " tributions on the circuit are more than sufficient to make '♦ up these allowances, he is not allowed to receive it, though ** it should be offered to him, — it must be sent to the an- *• nual conference to assist in making up the allowances of •• those preachers who are deficient therein. •' In addition to this allowance, our discipline provideB or *' rather allows the preacher to be furnished with a house, " and with some few otherofhis family expenses; tobeiim- " ited, however, to the means and circumstances of the place **in which he lives and the peo}7ie whom he serves. In '• towns and cities, where the expenses of a family are great, *• and the ability of the people equal to them, one meets '* the other ; but in our country circuits the rule is seldom " made to bear, not even to furnishing a house. *' The Jirst of these allowances is called quarterage or sal- *' ary ; the second is called (not travelling, but) family expen- " ses ; neither of which is made up in one case out of twenty ••oH an averages But in case of deficiency in quarterage, *' (not of the other,) our rules provide " ways and means" ** whereby they might be made up, yet it is never done. — '• These means, are, 1. the avails of " the chartered fund," ** located in Philadelphia, 2. the avails of the book con- **cern at New-York. 3. a colletion lifted for that purpose "on each circuit and station, and 4. the surplus quarter- "age on any circuit where there may be such: hut of this ♦' / have not known an instance in ff teen years. These sev- *' eral sums when collected at the annual conference, con- " stitute what is called ♦' the conference fund," out of which "the deficiencies of the preachers are to be made up, or " at least as far as it will go for that purpose. "But the existence of such a fund has greatly mislead •• both our friends and our foes. The former lean upon it " to make up what th^y should give towarcis the support of 68 ASPERSIONS or umtersalists ** their preachers, and therefore contribute Un than thejr " would otherwise do for that object. In the mean time *'the latter imagine it an inexhaustable fountain from *' which we are sure to receive an ample support, whether *' we obtain it from other sources or not. *'As to the truth of this last idea, you will allow me to *• be able to judge, when I inform you that I have been ** chairman of the committee called '* conference stewards," *'for cigAt years past, whose duty it is to receive and dis- ** tribute these funds. And to give you the clearest possi- *' ble view of the case, I will state the result of the last *' years settlement, which was several hundred dollars more *' favourable than any former year in thia (the Pittsburgh) *• conference, since its organization, in 1825. "There were last year 120 preachers, — what proportion *' of whom were married I am not jiow able to tell ; but the *' whole amount necessary to make up the allowance of all *• the preachers, the wives, children, widows, and orphans, *'was 822,632 00 *• The whole amount received by them to- *' wards their allowance as quarterage, on their *' several circuits and stations, (the worn out '* preachers, receiving nothing from this source,) "was $16,142 74 ♦♦Leaving a deficiency to be made up by the conference funds, of $6,489 26 " This fund fo? the last year, was made up as follows, ** viz : " Collections from the aevefal circuits and ♦'stations, $887 57 •* Our share of the profits of the book concern, 400 00 ** Our share of the avails bf the chartered fund, 75 00 Making in all, $1,362 57 This sum of $13^ 57, constituted the fond so muih EXAMINED AND REPELLED. 69 »' talked about, and which was to pay $6489 26 ; but which "could pay only about twenty cents on the dollar of the "amount. By this statement it will be seen that after all " that the *' conference fund" could do, the preachers did "not, on an average, receive from both circuit and confer- "ence, but -iihoul three- fourths of their small allowance; " that is, a single man received about seventy -five dollars, " and a mdn with a wife, one hundred andffty dollars for ? " year's service ; while these very men, or at least the most " of them, left business worth from $300 to $1200 per an- " Qum, for the sake of preaching the gospel iu the capacity "of itinerant methodist preachers. "I could add many remarks from ray own experience "and observations, but comments are unnecessary: these " facts speak for themselves. " Respectfully yours, "iJei?. L. C. Todd.'' ''A. BRUNSON. But whether methodist travelling preachers receive great salaries or small ones, was a matter of little concern to me. i have long desired most anxiously to enjoy retired life, and only went into the itineracy to discharge what appeared my duty, in hopes that I should feel satisfied after a little time ; and intended, as soon as I had done what 1 felt bound to do for the publick, to go into private life.* Mr. Skinner says, " We cannot but remark, and we think every attentive reader must have noticed, the entire silence of Mr. T. on the subject of scripture testimony." And again: *1 will here add that protestant jf^eachers of no sect have any ob- ject to preach for money solely. Some, of splendid taients get got»d salaries ; but such conld get more in many other callings. Very few preachers of any sect in our country get more than is necessary to meet their expenses. The men who complain much of priestcraft generally pay ten times more for grog bills., law suits, fiddler's bills aad other similar concerns, than the pious pay to support a gospel ministry. In going on to a circuit, I thought it doubtful, at tb© ^me,' whether my lungs v/ould atlinit of preaching six months. — 4nd considored it oflittlQ eonsequenc© about tho salary. 79 ASPKRSIONS or UMVCRSALISTI •* But alas ! Mr. T. has no proof— he would gladly hare brought it forward if he had."* Did 1 attempt to discuss the question whether all men would be saved or not ? No — not at all. Then why does he conclude I had no proof, and who told him I would gladly have brought it forward if 1 had ? Must a man go to work and prove every thing he believes in every article he writes, if he can prove it? The question was never syste- matically discussed by the apostles, and I think never should be by their followers if they can reasonably avoid it. I wish- ed to be understood, that I did not think the chief design of the gospel either to teach universal salvation or endless mis- ery ; but that all men should turn to God by a holy life ; and as many as would do this should be saved and the rest should be lost. Then the question how many would turn to God, being a matter of prophesy and implication and be- ing a thing which our disputes can never alter, I conceived it my business to let it be for idlers to dispute about, while 1 should preach the gospel, offer Christ to such aa will ac- cept him, and expose infidelity. My grand object, as I said before, was not to dispute about universalism; but to oppose infidelity, caring very little about the different views that believers may have on minor points, so that they were christians. If they believed all would repent and be saved, I would not quarrel with them about that ; but am satisfied that very few, who really *These men knowing notliing but war, seem to take for granted that others must be like themselves; and the only reason, I did not usher into being half a dozen volumes to confute all their notiona in a single moment of time, they conclude was, because I had no proof! I Must a man fight these bullies or be called a coward ? And because he does not confute all they have said for years, in a moment, is it certain proof that he cannot do it? It reminds me of a drunkard, I saw at training once, who insisted that the whole regiment were afraid of him, because they did not knock him down ! Preachers generally suppose, that it is as much as they can attend to, to show that the pious and good will be saved, and to persuade people to become christians. They think the Bible teaches enough of the misery of the impenitent and wicked for believers in the Bi- ble : and it is of no usa to convince such &m reject itt authority that itt«acbea future ratribution. IXAMISED AND REPELLED. 71 belreva the Bible, will ever suppose it designed to teach th© certain salvation of all men at death. The Bible offers sal- vation upon condition of faith and repentance, so clearly, that very few can read without perceiving it. Most that pre- tend to believe in universalism and found it on the scriptures, seem only to believe so much of the Bible as will seem to fa- vour them, and secretly they believe not and care not what it does teach. Now to waste time and money to convince such people, what the Bible teaches, would be idle. We need only teach them to respect the Bible, and universalism is down; oi if it can live with ihe belief of the Bible, K« t it live. But I only wish to oppose universalism, so far as the defence of the Bible, and the banishment of infidelity will oppose it. I fear nothing at all from universalism where the christian religion prevails. 2. Another reason I did not go into a defence of my " new views" was, that I was not conceited enough to suppose I could defend them bet- ter^than had been done by others. 3. I had not time to devote to the work then, and wished to take time to pre- pare, to do it more thoroughly if I ever should undertake, than I could then. And 4. I doubted whether I could write ray " new views" any plainer than they stand in the Bible. And I shall never expect to write so that Mr. Skin- ner and Co. can understand me. For they have been 8o long in the habit of findmg a meaning in language, that the writers never iraagiaed, that they could not understand me any better than they do the Bible.* For the present, now, I must bid farewell to Mr, Skinner. *Many universalists have expressed astonishment, that I did not quote a single text of scripture, in the Renunciation, to disprove universalism. The object of the Renunciation was solely to inform the publick that I did not believe any evidence urged for that doc- trine to be conclusive evidence — not to disprove the doctrine. — Now did they expect nie to quote scripture to prove that I did not believe in universalism ? The Bible says nothing about me, nor my opinions ! Had I entered into a discussion of the evidence of universalism, then they might have expected me to quote scrip- ture. But I conceived no more necessity, for quoting scripture to prove that I renounced universalism, than there would be for quo- rinp' flcrintura to nrova 0aif!ftnt nf the TTtiinn 72 ASPEE.glON8 or B.-tlVERSALISTS He says in his conclusion that he is not my enemy — that he has been as charitable as he could be, and that he pit- ies me, &c. It is immaterial whether he is my enemy or not, since he has treated me like one. It is of no conso- quence to rae that he " endeavoured to exercise as much charity towards me as was possible," since he did not suc- ceed in the exercise of any thiag but gall and bitterness. And I care not for his pity, since it seeras to be of that kind, which the assassin feels as he stabs the victim who happeus to stand in the way of his interest. Let 3Ir. S. therefore, if he is capable of generous pity, turn it towards the multitudes of weeping wives and hungry children, whose husbands and fathers have become dissipated with the full assurance, drawn from the " Advocate," that drunk or so- ber, all will be saved. And to the fathers and mothers, who see with agony their sons, already swearing that all will be saved, wliile they drink, and gamble, and revel along under the smiles of the " Advocate," to the awful plunge from whence they never rise. But one word to Mr. Skinner before we part. Does not conscience some- times carry forward jyour mind, to a dying scene ; when human ambition and the love of party, shall flit away ; and the thousands of this age, and of ages to come, who have become loose and abandoned by supposing heaven certain to all, will throng in horrible phantoms upon your troubled brain— and the thoughtstrike your soul as an arrow from the dark abyss before you. If the Bible be not a fable — if there be a " worm that never dies — a fire that never shall be quenched — where shall the ungodly and the sinner appear?"* * Since the body of this w^ork was written, we perceive Mr. Skinner has noticed our proposal to publish this Defence, and says "it is evident that we are seeking to obtain, if possible, con- siderable notoriety in the world." Tliey first complained and boasted tliat we did not attempt to sustain our " new views," and insinuated that we were cishonest because we did not do it; now when thev learn that we attempt it, they assert that our object is notoriety ! So we must be wrong if we will not %bt them, and certainly wrong if ws do! When they drag us before the publiok. EXAMINED AND REFF.LLED. 7^ i?er. S. It. Smith's '' Opinion'' of the author considered, *' ITiB mischief shall return upon hia own head, and hia violent dealing shall come down upon his own pate." — Psalms, vii: 16. No matter how eminent the man as a gentleman or uni- versalist preacher; if he uses his influence and his name to abuse an individual without provocation, that individual has the right of nature's law to repel the calumny. I shall ex- tract as much of Mr. Smith's "opinion," as seems worthy of notice, but would not wiUingly hurt a hair of his head; for I never loved a man more than him. And deeply regret that sectarian views and feelings should find a harbour in his heart. lie says, *' Mr. Todd commenced his ministry io the vicinity of his present residence, in Chautauque county, in the fall of 1817^ Why, in his renunciation, he should have chosea to date the commencement of his ministerial career only and give ua a notoriety which we sought not, and previously mis- represent U3 to the world, they think we can have no other motii-e in self-defence than "notoriety!" Have they no other object in defending ilieir views, but *' to obtain considerable notoriety in the world?" We have never sought notoriety. For the sake of cbscurity and peace, We intended never to become distin- guished by any publication or theological controversy, after onr Renunciation. But they would not allow us to rest — and the whole of this publication is the result of their ungentlemauly and unchristian abuse. I despise the sarcastick and malignant imagin- ations of the misjudging world ; and consider its admiration almost equally worthless. And have long desired to be indulged in the enjoyment of blessed retirement, from all the discord of conflicting interests and feelings, where I may breathe the sweet air of humble obscurity, and let the angry world fight on, and wrong and devour each other, without any participation in their everlasting conton- tions. He also tells the publick that some " excellent friend" wrote him from Erie, Pa. that I had preached in that place, and preached nothing that any christian denomination would find any fault witl^ yet he goes on to find fault, that " it was hard work for him to preach," that " he would get into his former style, and then would stammer and spit, and try to get on to his new ground," &c. Oh hor- rible ! ! ! It icas rather hard work for me to preach that evening. For years I have been troubled with weak lungs, so that I thought it doubtful whether I could stand circuit preaching a year, and the forenoon of that day, had preached two hours, arid rede all the af- ternoon, and arrived in Erie only in time to commence meeting ; and was so tired that I could not finish out my discourse. My 9tyU, of preaching i« precisely the same that it used Xobe. I did not 7 4 74 ASFERSiorfs or umversalist* eight years back, instead of sixteen, we have yet to learn. Yet in all he has said in that long aiticle, there is not one direct reference to a single incident which would give a stranger the most distant idea of the real duration of bis past publick life." We have remarked on this in another place. We will add, that we did not conceive that there was any thing in the incidents of "his past publick life," that had any con- nexion with the subject of the renunciation. The renunci- ation was made mainly for -my subscribers, who knew gen- erally all these things, who lived in the very country where they happened. There was no more occasion for writing out all those incidents than there was for writing the histo- ry of the world. He adds, • *' Soon after he commenced his publick labours as a min- ister of the reconciliation — in a few weeks, or at most a few months, he renounced both the doctrine of universalism, know before, tiiat one must change his style, because his views on Bonie points alter. As to the matter of the discourse, it had no connexiou with any sectarian notions, and I was not conscious of making a single mistake, or advancing a single thought, that I would wish to alter. Sometimes, after a long sentence, i have long been in the habit of pausing a moment to respire easy and re- cover strength ; especially when tired. I did so then, and might have spit once or twice in the course of the sermon. What an awful thing! worthy to be published in a universalist paper , and sent out for liberal, and noble, and humane, and philanthropick people to feed on ! He talks that I should have been more acceptable among uni- versalist?, Lad I vindicated religion then, instead of secretly cher- ishing iiostiliiy to it. Now this insinuation is founded on falsehood. I was never secretly hostile to religion. I always spoke my real sentiments. But universalists never complained, that I did not preach religion enough — but during the latter part of my ministry, they are well known to have complained, that I preached too much. Besides, my vindication of religion against skepticism in this book, is the same, I publisked in the "Genuis of Liberty," which so aroused their wrath. It is just here to say, that some of my universalist friends were pleasad with the vindication. If ever I was distinguished among ui:iversalist pieachers, it was for preach ing more reiigion tLiin many of them do. And I affirm that I hnv' always been too ii:depenr!ent, to preaeh one thing and believe another ; or to |)e secretly hosrils to what I publickly advocate. I always would express m.y opinions though they were to vary twice a day-. I never used an argument which I did not think sound, no " applied a text of scripture differently from my real belief of its tru eense,. in my whole life. EXAMINED AND REPELLED. .' and the belief of a divine revektioti together. It appeared, during his continuance in this state of mind, that his diffi- culties originated in the want of correct views respecting the moral and physical goverojnent of the universe. He saw much evil and much suffering, both natural and moral, and inferred that if God was good, they would have been prevented. He therefore preferred to disbelieve the being of a God, to a belief in the existence of one that was not good." Here he makes me to have been, when quite young, an Atheist. When I/ead it, I concluded that it must be that there was something of that kind in my mind because S. R. Smith said it, though I could recollect no such thing. The truth is this. In the fall of 1817 I first came into Chautauque county, young, inexperienced, and very ig- norant of the world. I found S. R. Smith there, a univer- salist preacher, itinerating about the country. I had imbi- bed that sentiment, and was full of love and admiration for the preacher. He learned my mind, and was inforpied that I had some thoughts of studying for the ministry. He urged me to commence preaching immediately, and study as I had opportunity. I told him I was not qualified, nor prepared. But I was about much with him; and his con- stant and ardent pursuasions prevailed. Alter much tJ!'C'» ing and pursuasion, I consented to try to preach. Previous^ however, to commencing, as we were walking together, and he was talking, that God was good, and therefore musi will to save all men from all evil ; and was omnipotent, and therefore, must be able to do it, and hence it would be done,;^ I asked him why the same goodness and the same power did not prevent the present existence of all evil? He told me that he could not answer that question, and I should never find any body that could, who admitted a Deity.* This conversation, by the way, is the evidence, and the only evi- dence, he had for suspecting that I was an Atheist. But if I must have been an Atheist to ask such a question, Avhat must have been the man who answered itt Yet he urged This was the substance of a more protracted conversation. 76 ASPERSIOiNSJ OF L\N1VERSALI3TS me into the ministry, and left the country for the East. — After dehvering some four or fitve discourses, I saw more and more that I was unqualified, very ignorant of the Scriptures, and unable to understand or reconcile them. — Hence, I found myself in doubt whether they were a reve- lation; and for these reasons concluded I would not preach. I did not renounce universalism, but only said I doubted the authority of the Bible, Jbut believed universalism to be the Bible doctrine, and true, if that book could be relied on. So far from renouncing universalism, I often contended for it as scriptural, and always expressed some hope that it was truth. I had conversation with people generally in that region of country, on the subject, and all know that I professed all the time to bold universalism as the Scripture doctrine, and always expressed some belief that the BibJe was true; and that I never took pains to inculcate Deism, though I expressed my fears that it might be the truth. — Not a single man at this time, ever heard me express a sin- gle doubt that there was a God. So far from it, I contend- ed against atheism in a number of instances. Sometimes universalists would tell me that such doubts as mine need not hinder my preaching. And some told me that I believ- ed as much as Mr. Smith. Whether I did or not, I could not tell, but he had informed me of his having been brought up a Deist, and that he turned from that to universalism not long before he -commenced in the ministry. And it may be added, that many of his remarks to me tended much to produce those doubts of which 1 have here spoken. — About three years afterw^uds, after having reflected much on the subject, and read Young's Night Thought's on th» subject, I became satisfied with the validity of the Scrip- tures ; and commenced preaching universalism with fer- Tour and zeal, believing it to be the truth as it is in Jesus ; but did not ask and receive any formal admission to the connexion of universalists till the lime referred to in the Renunciation, unless I might have received a licen-o, which EXAMINED AND REPELLED. // I do not recollect. From what I had heard Mr. Smith sfty, at the time of our first acquaintance, I had supposed it possible that he, having been brought up a deist, was one yet ; but that he thought it fof the good of mankind to be- lieve in universal salvation, and preached it upon that prin- ciple. For this reason, I asked him, some years afterwards, whether he really believed in revelation. And in justice to him, I say, he told me, he had not a doubt of its truth. He adds, "In the records of the 'Western Association ofUniver- sahsts' for 1817, is the following remark ; 'In November, this year, Rev. Lewis C. Todd, a young man of good at- tainments, and superiour talents, commenced preaching the everlasting Gospel of universal salvation, in the county of Chautauque. He delivered a fev/ discourses with unquali- fied approbation, but some difficulties arose in his mind concerning the providences of God, which terminated in the complete subversion of his faith; and the suspension of his ministry." The above clause was doubtless inserted in those re- cords by Mr. Smith himself; and he was possessed of no information from me on the subject whatever, but had sim- ply heard that I stopped preaching through unbelief. He doubtless, recollected our previous conversation about the existence of evil under the government of a good and Al- mighty Being, and therefore supposed that to be the diffi- culty. He adds, '•He continued in this semi-atheistical state of mind, for some two or three years, when he returned again to the profession and the ministry of universalism. But from what had transpired, it was sufficiently plain, that though a man of the first order of pulpit talents, he wanted stability of character."* I was not in, and did not continue in this ** semi-atheisti- *VVhen Mr. Smith turned from deism, in which he was brought up, to universalism, should we conclude "from what transpired, that /te wanted stability of character"? Or does the change fron: deism to universalism, imply no alteration, and of course, no insta^- 78 AsrERSioxs of umversalists cal state ot mind." I say before the whole country where I lived during the " tw o or three years," that I never profes- sed af^/swi, though I inclined to the profession of deism, in a moderate^ense. As to my wanting "stability of charac- ter," I cheerfully confess that I am not an immutable be- ing—that I am §0 ignorant as to learn something by living — that I am not so wilfully obstinate as to adhere to an idea, because I began with it, after I am satisfied that it is wrong. And God grant that I may be always learning, and always advancing in truth. He adds, "The reflection naturally, occurs, in this place, that if Mr. Todd, without taking the doctrine of endless sufferings into the account, could suppose there was sin and misery enough in the world to justify the disbelief of the existence of God, what will he be likely to infer now?" Mr. Todd nerer ^icZ suppose "there was sin and misery enough in the world to justify the disbelief in the existence of a God," and what he is likely to infer now, is, that Mr. Smith has been most egregiously mistaken in supposing all these things, or else he has wilfully fangled up all this stuff, for the base purpose of injuring my influence in turning the wicked from their wickedness. He is likely also to infer, that able sophists have the wit, and sometimes the malice, to conjure into being many things not true, by the misrep- resentation of what is true. He is likely also to infer, that all creation around bira, always was, and is, abundant proof to him, that a God exists. That we have no evidence, that he could have made a better world than he did, subject to both sin and misery. That we nave no evidence, that what is consistent with God to suffer to be now, may not be consistent with him to suffer to be, any other time, and all other times. He adds, "And it cannot be denied that he now has one reason for doubting the goodness of God, which was not included in his first renunciation." Here ho talks as if he would have it believed, I had made a former renuneiation, and assigned a reason that God was EXAMl.N'EO A>D JIEPELLED. 79 not good. I never had made "his first renunciation" and never doubted the goodness of God. I never had any rea- son to doubt it, and have not '* one more reason ;" for doubt- ing it now. After talking about Dr. Stedman, and of his becoming an enthitsiast and fanatick, because he is a methodi.st, (which, in an adhering universalist, is*' charity — the bond of per- feotness — that asBimilatesto God," &c. but which becomes '•the gall of bitterness" after he renounces.) he says, "Let it be recollected, then, that about two years since he became the publisher of a religious newspaper — that when he commenced this undertaking, lie must have pre- sumed on the support of those, to a greater or a less amount, who were already the patrons of other similar journals; and, of course, that a part of his patronage must be withdrawn from existing publications. The result has shown that his paper was not well sustained ; and whatever might have been his expectations, he has complained, in terms so pointed and indignant as to leave no doubt of his feelings and his regret." In the very beginning of the 2d volume of the •' Geniug of Liberty," many old subscribers fell of!', in consequence of its becoming a weekly paper; and for a time, I thought the patronage would be very small, and at that time I com- plained. Afterwards new subscribers were added, so as to take all my back copies. I had about six hundred, which I believe was more than the '* Gospel Advocate" had du- ring its second year. I also complained along in the year, frequently, not for want of patronage, as Mr. Smith and Mr. Grosh would have it supposed, but of the many sub- scribers, who would take the paper a yean a* .1 then run away, or discontinue without paying up. I found many such worthless fellows, liberal to patronize the '* glorious doctrine," and I was very liberal to expose them as fast as I found them out. He graciously adds, '• Here, then, appears to be fixed the point, on which turns much of the canting respecting the want of morality among nniversalists. Had they given him some thousands of good and responsible subscribers to the "Geniuf," there 80 ASPERSIONS or DMVERSALISTS i3 reason to believe we should never have hesirdaword about the want of moral power in universalism." This is his charge, and made against all truth. Had I been pursuing any other calling, no matter what, these charitable men would have thus made out the motive. I shall state facts as they are. i. I could have continued the paper, and without doubt, made it profitable. 2d. For Bome years I had expressed to many universalists that I could not see the doctrine do much good, that on that ac- count, I was almost persuaded sometimes, not to preach any more. 3d. Mr. Stacy cannot deny, that ever since he has been in the western country, for some two or three years, whenever I have kad an opportunity, I have been complain- ing of the swearing, drinking, gambling, and other vicious habits among universalists, and the entire want of any thing like a religious course among them. Mr. Stacy too always used to admit that things were so; and often expressed his regret'lhat it was so : but hoped that universalists would some day take a different course. Almost a year before the Renunciation, I was at ff'arren, (Pa.) preached in the morning and evening, and Mr. Sweet in the afternoon. — Miv Sweet was a universalist preacher from Ohio, who had ^ome there that day with Mr. Stacy. We, there, in com- pany with others, were talking, that day, on the character and irreligious course of universalists generally. — Mr. Sweet said, that he was generally and extensively acquainted with universalists in Ohio — that there was very little of the ap- pearance of religion or piety among them — that societies, almost without number, had been formed, but the members seemed to take no interest in the cause, and generally, within two or three years after their formation, some would join the orthodox, but most would avow deism; and they would cease to be, as societies. He represented them to be in a very dead, low, and miserable condition, as it res- ]>ect.s religion ; and he considered this to be the general coBdition of universalists. Mr. Stacy was by, and did not deny that it was f^o, tat ssid thitt wc must try lo bring EXAMINED AI*D REPELLZD. SI about a better state of things. Others were present to hear some of the conversation. A person present at that time asked me why it was so, that universahsts would take such a course as they did; and I answered, "The reason is, that the principal part of universahsts are deists in reahty;" the person replied, "I believe in my soul they are." This was in the presence of Mr. Stacy, and he smiled, which 1 considered his assent that it was true. I told Mr. Sweet that his description of universahsts would apply generally to them wherever I had been acquainted with them; and he told me he did not care about going among them if that were the case. I wish to be distinctly understood as applying to univer- sahsts generally and not universally. I am acquainted with individuals, professing that doctrine, that sustain the purest morality ; and many such not only have been bur are yet my friends, and will be so after all the eastern '* Lu- minaries" can say. 1 am acquainted with some deists too, of good morality; but this does hot show the systems to have a general good effect. To show farther, that I iiad a long time been deploring the inutility of the doctrine, before the **point"on which Mr. Smith makes to turn the " canting respecting the want of morality among universahsts," I will make an extract from a sermon, which I preached before the universahsts in .Jamestown, in December of 1831, and published in my paper, almost two years before the renunciation. The reader will keep in mind, that at that time, I spoke of the doctrine as the truth. After speaking of the want of piety among its professors, I said, •' We regret — most deeply regret to be compelled to say, that such is the present condition of many believers in this country. Your speaker has seen it — Long has he seen it. Often has his heart pained ; and the shades of many a night have witnessed the tean that wet his pillow. * » * I could stand unmoved against my enemies, though they 82 ASPERsio^is or dniversalists were a world in arms — could I see those, who have tasted snd seen that the Lord is good, whose souls have warmed and expanded into eternal life at the fountain of rich and boundles g^ce, could I see them walking forth in the beau- ty of holiness, and showing, in their lives, the light and fruits of the doctrine, in all their amiable attractions and divine loveliness. Yes — would they come out from the world, as christians, and banish from them its alluring cor- ruptions — would they assume before the world, and before God, the character of christians, (does not this imply that I thought they were not?) and put on in earnest the pano- ply of the christian virtues, though their ? umber might be small, they would be mighty in strength. * * * In viewcf the undisciplined and mixed mass of people, that more or less favour our doctrine in this country, their gen- eral indifference and inattention to the pleasures of the sanctuary, can it be wondered that some doubt whether we really intend to be a christian sect, or only the amalgama- tion of all characters in opposition to orthodoxy ? It is time that we decide this question distinctly. It is time that our scattered brethren determine, either to abandon all pre- tentions to Christianity, and openly espouse the gloom and solitude of scepticism, or else draw the line distinctly be- tween profession and practice. If we prefer the latter, our course is manifest. We must have something more than the yrofession of religious tenets? We must do something more than to oppose the orthodoxy.''^ Now at the time this sermon was published, plainly, in- sinuating all that I have since said about universalists, Mr. Stacy applauded it to me, and said it was what they needed. I sent the^sarae sermon to. Mr. Smith ; and yet he tells us, aftex'near two years, that if my paper had not proved at last, not to'jbe well sustained, '' tli-ere is reason to believe we should never have heard a word aboutthe moral power of universalism." Yet Mr. Smith is a great man. lie must have noticed such hints at the time ; and no doubt EXAMINEC AND RiCPKLLED. 83 Mr. Stacy had tokl him how I had talked some years ; yet he thinks we should not have heard a ivord of that kind, had not the "Genius" failed. No — he doejj not s'dy lie thinks so, but " there is reason to believe" so. As we should be sorry to be obliged to believe that such a maa would asseit what he knew to be false, we/must think his meaning to be, that although he did not believe so, be thought others would have " reason to believe" so, from his representations, and those of his fellow labourers. He adds, " Where shall we look with the hope of finding the su- periour morality of limitarians ? It has been claimed, and asserted with the most unblushing effrontery, till the world asks for better evidence than assertion — until it is alike re- volting to common decency, and offensive to sober truth, for the ministers of any sect to preach about the superiour moral efficacy of" the doctrine of hell torments." As to this, we a§k the reader to open the Bible and see whether that contains the " doctrine of hell torments." — Examine Psalms xviii. 5 ; cxvi. 3 ; Matth. v. 22 ; x. 28 ; Luke XII. 5 ; Mark ix. 47. Mr. Smith in speaking so dis- dainfully of the " doctrine of hell torments" had probably forgotten that he professed to respect the Bible. But waiving this, we admit that limitarians sometimes do wrong; but they generally acknowledge the necessity of leading a good Ufe. They take much pains to promote piety and virtue. They encourage all the publick efforts to build up good society, and are, in fact, generally pious and good. They do not swear, nor ridicule the Bible, religion, tem- perance, nor any of the means used to promote the chris- tian virtues and the general moral health of mankind. — What world is it that "asks for better evidence," &c. ? Infidels ask for the evidence— the vicious and abandoned among the universalists ask for it. (The candid among them know and admit the general " superiour morahty of limitarians.") The corrupt irreligious, profligate, and impious, of course, will not admit any body to be better ihan themselves. We mean not to be undewtood, that 81 ASPERSIONS OK UMIVKRSALISTS Mr. Sniiih is such a character ; but through sectarian pro- judice, he is indulging the same feelings, and unfortunat«lj has the body of the loose and abandoned on his tide. H« adds, "But it i» ineffably ridiculous for a raeihodist to talk ef the high morality of his doctrines — and nevermore so, than when he would contrast his ostentatious parade of sanctity, with the unobtrusive and practical virtue of universalists." When I renounced universalism, I was not a naethodist ; neither had I determined what dfinominatioo of christians I should unite with ; nor whether 1 should with any — I had no definite plan of operations then in my own mind. So I said nothing at all about the high morality of the metho- dist doctrine ; as I was not a member of any class of chris- tians, and had no reference to any except the universalists. But I think the *' ostentatious parade of sanctity" of the methodists, consists m their humble efforts to obey God — to live devout and pious lives — to grow in grace and in all the christian virtues, thatxvhen they com* to die, they may die in peace, rejoicing in their Saviour, and go home to his glorious kingdom. And the "unobtrusive practical vir- tue of universalists" is, generally, Sabbath breaking, pro- fanity, intemperance, contempt of all the appearances and meens of piety, horrid fears of priestcraft, hut no fears about any other craft ; gambling; laughing, scoffing and'swcaring about praying, preaching, religious meetings, and religious people ; finding contradictions in the Bible, and other great difficulties ; etc, etc. ete. He adds, " Especially when he knows, and all the world knows, tliat virtue has never yet found a sanctuary so sacred, but it has been profaned by the ministers of that denomin- ation. We rejoice that there are amiable exceptions to this general remark, but that there are only exceptions^ should teach them and there converts more modesty." Now as Mr. Smith is a universalist, this sweeping as- sertion will be the exercise of " charity" and the "bond of perfectness," and that " unbounded love" which *' as- similates ud* to God;" but if Mr. Smith ever rer.<>unce uni- EXAMINED AND REPELLED. 85 versalism, his friend Skinner, in attempting to s^ia him for his audacity, will call it the " gall of bitterness and the bonds of iniquity," and a " spirit entirely foreign to that of true universalism," though he might skin himself again by it. With regard to the methodist preachers, I think they have a vast number of them, and many among their la- bouring local preachers especially, who are not very tal- ented or-iearned ; and among so many it would be marvel- lous, if there were not some bad ones. But on the other side, I think there is not more devotion to piety nor more real talents in any order of clergy in the world than among the raethodists. They have a vast many men of the very highest order of talents. Their ardent, fervid, burning el- oquence is distinguished, and has distinguished them throughout Christendom. As to the common members, they have all varieties, as might be expected, but I believe there are many of them — very many, whose sincerity and ardent piety are such as to command the admiration, as well as to warm the heart of every christian and philanthro- pist that knows them.* *Since my Renunciation, I havo not considered myself a gscta- rianin the common sense of that term. I have no sectarian pre- judices nor hostilities. And my main object and desire is to oppose infidelity and wickedness, and promote Christianity, piety and vir- tue. The points about which christians disagree and dispute, I consider comparatively unimportant, though I have my own judgement on them. I thinli the friends of Christ should not suf- fer their different views on minor points of theology to interfere with good feeling and mutual fellowship. They should not dis- cuss the unimportant points which separate them ; especially titfi less some particular circumstance renders it necessary ; and then always in a spirit of forbearance and christian courtesy. The busi- ness of every i^rfeacher of the gospel, is to bring home the great outhnes of Christianity to the consciences of men; and persuade them to repent and forsake sin, and practice holiness. Although men will think differently on some points, they will all be the friends of Christ or his enemies. If they are his friends, they should be friendly to one anotlier ; and sweeten all tlieir denominational disputes with good temper and candour. All christianf? have enough to do to oppose the common enemy. I consider myaelf aitconntable for tlie errours or failings of no denomination or clasa of people, laeek no popularity in the world, and am only am- 8 86 ASPERSIONS OF DNIVERSAL13TS He concludes with some remarks, which I cannot under- stand — for instance, " In due time he will see and admit the absurdity and ie- vierity of such insinuations." What he means by temerity I know not. It may be te- merity (or me to speak my sentiments ; but the author of the piece was mistaken if he thinks I fear him and his co- adjutors more than God — not so. 1 know not what pun- ishment they intend to inflict ; but I trust in the omnipo- tent hand that gave me being ; and hope to so live, that in death, I can reflect that I have been instrumental in tnrn- ing some from vicious pursuits which lead to misery and ruin. It is hoped that they do not mean to Morganize me. I have now answered in order the writers for one uni- versalist paper, only ; but others have foamed out their wrath in a very similar manner. The horde of univorsal- ist editors appeared to be afl*ected by the Renunciation, like a hornet's nest upon receiving a fire coal. But this reply will answer them all, as they are little more than the echo of each other. Upon an examination of all these facts, how clearly it appears, 1. That the author, becoming con- vinced of the errour of universalism, and of its fatal and pernicious tendency, did, like an honest man, and a philan- thropist, renounce it; knowmg that in so doing, he was sacrificing his highest pecuniary interests ; and bringing upon himself the unsleeping vengeance of malicious men. 2. And that these men, who boast of being the very cham- bitious to do some little good vsrhile I act in a publick capacity. And would much rather, on my own account, spend the rest of my days in perfect retirement, far from the strifes and censures of men, where I might read, and think, and enjoy the sweets of uninter- rupted peace. I fear universalist editors will make it necessary to write a few volumes more, in this "seven years war for inde- pendence," before they will make peace. But I hope they will not ; for I want not the labour ; and as to the notoriety, I only re- gret the necessity of getting po much. For I fully believe, and have long believed, that they, who are but httle known, and have but little intercourse with mankind, enjoy the moat real and sub- stantial happiness. EXAMINED AND REPELLED. 87 pion3 of benevolence, and the only charitable men in the world, did immediately begin to sophisticate, and torture, and misrepresent every thing in relation to it ; and con- jured up mountains of suspicious circumstances, which af- ter all, upon investigation, vanish into the baseless visions of jealousy and malice; and '* leave not a wreck behind."* I am not conscious of having had the least unfriendly feelings toward the body of the universalists at the time of writing my Renunciation. I did not intend either to abuse them, or to injure their feelings, any farther than would be absolutely necessary to let my acquaintance know why 1 left them. I was obliged to leav6 them, because I was ful- ly satisfied the doctrine was untrue, and not the doctrine of Christ and the apostles; and that its general promulgation, instead of improving the condition of mankind, would be a serious and fatal evil. I positively know that my convie- •That the world may gee farther how powerfully my charitable Ivenunciation altered the minds and feelings of universalist preach- ers towards me, I will copy the following from this same Mr. Skinner, published in the 4th vol. p. 117, of his paper at Utica; only about one month before the Renunciation appeared. " The Genius of Liberty, which has been published for nearly two years at Jamestown, Chautauque county, N. Y. by Br. Lew^is C. Todd, we learn by a late number of it is to be discontinued at the end of the present volume, which closes in May or June next. We regret that the patronage of the Genius of Liberty, has not l>een such as to warrant its continuance ; we have ever considered Br. Todd as oueof the best of men and one ofthe best of our writers. However, we know that the task of an editor and publisher is gener- ally rather a thankless one, however faithful his labours or great his sacrifices for the publick good may be ; and perhaps Br. T. feels anxious to get rid of the labours and toils, and perplexifies and vexations of such a life. We cannot blame him if he does. We hope when he leaves his editorial he will be better able to attejid to his ministerial labours, that prosperity and peace may attend him tJirough life, find that his patrons, especially all that are good, will become the patrons of other and similar publications, whose own- ei-8 will be glad of their support, that the number of patrons to universahst papers may not be diminished. We hope also that Br. T. will occasionally furnish us vv^ith an article from his able pen." Whowouldsuppo.se this to have been the same Mr. Skinner, who soon after, so profusely poured out his vials of bitterness upon me, without the least provocation, only that I had ceased to be a 7iniversalist • Bnt such is poor human nature. I feel in my . iieart this moment a perfect willingness to forgive all the eiibrt|'y imong infatuated universahsts to injure me without a caus o. ■ 88 ASPERSIOIfS OF UlflVEKSALISTS tious aud impressions on this subject, wrought up as they were at last, were such, that I could not have continued to preach uuiversal salvation, any more than I could be guil- ty of deliberate murder. In view of my accountability to God, and the short time allotted me to live I dared not do otherwise than renounce the doctrine. The monarchy of half the world would not have hired me to continue openly auniveisalist. Could I have retired into obscurity, and avoided the cross of a renunciation, and the suspicions and reproaches, which I knew would fall to my lot, I should gladly have done so; but I could not be satisfied that i was not bound to do more than that. Many that know n(^ my feelings, trials, and motives on this subject, of course, will execrate me. But the Great Searcher of hearts, knows that I have acted solely from the convictions of duty. Additional remarks and facts hearing on the subject of the Renunciation. it has been abundantly shown already, that the author of this book, had been not only discouraged with tie moral influence exerted by universalism, but bad frequently ex- pressed his dissatisfaction to numerous friends, and also through the press to the pnblick, for years before his finjl Renunciation. This too was well known to his friends generally in Chautauque, and had often been made the subject of serious conversation with such of them as were candid, and most familiar with him. Well known too were thes? facts to Mr. Stacy, and partially known to Messrs. Skinner and Smith. Under such circumstances, how much more fortunate for them, would it have been, had they barely admitted the llenunciation to have been brought about as it professed to be ; and only contended its author EXAMINED A:VD REPELLED. BT* was in errour ! This would have had the zippeatance of honesty and candour, and would have accorded with that high character of charity which universalist teachers have professed, while the v/hole world knows they have ex- ercised the least in their public!; career of any people un- der the whole canopy of heaven ! I The author saw these things till his heart sickened. He was reading many uni- versalist periodicals ; and becama fully satisfied from the drift and general course of them, that their secret object appeared to be, and their actual effect was, to raise doubts, in the minds of their readers, on onereHgious subject after another, till they should believe in none ; and by innuen- does and sarcastick reflections upon the errours of chris- tians, to spread abroad a deep and universal prejudice against a gospel ministry, the Bible, and all religion. He be- came satisfied beyond a single doubt that all this was true. He conversed also with many professors of universalism at different times, and found most all of them to view the sub- ject in the same light. Most all of them to be enemies to Christianity, and to consider the whole engine of universal- ism now in the United States, to be a shrewd and well con- certed scheme, to bring together the elements and efforts of unbelief, to overthrow in the end the christian religion. His candid opinion is, and has long been, that ninety-nine out of a hundred, who profess publickly to be universalists, are unbehevers in divine revelation. I say this in the fear of God, as the result of all that I know of them. And I know too thatthey themselves, when they read this will know that it is not far from the truth, however unwilling they may be to own it. Many open infidel papers had already advocated the idea of building up a government in the United States, that should be purely infidel, and they were calculating on certain success. I was satisfied from the general aspect of universalism and the feelings of its professors generally, thatthey were actually making common cause. Then the question occurred, which side shall I takie ? — 90 A?PERSI05S or U51VEKSALISTS There is to be no middle way. We must either stand for Christ or Infidelity. I looked forward — shall religion ha banished from the Union? Shall the black banner of skep- ticism be unfurled — universal pollution and crime crim- son our happy plains ; and the horrours of despair freeze up all the tender germs of philanthropy ; and extinguish the last vestige of faith, tenderness, virtue, and hope ? 1 looked upon my children ; and nature herself, in her own holy eloquence, pleaded for religion, and admonished me to be a christian, and come out from the ranks, which ap- peared to be tending to infidelity. In addition to all I could gather about the religious condition of universalists, from my own observations ; and what Mr. Sweet informed me from Ohio, I saw an account given in the- " Trumpet," of Boston, last winter, by a '' restoratmiist,'' which the editor of that paper inserted to show how universalists are persecuted by the restorationists. The editor represente the account to be entirely false. But I know the writer to be a man of high respectability, and of extensive ac- quaintance with universalists generally in New England, having travelled as a preacher of the doctrine v^^ry exten- sively in that region. I knew, furthermore, that his ac- count would apply exactly as far as I knew any thing about universalists. I read the article to many candid uni- versalists before my Renunciation, all of whom acknowl- edged it to be a just description as far as they knew them. As this article is referred to in the Renunciation, I give it here ; it speaks the very truth and nothing but the truth in relation to the sect, as far as I know any thing about them. " I have already in some degree called your attention to " the nature and moral tendancy of that scheme of divinity "which is so earnestly pressed upon your consideration. — " I will not at present enlarge upon this subject, but will " invite your attention to the practical tendency of that " scheme upon society. But here I do not intend to touch "upon the moral character of individuals. I shall look at EXAMINED AND REPELLED. 91 -societies ami bodiee of raea. If the reprosentationa we ' have giveQ of the doctrine be true, we should conclude •' that it would not build up devout and permanent socie- ■' ties. And how is the fact in this case? Wo see from ■' the ultra papers that scores of societies have arisen an- " Dually in New England for the laat ten years. And what '* is the present standini^ of these societies ? I cannot '* speak concerning them all from personal knowledge. '* But having haJ a personal knowledge of the situation, " the rise and fall of many, I can speak with confidence, '^ and what I shall state is known to all who have any " knowledge on the subject. I say then, that more than " three-fourths of the societies which have arisen within the " last ten years, have already perished. I do not mean that " they have entirely ceased to be, but that they have re- " laxed their efforts, and now almost a total indifference " prevails*. Take this as an example. A society is form- " ed in a certain town ; and fifty or sixty male members " come forward and unite with the society. Let these men •' be amply sufficient in worldly means to employ a preaoh- " er one half of the time with a fair salary, without taking '• upon themselves a burden greater than what is borne by " the great mass of the people. Now what is the subse- " quent history of such a society. For the first year they " may have preaching one third of the time, for the second " year a quarter, for the third one-sixth, and in four or ** five years they have no preaching at all. Or perhaps *' tliey may have a day or two in the year, if a person hap- '* pens to come along and offer his services. Now this is a '^fair rgipresentation of at least nine-tenths of the universalist '^ societies which have hccn formed for the last ten years. — " Soma of them may have been a little more prosperous, " and others have fallen as much below tlie example given. " [ could name scores of societies as examples. Take the *' country societies as they exist at the present time, and it " would require the joint effort, such as they would be 92 ASPERSIONS OF U>'IVERSAL19TS " disposed to make, of. ten or a dozen socieAes to give one " preacher constant employ. A much less number might " employ a man for a single year, but take five years to- •' gether, and it would require ten societies. I do not say " that this is all they are able to do, but I say that it is all " that they do do, or will do. " Now a question naturally arises as to the cause of fail- " ure. The friends of modern universalism tell us with '* great assurance, that no cause progresses so fast. This " in one sense is true, and it is equally true that no cause *' dwindles so fast. There is not a sect in the land ot " the same numbers and ability, that does so little. — " Three-fourths of the societies are destitute of a preach- *' er, and take no active means to obtain one. Socie- " ties rise like Jonah's gourd, and like that frail plant " they wither away. And how is this ? To what cause " must we ascribe this decline in almost every society ? "This has sometimes been ascribed to the want of " preachers, but the truth has always been that they have " had as many preachers as could obtain support. This " falling off cannot be ascribed to the operation of any of " our laws, for the laws have operated as favourable to them " as to others. It cannot be ascribed to the fact that the " doctrine was new and unpopular, for this would always " operate the most powerfully at first ; and if men would '•break the fetters of popularity and form themselves into " a society, they would not be deterred from pursuing this " subject from motives of popularity. " To what cause then is this failure to be ascribed ? We " say to the natural tendency of the doctrine. That we " may sec this tendency let us give a specimen. A society '* is formed and a preaeher is employed for a day. He " commences his labours or exercises. His attack upon " the orthodox begins and ends the discourse. It is de- "• liv6red with that kind of temerity which would make a '• moderate roan shudder, hut this passes for great talents EXAMINED AND REPELLED. 98 " with many. His disoourse Is filled with low mt, and se- " verity, which exeltea laughter in the assembly. The " service closes, and what is the impression that is left •' upon the assembly. They are highly gratified for " the most part, and are eager to engage the preacher " again. But what is the moral impression 1 It is man- " ifestly bad. Every low and unprincipled man will *' extol it. And some will express their approbation " with an oath- '♦ He is a smart man," says one. — *' '* He gave it to the orthodox good," says another — " "He's no hypocrite," eays a third, *' He expresses ray " opinion exactly,'.' says an infidel, '* he dont hold to m»- " king a fuss and whining about religion." Such remarks " will be made by the hearers, and you m; y judge of the " moral effect. The preacher comes again and pursues '* the same course, with the same effect. They then em- '* ploy a restorationist of a Sabbath. He preaches the final " reconciliation of all things to God ; but he maintains that " men must be saved by faith and repentance, that they *' are accountable beings, and will be dealt with according '* to their characters. He uses no wit, excites no laughter, " and labours to make his hearers virtuous and devout. " But how is this received by the assembly I Why k " produces more frowns than smiles. *' I had rathei hear '* the orthodox," says one ; '* he has no independence," " eays another ; " I want to hear a man come to the point," "says a third. The deist scolds, tho dissolute swears, " and multitudes tell the Committee that they have had " enough of him. Now brethren, as. fanciful as the repre- " seutation is, that is a fair representation of what frequenl- " ly takes place. But what is tho subsequent history of " this society ? They have a preacher of their own liking " occadonally, but in a year or two, they care but little "about any preaching. They think and judge correctly " from what they have heard, that preaching does but little '' good: and that the Bible is like a fiddle, it can be made 94 ASPERSIONS or universalists " to play any tune. I allow that there are some exoep " tious to this representation. lean say with pleasure " that there are some individuals whose feelings are hurt " by such preaching, and who wish to hear something that '* is sober and practical, but such persona are generally a " minority, and they have to give way to the more noisy " part of the society. This society in a few years dies " away ; they may retain their legal existence, but this is " about all. *' You are now able to answer these questions, why their " societies are no more permanent. In the first place, " they are composed in a great degree of men who have no " religious feelings, and many of them have no faith in di- *' vine revelation ; and instead of improving, they generally '• grow worse. As far as my observation has extended, " and it has not been very limited, having visited scores of " societies, it is my firm opinion that more than two-thirds " of the males who are warmly attached to the doctrine of " no future retribution, are not believers in the essential " facts of divine revelation. I have also been present at " conventions, and heard discourses preached on ordina- "• tion occasions too, which were clearly of an irreligious •' tendency, discourses which excited more levity than p»- " ety, and went more directly to subvert than to build up " religious institutions. And these discourses came ffom •' those who were grey with age, who were held up as a ** model for others ! These statements are painful, but *' are nevertheless true. Now is it surprising that religioiw " societies should wither and die under such preaching ? " Brethren, I shall leave you with this painful recital. Ro- " mark is unnecessary. Yours, &c. C. H." In reply to an article, which came out in a universalist "'paper of New-York on the Renunciation, I referred to a letter recently received from Rev. Paul Dean, of Boston. and declared that Mr, Dean acknowledged the things in tbo Renunciation were generally true. Mr. Dc^n was EXAMINED AND REPELLED. 95 many years a very popular preacher among the untvereal- ists, (the first I ever heard, and who charmed me to the doctrine,) but being disgusted with the leyity and Impiety, of the sect, he came out in company with some others, and organized an association upon a very different foundation ; and called themselves •'restorationists." Mr. Whittemore of the " Trumpet," noticing it, came out with an article pretending to doubt whether Mr. Dean had written me any such thing. Mr. Dean lived in his city, and he might easily have ask- ed him, if he had any doubts on the subject ; but that HTould not do so well as to say, " Will Lewis C. Todd endeavour to screen himself from the suspicion of having misrepresented Mr. Dean, by pub- lishing that gentleman's letter in full ?" Why did not this editor wait till Mr. Dean complained ■}{ being misrepresented ? But ithere must I publish his letter in full ? x\t that time I was not an editor. Could I trust it to be sent to my persecutors for publication ? And bow did he know but the lettercontained many things totally improper for publication ? Yet he would lay me under the obligation to get this private letter published, or be con- jidered a liar in the fullness of his overflowing charity. I io not know as Mr. Dean will forgive the publication of :he following extract from his letter. But I think it cDn- :ains nothing he need be ashamed of. " Be assured, sir, that I honour most of the feelings you * express, and for one, doubt not your sincerity. Many have ' had trials similar to yours as to the fruits and tendency of * the doctrine, as defined in modern times, by Messrs. Bal- ' lou, Balfour, and Whittemore, &c. They have eeen * with grief the lightness of its preachers, the levity of * manners in the desk, the bitterness of their spirit to all ' who differ from themselves. They have been eatiefied '♦ of the inefficiency of the sentiment, especially where as- ' Bociated with fatahty, materialism, and no future punifih- 96 ASPERSio::?s of universalists '* ment, to produce the reformation and conversion of sin- •'ners, or "the perfecting of the saintsi ;" but knowing " that the grace of God has not only been perverted, •' bnt actually, in its influence, turned mto hisciviousuess, " they have not, therefore, renounced the doctrine of the " grace of God that bringeth salvation to all men, -but " separated from the infidelity, levity and corruption with " which it has been associated ; and preach it fervent- •' ly, zealously, and as we believe usefully, under its most •* ancient and appropriate name of " universal restoration," " or the final " restitution of all things." We are regu- " larly organized into on independent ecclesiastical body. '' And frona what 1 have heard of your character and tal- " ents, should yon come among us, we could be useful " to you, and afford you the opportunity to be useful lo " many others. In haste yours respectfully, " Buffalo, June 20th, 1833. " PAUL DEAN." Boon after the reception of the above, I received a letter from Mr. Edwin H. Stone, of Boston, containing similar remarks, from which I only extract the following ; *' I perceive by the "Trumpet," of this city, that you "have "renounced universalism," it being a doctrine. " which, in your opinion, is not calculated to make men " " honest, benevolent, social, kind, humble, tolerant, and "pious." Whhmodem ultra universalism, and its effects " upon society, I am well acquainted : and three years ago " the restorationists in Massachusetts, from a sense of duty • to God, and the true interests of the christian religion, *' separated from the universalists, and became a distinct de- •• nomination. They were thus enabled to preach without " fear of " making difficulty in the order," in such manner " as they conceived the honour of Christ and the interests " of his religion required. For this step, they have been " much persecuted, and have had all manner of " evil spo- '* ken of them falsely." I hope the two gentlemen above will excuse me for taking EXAMINED AND REPELLED. 97 the liberty I have with their letters, as I wished to ahow, that many, who have preached universaiisni) have seen and ac- knowledged the same thing that I have alleged. I have now concluded my defence against the aspersions of the editors. I am aware that I have spoken with sever- ity of them ; but a defence against the unprovoked person- al attacks of an enemy will justify more severity than would otherwise be justifiable. An eminent gentleman of this state, wrote me, that they " had but poorly paid me for my charity toward them expressed in the Renunciation," and said he " doubted whether they knew how to appreci- ate such charity." As they could not and would not un- derstand any thing but the plain severe truth, I was, by them, put to the painful necessity of dealing somewhat harshly with them, contrary to my first intention. But that I may be properly understood, I will say here, what I think of universalist preachers generally. It is believed that most of them are brought to look upon the common denominations of christians as far from right, by the per- versions of their sentiments, which are constantly made by universalists and infidels. That they become deeply imbued with prejudice against them ; and mainly engage in uni- versalism, from mistaken views both of the orthodox, and of the true interests of mankind. That the nature of their doctrine is such, that most of them, as well as their hear- ers, become so much tinctured with skepticism, that their teachings lead to the same end that open infidelity would. That there are some honest and sincere among both teach- ers and people, 1 have no doubt. There are a few learned, gifted, and talented men among the preachers, who would be useful in a good cause ; but many of them are illiterate ; and only qualified for levity, scurrility, and miserable satire. Winchester and Murray, I think were pious, but their sys- tem was no sooner abroad, than infidels who had been foil- ed in their recent open attacks on religion, by the able con- futations that had been pwbliEhed, discovered in universal- 9 98 ASPERSIONS OF U.MVERSALISTS ism a disguise for their doctrines, and spread it forth with zeal, fully satisfied that it would answer their purpose just as well. Hence the numerous conversions of infidels to universalism, which signifies nothing more than the shift- ing of an unpopular name for one more plausible. Infidels, and loose wicked men have cherished the doctrine enough to make it suspicious, and offensive to the christian, were there no other objection to it. . CHAPTER III. The fundamental arguments and principles of uni- versalism examined and exploded. SECTION I. Introductory remarks on the belief of universalism. Universalism simply implies the doctrine that all men will be finally and certainly saved. But the doctrine, as now generally explained and professed, is, that all mankind will certainly be immortal and happy immediately after death. This is the kind of universalism professed by the principal teachers that now pass by that denomination, as distinguished from the " restorationists" heretofore refer- red to. It is this last system mainly that we propose to examine, except as our arguments on this, may in some instances, extend to the other also. Universalists general- ly endeavour to set off their system, by making the oppo- site doctrine appear a very different thing from what it re- ally is. They speak of "roasting" and " burning in liter- al fire," *' fire and brimstone," &c. to make out the ap- pearance of something too horrible for belief on the other side. Yet it is well known that christians do not believe the future punishment of the wicked will consist of *' lit- eral fire and brimstone." They speak of " the fire that never shall be quenched" of "hell fire," of "everlasting fire," of " fire and brimstone," of the " lake of fire," &lc. But this is only using the very same language, which the Bible uses. And why do universalists conclude that we hold a horrible doctrine, because we express it in Bible language ? If they respect the Bible, why do they reject the ideas it contains ? But they will say, that all such lan- guage in the Bible is figurative, and should not be inter- preted literally. We say so too. But if it was proper for the Holy Spirit to use such figurative language to denote 100. ARGUMENTS AltD PRINCIPLES the punishment of the wicked, why is it not proper Ibrus to use it to denote the same ? And why should any ridicule the ideas contained in that language, while they profess to respect the Bible. How d© they know that we mean any thing more horrible by such images of wo than the scrip- tures do ? 2. Suppose the scriptures teach uuiversalism, and we should not so understand them ; but should understand them to teach, that all the good, and the good only, will be saved ; what shall we lose by the mistake ? It will be re- plied, that we shall suffer much from fear of not being sa- ved. Answer. We need then fear only just enough lo in- duce us to be good ; and so much fear as was necessary for that purpose, would be more than counterbalanced by the advantages of a good life. It will be said too, that we shall suffer much from the fear that some of our children and re- latives will not be saved. Answer. This fear, however, would induce us to use every effort in our power to bring up our children as they should be; and to persuade oar friends to lead good lives. And all these ends, to be ob- tained by fear that all will not be saved, are far greater than the trouble that such a fear ever need be to us. There is nothing, therefore, to be lost^by not being a universalist, If that doctrine be true — For it appears, that we should be more- likely to be good; and just as likely to be happy, ohl the whole, in this life, to believe the good only will be saved. And notwithstanding this errour of opinion, we should in that case, certainly be happy in the next life as well as oth- ers. 3. Suppose the scripture doctrine is, that the pious and good only will be saved, and we understand them to teach the certain salvation of all, what are we to lose then by the mistake ? It will be said, nothing, because one may be pi- ous aad good notwithstanding this errour of opinion. An- swer. We mii^ht be. People, believing in the certain sal- vation of all at death, might be pious and good notwithstand- OF U>'n£RSALISM £XAMIM£D. I' 1 ing ; but the fear of future wo, or the hope of a future heav- ven, could not be any inducement to make them so. In this world, the reward of virtue, and the punishment of vice, to say the least, appear so uncertain and so inadequate, as to have very little effect with the multitude. Indeed, the apostles and early christians, pure and holy as they were, experienced such scenes of earthly wo, such complicated and exquisite torments; and, in every age, the humble, pi- ous, and good, are permitted so often to be trampled down by the proud and haughty, to suffer disappointment, cross- es, and accumulated and varied miseries ; while the op- pressor and the impious, the knave and the villain are so often prosperous, and apparently happy, their consciences seared and lulled to sleep by the siren songs of unbelief ; and exulting in the triumphs of injustice and crime, that the ideas of rewards and punishments in this world, never did, and never can, contribute much to the cause of piety, or to the protection, security, and peace of human society.— With such views, individuals of extraordinary good dispo- sitions, and who should fall under the action of no very strong temptation, might be moral. But when the exciting power of any evil inducement became stronger than the fears of present punishment, the victim would fail. Facts corroborate this reasoning. A\Tio does not know, that those who fear future punishment, and anticipate future, rewards, are more solicitous about rehgion — morr fenent, :M)re watchful, more prayerful, more vigorous to cherish piety in their own hearts, and extend its interests abroad, more engaged in purposes of christian benevolence, and in their endeavours to be assimilated to God, than such as de- ny all future remuneration or accountability ? Then the true answer is, if the pious and good only are to be saved, by believing that all will certainly be saved, whether we are here pious and good or not, we are in imminent danger of procrastinating repentance, yielding to temptation, follow- ing our passions, pursuing the illusory phantoms of the 102 ARGUMEI*TS A-XD PRinCIPLES besettiog world, living and dying in sin, be disappointed of heaveri, and be damned at last I Who has ever known the careless, hardened, and abandoned, to be awakened, aroused from their lethargy, and converted to God and religion, by being persuaded all would certainly be happy after death whether they did this or not? I never knew an instance. On the other hand, we are all familiar with multitudes of such awakenings under the opposite impression.* 4. Hence it appears, on the whole, that we have nothing to lose by the errour, even if universalism be true; but if it be not true, its votaries are risking much, and in great dan- ger — are even jeopardizing their eternal all — their very souls! Suppose Satan, or some body else, should send a preacher on agriculture into our country in the spring — He tells our farmers that God is kind and loves all the peo- ple ; and will certainly give them all abundant harvests in his " unbounded love," whether they plough and sow or not. They begin to prick up their ears and say, '* This is comfortable doctrine !" One asks — then we need not work of course ? Oh, yes — says the preacher — you must work notwithstanding — You will certainly have harvests whether you do or not; but then you should work, because you will enjoy yourselves better to work than to be idle ! Labour will make you healthy and contented. All would admit this ; but if they believed the harvest would certainly come, how many would begin soon to relax their efforts, tUrn idlers, and laugh at those stupid men, who would not be- lieve so much in the paternal care and love of God, and *1 wuU mention a Mr. , of Jamestown. For years he had been a poor miserable drunkard; -every thing was as dark and hopeless with him as could be — his family in want and wretched- ness. Yet he was a warm nniveisalist. I preached nniversalisra to him time and again, and sometimes tried with all my might to persuade against that habit; but while heaven was just as sure to him with it as without it, he drank on ! At lenght at a presbyterian protracted meeting {distracted n\eeXm^s universalist editors usually call them,) he became alarmed about hereafter. The arrowi* of conviction pierced deep. He was reclaimed — and for years has been a good member of society. OF UN1VER8ALISM EXAMINED. 103 would drudge on to earn their harvests? Men would soou show that they love play and idleness better than work, notwithstanding labour is for their present good, indepen- dent of the harvest! And poor creatures, when autumn and winter come, might starve, for all the harvests God would give them! So it is with universalism; it tells us, we shall all be saved, pious or not, but that it is better for us here to be pious and good ; and all admit that it is. Yet believers in it generally relax their piety, follow their incli- nations wherever they lead, choose evil rather than good ; and laugh at the piety and christian eftbrts of their oppo- nents ; and call them fools, not to trust to the " unbounded goodness of God," and to take so much pains to prepare for future blessedness ! And poor creatures may find, in the end, that the economy of grace is founded upon similar general principles with the economy of providence; and "beg in the eternal harvest, and have nothing." 5. From these considerations, it follows, that the belief of universalism, on the whole, can do no good at any rate, even if it be true. Nay — that it is pernicious and fatal to the best interests of mankind, in this life, if it be truth; and if it be errour, that it endangers the everlasting well-being of the soul ! What the use then in preaching that doctrine : in all the efforts made by universalists and skepticks to pro- pagate it ? (for skepticks generally are as much engaged in the work as professed universalists.) Whatis the world to gain by its general promulgation and belief? In its visi- ble effects, where it has prevailed, we see nothing to recom- mend it to posterity. But universalists say they cannot avoid believing it if they would. Well — they can avoid all endeavours to propagate it. If one cannot avoid a fatal dis- ease, he can avoid endeavouring to spread the contagion among his healthy neighbours. But we think a candid view of the Scriptures, with a devout, humble, and praying mind, will generally cure the soul infected with this distem- per. 104 ARaUME:TU we have gone into this, not to fathom the divine mind, but to show that it is unfathomable ; and all the subtle con- clusions of philosophy, in favour of universalism, drawn from what the Deity must do, are built upon partial and im- perfect views of him, and are entirely unsafe and untenable. 13. It is contended that " endless punishmerit is ,dii- proportioned to the magnitude of our sin, and would, therefore, be unjust." fFe cannot decide the question, how much sin deserves. But admitting our sins of this life, do not deserve a posi- tive endless punishment, we might be for ever sinful, and be for ever punished. Man is a sinner, and his ransom i« paid, his prison door is opened in the offer of Christ and heaven ; but if he refuses to come out, to accept the offer, while it is held out to him, the door may be justly shut, or the offer cease to be made. He may, by one tremendou* decision of mind, refuse to accept the heavenly offer ; and consequently lose it, and lose it for ever. A father offers his son a farm on the easy conditions that he will be obedi- ent and good, which will be for his good independent of this gift. The son says, if he cannot have it, without any conditions, he will not take it at all! The father would be under no obligation to continue the offer after a reason- able time. He might withdraw the offer, and the sou might lose it for ever I If we refuse to accept the royal gift of heaven, on the reasonable terms of submission and obe- dience, we may lose it for over. And what sufferings wis "g^^^f^xnerience, by being "banished from the" moral or UNIVERSALIS31 EXAMINED. HO ' piesenco of God, and from the glory of his power," the uiguage of scripture, rationally interpreted, can alone in- I'orm us. 14. x\gain our opponents urge that, '* we cannot be hap- , y in heaven, 5f our friendg, or any of tnaniund are in wretchedness and misery." This argument is often urged. The preacher of univcr- salism often inquires, whether mothers can bo happy, when they see their children writhing in the agonies of literal fire ? And they thus often make the idea of future retri- bution, appear absurd and horrible. The author of this work has often moved the sympathies of his hearers pow- erfully, in this way. But the argument is founded on the supposition, that the doctrine teaches, that future torments are to be equal to those of being literally burned in fire, and that people in heaven will be so constituted, as to feel the same sympathy for the damned, that we should now feel for persons in distress. Though some have supposed fu- ture punishment to be literal burning in fire, yet we do not profess to believe any such thing. We only contend, that there is a punishment, represented in tke scriptures, by the figurative ideas of a "lake of fire," "fire and brim- stone," •' the second death," " hell fire," " destruction from the presence of the Lord, and the glory of his power," &c. That this imagery represents the punishment severe, we think obvious ; but how severe, we do not pretend to know. 2d. We do not know -and cannot know whether those in heaven will have any knowledge of, or concern about, the impenitent and miserable. We have seen per- •^ons, in this life, very happy, with their present constitu- tion, notwithstanding they knew thousands of their fellow beings were miserable. So that it appears quite possible that God may so arrange the concerns of the future, that the miseries of the wicked, however great they may be, !ihall not interfere with the reward of the faithful, 15. It appears that God has net appointed sin and mis- 120 ARGUMKrfTS AND PRKXCIPLES cry that he might have the chance to overrule it for good. Because, if he could have produced the game good with- out it, it ■*y7)uld have been far better to have had no such things to overrule. But if he cnuld not have produced the same good without il^ we have no evide(vce that he ever can. If he cmdd ?2oihave prevented evil, we can not know that h« ever can ; but if he could but loould not do it, it is impossible for us to say, vi^ithout the Bible, whether h© ever will. These reasons have been urged to show, that we cannot possibly understand enough of the nature of God, to determine from that, or from any reasoning or philoso- phy, what must be the future condition of men ; and that therefore, the Bible alone, as the revelation of God, must decide the question. And as reason and philosophy teach nothing on the subject, we ate not to come- to the Bible, with our minds already made up from philosophy ; and then study and invent some way to explain the Bible, so as to make it teach universahsm at all events. To 1 now what the Bible teaches, we are not authorized to determiue, first, what it 7nust teach, and then bend it to our theory. In- deed, if we could find out by reason what a revelation from God must teach, it would supersede all necessity for a revela- tion. Our inquiry then must be, not what God must do, (for we do not know) but what he does do ; and not what the Bible must teach, (for we cannot know) but what it ac- tually does teach. And we should not suppose its true meaning to be something, so foreign to the natural impli- cation of the words, that it requires the most subtle inven- tion to find it, and the most elaborate ingenuity to give it aoy plausibility. Universalist teachers have found vast numbers of passa- ges, which seemed, to the whole world, to leach, that only such as " do his commandments, that they may have right unto the tree of life, and enter in through the gates into the city," should be saved. Thoir main business has been to study out and invent some other sense to such pas- OT CS1VER8ALISM EXAMINED. ISI sages. This work haa been an immense labour for tbena ; but it might be expected, that they would succeed in ma- king oat 5o»i€ other meaaing besides the true one. An(f such ingenuity and labour are employed, in this work, to make writers mean what they never thought of, that we might expect many to be deceived by the speciousness of their explanations, especially when they are first convinced that reason and philosophy demonstrate the doctrine with- out any revelation at all. Yet many of these explanations, are so far fetched, and unnatural, that although they ar© published all over the country, a great majority of univer- aaiists cannot comprehend them, so as to explain away the seeming force of the passages when urged upon their con- sideration by their opponents. Letters were poured in of- ten upon the editor of the "Genius of Liberty," from sub- scribers, inquiring how such and such passages could be explained, so as not to oppose universalism. So all the country know how often professed universalists were asked how they got along with many passages; and they would answer, that they could not explain them, but Mr. Todd could do it! But having shown that philosophy is silent on the subject, or is against their theory as far as it goes, we shall see the propriety of understanding the Scriptures on" this subject, in their plainest an-] most natural sense ; in oth^r woi'ds, just as we would understand any other writers, who should write in the same manner. 16. We would ask them, if God ordained all sin that he might overrule it for good, whether, he could not as easily have ordained holiness and overruled that for good? If they say, he could but did not, then it follows that he suf- fered all the sins of this world to exist, when it was unneces- sary, and when he could have promoted the same good without it. And if he has suffered all the sins and miser- ies of this world, which were entirely unnecessary to the promotion of good, then he may suffer unnecessary sin au4 11 122 AReUME^TS AND PRINCIPLES misery to exist altrays. K they say he could nof have over- ruled holiness and happiness for good as easily as sin and misery ; let me ask them how they know that omnipotence can overrule sin and misery any better than holiness and happiness ? If he could not have accomplished all his pur- poses as well without sin and misery as with it, how do uni- versalists know but such a necessity may obtain with him for ever ? But if they say he could not have overruled holi- ness and happiness for good as easily as sin and misery; then it follows, that sin, being more easily overruled for good than holiness, is preferable to holiness! That, in fact, sin is holiness, and holiness sin ! Why should I not kill my neighbour, if God has foreordained it, that he may overrule it for good, and for my good ? And especially if he cannot as.easily overrule a contrary act for good ! And if he has ordained that I should be hanged, that he may overrule it for my good, and cannot overrule any thing else as easily for my good, why should I object? Hence it is plain, that the position, that God has foreordained all sin and misery, that he may overrule it all for the good of all, upsets the whole system of moral science, and makes sin and misery preferable to holiness and happiness ! But this absurdity, palpable as it is, is the very basis of universalism. Yet universalists talk of their doctrine of punishment as be- ing a powerful restraint to sin. How can men fear to com- mit a sin, which they think God has foreordained for their good ? And how can they dread a punishment, which they think will be overruled for their best good ? Such system absolutely offers the best and highest good as the reward of iniquity. 17. Hosea Ballou, and others, have argued, thai all things must happen by divine appointment and foreordina- tion, or else God would be disappointed, and consequently luihappy. This is reasoning on God, just as if we were in- timately acquainted with his essence ; and could take a clear and perfect survey of tite incomprehensible God ! Ttjis or UNIVKRSALISM EXAMINED. 128 reasoning would do for rash and conceited Hoys, but mtn should blush to seem so wise. We do not know enough of God to determine, \vhether he would be disappointed upon seeing any thing which he had not foreordained ; nor whether disappointment would make him either happy ot unhappy. The fact is, such reasoning, by attributing a kind of incomprehensible infinity to God in some respects, and dwarfing him down to the lilieness of men in others, only betrays the presumption and vanity of infatuated men ; who too proud to acknowledge their ignorance and weak- ness, and disdaining the limits of human understanding, grasp at the omnipotent and infinite Deity, and draw infer- ences and conclusions about him and from him, as if he wag" but a play thing in their hands ! 18. But so far as reason is to guide us on the question of universalism, its best evidence would be, that it tended in its practical operations to reform the profligate, the aban- doned, and impious. Had the doctrine this recommend, it would be the best argument Reason could urge in its favour. But alas for the cause ! We have said in our Re- nunciation, that it has no such advantage. Editors and preachers of the doctrine say that it has, in an eminent de- gree. We leave the disputed point with the publick. We see by their papers, that the work of proselyting to that faith is advancing : societies and believers are multiplied — but we may ask, where is a single drunkard reformed — u single loose, impious wretch reclaimed, and converted to piety and virtue by the doctrine? Yes, we ask where, and echo answers — where ! It is not because such men arc prejudiced against the doctrine or its preachers and will not hear them — not because they will not hear it — but be- cause the vicious will not reform, until the fear of hell set- tles down upon the trembling soul, and alarms the guilty conscience — then the pale votary of vice shrinks from hii bold career, and humbles himself in penitence before God. The author of this work once preached universalism in Rip- 124 AKevuk^fTS a:«o fkinciplxs l«y, Chautauque co. {N. Y.) where he found among his bearers a universalist ciruukard — he had been a preacher! But he was a constant attendant on the preaching. He ex- tolled it — he praised the glorious sentiment, till we preach- ed directly against druniieness ; and then he fled — wfe have never seen hini since. — His name v/3S JVinslotv. He liked the doctrine; but to hear a universalist preacher condemn drunkenness so poiutedlj, was more than he could bear. — So it is with the wicked generally ; they love the doctrine, and love their sins both at once. How often do we hear men and boys talking of the "unbounded love of God" with a profane oath -a almost every sentence! The most abandoned swearers, and most abominable characters, through the Stales, are frequently found advocating, amidst shocking oaths and drunken revelry, the "liberal sentiment"! We should be sorry to state such things, if we thought it possible to be mistakeil about them. But we cannot be, unless our very senses have deceived us. We know there are some good universal ists. And as we would be just to all, we will state, that Blessrs. Th. Whittemore, S. Skinner, S. R. Smith, and most other universalist preachers of dis- tinction, abating their sectarian animosities, and anti-chris- tian opposition to all that come in their way, are doubtless good moralists and amiable men; but they have seen and learned enough to make them so, without being indebted to aniversalism for their goodness. How could we txpect the -doctrine to exert any general restraint upon the passionate and vicious? Suppose a man whose passions, interest, or appetite, urge him to mur- der a neighbour. Hear him as a universalist engaged in the following soliloquy. "If i murder this man, I shall re- move a great obstacle to my happiness; and it will be noth- ing more than what God hag appointed for my good. Th© Murder will certainly be overruled for my good, and that la just what I want. And as for hira, it wili oertsialy be over-* or UNIVERBAtiSM EXAMINED. 125 ruled for his best good too. Therefore, I need not shrinli at all from the deed. If I am punished for it, which I must be some way or other, that punishment will certainly be overruled for my good, therefore, I need nor borrow any trouble about it, any how. I am certain that God loves me and all men, with an unbounded and everlasting love, and therefore will overrule whatever 1 may do for my best good and that of all men. Whether I murder or do not murder, it must come out for my best good, and I cannot do any thing, which will not be overruled for my good. There- fore, it is no matter what I do, or whether I do any thing ; my best good must come out at last. And although all ac- tions or none at all, would be alike overruled for my good, yet it is rather easiest to follow my present feelings, there- fore, I will kill the man !" The very essence and founda- tion of universalism, is, that the highest, fullest, and most perfect happiness, of all mankind is unalterably secured ia the unchanging attributes of God. And hence it follows, thatman has nothing to hope and nothing to fear but the highest, fullest, and most perfect happiness; and nothing to do but to go where his passions lead ! We think it is not possible, for all the ingenuity of universalist teachers, to evade these conclusions, only to relinquish the whole ground upon which their doctrine stands. Indeed, I have sometimes heard loose;fellows justifying their wickedness upon these very principles. 10. Universalist teachers often boast of being advocates for the honour of God. They often compare him to a good earthly parent. A good earthly parent will make his son as good and happy as he can ; but so far from representing God to be like one, they represent him as appointing all the sin and misery in the universe ! What should we think of an earthly father, who should tell his children, that he had appointed and decreed all their vices, and was just as well pleased with their vices as with their virtues. And that he would cause all their vices and punishments, as well as their 11* 126 ARGUME.tTi Ar D PRI.XCIPLM the time the prediction should be fulfilled, including, by implication of course, the general spread of the gospel amocg all people then to be on earth. "All the Afno-tfoi7i5 of the nations shall worship before thee," signifies simply, that the gospel of Christ shall then find its friends and its votaries among all the families of the nations. That some at least in every family shall embrace Christ. Or at least, that Christ's church shall then so extensively prevail, as to justify such pro phetick language. Dr. Clarke says on the text, " And all the kindreds of na- tions, mishpechoth, the families of the nations,— -not only the nations of the world shall receive the gospel as a reve- lation from God, but each family shall embrace it for their own salvation." 9. In Jeremiah xxxi. 31 — 34, there is a prediction which speaks of the new covenant which God should make with the house of Israel, which-universalists sometimes quote with great assurance to prove the salvation of all men. — But a moment's attention to the words will satisfy us that no such thing is intimated there. There is not the least allusion there to any except the people of Israel. And if the text proved the salvation of ail the children of Abra- ham, it could prove nothing about the rest of mankind. But when the context and connexion are consulted, we think the candid reader will be sntisfijid that the prophecy re- lates to the raillenial state of that nation, when the children of Israel shall receive the new covenant, embrace Christ as the Messiah ; and all of them, that shall live in the world at that time, know the Lord, receive forgiveness of sins through Christ, and obey his law. The verses that follow are conclusive evidence that the prophet was referring to scenes and events that would transpire on earth. 10. " For the Lord will not cast oiTfor ever." — Lamtnta- Hons III. 31. This passage is reported to as positive proof liiar God will net cast any off for ever. VV^ell, if God has said that or UNIVKRSALISW EXAMIWKD. 137 be will not cast anj part of mankind off for ercr, we would not say he will do it, for all the mines of Peru. If we can- not yair/?/ account for such an expression here, without the salvation of all men, we will yield the question and renounce our Renunciation. It is the 7R0St probable sense of the pro- phet that we want. In the verses preceding our text he was lamenting his own calamities. And he looks up to the Lord in his affliction, and consoles himself with the reflec- tion, that God is good and kind to them that seek him, and keep his commandments. "The Lord is good unto them that wait for him, to the soul that seeketh him," ver. 15. In this source he rests, believing that his trials will end, because the Lord will not cast off stuck for ever; for though he may cause such to have grief, yet he will have compassion according to the multitude of his mercies. We say this may be the meaning of the text. The reason the prophet did not describe what kind of people the Lord would not cast off for ever in the verse, is, because he had so plainly described what kind of people he meant in the verses preceding, as to make it entirely unnecessary. Ta- king his words as a continued discourse, we find him speak- ing of a particular kind of people ; and of the ground upon which th£y might rest their hopes in affliction. And in speaking of them, and of their privileges, we could not ex- pect him to describe them distinctly in every sentence. 2. We give some otjjer reasons why we think this must be his meaning, because such sense not only accords with the thread of his discourse, but also with the general voice of scripture, which every where offers encouragement and hope to the good in affliction. *' Be glad in the Lord, and rejoice ye righteous ; and shout for joy, all ye that are upright in heart." — Psalms xxxii. 11. — " Many are the afflictions of the righteous; but the Lord delivqreth them out of them all." — Psalms xxxiv. 19. — "For the arms of the wicked shall be broken ; but the Lord upholdeth the righteous."— P«oim« xxxvii. 17. — ♦* The wicked is driven 12* 1^ AReUMKIfTS A5D PRlNCtPLXI awajr ia bis wickedness ; but the righteous hath hop« m his death."*— Pror. xiv. 32. 3. The scriptures teach that God will cast off the wicked forever; and of course, the prophet only meant, that h» would not cast off the righteous. "If thou seek him, h« will be found of thee ; but if thou forsake him, he will caxt thee off for ever.''* — I. Chron. xxviii. 9. — We .further think our explanation confirmed by the fact that the scriptures generally teach the " everlasting destruction'' of those who do not turn from their wickedness and lead good lives. We have now very briefly attended to the most promi- nent passages in the Old Testament, on which universal- ism seeks to rest ; and we have found not a vestige ©fit there. It finds Bot the least support there ; but appear* like an exotick of modern birth, hovering over the venera- ble realms of prophesy, and here and there lights a mo- ment, upon some towering vision of Christ's millenial glo- ry. But panting and gasping, as in an incongenial clime, it now flutters away to seek some more hospitable shelter amidst the scenes of Christ and the apostles. Hither we will accompany our old friend. For we have nwsed and plumed it, and followed its nnhappy wanderings, so often as to know very well its course. And watching its fate in the hands of the heavenly messengers, till we see it in ail the apparent agonies of death, and hear celestial responses fall- ing tipon]_the,air, then we will hand it over to its friends, who some consider real conjurers, and able to resuscitst© the very dead.f *How would this text sound thus, " The righteous hath hope in his death of going to heaven ; but the wicked may have the same hope in death ; for they shall be driven away in their wickedness into heaven." tWe have been told by universalists, that there was no use in writing against the doctrine, because their writers were so cunning that they would make therr deetrise l»ok plausible, if it were ever so false. OF UNIVERSALI5M EXAMINED. 139 SECTION IT. Passages in the Neio Testament supposed to teach univsr- salism^ considered. " And she shall bring forth a son and thou shall call his name Jesus ; for he shall save his people from their sins." —Matth.i.2L On this text tiniversalists contend, that all mankind are Christ's by creation and redemption ; and as he shall save his people from their sins, therefore, he must save all mankind. The passage is so equivocal alone, that if the scriptures generally, clearly taught the salvation of all mankind ; and if this were generally implied in their language, then we should think this text might be so understood. But if the common sentiment of scripture is, that although all men are his by creation and redemption, yet the penitent and good are his in another sense, viz : by adoption; and he is represented as saving only such as voluntarily submit to him, then we ought to understand the text to mean simply, that it should be his office and business to save sinners from sin, as far as they comply with the terras on which they must be saved. If the means by which he saves his people from their sins, were certain and irresistible, then we might suppose all would be certainly saved from them. But look at them. 1. Redemption, "he gave himself a ransom for all," and is *' a propitiation for the sins of the whole world." Now then, if redemption alone were a sure and infallible means of salvation, as it is universal, all men must be sa- ved from sin. Bat so far from it, redemption alone can- not save a single soul. Universal redemption was made and completed near two thousand years ago ; and if that were sufficient alone to save from sin, all men would have been delivered from sin the moment that great work was 140 AR«CMJC«r« AZ^D rRIWClPLES " finished." But alas — sin continued ttill ! Hence the redemption made does no good until it be applied. And it must not only be made for all, but actually appZiet/ to all, if they are ever saved. 2. A second means by which Je- sus saves his people from their sins, is the gift of his doc- trines, precepts, and commandments, in the New Testa- ment. These command *' all men every where to repent," '* to repent and be baptised for the remission of their sins," that '* their sins may be blotted out," &c. They say, ** come unto me all ye that labour and are heavy laden and I will give you rest." — Matth. xi. 28. — " Ask, and it shall be given you, seek, and ye shall find ; knock, and it shall be opened unto you." — Matth. vii. 7. — But these means are not irresistible. All have not obeyed them. 3. A third means by which Jesus saves his people from sin, is, the establishment of a gospel ministry, which however use- ful and efficient is not irresistible. Often are sinners awa- kened under the well directed and fervid eloquence of the pulpit; but many icill not be persuaded. 4. A fourth means is the effusion of the Holy Spirit. But this is not irresistible. It has been acting powerfully upon the hearts of the people, from the beginning of time; but all have not yeilded to its warnings. It moves upon the mind as a per- suading angel. But submission to God must be the sin- ner's own act. He has power to resist all the means of persuasion instituted in the gospel of Christ for his deliv- erance from sin. Redemption opens the door to the sin bound wretch. The words of Christ in the gospel direct him to it. The living ministry speaks to him — invites — admonishes — and urges him to rise and escape. The Ho- ly Ghost whispers to his soul, in language of strong and ardent persuasion. This is the way, and may we not say, the only way, that Jesus saves his people from their sins. No more powerful means coiild be used without annihila- ting our moral freedom and accountability, so thatsubmis- eioo it««lf would not be onr own act. Bot all thase means or UNIVERSALISM EXAMI.NEO. 141 have never saved all men from their sins — nor indeed any, except such as turned, in the Iree and spontaneous exercise of their own powers, to Jesus Christ. In this way Jesus shall save all his people from their sins, who will yield to his control. And we think this is the only way any can be saved. We can no more expect God to make us wise and good without our exertions, than rich and cppulsnt without our industry. This encourages virtue by similar but higher motives than those^ which lead to other human efforts. It gives hope and blissful anticipation to the good; and the impenitent and incorrigible ought not to h-tve a hope of heaven. If they want a hope and desire salvation, let them forsake their sins, and turn to Jesus: and this system then offers them hope and heaven. But if they do not want hcxven enough to be willing to lead a life of piety and virtue for it, it is beneath the dignityof a christian min- istry to attempt to inspire them with the hope of heaven on tkeir own terras. "And the angel said unto them, fear not ; for behold 1 bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. For unto you is born, this day, in the city of Da- vid, a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord." — LuJce ii. 10, 11. Thig passage is often quoted in proof of universal s?.!- vation. But to an unprejudiced rainel, not disposed to cavil, and acquainted with the vagueness of words and the philosophical imperfection in many popular expressioha, which after all convey thoughts and make impressions with sufficient accuracy, it is believed the above passage will not appear to have been designed to teach any thing about universalism. The shepherds were watching thair flocks in the fields by night. Suddenly an angel appeared to them. They were amazed and terrified at the sight of the heavenly messenger, and the bright glory that beamed around him. The angel spoke and said "fear not," pot designing to teach not to fear the threatenings of the vio- lated law. but to allay their consternation and becalm their 143 ARGVUXR^TS A»D rilI9CIPI.CI minds, be would have them understand that, he had aot come as a mhiister of vengeance from heaven to them ; but had come to bring them the most interesting tidings that were ever communicated to guilty men. *' For behold — I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people." Observe, he did not say, *' fear not the Lord, nor endless wretchedness for continuance in sin ; for all men or people shall certainly be saved," but '* I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be unto all people." If the good tidings of great joy was not universal salvation, what was it ? Answer — " For unto you is born, this day, in the city of David, a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord." This was "good tidings of great joy, to all people," be- cause he was " the propitiation for the sins of the whole world," he " tasted death for every man," and *' gave him- self a ransom for all." But this only proves there was a universal provision made for the salvation of all men ; and not that all men will certainly be saved. If this was the angeVs meaning, why did he not add, that the Saviour is not only born, to day ; but ♦* through him all men shall certainly be saved?" AH men needed a Saviour; and it was a subject of just and reasonable joy to all that one was provided. Because all had the offer of salvation through him. But the provision of a Saviour for all, was not all that was necessary for the salvation of all. On the part of God, a Saviour must be provided. This was done. But on the part of men, this Saviour must be believed in and embraced. This is done in some cases ; and in others, he is rejected. By the gospel plan, the ccrrespondent ac- tion of both God and man was made necessary to salvation. Hence, our Saviour says, " For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten son, (not to save all mankind at any rate, but) that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting hfe." — John iii. 16. — Thi» exhibits the Saviour provided for all men, so that tcfeosoerfr bcliev«th or embracoth him, so «s to live in tht precept* ©r UFITKPvSALISM EXAMi:tED. 143 •f hi« religion, shall not perish, as others will, but have everlasting life. Suppose, ten men confined in a dismal dungeon of Algiers. They have foolishly wandered away from our happy country, expecting to find, in foreign lands, something better than is afibrded here. But they are cap- tured by barbarians, imprisoned and condemned to die. — Our President sends a minister \)ith plenary powers, to pay a ransom, io the name of the President, for their de- liverance. His orders are, that when the ransom is paid, and the prison door is open, such as will thankfully ac- cept the kind mediation, and come out of prison, shall re- ceive the benefit of this interposition; but such, as will not, but depend on the minister not only to open the door, but to carry them out, are to be left to perish without any far- ther efforts. Just as the minister of state lands upon the barbarous shore, he despatches a messenger to the prison, with the news of his arrival. The messenger suddenly appears in the midst of them. They tremble, as they take him to be a minister of the law, about to inflict some awful punishment upon them, when he says to them " fear not-— behold I am come to bring you good news — joyful tidings for all of you. A minister of state has come from America; he is come as a saviour to pay your ransom, and soon he will be here to open your doors."- At last he comes and opens the prison doo.rs and says to the prisoners, "come unto me, all ye that labour, in this dungeon, and I . v?ili give you liberty — for our good President has so loved 5 you, that he has sent me, that whosoever of you would now ^ improve the opportunity to come to me, should not perish in * this prison, but have liberty and a happy home, for he did ' not send me here to add to your calamities, but that you ht come home to our happy country." The prison- liave lounged about in the prison and become extremely . , and acquired a captious and caviling disposition with- I, al, so that they are incHned to stay where they ^re. " This is their condemnaiion, that light has come into the world, bat ]44 argume:-. pnecom«his friendg. 3. God had giVeu him this 148 ARGUMENTS AlfD PRIJrciPLE« great power that he should give {zoeen aionion) life eternal, to such as believed on him and became his friends. Ac- cordingly, we find him speaking at other times of the " lifii eternal" which he gave believers. •'Verily, verily, I say unto you, he that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath {zoeen aionion) life eternal."— /oA/i v : 24. See also John iii : 15, 16, 36. — VI : 47, 50, 54. '• All that the father giveth me shall come to me, and him that Cometh to me I will in no wise cast out." — Chap, vi : ver. 37. We have seen that Christ means by all that the Father giveth him, all such as become his disciples and friends. Ver. 38. "For I came down from heaven not to do mine own will, but the will of him that sent me.'* Ver. 39. "And this is the Father's will, which hath sent me, that of all which he hath given me (all that had become his by the endearing ties of filial affection) I should lose nothing, but should raise it up again at the last day.!' Ver. 40. " And this is the ivill of him that sent me, that every one which seeth the son and believeth on him, (this does not im- ply all men) may have everlasting life, and I will raise him up at the last day." Universal ists quote passages of Scripture to prove that "God is good to all"; that his nature is love; that he loves his enemies; and loves sinners even when dead in sins. — We need not examine all such passages, because we'admit that all this is true; but all this is no proof that all men will be saved. W^hatever the love or goodness of God may be, it is not such as must necessarily make all men holy and happy. If there was any thing in it which must necessarily produce that effect, we should see that effect produced from the first. If divine goodness or love did not prevent sin and misery in this world, we cannot tell, nor prove, that there is any thing in it, which must necessarily prexevit them in another world. They say the love of God is underived — Tcry well. Then hehasalwnya loved all men, yet that or UMVKRBALISM EXAMINED. 149 undeiived lotehae suflered them to be miserabJ-j, aud always may. If one leaps a precipice, plunges a volcano, or ne- glects his own safety, God's love does not interfere to save him from the consequences. This shows that there is nothing in it, which must necessarily ever prevent our misery. T.hey say God's love is infinite, if so, it has nothing in it which mws^ neccssariZ^/ prevent our sin and misery; for we are sinful and miserable, notwithstanding the infinity of di- vine love, and consequently may be always so. If divine love be infinite, and as sin and misery do exist, it follows of course, that sin and misery may exisfnotwithstanding its infinity. How then can it be proved from the infinite love of God that sin and misery may not always exist? Divine love has always existed, yet it has not prevented the sin and misery of man. Let universalists prove, that divine love must necessarily do something hereafter which it never has done yet, and we will give them credit. But alas for their cause — they cannot do it. They say divine love is un- changeable, as well as universal; and of course, as he loves sinners, while they are in their sins, he must always love them. What then? It only follows, if God's love is un- changeable, that he always has loved Us while in sin and misery just as much as he ever will : and that we may be sinful and miserable notwirtistanding divine love. Where then is the proof, that divine love must necessarily prevent sin and misery at a future time? Ah! echo answers — tvhere ! ' "Whom the heaven must receive until the times of resti- tution of all things, which God hath spoken by the raouih of all his holy prophets since the world began." — Ads hi: 21. This is anotlier passage appealed to by the friends of uni- versalism, as indubitable proof that all will be eaved. But the author has never considered it a very conclusive text, — There ^is no evidence whatever that "the restitution of all things" means the holiness and happiness of all men 13* 150 ' AROUME^Tf AlfD PBI^CtPIJEC in a future »t ate. We might as well say, that it prorea^ that all the nations, kingdoms, cities, and states, that have risen and fallen, shall be restored to the glory they once enjoyed on earth. Nay — we might, as well say that the text means, that all animals, the earth itself, and every thing on it, shall be made holy and happy in heaven, as to say it means all mankind shall be. Those things, to be sure, never were in the heavenly state, and their restitution does not imply a restoration to any thing which they had not enjoyed before ; but mankind never have enjoyed the heavenly state, and their restitution does not imply any thing more than a restoration to some state before enjoyed. The text does not of itself teach that either men or beasts or any thing else shall be saved in the heavenly world. So far from teaching universal salvation, it proves not the sal- vation of any body. Observe the text does not speak of the restitution of all things, but of the restitution of all things, which God hath spoken by all* his holy prophets. Now we have examined his holy prophets in section III of this chapter, and find them not to speak of salvation of all men in the future world; of course, the restitution of all things which God hath spoken by the moukh of his holy prophets, is not the salvation of all men. The times of the restitution of all things which the prophets spoke of, and to which our text alludes, are doubtless the successive steps of Christianity, in its progress on earth, restoring a better state of things in the world, than existed in the waste places of heathen darkness and moral death, as the prophets had predicted, when "the light of zion should come; and the glory of the Lord should rise upon her." It is strange that a large book, designed for the express purpose of teaching universalism, as universalists take the Bible to be, should say nothing more explicit and unequi- *Dr. Clarke informs us tliat the word all here is not found in many original copies, and is probably an interpolation, "which God has spoken by the month of hie propbetg." or UlflTCKSALISM EXAMir(£D. 151 ▼ocal on the subject, than some few incidental expressions ; which might be supposed possibly to refer to such a thing, if it were a plain and clear doctrine of the scriptures; and if the Bible contained nothing in plain contradiction of such a theory. We have gone through the Four Gospels, the histories of Christ, and his instructions; and have found only two or three spots, on which universalism would think of standing with any kind of security. But on these, we have seen it unable to stand or rest, without its trembling pinions constantly spread upon the airy vapour of forced construction, for support. We cannot see it attempt to light but once in the Acts of the Apostles, and there it only seems to pause a moment for breath, whence it flutters on and pounces down, with a grasp of desperation, upon the 5th chapter of Romans ! The passages here mostly relied on arc the 12th, omit- ting the 13, 14, 15, 16 and 17 verses, included in the paren- thesis, and taking the 18, 19, 20, and 21 verses. Ver. 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." Ver. 18. ''Therefore as by the offence of onej judgement came upon all men to condemnation ; even so by the righteousness of one, the free gift came upon all men unto justification of life." Ver. 19. ''For as by one man's disobedience, many were m^de sinners ; so by the obedience of one shall many be made righteous." Ver. 20. "Mci;eover the law entered that the offence might abound. But wl^ere sin abounded, grace did much more abound." Ver. 21* " That as sin hath reigned unto death, even so might grace reign through righteousness unto eternal life by Jesus Christ our Lordv" We should think the apostle in this text, believed in the universal salvation of mankind ; and on such an occasion referred to it, in a kind of equivocal and incidental manner, if his writings generally showed that to be his doctrine. So W€ might find passages in Clarke's writings or Wesley's, I'/Z ARGUMENTS AND PRINCIPLES which we ihcald suppose indicated, in them, 8uch ao opin- ion, did we not know by the general body of their works, that such was not their sentiment. To give our readers a clear view of our own opinion of this passage, we will pre- sent it in form of a paraphrase. Verse 12. Wherefore, as by one man, sin entered into the world, and death by sin; so death, or condemnation to death, has passed upon all men : because all men are ac- counted as sinners, having descended from Adam, their federal head. V. 18. Therefore as by one sin, all men came into condemnation o{ death; so also^ by one righteous act, all men came into justijlcation of life, which is a resuiTec- tion from death. V. 19. For as by one man's disobedience, the way was opened whereby many became guilty and sinful, so like- wise, by the obedience and righteousness of one, even Jesus Christ, a way is opened up for many to become righteous. V. 20. The law did not come for the purpose that it might be broken, but yet it was given so that it might be broken, or that men could have au opportunity to violate it, if they would, nevertheless, the superabounding mercy and grace of God is more than sufficient to raise those that die by sin to life again. V. 21. Even by this superabounding grace in Jesus Christ, notwithstanding sin has so far triumphed as to make our death inevitable, we^nay not only be participants in the resurrection of the dead ; but by becoming personally righteous, we may have an assurance of eternal life, or full enjoyment in his heavenly kingdom. This we think is just about the apostle's real meaning when viewed in the light of his writings generally, as we should view all writings. With regard to the 18th verse, upon which universalists mainly rely. Dr. Clarke says, when it is literally rendered it stands thus, {judgement came, 'xttd the free gift came, being supplied words.) '' Therefore, as by one sin, all men came into condenvnaVmn : so also, by or UNITEASALISM EXA1II^ED. 153 om righteous act, all men came unto justijication of life ;" which is more fully expressed in the following verse. — "Now, leaving ail particular creeds out of the question ; and taking in the scope of the apostle's reasoning in this and the preceding chapter, is not the sense evidently this 1 Through the disobedience of Adam a sentence of condem- nation to death, without any promise or hope of a resurrec- tion, passed upon all men; so by the obedience of Christ unto death, this one grand righteous act, the sentence was 60 far reversed, that death shall not finally triumph ; for all shall again be restored to life ; justice must have its due ; and therefore all must die. The mercy of God in Christ Jesus shall have its due also ; and therefore all shall be put into a solvable state here, and the whole human race shall be raised to life at the great day. Thus both justice and mercy are magnified ; and neither is exalted at the ex- pense of the other." Dr. Taylor says, that " when the apostle speaks of for- glveness of sins, simply, he insists on faith as the condition : but here, where he speaks of justification of life, he men- tions no condition; and therefore he s,\x\)^oses justification of life, the phrase being understood in a forensick sense, to mean no more than the decree or judgement that deter- mines the resurrection from the dead.''"' Universalists think their doctrine supported by Romans VIII. 35. ** Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?" And then in the three fol- lowing verses, in which the Apostle answers the question, omitting the 36th verse, included in a parenthesis, *'Nay, in all these things, we are more than conquerors through him that loved us. For I am persuaded, that neither death nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, cor things present, nor things to come, nor height nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separat* B« {mm ih« lov« of God which is in Christ Jesus." Now it 154 ARG-UBIENTS aI^D PRINCIPLES is argued, that nothing can separate us from the loveof God^ and consequently, sin cannot separate ns from his love, and of course, sin cannot make us endlessly miserable. If sin cannot separate us from God's love, sin can make us unhappy notwithstanding God's love. If it cannot separate us from his love, then we never have been separated from his love, yet we have bees miseiable, and of course, we may be mis- erable again, and miserable to all eternity, although we were never separated from God's love. In order to be hap- py, something more seems necessary than barely that we are not separated from God's love, he must not be separated from our love. God's love to us is sometimes called "the love of God," and our love to him is also called " the love of God." The Apostle was not speaking of God's love to all mankind, from which nothing could separate them ; nor of the love otall mankind to God, from which they could not be separated. All mankind did not love him — they had none of his love in their hearts to be separated from. "If any man love the w^orld, the love of the Father is not in him." — I. John ii. 15. "But I know you, that ye have not the love of God in you." — John v. 42. Now, men must not only be loved by God, but they must love him in order to be happy either here or hereafter. And if they have not the love of God in their hearts, they cannot be separated from it, because they have never possessed it ; but as they can be unhappy without it here, so they can be always un- happy without it. But the Apostle in this place was evi- dently speaking of those who loved God ; who had his love shed abroad in their hearts. And he was confident, that their attachment to him was so great, that none of their suf- ferings could ever separate them from that love, then burn- ing in their souls, which was stronger than death, so that they were willing to suffer persecution and death itself for the sake of hiiii they loved. What has all this to do with the salvation of them that have none of the love of God in them, and that live and die ''enemie? to God by wicked OF UNITEKSALIgM EXAMINED. 155 works ?" Just nothing at all. We might just as well con- tend, because God has made water enough for us all to drink, that we may go into a barren waste„where there is no water within hundreds of miles of us, and that we can- not thirst to death there, because there is an abundance made for us. The fact is, we should choke to death there notwithstanding all the water provided^.. And all the love of God toward us would never save us ! ;So, though the love of God toward us were as an ocean without shore, or bottom, and the provisions of redemption as vast as crea- tion, we must perish without the love of God in our hearts and affections, just as much as though God were destitute of love. If he has so instituted the scheme of our salva- tion, as well as to make it dependant on our love to him, as his to us ; and if our love to him is and must be a free, spontaneous act of our own, in the use of the faculties he has given us, and not an act of God, as we shall show the scriptures to teach, then it depends on our- selves whether we are all saved or not. Not that v/e save ourselves, but that we love God, or hate him ourselves; repent, or not repent ourselves; and live good lives, or bad ones ourselves; and that God does not love God or hate God for us ; repent or not repent for us ; or live a good life or a bad one for us. On this interesting passage of Paul, Dr. Clarke says, ** I do think this question has been gener- ally misunderstood. The Apostle is referring to the perse- cutions and tribulations to which genuine christians are ex- posed through their attachment to Christ ; and the graci- ous provision God had made for their support and final sal- vation. As in this provision, God had shown his infinite love in providing Jesus Christ as their sin offering; and Jesus Christ had shown his love in suffering death upon the cross for them; so here, he speaks of the love of the followers of God, to that Christ who had nrst loved them. Therefore, the question is not. Who shall separator the love of Christ from us ? or prevent Christ from loving us 1 1.56 ARGDMEItra AITD PKI^rClPLRi but, who «hnll separate us from the Ioto of Christ ? Wlio or what shall remove our affection from him ? And the questions that immediately follow, show that this is the sense of the passage, for the tribulation, distress, &c. which he enumerates, are things by which they might be effected ; but by which Christ could not be aft'ected ; and, conse- quently, the question most evidently refers to their love to him who had first loved them. And while it affords a strong presumption of their perseverance ; furnishes a most powerful argument against apostacy. And that this is the meaning, is farther evident from the 37th verse. Who shall separate us from the love of Christ ? Tribula- tion? or distress? or persecution? or famine? or naked- ness ? or peril ? or sicord ? Nay : for in all these things we are more than conquorers, through him that loved us.-— His love in us^ keeps us in all these things steadily at- tached to him, so that they cannot separate, us from him.** — [See Clarke's Com. on the place.] We have already controverted the idea that all things shall be overruled for good to all men, whether they love God and obey him or not ; but for the consolation of the christian we may quote a passage from Romans viii. 28 : " And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God : to them who are the called according to his purpose." Now if all things would work together for the good of all men, why did the apostle tell us such would be the case with them that love God ? Why did he not say it would be so with all men ? II. Cor. iv. 17. '* For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, work- eth for us a far more exeeding and eternal weight of glory." Such was the comfort of this good and great man, in the midst of those Xrs'mg scenes and conflicts, which he endur- ed for the sake of the glorious crown he expected, as the reward of his faithfulness and perseverance in *' fighting the good fight, and finishing his course," and all faithful christians maj expect the chasteoiogs of God are for thehr or UNIVERSAMSM r.XAMINKD. J .'JV gofld — that they may "yield the peaceable fruits of ri?h- teouauess to them which are exercised thereby." As we have objected to the idea that God has foreor- dained and fixed all the acts of men, it may he proper that we remark farther on it in this place, and give some atten- tion to the scriptures on this point. We are apt to suppose God must have determined that all things should be as they are, from our views of his attributes. But we cannot comprehend fully a single one of his attributes. Could we fully comprehend one of the attributes of an infinite and incomprehensible God, we might each and all of them ; ^nd then we might comprehend infinity ! But "'who, by searching, can find out God ?" His essence is a "mighty deep." His nature is incomprehensible to all lower in- telligences. Infinity never can be fully comprehended by finite beings. It is a simple incomprehensible unity, not divided into attributes or parts. But in the language of accommodation, we speak of him as possessing a variety of attributes, as we also do of his affections, passions, desires, volitions, determinations, &c. This language is often used with great propriety in the scriptures, as best calcu- lated to make the most perfect impressions on our minds in relation to God, that the subject admits of. But we should be very careful, that we do not attach more literal meaning to this language of accommodation, than was in- tended ; and draw inferences from it, which imply a more perfect comprehension of the Deity, than can be possibly grasped by a finite mind. If it be asked, why descriptions of him are not given in some other language, besides that of accommodation and adaptation to our finite minds; our answer is, that there was no such language ; and we could not understand it if there were. As we cannot possibly grasp any perfect conceptions of the Supreme Being, so no language could reveal to us his incomprehensible es- sence, unless it could first make %i3 infinite, which is im- possible. And although we cannot literally and philoso- 14 158 ARflUMENTS AND PRINCIPLES phically speak of parts, or distinct attributes, of the invisi- ble and infinite Unity ; yet, as in our imperfect modes of thinking, we are obliged to conceive of him as having vari- ety of attributes perfectly adapted to our comprehension. ^Ke should remember, that, as we cannot perfectly compre- hend his essence, so we cannot perfectly comprehend or understand any single attribute or quality that belongs to him. If we may use again the language of accommoda- tion, there is no part of God that we can understand any more clearly or perfectly, than we can his. whole essence. As, therefore, we cannot fully comprehend any thing that belongs to God ; we cannot know, whether one thing or another, ynust be the result of his attributes, only as the scriptures clearly teach us. Whether the attributes of God are such, that he must have determined, from all eter- nity, every act of finite agents, or not, we cannot know and do not know. And none but an infinite being ever can know this. We might be informed by a revelation that the one or the other was the truth ; but we cannot know what his attributes must produce, only as revelation and nature teach us what they do and will produce. If the scriptures plainly and clearly teach, that God has deter- mined every human act, then we must bow to it ; other- wise we know nothing about it. Now, does not every com- mand and requisition in the Bible imply, that our actions depend on our will so as to be our acts, and not on God's will so as to be his acts ! Do not all the promises of re- ward, and all the ihreatenings of punishment imply the same? These commands, requisitions, promises, and threatenings are every where presented in the scriptures. On the other hand the Bible no where plainly says, that God has predetermined every human act ; but such an in- ference has been drawn from some equivocal expressions, which do not necessarily teach that sentiment. But the sentiment has been deduced more from what finite beings supposed they comprehended of aa infinite God. It may or UNIVERSALISM EXAMIJ^EO. 159 be proved from scripture that God predetermined some acts of some individuals ; but this would not prove that he had predetermined all the acts of all individuals. One pas- sage often quoted to prove God the indirect author of all sin, is Rom. ix. 18 : *' Therefore has he mercy on whom he will have mercy, and whom he will he hardeneth," On the passage, Clarke says, " This is the apostle's conclusion, from the facts already laid down ; that God according to his own will and wisdom, in perfect righteousness bestows mercy ; that is to say, his blessings upon one part of mankind, (the Jews of old, and the Gentiles of the present time,) while he suffers another part, (the Egyptians of old, and the Jews of the present day,) to go on in the abuse of his goodness and forbear- ance, hardening themselves in sin, till he brings upon them a most just and exemplary punishment." We think this great commentator is right here — that the apostle only meant that God " gave them up to a reprobate mind," and suffered them to indulge in sin, and thus by habit harden themselves in it. Were we to say, God liardens people's hearts that they may sin ; and then com- mands them not to do it ; — that he predetermines that they shall sin, and then forbids it ; we should/ear we were giving a character of duplicity and hypocrisy to God, We know the doctrine of predestination is the very father and mother of universalism ; and we are inclined to believe it the grand parent of Deism, Materiahsm, and Atheism, if not a large brood of other children, equally haggard and ghastly. Another passage quoted in proof is Eph. i. 11.: "In whom also we have obtained an inheritance, being predes- tinated according to the purpose of him who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will.'' The general voice of scripture shows that the purpose of God is, that all, who become true and faithful believers, shall obtain an inheritance in Ch.nst. The apostle and his 160 ARGUMENTS AND PRINCIPLES brethren were such believers, therefore, they were such as God bad predestinated according to his purpose or plan to save. He had predetermined according to his plan to save all such ; of course these believers were such as he had predetermined to save. He worketh all things after the coiinsel of his own will, undoubtedly, which he worketh at all. To suppose he worketh that, after the counsel of his own will, which he docs not work at all is nonsense. When a man murders hrs neighbour, the act is either the man's act or God's. If it be God's act, then it is not the man's. If it be the man's act, then it is not God's act ; and God did not work it after the counsel of his own will, because he did not work it at all. Man has derived his being and all his powers from God ; yet such powers as he lias are his own, and subject to his Own will, as long as he retains them, as much as Goil's powers are subject to hi» will. God's powers. are no more identined with man's powers, so that his acts are man's acts, and man's acts are God's acts, than God himself is identified with man, so that God is man, and man is God. "jThe fact is, they are two distinct beings ; and have two distinct indi\idual pow- ers, though the one be derived from the other. Man act» in his own sphere of power, as freely and as independently 80 far as his power goes, as we can conceive the Deity to act in his sphere of power. If the scriptures teach that God had foreordained any particular act or acts, then we would believe he had foreordained such particular act or acts ; but we would not believe he had foreordained that, which he has not foreordained but forbidden. His having foreordained fome things, no more proves that he has foreordained crer^ thing ; than our having written some books, proves that we have \vritten all books. He seems to have ordained that man should possess powers of spontaneeus action and free volition of his own; and that his happiness or misery should depend upon his own voluntary use of such powers. He has power to control those powers by a spscial interposi.-. or UNm:RfiALiSM KXAMINED, 161 tion of his own superiour energy ; but does not so interpose his special energy, except in particular cases, where par- ticular purposes are to be accomplished independent of hu- man volitions. For instance, God determined Paul should be for salvation to the Gentiles, therefore, he would not suffer the Jews to destroy his life, though they determin- ed to dc it. And God elected and determined that Paul and other individuals, should be the " first fruits of the spirit," and act as the primitive instruments in turning mankind to Christ. But he had determined to exert his invisible and superiour energy over their volitions only so far as the accomplishment of particular objects required. In this manner he sometimes seems to exert a controlling and efficent energy ovej' the volitions of men ; but he gen- erally leaves the volitions oF men free, independent and un- controlled.* He sometimes exerts a special agency in miracles for the accomplishment of definite objects; but, generally, he suffers things to be effected by the ordinary action of those things which he has made. A*.d one of Che things he has made, is, a free, spontaneous power of action, under the control of a ivill, which is, in its own sphere, perfectly independent of him, and not controlled by him, although he has power to control it. So that this free will may preponderate either the one way or the other, as independently of the Divine control as if God did not ex- ist. We know what may be said about the government of motives. But there is no argument on the subject of mo- tives, designed to show the necessity of human volition, which would not just as clearly prove the necessity of the Divine volitions. If man can be proved thus to act as he is acted upon, so that all his actions are necessary and una- voidable, then he is proved to possess no power only to be moved as some other power moves him, which is just no power at all. And by the very same arguments, it might "By leaving them independent, we do not mean that he cannot control them ; but that he does not do it. be proved equally strong, that the Deity must be subject t« the rafluence of motive:?, so that ail his volitions are neces- sary and unavoidable ; and that He, therefore, possesses no power at all, only to move as some other power move* him I This is the doctrine of necessity — alias fatality — alias atheism. Ail this kiod of argument is falacious, and proves nothing ; or it proves that no intelligent being pos- sesses any power at all ; and that one thing is neeessarily moved by its antecedent, which, in its turn, is moved in the same way; so that the whole system of things is but a chain of necessary motion ; and that all our notions of power, associated with life and intelligence, are but dreamy visions I It is truly a deep subject ; and for that very rea- son men are exposed to reason absurdly on it. No doubt, the difficulty and the errour lay in the fact that men rea- son on mbid just as tht^ would on matter. As one of the properties essential to matter, is ifs inertum, or abso- lute want of power itself to change its position; so the 9Ame imr^um, or entire want of power is attributed to mind, by that propensity which we have, to coDteraplate every thing as material. And the foundation of this propensity, is the fact, that our ideas come through the medium of the sen- ses ; and are originated generally by the impression of ma- terial objects. Had we no eyes, we should never be able to have any correct notions of beauty or light ; but on hear- ing these things spoken of, we should suppose they were somethiug like odour, or sound, or taste, or figure, hardmss, or tveight, or something, that w^s adapted to some of the other organs of secse. So, in reasoning on the proper- ties and attributes of mind, we are apt to materialize it, for the want of an adequate means of information on the sub- ject. When man comes to emerge from this material state, he may be enabled more correctly to contemplate the prop- erties and essence of spirit, which we know to exist, though we may not clearly comprehend it. But to return to the consideration of more direct passa- or UNIVERSALIfiM EXAMINED. 163 ges, we notice Rora. xi. 25 : " For I would not, brethren, that ye should be ignorant of this mystery, iest ye should be wise in your own conceits ; that bhndoess in part is happened to Israel, until the fulness of the Gentiles be come in." Verse 26. •' And so all Israel shall be sarcd." That the apostle in this text did not mean to teach uni- versal salvation, we conclude from the following consider- ations. 1. Verse 14. " If by any ratans I may provoke to emu- lation them which are my flesh, and might save same of thera." Now we cannot believe the apostle would speak in this form about saving some of them — his countrymen, if he were intending to teach, that they would certainly all be saved. " //"% <^^2/ weans," implies, that he did not con- sider it certain and fixed, that they would all be saved, whe- ther he provoked them to emulation or not. Should we see a company out in a winter's storm ; see them becom- ing stupid and inactive with the cold ; and should say, ** we will go and provoke them to action and exercise, if we can by any means, that we may save some of them," would It not imply a believe in us that they were in danger of not being saved ; and that we feared some of them would be lost? 2. Many passages in the apostle's writings show plainly, that he was not writing to teach that all men will certainly be saved. This will appear in a subsequent section. Noth- ing is fairer than to take the general drift of an author's writings, to determine whether he meant to teaeh one sentiment or another, in an ambiguous expression. — For instance, all writers understand Origen of the third century to have been a restorationist. Because this doc- trine seems not to be incidentally expressed, jn a few pas- sages, which after all will admit of some other interpreta- tion ; but he says nothing inconsistent with such ajo- opin- ion ; and the general drift of his reasoning and his remarks 1G4 ARGUMEJSTS AND PRINCIPLES show that such was his opinion. But this is not the case with Paul, as will appear in the sequel. Besides, but very few writers, in comparison, have understood his writings to teach cmiversalism. With regard to " the fulness of the Gentiles coming in,^^ the learned Dr. Clarke is undoubt- edly correct ; that it signifies, and might be rendered, "a great multitude in all nations,'' and has reference to the final completion or great extent of the church on earth. " The apostle, therefore, ieems to give this sense of tlj mystery, that the Jews will continue in a state of blindness, till such a time as a multitude of nations or Gentiles, shall be converted to the christian faith ; and the Jen's, hearing of this, shall be excited, by a spirit of emulation, to exam- ine a;id acknowledge the validity of the proofs of Christian- ity, and embrace the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ." " And so all Israel shall be saved,'' undoubtedly implies, that the whole nation cf the Jews, as a hody^ at that time shall be converted to the christian faith. The above con- struction will appear obvious from the subject matter of the apostle's discourse. He was evidently reasoning on the blindness of the Jews, as a people, in relation to Christ ; the christian privileges that accrue to the Gentiles in conse- quence of theJews rejecting Christ, thus fulfilling their own prophesies in the eyes of the Gentiles; their final conversion C5 a nation, to the christian faith, through the final spread and glorious triumphs of divine truth among the Gentile nations. Give the passage this construction, which is reasonable, and it accords with its context, and with the scriptures generally, while the other construction seems inconsistent with both. We now come to consider the fifteenth chapter of first Corinthians. This chapter has been supposed by univer- salists'to give clear and indisputable evidence of universal salvation. We have attentively examined it, we think, with an impartial desire, to know whether it did teach uni- yersalism or not. None can dispute that it teaches the d^oc- OF UMVERSALISM EXAMIKKD. 1^5 trine of a resunection of the dead. But who will say it teaches universal salvation as indisputable as it does the re- surrection ? The doctrine of a resurrection of the dead was often disputed, in the days of our Lord and in those of the apostles. This was the case, at Corinth ; and it is thought^ Paul wrote this part of the epistle with particular reference to that circumstance. — [See verse 12.] — As '* the hope cf the resurrectionl' was rejected bj some at Corinth, he la- boured in this chapter to prove that truth to them. And it is conceived, that, in discoursing on the resurrection of the dead, he used expressions, which universaii^ts now in- terpret to mean universal salvation. Bat had this great apostle intended and designed, not only to prove the resur- rection of thedead, but also universal salvation, we think he would' have laboured as much and as plainly on this point as on the other. The Sadducees amoog the Jews denied all future existence. So did many among the Gentiles ; hence Christ and the apostles declared the resurrection positively, and so clearly that none can dispute their teach- ing a resurrection. The religious people among the Jews, in the days of Christ and the apostles, believed in future and endless rewards and punishments, and denied univcr>' sal salvation. So did the Gentiles ; and this doctrise was a prominent feature in their theo-iogy. If Christ and the apostles did not assent to it, but considered it a great er- rour ; and wished to teach universalism ; they would have spoken of those who denied universal salvation ; and would have reprobatecl their errour, as universalists now do ; and they would have taught universal sa!\ation as a distinct point in the christian faith, with the same certainty and uistiuctnes, that they did the doctrine of the resurrection. We have come to the conclusion, that Paul wrote this chapter to sustain and vindicate the doctrine of the resur- rection of all men ; but not with any reference to the ques- tion, whether all would then be saved or not. And indeed there w^s no occasion for him to allude to that point ; b«- 166 ARGUMBJJTS A>D PRIWCIPLES cause all, (as far as \re can learn any thing about it) who believed in a resurrection otthe dead, believed in the eter- nal happinees of the good, and the eternal misery of the wicked. He seems here to have considered it sufficient to discuss the great question in dispute, between christians and skepticks ; without having any particular reference to the happiness or misery of the future state ; as that was a sub- ject not agitated among those who admitted any. Though this seems to be the general course of his reasonings through the chapter ; there is no doubt, but he adverts, in a few ex- pressions, to the glory and blessedness of the future state ; without referring to the future condition of any but the good. Ashe was addressing christians, we might suppose him to have made allusions to the glorious prospects befoie them, without ever expecting, that the wicked would lay hold of his remarks, as a foundation upon which to build up a new theory favourable to themselves, which had never been believed in the world before. He attempts here to explain something of the nature of the resurrection, so far as the change from mortality to immortality is concerned. And intimates that it will be, something like the seed sown in the gr»und, which of itself decays, or undergoes .de- composition, but from which starts forth a germ, that pro- duces many grains, or much more in quantity than that which was sown. And although he intimates that the «ame literal flesh sown will not come forth ; yet something far more noble and glorious will come out of it, retaining its individual identity ; and possessed of far more expanded, vigorous, and enduring faculties. The first text in the chapter, supposed to teach univer- salism, is, " for as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive." — Verse 22. A moment's attention to this text, compared with the subject matter of the apostle's discourse, and especially with the verse preceding if, is sufficient to show, that its simple and plain import is, that as we all die or fall into t! OF UNIVERSALISM EXAMINED. 167 solution, through or in that nature which we derive from Adam ; so, through and in the power of Christ, and in pur- suance of that plan revealed and vindicated by his death and resurrection, we shall all become alive again. But there is no intimation, that we shall all be happy, when we are thus made alive. And indeed, the ap»stle seems to have had no particular reference to the future condition of all, only that they should be alive. " Then cometh the end, when he shall have delivered up the kingdom to God, even the Father ; when he shall have put down all rule, and all authority and power." — Verse 24. This is supposed to mean the salvation of all men ; but we can see no such intimation in it. It seems simply to imply, that at that time, all human government, dominion, rule, authority, and civil power, shall be put down. What all that has to do with the future salvation and happiness of all men, we have not acumen enough to discover. Sure- ly all human government, and all human rule, and author- ity might be put down, and totally destroyed and annihila- ted, without ail men being happy. Nay all this might take place, and yet all men might be miserable. " For he must reign till he hath put all enemies under his feet."— Verse 25. It cannot be supposed, that the phrase *'put all enemies under his feet," signifies that he is to bless all his enemies with salvation and bliss. The expression generally im- plies the subjection and unhappy degradation into which a conquorer brings his subjugated foes. The apostle al- ludes to an expression in Psalms, " The Lord said unto my Lord, sit thou on my right hand, till I make thine ene- mies thy footstool." This also implies a loss of power, vassalage and degradation. And there is no rational doubt, they are designed to show, that those governments and men, that so cruelly opposed the spread of Christ's king- cfom, and persecuted his followers, should be disarmed, and I(j8 ARfclL!MEi>'i« AND PHINCIPI.LS prostrated lu the dust ; an;^ .«ihould no longer have power to impede the progress and glory of that cause for which thousands laboured and died. " And it came to pass, when they brought out thos6 kings unto Joshua, that Josh- ua called for all the men of Israel and said unto the cap- tains of the men of war which went with him ; come near, put your feet upon the necks of these kings. And they came near, and put their feet upon the necks of them." — Josh. X. 24. — This was the way subdued and conquered foes were made to feel their degradation among the an- cients. The f6et of the conqueror were placed on their necks as a mark of triumph on the one hand, and abasement and wretchedness on the other. And for any to suppose the apostle used such imagery, to denote the exaltation and glory of all men, is to suppose he used it in a sense the very reverse of its common use and implication. All, at that time, will he so completely subdued, that they can- not hurt or destroy or scourge the Saviour or his follow- ers. Their successes and triumphs will be no more. But that they will be holy and happy is not at all implied in the language. •' The last enemy that shall be destroyed is death." — Verse 26. All his other enemies that oppose his reign in the world, are first to be destroyed, or disarmed, cast down, and im- prisoned, or secured in chains like a fallen and conquered enemy ; then death (that is, natural death) is to»be destroy- ed, not solely so that there shallno more die ; but so coi pletely baffled, that its rictims, who have been enthralled iu its iron grasp, shall rise from the dead. It is contended, that this death, being the last enemy, shows that there can be no enemy r.fter its destruction. ; That enemy — natural death, will not exist afterwards. But ' a " seconfl death" may exist after the first is destroyed. — And this second death may not be Christ's enemy, but the , najnister of his justice. The other enemies we have seen, or I .N JVKnSAlJS.M EXAW1-NEI>. HJ.O veferred to above, are not to be literally destroyed, but sub- dued and cast down, and rendered in a manner powerless. '* And when all things shall be subdued unto him, then shall the Son also himself be subject unto him that put all things under him, that God may be all in all." — Verse 28. This implies, that when all this Avork above explained shall be accomplished by Jesus Christ ; then his mediato- rial reign shall end. His authority as mediator shall cease. He shall no longer reign as Redeemer. It will be no lon- ger of any avail to the wicked that he " gave himself a ran- som for all," because those, who have not then embraced him as their Saviour, will have no further opportunity. — The reign of redemption and grace will close. His pard- oning authority will be surrendered up ; and all authority will be exercised by the supreme Jehovah, as legislator and judge of the world. God, not as mediator, but as a righte- ous judge, shall be *' all in all," in authority and power over all things. " So also is the resurrection of the dead. It is sown in corruption, it is raised in incorruption." — Verse 42. Meaning simply that men are sown, or lie down in death, mortal and corruptible ; but will rise immortal and incor- ruptible, so as never to be capable of a second dissolution. " It is sown in dishonour; it is raised in glory : it is sown in weakness ; it is raised in power." — Verse 43. The dishonour referred to is the mortal and corruptible constitution, in which we die. The glory referred to, is the spiritual and immortal constitution in which we shall rise, with immortal and ever enduving f\iculties for either happiness or misery. " As we have borne the image of the earthy, we shall also bear the image of the heavenly." — Verse 49. This seems to be the apostle's argument ; that as we have borne the image of an animal being, &o as to be. mor- tal and die ; we shall also bear the image of a heavenly be- ing, so as to be immortal, and not subject to dissolution. X5 170 ARGUMENTS AND PRI^JCIPLES " We shall not all sleep, but we ahall ail be changed." — V^erse51. This change evidently means a change of such as shall !)o alive, from moitalify tea state of immortality ; and that all are to be raised incorruptible, signifies nothing more, than that all are to be immortal and indissoluble. To show that the apostle did not mean to teach the doc- trine, that there will be no misery after the resurrection, we will subjoin the following considerations, in addition to those already given. 1. The apostle speaks iu other pla- ces in such manner as clearly to intimate, that there will be a distinction in the resurrection between the righteous and the wicked. — (Seel. Thes. iv. 13 — 17 ;) also compare these verses attentively with II. Thes. i. 7 — 10: "and to yon who are troubled, rest with us, when the Lord Jesus shall be i-evealed from heaven with his mighty angels, iu flaming fire, taking vengeance on them that know not Qod, 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 from the glory of his power. — When he shall come to be glorified in his saints, and to be admired in all them that believe, (because our testimony was believed) in that day." We are aware that some uuiversalists suppose, the text has reference to the judgement upon Jerusalem, and the spread of the gospel among the Gentiles ; but there was nothing in that event to correspond with such language ; especi- ally since all in that day, who believed in a future state, believed in future rewards and punishments ; and would be very likely to so understand the apostle. Besides, there can be no doubt he refers here to the same events that he does in the 4th chapt. of 1st Thes. as above quoted. Com- pare with Acts XVII. 31 : '* because he hath appointed a day iu the which he will judge the world in righteousness, by that man whom he hath ordained; whereof he hath given assurance unto all men, in that he hath raised him from or UMV^fiRSALISM EXAMIKBD.. 17 \ the dead." Also Heb. ix : 27, "Aod as it is appouite<- unto men once to die, but after this the judgeineut/' ^Vt; kuow universalisls have iuveuted other explanations to these passages; but we are satisfied, that Paul had refer- ence to a judgement of mankind in the future state. Ivnow- ing as he did, that a future judgement had obtained gener- al credit among all religious people, he must have known, that they would understand him to sanction such a senti- ment iu the above passages. Had Paifl been a universalis!, id desirous to 'correct the prevailing crrour, he took a very singular way to do it. The sense universalists g:ve these texts, would never be likely to be dreamed of by those people. And, indeed, it was never thought of till centuries afterwards! We intend to notice these passages in a sub- ^.equent section. And we say again, we wish all uuiversul- ■i preachers were such xiuiversalists as Paul, so that no Ijody would so understand them, except some subtle crit- icks, who would so understand Wesley and Clarke. 2. Again, Christ's words on the resurrection plainly im- ply, that all shall not be blessed and happy then. *'Anfl rhou shalt be blessed; for they cannot recompense thee: •r thou shalt be recompensed at the resurrection of the jf!*.?L" — Luke xiv : 14. Had Christ supposed that all would be happy in the res- urrection, he would have been likely to say, " for thou shalt <','C recompensed with every body else, whether they do this or not, in the resurrection." The phrase ''resurrection of the just,'' plainly imports, that the just had something bet- ter to expect in the resurrection, than the unjust. And how could the blessings in the resurrection be considered n '•recompense,,' if they were nothing more than the most \vorthicss must receive in common with all others, whether J hey are obedient or not? Again, "But they which shall be accounted worthy to obtain ■lat world, and the resurrection from the dead ; neither ' r,;rry nor are given in marriage. Neither can they die any 172 AReUME.NTi AND FKI>CirL,K» n>ore: lor they are equal unto the ange!> ; ami are the chif- dren of God, being the children of the resurrection. '" — Luke XX : 'So, 30. We adduce this text to corroborate our view of the resurrection, though we are apprized iiniversaJ- ists seize upon it to prove universal purity and happiness- in the resurrection. They contend that all are then to be "equal unto the angels — to die no more — to be lhf» chil- dren of God," &;c. But look again. The Sadducess had wisiied to know, ho\r tho woman should dispose of the sev- en men, in the heavenly world, who had all been her hus- bands in this? Jesus answered with reference to the sup- position, that they should all go to one place "that world," " Tkey that are accounted icorihy to obtain that world ami the resurrection of the dead." Now why did he so intro- duce theanswer,ifhe knew that a// would obtain that world and the resurrection ? J/Z might obtain the resurrection, and not all be accounted worthy to obtain both that world and the resurrection. There would be no diOicuIty, of course, about the husbands, unless they went to the same abode with the woman. Hence Jesus undertakes to de- scribe the character of those, who should be so happy a:\ to obtain t^at world, as well as ihe resurrection from the dea4- . The conclusion is irresiytihle, that Jesus supposed sorwe would not be accounted worthy to obtahi both th;i world and the resurrection ; and considered it possible that some of the seven husbands might not be worthy; or the woman might not: but as many of them as should be v/or- thy, would be equal to the angels, — the children of God. &c. Again, "Marvel not at this ; for the hoitr is coming, in the whic' all that, are in the graves, shall hear his voice; and sha come forth; they that have done good, unto the resurrec- tion of life, and they that have done evil, unt,o the resurrec- tion of damnation.'" — Johnv:2S, 29. This text pu*-^ '^^ ..fifucstion at rest. It is as unequivocal as was possible, iaiiversalistsi coiitend^ (hat it ilne.'< not meiin so! lUa tlij or UNIVERSALIBM EXAM-INKD. 173 it means a spiritual resurrection from moral death ; as in vers©!j 24, 25. Indeed in * these verses, Jesus used the figure ot' nnci/)Zes of the Gospel, by which men are to be saved, as Tiwill or design of God, accompanied wiih all the necessary means on his part; but which' may or mav not result in onr salvation, as we shall embrace or re- OF UNlVERSAiJSM EXAMISF.TS. 177 ject tlicin. Thus, *'The Lord is not slack couceniing his promise, as some men count slackness; but is long snt- feriug to US-ward, not ivilUng that any should perish, but that all should corae to repentance.'' — 2 Pet. iii : 9. This places the will of God for. the principles by wliich we are to be saved, if saved at all ; yet we may perish for all that; and we do not all come to repentance. " For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son, that whoso- ever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlast- ing life."— John iii : 15, This text reads as if God design- ed the gift of his son for all rnen, on condition that tbey should embrace him and obey the Gospel. "Furl have no pleasure in the death of him that dietli, saith the Lord God; wherefore turn yourselves and live ye." — Ezekiel XVI II : 32. Here God is represented as regretting the ne- cessity that some must die for tucir sins ; and that they will not repent and live. But it is the language of accommo- dation, which is designed to teach us that tlie principles upon which salvation is offered us, are that all obstacles are removed on the part of God; so that we may be saved If we will lead good lives. "If that nation, against whom I have pronounced, turn from their evil, I wjll repent of the fcvil that I thought to (Yb unto them." — Jer. xviii : 8. Al- though this passage represents God to repent of what he iutended to do; it simply means, that such are the princi- ples of his government, that if the wicked turn from their ickedness, they shall not suffer the evils that olherv.isc ould fall upon them. It is tho language of accommoda- tion, but not the language of philosophy. Such language is common in the Bible, and easily distinguished, wiiere people wish to be candid. Such language is in use among us. We s^iy "the sun rises," when we mean, the eartli turns so as to make the sun appear to rise, &c. When the apostle tells us it is the will of God that all irjcn should be saved: wc should candidly examine to know V ?;ethcr he means by if, that divine energy and irresisiiblr 178 AncUSfl<:>TS AND PRKNtlPLF.S control which never cau be thwarted; or only that benev- olence and grace, which offers salvation to all that want it; and which requires, that all men "^come now to the knowl- edge of the truth," that all men pray without wrath and doubting — that all men every where repent — that all men lovehrni and obey his commandments, &c. All this does not take place, though it is represented to be the u'Ul of God: because it is something which depends upon th« (Vee and uncontrolled volitions of men. In this sense wt* are to understand all those passages which represent God to will the salvation of all. Because 1st. The Scri})tures gen- erally speak as if all men would not be saved ; and as if it depended on submission and obedience; and in some pla- ces, they plainly teach a partial salvation. 2. The Scrip- tures no more teach, that God tcills the salvation of all men, than that he icills the universal holiness of all men nov. ,.A^ich does not take place. And these two wills are represented as similar; and both depend on our free and uncontrolled volitions, whether they are accomplished or not. It will be asked — what better security have v/e for the salvation of the faithful and obedient, than the will of God/ We answer, their sulvatiwn depends on the irresistible en- ergy of God : and is always represented ns sure and certain. Not as something which may or ought to take place; but as something that positively will take place. The Gospel every where represents salvation, as free for all — abundant for all — prepared for all — and ready for all. Hence it often exhibits the Deity as, purposing, designing-, and willing that all shall be saved ; but no more than it exhibits him a.'j purpocing, designing, and uHJling that all shonid now be holy and obedient. In this sense we seriously think the apostle intended to be understood, and was understood at the time, in Ephs. i. 0, 10; Col. 1. 19; Phil. n. 10, 11 ; Ileb. ii. 14. We will notice-the first. " Having made known unto us the m^f^tcry of his will, according to his good pleasure, which he hath OF UKIYKRSALISM EXAMINE©. 179 purposed in himself; that in the dispensation of the ful- ness of time, he might gather together in one all things in in Christ, both which are in heaven, and which are on earth ; evam in him." All things here, is not to be taken in its full latitude ; because none will suspect the apostle to have ex- pected all animate aad inanimate things to be gathered to- gether in Christ. This absolute sense of all things, will not be contended for; and whether the apostle meant all the human family, by aW things, cannot be certainly known. Since the phrase must be limited, we cannot determine how much itshould be limited. However, we admit that jt may mean all mankind. " The mystery of his jnV/," which God had revealed to the discipl«is, was simply, that system of grace, redemption, and salvation, brought to light in the gospel of Jesus Christ. And we have seen abundantly, that that system consisted in the offer of heaven through Christ to all men on condition of faith and repen- tance. •• And he said unto them, unto you it is given to know tliG mystery of the kingdom of God." — Mark iv. 11. *'But ■vve speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, even the hidden wisdom, which God ordained before the world to our glo- ry." — I. Cor. II. 7. " And to make all men see what is the "lowship of the mystery, which from the beginning of the .; jild hath been hid in God, who created all things by Je- sus Christ." — Eph. in. 9. "And without controversy, great is the mystery of godliness ; God was manifest in the flesh, justified in the spirit, seen of angels, preached unto the Gentiles, believed on in the world, received up into glory." — I. Tim. in. 16. Such was the mystery of the will aad purpose of God, that a full and perfect ransom and a- tonement should bo made ; *' a feast of fat things" provi- ded " for all people," that "whosoever believeth on him should not perish, but have everlasting life :" " that he 'frht gather together in one, all mankind in Christ," — bat is, such was the fulness, the freeness, the extensive- ] ,^0 A RG U ai K N T j> A N » VR >K 1 1 1' L l.S ness, of the system, and the principles and terms of salva- tion, that all men might be gathered together in Christ. — *' I will give unto him that is athirst of the fountain of the v/ater of life freely." — Rev xxi. 6. "And the spirit and the bride say come. And let hini that heareth say come. And let him that is athirst come. And Whosoever will, let him take of the water of life freely." — Hev. xxii. 17. We say a;^ain ; this is salvation enough for all that wish to be saved. But those v>^ho do not desire salvation, bul prefer the ways of vice, the sinks of dissipation, the tents c iniquity, the dark scenes of gambling, profanity, revelry, an: corruption, to the sacred enjoyments of Christ, let them have their choice. And if they will snarl and bite, because we will not insist, that they shall go to heaven, whether ihev choose it or not, let them rave. We pity their delusion, but we have no consolation to offer them, except they re- pent, turn to God and obey his precepts. We have seen above, that the scheme of salvation, which proffers pardon to all, but embraces none but the penitent and good, is what is meant, by the will of God that all shall be saved. That this will or scheme does not secure the sal- vation of all, any more than the will of God or moral st/s- iein that all men shall be holy and obedient now secures the present holiness and obedience of all. That it is not such a will of God, as implies his oiimipotent energy, which cannot be thwarted, that embraces the salvation of all men ; but that icill of God, which signifies an indulgent oppor- tunity for all to be saved, by doing the things necessary on their part for salvation. Let our opponents sneer if they will, about two divine wills. We expect they can get along with this no better than to sneer at it. We have not spoken of two divine wills literally ; nor of any divine wi! that can be frustrated. But we do contend, the scripture:^ in order to bring out truth to the capacity of all, do reprc sent God as ifJjV/mjg- things, which never take place; an' that his will is used to express our duty, and the principle or UNIVERSALISM EXAMINED. 181 on which we ni'\y be saved. And that in such cases, no omnipotent and irresistible energy on his part, is impHed in the Scriptures. They cannot deny these truths. — Hence it follows, that a few passages expressive of the mill of God that all men shall be saved, do not prove that they will be ; nor that any will implying desire or wish on his part, is to be thwarted. Indeed, we know not, whe- ther it is philosophically correct, to suppose the Deity has desires and wishes. But after all, if the text in Eph. '* having made known unto us the mystery of his will," &c. was designed to teach the certainty of the eventual salvation of all, it would favour the restoration system, and not the system of uni- versalistn, which we are examining. The objector, in looking over this work, will perceive, that it represents God to make a fair offer of heaven to men, and to suspend its blessings upon the conditions of acceptance and a good life. He will see that this is exactly such a system as this poor world needs, frail and erring as it is, and surrounded with besetments and temptations as it is ; where so much folly, corruption, and crime abound. That it gives to virtue its highest hopes and greatest en- couragement. That it strengthens our good resolutions and cherishes our good affections, with all that can charm, delight, or interest the human heart ; while it throws the strongest possible guard around us. It warns us against sin, by all that is solemn in death, awful in judgement, or tremen- dous in the retributions of another world. Yet he will say," this system is partial, in as much as it does not give the hea- then an equal chance to accept of proffered mercy ; as the Bible has never been given them. But the Bible does not, teach us clearly upon what principles the heathen are to be judged, saved, or lost. The Bible unfolds the principles, by v^hich those, who Lave an opportunity to read it, are to be judged. And it was unnecessary for the Bible to teach much upon what principles the heathen are to be judged ; 16 188 AneuMflrfTs a.^d raiitcirLKi as thelieathen would not se€ it, if it were so ; and -as fast a« they become acquainted with it, they come under its prin- ciples. It teaches us, however, that they who have not the law, are judged without law, being a law unto themselves. We might give our views in full with regard to the principles upon which is to turn the salvation of the heathen, but as that is not necessary, for the object of this volume, and as it would require considerable space, we will only remark, that we have proof enough to satisfy us, that the heathen will be judged upon principles equally equitable with us. That their salvation ultimately will depend upon the proper use of faculties and opportuuities^iven them. That their endless wretchedness can only result, from a voluntary and wilful rejection of light; a refusal to embrace Christ, with a fair opportunity to do it knowingly and wilfully. " This is the condemfiation^ that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than hght, because their deeds were evil". — John in. 19. — This must doubtless be the condemnation of all that are ever condemned. We now come to the consideration of a passage, in Rev. V. 13. ** And every creature which is in heaven, and on the earth, and under the earth, and such as are ih the sea, and all that are in them, heard I saying, blessing, and honour, and glo- i-y, and power, unto Him that sittethupou the throne, and unto the Lamb for ever and ever." This is considered the strongest passage in proof of uni- versal salvation by its advocates. And we certainly con- sider it the only one that gives the doctrine the least sup- port. But if this text teaches universal salvation, it be- longs to the restorationists, as nothing in it could be con- strued to teach an immediate salvation, either at death or the resurrection. But we will give our reasons for not supposing, that even this was ever designed to teach a uni- versal salvation. 1. It occuis in the Apocalypse — a book, which unlver- or UMTERSAtlSM KXAMliNED. 18S salist writers say, abounds so much with figure, metaphor, allegory, parable, und hyperbole, that it is unsafe to build an Important doctrine upon any particular passage of it, which is not clearly revealed in other parts of the Scriptures. — 2d. That all men will not be saved is pretty clearly taught in this same book; so that by a comparison of its parts, the Apocalypse would be rather against universal salva- itiou than for it, though we were to take its language in ils most literal sense. 3d. This text is not introduced ' iij the manner of laying down a doctrine as an import- ant trijfh and fundamental branch of the christian the- ,o]Qgy. Kut it is represented as avision — an appearance — not that every thing actually teas praising God : but that r.ll tb.o.se things mentioned by him, oppeared to be doing so. Suppose it was a glorious representation of the actual state ofthings, at some future period. The flies, worms, toads, and snakes, &c. are not supposed to be chaunting juaise io God, at that time ; but it is thought all such an- j::tiai:; will be gone before that takes place ; so that ther« vviil be nothing in heaven, earth, under the earth, or in the sea, but intelligent beings, who should then be enga- ged in- spiritual and divine worship. Might not all the v.jcked too — the " fe&rful, the unbelieving, and abomina- ble," &c. be all gone before that time, out of heaven, earth,. :/d s'^i ; and be confined in /leZZ, or •' the lake which burn- . • . ih fire and brimstone which is the second death?" If tiie wicked, in that day, are all banished "from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of his power;" hey iuight be entirely beyond tlie utmost gaze of the heav- enly inhabitants. So that ail the sanctified in glory, might ioo', iiround like John in the vision, upon every creature !tc!i ia heaven, earth, and sea ; and contemplate them ss ihe ^..;)py worshippers of God. And they might listen to :.;i« 'tiapturing theme of redeeming love and boundless I graoft, arising from all the millions of the blessed. Such mT-y b i the happv privilege of all that evet- " come out of 184 IRGUMENTS AMD PRINCIPLES great tribulation, having their robes washed and made white in the blood of the Lamb," while the wicked, driven far away to some remote part of the universe, may " cease from troubling" the good ; and lie down in chains of dark- ness and despair. It seems probable, that this vision grant- ed to the revelator, was designed not to- teach him how many would be ultimately saved ; but to let him have a foretaste of heaven — to let him know how all things around in heaven, earth, and sea, would appear to the beatified millions, who shall at last out ride the storms of time, and land their weary spirits in the haven of glory. The wick- ed, at that time, may be entirely beyond the enlarged and expanded view of the saints in light, so that to them may be presented the very aspect so sublimely described iii our text. We think this is tile most reasonable construction of the passage, especially when we take into view, the gen- eral language of the sacred writings on the subject of the wicked. We think it no pen'ersion of the beautiful pas- sage, but its true and proper import. We dare not know- ingly pervert a part of that book, v/hich has such strong claims to the merit of a divine revelation. Indeed, if uni- versalism be the doctrine of the Bible, we wish it to pre- vail. And if universalist preachers endeavour to reforui the wicked, we wish them success. We care not who Jo the good provided it be done. Another and last text wor- thy of notice on this head, is Rev. xxi. 4. "And God shall wipe away all tears from their evc: • and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor ■ ) ing, neither shall there be any more pain ; for the fori ; things are passed away." The argument on this is, that the meaning cannot be, that there shall be no more death, sorrow, crying, nor pain, in heaven, because there has never been any there ; therp- fore, it must be that there will be no more any whtji ' But observe the revelator was describing the happy stare of those, who should be inhabitants of tfta heavenly c ly. or uwiyKasAiiisM kxamipikd. .185 ind there is nothing in the context to induce a belief, that men are all to be citizens of the holy place. On the other hand, there is much in the context to show, that the wicked are not to be there. The meaning is simply that all the faith- ful shall then be gathered out of all their afllictions, into the New Jerusalem, the city of God, to go no more out; where all their tears shall be wiped oft' — all their sorrows shall cease — their weeping and mourning shall come to an end — and they shall suffer no more pain — and death shall never come in his awful terrours, to mingle their joys, blast their pros- pects, and poison all their bliss. In the very last word's before the revelator describes this glorious state of the blessed, he describes the judgement of the world, which he concludes in these words, **and whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire." — Rev. xx. 15. — Who would sup- pose, after the writer had thus concluded his description of the judgement, he would begin, in the very next words, to teach universal salvation ? Yet some will think so, and the author used to think so ; and published an inge- nious explanation q( i\ns judgement^ to show that it did not mean wiiat the words naturally imply. But it is plain, that the explanation was an evasion, rather than an exposition of its true and natural meaning. Yet the author was consci- entious in it ; and really thouglit he was contributing some- thing to the good of mankind. This should admonish him, as well as others, to believe men honest in their views, hov/ever extravagant they may appear to us, unless we have some other evidence of their insincerity than the fact, that their ideas appear absurd to us. Again; the revelator has no sooner described the happy state of those in the heavenly city, than he begins to speak as though all would not be its inhabitants, " he that over- cometh shall inherit all things; and I will be his God, and he shall be my son." — Verse 7. " ]3ut the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominsibia, 16* 186 ARGUMEJfTS AIXD PRIIfCIPLE$ and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idol- aters, and all liars, sha'.I l);r»c their part in the hike wliich burneth with fire and brimstone ; which is the second death." — Verse 8. — Verily, if John was teaching universal- ism along here, he did not know how to teach it, as weli as our universalist brethren now do ! You might hear them preach for ages flow without hearing any sucii lan- guage from them, unless they referred to it to show how it could be evaded! Again, he says, "blessed are they that do his commandments, that they may have right to the tree of life, and may enter in through the gates into the city. For without are dogs, and sorcerers, and whore- mongers, and murderers, and idoiators, and whosoever lovethand maketh a lie." — xxii. 14, 15. This informs us who they will be that will enter into that city, where there will be no death, nor sorrow, nor crying, nor paia. Not all men ; but such as " do his command- ments." They have right unto the tree of life, and to en- ter in through the gates, because they do his command- ments; not because all men will have right to enter m. — • And although there will be no more pain nor death nor sor- row to those who " enter in through the gates into the city," yet the sorcerers, idoiators, murderers, and liars, that are without, and can never get in, may suffer sorrow, and pain, and death, even the second death. They have no right unto the tree of life. Universalist teachers can never give them the right. Neither will the belief in universal- ism, nor any other ism ever give them the right. If they want the privilege, let them go and do his commandments, repent of their sins, and live to God and his precepts ; and they will then have a right. We dare not promise a right on any other terms. or UNITJERSALISJI ZJ.AUIVKD. 187 SECTION V. The pwiishment of sin, not in this life. AWf wlio profess to believe the Bible, profess to believe in punishment for sin. The imiversalist, like the deist, believes in no forgiveness of sin, in the common sense of forgiveness, but that every sin will certainly and infallibly be punished according to justice, in this state of being. — They agree in the idea, that either by the allotments of Providence, or by the compunctions of conscience, all are- justly punished in this life, and have nothing to fear in the hfe to come. As this theory denies the pardon of sin through ihe propitiation of Christ, and the fears of future retribution, deism anduniversalism, in these important res- pects, are alike. And hence, as might be expected, the moral effects of the two systems are precisely the same. — Universalists suppose all punishments to be inHicted to re- form the punished — to have solely their good for their ob- ject, and to be in reality blessings. That God punishes men to prevent the commission of sin, which he appointed also for their good. We have protested against the idea, that men will be likely to be restrained from sin through fear of a punishment, which they are taught will be a bles- sing to them. Universalists contend that God carries all his designs into full operation ; and adopts such measures only, as he knows will fully answer the purposes for which he designed them. That God designs all punishment as a means of reforming the wicked, and tlKit all are fully punished in this life. Hence we might conclude, that, as God designs a/Z punishments for the reformation of the wicked ; and punishes all men amply in this life ; and as all his measures must succeed, and all his designs must be ac- complished, therefore all men must be reclaimed and re- formed in this life! But alas for their system ! It her* 183 AR«UME5T1 A-"fD PRINCirLM runs again against n tree ! Their infallible reasonings rao madly against facts ! Facts show that so far from all men being reformed in this life by receiving all the punish- ments due to their crimes, by which God designed to re- form them, many of them grow worse and worse as long as they hve ! If God designed the punishments of this life, which he inflicts amply upon all men, should reform them; and es- pecially, if he designed the idea, that all punishments are blessings, should terrify the wicked from the commission of those sins, which he appointed for the good of all; we should think he wouid see by this time, that the doctrine of blessed punishments did not scare people much ; but rather invited them to put themselves in the way to have as many blessings as possible. But as we said, all admit the wicked will be punished. The question now is, when? Univer- salisra says, in this life always. We say, sometimes some m this life, and also in the life to come. If in this life in all cases, the punishments must consist of either external or internal misery. Is it external ? Look abroad in the world. Do not the proud, the haughty, the extortioners, the fraudulent, the oppressive, the hard heart- ed, unrelenting and cruel, often — very often, trample down the humble, the tender, the virtuous, and the good, as ashes under their feet? Is there not more genuine virtue and good feeling, amongst the poor, afflicted, and suffering part of our race, than among the luxurious, opulent and prosperous ? Is not virtue in this world often neglected, censured, and persecuted ? Have not the pious and good, in millions of cases, been pursued with the unrelenting ven- geance of maddened bigotry ? Have they not followed conscience, when the red banner of persecution waved ? Have not miUions of faithful and pure souls passed along these baleful shores cf time, friendless, houseless, shelter- less, unpitied, unprotected ; tears, sighs, pinching wants* and alarms, their companioas! blasted hopes, dungeon or UNIVERSALISM EXAMINED. 189 glooms, clanking chains, or stormy skies, and bloody fields to mark the successive steps of their poor and hapless pil- grimage ? How vain, for the easy and full fed, to sit down, unscathed with misfortune ; and calculate that earthly comforts are apportioned out in this life, according to the moral merits or demerits of men ! The wicked by being too adventurous in crime, are occasionally brou^ght to the tribunal of human justice; but how many unjust acts — cruel advantages, heartless seductions, secret frauds, and abominable indulgences, go unwhipt of justice ! How many escape the imperfect retributions of publick law! ilow many revel, and fatten, and laugh, and triumph, in the sinks of legalized corruption ! But look into the Scriptures. See the holy army of martyrs and apostles — praying, and burning, and bleeding, and dying. Did not the apostle of the Gentiles say, "if in this life only, we have hope in Christ, we arc of all men most miserable." The Sodomites had become very wicked ; but Lot was a righteous man. How were they rewarded in this life ? The wicked were permitted to die suddenly, because they were so wicked, and after a single pang, according to uni- versaiism, were wafted joyfully into glory. Here they *' bathed their weary spirits, in seas of heavenly rest." — While Lot, because he was a righteous man, was obliged to toil along in this vale of tears, and endure years of trial ; and at last he had to die as well as the rest! Upon this hypothesis, is it not plain, that the wicked who perchance die by their wickedness, make out the best ? That mur- derers, if they happen to swing upon the gallows, only get a shorter passport to paradise ? That drunkards, by becoming beastly and swinish a few years, are only reeling .ig the path to the abodes of the sanctified ? The old world became corrupt — and upon this hypothesis they were .shipped oft' fn ma5.se to the heavenly world — to sing the i'ongs of deliverance; while Noah and his family, for their obedience, were doomed to ride the storms of trial, anci 190 ARGUAIZNTS A.ND PRl.^CirLCS tread the stormy shores of time, for many long nnd dismal years, before they could be admitted to glory I " There was a man in the land of Uz, whose name Avas Job ; and that man was 'perfect and upright ; and one that feared God and escheived evil.'" — Job i. 1. — Now how was this perfect and upright man externally rewarded for his goodness in this life ? This man had vast possessions ; but tlie Sabians, the Chaldeans, and fire from heaven, swept them all away. He had sons and daughters, but they were destroyed. Re was also smitten with sore biles from the sole of his foot unto his crown. He had friends ; but they reproached him as a wicked man, because the Lord sulfered him to be so afflicted. Said one, " If thou wert pure and upright; surely now he would awake for thee, and make the habitation oi' thy righteousness prosperous." — Job VIII. 6. — All his wealth given to the winds ; his children dead ; all his friends turned his accusers on ac- count of his suflerings; his whole flesh in torture, and his bones in pain — and last of all, when he most needed tho kind sympathizing tenderness of conjugal endearment, his wife tauntingly inquired whether he would still retain his integrity ? Instead of strengthening his virtuous resolu- tions, and consoling the suflering man, with the sweet re- trospections of the past, and affectionate encouragement to perseverance, she exhorted him to curse God and die I Was all this a punishment upon Job, lor being a perfect and up- right man ? A half an eye is sufficient, we should think, to see, that the comforts of the external condition of man, in this world, depend much upon his wisdom, his industry, his sagacity, his discernment, his cunning, as well as upon his habits ; and sometimes — nay, often, take a course, en- tirely independent of all these. The certain and just and infallible punishments for sin, in this world, do not consist then in the external condition of the wicked. Are they miseries inflicted internally, or the torments of the mind * It is so thought by many. But how is tho laind tt OF UNIVKRSALISM EXAMIJJED. 191 merited ? Why it Vill be answered — the compunctions of conscience. Well, it must be admitted, there is often felt much from the upbraidings of conscience. But does con- science punish oflenders uniformly, invariably, and as much as is just. 1. If that were the case, men could nev- er be justly punished any other way let them do what they may. 2. If that were the case, hs universalists think all the punishment is just which is necessary to reform, we should see all, not only justly punished by conscience, but all re- iormed by this just punishment. 3. In order to inflict a just punishment, in every case in this life, conscience must lash the guilty soul much harder in proportion to the guilt in some cases than in others. For instance, two men commit an act in which they are both equally guilty, the one dies in ten minutes afterwards, the other lives ten years; now conscience must have stung the first as much in ten minutes, as it would the other in ten years ! to finish its perfect work in this world ! 4. In order to punish sin justly and invariably in this world, conscience must be invariably pehect. Now if con- science were always so perfect as to punish sin justly and invariably, it would be so perfect as to prevent sin from be- ing committed. Conscience is a part or property of the mind. The more pure and perfect one's conscience is the harder it is for him to sin ; and the more imperfect his con- science becomes, the easier he can sin. Of course, were his conscience perfect, it would restrain him entirely. — Conscience being, therefore, imperfect and fallible, it can- not be an infallible minister ofjustice. 5. The more perfect one's conscience, the less aggrava- ted sins he commits. Yet such a conscience punishes more severely for trifling offences ; than less perfect con- sciences do for sins of greater magnitude. A crime re- peated, deserves more punishment than a first offence. A jQung man becomes drunk — he recovers — refiecta — con- 192 ARGUMENTS AND PRINCIPLES demns himself severely — feels ashamed — and looks upon the act with detestation and horronr. After a little he be- comes intoxicated a second time. Now he deserves a se- verer punishment than he did before. Bui the minister of justice — conscience, is not as rigid now as before — he is punished less ! He at last becomes a confirmed sot. Con- science has gradually grown remiss — now he staggers and reels about the streets, roils in the filth, and turns his bloat- ed and pustulated face upon mankind without a blush. Is conscience yet an infallible minister of justice ? He goes on to the commission ot other crimes, till his conscience is "seared as with allot iron." Is it not true that the more he sinned the less conscience punished him ? It must be a very accommodating kind of justice, that will punish us less and less the more sin we commit ! This is sufficient to show, that sin is not uniformly, invariably, and justly punished, in this world ; neither externally nor internally. Hence, it follows, that if sin is to be punished it must be in a future state. Paul says, "Because he hath appointed a day, in- the which he will judge the world in righteousness, by that man whom he hath ©rdained ; whereof he hath given as- surance unto all men, in that he hath raised him from the dead." — Actsxvii. 31. Universalists say this day means the whole of this world, so that all men are thus judged as they pass through life. But the man by which the world is to be judged is allow- ed to be Christ. And universalists generally deny that he existed till the christian era. How did he judge the world in this life, for four thousand years, before he existed ? Why did not Paul say, " this life is a day in the which he does judge the world," if he meant so ? Instead of saying, " whereof he hath given assurance unto all men, in that he hath raised him from the dead," why did he not say, "whereof he hath given assurance unto all men, in that he is now judging tliem apcording to their deeds ?" But OF UNIVCI14AI*I»M EXAM4:tCD. IPS how hath he given assurance unto aJi meu, in that he haih raised Christ from the dead? Paul proves the resurrec- tion of mankind from the resurrection of Christ. There- fore, as he considers the fact of his resurrection proof that we shall live again, so he considers it proof also that he will judge the world, in a day appointed, and not already come. Univerealists get hold of one passage, *' Behold the right- eous shall be recompensed in the earth ; much more tho wicked and the sinner." — Prov. xi : 31. This is like the proverbs generally, and implies a general truth. It is sim- ply a maxim. And implies that the righteous generally received some kind of recompense in time as well as sin- ners; but does not imply that ihey uniformly and invaria- bly received it in this life ; nor that they generally receiv- ed it all in the earth. Indeed, we quoted a text in the last section, where our Saviour spoke of some, who could cot be recompensed now, but should be recompensed at the resurrection of the just. Again; sin is not invariably and justly punished by hia- maa tribunals; because all such tribuncils are imperfect, and sometimes clear the guilty and punish the innocent. — Besides, such tribunals punish, in one country, what they reward in others. 2. The punishments in this world, so far from reforraiig the wicked, do not generally prevent their becoming more and more abandoned. 3. These punishments do not vindicate the justice of God; because men know not whether their afflictions are brought upon them as punishments or not. As the good and bad here are subject to severe trials; even unoffend- ing babes, and the whole animaP creation, it is impossible for one to know, whether his miseries are punishments for his sins, or such sufferings as the innocent are exposed to S3 well us the guilty. There have been many, who did not believe io a God ; of course, they did not know their afflic- tions to be the invariable punishments which he inflicted oa them lo viodieate his justice. 17 194 AReUMK.TTt AND PRiReirx.si 4. All heathen nations hare engrafted the doctrine of fu- ture punishment into their rehgious systems. The Jews have it in their ancient writings. The Mussulmen have it iu their Koran. And all christians think they have it in their Bible, and believe it truth, except a modern sect of universalists. Now mankind would not so universally be- lieve in future punishment, if they knew they were all in- variably and justly punished in this life. And let us ask, if that punishment, which is inflicted on men without their knowing it, is not just the same to all essential purposes as no punishment at all? Men are generally sinners — the crimsoned earth groans under tieir crimes. All know it is so. And are certain and inevitable and just punishments as extensively and generally inflicted in this life, and yet none but universalists know it; and the greatest part of them seem to care as little about it, as if they believed noth- ing in it? 5. Bat whence came this general belief and dread of fu- ture punishment? It could not so extensively prevail throughout the world, and all ages of the world, by mere accident. It must then be the result of a natural inclina- tion of the mind, or of a Divine Revelation. If it be a na- tural impression, it came from God ; and if it be a revela- tion, it is from him of course. Now if God has authorized the impression, universalists are engaged with "fearful odds" in their attempts to deliver mankind from the burden of such impression ! 6. For these reasons, you may persuade people,- in theo- ry, that they will be invariably and justly punished in this life, for all their sins; and they will feel in fact, so much uncertainty, or rather so much certainty that they do not receive it; or if they do, it is impossible for them to realize it, that they are as unconcerned usually about punishment, as ^though they believed in none. But universalist preach- ers often tell their hearers, that fear of punishment is no proper induoemeBt to a good life.* We admit men should OF DNITBRBALIBM EXAMIIfXD. 195 be exercised by nobler feelings ; but it is our business tv attend to things as ihey are, and not as they should be. — There are thousands of good christians, who were once high handed sinners. — The love of God was proclaimed to tiiem in vain. The loving kindness and affecting death of the Savior.r, in vain. The moral fitness of right, the beau- ty and loveliness of virtue, and the degradation andodioue- ness of a vicious life, in vain. But when the violated law of a holy God, opened upon their mir/ds in awful majesty ; and its fearful thunderings thrilled their guilty nerves with fear; tJien they began the work of reformation in 'good earnest. And being first aroused and moved to action, and broken from their frozen lethargy ; they soon becanic warmed and melted into submission and filial piety by the love of God. There are thousauds of such, in all denomi- nations of christians, who, had it not been for fear of pub- ishment, would, in all probability, have gone on unchanged to more confirmed and aggrav^ated habits of vice. It is true, the Scriptures teach that, "the goodness of God leadeth to repentance," a text in the mouth of every universalist. But nothing is moie certain, than that the Bible every where holds out the /ear of the Lord — the/ear of punishment as an inducement to obedience. *• Serve th« Lord with /ear, and rejoice with trembling.'' — Ps. ii : 11. ** The /ear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom." — Prov. IX : 10. *^Fear God and keep his commandments; for this is the whole duty of man. For God shall bring every work into judgement, with every secret thing, whether it b« good or whether it be evil."— Ecle. xii : 13,14. "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."— Mat. x : 28. We need not multiply quotations. Every threatening of punishment, scattered along through the Book of God — numerous — sdI- *The author used to preach/«ar a« an indu««m»nt, but he k«a beard otheri pr«ach as abore. 106 AKOUMKr^Tg AltD T^IV^ITLXM emo — and iremendons — are so many appeals to our /ear t» induce as to repent and turn from ail iniquity. Oc« grand object of the Bible, was nianifestly to reveal such awful deoUDciationA of punishment, as that men should cot dare to transgress. And those men, who make it their trade to cavil and torture and screw thia foundation of fear out of the Bible, do appear to us, to be engaged in a most per- nicious ind perilous business. Their coasciencea may be 9o warped, as to justify thens. But we believe it is an er- rour ihat is to result eventually in the looseness, impiety, corruption, and misery of millions — that it will only -«Ice- »er\'e the curses of posterity, and the just execration of all good men, who love their couctry, their children, or them- selves. Were it in our power, we would spread out *• the terrours of the Lord" and the fear of punishment upon the minds of all, so as to counteract their propensities to sin; so that none should dare to transgress. We would have Bono^r only enough to turn him from iniquity. But we •annot believe that the world is to suffer any thin?; terrible, by being o/raifli to set at defiance the laws of God, and to langh at the retributions of eternity. SECTION VI. Fttiftr9 rttT'ibutie>n -prootd by impUcaticn^/rtm tke Scriptttm. There are a voHmoHy passsges of Scripture, which, frooa their phraseology and connexion, very plainly in^ply a stateof retribution beyond this life. We shall present in this section many such, with very few reni?rk3. As to tbo Old Testament, we do not think it teaches much about hereafter, though its writers seera to have h:id some idea of it. For this reason, w» shall omij most expressions ther and indsed, many in tha New Te«t»ro?nt must ho omitte« haced of all men for my name's s^ke, but he that endwr- eth to the end shall be saved." — Ver. 22. Will he b«i*- ved if he endureth not to the ead ? " Whosoever, therefore, shall confess me before mca, hiai will I confess also before my Father which is in heav- en; but whosoever shall deny mo before men, him will I also deny before my Father which is in heaven." — Ver. 32, 33. Though he deny them before his Father in heaves, ^ill he own and save them in heaven? "But I say unto you, it shall be more tolerable for Tyre «nd Sidon at the day of judgement than for you. "—Chapt, XI, ver. 22. "Butl say unto yoti, that every idle word tVxat men shall epcak, they .-shall give an accotsnt thereof in i.hn iaj of judpemeBt.''— Chapt. xn, v«r. 3fJ. 200 ARSUMKNTS AJ»D PRIKCirLEC "Then go©th he, and taketh with himself terea other spirits more wicked thaa himself, and they enter in and dwoll there, and the last state of that man is worse than the first." — Ver. 45. Yet, will there be another state later than the /fiw^ which shall be better than the Jirst or last either? "The field is the world, (cosmos, the literal world which we inhabit.) The good seed are the children of the king- dom ; but the tares are the children of the wicked one. — The enemy that sowed them is the devil ; (not that created them^ but sowed them — placed them in a situation to grow and increase in sin) the harvest is the end of the (aionos) world; (not literally toor/rf ; but «toie, or state of things; meaning, as tho context vfouXd'xm^pXy, this state of heing) and the reapers are the angels. As therefore, the tares nre gathered and burned in the fire, so shall it be in the end of this (aionos) state of being. The son of man shall send forth his angels; and they shall gather out of his kingdom all things that offend, and them which do iniqui- ty ; and shall cast them into a furnace of fire: there fehall be wailing and gnashing of teeth." — Chapt. xiii, ver. 38 — 42. It is admitted the " furnace of fire," &c. is figurative ; but is used in the Scriptures to denote extreme suffering; and here denotes such suffering after this state shall end. See verses 47 — 60. "And said, verily I say unto you, except ye be convert- ed, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into th« kingdom of heaven." — Chap, xviii. 3. See Matt. xxii. 13; also XXV. 11,12. " For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whoU world, and lose his own soul.^^ — Mark viii. 36. On this passage, univeralists contend that soul is psuken from the Greek noun psulce, which is the same word that is render- ed life in the 35th verse and also in the 37th. This is true. They contend it has the same sense in the 36th verse, and should be rendered life here also. With regard to that, we say we are satisfied with the translation ns it is : becau«« • F tJNiriRSALISM EXAKl P-Xrv. 201 although life is its true meaning, it is not its only meaning. Parkhurst, in his Lexicon, proves the word to have nin« meanings. Breath istheiirBt; Animal lifs the second ; a Living animal the third ; the Minian body the fourth ; and the human soul or spirit as distinguished from the body the fiftB. But admitting their translation; **For what shall it profit a man, if he gaia the whole world, and lose his own lifet" if there be no punishment beyond- death, we could answer; he would rain all the kingdoms of enrtb; ail tha power in the world; si! the wealth in the world; ;ili th« pleasures of the world; all the honour, fame, and affection of the world; and then lose his life, and go to heaven ; which would be adding glory to glory! How easy thus to plunge into crime, murder, and blood, to gain tha whole world, with a full assurance, that if he lost his life in the enlerprize, he would be still more sure of success? "And Jesus answered and ssid, verily I suy unto yon, there is no man thai hath left house or brethren, or sisters, or father, or mother, or wife, or children, or lands, for ony sake, and the Gospel's, but he shall receive an hundred fold now in this time, houses and brethren, and sisters, and mothers, and children and lands, with persecutions; mid in the (aioni to erJcomeno) world to come (or state of being t« «ome) eternal life."— Mark x: 29, SO. This certainly im- pliewi that thera is a reward in the future state, even ©iernai hfc. '^*Ke that beiieTcth and is baptized, shall be saved ; but he that beliefeth not shall le damned," (or condemned.) — Now when it is considered, that Jesus was sending out his disciples to preach to the world, which every where believ- ed already, that the good would be saved, and tho bad would becondemned; must not his disciples have under- stood him, that such as heard them, and believed in him as thsBon of God, and were baptiacd into his religion, woule saved in a simHsr «en8« to thtt generftlly believed in, that 15, ia a fufura paradise : and thut thosa, wba would aot h^ S02 AROUMENT* AND rRINCIl»LE« lieve, should be condemned, in their sense ofcondemnatioa, that is, to the abodes of darkness and misery? We cannot for our life, in caudnur, come to any other conclusion. "But wo unto you that are rich, for ye have received your consolation." — Luke vii : 24. This implies that the rich, who trust in riches and are haughty and oppressive, are now taking their comfort; but this is the day of their consolation; because a day of wo aud vengeance is in re- serve for them. "For what is a man advantaged, if he gain the whole world, and lose himself or be cast away ?" — Luk« IX : 25. This explains Mark viii : 36; and gives us to understand the losing the soul or /(/e, to signify to be cast away^ not saved. "Then said one unto him. Lord, are there few that b« saved ? and he said iiato them, strive to enter" in at th« strait gate : for many I say unto you, will seek to enter in and. shall not be able. When once the master of the house is risen up, and hath shut to the door, and ye begin to stand withiout, and to knock at the door, saying, Lord, Lord, open unto us; and he shall answer and say unto you, I know you not whence ye are. Then shall ye begin to say, we have eaten and drunk in thy presence, and thou hast taught in our streets. But he shall say, I tell you I know you not whence ye are ; depart from me all ye workers of iniquity. There shall be weeping and gnash- ing of teeth, when ye shall see Abraham, and Isaac, aud Jacob, and all the prophets in the kingdom of God, and you yourselves thrust out." — Luke xiii : 23 — 28. — Universalists have invented an explanation to this passage, of course, but no sophistry can ever make their exposition any thing more than a palpable' evasion. And just as ea- sily might any expression, that Christ could have made, have been evaded. A Jew, knowing the common doctrine of future retribution, and wishing to know Christ's opin- ion about itj inquired, " Lord are there few that be saved?^* . Docs the ajMwtr look as if Jesus wisfeed to correct the or UmyKRSALIBM EXAMlItBB. 203 prevailing errour, that some would not be saved, and to proselyte the inquirer to UDiversalisra ? His language not only confirmed the common opinion ; but he took oc- casion so to shape his answer as to let the Jews know that many of them, with all their spiritual pride, would be ex- cluded. " For I say unto you, that none of those men which were bidden, shall taste of ray supper." — Ch. xiv. 24. "Verily, verily, 1 say unto thee, except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God." — John iii. 3. — Of this it is said, that to see the kingdom of God, or enter the kingdom of heaven, which are phrases often used, means, to enter into the enjoyment of Christ's spiritual reign and influence here, and has no reference to the salvation of meu. By a little attention to the use of these phrases in the New Testament, we shall find that people did then un- derstand them to refer to salvation ; So that to enter into the kingdom of God, or the kingdom of heaven, was gen- erally understood as we understand the phrase to be saved. (See Luke xviii. 26. with its context; also Mark x. 26 ; and Matth. xix. 25.) — An examination of these, will show, that such sense was given to the expression, in the days of Christ. Hence, it is clear as any thing in the Bible, that Jesus did mean to be understood by Nicodemus, that unless a man should be spiritually regenerated, he could not be admitted to the celestial abodes of the blessed. And why such language should be used by the Saviour, if all were certainly to be immortal and happy, the next moment after death, or as some would say, the next moment of conscious existence, we cannot conceive. "For God so loved the world, that he gave his only be- gotten son, that whosoever believeth in him should not per- ish, but have everlasting life." — Ch. iii. 16. — If this does not imply, that, whosoever believeth not, should perish, and not have everlasting life ; then, there is no meaning in lan- guage, and nothing at all is taught in the Bible. " Whoso eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, hath 104 A»eUMEJTTi JkVD PRINCIPLM eternal life ; and I mil raise him up at the loit day. — Ch. VI. 54. That (zoen aionion,) etemai life^'m this text and most others, gignifiea an endlegg enjoyment of Christ, is as clear as the sense of any expressions can be, though believers are said to begin this everlasting life here. It is emphatically eternal and undying in its nature. And to confirm his auditors, that he meant the salvation of heaven, he added the clause, " and i will raise hira up at the last day.'* Does not this imply, that possibly some might not be raised up at the last day ? *' Verily, verily, I say unto you, if a man keep my say- ing, he shall never see death." — Ch. viii. 51. Docs not this mean the second death ? ** He that rejecleth me, and receiveth not ray vrords, hath one that judgeth him : the word that I have spoken, th» same shall judge him in the last day." — Ch. xii. 48. This language docs not imply, that Christ was always judging (he world, and that eiu always punishes itself, and* virtue always rewards itself, without any farther judgement; but the implication appears overwhelming to ua, that ther« shall be a general judgement — the last day — not the whole time from the beginning of time to the end, but a day ap- pointed '* in the which he will judge the world ; not dogs judge, the world, but tcill judge it. " And by hira all that believe are justified from all things, from which ye could not be justified by the law of Moses." — Acta XIII. 39. Compare thi« with verse 46, " but see- ing ye put it from you, and judge yourselves unworthy of everlasting life, lo, we turn to the Gentiles." Do not these, with multitudes of other similar passages, imply, that the wilful opposers of Christ would not be justified by him ? '* And as he reasoned of righteousness, temperance, and judgement to come, Felix trembled." — Acts xxiv. 25. — Did Luke here moan, that Paul reasoned of a judgement, which had already come, and which consisted in the re- proofs of conscience, and otbor temporal events, that mado Felix tremble ? OF UNIVERSALISM EXAMINED. 20.J *' But after thy hardness and impenitent heart treasurest up unto thyself wrath against the dajj of wrath, and revela- tion of the righteous judgement of God; who will ren- der to every man according to his deeds." — Rom. ii. 5, 6. Did Paul mean, that they treasured up wrath against the present day of wrath, and present revelation of the judgement of God, who does lender to every man according to his deeds? Or did he allude to a judgement soon to come upon Jerusalem ; and that the Romans were iuhabitanls of Jerusalem ? We think neither. '*For as many as have sinned without law shall also per- ish without law; and as many as have sinned in the law shall be judged by the law. In the day when God shall judge the secrets of men by Jesus Christ according to my gospel." — Rom. ii. 12, 16, leaving out the parenthesis. Did he mean that they were judged then, and that then was the day ? '* Brethren, my heart's desire and prayer to God for Is- rael is that they might be saved." — Rom. x. 1. — Does this anxiety imply that he knew they all would be saved whether or no ? If it be thought Paul is all the time speaking of a present salvation which all enjoyed in be- lieving, the moment they beheved, we ask, if he alluded to the behever's present salvation, in Chap. xiii. 11, "For now is our salvation nearer than when we believed ?" "Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God ? Be not deceived ; neither fornicators, nor idolators, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of ■themselves with mankind ; nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God." — I. Cor. vi. 9, 10. — The objector will say to this ; certain such characters will not be saved ; but such will be regenerated and cease to be such characters ; so that although, no such persons will be saved, yet all men will be saved. For Paul in the next words, verse 11. says, ''- And such ivere some of you ; but ye are washed, but ye 18 20(3 ARGUME>-TS A>"D PIll>'CIPLE3 »rc sanctified ;" &c. so diat all meu may be washed and si?rfc- tified, as well as the Corinthian brethren. Now we think this a very flimsy evasion. Wiiy could some who had beei: Siich characters inherit the iiingdom of God ? ,Becaus3 tli- were converted and reformed, in this life. . Well, are ai; such characters reformed and sanctiiied in this life ? No. Then what evidence does the eleventh verse alibrd that n; sQch shall bo saved ? None at all. But does not the language together plainly imply ; and was it not evidently used for the express purpose, to teach, that unless such characters did reform in this life, they could uot be saved 1 Nothing could be plainer. Did the apostle mean thu^, " Be not deceived — neither fornicators, idolators, thieves, uor drunkards," &:.c. shall inherit the kingdom of God ; but yet ail shall inherit the kingdom of God ; because some '■ you were such, and ye are reformed and sanctified ; and ail shall certainly inherit the kingdom of God, the first moment of iheir next existence whetiier they are washed and sanctined here or not?" Such an evasion might do for a pettifogger, where facts and evidences v/ere entirely against his case; but for a divine, with whom the Bible has any consideration, it cannot do. *'I am made all things to nil men, that 1 might by all means save som©."' — I. Cor. ix. 22. Saved from what Not from the destruction of Jerusalem ; for he refers : those, who did not live at Jerusalem as well 'as those wl: did. AVas it from their sins, that they might enjoy th comforts of Christianity in this life ? Did the apostles toi; and bleed, from land to land, and labour v.i'h such intens anxiety, to convert people to Christianity ; knowing th: adl their converts would drl^ik the cup of affliction to i verv dregs, would be deprived of every earthly comfor: and sulfcr every kind of persecution; and knowing toe. that all would be saved in the next state, whatever they might do here ? Put the position thus; Jesus and lb apostles ktiew that all would certainly be happy the mo OF UXiVKRSALl^iM K X AMI >' J!'i>. -vi* w.eui they enter upon another state of beiiig. They knew that aJi wonid be bunled down like wild beasts, Tiud suffer !;c! most excruciating tortures, who should embrace chris- : itjity in that age of the world ? Therefore, they \7ontto orii, wirh indefatigable labour and toil, to gain as raany as [possible to the faith, which v/ould do theitt no good in ths next world, and would expose them to the most barbarous c'lucllies in this! They engaged in this v^'orh, with adeep and unconquerable ardour^ and willingly suffered and died for it ! We have always supposed Jesus and the apostles 10 havo been actuated by benevolence in their sufferings: hut if this Vvere true, they were so ferocious — so niuch more inhuman than savages, that they would sj^fler a life of pro- tracted torments and a cruel death theuiselves, for the sake of bringing others into the same miseries ! ! ! And did mil- lions of early christians (who, it is said,, were universalists) writhe ia chains, groan in dungeons ; parents leaving tender children, and children their jiarents, to go and blister m /lames ; just for the sake of the comforts of Christianity here ? What present bliss, did Jesus promise them, but persecu- tions and stripes ? But Paul said, " there is laid vp for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge shall give me at that day.''' — II. Tin. iv. 8. — Was it his jircsent enjoyment that was laid up forte bo given hira ::t that day ? " For our light a/inction, v.diich is but for a moment, . orketh for us a far move exceeding and eternal weight ofgioiy." — \l. Cor. iv. j7. — Did this eternal weight of lory signify tiie ])rosent reward of righteousness? Or ould he enjoy tlje "eternal weight of glory," without iduriog the " afiiiction" which " worketh" it ? "For we must all appear before the judgement seat of luist; that every one may receive the things (done) ia (his) body according to that he hath done, whether (it be) rood or bad."— II. Cor. v. 10.— Were the apostlb and his ■rihriin then opip earing \n judgament, and ih»n raceivirig 208 ARGUiJE?;TS A>'D rai>"CIPLE3 the things according to their actions ? Or was this judge- ment "the destruction of Jerusalem?" The "dcsirnctioD of Jerusalem" is a very acconirnodnting circumstance for uuiversalists: but how the destruction of Jerusalem could be a judgement for Paul, in thi.^ life, who died before that event took place, and especially, for the Corinthians, who lived in a city at a great distance from Judea and Jerusalem, we have not learning enough to see ! •' For he that soweth to his fiesh shall of the flesh reap corruption; but he that soweth to the spirit shi.y of the spirit reap life everlasting." — Gal. vi. B. — Does this mean, that he shall reap " life everlasting" let him sow as he will ? " And let us not be weary in well doing ; for in due season, we shall reap, if we faint not." — Verse 9. — Did he mean that they were then reaping everlasting life "in due sea- sou" if they fainted not ? " For many walk of whom I have told you often, and now tell you even weeping, that they are the enemies of the cross of Christ : whose end isdestniction ; whose God is their belly, and whose glory is in their shame." — Phil. III. 18, 19. — Does this mean, who now suffer destruc- tion, but whose end is salvation ? " But he that docth wrong shall receive (not does receive) for the wrong which he hath done, and there is no respect of persons." — Col. in. 25. "• And being made perfect he became the author of eter- nal salvation unto all them that obey bira." — Heh. v. 9. — Did Paul know that he became the author of eternal salva- tion to ail them that obey him not ? " For if we sin wilfully after that we Lave received the knowledge of the truth, there remaineth no more sacrifice for sins; but a certain fearful looking for of juugen)ent and fiery indignation, which shall devour the adversaries." — Uch. X. 26. 27. — Paul knew '* a fearful looking for of judge- ment and fiery indignation" prevailed among the wicked. Whv, if he was a univirsalisl, did he not fear such "heart OF UJSlVERSALlSM EXAMINED. 209 withering" apprehensions would make the poor felloATS in- Hdne ; and tell them to banish their fears ; for then was all the judgement they need to apprehend ; and all the "/en/ jndiguutiou" was only a Pagan superstition, invented to tor- ment the feelings of honest men, and sustain the interests of i)riesicraft ? Paul was certainly not so fearless a uni- versalist preacher, a^ ihis age of improvements produces. "He that desj)ised Moses' law died v/ithout mercy under \vo or thres witnesses; of how much sorer punishment, appose ye, he shall be thought worthy, who has trodden under foot the Son of God, and hath counted the blood of the covenant, wherewith he was sanctified, an unholy thing, ud has done despite unto the spirit of grace." — Ilch. x. 28, Zj. — The first punishment was to die without mercy. The second is much sorer, yet does it mean a deliverance irom all trouble, and a reinstatement in divine favour and glory ? No wonder the kind work of doing away the doe- trine of future retril))Uion, carries i^.way the Bible in the minds of many along with it. " It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God." — Heh. X. -31. — Yes, says the psendo philosophy of aniversalism, we are already in his hands, and can never all into them : and if we should, we have nothing to fear, Tor every thing mwi'f be overruled for our good. "And others had trials of cruel moicdfeingsi^wid rcourg- ings, yea, mooe©*v«r,.' of bonds and nuprisonments : they ■ ere stoned^ they were sawn asunder, were tempted, were lain with the sword : they wandered about in sheep skins, nd goat skins; being destitute, afflicted, tormented: (of whom the world was not worthy) they wandered in deserts and in mountains, and in dens and caves of the earth." — Hch. XI. 06, S7, 38. — Were these men thus afflicted, in this'life, as a reward for their superiour goodness, the world not being worthy of them ? Poor encouragement, we should think, for a good life, if this were all the re- ward they had to expect ! Yet this is the reward that 18 * 210 ARGUKEJfTS AfiJ) rRl5CIPL£S hundreds of thousands of pious and good men have receiv- ed in this vale of tears I They have enjoyed a good con- science to be sure. But their persecutors have also often enjoyed the same. A good man has a good conscience ; but a bad man has a bad conscience. Hence a good man's good conscience will sting him about as much for his small sins, as the bad man's bad conscience will sting him for his great sins. Some men will feel as much smitten for an unguarded and injurious expression, as others will for a secret robbery -'md murder. Conscience is not that uni- form, invariable minister of justice that renders to all men according to their deeds, as we have shown in the prece- ding section. Many — very many commit the most flag- rant enormities, with little compunctions of conscience; and yet riot in all the luxuries and fortunes of life. Many look upon their villainies with complacency ; and exult in the misfortunes and miseries they produce. Look at yon pensive widow — pious, industrious, virtuous, but poor. Long since the grave of her bosom companion was be- dewed with the tears of undying affection. She has lived and reared an only daughter — on the child have lingered the last ties that bound the widowed mother to earth— around the child clustered the virtues and graces that promised to reward the sleepless anxieties and toils of the lonely parent — around her brightened the happy visions of a mother's last hopes and sweetest prosi>ects. But there was a worm to poison this tender plant. A gentleimm, in higher life, talented, fascinating, artful, and who had no concern about a future reckoning, became her admirer ; he flatteredi and vowed, and promised — and conquered ! He has gone ; and now mingles unconcerned and unsmit- ten in other scenes, and unblushing seeks another victim ! Such is his guilt, and such his reward, in this life ! But cast an eye upon the cottage, where innocence and meek- ness and piety, recently inspired the swelling hope, and mingled misfortune with sweetness. Count the tears and OF UNIVKRSAI>ISM EXAMINED. 211 sighs, as the mother's bosom lieaves with anguish unutter- able ; and the unsleeping pangs that rend the soul of the heartbroken and distracted daughter ! Do all these re- ceive in this life, according to their guilt? How often do such men prowl along, solaced and proud of their trophies, till several hapless beings have fallen ; and at last die in delirium, through excessire indulgence ! Do they wake up in glory ? But there are other ways of iniquity — innu- merable kinds of vice, of wickedness, and successful crime ; where people triumph in the ruin they liave caused, and laugh at the tears that follow their criminal career ! Shall we softly and gently tell them, they ought nut to do so, far fear it will disturb their consciences 1 B>it whether they do or not, all will be well when they die ? No. Give them no such preposterous expectations. Let the Deity be heard in thunder upon their crimes ; until deep contri- tion and reformation wash away their stains or bring them to Christ. Till they do that, let them dream of naught but damnation ! Let dungeons of horrour, perjured and bloody companion^,, storms of wrath, and the sighs of wrong- ed and injured ghosts, echoing from the towering jlanies, haunt their dreams and sting their consciences. So let the guilty live, or let them reform. A conscience, thus haunt- ed with forebodings of retribution, might be some punish- ment, and might tend to reformation. But remove the/ear of future punishment from the minds of those, who have no moral principle, and you unchain the ti:5er ; and he will pounce upon every victim within his grasp. This is the world as it is ; not as we would like to have it be. We should like to haVe all good and happy, both here and hereafter. *' For the time (is come) that judgement must begin at the house of God; and if it first begin at us, what shall the end be of them that obey not the gospel of God" — I. Peter iv. 17. — Does not universalism teach that the end of fiut;h M'ili be immortal glory in heaven ? Did Peter reean 212 AKGUiU.IVTS A.ND ITiiriCil'LLS SO ? " And ii'tlie ligliLeous scarcely be saved, where shall the ungodly :md the siuDcr appear?*' — Verse 16. — Did Pe- ter liiean, they should appear in heaven ? Was Peter :i universalist ? Some have eaid that Peter here was alludiuj^ to the jadgeineut that was to couie upou Jerusakiu. But he was writing to the strangers scattered throughout Pon- lus, Galatia, Capadocia, Asia, and Bilhynia. In what danger were these people of the judgement of Jerusalem ? If this judgement was in his mind, he might have preach ed it to Judea and Jerusalem, but v.hy speak of it ii; : warning style to people of other countries ? '• 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 judgement." — 11. Peter ii. 4. — Are v/e to supj;ose this v»as the judgement of Jerusalem ? Or are we to suppose it the present judgement of the wick- ed, at which mankind are judged and punished daily for their sins ? And were the angels reserved in chains of darkness unto this ? " The Lord knoweth how to deliver the godly out of temptations, and to reserve the unjust unto the day of ■ judgement to be punished." — Verse 9. — Was this day of judgement all she time that men live on earth. And doec God reserve the unjust unto this day (their prescrst life) to be punished, by punishing iheju wliile he reserves them ? " Whereby the world that then v/as, being over(lov/ed with water, peri^shed : but the hea^•ens and the earth, which are now, by the same word are kept in store, reserxed unto fae against the day of judgement and perdition of ungod- ly men. — II. Peter iii. G, 7. — Is this day in which we live the judgement day referred to ? Is this the day of ^^ert/i- tion of ungodly men? And is the heavens and the earth, which were reserved unto this day, now on fire ? Or doe* this mean the judgement of Jerusalem ? But Peter was not writing this to that devoted city, yet he avails himseff of this judgement to terrify the scattered peopl» to whom OF UNIVERSALISM KXAMIM^^D. 213 he wrote, to good works. " Seeing then that all these things shall be dissolved, what manner of persons ought ye to be, in all holy conversation and godliness." — Verse 11. See also verse 10 and 12. — We must here add the 16th verse. " As also in all his (Paul's) epistles, speaking in thera of these things ; in which some things are hard to be understood, which they that are unlearned and unsta- ble wrest, as they do also the other scriptures, unto their own de^3truction." Serious and affecting truth ! Do any wrest tlie f>crij>- tures to iheir own destruction ? Let the plain and candid construction of scripture be heard. They speak about llxe secrets of the future state. How curious would we be to peep through the veil of death, and look a nioment on the invisible world. The Bible is all the window through which we can gaze until we go. We have no interest, therefore, to pervert that to make it reflect false shadov/s and images upon our minds. Upon all the passages referred to in this .section, we re- mark, 1. They are quoted from the prophets, evangelists, and apostles, addressed on various occasions to different kinds of people. And they all allude to a judgement /o come, to a retribution at a future time. And the language, generally is expressive of a retribution beyond this life, so plainly that iu most cases it would require the most subtle ingenuity to invent any otiier meaning to it. 2. The numerous classes of people addressed on these occasions, were all believers in future retribution ; except some, who denied a future existence. That the Gentiles were believers in future rewards and punishments, is prov- ed from their classick authors. In the Latin and Greek j)oems, and histories, we find an abundance of such belief. Indeed the religious Jews not only believed in a partial sal- vation, but that none would be saved but the pious of their own country. That both Jews and Gentiles held to a judgement and state of retribution in another world in tijs dP'i of Christ, is admitted by universalists. 3. Christ an-J the apostles were eitlier rajlvers'alists or liiey were not. If they were universalists [hey would have considered the Jews and Gentiles in a great nnd filial er- rour, in holding to a fniure judgement and rewards and punishments in another state of being. This being the case, they would have avoided :\ny expressions thnt would seem to sanction the errour — that would tend to confirm them in sucli belief. But tlie passages wo have quoted show, that they were not cnrefiil to avoid e::pressions which would favour tlirt opinio!i, bat were rather careful, on many occasions, to use sncli exj;ressions. They would not only have endeavoured to avoid being supposed to favour t}ie doctrine of future retribution, but they would have express- ly, distinctly, decidedly and unequivocally have reprobated the errour, as uuiversalists now do. TJicy boldly and dis- tinctly inveighed against the errours and heresies and false traditions of both Jews and Gentiles ; and as the doctrine of a future judgement and retribution was so prevalent every whero among them, they would have noticed the false doc- trine and corrected it. But never did they do it. Wc chal- Isnge uuiversalists throughout the world, to find a singis text in the New Testament, v/here eitlirr Christ or any of hi« tipnstles reproved any bady for believing in the judgeuient Tiiul retribution iii' anoiln.r worivh They never have dono i., and never can do it. Eo far from it, these divine teach- er:; secned to acjUiesce in t'.je doctrine, and leach it "o plair.ly, thattbeir followers then, and most of tiieni in eve ry age, really suppose thsu) in earnest about it, or to mc ■so, i;niil this age, v hich has discovered a deep and subi;.,- meaniug to their words, which very few can comprehend I 4. They may ask, why she divine teachers did not point out ;>iniuiy the errour of universalinui. Vie answer — then* \^cro two good reasons, 1. Because no such errour then prevailed. Ko. Neither Jews nor Gentile*?, igncrant ' learned, 'believed in that doctrine. , Some were 9kci)lic'. but all. who bcdieved in a i'nture existence, lielicv«d : . OF U^MyERSALIS31 EXAMINED. 215 ture jndgeiiisn!: and rewards and punishments. 2. It could not h:\ve been reasonably oxpectsd that universrdism ever ^Tould exist to any extent u-fiere the Bible should be b'j- licved. 5. We are av/are, that Balfour and others have said on this ground, that the doctrine of future judgonient is of heathen oriqiu. V/e care not about its origin, so as we know whether Jeaus and the apostles acknowledged it as truth, or rejected itaserrour. The doctrine of a God was also geDeraily held among the heathen : shall we therefore ieject it as a Pagan superstition, notwithstanding Christ and the apo«tle3 received it as truth? The doctrine of the resurrection of the dead, was also held among the reli- gious people of the Jews and the Pagans; must we re- ject that too as a Pagan superstition ? We think, it would be quite as easy, to prove, that Christ and the apostles did not acquiesce in and coni^m the doctrines of a God, and a resurrection, as that they did not the doc- trines of a future judgement and retribution. It is argued, we believe, by one of the most distinguished universalist authors, that as the doctrine of future re-.varda and punish- ments was generally believed in without the Bible, it could not be revealed in the Bible : for it would be no revelation if found there. But may not every school boy see, that the existence of a God, the resurrection of the dead, and future rewards and punishments, might have been believed ainong men without a revelation; and then Christ might covjirvi these doctrines by a revelation. Many of the moral prin- ciples contained in the Bible were held among theheathcn. Does that invalidate them, after Christ has sealed them with the impress of his divine approbation ? No doubt, these doctrines of an invisible and superio- tending Providence, a resurrection of the dead, and a fu- ture judgement and retribution, were generally believed among all nations, (though often mixed with many absurd and suDerstitious notions,) from an in'stinctirs inclination 216 ARGUMKNTff AM) PRINCITLKS of the humnn miiul. God has made it uatural tor men to believe these things, as well as, some other moral princi- ples, so that none can get rid of ihe impressions without much eftbrt. All the sophistries of skeptical philosophers. Lave never been able to fully deface these impressions from the minds of many, though they have often partially obliterated them. These three doctrines are fundamental pillars of all re- ligions under heaveii. Search all the legendary lore of ages past, and you will find these points every where re- cognized as the very bom; upon which all religions dre formed. Range over the world, through all the varied millions of Asia, Africa, Europe and America ; the num- herless systems of Pagan idolatry, Mahomcdanism and CJhristianism ; and these three doctrines have every where been the prominent features. They usually go together, as if bound by an indissoluble affinity. Those who have be- lieved the one have generally believed the others also ; ^nd where the one has been rejected, they have generally been all rejected. The grand question is, did Christ and the apostles undertake to lop off and eradicate either of these prominent doctrines? Where is it found ? Say ye mighty men of strength — ye, that have challenged the world — ye that have taken so much advantage of the errours and follies of christians, as to plant prejudices deep in the minds of thousands against the fundamental principles of all religion. Say, did the Bible reject these points, or cither of them ? Tell us where. These three points are the skeleton of all religions; and we might as well expect a man to be made without bones, as for any religion to ex- ist without them. Cut off or detach either of these points from the system, and you disorganize and render it useless. It is no objection to either of them, that they have been the fundamental points in all religions. As well might we say, the inclination of ail nations to religion is an objection to all religion. It is rather proof that they are imperfectly or U.MVERSALISM EXAMINED. 217 taught by the hght of nature; and that they come iu the secret whispers of ihe xVhnighty to the soui. 6. If Christ and the apostles were opposed to the doc- trine of future judgement and retribution, so generally re- ceived in that day, we should not only find them distinctly opposing it, at different times, which is not the case; but we should find their immediate successors, the early chris- tians, generally opposed to that doctrine. So far from this, universalists themselves, in the history of their sect, writ- ten by themselves, do not make out any universalists in the early ages of the church, except a few writers occasionally ; and all these held to along duration of future punishment. Furthermore, if Christ, the apostles, and early christians, generally, denied future judgement and retribution, there must have been a time when this doctrine sprung up in the church as a heresy, and must have been treated as a heresy and false doctrine by the principal part of the church for a time before they would be generally brought over to it. It can not be supposed that the whole church apostatized from the true faith at once. But there never was a time when the church as a body considered future rewards and punishments as a new doctrine or heresy in the church. — But the doctrine of future punishment to end in a univer- sal restoration, M^as considered a hersey in the days of Ore- gen. And the doctrine of no rewards and punishments be- yond this life, as Rchrisiian doctrine, was never professed enough to attract any notice or have any name, till within the last century ! If this were the apostolick doctrine, when did all Christendom apostatize from it ? In what books is this question agitated? In what history is it recorded? Alas for the cause! all is silent! Silence and darkness brood around it ! Well then, silent and dark, let it be. 19 tiS AHeUilENTS A.NU PRIX.IPLK* SECTION VII. Passagts of Scrrpture, in which Gehenna, rendcnJ hell, occurs, considered. "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 (gehenna) hell." — Matt, x: 23. " Wherefore, 'if thy hand or thy foot offend thee, cut them off, and cast them from thee : it is better for thee to enter into life halt or maimed, rather than having two hands, or two feet, to be cast into everlasting fire. And if thine eye offend thee, pluck it out and cast it from thee; it i better for thee to enter into life, with one eye rather thai having two eyes to be cast into (gehenna of fire) hell fire." —Matt, xvin: 8,9. "Ye serpents, ye generation of vipers! how can ye es- cape the damnation of (gehenna) hell." — i\latt. xxiii : 33. •'x\nd if thy hand oHend thee, cut it oH"; it is better for thee to enter into life maimed, than having two hands, to go into (gehemm) hell, into the fire that never shall be quenched." — 3Iark ix: 43. "But I will forwarn you wliora ye shall fear: fear him which, after he hath killed, hath power to cast into (gehenna) hell: yea, I say unto you, fear him-" — Lukexii: 5. These passages and some other kindred ones, have been considered, in all past ages, to teach future punishments as unequivocally as it was possible for the Saviour to do it. — But universalist criticism has, within a few years, touched these passages with its metamorphosing wand ; and they have seemed to crumble into empty sounds! The reader may be curious to know, by what legerdemain, these sol- emn warnings of Christ have been disposed of. We will furnish the information for the benefit of such as have not had accerss to the late astonishing eflforts, which have been employed for the consolation of the wicked — Efforts, which have been extolled as putting a finishing touch to all former labours for paralyzing the denunciations of heaven, as con- tained in our English Bible. The triumphant exclama- or U.MVERSALISM EXAMINKD. 219 tion has been echoed through the order, " Walter Balfour has snujjfed out HELL with las thumb and finger''!! These passages used to stand among unh^ersahsts as very hard passages; and they were obliged to ^wist and screw- along with them as weil as they could. A number of prisoners are under sentence of death. Ao officer comes forward with their death wp.rrant in one hand» and a pardon in the other. But the pardon is offered on the reasonable condition, that the jnisoners are penitent, and aetuaily reform and li/ve as good citizens the rest oi" their days. Now what would be our astonishment to see these prisoners, instead of accepting the terms with grat- itude and joy, go and employ a parcel o{ Lawyers — shrewd men, who could "make the worse appear the better reas- on," to examine the death warrant critically, sad find, if possible, or invent some (law in it, so that they might escape the doom without compliance v/ilh the terms of pardon; and thus waste the lime allowed them to decide, in these pettifogging criticisms I This seems a fair illustration of the criticisms of universalist teachers: for if their clients are willing to become good, they will do weil enough with- out finding out some way to "get round" the words of Christ. We would advise people, instead of paying men for study- ing out defects in the threatenings of our Saviour, to obey bis commands; for it is feared their Advocates, with all their ingenuity, will not be admitted to speak in the last trial. But how do these ingenious advocates plead on the jlemn declarations, above quoted ? Answer. In all thesa assages, our Saviour used the word gehenna, which is here reudered hell in our English testaments. This word gehennais of Hebrew origin, and literally signifies the vallty (if Hlnnora. This valley was originally a pleasant and de- lightful place, situated a httle east of the city of Jerusalem. In it the idolatrous Jews set up a brazen image called Mo- loch: and here offered their children in sacrifice. Josiah 220 ARGUMENTS AND PRINCIPLES abolished this abomination; and caused all the filth of the city to be deposited there. A perpetual fire was kept there to consume the filth and purify the air. Worms were gen- erated in the oflfal, from which came the expressions **the worm that never dies," and "the unquenchable fire." — That our Saviour in threatening the Jews with the punish- ments o{ gehenna, used the term in this literal sense, and only meant, that they should be executed or destroyed there by the laws of their country I Now, in answer to this ingenious sophistry, we say that we really supposed the learned plea to be sound, till recent investigations convinced us of its fallacy. All learned com- mentators and biblical criticks admit that all this is true with regard to the or/g-m of the place; but they have hitherto supposed this fiery and wormy and offensive valley, so no- ted in the history of the Jews, as containing every thing loathsome and horrible, was, long before our Saviour's time, used as an emblem to denote the place of the wicked and miserable in a future state. And that Jesus, knowing the sense in which the term was used among the Jews in his day, used it in the same sense, and was so understood by them. He also used the emblems of the undying worm and unquenchable fire, all borrowed from those sensible ob- jects, but used and understood in his day to be a figurative representation of the miseries of another world. This has been the uniform verdict of ihe learned, lill the work ap- peared a few years since, attempting to shov/, tljat Jesus yet used these figures in their original and literal sense. Through the poverty of language, the terms by which \\c express invisible and spiritual subjects, v/ere generally taken originally from the names of sensible objects. Heav- en drigiaally signified the firmament over our heads, and is so4Tietimes used in that sense now. Hut for tlie want of a more appropriate term to express the abode of tlie blessed, tliat term has been uscti in liuch a sense. Bo most of the i'uagery descriptive of God, his power, and bis glory, are or UNIVERSALISM KXAMlMt,!). 22J borrowed from sensible objects; such as his throne, from the throne of an earthly prince — his sceptre, his hands, his feet, his eyes, &c. How foohsh would be the conclusion from thence, that God is a material being, and is like an earthly king, sitting upon a throne, and that there is no other God! By thesame arguments that are used to prove the term gehenim as used by our Saviour, only significant of literal temporal punishment in the valley of Ilinnom, it might also be proved, that heaven only signifies the stary firmament, Paradise the garden of Eden; and all the prom- ises of salvation to mean the temporal enjoyments of the christian in this life. We shall oifer proof that the Jews to wliom our Saviour addressed the term did then use it to denote future punishment — that his words would have jaadeno sense or would have been false, had he used it in its antiquated original sense — And that his hearers must have understood him to use it in its common acceptation; and of course, unless he used it so he must have intended lo deceive them. Suppose I am going as a missionary to pr^eachto the people of Michigan ; by the word hell I mean the valley of Hinnom ; but I know that those people use the v/ord hell to denote the place or state of future punish- ment. I go and tell them they are in danger of hell, with- out intimating to them that I use the term in any other sense than that commonly used among them. Should I not be guilty of deception? There is a late work on "rewards and punishments," by Rev. B. Whitman, of Massachusetts. It is an able and ele- gant vindication of future retribution. The author had access to the necessary libraries and ancient v/orks. And as we are not ashamed to make extracts, which will answer better than our own language, we give his proof on this subject. "1. I reject your definition of gehenna because it makes our- blessed Saviour utter nonsense and falsehood. Look at the several passages in which he employs the word. — The following is th© first instance. ' Ye have heard that it J9* 222 /.UGUME.XTS A5iJ fftlJ^CIPLES was said to them of old time, thou shall not kill; and who- soever shall kill, shall be i;; danger of the judgtvunt ; but I say uuto you that whosoever is angry with his brother without a cause, shall be in danger of the judgement ; and whosoever shall say 1o his brother, raca, shall be in danger of the council; but whosoever shall say thou fool, shall be in danger of the g-e^eM7ia o/^re.' Here you perceive that our Saviour mentions three degrees of punishment, the judgement, the council, thegeheuna. Now the question is simply this. Did our Saviour mean literal and temporal punishment as you contend, or did he mean figurative and spiritual as I believe? He could not mean literal jjunish- ment. For the Jews had no law for punishing a person for unreasonable anger; and I defy you or any other man to produce a single case in which such an offence was ever punished by the Jewish tribunal called ihe judgement ; con- sequently no disciple was in any danger of a literal pun- ishment by this court on account of anger. The Jews had no law for punishing a person for calling another raca ; and I challenge you or any other individual to mention a single instance in which such a crime was ever punished by the Jewish tribunal called the council; and consequently no heaver of our Saviour v,^as in the least danger of a literal punishment by this court for using such words. The Jews had no laws for punishing a man for calling jhis brother a fool ; and I defy you to produce a single example in which they punished any breach of their laws by burning in the valley of Hinnom; and consequently no one of those our Saviour addressed was in danger of being thus punished for any crime whatever? Now is it likely that he was to- tally ignorant of the jurisprudence of his own nation ? Is it not probable that his hearers would have ridiculed him to his face for manifesting such ignorance had they under- stood him to mean literal punishment. Not only so. Your definition of gehenna makes our Saviour contradict him- self in the same sentence. He first avers that the Jews consider nothing to be murder but tlie outward act; and that this offence was condemned to no heavier penalty than what the judgement could inHict. Had he then declared that whoever cherished unreasonable anger would be ex- posed to the literal judgement, or literal council, or literal fire, would he not have contradicted his former assertion ? But this is not all. You make our Saviour threaten his liearers wit5 punishments of which they were in no possi- ble danger, and this must have been perfectly well under- stood by all present. Consequently they must have re- ceived his meaning according to my exposition. He meant that the torraint of inimical and revengeful feelings irust or L.MVilKSAiilSAI EXAMinKJJ. t23 be as severe as the punishments which could be inflicted in three several methods. And when he used the word ge- henna he extended the sufferings beyond tlie }>rave, as this word wjs tlien onjjloyed to denote tlie future misery ot'tjie wicked, which 1 shall soon prove. Thus you see your de- finition ofge'iienna makes our Saviour utter nonsense and iaisehood. Matthew v : 22. Take a second class of, passages. *And if thy right eye offend theo, pluck it out and cast it from thee ; for it is prof- itable for thee that one of thy members should perish, and not that thy whole body should be cast into gehenna. And if thy right hand offend thee, cut it offand cast it from thee ; for it is jjrotitable for thue that one of thy members should perish, and not ihr.t lliy whole body should be cast into gehenna.' How cm] you reconcile this sentence with your view of gehenna? What connexion would the cutting oft" an offending member have with being burnt in the valley of Ilinnom. ? What court had autliority to inllict this kind of punishment on account of a j)erson's being led into sin by his right eye? Can you possibly understand this in a literal sense ? Surely not. The Jews had no laws rela- ting to such ofiences. There was no manner of danger from a literal burning. And this must have been known both to the preacher and hearers. Now my definition of the word makes our Saviour consistent, wise and benevo- lent. Matthew v : 29, 30; xviii : 0. Mark ix : 43, 45. Take a third class of passages. 'And fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul; but rather fear Idm which is able to destroy both soul and body in ge- henna.' Wliat can you makeof this verse on your system ? What more than the body could be destroyed by burning in the valley of Kinnorn? Call the soul what you please, still it must mean something which no human tribunal could destroy, in order to make our Saviour utter any truth or wisdom. If then you say that gehenna here means the valley of Minnom, the meaning of the sentence amounts to nothing more than this. Fear not him who can kill you in oneway, but fear him who can destroy you in another. Could such nonsense proceed from the inspired Jesus? — Not only so. He had been exhorting his disciples to bold- ness and perseverance in proclaiming the Gos|)el;and if your definition of gehenna be the true one, he exhorted them to take the most direct course to incur the hatred of the Jewish rulers, and the highest punishment which they could infiiict. His language then amounts simply to this. Leap into danger of gehenna with your eyes open, yet en- tertain the greatest dread of him who has the power of cast- ing you ill thither. Make it niorally certain that you shall 224 ARGUMENTS AND PRINCIPLES suffer the lynnisbment of gehenna, aod yet do nil voh csn to avoid it. Did the Saviour preach such nonsense and falsehood? Surely not. Give the true exposition of the passage and his instruction:-; appear ciear,^ striking, ration- Ai and consistent. IVIutthew x: 2S. Luke xii: 5. Take a fourth class of passages. ' Wo unto you, scribes and pharisees, hypocrites! for ye compass sea and land to make one proselyte; and when he is made, ye make him twofold more the child of gehenna than yourselves.' The scribes and pharisees use j?.reat zeal to make proselytes. — When they have made one he is doubly deserving the pun- ishment of gehenna. Then according to your definition he ought to be burned twice in the valley of Hinnora. You will recollect, however, that these words were addressed directly to the scribes and pharisees. Now the scribes were magistrates and the pharisees the ruling party; con- sequently they had in their own power all the punishment. If the burning of criminals was then practised they v.ould be the last to incur such a judgement. This rendering then will not bear in this particular instance surely : so that vou must give another m.ear;ing to gehenna in order to make any sense or truth of our Saviour's words. Matthew xxiii: 15. Take a fifth example. 'Ye serpents, ye generation of vipers, how can ye escape the damnation of gehenna.' Will your definition bear in this sentence ? Not at all. It was utterly impossible for the scribes and pharisees to incur any punishment which the Jewish nation would inflict, let them be ever so guilty. Consequently they were in no more danger of being burned in the valley of Hinnom than of being drowned in the tlien unknown valley of the Mis- sissippi^ But this verse is manifestly addressed to men in real danger of gehenna, whatever it might be. The scribes and pharisees were then at the summit of whatever tempor- al power the Jews at that time possessed. Is it to be sup- posed that in all these instances our Saviour either meant nothing at all, or mentioned a fire of which they were not in the least possible danger? Matthew xxiii : So. Look at the passage from James. 'And the tongue is a fire, a world of iniquity ; so is the tongue among our mem- bers, that it defileth the whole body, and setteth on fire the course of nature, and it is set on fire of gehenna.' ])oes the writer mean to declare, tliat the human tongue is liter- ally set on fire of the valley of Hinnom? Surely not. A passage from one of the Jewish writers will illustrate the meaning of this vei-se- 'A crafty tongue with coals of ju- niper, which were lighted in the infernal gehenna.' Anoth- er author ha.s thi.'S sentence. 'I above, thou beneath. I OF UNIVERSALISil EXAMINED. 225 from above will scatter arrows upon evil tongues, thou from beneath shall cast up coals u])on them.' James m : 6. * a « * * Perhaps you may now say, that our Saviour alluded to the destruction of Jerusalem; that those who were not con- verted to Christianity would then be burnt alive in the val- ley of Hinnom. If he uttered such an idea he declared what never took place. I am not willing therefore to ac- cuse him of falsehood. Many of those he addressed were dead long before the calamity befel the city. And those who perished at the time were not taken and burned outside its walls. So that there is not the least shadow of evidence for such a definition. Give your meaning in the passages in which gehenna occurs, and it destroys all the sense and connexion, makes our Saviour a fool or a liar; and surely this is a sufficient reason for rejecting your exposition. 2. My second reason for rejecting your defmition of ge- henna is this. The word evidently denotes some kind of punishment in all the instances in which our Baviour used it. Now we have no evidence that the valley of Hinnom was a place of punishment in the time of our Saviour and his apostles. We have satisfactory ])roof to the contrary. — No instance of punishment in that place and at that period is recorded in the New Testament or any other book. You never find any persons but Christ and his apostle using the word. Onr Saviour mentions various kinds of trial to which his apostles would be liable; but he mentions gehenna in this connexion but once ; and he then uses the word in r>uch a manner that you plainly perceive he could not mean corporal ])unishmenf, since he had just spoken of killing the body as a matter of no consequence. The apostles never speak of themselves as in any danger of b^ing burned in the valley of Kinnom; and the Jews never threaten eith- er them or their master with such pnnislimcnt. Conse-' quently I cannot possibly believe that our Saviour meant a literal temporal punishment in the valley of Hinnom when he used the word gehenna. •L iMy third reason forrejecting your definition of gehen- na is this. You have no evidence that a pcrpetaal fire was kept up in the valley of Hinnom at the time our Saviour was on earth. I know that a statement of this kind has been often repeated. I have often done it myself. I sup- posed the authors in which I found the account were u> be trusted. I find this is not the case in this instance. An assertion to this effect vv'as made by Rabbi Kimchi who finurished about the fourteenth century. If there is any other evidence for the trutli of the story I have not discov- ered it; and surely this is not sufficient to satisfy any reas- ^'-5 AliGUME.MS A:iD rKl>Giri.Kt oning micJ. Until further proof is produced 1 sball there- fore streuuously deny that any perpetual iire existed iii the vi.-^ley of Hinnojnin the time of our ^Saviour. And if this be the fact, then he could not possibly have used the word gehenna in (he sense yon suppose. 4. My fourth reason lor rejecting your definition of ge- hean.a is this. A!i the truly qualified biblical criticks frona the earliest days of rcseaicii to the present titne have given a different exposition. They have investigated the subject thoroughly. They have had no interest whatever to de- ceive. If the evidence kad been sufficient to convince them that i^ehenna rnennr a literal, tenjporal punishment, they would have declared this opinion with all readiness. i cannot therefore believe thatsuch numbers of honest men c«)uld have been so long and so universally mistaken on this question. 11. In the second place, I will mention a few reasons for believing that our Saviour used gehenna to mean spiritual j)Uiiishment both in this life and the world to come. 1. This is the testimony of the Jewish writers of antiqui- ty. I go to their u-riiingsto ascertain the exact meaning of a [lebrew word in their day, and for no other purpose. I have nothing to do with their theology or religious senti- 'meats. ' There is no other sure method of arriving at the truth on this question, as every biblical crilick will admit. What works then have wji to which reference can be made in this controversy. Wo have the Targums and the Tal- muds. As you may not know much about these writings J will give you a brief but accurate statement respecting their origin and history. Wjiat then are the Targums ? They are Chaldee para- phrases on different portions of the Old Testament. In tile first place, there is the Targum [Jonathan Ben Uzziel. This is a paraphrasiick commentary on the prophets. Tiie author was the chief disciple of Hillel the elder, who flour- ished in Jerusalem within thirty years of Christ. There can be no doubt of the fieouineness and authenticity of tliis wotk. In proof of thsse we have first the testimony of :.ll the later Jewish writers. We have second the entire ?^b.>-ence of all anachronisms : that is there is nothing that heirs the stamp of a later date ; there is no reference to names or events of a subsequent period ; and this is a very p.trong ground ofevjdence; especially when you considr that the names of contempory persons, of placer?, of allr. sions to local circumstances, are constantly occurring iu all the Targums. 1 know a certain writer has asserted thrt ;his Targum was not quoted by the Christian fathers foi» the first ionr centuries. Admit the fact for the 'sake of ar- or U^CITICRSALISM EXAMirtI'. O. 227 gtttneat, and this objection is readily answered. First, thess clirisriau writers did not rinderstand the Cliaidee, with the exception of Jerome. Second, Jerome learned it late in life, and comflains that his knowledge of it was su- perficial and imperfect. Third, the Jews were exceeding- ly backward in commuuicaliug any of their learning to christians. ,This is evident from the fact that the Rabbins whom Jerome hired to assist him in his Hebrew studies came by night to avoid offending their brethren. Fourth, the Jews had special reasons for caution in communicating the contents of this book to the christians; for it explains many of the prophecies of the Old Testament respecting the Messiah in the same way in which believers then did and now do. There is no reasonable doubt in the minds of those who have had time and ability to investigate this subject, that Jonathan, the author of the Targum on the prophets, was either a few years prior to Christ, or con- temporary with him. Of course his writings furnish the very best authority we could desire or can possibly have, for ascertaining the meaning of the word Gelitnna in the time of our Saviour. In the second place, there is the Targum of Jose))h the blind. This author flourished about 300 years after Christ. He was a teacher of the law at Babylon. He was peculi- arly skilled in the Hagiography. Many disciples resorted to his school. They wrote down his explanations and re- marks. The Targum which bears his name is probably a collection of extracts from their manuscripts with their comments. Its style shows it to be the work of several dif- ferent hands. Now this work has a peculiar value in our present inquiry on this very account; for it shows not mere- ly the opinion of the teacher, but the views of his pupils in relation to the meaning of Gehenna. In the third place, there is the Jerusalem Targum. This must have been written as late as the sixth century, be- cause events are referred to, and geographical names are inserted, which could not have had an earlier date ; but it could not have been composed at a much later period. Its authority however may be regarded as great ; for it consists principally of extracts from earlier Targums and other Jewish writings. In fact there is such a coincidence between many passages of this Targum and passages in the New Testament, that some criticks have supposed it was extant in the time of Chris# There is of course not the least shadow of probability in supposing that the compilers of this Targum quoted from the christian scriptures, a hook which they utterly detested. We must then allow this Targum an authority on this question equal to the -i"i5 ARGUME.NTS AND FRI.NCIPLES New Testament, or else suppose it to have been compiled in pun from documents extant in the time of Christ, which is the same thing for my argument. On either hypothe- sis this Targum is of great value in determining the mean- ing that was given to Hebrew words in the days of our Sa- viour. Let me now ofl'er a few explanatory remarks respecting the Tahnuds. In the first phice there is the Jerusalem Tal- mud. Rabbi Judah Hakkadesh resided at Tiberias in Pal- estine about the year 200. He made or published a collec- tion of the traditions of the Jewish docto's, in order to pre- serve them from being lost in the dispersion of the Jews and the interruption of the schools. This collection was term- ed the mishna, or second law. About a century afterwards Rabbi Jochanan lived in Palestine. He prepared a gemara, that is a fdling up or completion of the mishna. This is at once a commentary on the mishna and also a supplement to it. The mishna and gemara constitute the Jerusalem Talmud. In the second place, there is the Babylonish Talmud. — This is much larger than the other. It is also much more known, and much more commonly used. It is composed of Rabbi Judah's rnishna, and a gemara prepared at Baby- lon, perhaps as early as the year four hundred, and certain- ly not more than a century later. But as both these Tal- muds are composed chiefly of sayings and writings much older than the date of their compilation, they are good au- thority for ascertaining the meaning of Hebrew words at a much earlier period. 1 think these notices are sufficient for all present purposes. Now I wish you to understand distinctly the use I am about to make of these Hebrew writings of antiquity. I do not search them to ascertain what the Jews believed con- cerning future retribution. No. Their opinions weigh nothing v/ith me in this controversy. I go to them for the express purpose of learning what meaning the Jewish na- tion gave to the word gehemia in the days of our Saviour and immediately after. He was born ivith the Jews, and would use language as understood by his brethren accord- ing to the flesh, unless he signified to the contrary. This he has not done in the present instance. Now this is the only true and sure way of coming at the real meaning of v/ords in any language. Let ms give you an illustration. You find the word atonement bflfconcein our Englisli trans- lation of the christian scriptures. You wish to know what meaning was attached to this term in the time of the trans- lators. How can you determine this question? By exam- ining other books which were written near that period. — OF UNJVERSALISW EXAMINED. 229 You take the plays of Shakspeare. You there find the word thus divided, at-one-ment. This shovvs you that the people of that day meant by the word atonement, reconcil- iation, bringing together those who were at variance, ma- king them one. Now I am about to pursue a similar course in relation to the word gehennu ; and all judges of this subject will assure you there is no other certain way of arriving at its true iTjeaning. In the first place, take a few extracts from the Targum of Jonathan. Read the following declaration. 'Abram saw gehenna belching forth smoke and burning coals, and sending up sparks to punish the wicked therein.' Surely he did not see the valley of Hnmom, for this would make him witness what no one pretends took place until a thous- and years after his time. Hear the following remark. — *The wicked are to be judged, that they may be delivered to eternal burning in gehenna.' This surely cannot refer to the valley of Hinnom. Very many passages occur in Avhich the wicked are threatened with the punishment of gehenna. But you want only those which clearly prove that future punishment was intended. Listen then to the three following sentences. ' Like embers in the fire of gehenna which God created the second day of the crea- tion of the world.' ' The earth from which springs forth food, and beneath which is gehenna, the cold of whose snow is changed so as to become like fire.' ' Thou shalt see them descending into the earth to gehenna.' Thus have I given you five extracts from this Jewish writer who lived about twenty or thirty years before Christ. They plainly prove that he considered gehenna a place or state of future punishment for the wicked. They are comments on the following passages of Scripture. Isa. xxxiii. 14, 17. Cant. VIII. 6. Job xxxviii. 5. Wolf's Bibliotheca Hebrae, Part ii. p. 1159—60. Wetstein's N. T. on Mat- thew V. 22, Bartoloccius Bibliotheca Rabbinica, Part ii. p. 136. In the second place, take an example from Medrasch Thil- Hum, an allegorical exposition of the Psalms ascribed to Rabbi Akaiba ben Joseph, who was born the first year of the Christian era. These are his words. ' Circumcision is regarded with favour; for the holy and blessed swear to Abram tliat no one who v/as circumcised should descend into gehenna.' This cannot mean the valley of Hinnom. Wetstein Mat. iii. 9. Bartoloccius Part iv. p. 272, 320. la tlie third place, take a few specimens from the Pierche Elietjer, written byEliezer the great, whoso wife was great graitfJ'daughter to that Simeon who took the infant Jesus in hid inns. He flourished about the year seventy-three. 20 230 ARGUMr,?«TS AM» PRJKCJt'Lij.-iJ These are his sajings. ' On account of the Sabbath Admit \f as delivered iVom the condemnation of gehenua.' ' Who- soever confesses his transgressions and forsakes them is de- livered from the condemnation of gehenna.' ' The holy and blessed God has dealt with me in truth and goodness* snd delivered me from the condemnation of gehenna.' 'All angels and seraphim shall not deliver the wicked from the condemnation of gehenna.' You see that in all these ca- ses gehenna is evidently used to denote f^Uure punishment. Bartoloccius. Part i. p. 184, 5. Fart iv. Chronologi- cal Index. Wetstein. Tdat. xxiii. 33. In the fourth place, take a few instances from Beraschiih Jtahba, which was written by Rabbi HoschiaUia. He nour- ished about the year ninety-five. These are the sayings, ' Hereafter Abram will sit at the gates of gehenna, and will suffer no circumcised Israelite to descend thither; but what will he do with those who have sinned beyond meas- ure ? He will restore to them ineir foreskin, and they wiU descend into gehenna.' ' Before Paradise gehenna was created : gehenna on the second day, paradise on the third day. This is the edge of the sword which turns every way, and which being directed towards them hereafter sets them on fire.' ' In that hour gehenna ascends upon the wicked. Woe to the world on account of the judgement* thereof.' Wetstein. Mat. iii. 9 ; v. 22 : x\ui. 33. Luke XVI. 22. Bartoloccius, Part ii. p. 778, 82, 134. In the fifth place, take one example from Maase Thora, ascribed to Rabbi Hakkodesh who was born about the year one hundred and twenty. Tliese are the words. 'God- admitted Hiram king of Tyre into paradise, because he had built the temple, and had been from the first a pious, man ; and he lived in paradise a thousand years ; but when afterwards he began to be filled with pride and made him- self a deity, he was expelled from paradise aiid descended inio gehenna." Wetstein. Lukexxni.43. Wolf. Bib- lioth. Heb. Part II. p. 839. Bartoloccius Part III. p. 773. In the sixth place take a few passages from the Tahnuds. I will give them in the order they ocfcur in the original works. Look then to the tbllowin'g examples. "For those who observe the law, Paradise is prepared, but for transgressors, gehenna." Does this refer to this world or the next. " VVhile you apply yourselves with the greatest labour and trouble to the study of the law, and yet negleet to fulfil it, you will become heirs of gehenna at your death, while you have enjoyed no pleasure in this life." This ad- mits of no doubt. " Heretics, traitors, apostates, epicuri- ;»n8, those who deny the law. and those who deny the res- OF UMVKRSALISM EXAMINED. 231 eawettioa of the deiid, those who separate themseWe* Croni ,the doctrines of the congregation, and those who cause tcr- rour among the dwellers upon earth, and those who have sinned and caused many lo sin, as Jeroboam the son of Nebat and his conij-umions ; these all descend into geheana and are punished therein ages of ages, as it is \vritten. — And they shall go forth, and look upon the carcases of the men that have transgressed against me ; for their worm «hall not die, neither shall the lire be quenched; and they .shall be mi abhojrinTj^jmto all flesh." This surely extends the meaning to afutiTre worid. "That ungodly man, Tur- riis Rufus, asi;ed Rabbi Aliiba, if y6'« roge from the dead." — Luke xvi. 19 — 31. OF UMVERSALI8M EXAMIXEH, i3i> Thus reads the " parable of the rich mau," so denomina- ted among universahsts. This has been supposed, in ail ages of the church, to refer to the two states of men in a future world, as its language plainly imports, till within a few years, it has been touched with the raagick wand of universalism, and turned mio something else ! The author once published a discourse on the text, and was about a* successful as any of them in making it mean something dst. A great variety of meanings are given to such hard passages in the order: but it seems to be a rule among them ; that it is unimportant what they make them to mean, prorvided they make them mean something else, be- sides what they possitively affirm ; and sustain that some- thing with some appearance of plausibihty. They say it is a' parable ! Well, that circumstance then gives them an unbounded license to invent crni/ sense to it; no matter ifitbe so far oiT, that it took eighteen hundred years to produce a single individual capable of guessing at it. But unless it mean something else entirely foreign to any thing which the description naturally implies, it would upset universalism : therefore, it must mean something else! And if there be nothing else within the reach of ordinary minds — nothing that could be thoughtof for eigh- teen hundred years in ail Christendom, New Eng^land, fa- mous for curious inventions, might be expected to invent the curious thing. Well. What do they make the rich man ? Why the high priest of Israel — and yet uot exactly the high priest : for no one could tell which of the high priests ; but rather the office or its incumbents in succes- sion ; representing the Jewish nation. The beggar is the Gentile world. The desire to be fed with crumbs, was the desire of the Gentiles to obtain the knowledge of the legal economy, (which desire, however, did nQt exist) the dogs that licked his sdres, were Plato, Socrates, and other phil- osoph^ers that attempted to enlighten the Gentiles. The {>oor man's death was the conversion of the Gentiles to 23<3 ARGUME.NTS A.ND PRINCIPLES Christ. Th« rich man's death was the erni of the Jewish priesthood. His being in hades hfting up his eye« in tor- ments, denotes the degraded condition of the Jewish na- tion since the destruction of their city, (It shouid mean the degraded condition of the high priest ; but as ail the high priests, by the theory, were to be in heaven, the mean- ing now must be the nation.) His seeingn Abraham afar off, &c. means that the dispersed people of Israel see the Gentiles in the faith of Abraham, (but the Jews have not, in their degraded state, seen the christian Gentiles in th« faith of Abraham. Neither have they discovered them- selves in errour, felt any torment, nor asked for the water of gospel life to mitigate their sufferings — they have not deplored their want of the gospel at all I) " But Abraham said, son, remember that thou in thy lif« time receivedst thy good things," &c. This signifies that the Jews received their season of spiritual prosperity whil« the Gentiles were in unbelief; and now the Gentiles re- ceive their season of spiritual enjoyment, while the Jews are in unbelief. And this decree of unbelief against the Jews, in favour of the Gentiles is the " great gulf." " Then he said, I pray thee, therefore, father, that thou wouldst send him to my father's house. For I have five brethren," &c. What this means universalists have nev- er been able to agree. Some thinking it most plausible to call it one thing and some another. It has been a point about which all their inventive powers have been employed. *'They have Moses and the prophets, let them hear them." The Jews now have Moses and the prophets : let them learn of Christ out of them, instead of having the Gentiles, who have risen from a dead state of unbelief and sin, com« and preach to them ! This is a substantially correct outline of the exposition universalist writers give the parable ; and though they may dress it up in a more becoming aspect, they cannot, or have not given a better one without spoiling their system. But or UMVERSALfSM F.XAMl.NhD. 237 it would admit of as many equally plausible aud imaginary expositions as there are men to invent them. They seem to ihlnU, by calling it a parable, they obviate every difficul- ty, and have a right then to make it mean any thing they please. Hence, instead of a parable, they make it a nddle ; and one of the hardest kind to guess. ,,To show them that they have not guessed the only interpretation that it admits of, on the ground that it is a riddle, as they seem to suppose, we will help them to another: for although we reject their system, we are disjjosed to give them every accommodation. So when they get sick of the old one, they can have a new one, and can have the advantage of variety. And certainly they stand a better chance to be right with two meanings than with only one. And then if any weak spots are found in either interpretation, they can patch them up by taking something out of the other. The prophetick parable (or riddle) then, shall relate to the glo- rious American revolution ! And we will explain each verso in the true style of universalian criticism. Ver. 19. There was a certain rich man, &c. This is no less a personage than the king of England ; and not any of the kings or incumbents of the English throne, but it is George III. who was rich, and fared sumptuously every day, aud in several particulars, he represents the British nation. Verse 20. And there was a certain beggar. — The beggar represents his majesty's colonies in America. Those people were poor ; harrassed and distressed by the cruel savages. They went to the gate of the royal palace for all their higher officers; for their arts and sciences, manufac- tures, etc. etc. Verse 21. And desiring to be fed ivith the crumbs. — In the poverty and weakness of the colonies, they desired ev- ery thing from the mother country. They reverently look- «-d up to Parliament for the very crumbs of law which they enjoyed, and' which often lay long upon the *' table'' of that houi9»', before they can^ over to tli* colonies. And a^ thi- •2.3? S .^ ARCLME-NTS AND PRINCIPLES rich and opulent often throw by many crumbs from their tables, which they will not eat, and cast them out to the poor, so many of the officers and laws sent over to Ameri- ca, were such as would not be submitted to in England. Moreover the dogs came and licked his sores. The dog« are Franklin and other American snges, who used to pity the sufferings of the people, and with their tongues tench them industry, economy, and other means of improving their condition. Verse 22. And it came to j.ass that the beggar died. — The colonies died a political death — died to all allegiauco to the king — died to all subordination — died to all submis- sion and afiection. And they were carried by angels, or messengers or delegates, (as the word might be rendered; which means the brave compatriots, who signed the Dec- claration,) into Abraham's bosom, that is, Independente. — The word Abraham signifies a Faiher or Patriarchy and here refers to Washington the /a//\cr of his country, under whose fatherly care the Americans found peace and safety. The rich man also died and was buried. The King, Par- liament, and all, died to all affection for the colonies ; to all sense of honour and justice, and to every thing that ought ro have influenced them toward the American people. And were buried in avarice, injustice and infamy. Verse 23. And in hell he lifted up his eyes, being in tor- vi:nte. Loaded with a ponderous national debt, aurroun- ded by jealous and hostile kings, torn with domestick divisions, and covered with the reproach, and stung with the shame of losing their glory in America, the British na- tion, at last, lifted up their eyes, being in torments, and saw the colonies afar off, free, independent, and prosperous, iij the bosom, or under the paternal governnient of the great Washington. Verse 24. And he cried and .mid. — Then the British be- gan to lament their condition; and they greatly desired a revolution, that they i.^'Jght enjoy such inslitutinns and lib- erties, as Americans enjwved. Ol^UiN I VERBALISM EXAMINK!)' Jj *" 21)^^ Verse 25-. But AhraJwm mid, So7i, rememhcT that thou. By this, we^ire to understand that the British enjoyed their «eason of prosperity before; but now tlie United States en- joy theirs, so that on the whole, the ways of Providence are equal to both nations. Verse 2G. And besides all this, httiveen us and you there is a great gulf. The great gulf is the Atlantick Ocean! The passing over this gulf is possible for individuals, but is hazardous and difticult; and as a nation the British cannot pass the gulf, nor enjoy the institutions and blessings we enjoy. Verse 27. Then he said, I pray thee, therefore, father^ that thou tvouldest send him to my father's house, &c. This signifies the desire of the English people, that their succes- sive and future Parliaments shall learn moderation, justice, and clemency, not only from the loss of their colonies, but from the example of American policy, so as not to involve the future generations of the English in expense and sitf- fering. Verse 29. ^Viey have Moses and the Prophets. But the British have the scriptures — they have the true princi- ples of justice and law drawn out by their sages, civilians, and statesmen; and if they will not hear them, neither would they hear, though an American should cross the At- lantick to teach them. Now we seriously believe this explanation full as rational and probable as the one generally given by universalists. And as it is more American^ we see not why it should not be adopted by them !. At least it will be no disadvantage to them to have two ways to get along with the "rich man" instead of one; and both of them entitled to equal consid- eration. It may be objected to this explanation of the Riddle ; that it carries the events forward eighteen centuries from the time it was spoken. But the other interpretation makes eighteen centuries pass, before any one could inter- pret it ; and it is more likely to refer to pvents about colem- rich and opulent often throw by mauy crumbs from thoh" tables, which they will not eat, and cast them out to the ])oor, so many of the officers and laws sent over to Ameri- ca, were such as would not be submitted to in England. Moreover the dogs came and licked his sores. Tbe dog« are Franklin and other American sages, who used to pity the sufierings of the people, and with their tongues tench them industry, econoiny. and other means of improving their condition. Verse 22. And it came to pass that the beggar died. — The colonies died a political death — died to all allegiance to the king — died to all subordination — died to all submis- sion and afiection. And they were carried by augels, or messengers or delegates, (as the word might be rendered; which means the brave compatriots, who signed the Dec- claration,) into Abraham's bosom, that is, Indeptndenee. — The word Abraham signifies a Father or Patriarchy and here refers to Washington the father of his country, under whose fatherly care the Americans found peace and safety. Tht rich man also died and was buried. The King, Par- liament, and all, died to all affection for the colonies ; to all sense of honour and justice, and to every thing that ought to have influenced them toward the American people. And were buried in avarice, injustice and infamy. Verse 23. And in hell he lifted up his eyes, being in tor- vicnte. Loaded witli a ponderous national debt, surroun- ded by jealous and hostile kings, torn with domestick divisions, and covered with the reproach, and stung with the shamo of losing their glory in America, the British na- tion, at last, lifted up their eyes, being in torments, and saw the colonies afar off, free, independent, and prosperous, in the bosom, or under the paternal government of the great Washington. Verse 24. And he cried and said. — Then the British be- j^an to lament their condition; and they greatly desired a revolution, that they (.''•ght enjoy sueh insiilutinn? and lib- fM'lics, as Americans enjwved. OF* U.MVKR8AL1.S3I fiXAMINKir J/ *" 2?)^ Verse 25. But Abraham mid, Son, rememher that thou. By this, we are to understand that the British enjoyed their season of prosperity before; but now the United States en- joy tlieirs, so that on the whole, the ways of Pr9vidence are equal to both nations. Verse 2G. And besides ail this, beticeen us and you there is a great gulf. Tho great gulf is xhQ Atlantic k Ocean! The passing over this gulf is possible for individiials, but is hazardous and difficult; and as a nation tlie British cannot pass the gulf, nor enjoy the institutions and blessings we enjoy. Verse 27. Then lie said, I pray thee, therefore, father, that thou wouldesi send him to my father^ a house, &c. This signifies the desire of the English people, that their succes- sive and future Parliaments shall learn moderation, justice, and clemency, not only from the loss of their colonies, but from the example of American policy, so as not to involve the future generations of the English in expense and suf- fering. Verse 29. They have Moses and the Prophets. But the British have ihe scriptures — they have the true princi- ples of justice and law drawn out by their sages, civilians, and statesmen; and if they will not hear them, neither would they hear, though an American should cross the At- lantick to teach them. Now we seriously believe this explanation full as rational and probable as the one generally given by universahsts. And as it is more American^ we see not why it should not be adopted by them !. At least it will be no disadvantage to them to have two ways to get along with the "rich man" instead of one; and both of them entitled to equal consid- eration. It may be objected to this explanation of the Riddle ; that it carries the events forward eighteen centuries from the time it was spoken. But the other interpretation makes eighteen centuries pass, before any one could inter- pret it ; and it is more likely to refer to pvents about colem- 240 ARGUMENTS AND l*RI>Cll'LK(5 poraneous with the true interpretation. So we concluda our own guessing or invention h full as good as any from the land of proverbial ingenuity, if not a little better. And it is not unlikely, this same interpretation, in a future age, will come out, smoothed over in the plasiick hand of some ingenious yankee, as the true sense of Christ's words ! But who is any the wiser or better for all such interpretations? By taking such latitude, the word of God is turnerl into riddles — dwarfed down to an unmeaning fable, which every one may interpret as best suits his interest or disposition! We admit this passage of scripture, is doubtless a parable ; but we deny that it is a riddle^ that nothing but modern wit could guess. 1. The parables of our Lord are all designed to teach some particular truth; or impress upon the mind some special important duty. They are plain and pointed narratives, which carry their meaning forcibly along with them. They bring home the truth or duty to the mind or conscience of the hearers with clearness and power. 2. Many circumstances in them, are mere rhetorical orna- ments or imagery, which render them striking and interest- ing ; but which were never designed to have an allegori- cal explanation. 3. There is always^ some circumstance, which gave rise to a parable, which may generally be found before or after it ; and which will generally exhibit the lesson designed to be inculcated by the parable. For in- stance, Christ spoke of a good Samaritan, because one asked who was 'his neighbour. He spoke of the Pharisee and Publican, because there were persons present whose selfrighteousness he wished to reprove. 4. The true mean- ing of a parable must be such a one as would be perceived by the hearers, else it would not be pertinent, interesting or useful. It would neither enlighten nor reform them. — Well, the hearers of our Saviour when be spoke this para- ble believed in future rewards and punishments. They believed some would be carried at death into Abraham*s^ bosom, which was a phrase common and familiar among OF UNIVERSALISM EXAftllNED. 241 the Jews to denote a place of happiness after death. There is a quotation in the Babylonish Talmud, which will evince this, "Holy men did all they could to detairs Rabbi Judah here, but angels carried him to heaven : now he sits in Abraham's bosom." They believed too that wicked men at death went into hadts, and were there tormented. The word hades we may say here does not itself necessarily im- ply a place of misery. It signifies, and was used to desig- nate the jjlace of departed spirits or the unseen state. We employ the word eternity in the same sense, when we say of one *'hehas gone io eternity,'^ meaning the invisible world. Our Lord's expression might be rendered in its true sense thus ; " The rich man also died, and was bur- ied, and in the other icorhl, he lifted up his eyes, being in torments." Now hades (hell) was not used to signify that he went to misery, but only into the invisible worM; and to show that he was miserable, it is added " being in tor- ments." Hades^ among the classick Greeks, was the invis- ible world, which was supposed to be divided into two com- partments. The one called Elysium, for the good ; and the other called Tartarus, for the wicked. All of which corresponds with the common views of christians. Hades does not signify a place of misery, but the invisible world; and in his parable he makes a man to go into the future world, and declares that he was tormented there. Be it a parable. Was it not calculated to confirm those people who believed in those two states after death, in the actual existence of two such states ? Especially, when he declar- ed, that both of these individuals had diedhefore they pass- ed into these states? And more especially, when he tells the rich man, that he had his good things in his life time^ and Lazarus evil things ; but now in this other life, or sec- ond state of existence, Lazarus is comforted, but the rich man is tormented ? And to confirm them still farther in this view, he represents one going from that world or state where Lazarus was, to the state where the rich man had 21 242 ARGUMENTS A>L> rKl.NCU'LLS been, as rising from the dead. "Neither would thev be persuaded though one rose from the dead." Now we asik, was not the whole construction of this parable, from begin- ning to end — its phraseology — and every thing about it, calculated to induce a belief that the common opinion of two slates after death, was the opinion of Christ; and the opinion which he knew his hearers would understand him to inculcate, and which he must have intended they should understand him to inculcate? Nay more — Jesus knew not only that they must, but that they had a right so to under- stand him; and could not understand him any other way. Was Jesus a universalist missionary from heaven — and yet speaking parables which plainly and indisputably recogni- zed the common opinion of two states beyond death,- when he knew he should and must be so understood? When he knew his hearers and disciples would so understand him in every age for eighteen hundred years ? When he knew too, that his language plainly and unequivocally recognized the principle ; and that neither men nor Satan could ever con- trive any other sense to it, till this age of remarkable inven- tions? Be it a parable. We contend not for a literal in- terpretation of it, but we do contend for ihcit principle, which a parable so formed, so worded, and delivered to such a people, on such an occasion, by such a personage as Jesus Christ, is calculated to support. We will here give some extracts from that superexcellent work, from which we enriched this volume on Gehenna. " I will now present you with my exposition of the para- bio. You may determine its extent and import in some degree from tjie context. After relating the parable of the unjust steward, our Saviour warns his disciples in the hearing of many others, against an undue attachment to worldly possessions, which he represents under the figure of mammon, a Syrian divinity, answering to the classical Plutus the god of riches. " Ye cannot serve God and mam- mon. Wheu the covetous pharisees heard all these things they derided him. Here then you have the occasion on which the following parable was related, and of course, you will look for something pertinent to the occasion. The sa- OF UNIVERSALlSiM EXAMINED. 243 red historian would not have mentioned the derision of the t'ovttous Pharisees unless to have introduced the discourse to which their derision gave rise. Their scornful looks, words, or actions, it appears, broke off his discourse to his disciples, and he turns immediately to them with these words: "ye are they which justify yourselves before men but God knowethyour hearts." lie then assures them in the following verses of the perpetuity of the moral obliga- tions of the law, implies that it was not his office to relax or abrogate it, but to render its requisitions the more strict. — He then proceeds to rebuke more particularly that sin, which had always been the most prominent in his reproach- es of the pharisees, a supreme love of wealth, which they had sought by extortion from the widow, the orphan, and the fatherless. Now to discern the point of the parable, you must re- member the fundamental errour of the pharisees on this subject. When Jusus said ye cannot serve God and mam- mon, it was a hard saying to them. For they had attempt- ed to serve both; they had thought their sei-vice accep- table in the sight of heaven; they had imagined that while their hearts were bound u[) in this world's goods they were still faithful in their duty to God, were objects of his spe- cial favour, and the heirs of his kingdom. And this sin h the very point at which our Saviour aims in this parable. His grand design is to teach that riches, do not commend a man to the favour of our Father, or confer permanent felici- ty; but that covetousness must be punished hereafter. In order to do this he represents an affluent man, surroundo'tlPLES ^ ration of this world.'^ Id the third place he quotes some cases where it means " tlie ages of the world.'" In the fourth place, '' this present life, this world." In the fifth place, '^the world to come, the next life.'' And sixth, '-'an age, period, or periodical dispensation of divine providence.'' So much for the noun aion, which we shall call up again in due time; and from which the adjective aionion is deri- ved, which is prefixed to future punishment and future happiness; and is rendered in our English Testament ti;- erlasting and eternal. Uuiversalist criticks have condem- ned the translation, and defined rhe word to signify age- lasting instead of eternal; not because aion, from which it is derived, primarily signifies nn age — not because its com- mon and first meaning is age ; nor its second; nor its third : nor its fourth; nor indeed its fifth ; but its sixth I Aion has been used, by a great latitude of expression, to signify an age ; hence, they say aionion must mean, literally, age-last- ing! Or as some would make it out, it has no meaning at all : for they say " it means more or less, without any definite signification." We might as well have such a word trans- lated in the Testament thus, ''any thing that will best com- port withyour theory "/ But why do not those erudite crit- icks tell their readers, that aion, in its primary and literal sense, is eternity, and that aionion being derived from it, in its primary and literal sense, is eternal/ For this plain reason, it would not suit their theory! This is the only reason. Parkhurst defines the word aio7uo3 in its frst and literal sense, to mean, '^ Kternal, having neither begi7iningnor end. In its seconc? sense, ''Eternal, without end.'' In its third, he quotes a text in Jude, verse 7, where it is applied to the fire which destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah; but thinks it is there used figuratively, as an emblem of the future eter- nal perdition of the wicked. The Lexicon gives a few oth- er instances, in which the word is used figuratively without implying endless duration. Parkhurst's Lexicon is sus- OF O.NlVERaALISM KXA-^U^KO- -41) tained by the most learned authorities, <\m\ universally al- lowed to be the standard. From this high authority it comes out, that the noted Greek adjective aionion. signifies eternal. This is its first — v its primary — its literal meaning: and there is no word eith- er in the Greek language or any other language, that ex- presses endless duration more distinctly and unequivocally than this word. But Jifter all, it is contended, the word is sometimes ap- plied to things not literally endless in their duration. This is true, but it alters not the literal meaning oi" the word. — Who will deny that the primary and literal sense of the English words eternal and everlasting is endless duration! Yet these words are not unfrequenlly applied to things, which we do not suppose to be literally endless. But when we so use the words, we speak figuratively. The figure is called by rhetoricians a hyperhole ; that is, an exaggeration. The object of such figures of speech is to magnify the sub- ject of discourse. Hence, in the use of this figure, an ad- jective of unlimited meaning is sometimes applied to things that are limited; but it is not done to limit the sense of the adjective, but to magnify the thing to which we apply it. As when we say, " they ran like the wind, or like lightning," we do not mean the wind or lightning is any less swit't than common; but by this comparison, we intend to magnify the fieetness of those who ran. This figure is no improp- er deception, but often renders expressions agreeable; and much of the beauty and force of eloquence depends upon its use. So when we say the "everlasting hills," we do not mean that the term everlasting does not signify everlast- ing; but we mean by the use of this unlimited adjective to magnify the idea of the great durability of the hills. The term in such cases is used in a figurative or hyperbolical sense. In the same manner precisely, the term aionion is occasionally used hyperbolically to magnify our ideas of things, which are known to be limited or not absolutely '^.3U ARGUMKNTS A.ND TUI .N Cli'LES endless. Yet such figurative use of the word does not disprove its unlimited siguific^ation, any more than llie saule use of eternal and everlasting disproves their unlimited meaning. Hence, it follows as an undeniable truth, that the Greek aionion and the English etenuil and everlasting are synonymous and of the same import; and both, in their primary and literal sense, signify endless duration. And they should both be always so understood, unless the nature of the expression shows them to be used figuratively to magnify their subjects. It is said, that aionion is noi so expressive of endless du- ration as other words in the Greek language; and if the writers meant to signify endless misery, they would have applied the term akatalutos^ which occurs in Heb. vii : IG. " Who is made, not after the law of a carnal command- ment, but after the power of an (akatalutou) er.t//ess life." Now, the truth is, this word would not have been so expres- sive of endless duration as the word they used. Instead of being derived from a noun, M'hich literally, in its primary meaning, signifies eternity, it is derived from a (not) and katalutos (dissolved) and signifies not dissolved. And the apostle used this word above, more v.'ith reference to the indissoluble nature of Christ, as distinguished from those priests, who were made after the power of a carnal (frail, dying,) commandment, than with reference to the special and absolute eternity of his existence. But we might as well contend, that because the word indissoluble implies endless duration, therefore, eternal i]oes not imply it; as to contend, that because the word akatalutos implies endless duration, therefore, aionion does not. Akatalutos is the most proper Greek word to express indissoluble; Aphthar- tos to express incorruptible or immortal ; and Aionios (neu- ter) Aionion, to express eternal or everlasting. When, sim- ply, endless duration is to be expressed by an adjective, there is no other word in the Greek language so proper for that expression as aionios. It is tlie word generally chosen OF rNIVl^RSALISM KXAMIM'.D. 251 foi- iliut purpose by the sacred writers. Nay, they always used it, when they v/ould quuHly a noun solely in reference to its eternal duration. The objection universaHsts bring to aionios, that it is sometimes used figuratively without implying an endless duration, would apply equally against any other word. For instance, akatalutos (indissoluble) might be applied, in a hyperbolical manner, to things which are not easily dissolved ; and aphihartos (incorruptible) to things which approximate near to incorruptibility. But such magnify- ing expressions do not limit the ■literal signification of the words at all. We may further add that this view of the word aionion is sustained, not only by Parkhurst, but by Macliuight, Campbell, Clarke, and 9II other eminent lin- guists, who have been qualified to judge, and have spent years in the investigation, exce])t some men, who have de- fined the word for the express purpose of getting rid of it. And had the sacred authors applied any other word in the Greek language to future punishment, these men would have, doubtless, found it equally manageable, and flexible. And yet they have the spunk to tell us, that all the above learned authors bear them out in their definitions I They make it out in the same way, that they make Wesley and Clarke imiversalists? If the other Greek adjectives we have noticed are not used in a figurative and limited sense in the Testament, it is because they are unimportant words, and seldom used in the book, not because they might not be so used with equal propriety. 3. We will now bring together a number of instances in whicli the term aionion occurs, and is rendered sometimes eternal and sometimes everlastins;. " But is in danger o{ eternal damnation." Mark iii. 29. " Even his eternal power and godhead." Rom. i. 20. " A far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory." II. Cor. IV. 17. " But the things which are not seen are eternal.'" ver. 18. " We have a building with God, a house not Z,y-Z AllGUMENTS AM) PKI.NCIPLKS iniule with hands, efcrnflnn the heavens." v. 1. "Ac- cording to the cfenif// purpose which he purposed in Christ Jesus our Lord." Eph. iii. 11. " Now unto the king eternal.'' I. Tim. i. 17. " That they may also obtain the salvation which is in Christ Jesus whh tternal glory." II. Tim. II. 10. "And being made perfect he became the author of e/ernc/ salvation unto all them that obey him." Heb. V. 9, " And of the resurrection of the dead, and of ffernff7 judgement." vi. 2. "He entered in once into the holy place, having obtained e^erwaZ redemption for us." IX. 12. " Who through the eternal spirit oifered himself." ver. 14. " They which are called might receive the prom- ise of efernaZ inheritance." ver. 15. " Who has called us unto his eternal glory." I. Pet. v. 10. " Rather than having two hands or two feet, to be cast into everlasting fire." Mat. XVIII. 8. " Depart from me ye cursed, into everlasting fire." xxv. 41. " And these shall go away in- to everlasting punishment : but the righteous into life eter- nal.'' ver. 46. " Who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from tlie presence of the Lord." II. Thes. i. 9. " Arid hath given us cverlaMing consolation and good hope through grace." ii. 16. " To whom be honour and power everlasting.'" 1. Tim. vi. 16. " Shall receive an hundredfold, and shall inherit everlasting life." Mat. xix. 29. " Who shall not receive manifold more in this pres- ent time, and in the world to come \\(q everlasting.'' Luke XVIII. 80. " That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting hfe." John iii. 16. " He ! that believeth on the son hath everlasting life." ver. 36. ■ " But the water that I shall give him shall be in hira a well of water springing up into everlasting life." iv. 14. " He that heareth my word and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life." v. 24. " But for that meat which endureth unto everlasting life." vi. 27. "That every one which seeth the son and believeth on him, may have ] everlasting life." ver. 40. " He that believeth on me i or UNIVERSALISM EXAMINED. 253 hath everlasting life." ver. 47. " And I know that his commandment is hfe everlasting.'' xn. 50. " But seeing ye put it from you, and judge yourselves unworthy of ever- Uisting life, lo, we turn to the Gentiles." Acts xiii. 46. " Ye have your fruit unto hohness, and the end everlasting iife." Rom. VI. 22. " But he that soweth to the spirit, shall of the spirit reap life everlasting.'' Gal. vi. 8. " For a pattern to them which should liereafter believe on him to life everlasting.'" I.Tim, i. 16. "Good master, what good thing shall I do, that I may have eternal life ?" Mat. XIX. 16; also Mark x. 17; also Luke x. 25; also xviii. 18. " That whosoever believeth in him should not perish but have eternal life." John in. 15. " And he that reap- eth receiveth wages, Tind gathereth fruit unto life eternal." IV. 36. " Search the Scriptures : for in them ye think ye have eternal ViCe.'" v. 39. "Whoso eateth my flesh and drinkcth my blood, hath eternal life ; and I will raise him up at the last day." vi. 54. "To whom shall we go ? thou hast the words of eternal life." Ver. 68. " And I give unto them eternal life ; and they shall never perish." X. 23. " And he that hateth his life in this world, shall keep it unto life eternal." xii. 25. " That he should give tiernal life to as many as thou hast given him." xvii. 2. " And as many as were ordained to eternal life believed." Acts xiii. 48. " To them who by patient continuance in well doing seek for glory and honour and immortality, eter- nal \\fED. 259 meaning must be something, and something too clearly drawn from the description — something which such lan- guage would be well calculated to convey to the mind of the hearers ; and such hearers as were with our Saviour when he delivered it. The exposition universalists put on it, contines the whole drama to this world ; and makes it to have been fulfdled nhoutfortij years after it was spoken, in the judge- ment which came ou the Jewish nation, the destruction of Jerusalem, and the spread of the gospel among the Gen- tdes. They go into the 24th chapter, and contend that the ''^ coming of the son of maii" there described, was an event to happen before that generation passed away — before all of them lasted of death, &c. And from that chapter and corresponding passages in the other evatigelists, they make it appear that the '^ coming of Christ" there, was expressive of a season of temporal judgcraeut on Judea and Jerusalem, which very exactly occurred when Titus, the son of the Roman Emperor besieged Jerusalem ; destroy- ed the city ; caused above eleven hundred thousand deaths ; sold multitudes as slaves and laid waste the country. — With regard to that "coming of the son of man" iu the 24th chapter, we should probably agree, though it is be- lieved that allusion is there also made to the last judge- ment. Universalists contend, that the 25th chapter begins with particular reference to that " coming of Christ" which was in temporal judgement on the Jews, by the word then ; meaning the time he had referred to in the 24th chap- ter, which was before that generation should pass away. — Hence, they conclude both the 24th and 25th of Matthew are a continued discourse, and refer to but one principal event, the destruction of Jerusalem. 1. It is admitted that the " coming of the son of man" in the 24th of Matthew, alluded to the calamities coming on Judea ; but we have no evidence that the coming in the 25th is the same. We know not that the 28d, 24th, and 25th of Matthew are one continued discourse. The whole ^60 AliGUM>:NTS A.ND PRINCIPLES was written without the division into chapters andTerses r.s It now stands ; and it is probable the 25th chapter was deliv- ered on another occasion, and referred to another coming, of whicli his hearers had some idea. There are other com- ing.i of Christ spolien of in the Scriptures, besides that which signified the Jewish calamity. '* So that ye come behind in no gift; waiting for the coming of onr Lord Je- sus Christ." I. Cor. i. 7. This coming of Christ could not have been that of the destruction of Jerusalem, be- cause it is spoken of as an important event in which the Corinthians were as much interested i\s any other people. Were it the destruction of the Jewish city, these Corin- thians could have had no spiritual or imf)ortant interest in the matter. "But every man in his own order; Christ the first fruits : afterwards they that are Christ's at his coming." I. Cor. xv. 23. None will dispute that this coming of Christ is at the resurrection of the dead. This was a coming of Christ in which not only the Jews, but all mon were particularly interested. Let it be kept in mind that the resurrection of the dead is called *' the coming of Christ," as well as the event of the Jewish calamity. — " For what is our hope, or joy, or crown of rejoicing ? (are) not even ye in the presence of our Lord Jesus Christ at his coming ?" I. Thes. ii. 39. The Word are italicised above is a supplied word ; and should be supplied stf as to put it in the future : thus, " will ye not be in the presence of our Lord Jesus Christ at his coming ?" These people of Thessalonica will be present with our Lord at his com- ing in the resurrection ; but they were not present either among the Jews or the Roman armies at the destruction of Jerusalem. "For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive, and remain unto the coming of the Lord, shall not prevent them which are asleep. For the Lord himself shall descend from heav" ••vi:h a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and wit^' ■'■ trump of God : and the dead in Christ shall rise ^rs OF UNIVERSALISM PJXAMINED. 2(31 Thes. IV. 15, 16. No language can be plainer than this to teach not only the coming of Christ at the resurrection ; but that a distinction shall then be made between the friends of Christ and his enemies. '' And I pray God, your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ." v. 23. ''Be patient therefore, brethren, unto the coiuing of the Lord." James V. 7. lany other passages might be adduced, but these are enough for our purpose; which is to show, that the apos- tles expected the coming of Christ at the resurrecfion of the dead. 2. The circumstance of the Jewish calamity, or Christ's prediction of them, is recorded by two of the other evan- gelists, which indicates that tkey were also present with Matthew, wherihe spoke to his disciples upon the Mount of Olives ; but were not present at some other time when Matthew heard him deUver the substance of the 25tb chap- ter of his gospel, in which he describes his last coming at a general judgement. Had the other evangelists been pres- ent to hear such a grand and sublime description, it can- not be supposed they would have omitted it. This is strong preoumptive evidence that these two chapters were not both delivered at the same time ; and did not both refer to the same event. 8. There was nothing in the events of Jerusalem and the Roman armies to accord with the language of our Lord on that occasion. There is no sense in which " all iiations" were gathered before him. The Jews were gath- ered together for war; and a large army of Romans be- jgpieged them. But this was not the gathering together of all nations., Universalists insist on the word all in the Bi- We to mean not a part. And in suoh an expression, no sophistry can limit its meaning to a few Jews and Romans. In what sense, were all nations gathered before him at the (kstntcLion of Jerusalem / They were not all, nor n prin- SlJ^ ARGUMENTS AND PRINCIPLES cipal part, engaged in the war. Neither was any principal or distinguished judgement, at that time, executed upon all the corrupt and wicked nations, nor were the good gen- erally admitted to any distinguished favour, or especially rewarded at that time. The unbelieving Jews to be sure were conquered and sufiered much as a people : but the successful Romans were idolators. Who were the righte- ous so signally blessed at this judgement ? Why, the uni- versalists will tell us, they were the christianized Jews, the disciples of that nation. V/ell, in what manner did they come, at that time, and "inherit the kingdom prepared for them ?" &ZC. Why, it is said they entered into the enjoy- ment of the gospel ! Look again. The disciples of Christ, who were ah'eaily enjoying the gospel, when the Romans destroyed their city, entered into the enjoyment of the gos- pel! ]5ut it is said, they were saved from the calamities that others suffered, and escaped the Roman sword ! And was this all ? It cannot be proved, that the disciples, at that time, received any signal blessing only they escaped the sword. Again when " all nations were gathered together before him," and the King said to them on the left hand, •• depart from me ye cursed," &c. who and what did he mean ? Why the wicked persecuting Jews. Well, let tjiese stand for the wicked of a// nations. How did they depart into (aionion) everlasting fire: and go away into (aionion) eveil.iating punishment ? Why, they were slain by the sword and by famine, and went to the everlasting joys of heaven! Monstrous absurdity! Let us see t' absurd thing once more, in form of a paraphrase. " When the Son of 3iaa shall come in his glory and all the holy angels with hira, (when the Roman army shall besic Jerusalem,) then shall he sit upon the throne of his glor, (invisible and unknown both to Jews and Romans,) and be- fore him shall be gathered all nations ; (the Jews a^d Ro- man army shall come together,) and he shall separate them one from aiiother as a shepherd divideth bis gheep n» OF UMVKRSALISM EXAMINED. .263 the goats. (The believers shall be separated from the rest of the Jews.) Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand ; come ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. (Come ye blessed of my father, ye shall escape the sword and the famine now at the destruction of Jerusalem ; and ye shall live to suffer all the horrours of persecution — to be sawn asunder, imprisoned, and burned to death, by the Ro- man Emperors, after they get through punishing the Jews, and sending them to glory !) For I was an hungered and ye gave me meat, &c. (For ypu christianized Jews did this to one another.) Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, depart from me, ye cursed, into everlast- ing fire, prepared for the devil and his angels. (Depart from your country and lives, ye cursed, unbelieving Jews, into death and immediate everlasting happiness in the king- dom of glory, prepared for the Jewish nation, the enemy of Christ, and the high priests, and Judas, and all his ad- versaries !) And these shall go away into everlasting pun- ishment; but the righteous into life eternal. (And these shall most of them die, which all must do soon, and go away into age-lasting punishment, a state of immortality and bliss ; but the righteous into life age-lasting, the enjoy- ment of the gospel of Christ, by which they shall be per- secuted from city to city, bleeding under the lacerating scourge, during life, and at last they shall come to the same place,) or if that wdl not do, say, (these shall die and go to heaven, and a remnant of them shall be scattered -r.broad in the earth ; and their posterity shall not come to a knowledge of the gospel for many ages ; but the disciples shall continue to enjoy the gospel which they have enjoy- ed before.) The exposition which universalists give this parable is no better than the above, though they may clothe it up- with a little better gloss. If this is believing any thing more than its varnished sense, we will admit the author 2G4 ARGUMENTS AND PRINCIPLES must be mistaken. Christ's hearers never had acumen enough to so understand him. Neither had anybody in- genuity enough to understand him so, till ihe dazzhng flood of* hght recently poured upon the Scriptures by universal- ists. Indeed, the light is so piercing and dazzling that none can gaze on it with any satisfaction without first veil- ing their faces ! Does not this construction make our Saviour a fabul- ous narrator of nonsense ? But let his words mean what they unequivocally declare ; and the description is power- ful and full of meaning. The promised award to the righ- teous stands in the 46th verse of this noted passage, in ex- act contrast with the punishment ^f the wicked. The one is aionion life, and the other aionion punishment. That the aioiuonUfe is expressive of the everlasting happiness of heaven generally in the Bible, cannot be disputed. We have seen it was used, as the most common and familiar phrase, to denotfe the glorious hope, the heavenly inher- itance of the disciples. We have seen too, that the ad- jective which qualifies its duration, was the very same, which was usually employed to denote endless duration — that uo other word at the time was so generally employed in that sense — that no other word, in use, was so proper, either from its root and derivation or its familiarity and well known apphcation, to denote the everlasting duration of a thing, as that very word. Over against this everlast- ing happiness, thus expressed in language usually employ- ed to denote the deathless felicity of the righteous, there stands on the other parallel side of the antithesis, a des- cription of punishment. Look at it. It is aiom'on punish- ment, and aionion life. No stronger ivord in the Bible is applied to the duration of heaven, of God, of angels, or any other thing, than is here applied to the bliss of heaven, and the misery of the wicked. Universalists will dispute this, of course ; for it perfectly upsets their theory ; and of course, must be disposed of. But the learned criticks of past ages OF UNIVERSA1.ISM EXAMINED. 265 will sustain this proposition,; and every learned man, who will examine the subject for himself will know it is true. If any thing, as vague and imperfect as words, can prove the endless misery of a portion of the liuman race, then it is proved abundantly ; and in the strongest possible manner. 4. It will be objected, that Jesussaid nothing here about the resurrection of the dead; and if he had meant to de- scribe future judgement he would have noticed that. An- swer. The people well understood, that such a judgo- ment as he there describes must beat the resurrection, as matter of course. He had frequently told them of a judge- ment at the resurrection. For instance thus, "Marvel not at this, for the hour is coming, in the which all that are in the graves shall hear his voice, and shall come forth, they that have done good unto the resurrection of life, and they that have done evil to the resurrection of damnation." — John v: 28, 29. Read again, "It is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgement." Much inge- nuity has been exerted to make this text mean, that the judgement does not come after death. But their explana- tions have no weight against the plain declaration of truth. They have never invented an explanation of the text, that had any plausibility in it. Read again, "Because he hath appointed a day in the which he will judge the world in righteousness." Read, " And he commanded us to preach nnto the people and to testify that it is he which was ordained of God to be the judge of quick (the living) and dead." — Was he ordained to be the judge of the dead as well as the living, yet were all the dead judged and rewarded and pun- ished before they died ? Hear Paul to Timothy, " I charge thee, therefore, before God and the I^ord Jesus Christ, who will judge the quick (living) and the dead at his ap- pearing and his kingdom." Did Paul here mean to teach Timothy, that the apj^eartng of the Lord Jesus Christ, in judgement, would be at the destruction of Jerusalem; and that he would then judge both the living and the dead ; and 23 866 AROUMKNTS AWD PRINCIPLES that all men are judged before they die too? It seems as if universalists themselves, would acknowledge that we might have quoted, at le?ist, one passage of scripture, iu the Renunciation, hitd we been very anxious to do so. Read, " To the end he may establish your hearts unbla- mable in holiness before God, even our Father, at the com- ing of our Lord Jesus Christ with all his saints." — 1 Thes. in: 13. Why should the Thesaslonians be exlrorted to be established in holiness, and prepared for the coming of Christ at the destruction of Jerusalem? This was an event in which they had no more interest than we Americans had in the great battle of Waterloo. In what sense did Christ come at the destruction of Jerusalem with all his saints? — "For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him.*' —IThes. IV : 14. We will now present a passage from 2 Thes. 1 chapters to which we have once referred but with design to bring it forward again iu this connexion, as it deserves the particu- lar attention of the reader. "So that we ourselves glory in you in the churches of God, for your patience and faith in all your persecutions and tribulations that ye endure : which is a manifest token of the righteous j^idgement of God, that ye may be counted worthy of the kingdom of God, for u'hich ye also suffer : seeing it is a righteous thing with God to recompense tribula- tion to them that trouble you : And to you vi^ho are troub- led, rest with us; when the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven v/ith 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 punish- ed with (aionion) everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of his power." On this we renaark, 1. Paul was addressing christians, who, notwithstanding all their fidelity to their Lord, were suffering the extreraest afflictions and trials. That they so suffered that they might be accounted worthy of the heav- enly inheritance which they anticipated. Of course they were not rewarded in this life for their piety, but suffered by it. See verses 4, 5. OF UNlVEaSAilBM EXAMINED. 267 2. That a judgement wns In reserve for those who perse- cuted the christians, and that judgement was then future; so that sin itself does not always punish itseh', nor does con- science; for they were looidng forward to a future time for it. 3. This was not the destruction of Jerusalem; for, as we have repeatedly stated, they had nothing to do with the war which was to rage between the Romans and Jews. Sup- pose that one of the people at Thessalonica had written a letter to the venerable apostle to know what he meant by the "coming of the Lord Jesus, inflaming fire, who should punish the ungodly with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord and the glory of his power"? The apostle should write to him in answer, that he was only in- dulging in bombast, at that time ; and simply meant noth- ing more than this: you know the Romans are a powerful people, and the Jews by and by will provoke them to war; which will terminate in the destruction of their own city, the loss of many lives, the end of their government, and the dispersion of their people !! ! Comment is unneces sary. 4. We add here that the apostles to the Gentiles have never said any thing about the destruction of Jerusalem, of which Christ spoke to the Jews, because it was matter of no special concern to them; although, as we have seen, they frequently allude to the final comingof Christ to judge- ment at the resurrection of the dead, which places our Lord's meaning in the 25th of Matthew beyond all dispute. There, as well as in this passage to the Thessalonians, an awful sentence of condemnation against the wicked is plain- ly taught. — Nay, that it will be a sentence to evtrlasting . perdition and misery is the express and unequivocal lan- guage of Christ and his apostle. There is no evading this truth. If universalists will not have it so, it is because they ioill not; and the whole debate is evidently between them, and Jesus ChrJsj apd the apostles. Yet there are faces so 26d arodmewts and pbikciples incapable c{ a blush, as to say before a christian communi- ty, that the ouly reason a man did not quote a single pass- age of Scripture against universalism, was because he could not; that be would gladly have brought it forward ifh& could, &-C. ! If men are determined not to allow the Scrip- tures to mean what they unequirocally declare, how can we expect to bring a i^assage to confute them ? Let the Bible speak for itseiCm Us oyfnisnvarnishcd unsophisticated truth; and it speaks confusion to universalism, and terrour and dismay to many of its votaries. But to suppose the Bible will confute them, after they have frittered away all its solemn declarations, which do not suit thera, none has the folly to presume. Let a thousand men be liberally ed- ucated in a foreign land, where they should be strangers t» the Bible. Then let each of them receive a copy, with a request that they should exj>raine it with the utmost care, and compare it with the original; and then tell whether it teaches a future judgement of mankind, and the endless perdition of the wicked ; or that all men are rewarded in this life justly and fully, and all happy tlie next moment of conscious existence after death. Let them have no creed to support; no party to please: no interests at stake ; no prejudices to v.-arp the judgement ; and every one of the thousand would decide, that it teaches future eternal retri- bution. Indeed, the doctrine is no where taught as a nev/ doctrine, or as a disputed doctrine: for it was generally be- lieved throughout the world; and none denied k in that day who admitted a future existence. But it \>as taught generally, distinctly, clearly, and amply throughout the New Testament, as an undeniable truth. Indeed, as plain- ly as any body has ever taught it since; making allowance for the difference of style between the aneients and mod- ernn, we are of opinion that the excess of future misery has been exaggerated by modern writers beyond what tl: ■ Bible intended; but as to its existence there has been r difference. or U.NlVERSAiISM EXAMINED. 269 5. It may be urged in favour of the univeraalist exposition of the 25th of Matthew, that the spread of the Gospel among the Gentiles and their induction into the gospel faith, is what is meant by the " blessed coming to inherit the kingdom," &c. and their coming into hfe eternal; but this did not take 'place in any special sense, at the destruc- tion of Jerusalem. Peter saw the vision of the sheet let down from heaven long before that event; and learned that "in ev-^ry nation he that feareth God and worketh right- eousness is accepted of him." Long before that event the apostle turned to the Gentiles, saying to the Jews, " since ye count yourselves unworthy of everlasting life, lo, we turn to the Gentiles." Long before this event, the Spirit of the Lord was ])oured out upon the christians of all coun- tries, on the day of Pentecost; and before this, the Gospel was preached by the faithful apostles in Persia, Greece, Egypt, and the northern parts of Africa, in Rome, and Spain, and throughout the known world. Christians had multiplied every where; and the moral kingdom of our Lord was fully established in the earth, long before the Jewish and Roman war, as much as it was at that time. — And there was nothing in that event that could justify the description of the 25th of Matthew. II. "And whosoever speaketh a word against the Son of maa, it shall be forgiven him; but whosoever speaketh against the Holy Ghost, it shall not be forgiven him, neither in this world, neither in the world to come." — Mat. xii : 32. On this passage universalists tell us the Greek word, here rendered world, is aion which means an age or pe- riodical dispensation of divine providence. We have shown in a former section, that this is the sixth definition given the word in Parkhurst's Lexicon — that it is sometimes used in that sense, though not often. That it more frequently signifies a state of being is evident; and it is perfectly cer- tain, that it signifies the whole of the state of being for which it it used. It is the word always used in the New Testament, as we believe, for /t/e time, when thie present 23* 270 ARGU>IK?»T* AUD PRKtCIPLLS life time i.3 compared with the next. Wherever the inspi- red writers speak of thishfe, meaning this present state of ^ existence, and of the life to come, meaning the future state of existence, they call it this aioiiand the ami to come. And we declare without fear of contradiction, that aion is th« most proper word, in the Greek language, to express this present state of being and the next. So that the plain sense of our Saviour was evidently this, "Whosoever shall speak against the Holy Ghost, shall not be forgiven, neith- er in this state of being nor in that state of being which is to come." But allowing the definition which nniversalists insist upon to be correct, "they shall not be forgiven, neith- er under the dispensation of the law, nor the dispensation of the gospel," we would ask them ichen they will be for- given ? We cannot see that their quibble about aion does them any good after all. The reader is requested to keep in mind the definition which universalists give to the word forgivenesses used in the Bible. They say "it does not signify, a release from any deserved punishment, but a de- liverance from sin." Now let them have their own defini- tion of both aion and forgiveness. Then our text would read thus: "Whosoever shall speak against the Holy Ghost, shall not be delivered from sin, neither under the dispensation of the law, nor in the dispensation of the gos- pel."! W'e might ask in what dispensation they are to be deliv- ered from sin? Certainly the Bible knows of no dispensa- tions, in which revolutions and changes take place, after the dispensation of the Gospel. It mast be under the neiv dispensation of universalism or mormonism, unknown in the days of Christ, that such sinners are to be delivered from their sins! We always considered this one of the hardest among the many hard passages that universalists Jaad to contend with. 2. But the correspondingfpassages will reflect light upon this text. "But he^that shall blaspheme against the H( ? OF U.f iVKHSALlSSM KXAMIISKI). 271 Ghost hath nerer forgiveness ; but is in danger o«f aioni- on eternal damnation." — Mark in: 29. "And whosoever shall speak a word against the Son of man, it shall be for- given him : but unto him that blasphemeth against the Htly Ghost, it shall not be forgiven."-— Luke xii : 10. According to these passages, it is immaterial whether aion, in Matt, signifies this life or, dispensatioii ; for such are never to be forgiven-— they are not to be forgiven. If the universalian definition o( forgiveness be correct, they are never to be delivered from their sins I Nay, they are in danger of (aionion) everlastirjg damnation ! It will not be supposed our Saviour was talking about the danger of that, which had no existence, except in the brains of enthusiasts and fanaticks. By a comparison of these passages, we are satisfied, that our Saviour meant, on that occasion, when he was accused of casting out devils by demoniacal agency, that such per- sons as would deny his miracles thus openly performed be- fore their eyes, and impute them to the devil, were wilful- ly and obstinately disposed to resist the best evidences of the truth; and, therefore, would not be likely to repent or reform; but would persevere in their perverseness; and were on that account in great danger of being, at last, cast into gehenna, and eternally condemned. 3. Such is the language of divine inspiration — the dec- larations of Christ. If they are not true, they will nevef injure us; but if they are true, we have an interest in them, Avith which no earthly object can compart. We shall soon pass from this world of contention and strife. But if we find in the end, that the good, the humble, the practical christian only is to be admitted into the everlasting joys of the heavenly world; and the corrupt, abandoned, and un- principled, are positively and absolutely to be separated from the favour of God, from all good society, from all the pleasures of a good conscience, and from all blissful sensa- tiojas and anticipations — to live irf darkness, perdition, and 272 ARGUMENTS Ai?*D rRl>CIPLE« despair, ii is nwitter of the highest croasideratiou, ibat we attend to ii while the vital spark continues to burn. If on this subject, our decision should be wrong, when death closes the scene, and winds up our earthly interests; and ue have formed no habits of virtue, no feelings of piety, no reverence and filial devotion towards the invisible and Al- mighty Disposer of events; and we should find ourselves arraigned before the tribunal of an omnipotent Judge: and should there meet with scenes properly corresponding with those so frequently described in the Scriptures; it would then be too late to alter our plan — too late to correct the fatal errour — too late to retrieve neglected opportunities — too late to recall slighted invitations, and rejected mercies — too late to heal the injuries inflicted upon a fellow being —or to dry the tears of the oppressed — or to wash away tlie blood that has crimsoned the pathway of sin I We have in this section brought into view a number of solemn declarations of Jesus and the apostles. That they were designed to teach the doctrine of future judgement and eternal retribution, we have not a single doubt. If the consideration of them shall terrify the wicked to pause in their career, we shall be willing to suffer all the "con- tempt" that shall be poured out upon us as the price of our "temerity." We frankly acknowledge that we would frighten the guilty iftiiey cannot be shamed out of their course. " Knowing the terrours of the Lord, we persuade men." If any tipler shall be haunted with trembling fear, till he dash the poisoned cup from his lips: If any young man, charmed by the deceptive allurements of crime, shall shrink from the contemplated adventure: If any hand up- lifted for fatal purpose shall fall harmless before the majesty of truth: If any villain shall be constrained to spare his victim: If the tears of the injured and the suffering shall in any degree be prevented : If the awful dread of future wo shall bring trembling and dismay into the ranks of the gambling, profane, and licentious; and if virtue and practi- OF UNIVERSALISM EXAMINED. 27;$ cal piety shall be promoted, we shall be richly paid; anit shall sweetly taste the delicious remuneration; though it might bring around us all the malice of the nether world; and all its blackening stomas should pour their uuiniugled vengeance upon our head. CHAPTER IV. Religion and Revelation vindicated, against Skbp- TicisM AND Infidelity. I. On the existence of God. — That revelation and religion depend on the question, whether there is a God, will not be denied. Although it is commonly supposed that there are few or no atheists in the world ; and nothing is more un- popular than atheism ; yet we are inclined to think that un- t)elievers in revealed religion are generally atheist#. There are many strange things to be sure in revealed religion ; but what else could be expected from a special revelation ? Hits truths were not extraordinary and strange to us — if I hey were nothing more than what was manifest in nature, then no special revelation would be necessary to make them known to us. While, therefore, we say, that no divine re- velation can contradict itself, we say that the strange and to us incredible things declared in Scripture is no argument •agjiinsts its being indeed a divine revelation, but rather an argument in favour of such fact. If we begin with athe- ism, and Jsay there is no God, then supernatural events would, upon this hypothesis, be impossible, and so would any special ^revelation be impossible. Nay, organization, intellect, and every thing would be impossible. But begin with Theism — admit there is a God, and ail things are equally possible, except they involve a contradiction. ' We know that we exist, and are satisfied that the world around us exists. Therefore one of these things must be true: 1. Either the world with all its species and varieties c)f being has existed from eternity; or 2, that it produced itself; or 3, that it was produced by chance ; or 4, that an uncreated almighty and intelligent Being created it. One ol' these positions must be true. J . Is it true, that the univct'se has existed from oteinity ? RELIGION VINDICATED. 275 If SO, every part of it must have existed so long ; for If any species or variety of being has been created and did not eternally exist, then the whole might have been created as easy. Therefore, human beings musthave always existed. Of course there must have been an infinite number of hu- man beings before this time, and all that shall exist here- after will be so many more than an infinite number. Nay, one thousand years ago, there must have been then an in- finite number of human beings, and all that have existed since are so many added to infinity ! Nay, from all eternity there must always have been a preceding infinite number, which infinite number must have been constantly increas- ing from all eternity ! Again, each human being has two eyes, consequently there must have been twice as many in- finite numbers of eyes as beings ! The same might be said of all other things. There is almost an infinite number of infinities added to each other, which amounts to the same number of absurdities and impossibilities. So that the theory of the eternal existence of the world, stands upon nothing better than an infinite number of impossibilities! 2. Has the world produced itself ? If so it must have acted before it existed, which is absolutely impossible, therefore it did not produce itself. 3. Did chance produce the world ? No ; for chance does not exist itself: or we use the term to denote the occur- rence of an event, which had no visible connexion with its cause ; but yet we all understand that such things as are said to happen by chance, have all a sufficient cause as much as any thing else. All apparent chance is direction: Therefore chance never produced any thing, and of course never produced the universe. 4. Hence it follows, that an uncreated, unchanging, self-exlsteot, eternal Being, of sufficient power and wisdom created the world. 2. Slenof all ages and nations believe in a God, and wor- fihip him in some form or other. Most of their modes of 2/0 RBLIGIOrf ViriDlCATBD. worship and religious views hare been extravagant and per- nicious, when ignorant and unenhghtened ; but Btill the universal propensity of mankind to acknowledge a God — its prevalence in every age, in every nation — under all the di- vi^rsities of education, habit, and custom, through all the intermediate steps from savage to civilized life, is an argu- ment that a God exists. If there is no God but nature, as atheism teaches, she has been recreant to her own honour, in inspiring her children with a universal propensity to look above her, and honour an eternal Divinity as her creator. Whence comes this universal feeling — this grateful offering of nature? It comes from God ; suppress the conviction as we will, it is the indellible impress of the Deity upon na- ture. Again, it is natural for man to prescribe for himself a rule of action which he supposes to be right. When he violates this rule he feels condemned ; although no human •eye sees it, he feels conscious of the presence of the invisi- ble j\idge. So that man's conscience will either accuse or excuse him. It is then natural for man to believe in a De- ity : nay, it is natural for him to fear the retributions of his justice. Why do we say that any thing is true? Why say that ten is more than one, or that a thing cannot be and not be at the same time ? The reason is, because our minds are so constituted as to make such judgements nat- ural. And it is also as natural for men to believe in a De- ity, and just as certain that God exists, as that any thing exists. We may try to shake of the belief, for the sake of having a chance to do some things unseen, yet it is as much impossible to bring mankind generally to be~atheisl9 and to continue so from age to age, as it would be to bring them to disregard their senses. Philosophers indeed there have been, who attempted to prove that we had no evidence of the divine existence. By the same reasons they have prov- ed, that as there was no God to make a world, there is no world — that we ourselves do not exist in reality ! That all our notions about existence, about the world, and about RELXOiON VIIVDIUATF.D. 2/ t Ood, (if we had any such notions) would be only phantom^- of iraagination ! (if we had any imagination ]) 3. But when the universe is once in being, waving the inanner in which it came into being, it constantly -assuraes new niodifiications aod changes, which plainly and irrcfragi- bly prove llie combination of power and intelligence in their production. If design proves a designer, and contrivance prores a contriver, then we have proof enough in every thing we see arout^d us. Look once at the ])iT.duction of an indi- vidual man. He is formed of parts, each part has an office, and is ife.srg-ziefZfor a sj)ecirick purpose, and is so contrive dxlveX it-wili answer that end or purpose. His legs, for instance, are evidently designed for standing and walking. They are constructed and shaped throughout, with all the requisite joints, tendons, muscles, &c. forsuchause. Now since they are formed a long time previous to use, is it not evident that there was thought and intelligence that looked forward to their subsequent use, and contrived and designed each part, so that it should be adapted to the end in view ? Was not the tongue (which is sometimes made an unruly merabei;) designed and contrived and adapted to its various uses? Was not the ear designed and contrived for hearing ? And did unthinking nature which could not hear contrive it ? The eye is the most astonishing and unfathomable deep of wonders. It would require a volume to explain it but parti- ally. It is formed according to certain known principles of science, requiring in its construction a profound knowledge of the most abstruse and intricate sciences, besides a skill, that raustfor ever baffle all human imitation. Was there not design and contrivance in its construction ; and was there not intelligence in its contrivance ? Could blind na- ture, which cannot see, combine togetherso many abstract principles of philosophy, and arrange such an astonishing piece of machauism for the purpose of seeing, and all that too without any thought or cveii design that seeing should be the result ? Have we a single reader that is so blind as 24 278 RELIGION VINDICATED. to think it? Probablj in the human body there is inoro than ten thoa^and different things designed and contrived for as many diiferent purposes. But the phenomena ofthe human body and the adaptation of its parts, are not so won- derful as the more subtle powers, susceptibilities, and apti- tudes ofthe mind. Yet the atheist supposes that no mind was exerted in the production of all this ! Could we search the vast depths of philosophick truth, and range through creation with learned lore, we should see every where a wise adaptation of means to ends ; every where extended the broad, palpable, and boundless eviden- ces of divine thought, wisdom and design. It will be said every thing may be traced to the laws of nature. But what are the laws of nature but the will of God ? We know nothing ofthe laws of nature, except what we infer from experience. That nature's operations are connected and bound together in chains of causes and effects we have r;; doubt, but the strength and power of these chains, we know no more of than we do of Deity. Could we take a stand upon some astronomical height; and look abroad upon the works of God, upon the earth, the moon, the sun, and stars ; could we still gaze on to other firmaments rising one above another, like arches reared on arches and stretching on in a vast and inconceivable expanse — millions and millions of suns, spheres, and worlds, moving, wheeling, rolling, and shining, in unbounded magnificence and grandeur and har- mony — could we do this, we should feel our littleness, as we should be overwhelmed with the conviction of the uni- versal presence of a creating and supporting power, an om- nicient and omnipotent Jehovah. We should feel the truth ofthe remark, that, '• The undevout astronomer is mad." The principal objection that is made to the idea of a God, is, that we do not know there is such a Being, for we cannot comprehend him. But tlie fact that we cannot comprehend him is no argument at all against the positioq RELiaiOJ^ VINDICATED. 279 that he exists; Ibv we coald not comprehend him were his existence ever so well known. Our inability to compre- hend him is only proof of our own weakness, and not of the non-existence of our creator. II. A belief in God essential to morality. — In a former number, we considered some of the outlines ofproof thata supreme intelligent Being exists, and presides over all the varictiss of created nature. That such is the fact, there cannot be a rational doubt. Vain philosophy, it is true, in its daring attempt to unfold the arcana of things beyoud its ken, has denied the existence of a God, as v,'ell as the exis- tence of the human soul, or body, or mind. Because she could not fully comprehend the Almighty, she rashly de- nied his being; because she could not comprehend miiid, she also denied its being; and for the same reason she has doubted the existence of matter and of every thing ! But men, unaffected with literary mania, will universally believe that we exist, and that the visible universe is a real- ity. And if we admit this wo must admit a Deity. If the first is true, the last must be so. And we conceive this to be, not only the grandest and most stupendous of all truths, but by far the most imporlant to mankind of any ever con- ceived or uttered. If men believe not in a Deity, it is un- deniably true, that they will acknowledge no divine law, and fear no punishment from God. It isalso true, that so far as such men choose to do right they will dip so ; and when they choose to do wrong, they will do so, if they can escape human laws. If an atheist were of so good a disposition — of so good a heart, that he was entirely above temptation—- that he never wished to do wrong, his atheism would not injure any one but himself. But when his disposition hap- pens to be bad — what then ? Vv^ill it be pretended there is any thing then in human laws to restrain him ? Will it be tizi'if] thnt inoral principle will hold him back against the rush of temptation and habit and pasfiiou ? We answer, this IB a suppoj'ition where a man hag not the moral prin- y. KLia 1 o>- V moi'. at !-:d. <_;;;.<•, i>ui reuiiy possesses a corrupt nau baa ui^j-jiii ij.v. ]'. will Rot be pretended that all men are so good at heart that t!:ev choose to do good ia preference to evil ; for a mo- survey oi' the practice of mankind, the robberies, . miTrders, and ail the aggravated scenes of crime iuuuua us, would convince the most skeptical that human ii ; uieis weak and frail, and wi-li )>ield to strong temptation lestvained by ?oine opposite motive still stronger. \» aat id there then to restrain the atliei^t when he is de- Sirf<^js to cheat, to steal, to murder, or to do any other crimes. Homan law must be the only answer! But whal is the strength and security of human law ? Why, if the ulheist could contrive to commit his crime, without the jrtesence af witnesses, he mi^ht do it with perfect safety. The dark curtains of ni^-ht njight conceal the darker deeds of atheism from detection. Under its ample fo-Jds he might i.dly forth to works of black revenge, plunder, and assas- sination, lie thinks no God sees hiin — no human eye carii pierce the darkness ih^it shrouds his villainy — and he be- trays nor himself with tlietrcmJjiings of guilt and fears of .. v:;'...eri;ng judirumeiit. V/hat then is the strength of the :Si;ppose lie happens to be arrested, in a community ui ;iU)eists, how would the trt>ih and nothing but the truth be brought befare th« court ? Why, atheists might tell he truth or not tell the truth as tliey pleased! Nothing but the fear of human l^ws conUl induce them to tell the truth, (v.hen they c'lose not to do it,) and all those hum'sa b.v.s might be evaded by perjury ! Of what use then wou!; liuiTjan Ia;v:i be in a con^.munity of atheists? Of the san/.. prccisely that rules of relative action are in a band of rob- bers or banditti,, uhich each woulil res})ect and abide by !'■ !on2 a.s l:-2 LOiiceived it for his interest to do so and nolo; . ili be seen that all humun law derives it .'. :.;)lc ?:iengU! ;^!ul salutr.ry influence from the b-elief of God. Nay, the best law Dight become an engine of inju- t.ic.3 and cruelty by that sy.vteiii of perjury v.h:ch atheis^i. RELlalON ViNUiCATliD. 281 allows aud no human law coiil J prevent. These arguments are designed to show, that atheism, from the very natwe of things, removes all restraints of law, both human and divine, and leaves man — frail, erring man, to do in all cases just as he pleases, or to pursue what he conceives to be his own interest without reference to right or wrong. Show us an atheist, and you show us a man, who would commit perjury or murder or any other crime that he supposed he could do without legal punishm{ftit, and that he supposed v/ould be a great benefit to himself. Such is human na- ture ! black enough to be sure, but we think no blacker than reality. It may be said that the atheist will often practice virtue from the love of virtue. But we ask why the atheist will love virtue ? The answer must be, because he conceives virtue to be conducive to human happiness. Very well. He loves mankind generally, but he loves himself more ; therefore he would prefer virtue as a means of pubiick happiness, when his own interest was out of the question ; but when vice or crime would conduce more to his own happiness than virtue, then he would prefer vice and crime. It may be said too that although the atheist cannot fear God still he fears disgrace, pubiick opinion, &c. as well as human laws. Very well. He may fear pubiick opinion some. But how many hundreds are there that get too much abandoned to regard pubiick opinion — who are be- low shame — and who cannot blush ! Yet the fear of the invisible God may sometimes come over them, and shake their nerves from purposes of crime. Let such be atheists, and nothing but human law will restrain them, and that, unsustaiued by religious considerations, would be like binding the whirlwind with strings. But what is Pubiick Opinion? A thing that restrains vice at one time and al- lows it at another. Pubiick opinion always conforms to the general governing principles of society. Suppose all are atheists. They look to no God and no divine law for a 24* siaijiiiiiJ o.''.iigbt; of coarse" publick opinion would soon :...:■.!& uoivu upon such piinciples of right as might obi.ain hoiity of custom :hvJ fashion. Every mctn's p:ira- uiouiic object bei^^ his owa happiness, he wonid confon: to human laws when he thought he could not safely vif lat« them, or when lie tliought it wodld be for his lutere- to abide by tliem. And when he thought it for his liappi- usss or pleiisure to violate them he would do it. jA. will be objected that- these arouments all go upon the suppo'iilioa, that man is a perfect: ^- <'^lfi'^!! being, and actu- ated always by hopes and fears. True — man is selfish — and he is actuated by hopes an^jl fears principally. Sympathy, charity, love, hatred, joy, anger, and other affections of mind, have more or less in- fluence over his actions; but all tbeaflectionsand passions of the mind are held in a great degree of subordination to the high and conrroli»g inrhience of hope and fear. Hoj and fear, therefore, the one to encourage virtue and the other to restrain vice, are the guardian angels of publick iiioraiity and human happiness. They are absolutely in- i;5peG3able to secure the rights of each from the fraud- rd criminal depredations of all. And these guardian ar; ^els can only live with the firm belief of a good and Al mighty Being that governs the moral world. Eradicate the idea of a GckI from the minds of all, a»d let darkness deep and boundless be poured upon our origin and end. and every lightinthe moral universe would be extinguish- .■j eternal line of demarcation between right and v.ron^ would be shaken with passion and caprice. Public' opinion would degenerate till love of virtue and pride i , character v.ould cease to be ; publick meuand publick lar, would soon connive at all things which beasts may do ; the sacred ideas of hut-band, wife, parent, child, brother and sister, would be engulphed in the vortex of incestuous and common intercourse ! Then most of those high and ex- alted feelings, which origiaate in the contemplations of an uii perfect God, atui a bright and immortal existence, those lofty asphations that esak human nature, the fine, gener- oa>, and tender seusibihtes of the heart, the sweet and eu- deariug connnunion of minds impressed with the divine presence, wouid degenerate into universal apatiij ! Men, thinking themselves to be beasts, unseen except by fellow Ijeasts, and amenable to no other tribunal, would certainly act like beast;?, or rather worse as they possess higher and more exalted I'icalties. , Do any want proof of this ? It is as suseeptiblo of proof .;•; any tAing can be. It is not only demonstrated from the naturo of man, bi;t also from ail history. Every pretended Fhilosopher, luho kas advucated atheism, has cvc iced more or IcsS' -plainly, that nothing ivas ivrong that could he dojie safe- ly ! Vve have never known an individual advocating athe- ism, whose moral principles were notvery much corrupted. We have never I'lnov.'n otie whose moral honesty we would ■ lare to trust! It has never been the general opinion of a nation, so as to manifest its influence upon publick laws and national morals, except in one instance, and it probably never will be a general and coniinued evil because it is un- natural and absurd, and must work out its own destruction, The exception to which we allude was France. The le- gislature of France abolished the Christian Era, and for- ri'illy renounced religion. By a decree they declared atii an eternal sleep, and the immortality of tlie sou!, and :q existence of God were forn-jally disavov.ed by a Nation- ; Convention. All the religions in the world were pro- claimed to be the daughters of ignorance and pride ; and it ;is decreed to be the duty of the Convention to dissemin- f.e atheism throughout the v/orld. In tlie words of an iilngiish author, " As a part of this duty, the convention ! jcreed that its cxr)re5s renunciakion of all religious wor- lip, should be translated into all foreign languages ! Cor- ^pondent with these professions were the effects actually , ()d nee'!. Pubii'^': -.vorship v,'as actually abolished. The 264 RELIGIO.X VI.NDlCA'4'i:D. Churches were conyefted into temples of reason, in which ntheisticai^homeUes were substituted for the proscribed service ; aud an absurd and ludicrous imitation of the pa- gan mythology exhibited under the title of the " religion oi reason." In the principal church of every town a tutelarv goddess was installed with a ceremony equally pedantick, frivolous, and profane; and the females, selected to per- sonify this new divinity were mostly prostitutes, who re- ceived the adorations of the attendant municipal officers, and of the multitudes whom fear, or force, or motives of gain, had collected together on the occasion. Contemp' for religion or decency became the test of attachmont to the government ; and the gross infraction of any moral or so- cial duty was deemed a proof of civism, and a victory over prejudice. All distinctions of right and wrong were con- founded. The grossest debauchery triumphed. Then proscription followed upon proscription ; tragedy followed after tragedy, in almost breathless succession, on the thea- tre of France ; almost the whole nation was converted into a horde of assassins. Democracy and atheism, hand in hand, desolated the country and converted it to one vast field of rapine and blood. The moral and social ties were unloosed, or rather torn asunder. For a man to accuse his own father was declared to be an act of civism worthy of a true republican; and to neglect it, was pronounced a crime that. should be punished with death. Accordingly women denounced their husbands, and mothers their sons, as bad citizens and traitors ; while many women — not of the dress of the common people, nor of infamous reputa- tion but respectable in character and appearance, seized with savage ferocity between their teeth the mangled limbs of their murdered countrymen. France during this period was a theatre of crimes, which, after all preceding preparations, have excited in the mind of every spectator amazement aud horrour. The miseries suffered by that single nation, have changed all th» histories of the pre- RELIGION VINDiCAXr.D. ^> ceding sufferinvjs of mankind into idle t<;ies, and have beerr enhanced and inultiphed without a precedeu, without a liuniL/er, aud without a nairie. The kingdom appeared to 1)6 changed into one great prison : the inhabitants conrcrte.ci imo felons, and the corniiion doo(j:i of man commuted for the violence of the sword and bayonet, the sucking boat and thc^guiHotiue. To con^eniplative. men, it seemed for a season, as if the kneil of the wiiole nation was tolled, and ti]e world sunnnoned to its execution and its funeral. — Within the short lime often years, iiot less than three mil- lions of human beings are supposed to have perished in that single country, by the influence of atlieism." — Hor:i€. Such is the moral portrait of national atheism! Such is human nature, when led to itself, and shrouded in lire sombre and horrible darkness of infidelity! God grant that this nation may never feel its iron grasp — that the chaste and ennobling energies of virtue, the pure and swe«t endearments of exalted virtuous society, and the hoiy and blissful feelings of religion may not wither away undeif the blighting frosts of moral night, cheerless and cold as death, and rayless and starless as the grave. It will b-e objected that religion is proved by the Smiae •;;ns to be pernicious. Not so. Religion's very essence j., moral goodness. Its sole object is the reformation of men. Atheism teaches men to do vrhatever they think will sr-curo to them the snost happiness and pleasure, lleligion teaches men to do whatever God commands, and that his commands are all founded in immutable and eternal recti- t;a:e. Somo [)rofessor9 are corru};t — true — but tlus militates wt against religion, it only sliows that they hate no ro- iigion as they pretend, or that they have not enough of it '■n restrain their v.icked propensities. If so muci: cvii lunds in spite of all the efforts of religion, how di^plora- ■ v/ould be the condition of man were these bauisl^ed in the world .'' 2SG RELlOIOi^ ri>'DICATED. We shall be referred to the Catholicks at the Relorraation^ the Inquisition, and the early persecution of Nctit England lor proof that religion is vforse than atheism on account of the intolerance and persecution which it produces. Reli- gion never produced these efi^ects. Mercenary, and bigot- ed priests had inflamed the minds of their followers, and made them believe that religion required persecution. — Here has been the errour in all religious persecutions. It was not religion but the advantages, which wicked men took of the ignorance and religious prejudices of the peo- ple, to fan the flames of persecution, and thus to open the way to political ascendency and worldly aggrandizement. These persecutions are the evils which irreligious men and atheists have brought upon their fellow beings under the stolen mantle of the religion of mercy and truth. 'Such men have made the religion of heaven an engiue of cruelty and oppression that might make angels blush; but this only proves the depravity of man, and the greater necessity for some high and powerful restraint, such as pure and un- sophisticated religion imposes upon the mind. We are apt to suppose that religion has generally been attended with persecution and has produced little or no other effects; but the seasons of persecution have only been occasional and interspersed with intervals of peace and security. — Shall we say now, because men have sometimes eaten im- proper food that poisoned them to death, tl>;it, therefore, it is not proper to eat any thing I That because men have sometimes breathed a poisonous air, that, therefore, it is not proper to breathe at all ! That because men have some- times burned one another to death with fire, that, therefore, it is improper to use any fire in any case ! That because men have sometitnes perverted government to purposes of ambition, war, oppression, and injustice, that it is improper to have any government ! That because they have some- times been imposed upon with counterfeit money, that it is not proper to have any money ! That because friend- RELIGION VINDICATED. 287 ship has b^n sometimes used as a mantle for perfidj and treachery, that friendship should, therefore, be banished from the earth! That because every virtue Iras been per- verted, that it is ])roper and necessaay gravely to turn every virtue out of society ! The truth is, the greater any moral blessing is, the stron- ger and more general will be the propensity of men to per- vert it to some base purpose. And although religion as the greatest and best gift of heaven has been often pervert- ed and disgraced in the hands of wicked men, yet it is as essential to moral health as the oxygen of the atmosphere is to physical health. It is the very vitality, motive power, and security of the moral world. Without it life would be but a woful dream, man an enigma, and all creation but a mockery of unmeaning splendour — a gigantick and worth- less pile of desolation and ruin. We have drawn a sketch of the moral tendency of athe- ism. We have showed that self love, being the ruling prin- ciple of the human heart, would always lead man to do what he supposed would tend most to his happiness or pleasure, al! things considered. That this is the general governing princi])le of man there can be no doubt. Every individual is moving along the journey of life in the pur- suit of happiness. Happiness is the grand object before him. He looks around him as he moves forward and judg- es what will secure this object and what will not. He sometimes may neglect what his judgement teaches him would yield him most happiness in the end, to gratify and indulge some strongly excited passion, but soon returns to the pursuit, according to the convictions of his judgement. These things being facts, indisputable facts, let us suppose two parallel cases to contrast the moral results of theism ' with atheism. Atheist, one that believes in a God, is in indigent circumstances. He is travelling alone in an un- frequented wood. He falls in company with a stranger who has a large sum of money with him. He thinks over 288 ni:LiGjo?< vindicated. the porerty and obscurhj of his own family. He thinks of the splendid schemes he miglit accoinpli.*]] with this stran-, '4ei's money. Ke reflects that there is no witness; lie can* .ctab the stranger to the heart and possess his nioncT, n- never he detected. The f eniptaiion is strong and iirc:cGt — he hesitates — his mind turns on God — he feels assured that tiie oiatiipotent searcher of all hearts sees him. A stiil small Toice whispers to his conscience that such a deed is the g?ieofhell — that it can never pass the terrible scrutiny «f the inflexible jndge, nor escape the retribution of jus- tice, lie dares not be a murderer] He judges it better for him to toil and be content with the avails of honest in- dustry, than to brave the thunders of the Ahuighly, and rush upon certain and inevitable ruin. We have not sup- posed him actuated by any thing better than self iove, but beJieving in a God " who will not clear the guilty," he sees that he cannot be permitted to find his happiness in any pursuit which God will not^ipprove. Let the atheist who believes in no God be placed in the same general circumstances. Suppose his disposition is just as good as that of the other. He aUo loves himself and seeks for happiness. From all that he can see or all that he believes, it will be best for him to rob and murder the stranger. He thinks no man can detect him and no God sees him, therefore he thinks he can lose nothing, and mast gain much by acting for a moment against bis sympa- thies and convictions of right. He commits the crime I Now we admit that one of these men was in disposition as bad as the other; but with similar dispositions, and un- der similar circumstances, and acting too upon the same general principles of self love, the atheist commits the crime, and the theist does not. Let it be said the theist was as bad at heart ae the atheist, gtill the theist spares the stranger, while the atheist mur- ders him. Here is then a preference to the moral influ- ence of belief as certain as any truth. And it is a prefer- ence of incalculable importance to mankind. RELIGION VINDICATED. 289 We mny bs ashed whether self-lovt is the only spring of ■action ? Many affections of mind have more or less control over our actions. Strong passion may induce us to do what we are satisfied will not be for our good ; so we may «ay of inveterate habits ; but if in sflch cases we turn from the dictates of judgement, it is for the present gratification of some strong propensity, and it is only bartering away a long period of temperate enjoyment, for less substantial but more immediate and fascinating pleasures. In such cases all proceeds from self-love. Loving ourselves w© seek the indulgence of our various affections, appetites, passions, &c. for the sake of the delight they yield. For HAPPINESS, the hero braves the dangers of war ; the mariner despises the perils of the deep ; the labourer toils ; the miser starves and counts his shining dust ; the scholar pores over the tomes of ancient and modern lore ; the phil- osopher intensely applies all his mental energies to the in- scrutable laws and doctrines of nature. ForllAPPINESS, the philanthropist looks with benignant eye on mankind, and attempts to mitigate their woes, because he can only be happy as he sees others so. For happiness young and ardent love seeks its object through dangers, perils, and unconquerable perseverance. For the same end revenge urges its way through unwieldly obstacles, tramples in scorn upon all finer and holier affections, and feasts with a demon's bliss on the ruin of his victim. And the pious worshipper of the Most High, as he bends upon the altar of his God, seeks his own felicity — it is this, which he knows fills his heart and soul with purest, holiest, and most perfect bliss. All things are done for happiness. Therefore, if we would have men practice virtue, we must teach them that it is essential to their happiness. And they cannot see it, at all times and in all conditions, essential to their happiness, only upon the principle and persuasion that an invisible and all per- fect Being presides over the world, and "will render to every man according to his works." It might be thought, that 25 290 RELIGION VINDICATED. the command to love God with all the heart, &c. is incon- sistent with self-love. It is inconsistent truly with that narrow kind of self-love which seeks for happiness in low and groveling or wicked pursuits; but perfectly consistent with that rational and exalted desire, which aspires after happiness from a communion with God and the fruition of aH heavenly attainments. As the existence of the SUPREME BEING is the foundation of all existence, so a belief in Him is the foun- dation of all belief and of the whole moral universe. It is the very basis — the everlasting rock, on which the whole fabrick of morals rests, and must for ever rest. Human wisdom and philosophy have no substitute to offer. It is necessary to believe other things besides this, but this is the beginning. This is the foundation of nature and of truth. And men, beginning here, may differ in some subsequent and minor points, but their differences must be compara- tively small and of less momentous consideration. The reason we think so, is, because we think it impossible for one to believe in the existence of a God, without believing also in his special providence, the impartial dispensations of his justice, and the accountability of his creatures. We could as easily abandon our faith in his existence, as in either of the above principles. That there is an almighty intelligence that superintends the vicissitudes of the uni- verse, all things in heaven and in earth proclaim ; and these other truths are but unavoidable deductions from the first. Is it not as manifestly absurd, to believe in God who has no special providence, v/ho has no agency in any thing, as to deny his being? Is it not as absurd to deny, that He takes cognizance of human actions, and dispenses justice to his creatures in the ultimate unfolding and consumma- tion of his purposes, as to deny his existence ? Although we have thus far founded our argument upon the influence of a remunerative and punitive principle, ne- cessarily connected with the very existence of a Deity, and RELIGION VINPICATED. 291 Operating upon the human mihd as powerful motives to vir- tue, as if the believer was no better at heart than the un- believer, yet we are far from admitting that belief does not ofteu allect the very heart — the disposition, and the mind. Whatevermight have been the first motives to virtuous ac* tions, they become habitual when continued in, and modi- fy and nssimilate all the affections of the soul. No one can tell without much attention to the subject, v.'hat effect may be produced upon the mind and feelings by the fre- quent contemplation of that great and good Being. As profane and blasphemous expressions tend to vitiate and corrupt the heart, so on the other hand, pious and devout reflections tend to purify, improve, and enrich it. By seri- ous meditations on his greatness, his justice, his goodness, his unbounded and everlasting love, and all the glories of divine perfection, the mind gradually harmonizes with these bright and lovely attributes. And ever looking forward to its resplendent and glorious object, the mind presses otl with ever growing and never tiring purpose to an humble imitation of the divine goodness. Our dispositions and habits have always a tendency to coalesce with those of the persons with whom we associate, especially when we hold tiiem in high estimation. The humble and devotional be- liever in God so often communes with him, meditates so happily upon his amiable perfections, and dwells with such fervid and vivid emotion upon the bright image of moral loveliness, that he is drawn imperceptibly to admire and love Gvery thing that resembles God. Would it not be an advantage to a young person to be permitted to associate with one venerable for wisdom and moral worth ? Most certainly. For as vicious associations tend to contaminate the whole circle, so virtvu)us associations tend also to strengthen and enlarge the sphere of excellence. The be- liever in God, therefore, need not be alone. He has at all times access to the fountain of all good. There he may improve his character, "grow in grace," soften and hu- 292 KELIGIOi^ ViJSDICATEI>. manize his heart, chasten and elevate his affectiona, and approximate toward the perfection of that higli and holy Being, tijl all meaner desires shall be absorbed iu pure anti spontaneous devotion to the will and law of God. It is this that hvi3 raised millions ofour fallen race almost above? all the elements of sin and all the evil propensities of the heart. This has imparted to believers a foriitudD in sick- ness, wretchedness, and pain, that sustained the triumph-, ant soul. Animated and supported with this, they ha? e met the frawns of tyrants undismayed. They have gone with undaunted Iirmness to gloomy dungeons — to be laid in massy irons within the dark vaults of cold and dreary walls. They have felt the unutterable pangs of the inqui- sition and the Auto dajf without a groan; and they have been broiled alive, to satiate the vengeance of unthinking and unfeehng bigotry and blind ii:faiuation, while with unearthly transports, they gloiined God that they were accounted worthy to suffer iu attestation of eternal truth ! These things are facts. And they prove that a belief in the De- ity has a powerful influence on the actions and characters of men. Admit, that false religion has done the most evii of any thing — this only proves that true religion has power to do the most good. Let our rejjiders here pause and seriously reflect on the subject of these hints. We have not yet done ; but if we have a reader, who douUs tljc tyuth or utility of religion^ let such at ieiist reflect, whether he has examined the evi- dences of religion without previous judgement, and with- out an unwillingness to be convinced. Probably no im- portant objection has ever been conceived by any infidel that wt have not considered; we have considered the argu- ments loo in lavour of religion, and think them entirely un- answeiable, overwhelming and conclusive. III. The subject of a revdation, considered. — The people ofour country may be divided into three classes, atheists, deists, and christians. Atheists believe in no Gcd ; deists RELIGION VINDICATED. 29'^ believe in a God, but not in the scriptures ; and cbristians believe in a God, and the scriptures which unfold the Pa- triarchal, Mosaic!;, and Christian dispensations. It is evi- dent that all the great geniuses, who in their literary mad- ness, have written against religion, were really atheists, though some of them have partially concealed it under the appearance of deism. Deism is in fact a perfect anomaly. No philosopher has ever been able to systemize it. They could only give to " airy nothing a local habitation and a name." It is only a kind oimilk and water injidelity, (if we may so speak,) designed for weak, moderate, and timid disciples of the system, and such as are but just initiated. It is the twilight between the light of religious truth, and the darkness of atheism. It is" but the intermediate step between errour and truth. Mr. ^.X^neeZanc?, a universalist preacher, who stood among tlie first for erudition, strength of mind, and interesting manners, became a deist. But here he could no more rest, than a falling stone could stopbefore it comes to the ground. He became an atheist I Some censured him and accused him of bad motives : even some of his universalist brethren questioned his integrity. We did not like this at the time. Wq, loved him when in his right mind, and had not the heart to persecute him in his misfortunes. We thought him a good and great man, that his motives were always good, but his unbounded thirst for knowledge, his ardent and inquisitive disposition to extend his researches far be- yond human limits, at last broke down his giant intellect, and laid the fair, moral and mental fabrick in ruins, no more to be admired, but to moulder away in sunless, star- less, and joyless oblivion. But to return from this digression, — there is no middle course; we must be atheists or christians. Admit a God, and the whole system of Christianity is or may as well be admitted. All mysteries are resolved into the will and pur- poses of Jehovah. Deism supposes there is a God, but 25 » ;21>4 RELIGIOilf yiPCDlCATBD^ that he has made no revelation except through the me- dium of nature. That be never acts except through the fixed lawspf nature. That be has no special agency or prov- idence in the things of the world. Now who does not see that this is in eiTect atheism ? If deism has a God it might as well have none, since it assigns him nothing to do ; and thinks it an insult to offer him worship. If God does not act, it is the same to us as though he did not exist. If he never interposes his power to arre&t,. suspend, or direct the course of nature, then what avails it that he exists ? Ac- cording to such theory, men live, and act, aiid die without his notice, and of course have no rewards to expect, nor punishments to fear, but are left to dodge, and snatch up what little crumbs of comfort they can by all the cunning and art they possess while here, and then be annihilated. Deists sometimes talk of their exalted ideas of God — of his being far above the little things contained in the Bible — that he is far above any thing like a miracle or special prov- idence — that he is far above any special agency in the little affairs of the world. Now must not their God be vastly great and glorious to make a world, and people it with rational beings and never taUe any further notice of it .' — What a grand and sublime character, to fill the world with iutelligencies, and take no further notice of their actions, or their "destinies ! The deist's God seems to be great in- deed, since he is too great to take any notice of his own works, or have any agency in the concerns of his own cre- ation. Do they really think he is Hke some great men among us, too much a gentleman to engage in any useful business ? Although the idea is rather sarcastick, it does really seem that they have some such conceptions of tho Divine Being ! Else why suppose, since there is a God, that he should not be present to manage every thing and do every thing that justly ought to be done ? 1. It must be admitted by deists that God is able to make a special revelation. That he could do this if he pleased. RKIilGlOIK VINDICATED. 205 That ho eould not only reveal trutli to the human mind, but could make that muul sensible that such truth was a revelation froiu him. For if ho could make man capable of communicating his thoughts to his fellow man, he must have power to make a revelation. 2. If God have power to do it, he would do it if it were necessary, pnnided he were wise and good. The deist in- fers from the order and harmony of nature, and the abun- dance of benificent tokens, poured forth upon all thin,5;s, that the author of all things must be wise and good, there- fore, they must admit that a revelation could and would have been made, had it been necessary. We intend to ad- duce arguments to prove that it was necessary, but we must suspend them for the present, for the purpose of pre- senting some further general considerations on the subject. Before attempting to prove a special revelation necessa- ry, we would prepare the way by answering some objec- tions which have at times obtruded themselves upon our peace. 1. If God designed to make a revelation to men, why did he not make it to each and every person, since he could do it as easy, and not oblige almost the whole v/orld to trust to the veracity of a few for a revelation ? Now suppose we were to reply to this, " we do not know," would that be any argument that God had not re- vealed divine truth in the Bible ? Does not the deist see and believe thousands of things in the works of God which are inexplicable to him ? Can the deist tell us n'liy all things are to be found in his book of nature which he sees there ? But God undoubtedly has good reasons for ma- king a revelation as he did. We might ask, why did not God make all men perfectly wise and good the moment they were born ? W'hy did he not build them houses, prepare their clothes, and spread out in every house fine furniture, r.id a rich table laden with all varieties of food richly cook- 1 ? Why did he not clear us farms, lay us out gardens. 296 RK1.IGIOK VinOlCATED. wp.lks, bowprs, teraples, cities, bridges, navies, etc. etc. ? He has not tlone these things. Can the deist tell us why he did not do it, when he could have done it just as easy, so as not to put us to all this tiouble ? Tf the deist will tell us this, and thus explain this part of his hook of nature, we r/ill engage to tell why the Deity did not make a. "special revelation to every man's mind, so as not to put us to all the trouble of searching after the evidences of truth. The fact appears to be, that God has wisely placed the objects of our natural wants at a little distance, but has given us powers and faculties to obtain them, thus making that ex- ercise and employment so necessary to health and happi- ness, also essential to the supply of our natural wants. We can all see, that this economy is one of the greatest physi- cal blessings. So he seems in like manner to have placed the unexhausted stores of intellectual riches and divine wisdom at a little distance, but yet so near that every one, by the due improvement of his faculties, may obtain as much as is necessary for him. The evidences of the au- thority and truth of revelation are within the grasp of every person that will devote his mind seriously and candidly to the examination. The feeblest mind may find enough, and yet they are so capacious, so numerous, and so inex- haustible, that the strongest minds, such as Locke, New- ton, and other giants in intellectual science, may also find enough to satisfy their every inquiry ; so it is a fact beyond controversy, that the greatest students of nature, the great- est philosophers of this world, have been the best of chris- tians. A constant and special revelation to every person would cut of all the pleasures of mental exercise, all free moral agency, and would destroy the very constitution of man, and would be a palpable anomaly to the whole system of divine economy. 2. The second objection is, if the Bible is a revelation from heaven, how comes it to contain go many indecent KELIGIOIS VIPfDICATEI). S97 and immodest. expressions, especially in some paita oftlie Old Testament ? This objection, from its peculiar delicacy, we v/ould glad- ly pass over in silence, were it not for the fact, tLnt it iis ia the mouths of many, who probably never gave the subject a single day's serious reflection ; and it is tauntingly flung out as certain proof that the Bible is false and immoral. — Let it be then considered by such as only want the truth, that the Bible was given in such language as was then used and understood ; and had it been given in any other, it would have been unintelligible. At the tinse of writing of the first parts of the Old Testament, men were like the heathen in their manners and tastes. Men associated v/ith men, and did not mingle in common society and conversa- tion with females. Consequently they had no ideas of re- finement, delicacy or modesty. But the occurrence of these expressions in the Bible is mairJy to forbid and con- demn such habits as prevailed in such unrefined state of society. This very Bible was the means, and the only means, as history and facts plainly show, of bringing wo- men forward, from that degraded vassalage, ia which they have been ever held in all unchristian countries, to that rank ia human society for which the God of heaven de- signed them. Here under the broad protection of Chris- tianity, women have stood (onh ;\s compajiiojis. Christian- ity has taught them that they have minds to cultivate and virtues to cherish. A social intercourse and mutual im- provement of taste, manners, and conversational enjoyment have been the consequence. Mow, men have ideas of mod- esty, decency, 6cQ. and in the light of this refinement brought about by the Bible, they turn round and affect to be astonished at words used at a lime that no others would have answered tiie purpose! But not in a single instance can it be found that any immodest, indecent, or immoral acta were laid down with opprobniion and encouragement. JVe shotild no't go to the Bible foy notions of fs&hionablt) 298 RELIGIO.^ VINDICATED. refinement ss we would to a novel, but without levity, with the sincere desire of our hearts to learn our duty and do it. '3. If the Bible is a divine revelation, why was it not made in the beginning of creation, and continued to be known and understood by all men in all ages? We answer. Had a full and complete revelation been given i:- the earliest age of the world, it must have consist- ed entirely of prophecy or the prediction of future events, as then nothing had transpired for history. And a pub- lished prediction of all the events recorded in the Bible might have prevented the occurrence of most of them, as they were dependant on human agency. Who can believe that the sons of Jacob would have disposed of their brother Joseph as they did ; that Potipher's wife would have done as she did ; &c. had all these things been plainly predicted to all of them? Who can believe that the Egyptians would have refused to give up the Hebrews, and suffered all the plagues which were designed '* to show forth the power of God" and to inspire the confidence of those people wha were to follow the cloud by day and the pillar of fire by night ? And who thinks the infatuated armies of Pharaoh would have followed the children of Israel into the red sea, had they known all these things before hand ? Of course such a revelation must prove to be false. It may be said, that God could cause all events to take place, as predicted. True, and he has done it, by putting forth a revelation, compounded of both history and prophe- cy, written in different ages, presenting a perfect chain of events, from the beginning of the world to the end, both predicted and recorded, harmonizing in all its parts, and unfolding its consistency and excellence from age to age as a stupendous concatenation of self vindicated truth. Furthermore, we could not then compare the moral and social condition of mankind, wiio had not the blessings of revelation with that of those who had them, so as to dis- cover the necessity, the worth, and the moral power of such RELIGION VINDICATED. 299 a revelation as we now do. Now wo can look back upon the degraded ages of the world previous to the illumination of divine truth; and we can look around upon the nations on whom the sun of righteousness has never dawned, and we can see the same universal degeneracy — the same gross idolatries — the same universal poligamy, the same indecent abominations, prostitutions, the degradation of females, &c. every where abounding in every age and place that is not elevated with the moral influences, and virtuous prin- ciples of the gospel ; and we can learn from thence the vast — the infinite worth and power of the gospel of Christ. If a single soul can survey the whole effect of Christianity on the state of human society, and contrast it with the hea- then and pagan nations of all ages, and all the kingdoms of the " false prophet," and yet feel opposed to Christiani- ty, he must possess the heart of a fiend and the nerves of a demon. Thank God, a revelation has been made. It has- been made exactly at the right time. It has been promulgated to all the extent that was necessary at this time for the ac- complishment of its predictions; and jt will continue to be promulgated till " the kingdoms of this world shall be- come the kingdoms of our Lord and his Christ," till "his kingdom shall extend from the rivers to the ends of the earth," till " the glory of the Lord shall be revealed and all flesh shall see it together," till " the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the Lord as the waters cover the sea," till ** all the ends of the world shall remember and turn unto the Lord, and all the kindreds of the nations shall worship before him." IV. The necessity of a divine revelation, considered. — In order to form an opinion of the necessity of a divine reve- lation, containing a transcript of the natural and moral at- tributes of Jehovah, his will concerning our actions, and our final destination, we must look at the condition of mankind where the Bible has been unknown ; and com- SOO aKLieio.'t vi:»dicated. pare it \vi;h ihe condition of men where it la knovrn. If we shall find, from eurveying the condition of luan unenhght- ened with the gospel, a utiiversal defect which neither learning nor {)hilosophy nor any human device can supply or obviate, we shall then sec the necessity of something more than we possess by nature. Hence we shall infer, that a wise and good God must have granted that which was so necessary for us. Then on the other hand, when we find the gospel to be the very thing and the only thing to com- plete and finish our happiness and the pertection of our condition, we shall be constrained to confess that the gos- pel was the great thing necessary to men, and was there- fore the very thing which a wise and good God must have given to men. 1. If is a fact that among all nations unchristianized, the most imperfect, absurd, pernicious and degrading views of God obtained. And not only so but the most extrava- gant notions of worship and moral duty, and consequently the most degraded, corrupt and miserable condition of the people. The Roman empire in her ancient splendour, was probably the most refined and virtuous part of the pa- gan world. But what was the Roman empire? They had the refinements of human learning. They had great philosophy, great orators, great statesmen, heroes, conquer- ors, patriots, and all the greatness and goodness which un- christianized communities can attain to. Yet " temples and fanes v.ere erected to all the passions , desires, fears and evils, to which mankind are subject. Suited to the vari- ous characters of the divinities were the rites of their wor- ship. Many of them were monsters of the grossest vice and wickedness ; and their rites were absurd, licentious, and cruel, and often consisted of mere unmixed crime, shameless dissipation and debauchery. Prostitution in all its deformity, was systematically annexed to various pagan temples, was often a principal source of their revenues, and was, in some countries, even compulsory upon the fe- RELIGION VINDICATED. 301 raale population ! Other impurities were solemnly prac- ticed by them in their temples, and in publick, from the very thought of which our minds revolt. Besides the num- bers of men, who were killed in the bloody sports and spec- tacles instituted in honour of their deities, human sacrifi- ces were?oifered to propitiate them."* Such, reader, is the refined condition of the most impro- ved but^unchristianized country in the universe. So high may liuman^efforts unaided by the gospel raise mankiud andjno higher. It is the very acme in morals and happi- ness to which mankind are capable of rising without a re- velation. But the greatest of all the abominations, which Christianity is designed to obviate, is the horrible custom of offering human victims to appease the imaginary wrath of the pagan deities. " The chief oracles among the hea- thens appointed human sacrifices; as that of Delphia, that of Dodona and that of Jupiter Saotes. It was a custom among the Phinicians and Canaanites, in times of great cal- amity, for their kings to sacrifice one of their sons, whom they loved most ; and it was common both with them, as well as the Moabites and Ammonites, to sacrifice their children. Further, the Egyptians, Athenians, and Lace- demonians, and generally speaking, all the Greeks; th« Romans, Carthagenians, Germans, Gauls, and Britons; — in short all the heathen nations throughout the world of- fered human sacrifices upon their altars; and this not on certain emergencies and imminent dangers only, but con- stantly and in some places every day. Upon extraordinary accidents multitudes were sacrificed at once to their san- guinary deities. Thus during the battle between the Sicil- ian army under Gelonand the Carthagenians under Amil- carin Sicily, the latter remained in his camp, oflfering sac- rifices to the deities of his country and consuming upon one *For this quotation and others on this subject, the reader is re- ferred to the first chapter of Horne's Introduction to the critical study and knowledge •fthe Holy Scriptures. A work which establishes tho Revdation of the Bible beyond ail cavil or controversy. 26 iJ0i2 RELlGiOIt VUNDICATED. large pile ihe bodies of numerous victims. When Agatho- cles was about to besiege Carthage, its inhabitants seeing the extremity to which they were reduced, imputed all their misfortunes to the anger of Saturn ; because, instead of ofiering up children of noble descent, (who were usually sacrificed,) there had been fraudulently substituted for them the children of slaves and foreigners. Two hundred child- ren of the best families in Carthage were therefore immo- lated, to propitiate the offended divinity; to whom up- wards of three hundred citizens voluntarily sacrificed them- selves from a sense of their guilt of this pretended crime. On another occasion, the Carthagenians having obtained a victory, immolated the handsomest of their captives, the flame of whose funeral pile was so great as to set their camp on fire." Who can read the story of such abominations and cruelties and not feel his heart bleed within him ? Are there men who have basked in the broad light of revela- tion, and enjoyed the healthful morals and general happi- ness which it imparts to society, and who would now break down its pillars and crush the highest interests of all future ages in its ruins? Yes there are such men. Men too that profess much benevolence and philanthropy ! But they are either deeply deluded and infatuated, or they are the heartless and unprincipled enemies of mankind. There are now in all unchristian nations vices of the most hoirible character, so universally prevalent as to evince the absolute imbecility of all human wisdom, and its entire inefficjeny to guide mankind. In the unchristian countries of Africa, Tartary, and the Philippian Isles, the grossest idolatry and superstition prevails and correspond- ing vices. Among these are polygamy, every man having as many wives as he pleases with the privilege to abandon any of them at pleasure. Infanticide, the practice of mur- dering such infants as they choose not to raise. Cannibal- ism, the practice of eating human flesh, and butchering one another for food as we do the brutes, though this is not RELlGlO?f VINDICATED. 303 universal. Universal prostitui ion, and the degradation, sla- very, and misery of the females. And indeed Hindostan and China, although renowned for their progress in arts, are little or no better in point of morahty. The Hindoos have no less than three hundred and thirty millions of gods to worship and appease. They have impure and shocking rites, self-tortures, the burning of widows, the destruction of infants, an unrestrained in- tercourse between the sexes, polygamy, self-devotion to Juggernaut, and other horrid customs too numerous and awful to be described. "The universal characteristicks of the Hindoos are hab- itual disregard of truth, pride, tyranny, theft, falsehood, de- ceit, conjugal infidelity, filial disobedience, ingratitude, (the Hindoos have no word expressive of thanks) a litigious spirit, perjury, treachery, covetousness, gaming, servility, liatred, revenge, cruelty, private murder, the destruction of illegimate children, particularly by procuring aborticn (not fewer than ten thousand children are computed to be thus murdered in the single province of Bengal every month,) and want of tenderness and compassion to the poor, the sick, and the dying." In China the finest arts prevail, yet their morals are in many things no better than among the Hindoos. Polyg- amy is universal among them, the degradation and misery of women as the never failing consequence of polygamy, and the exposure and destruction of infants. This last cruel and inhuman practice prevails to such an extent that no less than nine thousand are estimated to be thus murdered in the city of Pekin every year. O, God ! are these the boasted advantages of living without a knowledge of Christ and a divine revelation ! ! Those numerous nations who bow to the sceptre of " the false prophet" deriving theirreligion in part from the Bible, believe in one God, and are not so extravagant in their idol- atries, yet as they derive their morals from a licentious and 304 REIiIGlON TIIVDICATED. lacivious impostor, they are about equally^degraded with those of the pagan world. " Nor are the absurdities in reli- gion among the modern heathen nationsgreater than those which existed among the polished nations of antiquity be- fore the publication of the gospel; which are a just proof that no age or country, whether rude or civilized, instruct- ed or uninstructed, .infected or uninfected with pknty or luxury, is or can be secured by mere natural reason against fulling into the grossest errours and corruptions in religion; and, consequently, that all raanUind stand in need of a di- vine revelation to make known to them the will of God, and the duties and obligations which they owe to their creator." The most distinguished ancient philosophers, such as Socrates, SenecafcPlato, and others, acknowledge the ne- cessity of a Divine revelation to guide mankind to true wisdom and happiness. Yet deists of this age think the light of nature sufficient for all human purposes, that it is without mysteries, plain and intelligible to all! That it is insufficient is plain from the fact that it teaches no hereafter; and affords no other comforts to human wo, and no other encouragements to peisecuieti truth and ne- glected virtue than prospective annihilation ; and holds out no terrours to evil doers but the imperfect enactments of human wisdom. That the light of nature is mysterious is proved from the factl that its greatest interpretors utterly fail to explain it; that it is not plain and intelligible to all, l>ecause uol a single one — not even a deist, can understand any thing more than a few of its obvious truths. That it is not sufficient for morality, because tho most degrading and aggravating immoralities have universally characterized all unchristian nations that have ever lived. Deists of our country will retort that they are uncon- scious of its sufficiency because they are themselves under its guidance and are sufficiently moral. That there are some moreU deists, we cheerfully concede; but we ask RELIGION VINDICATED. 305 whether tlie foundation of their morality was laid in deism or in Christianity? Generally they were first taught to rev- erence Christianity, and they derived their early and lasting moral impressions from the Bible. Or if they were never taught to respect the scriptures, still they were brought up in a christian community. The manners, customs, and laws of a christian country have exerted a constant, though perhaps to them imperceptible, influence upon their moral susceptibilities and principles. Hence it is fact that deists, while they imagine their light and their morals all derived from nature, have actually derived them directly or indirect- ly from Christianity. This is the reason and the only reas- on that modern deists have more distinct and well defined moral principles, than ancient philosophers, who drew their principles solely from the book of nature. It is su- premely ridiculous for them to boast of their pure and ex- alted moral princijdes, when every one of them is contain- ed in the New Testament, and not one of them has ever flourished any where but in christian countries! In looking over the condition of mankind in all countries and ages where Christianity has not exerted its glorious in- fluence, we should find a few prominent points of immoral- ity, which from their universality would seem to be distin- guishing marks of an unchristianized community. They are 1. Polytheism with all the moral and social evils con- nected with it. 2. Polygamy with its evils, which are un- bounded licentiousness, the pollution and destruction of all the endearing ties of kindred and friends, and the wretched, degraded, and enslaved condition of all the females. Besides these we may reckon as the common evils of those benighted countries which have never received the gospel, the cruelties of government, the cruel disposition of parents over children, husbands over wives, masters over servants, the exposure and murder of infants, and a long train of evils too numerous, too complicated, too aggravated, and too horrible for any description. What we have said 26* 306 RELiGmsr viitdicate^. on this point is only a sketch, but he, who can serionsfy survey all this, and then say Christianity is of no use to the world (we mean independently of futurity) we thisk,- must be either mentally or morally deranged. We have shown that all communities of people, without the christian religion, have been without any fixed and perma- nent morality, and without any sufficieot barrier to the gross- est vices — that all such communities have been awfully degraded in every age and in every country under heaven. This fact is presented to show that Christianity is necessary to the social and moral condition of men. It will be objec- ted now, that christian communities have been awfully cor- rupt and degraded too — that even pious teachers of Christi- anity have sometimes been guilty of the blackest crimes; and that, therefore i{ something is necessary, Christianity is not. To answerall this ingenuity, we say 1st. Although much corruption abounds in christian countries and among its professors, yet it is a fact, that the moral condition of all christian countries is far better than that of any unchristian country. 2d. There is no country where Christianity has any thing more than a partial influence over the hearts of the people. 3d. There is in all christian communities enough of spurious Christianity and infidelity to limit the influence of truth, and give human propensities all the in- dulgence that we discover, in the wickedness of christian nations and the abominations of professors. 4th. All this is only an additional argument for the necessity of Christian- ity ; as it shows that human propensities are so strong, that Christianity itself can restrain them only when they are un- der its immediate and positive energy. And 5th. However small the effect produced by the christian religion, it is true, that its only design and tendency is to make men bet- ter and happier. Yes, all its precepts and requirements will lead to this end if complied with. . No. deist can deny this. Hence, if men have wrangled about it, if they have RELIGION VINDICATED. 807 used it for corrupt purposes, if they have perverted its high and righteous obligations, does all this prove there is no necessity for Christianity? Surely not: but it only proves the perverseness of human nature, and the greater necessity and importance of Christianity ; and not such Christianity as "plays around the head, and comes not to the heart," but that, which has its empire in the moral affec- tions, and makes men practical christians. Now can the deist in view of this reasoning contend (hat natural light is sufficient for all moral purposes? It is a very dark light; so dark indeed that none can see it clearly. No man ever professed to be a deist till the middle of the 16th century. Then some men in France adopted that name to distinguish themselvei as the opposers of religion; being unwilling to be considered af/ie?5is as they really were; add thinking the pretension to believe in a God would give to their system a better exteriour, by means of which dis- simulation, they could charm the more conscientious, and lead them on step by step down the steep of ruin. Never doubt, kind reader, that atheists are as capable of era/fas any of the friends of religion. We have said before that no luan is apt to remain long a deist; but he goes on down, down, till he doubts every thing and believes nothing. An infidel author says, "deism is but the first step of reason out of superstition. No person remains a deist, but through the want of reflection, timidity, passion, or obstinacy."* — go it is — and the greatest part of professed deists know it. — The deism recently attempted to be established in Ameri- ca, by a powerful but infatuated womaiif was perfect atheism. It boasted of its twenty thousand proselytes in the city of New York, and it certainly multiplied its converts in all parts of our country : But not the least reformation did it ever produce! No — we defy contradiction, when we say, that no one person was aver made better by it ! Not a single drunkard, blasphemer, gambler, or worthless brigand was *Brhtan's modern Infidelity portrayed, p. 9. 303 RKLlGIOi^ VINDICATED. ever tur'ied from his evil habits in consequeoce of being brought -jut of "superstition into the Hght of nature,*' to use their language ! This is fact ! Go through the whole tieldofinfidehty — search out every fragment of its history, and we affirm fearlessly that it never did make a person better under "the whole canopy of heaven." We say this not from any malicious feeling towards infidels, but from a firm conviction of its truth and that we owe it to the best interests of the world. This truth is full of solemn import and momentous admonition. What parent dares teach his child to be an infidel ? If so, when he sees that child plunging down the abyss of moral pollution, can he find enough of moral power in atheism to arrest his wild and giddy career, and save him from destruction? 3Iust it not be true, that a system which never did and never could reform a single person, must produce the contrary effect ; and mu5i operate against morality — must cause men to deteriorate in virtue, and go down to unre- Btrained iniquity? This objection cannot be brought to the christian religion; for its whole essense is moral good- ness : its whole effort is the reformation of men — its whole object the happiness of the world — and its whole light the moral consistency and glory of its reforming doctrines. So far do moral considerations speak out for the necessi- ty of Divine revelation. There is another view of the sub- ject which will further evince its necessity. It is drawn from the fact, that " Hope springs eternal in the human breast. Man never is. but always to be blest." Without a revelation man has no evidence of a future state. And how unequal are the fleeting prospects of worldly bliss to support the mind under some of the mis- fortunes of this life. The infidel may lull himself into ease with thoughts of an "eternal sleep," so long as his age and worldly advantages are bright and cheering. But even then he feels not exactly right. There is something want- BKLIGIOK VINi)lCATEP. 309 ing — there is a dark gloom before him — ^he must reflect, and his reflections must be on the dark waste of dreary an- nihilation ! He feels uneasy ! It is because he seeks rest where the God of nature has never designed him to rest. — He may resort to any amusements or diversions or to sen- sual and criminal pursuits to banish unwelcome thoughts from his mind; but yet he will ever look around upon the darkness that envelopes his destiny with secret agony. He will say "I believe not in revelation. I am not so foolish as to be superstitious. 1 am of a higher and nobler spirit, and must despise the man, who knows no better than to be a christian. Yet I wish Christianity wore true. I would give all I am worth to have it so." But take the noble and wise deist, who knows so much of the efficiency of nature and the superiour joys of infidelity. Let him lose his prop- erty. Bo his doubts supply the loss? Next take his com- panion, his children, and his last earthly friend — where now is his comfort? His broken and wounded spirit now looks back upon life, and beholds all as a fleeting dream — a scene of blasted hopes — a waste of darkness and sorrow, with here and there a sunny spot to make the gloom the more visible. Can he now throw himself on the future an4 rest in the assurance and hope of deism ? Or can he press hia atheism to his breast, and say "welcome blighted hopes,, and blasted aspirations; for here in darkness, death, and annihilation, my joy is full ?" Or let him be thrown iiporj the sick bed — let his physician tell him his. case is hopelesa .—-let schorching fevers and wracking pains burn upoa his nerves. Can he smile serene to gaze then upojpthe beau- ties of his noble doubts? He sees his little ones about to be left to the cold charitiesand fearful uncertainties of an unfriendly world — he sees them innocent, artless, and ho must leave them for ever! Can he recommend, to them the strong consolations and high moral restraints of infidel- ity ? Can he cheer and comfort them with the doctrines of *' eternal sleep?" Can he commend them to the protec- 310 RELIGIO.^ VI>'DICATED. tion and care of Chance, and lell thein that they are to be accountable onl}' to their fellow beings for their actions? While the prosperous and stoical "unbeliever feels tolera- bly satisfied at limes, and uses efforts to disseminate his dreary and comfortless doctrines, little does he think of the far different situation of thousands of his fellow beings. — Gould he survey the abodes of human wretchedness and wo — could he see the millions that have no worldly sup- port and no hope this side of heaven, he would then realize the necessity of that gospel which alone imparts resigna- tion, joy, and triumph to the afflicted, the miserable and the dying. Could he go to the poor cottage, and see the lonely and neglected and toil worn subjects o-f penury and want; and see the bright gleam of joy light upon their countenances as they knelt at the morning and evening al- tar; and hear them thank their heavenly Father for the unbounded riches of that glorious world, where trial and grief shall be no more — could he do this I say, and tell them that all their joys were unsubstantial dreams! Could he walk the lonely retreat, and^ccidentally behold the kneeling mother; and hear her call on God, in a trans- port of faith, to save her son from the gambler's fate or the drunkard's end, and could he still be an infidel ? Could he go to the chamber of sickness and pain, and see a fellow being in the closing scene of mortal life — could he see the features of the dymg lighted up with the ante- date of eternity, and hear the lips exclaim, "I long to go and be with Jesus," could he — O could he break this heav- enly calm! Could he breathe the withering clouds of darkness and doubt upon this morning of heaven! CoiiM he snatch the aspiring and joyous spirit from the portals of immortality, and blast it with doubts darker than the pall that covers the dead. Could he here in the the solemn presence of denth, array his light of nature against the ma- jesty and glory and power of the christian hope! — No — he could not — the attempt would {reei,e his nerves, and RELIGION ri.^DICATED. 311 blast him as a demon- Hero the invisible power of the Deity will hold the mind; and nature herself will plead for religion. Here infidelity drops off its tinseled mask, and' shrinks and trembles, abashed and ashamed, at the unfold- ing grandeur and power of christian truth. Is not that re- ligion then which always makes its true followers good, vir- tuous and happy; which imparts hope and joy and bliss to every period of life and death; which has so improved our social and moral ccbdition ; which alone can promote these objects ; is it not necessary to men ? All must answer yes. That God then who has given us eyes, ears, tastes, smells, speech, teeth, hands, feet, mind, air, earth, light, timber, water, harvests, and every thing else necessary for us, has also given this great essential moral blessing. Yes it is so. God has given it us; but like many other bless- ings of his providence, we have powerto improve or neglect it, and our happiness or misery will be accordingly. VI. The origin of Christianity. True unless Jesus ivas an impostor. — As we do not expect to attempt a detailed view of the evidences of the divine revelation., of the Bible, we shall now pass over to notice some of the points in evidence of the New Testament or chi-istianity. It will be sufficient for oar purpose to inquire, whether Christ did exist, and did perform the miracles ascribed to him ; and was cruci- fied; and did rise again from the dead. 1. We all know that a system of religion, called Christi- anity, does now exist; and that it is contained in certain books called the New Testament. That these books, teach the precepts, doctrines, miracles, death, and resurrection of one JESUS, to whom the system is attributed as its au- thor. That according to this book, this Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea, in the reign of Herod the King. That this is the christian era from which we reckon the years. Now as these are facts, it is manifest, that this religion must have been founded and commenced at the time pre- tended, or at some later period, 312 BELIGiOK VIJfMCATED. But could it hare commenced since that period ? — Could any impostor or number of impostors have fabrica- ted those books, and made the people believe, that they had existed ever since their pretended origin ; that there had been multitudes of Christians when there had been none ; that there were monuments and evidences of the for- mer existence of Christianity, when it had not existed be- fore ? No. Besides, these books say hard things of the Jews; they speak of their crimes, and accuse them of murdering the innocent Jesus. Now if these books had been fabricated since the time we suppose them to have been written, these Jews would have said at once, that this was a new thing ; that they had never heard of it before, and that their nation had never before been accused of such crimes. But no such thing is pretended by any of the Jewish writers. Although they reject the resurrection of Chiist, they never denied that he existed at the time pre- tended ; and that the apostles existed and wrote the books as pretended by christians. Besides, if any such fabrica- tion as the christian religion had sprung up new, since the time it is said to have originated, the infidel writers of the age when it sprung up, would certainly have exposed the imposition. But so far from this the early writers against Christianity all adviit that Jesus did exist at that lime, and that the books ascribed to the apostles were written by them at the time alluded to. Pontius Pilate^ who governed in Judea, and gave up Je- sus to be crucified, sent an account of the miracles, death and resurrection of Jesus, to- the Roman emperor; as it was customary for the governoursr 6i provinces to send to the emperors accounts of remarkable events, which were kept in the archieves of the government. So Eusebius gays '* our Saviour's resurrection being much talked of throughout Palestine, Pilate informed the emperor of it, as likewise of his miracles, of which he heard." These re- cords, made by the governour, or Roman senate, and left RELItilOiX VINDICATKD. 313 in the archives of the empire for the benefit of historians, were called " Acts.'^ And Justin Martyr, A. D. 140, allu- ding to the events of Christ, says, "and that these things were so done you may know from the Acts made in the time of Pontius Pilate." This was in an address to the Roman emperor and senate ; and if no such acts were there left by Pilate, of course he might have been detected. Afterwards in the same address, he speaks of Christ's heahng the sick, raising the dead, &c. and adds, — "And that these things were done by him, you may know from the Acts made in the time of Pontius Pilate." Turtullian, A. D. 200, speaks of the death, resurrection, and appearance of Christ after- wards to his disciples, and adds, " of all these things rela- ting to Christ, Pilate himyelf sent an account to Tiberius, then emperor." Josephus plainly speaks of Christ and the introduction of his religion. Suetonius, a Roman historian of A. D. IIG, speaks of Christ. Also Tacitus, speaking of the christians in A. D. 64, says, "the author of that sect is Christ, who in the reign of Tiberius was punished with death, as a criminal, by the procurator Pontius Pilate." Pliny, in A. D. 107 also speaks of Christ, as well as M\i- us Lampridius. And Tacitus and others declare that Nero fired the city of Rome only about 30 years after the time of Christ's death, and laid the act to the christians. Of course christians must have existed at that time. Now we ask, who could have imposed upon christians since that time with the New Testament ; and made them believe that they had always had the New Testament; and had always revered it as the writings of Christ's immediate disciples, if it were not so 1 But we might show that writers have quo- ted from the New Testament in every age since the chris- tian era, which nhows that they did come into being at the time fixed for them. Celsus was a strong and bitter enemy to Christianity, who wrote about 150 veai-a after Christ, Yet he admits that 27 314 ftEI>I<»iO?1 riTiDlGAinV. Christ liTcd «t the timo preiciuled. Ha adrnite that Jesus did all the things mentioned of him in the Evangelists ; but he triinks he must have done them by the magicJc art. — Now we can judge whether the etupendou? works ascribed to our Saviour, could be done by the artifices of Egyptian legerdemain, as well as the historian. The infidel hi:5toriaD gives us the facts ; and we are left to draw the inferences for ourselves. Porphery, of the third century, another learned opponent of the christian religion, makes the same concessions with the same conclusions, and Julian, a learned Roman emperor of the fourth century, wrote a work with the sole view to put down Christianity. He was one of the most deadly enemies of this religion that ever lived. But he admits that Christ lived at the time referred to. That the Testament was written at the time, and by the men to which it is ascribed. He too admits that Christ did walk on the surface of the sea ; that he did cast out evil spirits ; and did do in reality the things impu- ted to him in the Evangelists : but like others, he thought these works could not prove the truth of his religion. Of this matter, however, all men in all ages have the privilege of judging. Mahomet himself acknowledges the existence of Christ and the apostles and their miracles. And finally it may bt affirmed, that as no historical facts have ever been so im- portant as those which lay at the foundation of the chri.s- tian religion ; and none have been assailed with so much ingenuity and human effort ; so none have come down to posterity with so much certainty and indisputable, over- whelming evidence. The things recorded of Cyrus, Alex- ander, or Julius Caesar are not half as well authenticated as the things recorded of Christ. Both Jews and Infidels, having been combined in every age to either get rid of the facts, or to destroy their evidence, have only co-operated in handing down to posterity, those indisputable truths oa RSiiioiorf ixciDHiAvao. 315 which christiau* rely for support, with clear, pure and coa- viuciiig energy. 2. JESUS CHRIST must have been a toilful impostor and deceiver, or his viiraclts were real and his religion true. We have seeu that all the early philosophers that wrots agaiust his religion admit that he ditl foretell his death and resurrection, and did appear to work miracles to evince his in deceiving the writers, but in day light, in pres- Cijce of multitudes of behevers and unbehevers, friends and enemies. Could they have been deceived ? Could they liave been imposed upon so much as to believe that all these things occurred before their own eyes and in their own ears, if they did not occur at all ? Especially could they have thought, that there v/as an earthquake at the death of Christ, and darkness over the land for a number of hours ? And that they saw and conversed with him frequently after his resurrection, if none of these things were done ? In order to believe this, we must believe that the writers of the New Testament were perfectly destitute of common sense, and totally incapable of writing the books which they did write : which would prove that the Holy Ghost not only superintended, but actually dictated every vv'ord ! And that Jesus was capable of using the most con- summate deception after he was dead without a resurrec- tion ! Will infidels believe in such miraciilovs things ? No. It will not be contended that the writers were deceived; we will then inquire, 2. Did they knowingly deceive others? On this answer must depend the whole question. 1. Were their charac- ters such as deceivers and impostors usually sustain ? No. For their s^oGd characters are susceptible of the most indu- bitable proof. Look at the moral principles contained in their writings. What other object can be discovered in them, but to recommend a high, a pure, and a:i exalted morality to men, and to persiuide all men to practice holi- ness ? They seem to forget themselves and their own in- terests; and thus every where plead with men to reform. They urge, they admonish, they appeal to reason, to hu- manity, to all that is lovely and good, to all the serious and solemn considerations that can move the human heart. Is it not reasonable to suppose that men, always endeavour- ing and labouring to do good, are in rea'ity good men. Who can read the sinjple unadorned writings of the New S20 HELISIO-N VIWDICATEC. Testament, nud not bo made to feel that the writeis were devoted heart and soul to all tliat is good 2^ it is; admitted by the most learned philosophers and opponents of Chris- tianity, that the gospel contains the most clear and indubi- table marks of fervid and zealous devotion to pure morals of any book ever published. But 2. We have other testimony to their good character be- sides the internal evidence furnished in their writings. We might name a host of men who testified to the good char- acter of the apostles, and who passed through " much trib- ulation" and death itself in defence of them in the early ages; but infidels will not confide in their testimony. — We, therefore, adduce the names of infidels themselves wlio wrote against Christianity for four hundred years from its rise. Tacitus was contemporary with Christ ; and in his his- tory of Rome, admits tliat multitudes of christians existed when Nero burned the city and alleged it to the christians as a pretext for the cruel and vindictive persecutions with which he pursiied them, but he admits that •' they were destroyed not out of regard to the publick welfare, but only to gratify the cruelty of one man." The accounts of the Neronian persecution and of the innocence of the chris- tians are confirmed by Sueloniu/^^ Martial and Juvenal, who also describe their coat of pitch in which christians were burnt. They were fastener] up to a stake, covered with a coat, uf^n the inside of which v/as a plaster of sulphurous pitch ; and when burning the whole body would seem to send up a column of dense flame, and a stream of blood and melted sulphur would flow on the ground. Such were the cruelties inflicted by infidels on christians in the first ages of Christianity ; and such were the earthly motives to induce multitudes to embrace the cross of Christ. Pliny, an officer under the Roman emperor Trajan, wrote to his master on the cruelties he had inflicted on the christians (in the first century) and acknowledges that '- the whole of RELIGION VINDICATED. 321 their fault or errour lay in this, they were wont to meet together, on a stated day, before it was hght and sing among themselves, alternately, a hymn to Christ as God; and bind themselves by an oath, not to the commission of any wickedness, but not to be guilty of [theft, robbery, or adultery.^' Celsus, Lucian, Epictetus, Porfhery, Galen, and Julian, all early and powerful opponents of Christianity, yet they all admit the principal facts on which this religion is found- ed. They even admit the miracles of the apostles, but think they must have been performed by the magick art. While they all bear ample testimony to the high moral character of the apostles, as well as of the early christians generally ; that " they entertained peculiarly strong hopes of immortal lit'e, and great contempt for this world and its enjoyments ; and that they courageously endured many af- flictions on account of their principles, and sometimes sur- rendered themselves to sufferings. Honesty and yrobity prevailed so nuich among them, that they trusted each other without security. Their master had earnestly re- con)mended to alibis followers, mutual love, by which also they were much distinguished." Yet these njen would believe that such men o( honesty, probity, contempt of world- ly enjoyments, and of death ; who willingly suifered for their principles, and hoped stsongly for inmiortality, wero after all deceivers and iujpostors, who lied about the resur- rection of Christ, and practiced jugglery to deceive men ! ! ! Such was the consistency of early infidels, 3. But if the writers of the New Testament were deceiv- ers, and designedly propagated a falsehood, what motive could they have had in it? On this supposition, they could not have been actuated by a sense of duty, and the prospect of a heavenly crown beyond this vale of tears. — One said "if in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men most miserable." — Cor. xv. 19. If they knew their testimfwiv was false, thev could not have been ^22 RKL10105 rt.vniCArfiD. Tictuated by anj hope of future reward, nor by that beuev- olent temper of mind, which breathes out in all their ac- tions ; nor by that love of truth, which stands out so prom- inently in all their writings. And had they any worldly motives ? Was there any priestcraft about them ? They Td'e admitted to have held all worldly possessions and en- joyments in utter contempt. If their natural wants were supplied, they were thankful ; if n/)t, they were content to «uHer for the sake of Christ. They could not be acting in hopes of the honours that afrerages would heap upon theiv memories; for if they were only teaching falsehood against all law and all publick opinion, as well as against the stron- v;est propensities of men, they could not have anticipated the success and glorious triumphs that have attended and crowned their labours. No. Infidels have never been able to assign them a motive for their deception. They could have had no motives. They existed with Christ. They fmeiv whether his religion was from heaven or not. They knew whether he had risen from the dead, or whether they had stolen and concealed his body. They sustained an exalted moral charact.'^r. They were not charmed with splendid worldly prospects that fired their ambition. But publick contempt, the scorn of men, the wrath of every gov- ernment on earth, the vengeance of a bigoted priesthood, and their inilamed and excited follower-j were in full view before them. Jesus had told them that all these things would come upon them. They saw the dangers and per- il? before them. They saw the arms of the univer;-e against them. They saw the universal fires of cruel and heart rending persecution through which they must follow their master, and in which they must expire. Yet they did not shrink I They smiled on faggots and chains, and moveti on triumphant in suflering; and died rejoicing that they were accounted worthy to die for him they loved. Did they know that he was an impostor — snd thai they bad hid his body ? Look upon Petw. When he saw hi« Lord RELieiON YINDICATEB. 323 bleeding in tha hands of his enemies, he lost all his faith in him ; and like a cowardly wretch, he slunk away, and de- nied that he had any connexion with him, but when he comes forward to announce his resurrection, he is no lon- ger the same faithless cowardly man. He no longer feels ashamed of his master, nor fears the frowns or vengeance of his countrymen. He comes out in the very panoply of heaven, vs if conscious of being sustained by the omnipo- tence of God ; and boldly tells the Jews that Jesus Christ, whom they murdered, had risen from the dead ; and called on them to repent. Peter never trembled again. Neither men nor devils, nor burning torments had any power to shake his heaven directed soul, or cool the unquenchable fervour, with which he unfurled the banner of his risen Lord. Was he an impostor ? Is it in the power of an un- lisen man, to transform a shrinking, ignorant coward from despair, to a hero that regards not the world, and pours his torrents of more than mortal eloquence upon the listening multitudes, which floats away prejudice and wrath in its mighty inspiration, and brings happy thousands to bow to his sceptre ? Are such men as Peter r^as very likely to rise up, and propagate a falsehood, amidst smoke and fire and death, without an earthly object ? Look at Saul of Tarsus. Was he a deceiver? What had he to gain by such a deception? Nothing — yet he had every thing to lose. He was learned and popular ; and his country offered him every inducement to avarice, or ambition, or pleasure. He was i)rejudiced too against the religion of Jesus. When on a sudden he turned around. He could not have been deceived himself; for he says he 5aw a light, and heard a voice and understood the words ; and that Jesus appeared to him last of all, and instructed him in his ministry. All this was true or he v»^as an im- postor. But does he write like an impostor ? We might say, he teaches nothing but goodness. Why did he turn from all the world admires, and all that chtrms and dazzles 32-i RiiLIGIOX VINDICATED. human atnbiaon or cupidity, to an unpopular, poor, and despised impostor? \Vhy did he leave every dear ob- ject behind, and go, despised, reviled, and persecuted from city to city and land to land ; every where proclaiming Je- sus and the resurrection ; every where bleeding and suffer- ing, enduring stripes, imprisonments, and perils, that he might bear the gospel to unthankful Gentiles ? Did he thus propagate a falsehood, which he had himself despised, for the poor privilege of living in jeopardy — an outcast in the world, and a martyr in death ? There is a bold, unti- ring fortitude, an unyielding contempt of danger and death and all selfish considerations, which forbid the supposition of imposture, in the acts of this great apostle, as well as in the lives of all the disciples. Not one of them ever turned back, and attempted to expose any imposition of the frater- nity, after Jesus had risen. Not one of them ever shrunk from persecution or death ; for life and death, and ail world- ly things were wrapped up in their high and supreme de- votion to the great Captain, who had despoiled the " king of terrours" of his triumphs, disenthroned him in the field of his trophies, and opened the glorious vestibule to im- mortality. There is something in the career and character of the apostles, on which the pious imagination lingers with sweet and delightful feeling. All that is admirable in patience, wonderful in fortitude, amiable in meekness, as- tonishing in self-denial, firm in principle, and ardent in de- votion to the publick weal, was theirs. Jesus at the head of his immediate followers, exhibits a band of actors upon the moral theatre of the world, perfect and bright, beyond all comparison. A moral grandeur is exhibited in them that overawes while it delights the heart, and commends the religion of Jesus to the latest ages of the world. Rea- ders-can you despise that Saviour and those apostles, who spread the divine virtues and hopes of rehgion over the world, not merely without earthly motives but contrary to all such motives ? We think not. We have proved, that RELIGION VINDICATED. ^25 the apostles were not themselves dcceiv'ed, and they did not knowingly deceive others. Therefore the conclusion is ir- resistible, that they taught the truth, and that "Jesus is the Son of God." VII. Did Jesus rise from the dead? — This question in- volves the whole subject of the christian religion. If this be 80, then the christian religion is from heaven. If not so, the whole is an imposition. Paul predicates the whole system upon this point, '^ If Christ be not risen, then is our preaching vain.* ^ — 1 Cor. xv: 14. Therefore, all we have said is designed to establish this fact; and although we have not touched the tenth of the evidence in proof of rev- elation, yet we think we b^ave already adduced sufficient evidence for all unprejudiced readers. But we wish to convince the prejudiced if possible. We know of no his- torick fact so well sustained by indubitable evidence. And there is not one that we believe to be true^with more full, clear, and entire conviction of mind. It seems to us, up- on examination, so completely environed on every hand, with such strong, full, and positive proof, that no person can avoid conviction, who gives it a full and fair investi- gation. 1. The evangelists and apostles, in different p'laces and at difl'erent times, repeatedly declare that Jesus foretold his death and resurrection. That he declared he must be put to death by the chief priests, and would rise again on the third day, &c. And that he refused to go away as his disciples advised him, when he foresaw the time was at hand. They also affirm tliat he instituted, the day before, a memorial of the death he was about to suffer. This was the bread and wine offered his disciples, ^as sensible sym- bols of his body and blood, accompanied with these remark- able words : " This is my body which is given for you. — This cup is the New Testament in my blood^\ — Luke xxii : 19, 20. Now if all this is true, we must believe Christ to have 28 32G RELIGION VI-NDICATED. been more than an impostor. But Christ did foretell his resurrection on the third day, because tlie Jews on that ^ ery account placed a strong guard o( sixty soldiers around his sepulchre, and rolled a great stone upon its door, to prevent his disciplBS from stealing his body, and then pre- tending he had risen as he had foretold. "Sir, (said they to Pilate) we remember that that deceiver said, while he was yet alive, after three days I will rise again. Command, therefore, that the sepulchre be made sure, until the third day, lest his disciples come by night and steal him away, and say unto the people, lie is risen from the dead ; so the last errour shall be worse than the first. Pilate saith unto them, ye have a watch; go your way, make it as sure as you can. So they went and made the sepulchre sure (by laying a great stone upon it, sealed with the governour's seal, making it death for the soldiers to suffer it to be moved,) sealing the ston* and setting the watch." This proves that Jesus did predict his resurrection. — But an unbeliever will say, they did not lay a stone upon the sepulchre, and place a guard as the New Testament affirms. We say, this fact does not depend solely upon the inspired historians. Early infidel writers, and the Jews themselves, uniformly admitted that Jesus promised his disciples to rise on the third day; and that, therefore, they did roll a large stone upon the door, and did set a guard, so that he might not be moved from the sepulchre, unless he made good his promise, and actually rose from the dead. If the Jews had not taken this pains to prevent his disci- ples stealing away the body, we should not be so certain that he had promised to rise, nor that his disciples did. not steal him away. The evangelists tell us that the guard went to the chief priests, and told them of the resurrection of Jesus. That they bribed the soldiers to tell that his disciples stole him away while they slept, and promised to intercede v/ith the governour to secure them from punish ment for sleeping on the watch. i RELIOIOI^ VINDICATED. 327 Justin Martyr, about 120 years afterwards, says, " The Synagogue of Jerusalem sent out jjersonsin every direction, to propagate a report thfft such was the fact." 2. Hence it comes to be admitted on all sides, that Jesii€i did promise repeatedly to rise the third day. 2. That the interested rulers did crucify him. 3. That they did set a strong guard to prevent his body being removed from the sepulchre by theft. And 4. That either he rose from the dead, or his disciples stole him away, and so com])lete- ly concealed his body tliat the whole government and coun- try could never find it. Now, did the disciples steal it from the tomb? . What object had they ? If he had deceived them so that they believed in him, they would have expected him to rise at the time without their assistance. If they believed not, ihey would feel more anxious to get away, and deny all connexion with him, as Peter did. And what could they expect to gain, by stealing his body and then declaring hia resurrection? Why, they could expect to gain just such treatment and death as they had just seen inflicted upon their leader, and nothing else. Men are not apt to steal from such motives. They are not apt to steal for the sake of poverty, disgrace, and an ignominious death. But the disciples were only ten or twelve in number and unarmed ; could they expect to overcome sixty soldiers by force? They were poor; could they expect to bribe so many with money to let them take away the body, and be punished with death for their neglect of duty ? Now then, suppose the disciples to have been so strangely composed, as to wish to deceive in this thing without any object whatev- er, or only to bring wretchedness upon themselves; sup- pose them the most desperately bold of any m'en in the world, to have expected success in such an enterprize ; how could ihey succeed? Had those few men, who had al- ways before appeared so cowardly, armed themselves, and by a sudden blow destroyed the sixty soldiers, they would 328 RELIGION VINDICATEP. have frustrated their own plan ; for th.vt would have beea good evidence^ that they had been there, and had commit- ted violence. But they must not only take the body away, »nd have it never seen again, but they must do it in such a way as to make it appear that it was risen from the dead. — It was n)oreover a night of bright moonlight, when it must h.ave been difficult for sixty soldiers to have been sleeping very sound together, over a charge where their hves de- pended upon their fidelity. Now did a little company of pennylrss, friendless disci- ples go to the sepulchre, and remove the great stone from the door, and take away the bod}', while all the soldiers slept? If they were very sleepy they would certainlvhave kept up some sentinels to watch; and one would doubtless have stood upon the veiy stone, which lay over the door, whose hfe would have been made to answer for his fidelity,, while the others slept. The fact is, that such an event could not possibly have happened — the disciples could not possibly have stolen the body under such circumstances, if they had wishetl to do it without a motive, unless God interposed to have it so; and if God had an agency in it, his interposition must Iiave been to establish a truth and not an imposture. And this would be to admit that his body was moved by divine ag9u- cy, which is the very thing contended for. But suppose the sixty sentinels had all got sound asleep, and when they awoke, suppose they found the stone rolled oft'the door, and the body gone, would they know by what means all this happened while they were asleep ? Certain- ly not. And when they went to the rulers, the chief priests and the saudhedrim, would they not have said, "we were all asif ej>, and when we awoke, we found the body gone, and we know not by what means it was taken away ?" Or if they were frightened with the fear of punishment for getting to slee{f, which would be most likely, would they not have invented a lie, and told them, that somebody carne RELIGION VINDICATED. 329 and took hirn away by force, or that he did rise from the dead in spite of thetn ? They would not have told them that they were asleep, lest they should be punished for it ; nor would they have undertaken to tell what took place when they were professedly asleep, about which they could know nothing. This proves that the report which the Jews sent abroad, that the soldiers said, his disciples stole him away while they slept, was invented by the chief rulers, and that the soldiers never reported any such thing. Now, why did they invent and propagate this Zi'e, if the truth had been what they wanted ? The truth is, the soldiers reported to them, that he rose from the dead, as the evangelists say they did, but the rulers, not believing it, hired them to tell the inconsistent story that his disciples stole him away while they slept, and promised to persuade the governour and secure them from punishment. We must suppose the soldiers lo be anxious only to es- cape punishment, and of course willing to tell any story that might please the chief rulers and secure their lives. — Their invention of this story shows clearly that they could not account for the disappearance of the body. The grand reason the high priests and chief men were not willing to admit that he had risen from the dead, was that they had a great worldly interest in the perpetuity of those customs and laws, which Christianity threatened to abolish, This induced them to put him to death ; to say he worked mira- cles by the help of the devil, when they could not deny that he did perform them ; and to invent a foolish lie to ex- plain the grand fact of his resurrection. They had still an- other evident motive in dissuading the people from the be- lief that he had risen from from the dead ; and that was to save their own characters from the imputation of innocent blood. For in proportion as people believed the resurrec- tion, they would believe those men murderers. 3, We might add. that all the disciples, who declared 28* 330 EELIGI05 VilVDICATED, the resurrection, knew \rhether they had seen and handled him, and conversed with him or not. If they did not do it they did lie. But would ifaey get away the body in spite of sixty soldiers, in such an astonishing manner that the Jews could not prove it, and then proclaim his resurrection, only as the foundation of indh, and holiness, and hope, to men? These men never attempted to build any thing upon the fact of the resurrection but truth, self-denial, and ilu purest righteousness. Did they indeed lie ? And did they lie only to make people good — and all that for no oth- er personal comforts, but stripes, prisons, crucifictions, and excruciating tortures? Indeed if they were liars, they must have been such a kind of hars as n&ver happened to risit this world before or since! They must have been an astonishing kind of men to have got away the body — to have been all agreed to propa- gate a lie for the sake of making others good, and them- selves miserable; — to have all gone out into the wide per- secuting world, appearing to perform miracles without ev- er once beiYig detected — to have acted at all times with the promptness, the energy, and contempt of danger and death, that men would do who really believed God with them— that not one of them should overexpose the craft, or be dis- couraged, or shrink from the cruel scenes every where be- fore them — that they should actually decsive hundreds of thousands of Jews arid Gentiles in their own age, who should manifest the purest feelings and most exalted vir- tues — that they should seem inspired with a superhuman devotion to the cause, which disarmed dungeon torments and cruel flames of their terrours, and made them rejoice to suffer for the sake of the glory of a better world J Oh, God ! were these men impostors ? What mysterions pow- er moved upon mankind, that such an imposture should triumph against the world in arms ? 4. Paul boldly declared that five hundred persons saw Jesus at one time after his resurrection ; and that most oi RELIGION VINDICATED. 881 lliem were living to testify to its truth then when he wrote. — I. Cor. XV. G. Would he have said that if he knew it to be false? ^Vould he not have feared that unbehevers might inquire for those five hundred or most of them, that they might be examined on the subject, and thus expose him as an im})Oi5tor ? Finally, the resurrection of Christ, with all the facts con- nected with the truth of Christianity, is sustained by more positive and unquestionable evidence than any other event which passed prior to our existence. And only two things can be assigned, why, ail do not believe that have any knowledge on the subject. One is because the miracles designed to convince are so extraorditnary and marvelous ; and the other is because Christianity imposes an unwel- come restraint upon the vicious propensities of men. * The last reason, however, is rather an argument in favour of the truth of Christianity ; and the first is no objection. For if the miracles had not been extraordinary, all would have imputed them to the ordinary powers of men, and they would not have convinced any. Even extraordinary as they were, the early infidels knew of no way to manage them, but to attribute them to some magick art, and the Jews attributed them to the devil. They could not deny their existence. But why should not all that believe in a God, believe in a miracle, when well attested, as soon as an ordinary thing, so long as they do not believe it too great a work for God to perform ? All that believe in a God, therefore, have not a single argument with which to oppose the grand truth presented in this number. But if they believe not in a God, when all creation eternally pro- claims his existence, ive cannot convince them. Could we speak for ever with a million of tongues, and every word a demonstration, we could never do more than begin the ar- gument that there is a God. Admit this true — and every objection to christiany falls to the ground — if there be a God, Christianity is proved beyond all controversy. If 332 RKLiaiO.X VINDICATED. there be not — then — ah — then — every thing is a miracle indeed ! ! VVe boldly say, that atheism or deism embraces milhons of miracles, as often as Christianity recognizes one. To conclude in the words of Saurin, " collect all these proofs together; consider them in one point of view, and see how many extravagant suppositions must be advanced, if the resurrection of our Saviour be denied. It must be supposed that guards, who had been particularly cautioned by their officers, sat down to sleep, and that, nevertheless, they deserved credit when they said the body of Jesus Christ was stolen. It must be supposed that men who had been imposed upon in the most odious and cruel manner in the world, hazarded their dearest enjoyments for the glory of ai impostor. It must be supposed that ignorant and ilhter- ate men, who had neither reputation, fortune nor eloquence, possessed the art of fascinating the eyes of all the church. It must be supposed, either that five hundred persons were all deprived of their senses at a time, or that they were all deceived in the plainest matters of facts ; or that this mul- titude offalse witnesses had found out the secret of never contradicting themselves or one another, and of being al- ways upiform in their testimony. It must be supposed that the most expert courts of judicature could not find out n shadow of contradiction in a palpable imposture. It must be supposed that the apostles, sensible men in other cases, chose precisely those places and those times which were most unfavourable to their views. It must be suppo- sed that millions madly suffered imprisonments, tortures and crucifixion to spread an illusion. It must be supposed that ten thousand miracles were wrought in favour of false- hood, or all these facts must be denied. And then it must be supposed that the apostles were idiots, that the enemies of Christianity were idiots, and that all the primitive chris- tians were idiots." VIII. Evidence draiim from Prophecy. — An author de- fines prophecy to be "a miracle of knowledge^ a declara- RELIGION VIIVDICATKD. 833 tion, or description, or representation of something futuiy, be- yond the power of human sagacity to discern or to calculate, and it is the highest evidence that can he given of supernatur- al communiomcith the Deity, and of the truth of a revelaiiMU from God.'' Prophecy is oilen better evidence to us than any other kind of miracles ; for in many cases we depend not on the testimony of others ; but we know that things ^vere pre- dicted, and we see that they are fulfilled in our own time and before our own eyes; so that we becon^iC witPiessc? of tiie miracles ourselves. Some few remakable prophecies we wili enumerate out of the uiany the Bible contains, which unanswerably prove its revelation. We will use the words of Home: 1. " IshmaeVs name and fortune were announced before he was born ; particularly, that his descendants shoyld bo very numerous, and that he should beget twelve princes. The whole came to pass precisely as it was foretold. — Compare Gen. xvi. 10 — 13. xvii. 20. and xxv. 1*2 — 18. / tmll make him a great nation, said Jehovah to Abraham, (Gen. XVII. 20,) and this prediction was accomplished as soon as it could be in the regular course of nature. From Ishmael proceeded the various tribes of Arabs (alsocall«d .Saracens, by christian writers,) who anciently were, and still continue to be a very powerful people. They might, indeed, be emphatically styled a great nation, when the Saracens made their rapid and extensive conquests during the middle ages, and erected one of the largest empires that ever were in the world. J{e icill he a icild man [Greu. XVI. 12.) literally a wild ass-man, that is, as wild as a wild ass : and the account of that animal, in Job xxxix. 5 — 8, affords the best possible description of the wandering, law- less, and freebooting lives and manners of the Arabs. — rVho hath sent out the wild ass free 1 or who hath loosed the. hands of the wild ass 1 Whose house I haveUnads the\ wil- dcrness, and the barren land his dwellings. He scormtk tkQ »i34 tlgllGlO.N Vl-VDiCATED. multitude of the city neither regardeth he the crying of the driver. The range of the mountains is his pasture, and he searcheth after every ^tten thing. God himself has sent them out free, and has loosed them from all political restraint. The same icilder7iess, in which their ancestor, Ishmael, dwelt more ihan three thousaud seven hundred years ago, is still their habitation, and in the barren land, where no other human beings could live, they have their dwellings. 'iliey scorn the city, and therefore have no fixed habitation. For their multitude, they are not afraid. When they n)ake depredations on cities, towns, of caravans, they retire into the desert with such precipitancy, that all pursuit is elu- ded ; and in this respect, the crying of the driver is disre- garded. They may be said to have no lands and yet the V'dttge of the mountains is their pasture; they pitch their tents and feed their flocks wherever they please ; and they search after every green thing, are continually looking after \:rey, and seize every kind of property that comes in their way. It was further foretold that Ishmael's hand should he against every man, and every man's hand against hiin. — J^osostris, Cyrus, Pompey, Trajan, and other ancient sov- ereigns and potentates, vainly attempted to subjugate the wandering Arabs: though they had temporary triumphs over some tribes, they were ultimately unsuccessful. From the commencement of the Ishmaelites to the present day, they have maintained their independency: and if there were no other argument to evince the divine origin of the Pentateuch, the account of Ishmael and the prophecy con- cerning his descendants, collated with their history and manner of life during a period of nearly four thousand years, would be sufficient : it may indeed, be pronounced absolutely demonstrative." Again the same profound author says, 2. "The twenty-eighth chapter of the book ofDeuieron omy contains a series of most striking predictions relative to the Jews, which nre fulfilling to this very day. Bishop RF.LIGION VINDICATED. 336 Newtou And Dr. Graves have shown its accomplishment at great length. Some of its leading features only can be here noticed. The great lawgiver of the Jews foretold that they should be removed into all the kingdoms of the earth, — scattered among all people, from one end of the earth, even unto the other,— find no ease or rest, — be oppress- ed and crushed always — be left few in number among the heathen, — pine aivay in their iniquity in their enemies^ land, — and become an astonishment, a proverb, and a bye-word un- to all nations. These predictions were literally fulfilled during their subjection to the Chaldeans and Romans ; and, in latter times, in all nations where they have been dispers- ed. Moses foretold that their enemies would besiege and and take their cities; and this prophecy was fulfilled by Shishak king of Egypt, Shalmaneser king of Assyria, Neb- uchadnezzar, xintiochus, Epiphanes, Sosius and Herod, and finally by Titus. Moses foretold that such grievous famines should prevail during those seiges, that they should eat the flesh of their sons and daughters. This prediction was fulfilled about six hundred years after the time of Moses, among the Israelites, when Samaria was besieged by the king of Syria; again, about nine hundred years af- ter Moses, among the Jews, during the siege of Jerusalem before the Babylonish captivity ; and finally, fifteen hun- dred years after this time, during the seige of Jerusalem by the Romans. Though the Hebrews were to be as the stars of heaven for multitude, Moses predicted that they should be few in number, and his prophecy was fulfilled : for, in the last seige of Jerusalem, Josephus tells us that an infiinite multitude perished by famine ; and he computes the total number who perished by it and by the war in Je- rusalem, and other parts of Judea, at one milhon two hun- dred and forty thousand four hundred and ninety, besides ninety-nine thousand two hundred who were made prison- ers, and sold unto their enemies for bondmen and bondwomen: and, after their last overthrow by Hadrian, many thousands 336 RKL!G!0>' VINDICATED. of them were sold ; and those, for whom purchasers could uot be found (Moses had foretold that 7io man should buy them) were transported into Egypt, where they perished by shipwreck orfaaiiue, or wore massacreed by the inhab- itants. Since the destruction of Jerusalem, they have been scattered among all nations, among whom they have found no ease, nor have the soles of their feet had rest; they have been oppressed and spoiled evermore, especially in the east, where the tyranny exercised over them is so severe, as to afibrd a literal fulfilment of the prediction of Moses, that thy life shall hang in doubt before thee, and thou shall fear, day and night, and shall h4.vk none assurance of thy life. Deut. XXVIII : 06. Yet, notwithstanding all their oppres- sions, they have still continued a separate people, without incorporating with the natives ; and they have become an as- tonishment and a bye-word among all the nations, whither they have been carried, since their punishment has been inflicted. The very name of a Jew has been used as a term of peculiar reproach and infamy. Finally, it was foretold that their plagues should be wonderful, even great plagues, and of long continuance. And have not their plagues continued more than seven hundred years? In comparison of them, their former captivities were very short : during their captivity in Chaldea, Ezekial and Dan- iel prophesied ; but now they have no true prophet to fore- tel the end of their calamities. What nation has suffered so much, and yet endured so long? What nation has sub- sisted as a distinct people in their own country, so long as the Jews have done, in their dispersion into all countries? And what a standing miracle is thus exhibited to the world\ in the fulfillment, at this very time, of prophecies delivered considerably more than three thousand years ago ! WTiat a permanent attestation is it to the divine legation of Moses!" We cannot go into all the numerous prophecies relative to the Hebrews with which all the prophets of the old tes- RKLItflON VliNDFCATKD. 337 tamciit Libouiid. but will give oae more extract that refers to Zetlekiah. " But tliat whicJi seemed ]no«t strange, and was most objected against, iu the Prophecies of Jeremiah, was his prediction concerning the dealli ofZedekiah; in which he and Ezekiel were tliougbtto contradict each other. Jere- miah prophesied in Jerusalem, at the same time when P]ze- kiel prophesied in Babylon, and concerning the same things ; and Jeremiah's prophecy was sent to the captives in Babylon, aad Ezekiel's to the inhabibants of Jerusalem. Now these two prophets writing of the captivity of Zede- kiah, enumerate all the circumstances of it between them, in such a manner that they were believed to contradict each other; and thus tJie expectation and attention of the peo- ple was the more excited to observe the fulfilment of their prophecies. (Compare Jer. xxxvi. 2 — 7, and Ezek. xii. 14.) Jeremiah said that he should see the king ofBabylon, and be carried to Babylon ; Ezekiel, that he should not see Babylon; Jeremiah, that he should die in peace, and be buried after the manner of bis ancestors : Ezekiel that he should die at Babylon. And if we compare all this with the history, nothing ever was move punctually fulfilled ; for Zedekiah saw the king of Babylon, who commanded his eyes to be put out, before he was brought tro Babylon ; and he died there, but died peaceably, and was suffered to have the usual funeral solemnities. (Jer. xxxix. 4, 7. — II. Kings XXV. G, 7.) Therefore both prophecies proved true in the event, which before seemed to be inconsistent. And so critical an exactness io every minute circumstance, in prophecdes delivered by two persons, who were before thought to contradict each other, was such a conviction to the Jews, after they had seeii them so punctually fulfilled, in their captivity, that they could no longer doubt but that both were fromOod." Again the same author says of Tyre. 2d 338 RELIGION Vli^DICATKI). " Tyre was one of the raost flourishing and opulent cities of ancient times. The inhabitants because very wicked and abandoned ; and the Hebrew propliets were com manded to foretel its ruin. At the time their predictions were uttered, the city was extremely prosperous, success- ful in commerce, and ahoundin^^ in riches and glory. — These predictions were extremely minute and circum- stantial ; and announced that the city was to be taken and destroyed by the Chaldeans, (who, at the time of the delivery of the prophecy, were an inconsiderable people,) and particularly by Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon ; that the inhabitants should flee over the Med- iterranean into the adjacent islands and countries, and even there should not find a quiet settlement; that th« city should be restored after seventy years, and return to her gain and merchandize ; that it should be taken and destroyed a second time; that the people should, in time, forsake their idolatry, and become converts to the worship and true religion of God ; and finally, that the city should be totally destroyed and become a place only for fishers to spread their nets upon. All these predictions were finally fulfilled: for want of room, we are compelled to notice here only those predictions which denounce its utter destruction. They will be found in Ezekiel xxvi. 3—5, 14, 19, 21. "These various predictions received their accomplish- ment by degrees. Nebuchadnezzar destroyed the old city ; and Alexander the Great employed its ruins and rubbish in making ?. causeway from the continent to the island where- on it had been erected, both of which were henceforth joined together. " It is no wonder therefore," as a learned traveller has remarked, " that there are no signs of the an- cient city ; and as it is a sandy shore, the face of every thing is altered, and the great aqueduct in many parts is almost buried in the sand." So that, as to this part of the city, RELIGION Vl.XDlCATED. H89 the prophecy has literally been fuKiiled. "TIiou tshalt be t)uiit no more: though thou be sought for, yet shalt thou iievL-r be found again." It may be questioneil whether the new city ever arose to that height of power, wealth, and greatness, to which it was elevated in the times of Isai- ah and Ezekiel. It received a great blow from Alexander, not only by his taking and burning the city, but much more by his building of Alexandria in Egypt, which in time deprived it of much of its trade, and thus contributed more eflectually to its ruin. It had the misfortune afterwards of changing its masters often, being sometimes in the hands of the Ptolemies, kings of Egypt, and some times of the Selcucidfp, kings of Syria, till at length it fell under the do- nlinion of the Romans. It was taken by the Saracen* about tlie year of Christ 639, in the reign of Omar their third emperor. It was retaken by the christians during the time of the holy war in the year 1121, by Baldwin, tho second of that name, being then king of Jerusalem, and assisted by a fleet of the Venetians. From the christiaos it was taken again, in the year 1289, by the Mamelukes of Egypt, under their Sultal Alphix, who sacked and razed this and Sidon and other strong tov.'us, in order that they might never afford any harbour or shelter to the christians. From the Mamelukes it was again taken in the year 1516, by Selim, the ninth emperor of the Turks ; and under their dominion it continues at present. Cut alas, how fallen, how changed fiom what it was formerly ! For, from be- ing tho centre of trade, frequented by all the merchant ships of the east and west, it is now become a heap of ruins, visited only by the boats of a few poor fishermen.—- So that as to this part likewise of the city, the prophecy has literally been fulfilled. / tvill mahe thee like the top of a rock ; thou, shalt he a place to spread nets upon."' Of Egypt he says, '* ^^SyP^ ^^as one of the most ancient and powerful king- 340 RKLIGIO.N VINDKATl.1^. dolus iu former ages : and at one period is said to have contained eighteen thousand cities and seventeen millions of inhabitants. The revolutions and state of this king- dom were minutely described by the prophets Isaiah, Jer- emiah, and Ezekiel. [For the most striking of those de- nunciations, we refer our readers to Ezekiel, xxix, 15, 16. XXX. 6, 12, 13.] It is now upwards of two thousand four hundred years since this prophecy was. delivered : and what hkehhood or apj)earance was there, that so great a kingdom, so rich and fertile a country, should for so many ages bow under a foreign yoke, and never during that long period be able to recover its liberties, and have a prince ot its own to reign over them ? But as is the prophecy so is the event. For, not long afterwards, Egypt was succe?*- sively attacked and conquered by the Babylonians and Persians : on the subversion of the Persian empire by Al- exander, it became subject tc the Macedonians, then to the Romans, and after them to the Saracens, then to the Mamelukes, and is now a province of the Turkish empire : and the general character of its inhabitants is a corapoimd of baseness, treachery, covetousness, and malice. Syene is in ruins ; and the idols of Egypt are scattered. And all modern travellers attest that the numerous canals with which this country was anciently intersected, are (with th© exception of a few in Lower Egypt) now neglected. Th« consequence is, that a very large proportion of the country is abandoned to sand and to unfruitfulncss, while the e/fect is a fulfilment of the threatening, / will 7n(ik€ her rivtrs dry. The annual su})ply of cmiching anil fertilizing water, being now lost to an immense tract of country on both sides of the Nile, sand, the natural soil, prevails: vegeta- tion, which once bound together the earth by the roots and fibres of grass, is burnt up. And what was once ;i fruitful field, has become desolate, overwhehucrl by flying: blasts of sand, and consiijned to ages of solitude." RELIGION VINDICATED. 341 IX. Inspiration of the Scriptures. — No doubt many vague nnd indistinct ideas obtain with regard to the true import and extent of the inspiration o{ the Scriptures. The Bible is proper:y called the word of God, the revelation of heav- en, the inspiration of God, &c. From this phraseology many have inferred that christians suppose the writers of the Bible to have been as passive in that writing as wooden machines — that they were passively moved on by the Holy Ghost to the use of every word -and the formation of every letter. That the writers used no human knowledge or agency,, but took their pens in hand, and suffered them to be moved entirely by the invisible power of God. — We believe no such thing ; and we think enlightened chris- tians generally do not. No such a revelation was neces- sary ; but it was only necessary that the writers should have extraordinary powers where their ordinary qualifica- tions were deficient or inadequate to the work assigned them. They had a competent knowledge of the language they used, therefore they needed [no inspiration on this point. Hence we are not to suppose the phraseology or rhetoricU, or style of the Bible any more inspired than other book!^-. Agreeably to this idea we discover as many different styles of composition as there were different writers. Each evidently used a style peculiar to himself. 2. They obtained much knowledge of facts by ordinary means, and it was unnecessary that they should be inspued with such knowledge as they possessed without extraordi- nary inspiration. Hence they relate many incidents both in the Old and New Testament, Avhich they learned by the ordinary senses, which they had seen and heard ; and not unfrequently, they speak of things, customs, and circum- stances, which were known as matters of general and un- disputed notoriety. Moses tells us that the waters of the red sea opened to let the Hebrews pass, but he knew this fact without any extraordinary inspiration. The Evange- 842 KKLIGIO.N VI>*DICAT£0. lists tell us what they saw and heard, \:c. And so" we may say of all the writers, when they recorded facts which they knew by ordinary means, they depended not on extra- ordinary inspiration for their knowledge. The apostles were enabled to work miracles, when miracles were neces- sary to accomplish the divine pii.rposes, but we should not conclude from thence that they walked abont, eat, drank, &c. miraculously. From these remarks it will be per- ceived, that we conclude the writers used their own lan- guage and style in all case*? : that ihey recorded facts, learn- ed by the ordinary means, whenever such means of informa- tion were adequate to the grand object of the revelation. This accounts for the fact that diflerent writers relate the same event with different phraseology, and particulari- ty. This little variety, while it forbids the idea of concert or combination, demonstrates that the facts were so obvious, that the dilTerent writers saw and knew them in their own persons. So far from being any disparagement to the re- cords, it proves clearly that each recorded such facts as most forcibly impressed his senses, or most powerfully at- tracted his notice, without any consultation or connivance with the others. What we have here said for the non-in- spiration of the Scriptures, will account for all tlie diversi- ty of style, all the variety of figures, all the ambiguity of expression, all the trifling and unimportant discrepancies in the relation of substantial facts, and all such phraseol- ogies as offend the delicacy of a refined and improved taste. Now we will tell what we conceive to be the true inspiration of the Bible. 1. The writers were inspired with an unyielding integrity of heart, or a disposition to tell the truth only. 2. They were inspired with all the knowledge necessary to the revelation, which they could not acquire by ordinary means. For instance, those men, who saw Jesus Christ on earth ; who saw his miracles performed, who saw him crucified, who saw him after his resurrection, and heard his instructions from his lip?, would KEL1GI05 VlWDlfA'fEiJ. S43 need 110 Other iiis])iiaiion to make a I'aithl'iil recortl of all these things, that should be substantially true, than merely a (iispo-sition to record the triuh only. But when they are to ifecord a niorjvl or doctrinal princi-jjle or a prediction, not to be known by ordinary means, and not heard fcom Jesus liiiuself, they must be inspired by ths Holy Spirit with the knowledge ol" such truth. We amy say then that the Scriptures were written by men irj human language, who were inspiretl to write the truth, and so guided by the spirit of God as to make the book, substantially true in all its doc- trinal and moral featuied, all its splendid mir:icles, all it* predictions, ail its historical relations, :ind every thing that is essential to the substantial perfection of the whole. Although we suppose much of the Scriptures to consist of well authenticated facts which the writers knew bv or- dinary and natural means, yet God miyaculons^ly made known to ihem, whatever was necessary to make the whole perfect in all essential matters of doctrine and: fact. So clearly is their divine inspiration, so far as this, established, that were we to go to the evidence on both sides, examine every argument that has ever been addaced by its oppo- nents, and every argument in its favour, \*e should find an irresistible and overwhelming balance to preponderate in its support. It is not necessary, as some philosophers liav« insinuated and their dupes have believed, for us to reject philosophy in order to be christians. No> we could never believe on such terms. True philosophy and sound rea- son will coalesce in every particular with every principle of the Bible and every particle of Christianity. We iTiay not see the reason of some things revealeil ; but is it not a fact that all human reason is imperfect? Were it not so, a re- velation would not have been necessary. Whatever in re- velation reason cannot clearly explain is not contrary to rea- son but above it. Christianity is reasonable, but it requires the reason of God to perceive the reason of the whole of it. However, the more perfect our reason becomes by 344 RELIGION VI.NURATKD. cultivation, !h« more of the reasoa of revelation we can perceive, and no human reason can confute it. Men have attempted to array philosophy against the Bible in every yge, but every argument has been fairly met over and over again. So that on the whole they have been an advantage to the Bible, by provoking investigation, and causing to be brought forward thousands of important trutlis and facts, which will demonstrate the genuineness, authenticity, and authority of tJie Bible to the latest posterity; and which otherwise might have been lost in the revolutions of time. In the second century, Celsus, a learned philosopher, wrote against Christianity, when all the scenes of it had but recently occurred, and the whole subject was perfectly ac- cessible. So did Porphyri) and Hierocles of the third cen- tury, and Julian of the fourth, but so far from militating against Christianity, their writings go directly to establish facts which prove its authenticity. Their arguments were confuted by the early christians. Late philosophers have uiade the same attempt but witijout any eti'ect except upon those who read only their side of the question, and of course close their eyes upon facts of inconceivable moment. A work designed to overthrow the Bible most in circu- lation in our country, is Thomas Paine's Age of lleasou. Although the author is deservedly popular as a political writer, he is certainly guilty of the most puny and con- temptible work against the Bible, of any that has come to our knowledge. Although jiis arguments had been used and contented many times before he existed, and have been thoroughly answered since, yet this book seems to possess astonishing charms for thousands of young men, who never perhaps read the whole Bible in their lives, and who never read any full and reputed defence of it. Are they ready to make up their judgement upon a partial ex- amination of one side only ? If so, let us tell them to turn ' round and look oo the other side, till they give the subject in all its bearings as clo^e an examination as did thos« cool. UELItJiON VI.\DICATK1». 34r> ncuie, uccuiate, and lucid invesligators, Lockt and \twton. How preposterous for our young upstarts in philosophy, and a multitude of wonderful " smart felloivs'' through our country, who are totally ignorant l)oth of the Scriptures and their evidence, to assume to assisil the revelation of Heaven, and to cavil about things above their own limited compre- hension. Let true philosophy, chastened and humbled &j retlec- tion, come to the investigation, and the Scriptures have nothing to fear from the result. There are t\ro general causes of infidelity, one is an unwillingness to believe, and til*' other is a neglect to examine the arguments thorough- ly on both sides. And if we should succeed in these num- bers in inducing some to peruse some of the abk? and cor- rect authors, that have written in defence of the Bible, it is all we expect. THE END. ERRATA Some small literary errours have passed the press, the niutl im- portant of which the reader is requested to correct, thus: Pago 49, 17th line from bottom, lor if the gosjtcl is ccer, rend, i/lhi' gospel he ever. •' &2, iOth line from bottom, for orthodoxy, read, orthodox. '• KVA, 15th line from bottom, for bdiecc, read bclirf. •' 183, IGtIi liuo from bottom, forte ho should, read, tcho shall. •• 21"2, 5th line from bottom, for is tho licatrns. rend, arc the /icnrens. " 214, loth line from top omit the vfoxdhave. • ;i04. 3d line from bottom, for sitjjlcicncy, read, inefficiency . < CO vO CN U-) LOAN PERIOD 1 HOME USE ^ UJ O lu O < « ' O ) c o • 5 < K JL ^.J-O'-tK^-'^-'^