&>
THE LIBRARY
OF
THE UNIVERSITY
OF CALIFORNIA
LOS ANGELES
. /'f//i/f,i-/t,-i/ />v /fenry Hvvren ^-In,
SERIES
LECTURE SERMONS,
BELIVERED AT THE
SECOND UNIVERSALIST MEETING,
IN BOSTON.
BY HOSEA BALLOU, PASTOR.
; Search the Scriptures, for in them ye think ye have eternal
and they are they which testify of me." JESVS CHRIST.
" Let us go on to perfection." ST. PAVL.
BOSTON :
AIVD PUBLISHED BY HEWRT BOW.\.
1818.
District of Massachusetts, to wit :
District Clerk's Office.
BE it remembered, that on the thirty-first day of August, A. D. Eighteen
hundred and eighteen, in the forty-third year of the Independence of the
United States of America, HENRY BO WEN, of the said District hath
deposited in this Office the Title of a book the Right whereof he claims
as proprietor, in the words following, to wit .-
*' Ji Series of Lecture -Sermons, delivered at the Second Univtrsalist
Meeting, in Boston, by HOSEA BALLOU, Pastor.
" Search the Scriptures, for in them ye think ye have eternal life, and
they, are they, which testify of me." JKSUS CHRIST.
" Let us go on to perfection." ST. PAUL.
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JOHN W. DAVIS, Clerk of the District of
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BX
B2.U
SERMON.
1. TIMOTHY, i. 15.
rt T&ts is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation. Thai
Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners ; of whom I am
Chief."
THE subject on which the Apostle was speaking,
and which led him to make the important declara-
tion contained in our text, is worthy of special
notice. Under a deep sense of the goodness of
God, the grace which he had received in the Lord
Jesus, the distinguished and important station in
which he was placed by the great Captain of our
salvation, it was impossible for him not to take a
most humiliating retrospective view of his past life
in the Jews' religion, while an enemy to Jesus, a
blasphemer, and a persecutor of the church. All
these weighty considerations having their natural
operations on his mind, seemed to present, in full
view, before his mental vision, the great and glorious
errand on which the Lord Jesus was sent into our
world. If it could have been so, that the Apostle,
while engaged in the ministry of Jesus, could have
retained his former confidence in his own righteous-
ness, and had been of the opinion, that he was a
favorite of heaven, that he was enlightened into the
knowledge of the gospel, and even put into the
ministry because his former conduct had merited
these favors, it is evident that such views could
never have led him to make the statement found in
our text. Confirmed in such a persuasion, he would
have preached a Saviour for the righteous, yea, for
1273614. '
4
ibe righteous only. He would have despised the
least intimation of the salvation of sinners. He
would, no doubt, have looked on such intimation,
as an heresy of a most dangerous tendency. But
the case with the great Apostle of the Gentiles was
very different. He had been led to see, that, not
as a righteous man, but as the chief of sinners he had
been visited with the abundance of that grace by
which he was so highly distinguished. He there-
fore looked on himself as sufficient proof of the tes-
timony which he bore. Such as the following were,
no doubt, the reflections of his mind ; I know for
certainty, that I was a mosj deadly enemy of this
lovely Jesus whom I now delight to serve ; I jknow,
that in my opposition to this religion, I was exceed-
ingly mad, and I caused many of the harmless, inof-
fensive disciples of Christ, both men and women,
to feel the weight of my displeasure. Such was
my blind zeal, such the enmity that rankled in my
heart against him and his doctrine, who was a friend
to sinners, that " I thought I ought to do many
things contrary to the name of Jesus ;" and I per-
secuted the saints " unto the death." But, O won-
derful to behold! I am now a most joyful subject
of that grace to which I was such an enemy. From
such reflections might very justly be drawn this con-
clusion ; " This is a faithful saying, and worthy of
flll acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the
world to save sinners ; of whom I am chief."
This testimony, that Christ Jesus came into the
world to save sinners is sufficiently corroborated by
other scriptures. When those, in the days of Jesus,
who thought they were righteous and despised oth-
ers, found fault with the Saviour, because he was a
friend to sinners, he plainly told them, that he "came
not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance;"
he furthermore represented the same divine truth in
that remarkably instructive saying ; " The whole
need not a physician, but they that are sick."
Moreover, he enlarged on this subject in several
5
beautiful parables, th design of which was to re-
present the repentance of sinners. The blessed
Redeemer testified that " God sent not his son into
the world, to condemn the world, but that the world
through him might be saved." The declaration of
the Angel to Joseph, " Thou shalt call his name
Jesus for he shall save his people from their sins,"
is in direct proof of what is testified in our text.
There are two good reasons why Jesus was not
sent to call the righteous. First. There were none.
" When God looked down from heaven upon the
children of men, to see if there were ay that did
understand, and seek God. They are all gone aside,
they are altogether become filthy ; there is none
that doeth good, no, not one." After the Apostle
had described, in his epistle to the Romans, the
abominable character of the wicked, he adds ;
" What then, are we better than they ? no, in no
wise : for we have before proved both ? Jews and
Gentiles, that they are all under sin ; as it is written,
There is none righteous, no, not one." Again to
the same point; " For all have sinned and carne
short of the glory of God." Secondly. If there
had been any righteous, they would not have needed
Jesus to call them to repentance. It is as improper
for a righteous man to repent, as it is for a well
man to take medicine. If the man in health should
lake medicine, it would be likely to render him in-
disposed ; and if a righteous man should repent, he
would render himself wieked.
If it be allowed, as has been proved, that Christ
Jesus came into the world to save sinners, and that
the gospel seeks, as subjects of its grace, sinners only,
then it should never be argued, that there are some
who cannot be saved because they are sinners.
This contains the absurdity, that, that which ren lers
salvation necessary is an objection to it. If we may
further notice the observation of the Saviour, it is
pertinent to remark on the impropriety of saying,
that because the patient is sick, therefore, the phy-
sician will administer or prescribe nothing. Nor
would the extremity of a case render the objection
in the least plausible, unless the malady was of such
a nature as to bid defiance to the power of medi-
cine ; but on the contrary, the more indisposed
the patient might be, the greater would be the
urgency for relief. It is granted, that this calcula-
tion is not a little wide from that which is more
common, in which it is supposed, that the grace of
the Lord Jesus Christ may extend to the condition
of those who are sinners in a certain degree, be-
yond which point our spiritual physicians justify
themselves in saying the grace of God can never
extend. However, no small encouragement is de-
rived from the divine testimony, that " where sin
abounded, grace did much more abound : that as
sin hath reigned unto death, even so might grace
reign through righteousness unto eternal life, by
Jesus Christ our Lord." These blessed words are
" like apples of gold in pictures of silver," Never
was cold water to the thirsty soul so grateful as
these words of eternal life.
The attention of the hearer is now most earnest-
ly invited to the consideration of the following
question. What did Christ Jesus come into the
world to save sinners from ? Your public servant
has heretofore laboured this question in this place ;
but being persuaded that the general sentiment
entertained among professed Christians on this ques-
tion is not according to scripture, it is felt to be a
duty to endeavour to throw as much light on the
subject as the present opportunity will permit.
No doubt many of the audience have already
made up their minds, that the question proposed
with so much solicitude is very easily answered,
and is too free from difficulty to render much at-
tention to the subject necessary.
Though it is greatly to be wished that this were
the case, it is presumed that a concise view of the
generally received opinion, on this subject, will at
ence discover, that erroneous notions have beea
and still are entertained of it.
The general opinion, which we shall endeavour
to disprove, supposes that "Christ Jesus came into
the world to save sinners" from the demands of vin-
dictive justice, which recognised the whole sinful
family of man under the penalty of endless punish-
ment, frequently called eternal death. This opin-
ion of the penalty required by the divine law is ex-
pressed in the Catechism as follows ; " All mankind,
by reason of the fall, lost communion with G<xl,
fell under his wrath and curse, was made liable to
the miseries of this life, to death itself, and to the
pains of hell forever." From the everlasting pains
of hell, the same creed teaches us to believe, that
Jesus Christ was appointed to save a part, and but
a part of mankind. The way by which it is sup-
posed that the Saviour undertook to save sinners
from eternal punishment, was by suffering the pen-
alty in room of the sinner ; so that justice being
satisfied, pardon and everlasting salvation could be
granted to the guilty without any infringement of
strict justice. Dr. Watts expresses this scheme- of
salvation nearly as follows ;
" I was a rebel doom'd to fire,
Doom'd to endure eternal pains,
He on the wings of swift desire,
Assum'd my guilt and took my chains." 4,^
Again ;
" He quench'd his Father's flaming sword,
In his own vital blood."
But it is needless to take up time to be very par-
ticular in showing what this common sentiment is,
for the most of us have been learning it from the
beginning of childhood.
Some of the objections to this scheme of salva-
tion are the following ; 1st. The total silence of
the divine testimony respecting this supposed pen-
8
alty of the divine law. In the divine threatening
denounced in the garden there is nothing intimated
concerning this penalty of " eternal death," or the
" pains of hell forever." In the malediction on
Cain for the murder of his brother, there is nothing
on this hereafter eternal penalty. In all the law
given by Moses, containing a minute description
of most terrible curses, which in severity extend to
the utmost capacity of man to suffer in this life,
there is not a single suggestion relating to this pen-
alty of eternal punishment in a future state.
2. The supposition of such a penalty seems dis-
honourable to the divine Being, because it could
not have been enacted with any design to reclaim
the sinner ; arid must, therefore, be entirely repug-
nant to the character of God as a Father of his crea-
tures. A parent cannot, consistently with parental
love, subject a child to any penalty for faults com-
mitted, which in room of being directed to reform,
would inevitably prevent repentance and reforma-
tion forever. The word of God informs us, that
he u is love," and that he is " our Father in heaven.'*
Now if this be true, the opinion, that there ever
was any vindictive wrath in God, which demanded
the sinner's eternal banishment from our Father in
heaven must be \an egregious error, and one that
very mucji obscures and dishonours the ever bles-
sed Father of our spirits.
3. If mankind justly deserved this supposed pen-
alty, on account of sins committed against the di-
vine law, how could it possibly be just for one who
was not a sinner to suffer it ? To condemn the in-
nocent and clear the guilty is strictly forbidden in
the law.
4. The supposition, that this penalty did actual-
ly lie against the sinners which Jesus came to save,
and that he, in the sinner's room and stead, did act-
ually suffer this penalty, embraces the absurd sup-
position that Jesus suffered eternal misery in a few
days.
3. If according to the common opinion, the
alty of the law subjected men " to all the miseries
of this life, to death itself, and to the pains of heH
forever," if Jesus suffered the penalty for the elect
why are the elect any more liable now in this state
to the miseries of this life and to death itself, than
to the pains of hell forever ? Most surely, if Jesus
bore the whole penalty of the law in room and stead
of the sinner, then it certainly cannot be just for
the sinner to bear one part of this penalty any more
than another. But there are none who do not par*
take of the miseries of this life in some degree ;
and there are none who are exempt from death.
Having shown that the common opinion respect-*
ing salvation is erroneous, having no scripture au-
thority for its support and being contrary to all re-
vealed justice, we may proceed to notice some di-
rect evidence from scripture against it. But here
we may be concise. In the law given by Moses,
there is a continued thread of plain testimony, that
as a nation the house of Israel would be punished
accordingly as they should depart from the stat-
utes and judgments which the Lord commanded
them : and accordingly we are informed in the sa-
ered pages, that God punished them from time ta
time as their perverse and wicked conduct deserv-
ed. So likewise are we assured, that the divine
Being punished other nations for their wickedness :
such as Babylon, Nineveh, Tyre, Egypt &c. In
relation to the crimes of individuals we well know
that God instituted penalties according to the na-
ture of offences, and gave special directions con-
cerning their being duly inflicted. This is not only
true in respect to the laws of Israel, but it is like-
wise true in respect to all nations. He that holds
the sword is the minister of God. Now if all this,
which is as plain as any thing in the scriptures, be
granted, what room is there for the supposition that
the penalty due to transgression is punishment in
the future eternal world ? Or what reason hare we
B
10
to believe that Jesus suffered in room and stead of
transgressors ? This same Jesus Christ of whom it
is believed, that he suffered the penalty of our sins
in our room, that we might not suffer it, plainly
states, that he will " reward every man according
to his works." It seems to be evident, from the
foregoing considerations, that no such penalty of
endless misery was ever connected witli the divine
law of heaven ; and equally evident, that Jesus did
not come into the world to save sinners from any
su:h penalty. No, nor did he come into the world
to save the sinner from the punishment of his sin- 3 .
We have now come to the positive of our ques-
tion, and we will proceed to show from the scrip-
tures, what " Jesus Christ came into the world to
save sinners" from.
First, and primarily, he came to save sinners
Horn their sins. ]f the hearer be disposed to ask
what the difference is between saving a sinnerfrofn
his sins, and saving him from the punishment which
his sins deserve, the following reply will show. To
save a criminal from the punishment which the law
holds against him would be a violation of the law,
but to save him from his sin, would render him
righteous. To save a disobedient child from the
chastisement due for his offence, would violate the
wholesome law of the parent, and would have an
unfavourable effect on the disobedient when refor-
mation is the object of the chastisement. But to
gave the child from disobedience is the very thing
the parental law requires and is all the salvation
which it needs. Thus, as has been before noticed,
the Angel said to Joseph; "Thou shalt call his
name Jesus, for he shall save his people from their
sins."
Secondly, we may notice some particulars, which,
however, are all comprehended in saving the sinner
from his sins. Jesus Christ came into the world to
save sinners from a state of ignorance which they
were actually in, which ignorance was and ever fa
the cause of sin.
11
Of the forerunner of Jesus it was said ; And
thou, child, shall be called the prophet of the high-
est : for thou shalt go before the face of the Lord
to prepare his ways ; to give knowledge of salva-
tion unto his people, by the remission of their sins,
through the tender mercy of our God ; whereby
the day-spring from on high hath visited us, to give
light to them that sit in darkness, and in the shadow
of death, to guide our feet into the way of peace."
Jesus said to the Jews ; (t If ye continue in my
word, then are ye my disciples in deed ; and ye
shall know the truth and the truth shall make you
free." In his prayer to the Father, Jesus says ;
" This is life eternal, that they might know thee,
the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou
hast sent." It is most plainly seen by the light of
these passages, that the Saviour's grace was design-
ed to deliver sinners from mental darkness, and to
give them the .true knowledge of God's divine and
grac ous character. This is a salvation which the
ignorance of mankind rendered necessary. St.
Paul, speaking on this subject to the Collossians
says ; " Who hath delivered us from the power of
darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom
of his dear Son." Thte power of darkness is the
deception to which ignorance subjects us, from
which the true knowledge of divine things delivers
the mind. God says by the prophet Jeremiah ;
" And they shall teach no more every man his
neighbor, saying, know the Lord : for they shall
all know me, from the least of them to the greatest
of them, saith the Lord : for I will forgive their in-
iquity, and I will , remember the sin, no more !"
The words of St. Peter are pertinent to this sub-
ject : " Grace and peace be multiplied unto you
through the knowledge of God, and of Jesus our
Lord." And we may add, that the mission of the
Apostles, to " preach the gospel to every crea-
ture and to teach all nations," implies the necessi-
ty ot bringing all men to the knowledge of the truth
te
The same salvation which has already been sig-
nified by a salvation from sin and from darknes*
or ignorance, may be denominated a deliverance
from unreconciliation to God. It is easily seen,
that sin and unreconciliation to God are the same.
This is the state which the sinner is in, and from
this condition the gospel is designed to deliver or
save him. Accordingly St. Paul says ; " And all
things are of God who hath reconciled us to himself
l>y Jesus Christ, and hath given to us the ministry
oJf reconciliation ; to wit ; that God was in Christ,
reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing
their trespasses unto them ; and hath committed
unto us the word of reconciliation. Now then, we
are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did be-
seech you by us ; we pray you in Christ's stead,
l?e ye reconciled to God ! We see by this passage
as well as by the general testimony of scripture, that
firod did not impute the trespasses of sinners to them,
in any way to prevent the manifestation of his
grace in their reconciliation to himself. This re-
conciliation of the world to God is the salvation of
the world, and agrees with the testimony of the be-
loved disciple who said, " We have seen and do
testify, that the Father sent the son to be the Sa-
viour of the world." And to the same did " a
bright and a shining light" bear record, saying ;
" Behold the Lamb of God that taketh away the
sin of the world."
This condition of sinners, from which Christ
Jesus came into the world to save them, is repre-
sented to be death. Jesus says ; " The dead shall
hear the voice of the son of God, and they that hear
shall live." St. Paul says to the Ephesians ; " And
you hath he quickened, who were dead in trespasses
and sins." Again ; " But God, who is rich in mer-
cy, for his great love wherewith he loved us, even
when we were dead in sins, hath quickened ustoge^
tlier with Christ." Was there ever a representa-
tion mqre erroneous, than that which has for
13
led men to believe that there was a divine wrath
in God, from which Jesus came to save sinners ?
In the passage just recited it is declared, that on
account of the great love which God had to sin-
ners, who were dead in sin, he quickened them to*
gether with Christ.
Our Redeemer represents the salvation of sin-
ners by seeking and saving something lost, " The
Son of man came to seek and to save that which
was lost." Time would fail us to mention all the
ways by which sacred truth has represented the na-
ture of sinner's salvation by Jesus Christ.
The hearer is now called on to observe, that in
all the representations quoted from scripture, there
is no intimation of saving sinners from any punish-
ment to which they were exposed, nor from any
-condition that they were not already in.
Being in possession of what the foregoing argu-
ments seem plainly to prove, the mind of the hearer
will devote its attention now to the consideration
of the question, why " Christ Jesus came into the
world to save sinners ?" If the object of the Saviour's
mission was to suffer the penalty of eternal punish-
ment, which all our Doctors agree cannot be suf-
fered in this world, why did he come here ? Why
should he come -into a world where this supposed
penalty never was designed to be executed ? If
Jesus undertook and did actually suffer the pen-
alty of eternal damnation in a future world, in
room and^tead of sinners, surely there was no need
of his coming into this mortal state to do it. But
he " came into the world to save sinners." And the
reason why he came into this world to save sinners,
was because the sinners which he came to save were
in this world. To make use of the parable of the
Saviour, we may remark, that the physician goes
to the place where the sick are, that he may ad-r
minister what may relieve the patient from sickness,
The goodly Samaritan went to the place where the
bruised Jew lay naked and half dead, an4 there he
u
poured into his wounds the mollifying oil and the
life restoring wine. The shepherd went after the
lost sheep until he found it, and from the place
where it had wandered he bore it on his shoulder
to the fold, rejoicing.
The common doctrine, which teaches us, that
Christ Jesus came into this world to save us in ano-
ther world is contrary to all the representations
which are found in the scriptures. If in a future
world men are sick, then in a future world men
will need a physician ; and if in a future world
men are lost, then in a future world they will need
to be sought and found ; but if " the inhabitant
shall say I am not sick," no physician will be want-
ed. If sin shall exist in a future state of existence,
no doubt pardoning mercy will flow as freely there
as it does here. God will be the same, Christ will
be the same, and love divine will be the same. But
none of our creeds teach us that man will sin in a
future world, and surely if they do not they will not
need to be saved from sin, for they will have none.
We are not informed in the scriptures, that
Christ Jesus came into the world to procure for
man a state of life and immortality ; but we are in-
formed, that he " hath brought life and immortali-
ty to light through the gospel. This divine inheri-
tance was given us in Christ Jesus before the world
began, but was " made manifest by the appearing
of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, who hath
abolished death,"
The attentive hearer is in the next place invited
to spend a few reflections on the fullness of Christ
Jesus to accomplish the work of saving sinners.
Remember, " The Father sent the Son to be the
Saviour of the world." Permit your humble ser-
vant to ask you, if you had any important con-
cerns in a foreign country, which required the at-
tention of one deeply skilled in such matters, would
you not send one on whom you could depend ?
And would you not furnish him with all the neces*
15
sary powers, to settle your concerns In a just and
equitable manner ? You answer in the affirmative.
Then it seems, that your Christian candor must
lead you to allow, that ample power is given to Christ
Jesus to save the chief of sinners. If God himself,
who is acknowledged to be omnipotent, had power
sufficient for this gracious work, he surely would not
send his Son with too little. " All power in heaven
and in earth is therefore committed to the Son."
" In him dwells the fullness of the Godhead bodily ,"
Jesus " made unto us, wisdom, righteousness, sane-
tification and redemption." Are sinners ignorant
of God ? Jesus came with the true knowledge of
the Father, whom to know is life eternal. Are
sinners sick with spiritual leprosy ? Jesus is that
phisician whose very word can heal. Are sinners
lost and bewildered in the wilderness of sin ? Jesus
is " the way, the truth and the life !" Are sinners
dead in trespasses and sins, the life giving power
of the gospel quickens them together with Christ.
Here is a fountain opened for the cleansing of
the unclean, here flow medical springs, teaming
with health for all who are sick. Here grows the
tree of life, whose fruit is for food, and whose
leaves are for the healing of the nations. In a word,
there is no infirmity in the sinner for which there is
not a cure in Christ Jesus. ' .
To conclude ; My Christian friends, is not our
duty, as disciples of Jesus, made plain by the doc-
trine of our text? "It is enough for the disciple to
be as hie master." The blessed Redeemer labored
incessantly in the great work of saving sinners
from their sins. He exercised his miraculous pow-
ers to convince men of the divinity of his mission,
he taught the people the unchangeable love of God
to sinners, he loved sinners himself, and his very
breath seemed to be forgiveness. We are called
on to exercise all our abilities in this blessed cause
of salvation. That we may do this to the utmost.
we must strive to increase in the knowledge, and
grow in the grace of divine truth, that we may be
enabled to communicate it to others. Jesus said
to his disciples ; " Let your light so shine before,
men, that they beholding your good works, may
glorify your Father who is in heaven." If the
vain imagination were true, that the work of saving
sinners was accomplished by Jesus* suffering some
penalty of the divine law, of which we have no
account in the oracles of truth, of course further
labour would not be needed. But if the salvation
of sinners, consists in delivering them from their ig-
norance of God, from the power of darkness, from
the death of sin, and from alienation to a blessed re-
conciliation to God, then all that we can do, by the
help of Grace, to enlighten our fellow men, to re-t
commend the character of God to sinners, to magni-
fy the beauties and exccellencies of a life of piety
and virtue is of service in the cause of Christ. But
let us remember, first of all, that example is more
than precept ; and that this " Grace of God, which
bringeth salvation to all men, hath appeared;
teaching us, that, denying ungodliness and worldly
Justs, we should live soberly, righteously, and god-
ly, in this present world ; looking for that blessed
hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God
and our Saviour Jesus Christ ; who gave himself
for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity,
and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealou*
of good works."
No. 2.
LECTURE SERMON,
DELIVERED AT THE
SECOND UNIVERSALIST MEETING, IN BOSTON.
AUGUST 16, 1818.
BY HOSEA BALLOU, PASTOR.
Published Semi-Monthly, by Henry Bowen, Devonshire-street.
MATTHEW, v. 48.
" Be ye, therefore, perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is
perfect."
EVERY scheme, whether human or divine, must,
in order to be rationally planned, have some prin-
ciple as its foundation. This foundation must, in
all respects, be sufficiently extensive and firm to
support the superstructure to be raised on it.
The gospel or doctrine of Jesus Christ, being a
scheme planned by infinite wisdom, is established on
a principle which is in all respects, both in regard
to its extent and stability, amply sufficient to sup-
port the divinely glorious edifice designed to rest
upon it. These remarks are evidently analogous
to the subject of our text, and correspond with the
manner in which it was presented to those who
listened to the gracious words of the divine teach-
er. In his sermon on the mount, Jesus noticed ma-
ny particulars, which had formerly been taught to
the people and religiously believed by them, which
were not consistent with the heavenly wisdom and
grace of the gospel. He therefore, endeavored to
present to the people the distinction between those
18
traditions which had long been established, and that
which was harmonious with that special " grace and
truth," which came by him.
The particular subject under consideration is in-
troduced as follows ; " Ye have heard that it hath
been said, Thou shalt love thy neighbor, and hate
thine enemy ; But I say unto you, love your ene-
mies, bless them that curse you, do good to them
that hate you, and pray for them which dispiteful-
ly use you, and persecute you ; that ye may he the
children of your Father which is in heaven ; for he
maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good
and sendeth rain on the just and unjust." What
the doctrine of Jesus requires of his disciples is
here plainly laid down ; and the reason why love
and good offices to enemies were enjoined is shown
in the manifest goodness of God to the evil and
good, to the just and to the unjust. The divine
teacher then proceeds to illustrate the propriety
and fitness of his doctrine as follows ; " For if ye
love them that love you, what reward have ye ?
do riot even the publicans the same ? And if ye sa-
lute your brethren only, what do ye more than
others ? do not even the publicans so ?"
Having thus evidently shown, that corning short
of that love and goodness to enemies which his
doctrine requires, was to stand on the same ground
and to act on the same principle which characterise
the most illiberal and irreligious worlding, he en-
joins as expressed in our text ; " Be ye, therefore,
perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is
perfect." Our text, thus introduced, seems to in-
vite the attention of the hearer to the considera-
tion of the following proposition, as a distinct sub-
ject for investigation ; (viz.) The gospel of Jesus
Christ is a dispensation of grace which naturally
and necessarily flows from the nature of God, and
obtains its peculiar character from the love of
God to sinners.
19
What we mean when we say, the gospel of Jesus
Christ flows naturally from God is, that all the
causes which produce it, or cause it to flow forth to
man, are in the nature of the divine Being. He is
self-moved in all he does, and of course he is self-
moved in the dispensation of his grace. Even the
Mediator himself, who is stiled " the Captain of
our salvation," had no occasion to influence the
Father of our spirits to be merciful to sinners, for
it is the unchangeable nature of God to be gracious.
The divine Being is wrongly represented, when
it is said, as it often has been, that Christ has, by his
life, death and resurrection opened a way for God
to be merciful to sinners ; because this evidently
supposes, that he was not merciful to sinners before
this door was opened.
The testimony of Jesus evidently corrects this
error, and abolishes at once all vain imagina-
tions which have been built upon it. Hear his
words ; " For God so loved the world, that he gave
his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in
him should not perish, but have everlasting life.'*
It is surely a very great error to suppose that the
gift which the Father's love bestowed influenced
him to bestow it. Such a mistake, we may pre-
sume, never was made on any other subject or in
any other case. Were the unhappy children of
wealthy parents, whose prodigality had reduced
them to wretchedness and want, to receive from
them a gift of immense value, would they be like-
ly to conclude, that the worth of this invaluable
treasure was the cause of their parent's love and
pity ? No ; but however highly they might justly
prize the favor sent, they would consider it as the
evidence, not the cause of parental affection. This
is evidently the sense of the Apostle who says ;
" But God commendeth his love toward us, in that,
while we were vet sinners Christ died for us."
Here notice, ihe death of Christ was not the cause,
but the commendation of the love of God toward
us, while we were yet sinners. Again ; " Herein is
love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us,
and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our
sins." This propitiation for our sins, so far from
opening a door for God to be gracious, was an ef-
fect and a manifestation of the divine favor.
These arguments are designed to illustrate the
proposition, that the grace of the gospel flows
naturally from God to his enemies.
It is believed that no subject in divinity is of
greater moment than the one under consideration.
For if it be not the nature of God to be gracious,
and to love his creatures, and to do them good,
even though they are enemies to him by wicked
works ; but if he require vindictive retaliation on
his enemies ; and cannot, consitently with his true
character, show any favor to transgressors, without
being first reconciled and influenced so to do, it
is to that which produces this reconciliation and
effects this influence, that we are to look for mer-
cy, and not to God. Moreover this doctrine, could
it be maintained, would overthrow the doctrine of
our text. " Be ye, therefore, perfect, even as
your Father which is in heaven is perfect," by lov-
ing your enemies, by blessing them that curse you,
by doing good to them that hate you, and by pray-
ing for them that despitefuily use you and perse-
cute you. If it be allowed, that our Father in
heaven so imputed men's trespasses to them as to
render it impossible for him to extend mercy to
any until his vindictive wrath was appeased, then
may we reply to the requirements of the Saviour
in our text, and say ; First let us have satisfactory
vengeance on our enemies, then we will love them
and do them good. Suppose our Redeemer had
taught the people, as our professed Christians be-
21
lieve, that he had undertaken to appease his Fa-
ther's wrath towards man, by suffering the penal
tortures which vindictive justice had laid on the
sinner ; and that by this mean he should procure
the favour of God for them, would he not thereby
have furnished them with a reply to his injunctions
expressed in our text and context ? Might they not
have said ; When we can obtain as ample vengeance
on our enemies, as you have to suffer in order to
render it proper for God to love his enemies, then
we will love ours ? But no such doctrine can be
found in the recorded testimony of Jesus. What-
ever the blessed Redeemer is to us, he is made such
by the Father of our spirits. Speaking to the
Corinthians of Christ Jesus, the Apostle says ;
" Who of God is made unto us wisdom, righteous-
ness, sanctification, and redemption." To the
same church, speaking of the ministry of reconcil-
iation, the same author says ; " God was in Christ,
reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing
their trespasses unto them." But the error which
we disprove, supposes that God did impute our
trespasses to us, and that Christ reconciled him.
There is a passage the common use of which is
against our present argument, which we will here
notice. " We have an advocate with the Father."
The common opinion supposes Jesus Christ acts
the part of an advocate, by pleading our cause be-
fore God, to incline him to show mercy. This is
totally erroneous. The advocacy of Jesus is ex-
pressed thus ; " Now then, we are ambassadors for
Christ, as though God did beseech you by us ; we
pray you in Christ's stead be ye reconciled to
God." Thus we have an advocate with the Father
who pleads with us to be reconciled to God ; not
with God to be reconciled to us, for " God was in
Christ reconciling the world unto himself, not im-
puting unto them their trespasses."
22
That the character which we attribute, by these
arguments, to the divine Being, is really what is
due to him, may be made to appear by refering to
his providence. This we are specially authorised
to do, by the example which the Saviour has fur-
nished in our context, and which was evidently de-
signed by hi HI to inculcate what these arguments
are designed to prove. He directed the attention of
the people to two sensible objects, which the di-
vine providence continually holds out to our view ;
the sun and the rain. " For he maketh his sun to
rise on the evil and the good, and sendeth rain on
the just and on the unjust." By these ocular proofs
the divine teacher inculcated the impartial love and
goodness of our Father in heaven toward all men
of every description of character.
It may be necessary to notice, in this place, what
an objector might be disposed to urge against this
impartial goodness of the divine Being toward the
evil and the good, the just and the unjust.
Objection ; If God be equally as good to the evil
as he is to the good, to the unjust as to the just ;
and if he love his enemies as well as he does his
friends, then there is no difference between the re-
ward of righteousness and unrighteousness. To
this objection the candid hearer will accept the
following reply. Keeping in view the character
of God, as set forth in the passage under considera-
tion, as our Father in heaven, we say that a father
may love his obedient and disobedient children
impartially, and yet, in relation to their conduct,
may treat them as differently as they conduct one
from another. But however different the treat-
ment may be, it must, in every case, proceed from
the same principle of impartial love in the parent.
To illustrate this we may observe, that the parent
who is visited with sickness among his children will
naturally love those who are sick as well as he does
23
those who are in health ; and yet, from this equal
undimished love, he will treat them as differently
as will exactly correspond with their different de-
grees of health. Now, you who are parents are
called on to determine whether it be right, and con-
sistent with your character as parents, to love your
children and to do good to them when they are
disobedient ? If you decide in the affirmative, as
you most surely will, then you justify the argu-
ment, against which the objection we have noticed
was stated.
If the objector should be disposed to contend,
that we extend our argument too far by endeavor-
ing to prove that the sinner is equally the object
of divine love as the righteous, we rejoin by re-
fering the objector to the full extent of the evi-
dence already adduced, and to the consideration of
the following remarks.
First ; If we carefully examine the conduct of
the divine Being toward Adam before and after
transgression, shall we find any thing to justify the
belief, that Adam was not equally the object of
divine favor after he sinned as he was before ?
Whose voice did guilty Adam hear in the cool of
the day, expressive of parental solicitude, crying
Adam, Adam, where art thou ? It was the voice
of the Lord God. In that memorable hour of retri-
bution was there the least sign that God's love to-
wards his offspring had suffered any diminution ?
Does not the promise, that the seed of the woman,
should bruise the serpent's head, bear date from
this eventful period ? Surely this was a time of love.
Secondly ; Was it when the world was righteous,
or when it was " in wickedness" that God so lov-
ed it, as to " give his only begotten Son, that who-
soever believeth on him might not perish, but have
everlasting life ?" Was Saul less the object of the
divine favor before- his conversion than afterward ?
24
Were we less beloved by him, " who loved us and
washed us from our sins in his own blood, before
he washed us, than afterward ? The hearer will ea-
sily perceive that these queries all tend to show,
that no change in man can effect any change in
God. And
Thirdly ; The acknowledged unchangeabili-
ty of the divine Being furnishes sufficient proof,
that his love to his creatures can never increase
nor decrease. Entertaining a hope, that what has
been offered, designed to explain our meaning re-
specting the dispensation of divine grace flowing
naturally from God, may be acceptable to the can-
did hearer, we will say a little on what we mean by
saying, that this dispensation of grace flows neces-
sarily from the nature of God ; and offer some ar-
gument in its support. ,
What we mean by this part of our general pro-
position is, that if we take a careful view of the na-
ture of the divine atributes, as they are revealed
in creation, providence, and grace, even as short
sighted as we are, we become convinced that all the
ways of God, all his works, all his mercies, and all
his judgments are unalterably established in truth
and rightousness which never vary. It is not con-
sistent with the atributes of God, to suppose, that
be can design to do any thing, and afteward alter
his determination. Nor is it any more consistant
with the divine atributes to suppose that any
of the designs of God, which in different ages of
the world have been revealed to man, were less an-
cient than the design of creation ; which carries us
as far back as is of use to our researches. When
the Almighty was pleased to reveal himself to
Abraham, and call him from his people, and pro-
mise him the land of Canaan, and to multiply
him, and to bless him, and to bless all the families
of the earth in his seed, however new and unexpect-
ed this might be to this " friend of God," it could be
no new thing with the God of Abraham. And so
we may say of any other particular manifestation
of the wisdom of God. " Known unto God are all
his works from the foundation of the world," and
he declares " the end from the beginning." It is
furthermore said, that he " cannot lie ;" and that
ts he cannot deny himself."
Having presented the hearer, in our imperfect
manner, with this short account of the foundation
of the doctrine of Jesus, the attention of the audi-
ence may, for a few moments, be devoted to the
consideration of the following inferences, drawn
from premises already proved.
1. As we have seen, that the grace by which man
obtains salvation and eternal life, flows naturally
a*nd necessarily from the nature of God,and is known
by its peculiar characteristic of love to sinners, we
infer that this salvation will eventually be as ex-
tensive as the love of God, from which it proceeds.
If the love of the divine Being insures salvation to
any of the sinful race of Adam, it equally favors
the salvation of all men, as all are equally the ob-
jects of divine love. This inference relies on the
fact, that the same cause will always produce the
same effects. A parent has a number of children
all needy and dependent on him, he loves them all
equally, it is granted that this love will certainly
favor and support some of these dependent off-
spring; the conclusion is, that it will grant the same
favor and support to the whole. Should the speaker,
this evening, inform you, that there is a parent of
great respectability in this town, who has a numer-
ous family of sons and daughters, that he is vastly
rich, has all at his command that heart can wish,
that he most tenderly and affectionately loves his
children, and loves them impartially, that this par-
ent has favoured your servant with a knowledge of
4
26
his domestic economy and government, that lie of-
ten invites him to partake of his bountiful board,
and of the refreshments which his generous favor
constantly provides, would you not reply that all
this is very probable, and that you know of many
such families in the circle of your acquaintance ?
But should the account proceed and state, that of
this numerous family of children only a fourth part
were ever indulged with the society of their par-
ent, that the other three fourths were the most
wretched beings ever seen, that they were as near-
ly starved the whole of the time as they could be
and live, that they were excluded the society of the
favorites, and that their extreme misery was for the
honor and glory of the merciful parent, and to en-
hance the unalloyed happiness of the others, could
you freely give your candid assent to the proba-
bility, the consistency and propriety of this ac-
count? Would you not say, that if one part of the
story be true, the other must be false ? You cer-
tainly would contend, that if the parent were im-
partial in his love to his children, he never would
make the distinction reported ; you would revolt
with horror at the declaration, that the extreme
misery of the greatest part of the family was neces-
sary for the honor of the parent, and to enhance the
felicity of the happy few. Such doctrine as this,
you would say, is totally without foundation, is a
superstructure having nothing for its support, and
is proof positive that the mind of the reporter i
deranged or corrupted. Why then will you con-
tradict your own candid reasoning, and contend
that our Father in heaven loves his offspring im-
partially, even his enemies, that his divine fullness
is infinitely extensive, but that by some special
grace which has been made known to you, you are
authorised to believe and say, that but a small part
of the human family will ever be made partakers.
27
f the rich bounties of salvation in Christ, and that
far the most numerous part of Adam's posterity-
are doomed to unspeakable tortures eternally for
the glory of God and to promote the happiness of
a few ? It is charitably believed that your candor
will lead to an impartial decision of this momentous
subject, and will incline you to admit what is so
fully and clearly proved by the unerring testimo-
ny of truth.
2. We infer from our general subject, that the
common doctrine which teaches that our Father
who is in heaven, loves those who love him, but has
treasured up everlasting vengeance against his ene-
mies, is subversive of the gospel and religion of
Jesus, which he preached on the glorious founda-
tion of the divine love to sinners ; and equally sub-
versive of our duty as disciples of Christ. The
common doctrine, against which this inference is
drawn, seems to adhere to the old tradition, "Thou
shalt love thy neighbor and hate thine enemy,"
against which our Saviour labored in the place
where our text is found. " If ye love them that
love you, what reward have ye ? do not even the
publicans the same ? And if ye salute your brethren
only, what do ye more than others ? do not even
the publicans so ?" Those who pay no attention to
religion, whose thoughts are wholly engrossed by
the things of a temporal concern, who lay up their
treasures upon the earth, love those who love them,
do good to those who do good to them, and cour-
teously salute their brethren. Now if God love
none but such as love him, if he be kind to none
but such as are friendly to him, what does he more
than publicans ? What reward hath he ? Most
surely Jesus never would have inculcated the duty
of loving our enemies on the principle that God
hated hi?. But he seemed to come directly to the
understanding of the people through the medium
28
of the rising sun and falling rain, and presented
them with the real character of our heavenly Fa-
ther as a perfect pattern for our imitation. Sup-
pose some of the disciples of Jesus, on this oc-
casion,had asked him whether he meant to be under-
stood, that our Father in heaven did really love the
evil and the good, the just and the unjust, as im-
partially as he granted them the light of the sun
and the rain from heaven ? What answer may we
believe the divine teacher would have returned ?
Would he have said, I solemnly charge you not to
be deceived by these temporal things ? You see that
the sun makes no distinction in bestowing its influ-
ence on the nations of the earth, it bounds not its
blessings by any distinctions in the characters of
men, it is prodigal of its innumerable blessings on
Ihe evil and on the good ; so is the rain likewise
ns entirely impartial ; it sheds its generous favors
on all without partiality ; but you are not to sup-
pose that these are true indications of the real
mind and disposition of your heavenly Father. In
temporal things God is "good unto all, and his
tender mercies are over all his works ;" but in re-
spect to the spiritual and eternal concerns of men
he has made an infinite difference. Those who
love him and keep his commandments, he really
loves ; but his enemies are the objects of his burn-
ing wrath, and on them will his vengeance be pour-
ed forth forever. In reply to such an answer,
might not the questions which Jesus asked be re-
turned ? If ye love them that love you what re-
ward have ye ? do not even the publicans the same?
But the divine teacher would not have been so ab-
surdly inconsistent with himself ; he would have
answered the supposed question in the affirmative.
We have full liberty to believe this and ample au^
Ihority to support it. The contrary is the very
ftiing that he was dissuading the people from ; but
29
(lie affirmative of the supposed question is what
he endeavored to impress on their minds..
This inference will be found to be greatly strength-
ened by a careful application of our text to the sub-
ject, "Be ye, therefore, perfect, even as your Father
which is 'in heaven is perfect." We are here re-
quired to have the same quality of perfection as
our Father in heaven has. If his perfection is qual-
ified with hatred and unmerciful wrath towards
his enemies, then our perfection must be qualified
by the same temper and disposition towards our
enemies. But if the perfection of our heavenly
Father is rendered gloriously bright by a constant
display of unchangeable love and mercy towards
his enemies, then it is plainly our duty to strive to
the utmost to qualify our Christian profession and
discipleship of Jesus, with this blessed temper and
good will to those who are our enemies. Jesus
said to his disciples, " The disciple is not above
his master, nor the servant above his Lord. It is
enough for the disciple to be as his master, and the
servant as his Lord." Those, therefore, who pro-
fess to love all mankind, who pray for all men.
who say they fervently desire the everlasting hap-
piness of the whole human race, and yet contend
that their divine Lord and Master loves but a few,
and has determined the everlasting destruction o<
all the rest, are guilty of supererogation. So far
from being contented to stop at the bounds by
which they limit the holy one, they profess to
love those who are held by their creed to be the
objects of the divine indignation. But here let us
pause ; Are these pretentious all real ? Oast
aside all prejudice, and examine and answer the
following question : Have professors generally, who
have maintained limited views of the grace of God,
and yet pretended to love all men themselves, ac-
companied those pretensions with that spirit an.rl
30
temper of love and compassion toward those who
have differed from them in opinion, which seem
necessary to prove the sincerity of their profes-
sions ? If this should be allowed, how can we ac-
count for all the persecutions which have charac-
terised the Christian churches for ages ? How shall
we account for that mutual bitterness, coldness
and deeply rooted prejudice visible among differ-
ent denominations, and by which they have so
much disturbed the peace of society and of the
world ? There is nothing of importance ever main-
tained in the religious creeds of men, that does not
either tend to make them better, or worse ; and
that character which we attribute to the divine
Being, will more or less mingle itself in our own
characters. Hence we account for the endeavors
of the Saviour to present our Father in heaven, in
a character which he would have his disciples ac-
quire for themselves. He knew if men entertain
an opinion that the divine Being loves those who
love him and hates those who hate him, they
would be likely to imitate what they attribute to
God. He very well knew that this was the case
with the people of his day, he knew it had been the
case in past ages, and he knew that like causes
would produce like effects ; and therefore as long
as men should religiously believe that God loves
some and hates others, he knew that bitterness and
strife would continue. From this thick cloud of
darkness, from this deadly error the doctrine of
divine love to the enemies of God, is the only de-
liverance. Tt makes riot the least difference whe-
ther we profess to be Christians, Jews, Pagans or
Mahometans, }f we believe that God is an enemy
to those who are enemies to him, we shall be like-
ly to exercise the same spirit and disposition which
wo believe our Father in heaven possesses ; and we
jri^Hfv mirsfJvefl in ^o doing by the divim
si
authority. Those who have and maintain this eii-
roneous belief, are seldom if ever at a loss to know
who the friends of God are, and who are his enemies.
They are persuaded that they have the true faith,
that they are the friends of God, and of course
God is their friend ; loves them, and will do good
to them ; but those who subscribe not to the same
particular creed, are enemies to God, are the ob-
jects of his wrath and of their most bitter enmity.
Such people will effect great concern for those
whom they esteem as the enemies of the true faith,
and will frequently exhort them to make God their
friend, to delay no time in bringing themselves to
those terms and to that condition which will secure
the good will of our Father who is in heaven. But
the only way that this can be done, is to become
conformed to the particular creed and formalities
of those who stile themselves the friends of God.
Why did not our blessed Redeemer in the room of
teaching men that their Father in heaven loves his
enemies, and that they must love their enemies in
order to be like him, exhort them, as we are fre-
quently exhorted, to make our Father in heaven
our friend ? Answer, because such an exhortation
implies that God is no better than the publicans,
who love those that love them, and is calculated
to maintain all the partiality in faith and practice
from which Jesus came to save the world.
To conclude ; Let us, my brethren, endeavor to
seek to the foundation of our religion, learn the
true character of our Father in heaven, and be
cautious that we never consent to any belief, which
in any way involves the notion that God ever was
or ever can be an enemy to any of the works of his
hands. And on the immoveable flock of God's im-
partial love to all men, let our faith and our hope
rest ; but not forgetting that the benefits of thii
heavenly doctrine of love divine can never be real-
ised, until it works in us a conformity to its require-
ments, and brings us into that heavenly temper and
spirit by which we shall love our enemies, do good
to them that hate us, and pray in faith, nothing
doubting, for those whodespitefullyuse us and per-
secute us. Let us open our eyes to the visible
signs of the love and goodness of God, and read the
instructive lectures, which are delivered by a be-
neficent providence every day and every hour, and
by them learn that wisdom which is from above,
which " is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, and
easy to be entreated, full of mercy and good fruits,
without partiality and without hypocrisy."
No. 3.
LECTURE SERMON,
DELIVERED AT THE
SECOND UNIVERSALIST MEETING, IN BOSTON,
AUGUST 30, 1818.
BY HOSEA BALLOU, PASTOR.
Published Semi-Monthly, by Henry Bowen, Devonshire-street.
GALATIANS, iii. 21.
* 4 /* the law then against the promises of God ? God forbid."
BY the manner of the Apostle's writing in this
epistle, .it appears evident that Christians, even as
early as the time of the Apostles, were strongly in-
clined to the opinion, that the works of the law
were necessary to give validity and efficacy to the
gospel of Jesus Christ. To this agrees the account
we have in the 15th of Acts, where we are inform-
ed that " certain men, which came down from Ju-
dea" to Antioch, " taught the brethren and said,
except ye be circumcised after the manner of Moses,
ye cannot be saved." From such sentiments it ap-
pears the Apostle labored with great earnestness
to dissuade his brethren. The chapter from which
our text is chosen begins as follows ; " O foolish
Galatians, who hath bewitched you, that ye should
not obey the truth, before whose eyes Jesus Christ
hath been evidently set forth, crucified among you?
This only would I learn of you ; received ye the
Spirit by the works of the law, or by the hearing
of faith? Are ye so foolish ? having begun in the
Spirit, are ye now made perfect by the flesh ?" A
5
34
little attention to this subject will discover that by
law and flesh the author means the same thing,
He endeavoured to explain to his Christian bre-
thren the design and utility of the law, and to show
that it had neither power to give the life of faith,
or to render the promises of the gospel covenant
without effect. He stated the important question
on which his whole argument rested, and answered
it in our text ; " Is the law then against the pro-
mises of God ? God forbid." Whatever is contain-
ed in the promises of God, be it ever so much or
ever so good, it is not in the least subject to be
rendered hull or even diminished in the least de-
gree by the law ; and on the other hand the promises
of God do in no wise frustrate the law, but the doc-
trine of the divine promises does in fact establish
the law. To this effect are the words of the
Apostle to the Romans ; " Do we then make void
the law through faith ? God forbid ! yea, we estab-
lish the law." Moreover Jesus himself said ;
" Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or
the prophets : I am not come to destroy, but to ful-
fil.'*
Our first enquiry may be directed to ascertain
what is contained in the promises of God. This
subject is of the utmost importance, and if duly
considered cannot fail to engage the attention of
the hearer, and draw the mind of each individual
present to an entire devotion to the enquiry pro-
posed. The audience will not feel, on this sub-
ject, an idle indifference scarcely to be avoided
while listening to declamations, authorised only by
human imaginations. Nor can any part of the
congregation feel a less interest in the subject than
the rest, for the promises about to be examined are
expressive of the will of our Father in heaven, of
whose divine bounty we are all equal heirs.
It is natural for children to listen with attention
35
and solicitude to the reading of the will of an earth-
ly parent, even where there is but little left for
the heirs, for they greatly desire to know if the
same good will and impartial favor be discovera-
ble in the last expressions and latest testimony of
parental love, as had evidently marked the parent's
conduct through life. But where a vast fortune is
left in legacies, self interest, that ruling passion of
the soul, renders attention active, and every one is
wide awake ; and anxious to know the contents of
this final testament. How much more then shall
we be desirous to acquaint ourselves with the pro-
mises of our heavenly Father which express what
he hath laid up for us in the covenant of his grace ?
With what impressions of mind ought we to com-
mence this research ? Is it proper that we begin
this examination with prepossessions of mind most
favorable to limited and ungenerous principles, or
guch as better correspond with the divine goodness
continually manifested in a boundless, rich, and
munificent providence ? If simple nature alone had
been our instructor, if we had not been educated
in a belief which limits the holy One, if we were
left to judge of the goodness of the divine Being,
respecting the moral and spiritual interests of his
creatures from his impartial goodness in his tem-
poral providence, have we the least reason to be-
lieve that we should be in possession of notions op-
posed to the universality of divine mercy ? But un-
happily for us, we have early imbibed illiberal views
of God and his goodness, and under this embarrass-
ment we stand opposed to rational views of univer-
sal goodness ; hence in treating the subject pro-
posed, arguments are needed which may tend to do
away our prejudices, and to establish in our minds a
doctrine which will be seen to harmonize with the
wonderful works and universal goodness of God.
The promises of God of which the Apostle spake
36
in the text are those made to Abraham, which we
may learn from the following in the context ;
" Now to Abraham and his seed were the promises
made. He saith not and to seeds, as of many ; but
as of one, and to thy seed, which is Christ." These
promises made to Abraham in Christ, the Apostle
calls a covenant, as he expresses in his next words ;
" And this I say, that the covenant that was con-
firmed before of God in Christ, the law, which was
four hundred and thirty years after, cannot disan-
nul, that it should make the promise of none effect.
For if the inheritance be of the law, it is no more
of promise ; but God gave it to Abraham by pro-
mise." By this scripture we learn that the pro-
mises made to Abraham are called a covenant
which was confirmed in Christ ; and that which the
promises contain, is called an inheritance.
The promises to Abraham are recorded, Genesis
xii: 2, 3, " I will make of Ihee a great nation, and I
will bless thee, and make thy name great; and thou
bhalt be a blessing. And I will bless them that
bless thce, and curse them that curseth thee ; and
in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed."
xviii. 18. " Abraham shall surely become a great and
mighty nation, and all the nations of the earth shall
be blessed in him." xxii. 18. " In thy seed shall all
the nations of the earth be blessed." The confirma-
tion of these promises to Isaac is recorded, Genesis
xxvi. 3,4. " Sojourn in thisland, and I will be with
thee, and will bless thee ; for unto thee, and unto
th> seed, I will give all these countries ; and I will
perform the oath which I sware unto Abraham thy
father. And I will make thy seed to multiply as the
'stars of heaven, and I will give unto thy seed all these
countries ; and in thy seed shall all the nations of
the earth be blessed." The confirmation of the
s:ame promises to Jacob we read in Chapter xxviii.
11, " And thy seed shall be as the dust of the earth ;
37
and thou shalt spread abroad to the west, and to
the east, and to the north, and to the south : and in
thee, and in thy seed, shall all the families of the
earth be blessed."
These are the promises of God, of which men-
tion is made in our text, and which our text says,
the law is not against. It may be well now to en-
quire something respecting the extensiveness of
these promises. What is the most natural sense of
such language as this ? " All the nations of the
earth, all the families of the earth ;" and such as
St. Peter used, Acts iii. 25, " Ye are the children
of the prophets and of the covenant which God
made with our fathers, saying unto Abraham, and
in thy seed shall all the kindreds of the earth be
blessed." Would any person, having the least
knowledge of language, make use of such to ex-
press something concerning a very small part of
mankind ? The learned and pious divines who
composed the Westminster Catechism did not make
use of such language to express the covenant of
grace in which they believed. Their words are
the following ; " God having, out of his mere good
pleasure, from all eternity, elected some to ever-
lasting life, did enter into a covenant of grace, to
deliver them out of a state of sin and misery, and
to bring them into a state of salvation, by a Re-
deemer." Will any candid person say, that this
language which the Westminster divines made use
of to express their covenant of grace, and the lan-
guage which God used to express his covenant
of grace to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob are of
the same import ? No one will pretend this. If it
had been the intention of those divines to state the
covenant of which St. Peter spoke in Acts iii.
would they not have been likely to make use of
such language as he used, and as is used in other
parts of the scriptures on the same subject ? There
38
can be no doubt of this. But the fact is, their cov-
enant of grace is not mentioned in the whole of
the divine oracles. It is a most humiliating thought,
that the wisdom of God should have been thus to-
tally neglected, and the wisdom, the partial, sensual
wisdom of this world set in its stead. It is a matter
of most painful reflection, that while the Christian
church have made no provision to teach youth the
gospel covenant of the God of Abraham, of Isaac
and Jacob, unwearied pains and innumerable
means have been employed to instruct them, " and
that right early," in this covenent of men's inven-
tion. But, by attending too much to the vain no-
tions of men, we shall get away from our subject.
We will therefore observe, that the language in
which the covenant which God made with the fa-
thers is expressed, is as extensive as any language
that could have been used, unless more than the
whole human family were to be comprehended : All
nations of the earth, all the families of the earth,
and all the k indreds of the earth, is universal ; and
all the partial creeds of men acknowledge it to be
so by carefully and respectfully neglecting to use it.
Our next enquiry will seek to ascertain the bles-
sing which is promised to all the nations of the
earth in the covenant of God.
This question is settled by the testimony of the
Apostle in our context ; " And the scriptures fore-
seeing that God would justify the heathen through
faith, preached before the gospel unto Abraham,
saying, in thee shall all nations be blessed." This
blessing then is justification through faith. Of this
justification the Apostle speaks to the Romans in
language as extensive as that in which the cove-
pant of grace was expressed to Abraham. His
words are as follows ; " For all have sinned, and
come short of the glory of God ; being justi$ed
freely by his grace, through the redemption that is
39
in Christ Jesus." Again to the Romans, the Apostle
speaking of Christ, says ; " Who was delivered for
our offences, and was raised again for our justifica-
tion." The same author in a discourse at Antioch
said ; " A nd we declare unto you glad tidings, how
that the promise which was made unto the fathers,
God hath fulfilled the same unto us their children,
in that he hath raised up Jesus again." The hearer
is requested to notice, that according to the pas-
sages quoted, the promise to Abraham is called
the gospel. This gospel was preached by God
himself, and no doubt was preached truly, and as
Abraham believed, and as we ought to believe at
this day. We also see that the thing promised,
which the Apostle calls " the inheritance," is jus-
tification through faith, the word jaith meaning
covenant ; and moreover, that all that have sinned,
and come short of the glory of God, are thus
<f justified freely by his grace, through the re-
demption that is in Christ Jesus." Should the trite
objection, that this doctrine justifies men in sin, be
moved in this case, we reply in the words of divine
truth, which never speaks of justifying men in sin,
but "from, all things, from which we could not be
justified by the law of Moses." St. Peter applies
the blessing which God promised, in his covenant,
to Abraham, as follows ; " Unto you first, God,
having raised up his Son Jesus, sent him to bless
you, in turning away every one of you from hii
iniquities." One important object which we have
in view, is to show the nature of the gospel salva-
tion, which is salvation from sin and all its evils.
The hearer is now requested to consider the
terms or conditions of the promises, the covenant
made with the fathers, which embraces the salva-
tion of all the nations, all the families, and all the
kindreds of the earth in Jesus Christ. If these
promises were made on any conditions of obedi-
40
ence on the part of the heirs of this inheritance,
then unless these conditions are fulfilled we have
no right to the promises. But blessed, forever
blessed be the name of the God of Abraham, this
covenant rests on no conditions of man's obedi-
ence. There is not a word in the promises made
to the fathers, that intimates any condition on the
part of those who were to be blessed. Our heaven-.
ly Father here manifests his own unchangeable, un-
influenced, unconditional good will and gracious
purpose concerning all the sons and daughters of
Adam. " God, willing more abundantly, to shew
unto the heirs of promise, the immutability of his
counsel, confirmed it by an oath ; for when God
made promise to Abraham,; because he could swear
by no greater, he sware by himself." And the de-
sign of this oath was, " that we might have strong
consolation who have fled for refuge to lay hold on
the hope set before us."
Corresponding with the unconditionality of the
^'covenant of promise," we may notice a passage
or two from the prophet Isaiah and St. Paul. The
evangelical prophet uses language in his 26th
Chapter which corresponds in three important
points with the language of the divine promises.
1st. It is universal. 2d. It contains the testimony
of life ; and 3d. The language is positive, not con-
ditional. The passage reads as follows ; "And in
this mountain shall the Lord of hosts make unto all
people a feast of fat things, of wines on the lees ;
of fat things full of marrow, of wines on the lees
well refined. And he will destroy in this mountain
the face of the covering cast over all people, and
the vail that is spread over all nations. He will
swallow up deatli in victory ; and the Lord God
will wipe away tears from all faces ; and the re-
buke of his people shall he take away from off all
the earth ; for the Lord hath spoken it." In his
41
9th Chapter, speaking of the Messiah, he says ;
u For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given,
and the government shall be upon his shoulders ;
and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsel-
lor, the mighty God, the everlasting Father, the
Prince of peace. Of the increase of his govern-
ment and peace there shall be no end." No com-
ments are necessary to show, that the language
quoted from the prophet corresponds with that in
which the " covenant of promise" is recorded.
That the salvation of the gospel is not accord-
ing to the works of men, St. Paul's testimony to
Timothy fully shows ; " Who hath saved us, and
called us with an holy calling, not according to our
works, but according to his own purpose and grace,
which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world
began ; but is now made manifest by the appear-
ing of our Saviour Jesus Christ, who hath abolished
death, and hath brought life and immortality to
light through the gospel." To Titus he says ;
" Not by works of righteousness which we have
done, but according to his mercy he saved us." On
the same subject, to the Ephesians lie says ; " Not
of works, lest any man should boast." The pas-
sage just quoted from the epistle to Timothy is
remarkable for its clearness on our subject: " Who
hath saved us, and called us with an holy calling,
not according to our works." If this salvation and
calling were not according to the works, of those
who were saved, then it must be according to
something else. And this something must form a
principle on which God could act with perfect con-
sistency with holiness, justice and truth. The
Apostle says ; " But according to his own purpose
and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus be-
fore the world began." Thus it is plain, that God
purposed in his grace, before the world began, ttf
6
42
aave men, not according to their works. To this
argument the objector will reply, that it is evident
according to scripture and according to reason and
the fitness of things, that men should be dealt
with according to their merit and demerit. The
objector will coritenp!, that this is according to the
law given fo Israel by Moses, and is likewise ac-
cording to the law given to the Gentiles, written in
their heart. To all this we give our full and cor-
dial consent, and proceed to show that this is no
real objection against the salvation for which we
have contended, by illustrating the fact stated in
our text, that the law is not against the promises
of God.
This the Apostle has done in our context, in a
very able and concise manner. His argument is
the following, which has been already quoted on
another subject ; "And this I say, that the cove-
nant that was confirmed before of God in Christ, the
law, which was four hundred and thirty years after,
cannot disannul, that it should make tne promise
of none effect."
Never was there an argument more clear and
conclusive. In order that the law might have any
power to control the covenant of promise it should
have existed prior to, or at least simultaneous with
it ; and then there must have been conditions in the
covenant of promise of which the law should have
power to take cognizance. If the objector fur-
ther contend, that the moral nature of the law did
exist at the time and even before the promise was
made to Abraham, we grant the fact, and say ; if
it were consistent with the moral nature of the law,
for God to make such promises, it certainly can-
not be contrary to it, for him to fulfil them. It
was the same God who gave the law to man,
that made the promises to tti& father of the faith-
fill ; and nothing can be more unreasonable than
to suppose, that he either made a law against
his own promises, or promises against his own
law.
The true design of the law, in relation to the
gospel which was preached unto Abraham, is re-
presented by a well chosen metaphor in the chapter
where our text is' found, * Wherefore the law was
our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ, that
we might be justified by faith." As the appoint-
ment of a schoolmaster is certainly for the benefit
of the pupils ; to instruct and discipline them for
advancement in duties and in enjoyments, so the
law was designed to instruct and discipline man-
kind for the sublime duties and enjoyments of the
religion of Jesus Christ. While his children are
at school, or even before they are of age to profit
by such an institution, the kind affectionate father
may will to his children independent fortunes.
These minors may, notwithstanding they are heirs
to this testament of their father's, be kept at school,
be instructed and disciplined by a faithful master
until the time appointed of the father for them to
come into possession of their inheritance, and to be
free from the government of the school. In this
simile it is easy to see, that the children were dealt
with according to their merit and demerit ; the
schoolmaster could do his whole duty to his pupils
without concerning himself about their father's will.
His authority did not extend to take cogni-
zance of that instrument of grace, nor did that
testament which made these children vastly rich
infringe in theleast on the authority of the school-
master. There is no power in the will to screen
the disobedient scholar from the faithful hand
of righteous discipline. These two dispensations
harmonise in doing good to the same persons?
44
fr their respective ways, In relation to our sub-
ject, the Apostle says in connection with our text;
" Now I say, that the heir, as long as he is a child,
differeth nothing from a servant, though he be lord
of all ; but is under tutors and governors, until the
time appointed of the Father. Even so we, when
we \vere children, were in bondage under the ele-
ments of the world."
But the objector urges that it is written ; " cursed
is every one that continueth not in all things writ-
ten in the book of the law to do them ;" and " the
soul that sinneth, it shall die." Let this all be
granted ; and let it stand without attempting to
weaken it in the least ; but let us remember with
gratitude and joy of heart, that " Christ hath re-
deemed us from the curse of the law, being made
a curse for us." And also, that those who were
dead in trespasses and in sins, hath God quickened
together with Christ. It is true, " the wages of sin
is death ;" but it is also true that " the gift of God
is eternal life, through Jesus Christ our Lord."
Will the objector now say, that the curse of Uie
Jaw is eternal death, and therefore if this curse
came upon any, they cannot obtain salvation ? Then
we reply and say ; this objection does not rest on
the divine testimony. The words " eternal death,"
are not in the scriptures. The objector, therefore,
lias no right to require any further reply. The
text says ; " cursed is every one," &c. It does not
say ; cursed shall be every one in Ike eternal rvorld>
who continueth not in all things written in the book
of the Jaw to do them, in this world.
To the Corinthians the Apostle speaks of the
ministration of the law as a ministration of death,
but he by no means allows it either an eternal
duration, or pow3r to prevent in the least de-
U;e ministration of life, He, speaks as fol-
45
lows ; " Who also hath made us able ministers
of the new-testament, not of the letter, but of
the spirit ; for the letter killeth, but the spirit
giveth life. But if the ministration of death, writ-
ten and engraven in stones, was glorious, so that
the children of Israel could not stedfastly behold
the face of Moses, for the glory of his countenance,
which glory was to be done away ; how shall riot
the ministration of the spirit be rather glorious ?
For if the ministration of condemnation be glory,
much more doth the ministration of righteousness
exceed in glory. For even that which was made
glorious, had no glory in this respect, by reason
of the glory that excelleth. For if that which is
done away was glorious, much more that which re-
maineth is glorious."
We see, by the Apostle's reasoning, that the law
dispensation, being a ministration of death, " was
to be done away," and succeeded with the minis-
tration of righteousness ; but that these dispensa-
tions are opposed to each other is not allowed by
any scripture argument.
This doctrine, that the law is not against the
promises of God, which we find abundantly prov-
ed from the scriptures which have been noticed, is
a doctrine which is plainly taught in the economy
of divine providence and in the most essential gov-
ernment embraced in human concerns ; I mean the
government and economy of a family. In the divine
providence, God has promised (and he fulfils his
word) that there shall be summer and winter, seed
time and harvest. These blessings do not depend
on men, men depend on them ; man's labor does
not call them forth, but they call men to their
work ; and accordingly as they labor and wisely
improve their advantages, they are rewarded. If
they neglect tbe duties of the season, they are re-.
s
compeused wilii want. In a family government
ami economy, there are many favors bestowed on
children, that in the nature of things, cannot depend
on the obedience of those who receive them. How
many favors does parental love bestow on infancy,
favors essential to life, long before the subjects are
capable of knowing on whom they depend for sup-
port ? And in the last will and testament of paren-
tal provision, how many valuable legacies are be-
stowed on children, to which they had no other
claim but heirship ? But all these blessings which
are entirely independent of the conduct of chil-
dren, have no power to prevent the reasonable ex-
ercise of a proper discipline during that period in
which the offspring are subjects of such an economy.
And on the other hand, it is as plainly seen, that
this discipline has no power to oppose the interest
which the child holds by beirship ; but then one
seems to establish the other ; for that relation which
gives the right to administer discipline, holds also
the right of heirship.
From the several points of doctrine, which we
have endeavored to support, the following inferen-
ces may be drawn.
Jst. There is, according to the scriptures, in the
moral government of our heavenly Father, a wisely
concerted discipline, by which the faults of men
are duly noticed and faithfully and compassionate-
ly chastised. But it is not consistent with the de-
sign of this dispensation to extend correction or
punishment for sin, so as, in any way, to deprive,
even the sinner, of the everlasting inheritance which
belongs to the sons of God.
The opinion, therefore, that the law of God de-
mands the everlasting, or eternal punishment of sin-
ners is, by no means a scripture doctrine ; for sure-
ly such a doctrine would prove that the law was
against the promises. Su-ch a law, in the room of
being a schoolmaster to bring us to Christ, would
be an unmerciful tyrant, like Pharoah, who held the
people of God in bondage, and refused to let them
go. This divine law and discipline of our heaven-
ly Father admonishes us to take heed to our ways.
Hereby we are advised, commanded, admonished,
rebuked, warned, threatened ; and in case of obsti-
nate disobedience, and continuance in sin, we are
severely punished. But let us always remember
that the chastisements of our heavenly Father
are for our profit, that we may be partakers of his
Holiness.
2d. We may infer from the doctrine we have main-
tained, that the sense of what St. Peter said to the
Jews is equally true respecting all men ; " Ye are
the children of the prophets, and of the covenant
which God made with our fathers, saying unto
Abraham, and in thy seed shall all the kindreds of
the earth be blessed." Those to whom St. Peter
spake these words, were those who delivered up Je-
sus and denied him in the presence of Pilate ; they
were those who denied the holy One and the just,
and desired a murderer to be granted unto them,
and killed the Prince of life. " These," Peter said,
** were the children of the prophets, and of the cove-
nant which God made with our fathers." Now as the
promise of the covenant was to " all the kindreds
of the earth, and as the testimony of the prophets
was equally extensive, we conclude that all the
families, all the nations, and all the kindreds of the
earth" are the children of the prophetic testimony,,
and of the covenant of promise. The blessing
promised was also mentioned by this Apostle as has
been noticed ; " Unto you first, God, having raised
up his Son Jesus, sent him to bless you, in turning
away every one of you from his iniquities.
48
Let us conclude with the Apostle's exhortation ,
# Stand fast, therefore, in the liberty wherewith
Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled
again with the yoke of bondage."
;'. No. 4 J r
<> LECTURE SERMON, .V-
DELIVERED AT THE
/ i,
SECOND UNIVERSALIST MEETING, IN BOSTON*
SEPTEMBER 13, 1818.
BY HOSEA BALLOU, PASTOR.
Published Semi-Monthly, by Henry Bowen, Devonshire-street.
1. JOHN, iv- 16.
" God is love"
IN ^the infinite variety of all important subjects
to which the rich treasures of divine revelation call
our most serious and engaged attention, this, ex-
pressed in our text, is unquestionably entitled to
the highest rank. However the thoughtless and
profane may treat the Supreme Disposer of all
things, however triflingly the name of the Most
High may be handed round by polluted lips, one
moment's serious attention to the impropriety of
such communication is sufficient to convince the
reasonable mind, that GOD is a subject infinitely
too great to be introduced into trifling conversa-
tion, and infinitely too good to be mentioned by
profane lips. But notwithstanding the improprie-
ty and evil, of which mention has been made, are
great and heinous, they bear but a scant compari-
son with the impropriety and evil of representing
the great Father of our spirits as a character which
would be dishonorable to man, who fa but a
worm of the dust.
7
50
If we lay aside the prejudices which the creeds
of men have carefully treasured up in our deceitful
hearts, we shall at once be struck with horror at the
character which a false education has* given to the
best of all intelligent beings. The moral evil na-
turally growing from false notions of the divine
character, has so established its empire in the
hearts of men, and exercises such unresisted con-
trol over the temper and spirit of those who are
deceived by such notions, that there appears but
one remedy ; and this one must be found in the re-
moving of those errors, by the clear shining of
divine truth in the understanding. The particular
and most special object of the present discourse is
to contribute, at least, a humble attempt to remove
wrong views of God from the mind, by showing that
all the divine attributes harmonize in love ; which
view of the character of our heavenly Father,seems
evidently comprehended in the text of which choice
has been made.
There are but a few passages of scripture which
speak in a direct manner of what God is. He is
called a "fountain of living waters" by the Prophet
Jeremiah. " My people have committed two evils;
they have forsaken me, the fountain of living wa-
ters, and hewed them out cisterns, broken cisterns,
that can hold no water." This is a most striking
representation of true and false religion. Love is
a fountain of Irving waters. It is a living fountain,
one that is never dry. This is true religion ; it
has no hatred in it ; it works no ill to its neighbor ;
it measures to others what it is willing to receive.
But false religion is any thing and every thing
but love. It is something hewed out ; that is, it is
the work of invention and art. The living water
of divine love is not in it. It pretends to love, but
hatred is its most essential ingredient. It is based
on enmity. If we disallow enmity, false religion
51
cries out, heresy, Mie foundation of leligion is gone !
St. Paul says ;V Our God is a consuming fire"
Love is a consuming fire to all the hay, wood, and
stubble which error has introduced into religion.
44 Now, if any man build upon this foundation, gold,
silver, precious stones, wood, hay, stubble ; every
man's work shall be made manifest : for the day shall
declare it, and the fire shall try every man's work
of what sort it is. If any man's work abide which
he hath built thereupon, he shall receive a reward.
If any man's work shall be burnt, he shall suffer
loss ; but he himself shall be saved : Yet so as by
tire." The fire of divine love seeks to consume
nothing but that which is injurious to the sinner,
who is the object of divine love.
The divine teacher said to the woman of Samaria ;
" God is a spirit, and seeketh such to worship him,
who worship him in spirit and in truth." Love is
this spirit of God, and love is the spirit in which
God is truly worshipped. " God is love ; and he
that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God, and God in
him."
It may tend to promote the object in view to men-
tion a summary of moral attributes, and proceed to
notice them both distinctly and conjunctively, by
which their harmony in divine love may be made to
appear. We read in Revelations, of the " Seven
spirits of God," which we may suppose compre-
hend the perfection of the communicable attributes
of the divine Being. Without any design to be ar-
bitrary, we will name seven moral attributes ; arid
though some may think a less number would com-
prehend the whole, and others, that a much greater
number should be mentioned, it seems safe to cal-
culate that the perfect number, seven, was design-
ed to comprehend the whole and nothing more.
And if we may be favored with a view of the
harmony of the seven which we shall name, no
52
doubt the candid mind will be sat'-fted, that if mor>
moral attributes could be narrud, they would all
be found to harmonize in love.
The seven we shall name are the following ;
Wisdom, Knowledge, Power, Justice, Truth, Mer-
cy, and Love in which they all harmonize.
Wisdom is that attribute of mind by which
designs are drawn and plans are laid. It regards
things, circumstances, causes and effects as they
relate to each other. The wisdom of any plan ig
seen in the co-operation of its several parts tending
efficiently to produce what the projector designs*
Should any part of a plan fail of eventuating in the
object designed, that failure, were it ever so small,
would prove a lack of wisdom in drawing the plan*
When we view the visible objects of creation,
their existence seems to fill the mind with admira-*
tion, and as soon as our thoughts advance to the corn
sideration of the regular motions of the heavenly
bodies, wisdom irresistibly attracts our notice,
and seems to wake up a spark of devotion to the
great Author of the universe. Continuing to me-
ditate on the order, regularity, and harmony of the
works of nature and providence ; and to notice
the concatenation of causes and effects which pro-
duce whatever is fit and good in the order and na-
ture of things, no language seems more proper
than that of the Psalmist ; "O Lord, how mani-
fold are thy works ! in wisdom hast thou made
them all."
Knowledge is a principle of intellectual nature*
by which the simple facts relating 1 to tilings are
comprehended or Understood. This attribute in
God is an all-seeing eye ; from its pervading sight
nothing can be hid. Known Unto God are all his
works from the foundation of the world.
Power in the divine Being is that ability by
which all the purposes of bje vast and infinite
scheme are carried into execution. " Who work-
eth all things after the counsel of his own will."
Justice is that attribute of God, by .which a righ-
teous and equitable administration is directed to-
wards all moral accountable beings ; and by which,
every such being receives a just recompense of re-
ward accordingly as moral powers are exercised.
Divine justice likewise requires that all moral be-
ings should act in such a manner as to discharge
every duty and obligation which the connections
and relations in which they are placed render ne-
cessary. "Justice and judgment are the habita-
tion of his throne."
Truth is whatever is opposed to falshood, and is
the reality of all things, circumstances and events,
past, present and future. This is forever with him
who varies not, for " He is the Rock, his work is
perfect ; for all his ways are judgment ; a God of
truth, arid without iniquity, just and right is he."
Mercy is that divine perfection of God which
pities and relieves from sin and wretchedness, those
who stand in need of such compassion, " For the
Lord is good ; his mercy is everlasting ; and his
truth endureth to all generations." " According
to his mercy he saved us."
Love is a property which delights in an object,
carefully avoids doing it any harm, and uses all its
means to administer good ; " God is love." JXow,
as it is the fixed, unalterable nature of love to do
good to all the beings who are its objects, and to
render them as blessed as possible with the use of
all the means which love can command, it is seen at
once, that whatever plans are laid so as to promote
the best interest of those creatures who are the ob-
jects of the divine love, is in fact the wisdom of
God ; and as those plans perfectly harmonize with
the benevolent purposes of love, it is evident that
the wisdom which contrived them is in perfect uni-
son with
We here find a fair opportunity to look into the
extent of the goodness of God, and that salvation
which is brought to man by Jesus Christ, who is said
to be " The wisdom of God and the power of God."
a For God so loved the world, that he gave his only
begotten Son,that whosoever believeth in him should
not perish, but have everlasting life. ForGod sent not
his Son into the world to condemn the world ; but
that the world through him might be saved.* 5 God so
foved the world that he sent his own wisdom that the
world might be saved by it. If the wisdom of God
is not in perfect harmony with his love, he surely
would not have sent his wisdom to carry into effect
ihe purposes of love. '* Herein is love, not that
we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son
fo be the propitiation for our sins." Here both
the object and the means are clearly set forth,,
God loved us while we did not love him. In conse-
quence of this love he designed to do us a favor.
The means which he used was to send his Son to be
the propitiation for our sins. But if by becoming
fhe propitiation for our sins, no benefit, but an in-
jury should result to those whom God loved, then
the means would frustrate the object and prove the
want of wisdom in the plan.
There is a doctrine in the Christian church, thai
contends, that millions, yea far the greatest part of
the human family will be infinitely more misera-
ble in the eternal world, than they would have been
if Jesus had never come into the world and died
for their sins. If this doctrine be allowed to stand
in harmony with the wisdom of God, it must be
granted that his wisdom is hostile to his love, for
a love worketh no ill." But the divine testimony
assures us, that " God sent not his Son into the
world to condemn the world, but that the world
through him might be saved." If therefore, the world
er any part of the world should fail of salvation, and
55
be made miserable in the future world ia conscr
quence of what Christ has done, the thing for which
he was sent not being fulfilled, and that 'for which
he was not sent being effected, proves the want of
wisdom in the plan.
How is it possible for God to exercise a wisdom
which is infinite in a way to frustrate the design of
his own immutable love ? If we examine ever so
minutely into the plans and schemes, the causes and
effects, the immense, the subtle and the various
workings of divine providence, are we not the
more convinced of the truth of that ancient dec-
laration, " The Lord is good unto all and his tend-
er mercies are over all his works!" As a proof of
the truth of this testimony the Prophet further ob-
serves ; "Thou openest thine hand and satisfies!
the desire of every living thing." This is the way
by which God makes himself known to be good to
his creatures, that is, by actually doing them good*
St. Paul said, " Nevertheless he left not himself with-
out witness, in that he did good, and gave us rain
from heaven, and fruitful seasons, filling our hearts
with food and gladness." How immense are the
love, the wisdom and the goodness of God which
are manifested continually in the temporal bounties
of his universal providence. Cast your eyes round
on every side, carefully inspect the condition of ev-
ery living thing, and say whether the wisdom of
God does not harmonise with universal love. And
yet the Apostle allows all this luminous evidence
to be no more than twilight compared with the
more perfect display of the divine goodness in the
dispensation of the gospel of Jesus Christ ; for not-
withstanding the evidences of divine goodness which
were continually manifested in the munificent provi-
dence of God, the people, who were the subject?
of such goodness, were ignorant of him and walk-v
ed in their own way; concerning which the- Apos-
tie says; "The times of this ignorance God wink-
ed at, but now commandeth all men every where to
repent." This special command to repent and
turn from dumb idols to serve the living God, was
given forth in the more glorious evidences of the
mercy and goodness of God communicated in the
gospel.
An attempt to illustrate the wisdom which char-
acterises the scheme of the gospel, and the harmo-
ny of its several parts, as set forth in the scriptures,
would be a much more extensive undertaking than
our present limits would justify, if there were no
want of ability to do justice to such a subject. Tt
tnay therefore suffice to remark, that by a careful
attention to ancient promises and prophecies con-
cerning a Messiah, his appearance in the world, the
wonderful works wrought by his miraculous power;
the shameful treatment which he received among
men, his death, and the manner of it, his resurrection
from the dead, the infallible proofs of the same,
his ascension, the gifts bestowed on the Apostles
whom he appointed to promulgate his gospel, and
the wonderful success which attended their ministry,
by which the religion of Jesus was established on a
foundation which can never be removed, we are
led to say ; " This is the Lord's doings, and it is
marvellous in our eyes."
Who will undertake to point out a single item in
all this vast scheme of infinite wisdom which does
not perfectly harmonise with the love of God to
mankind. "God commendeth his love towards us,
in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for
us." " We preach Christ crucified, to the Jews a
stumbling-block, and to the Greeks foolishness ;
but unto them who are called both Jews and
Greeks, Christ the wisdom of God and the power
of God." This is that " wisdom that is from above,
which is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, and easy
57
to be entreated, full of mercy and good fruits, with*
out partiality and without hypocrisy." This is that
wisdom which was with the Almighty when he cre-
ated all things, " rejoicing always before him ; re-
joicing in the habitable part of his earth, and whoso
delights were with the sons of men."
That the divine knowledge is in perfect unison
with the love of God to his creatures, we must
grant for many reasons, some of which are the fol-
lowing.
First, That we may avoid introducing imperfec-
tion into the divine nature, which is nothing short
of idolatry. Whenever a desire to do good is in
exercise, and the person who possesses this desire
knows for certainty, that this desire can never be
realised or accomplished, there is proof positive of
imperfection.
Secondly, That we may avoid introducing infeli-
city into the divine Being. For if his universal
unchangeable love run in one straight line, and his
infallible knowledge disagree with it, we must al-
low that this disagreement produces an infelicity
whose magnitude corresponds with the greatness
of those infinite, discordant attributes ! Whoever
possesses love which inclines the agent to do good
to another, and knows at the same time that this
will never be effected, must, in the nature of things,
be unhappy to a degree which corresponds with the
force of this forever unsatisfied desire.
Thirdly, That we may avoid charging God with
folly, which we should most surely do if we sup-
pose that in consequence of his love to the world
he sent his Son to save the world, when at the same
time he knew that this salvation would not be jef-
fected. Should a parent who ^tenderly loves his
child see it in distress, no doubt he would try all
means which should appear at all favorable to re-
lieve it ; but, while he had reason, he would never
8
58
make use of means which he knew would, in the
room of relieving from distress, increase it seven
fold. The divine testimony says ; " God will have
all men to be saved," and that as a mean of this
salvation, the one Mediator " gave himself a ransom
for all." Now if we allow that the divine knowl-
edge comprehended the fact that all men will not
be saved, we surely charge God with the folly of
using means to effect what he knew would not be
effected. There are among men, many who are
called learned, and many who are unlearned, who
are fully persuaded, that all the means which our
heavenly Father h^< seen fit to employ for the
purpose of saving sinners, will in the most of in-
stances forever fail of their designed utility. But
have we not every good reason for believing, that
if the divine Being had been fully persuaded of
this, he never would have used those abortive
means ? In order to avoid an endless series of in-
consistencies we are compelled to acknowledge a
plain simple truth, that the infinite knowledge of
God is in perfect harmony with his boundless un-
changeable love, which constitutes him infinitely
and consummately happy ; and lays a foundation on
which the human mind may rest and enjoy the
sweetest possible repose. How often is it the case,
that we are called to witness and to pass through
dark scenes of trial in which our weak discernment
can see no utility, and we are pining with des-
pair, and sayjng " all these things are against me ;"
but how divinely comforting is the thought so hap-
pily expressed by the Poet ;
" The clouds you so much dread
Are big with mercy, and will break
In blessings on .your head ;
Judge not the Lord by feeble sense",
But trust him for his grace ;
Behind a frowning providence,
H6 hides his smiling iace."
That the diviri^F power ever moves according to
the directions of the love of God, there is no room
to doubt. Power without will to put it in motion
and direct it, is dormant and effects nothing. And
as it is evident, that God cannot will contrary to his
nature which is love, so it is equally evident that
his power never effects any thing which his love
does not desire. That Almighty Power which con-
trols all worlds, all beings, and all elements, moves
only as it is directed by the gentle, kind, and mer-
ciful principles of divine love.
The divine attribute which the sensual, partial
wisdom of this world has armed with principles
hostile to love, is justice. Justice has been held up
as an unmerciful foe to the transgressor, knowing
no favor, but demanding the everlasting destruc-
tion of all who come short of obedience. If we
allow this sentiment concerning the demands of di-
vine justice, is it not evident that justice is opposed
to love in such demands ? This cannot be denied.
Those who hold the opinion that sinners must be
punished everlastingly in the future state, never un-
dertake to prove such an opinion by arguing that
sinners are the objects of divine love. But justice
is always referred to as the attribute which is op-
posed to the sinner's salvation. Now if justice and
love are opposed to each other in God, does not
this constitute transgression ? " Sin is the transgres-
sion of the law," justice is the law ; and if love be
opposed to justice, it is opposed to the law, and
transgresses the law ! But St. Paul says ; " love
worketh no ill to his neighbor ; therefore love is
the fulfilling of the law." If love fulfils the law, it
certainly is not opposed to justice.
We will for a few minutes, attempt to examine
divine justice, both as to its requirements in ita pre-
cepts, and in its administration of punishments ;
and carefully compare with the dictates of divine
60
love, in order to see if there be ny disagreement.
What then does the divine law require ? The bles-
sed Saviour explains the law as follows ; " Thou
shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and
with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is
the first and great commandment. And the second
is like unto it, thou shalt love thy neighbor as
thyself. On these two commandments hang all
the law and the prophets." This is what divine jus-
tice demands of all men ; this is the whole law, as
saith the Apostle ; " All the law is fulfilled in
one word, even in this, thou shalt love thy neigh-
bor as thyself." Now compare this divine requi-
sition with what love requires. Love most surely
cannot require any thing short of itself. If one
person love another sincerely, can any thing short
of love in return give satisfaction ? The parents of
a family of children love their offspring most af-
fectionately ; this love is commended to the chil-
dren by a thousand favors, varied according to
their wants. Now what does this love require in
return ? It requires the children to love their par-
ents. The Apostle says; "We love him, because
he first loved us." Nothing will answer as a sub-
stitute for love. If the children attend ever so
punctually to the performance of every duty en-
joined in Uhe precepts of the parents, if love be
wanting, all is unsavory. Love is the salt that must
season every performance in order to render it ac-
ceptable. St. Paul must have had this view of our
subject when he wrote the following ; " Though I
speak with the tongues of men and of Angels, and
have not charity, (the same with love) I am become
as sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal. And
though I have the gift of prophecy, and under-
stand a)l mysteries, and all knowledge ; and though
I have all faith so that I could remove mountains
have not charity, I am nothing. And though
a-i
I bestow all ray goods to feed the poor, and though
I give my body to be burned, and have not charity,
it profiteth me nothing." And I think we may
say according to divine truth, that, that sort oC
justice which is destitute of love, is as sounding
brass or a tinkling cymbal ; it has sounded through
all Christendom and tinkled in all our ears. And
as it is destitute of love itself, so it has produced
none in its votaries.
Now as we have seen that justice and love 'are
united in their requirements, it may add no little
strength to the evidence already adduced to look
at the principle on which they urge their united
claim.
In order for any demand to be just, it must be
founded on a reasonable principle. So if justice
arid love demand of us, that we love God, and one
another, it is proper to ascertain the principle on
which the propriety of this demand is seen. Love
and hatred are what we are necessaiily inclined to;
and we are necessarily inclined to love that which
is agreeable to us, and to hate what is otherwise,
It would then be a most unreasonable thing to re-
quire us to love what is not lovely, and to hate
what is not hateful. If then we are required to
love God, it is because he is lovely, if rightly un-
derstood. If there were any quality in the divine
Being which is opposed to our well being, it is a
most unreasonable thing to require us to love that
quality. The result then of this part of the enqui-
ry is this, namely, justice and love both agree in
requiring us to love that which is altogether for
our own profit, and it is not in the nature of either
to require us to love any object beyond our inter-
est, I will not say that this may not be considered
rather a new kind of argument ; but even if it is,
this circumstance ought, by no means, to be urged
against the propriety of it ; it may be urged as a
62
proper occasion for carefully examining it. If it be
necessary to make it still more evident, we may ask,
what or whose interest is to be served by our lov-
ing that which is of no benefit to ourselves ? No one
will be so erroneous as to contend that any benefit
can result to the divine Being from our love to him;
and certainly not from our loving him beyond our
interest in him, as it will, at once, be allowed, that
it is impossible to love him more than we are bene-
iitted by him. This argument holds equally good
as it applies to any one, or all of the divine attri-
butes. We cannot love wisdom, knowledge, pow-
er, justice, truth, mercy or love, to a greater de-
gree than we are benefit led by these divine principles.
As we have enjoyed the satisfaction of seeing
a perfect agreement in the preceptive requirements
of divine love and justice, it will now increase our
rational felicity if we can see these divine attri-
butes equally harmonise in retributive requisitions.
But as this argument has been instituted for the pur-
pose of showing that divine justice does not op-
pose the sinner's salvation, we may confine our
present remarks to punitive requirements. The
subject now to be determined is, what kind of pun-
ishment does divine justice require to be inflicted
on the transgressor for his offences, for what* pur-
pose, and to what extent? Answer : As it is not in the
nature of divine justice to do any thing to prevent
its own precepts from being obeyed, it can never
punish the sinner in any way to prevent his final
obedience ; but on the other hand, it keeping an eye
directly on the original object embraced in the
very design of the precept, awards that kind of pun-
ishment which is best calculated to work repentance
and reformation, which is the object of punishment,
and administers it until the desired effect is produ-
ced. It seems impossible to extend punishment any
Further, unless we arm it with weapons hostile to its
6?
.own requirements. That tke hearer Bray see this
subject, if possible, still plainer, we will ask, for
what possible purpose can justice require any pun-
ishment to be inflicted on the sinner that does not
tend to the sinner's benefit ? As no one's interest is
the object of the precept, except those on whom it
is binding, why should the punishment for disobe-
dience seek any other interest than that which is
aimed at by the precept ? I know it is said that it is
necessary to punish an offender,as a terror to others,
to prevent their committing offences. But if this
be allowed, in room of its making at all against our
argument, it goes directly to establish it ; therefore
it is admitted.
Do you ask how this is ? Answer : If it be right
and reasonable to punish an offender for the bene-
fit of others, it supposes a common interest exists
between the one punished and those for whose ben-
efit we say the punishment is inflicted. This being
the principle on which the punishment is adminis-
tered, it cannot be inflicted beyond the limits of this
common interest.
If we are correct in this reasoning, we have the
increased felicity sought, for it will be seen at once
that divine love as much requires this punishment
as justice does ; for love cannot require less than
that which is for the good of its object. O the
beauty ! The glory of the scene which here opens
on our wondering eyes ! Divine truth, a golden
line, appears lovely beyond description, and mercy
lies parallel from the beginning to the end.
To conclude ; The imperfect view we have been
able to take of the immense subject of this dis-
course, seems amply sufficient to give elevated
thoughts of the divine character, thoughts calcula-
ted to raise our affections from every meaner object,
and place them on God. With what gratitude do we
turn our eyes towards heaven, and realize thatGojt!
64
is love, is our Father; That all his infinitely'
glorious attributes harmonise in love ; that they
all work in unison, aiming at the highest possible
improvement and felicity of all moral beings.
With what pleasing reflections do we behold each
ether. Children of the same Father, heirs of the
same inheritance, pilgrims on the same journey, arid
bound to the same eternal home.
How reasonable it is that we should love, sincere-
ly love the God of love. How reasonable is it that
we should love one another. Our pretensions to re-
Egion, without love, are but frauds practised on our-
selves. " He that loveth not his brother whom he
hath seen, how can he love God whom he hath
not seen ?" Love is a " fountain of living waters, a
place of broad rivers and streams," to which we are
invited in the following divine language, with
which I close ;" Ho, every one that thirsteth, come
ye to the waters, and he that hath no money : come
ye, buy and eat ; yea, come, buy wine and milk
without money and without price. Jn the the last
day, that great day of the feast, Jesus stood and
cried, saying, if any man thirst, let him come unto
me and drink."
.,.;"' No. 5. ^C'-'t
LECTURE SERMON,
DELIVERED AT THE
SECOND UNIVERSALIST MEETING, IN BOSTON,
SEPTEMBER 27, 1818.
BY HOSEA BALLOU, PASTOR.
Published Semi-Monthlj, by Henry Bowen, Devonshire-street.
ROMANS, Vin. 20.
" For the creature was made subject to vanity, not willingly, but by reason
of him who hath subjected the tame in hope."
BY creature in our text, the Apostle evidently
means the same as he does by the " whole creation"
in the 22d verse. In this connection the whole
created humanity is three times called " the crea-
ture ;" and once, " the whole creation." The sub-
ject of the Apostle's labour in the place where our
text is found, seems to be that of presenting to
view one of the most pleasin g, consoling, and en-
couraging subjects, on which he delighted to dwell.
In the 16th verse he notices the testimony of the
divine Spirit, that we are the children of God.
From this he proceeds to show our heirahip in God,
and our joint heirship with Christ. The consider-
ation of the infinite riches and glory to which man-
kind is entitled, seemed to call into notice the pre-
sent state of suffering to which man is subjected in
this mortal life ; concerning which he speaks as fol-
lows ; " For I reckon, that the sufferings of this
present time are not worthy to be compared with
the glory which shall be revealed in us. For
9
66
earnest expectation of the creature waiteth For th*
manifestation of the sons of God. For the creature
was made subject to vanity, not willingly, but by
reason of him who hath subjected the same in hope ;
because the creature itself also shall be delivered
from the bondage of corruption into the glorious
liberty of the children of God. For we know that
the whole creation groaneth and travaileth in pain
together until now ; and not only they, but our-
selves also, which have the first-fruits of the Spirit,
even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting
for the adoption, to wit, the redemption of our
body." By our body the author means the same
as he does by creature, and by the whole creation.
Believers, w r ho have the first fruits of the spirit are
distinguished in the foregoing quotation from the
rest of the one body, called the creature and the
whole creation, but in such a way as to show that
they were in the same condition with the rest,
groaning and waiting for the adoption, to wit, the
redemption of the whole body. And it is worthy
of special notice, that by first fruits of the spirit,
the Apostle evidently intimates that the redemp-
tion of the whole creature which was made subject
to vanity was considered as the whole or general
harvest. As under the law a few only partook of
the first fruits, but all were fed of the general
harvest ; so but a few seem to be partakers of the
first fruits of the spirit, while the whole human
family is entitled to the redemption of our body.
The vanity to which the creature was made sub-
ject may comprehend all the imperfections incident
to our mortal state, but especially and particularly
the sufferings which the author mentioned in the
context. He was not made subject to vanity on
account of his own will, for he could have had no
will until he was created ; but he was made subject
to vanity by reason of him who subjected him in
C7
hope. The opinion, therefore, that man was conr
atituted in flesh and blood, first a perfectly holy be-
ing, but was made subject to vanity by sin, is as
contrary to the plain declaration of our text as it is
repugnant to the dictates of reason.
We shall now proceed to examine the common
doctrine called the Jail of man, and to show the
want of both scripture and reason for its support.
Such language as the following ; " before the fall,
since the fall, the fall of man, in Adam's fall we
sinned all," is- common among Christian people,
and is so much used by authors and preachers that
people in general suppose it to be Bible language,
and feel confident that the scriptures justify such
representations. But notwithstanding all that has
been written and spoken on this subject, and with-
out calling the sincerity of any in question, it seems
necessary to inform the hearer that no such Ian-
guage was ever used by the lawgiver of Israel,
the prophets who spake as they were moved by
the Holy Ghost, the Lord Jesus, or his Apostles.
We read nothing in the scriptures of Adam's falling
from the state in which he was created, no more
than we read of Cain's falling from the state in
which he was created. We are informed that
Adam eat of the forbidden fruit, and we are in-
formed that Cain slew his brother, but we are not
told that they did these things in one constitution
of nature, and fell into another constitution by
so doing. If Adam had not been constituted
in an imperfect state how could he have sinned in
1hat state ? It is not supposed that Adam fell out
of the state in which he was created before he
sinned, therefore he must have sinned in the state
in which he was formed of the dust of the
ground. If he sinned in the state in which he
was first formed, then it is evident that he wai
possessed ft? no perfection or holiness that secur-
68
cd him against sin. What alteration was there
effected in the constitution of Adam by what is cal-
led the fall? It seems according to the account given
in Genesis, that Adam was not very dissimilar to
men in all ages of the world ; he was led into sin by
his companion. She who was formed and given
to Adam for a help-meet was the means of leading
him into sin ; and how many thousands in all ages
of the world have been led into sin by this kind
blessing of heaven ! Nor does it appear from anj
account we have in scripture, that Adam was any
more inflexible than his posterity in general. We
have no account of his withstanding strong tempta-
tions for a long time ; it seems the first temptation
was successful. If we should carefully compare
the conduct of Adam with what we read of Joseph,
candor would conclude at once in favor of the lat-
ter. The former did sin, but Joseph did not. But
here we should do great injustice if we should con-
tend that there was such a difference in the con-
stitutions of the two as to produce the difference
which appears in their conduct ; for this difference
might have arisen from circumstances distinct from
natural constitution.
The common doctrine on the subject of this in-
quiry supposes that there was a real change pro-
duced in man's very nature by the first transgres-
sion ; and such a change too, as to render the crea-
ture radically sinful and totally inclined to sin.
But we read no such account where those things
are particularly recorded. So far from any thing
of this kind, we are not informed that either Adam
or Eve ever committed a second crime. The
faithful word informs us that these first parents of
mankind lived a long time after eating of the for-
bidden fruit, but we hear nothing of their living
vicious lives. The second sin of which we read is
the murder of Abel, and this crime was so heinou=
69
even in the mind of Cain, that he thought he should
have to die by the hand of some avenger. If man's
very nature was so changed by Adam's sin as com-
mon opinion supposes, why have we no account of
Adam's wicked life and of Eve's abominations?
Why is there no mention made of the wickedness
of Abel ? Did not Abel partake of this fall ? Or
was it in Adam's power to communicate, or not
communicate this sinful nature by procreation ?
The fact is we have no authority for this doctrine
which is called the fall.
The most extravagant part of the common doc-
trine of the first transgressor and its consequences,
relates to the means by which Eve was beguiled.
So immaculate and holy were our first parents,
that had it not been for the beguiling acts of a su-
perior being, says common doctrine, Eve could
never have been tempted with success. This pre-
sumed, the next thing is to fabricate a story about
a fallen Angel who was once for glory and beauty
the morning star of heaven , but who by rebellion
fell from the state in which he was created, and
was consigned to the burning lake for the punish-
ment of his sin. This prince of devils, it is believ-
ed, assumed the body of a serpent and persuaded
her to believe that she could better her condition
by disobeying her Maker. Milton has told this
story in such a fanciful manner, that the sentiment
lias been incorporated into the Christian faith so that
a denial of it is the same as a denial of the whole
Christian doctrine, in the opinion which we are ex-
amining.
Now if this notion of a fallen Angel &c. be a fact,
why are the scriptures silent on the subject ? Where
we read in Genesis of the serpent tempting Eve,
there is nothing said concerning a fallen Angel
called the devil. But let us ask how this Angel
70
ame to sin. It is contended that Eve was so per-
fect that she never would have sinned unless she
had been beguiled by a superior mind. Now if
this were the case how shall we account for the sin
of the Angel who fell and became a devil? Was
he less holy before he sinned, than our first par-
ents ? If he could sin without a tempter, why could
not man sin without a tempter ? It must be allow-
ed that this Angel Finned on account of imperfec-
tion in his nature, without a tempter, or it must be
granted that he had one to tempt him. But whether
he was tempted by some other being, or by reason
of his constitutional infirmity, both alike prove his
imperfection ; for if he had been perfect, tempta-
tions could not have risen from within him, nor
from without could they have had any power up-
on him. This is equally applicable to man. He
must have been imperfect, and subject to vanity
or he could not have been led into sin by tempta-
tions from within or from without.
The hearer will easily perceive that there is no
other way to account for the first transgression than
by admitting a constitutional imperfection, in the
agent ; he will furthermore see that a sinful being
can have no power to lead one who is perfect in
holiness into transgression ; all beings, therefore,
who are sinful must have been made subject to van-
ity, which is the state in which man stood when
formed of the dust of the ground, and according to
the Apostle's testimony in our text.
As it seems impossible to avoid this conclusion
concerning the imperfect state of man in the be-
ginning, we shall consent, at once, to the idea in
our text, that i lie creature was made subject to
vanity, not because of his own will, but by reason
of the will of his Maker, who saw fit, in his infinite
tvisdom arid goodness, to subject the creature to all
71
the vanity of this mortal state in hope f a better
and more perfect state hereafter.
Let us, in the next place, proceed to examine
the account which inspiration has given of the first
temptation and sin ; and let us do this with honest
and candid minds, with a determination to be satis-
fied with the scripture account.
" Now the serpent was more subtle than any
beast of the field which the Lord God had made,
and he said unto the woman, yea, hath God said ye
shall not eat of every tree of the garden ?" To this
question the woman returned the true answer, to
which the serpent replied ; " Ye shall not surely
die. For God doth know, that in the day ye eat
thereof, then your eyes shall be opened ; and ye
shall be as gods, knowing good and evil.'* Here
is the whole account of the first temptation. And
here let the question be honestly and candidly ex-
amined, (viz.) What is there in this account about
an Angel's falling from heaven to hell, and coming
from hell to the earth, and of his tempting Eve ?
Surely there is not a word that so' much as inti-
mates any thing on the subject. But it is contend-
ed, that the serpent could not have tempted Eve,
if some evil agent had not been in him and moved
him to perform so crafty a work. Why then does
the account say that the serpent was more subtle
than any beast of the field ? If the temptation was
the craftiness of some other creature, and not the
subtlety of the serpent, it was deficient from the
scripture representation, which suggests no other
subtlety in the case than ihat of the serpent.
Moreover, if it had been some invisible agent, who,
entering into the serpent, wrought the temptation
in question, it was that invisible agent, and not the
serpent that was the tempter, and ought to have
been the subject of the malediction which was pro-
nounced on the serpent* And the Lord God
72
said unto the serpent, because thou hast dond this,
thou art cursed above all cattle, and above every
beast of the field : upon thy belly shalt thou go,
and dust shalt thou eat all the days of thy life.
And I will put enmity between thee and the wo-
man, and between thy seed and her seed ; it shall
bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel."
All this was said to the serpent, but there was
nothing said to that abominable wicked Angel that
sinned in heaven, and who was banished to hell for
his sin, and from hell came to this earth and tempt-
ed Eve !
By this time the hearer will ask if the speaker
really supposes that a literal serpent did actually
talk to the woman and influence her to eat of a
forbidden fruit ? No, he does not. He humbly
conceives that this account is given in a scriptural
allegory, which may all be explained by a little at-
tention to the scriptures. In scripture, the serpent
is a hieroglyphic of wisdom. Jesus commaiided
his disciples to be wise as serpents. As there are
two sorts of wisdom mentioned in scripture, so they
are represented by two kinds of serpents. The
Apostle James speaks of wisdom as follows ; " Who
is a wise man, and endued with knowledge among
you ? Let him shew, out of a good conversation, his
works with meekness and wisdom. But if ye have
bitter envy and strife in your hearts, glory not, and
be not against the truth. This wisdom descendeth
not from above, but is earthly, sensual, devilish.
For where envying and strife is, there is confusion,
and every evil work. -'But the wisdom that is from
above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, and easy
to be entreated, full of mercy and good fruits, with-
out partiality and without hypocrisy."
The wisdom of God is represented by the rod of
Moses which became a serpent ; and the wisdom of
this world which cometh to naught, is represented
73
by the rods of the wise men and sorcerers of Egypt,
which likewise became serpents. The superiority
of the wisdom of God over the wisdom of the flesh
is represented by Aaron's rod's swallowing up the
magicians' rods. Another representation of these
two wisdoms we have in the account given of the
fiery serpents that bit and destroyed the Israelites
in the wilderness, and that brazen serpent which
Moses made by the special command of God,
whose virtues were a sovereign cure for the deadly
stings of the fiery serpents. These fiery serpents
represent the wisdom of this world,- and the evil ef-
fects of their bite area very just representation of
the evil effects of false religion. And our blessed
Saviour has made use of the brazen serpent to re-
present himself. He says ; " And as Moses lifted
up the serpent in the wilderaess, even so must the
son of man be lifted up ; that whosoever believeth
in him should not perish, but have eternal life."
When the Israelites were bitten by the fiery ser-
pents, and the deadly poison was diffused through-
out their distressed bodies, only a look at the brazen
serpent on the pole effected a radical cure of the
deadly wound. So by looking unto Jesus, who is
the wisdom of God, we are recovered from the
dreadful contagion of our earthly, sensual wisdom.
Thus the promised seed bruises the serpent's head.
Let us look in the next place, and ascertain if
possible, the source of this sensual wisdom which is
enmity against the wisdom of God, and which
tempts us to sin. St. James says ; " Every man is
tempted when he is drawn away of his own lust,
and enticed. Then when lust hath conceived, it
bringeth forth sin ; and sin, when it is finished,
bringeth forth death." To the Galatians St. Paul
says ; " I say then, walk in the spirit, and ye shall
not fulfil the lust of the flesh. For the flesh lusteth
against the spirit, and the spirit against the flesh :
10
and these are contrary the one to the other ; so that
ye cannot do the things that ye would." Is not the
a'ccount given by St. Paul and St. James a plain,
reasonable representation of the power of the flesh-
ly nature to strive against the spirit of divine wis-
dom in us, to tempt us and to lead us into sin which
produces death ? And if this be the way that we
are tempted, have we any reason to believe that it is
not the way in which Eve was tempted in the be-
ginning ? Yea, is not this contentious sensual wis-
dom of the flesh, the serpent which beguiled the
woman ? And is it not the same serpent which
beguiles both men and women and leads them into
sin and death? Furthermore, St. Paul says ; "Now
the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these ;
adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness,
idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulation,
wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, envying, murders,
drunkenness, revellings, and such like." These
works are all the natural productions of our flesh-
ly, earthly nature, and the wisdom which is earthly,
sensual, devilish, is the serpent which beguiles us.
Now if we have found the real source of our own
temptations, we have also found the source of the
temptations of all mankind, not excepting the mother
of our race. Flesh and blood was the same in the
beginning as it is now, its powers were the same,
its lusts were the same, its wisdom was the same, and
it is to the powers and appetites of the flesh that
every sin we commit may be traced.
St. Paul says ; " The woman being deceived, was
in the transgression." Could she have been de-
ceived if she had been truly wise ? No, but she
was made subject to vanity. If she had been per-
fectly satisfied with her condition would she have
disobeyed her Maker for the sake of being more
wi?e ? And was it not perfectly natural for her to
wibh to have her husband with her in this wisdom f
There appears nothing in this whole account that
differs from our common experience and observa-
tion. There is no condition in which man can be
placed, in the present state, that can bound his de-
sires, or render him perfectly satisfied with what
he possesses. There has been muclj said concern-
ing the happy, the consummately happy state in
which Adam and Eve were placed in the garden ;
long accounts have been dressed up in all the beau-
ties of rhetoric concerning the felicity of the hap-
py pair before transgression. But to describe the
dreadful consequences of the first sin, the calami-
tous change which it effected in all nature here on
earth, and the endless wo to which the whole pos-
terity of Adam was exposed by it, has exhausted all
the powers of human imagination. And yet, if we
look for these things in the scriptures we find them
not. What is said of the happy state of our first
parents before they knew good and evil ? Nothing.
How does the word of divine revelation expatiate
on the miserable state into which the first transgres-
sion brought man ? It extends the subject no further
than human experience in all ages of the world ex-
tends it. Sin was attended with guilt and fear ac-
cording to the first account we have of it, and ex-
perience has taught us all, that guilt and fear are
its natural consequences. But that the first trans-
gression was attended with worse consequences than
the sins which were committed afterward, we find
no authority for believing. And what would be
the fruits of our researches should we examine what
the scriptures say concerning the state of endless
wo to which the first sin exposed the whole human
race ? Why in fact we should search in vain to
find any thing of the kind in the word of God.
Even the serpent had no malediction pronounced
on him, that either deprived him of his natural food
or extended beyond hi? natural life ; much less, if
76
possible, was there any suggestion, either to the
man or the woman, that the consequences of their
sin would extend into a future state.
All the'vain notions which the earthly, sensual
wisdom of this world has framed on this subject are
evidences in support of what we have endeavoured
to make evident, namely, that imperfection and sin
manifest themselves in our strife to be wise by vio-
lating the word of God ; and that vanity to which
man is the most inclined, is seen in his inventions
by which he renders truth, which is perfectly sim-
ple in itself, obscure and mysterious.
But shall it be said, because God has made the
creature subject to all this vanity, that he is
therefore unfriendly to his offspring ? No, my bre^
thren, this is not the case. Blessed be God, though
in his infinite wisdom he saw best to subject his crea-
tures to vanity in this mortal state, he has made ex-
tensive and ample provisions in his providence to
render this vain state convenient in an infinite va-
riety of ways, and has so bountifully scattered
down his blessings that we have constant reason to
rejoice in his goodness. He did not forsake man
in the beginning of his career in sin, but though he
manifested his holy disapprobation of the defection
of his children, he made them sensible likewise of
his fatherly kindness and unchangeable goodness.
How affecting is the account we have of the voice
of the Lord God in the cool of the day calling after
'Adam. How tender are the words ; " Adam, Adam,
where art t hou?" Who can hear the language of divine
mercy expressed in the promises of the seed of the
woman who should bruise the serpent's head, with-
out emotions of lively gratitude? That all gracious,
merciful Creator, who made the creature subject
to vanity, subjected him in hope.
The reason assigned by the Apostle, why the
creature was subjected to vanity in hope, he ex-
presses in the verse following our text in these
words ; Because the creature itself also shall be
delivered from the bondage of corruption, into the
glorious liberty of the children of God." Just
above he had said ; " The spirit itself beareth wit-
ness with our spirit that we are the children of God.
And if children, then heirs ; heirs of God, and joint-
heirs with Christ ; if so be that we suffer with him,
that we may be also glorified together. For I
reckon that the sufferings of the present time are
not worthy to be compared with the glory which
shall be revealed in us. For the earnest expecta-
tion of the creature waiteth for the manifestation
of the sons of God."
As the creature was not the author of this state
of vanity, so he is not the author of that hope in
which he is subjected ; no, nor is he the author of
that glorious liberty of the sons of God into which
the whole creation shall be delivered, from the
bondage of corruption.
This hope of life and immortality, our kind and
merciful Creator has implanted in our nature, and
it seems to exist as universally as the idea of a
supreme Being. Those notions which owe their
origin to the inventions of priests, and their standing
to the superstition of the ignorant are not uni-
versal ; they are limited to certain denomina-
tions or nations, and have nothing in them which
compares with the wisdom and goodness of the
divine Being. But the universality of the hope of
a future, happy existence, very fitly compares with
the impartial goodness of God, from which circum-
stance it acquires no small share of its natural evi-
dence.
But one of the principal objects of the gos-
pel of Jesus Christ seems to have been to present
us with full and adequate proof of the doctrine of a
future happy state for all mankind.
78
Speaking of Jesus, the Apostle says ; " Who hath
brought life and immortality to light through the
gospel."
The hearer is cautioned against the notion, that
our Saviour was sent into the world to go through a
process in order to purchase, or procure life and
joimortality for man; for he came to suffer, die, and
rise from the dead, that he might bring life and im-
mortality to light ; that is, that he might make that
manifest which the creature groaned and travailed
for, and which God had given unto us in Christ
Jesus before the world began.
This glorious liberty of the sons of God, in hope
of which the whole creation groans and travails in
pain, is the inheritance of which we are joint-heirs
with Christ. Jesus our fore-runner hath entered
into glory, and being the head of every man, in
* the first fruits of them that slept. For since by
man came death, by man came also the resurrection
of the dead. For as in Adam all die, even so in
Christ shall all be made alive."
From the doctrine of our text may be drawn the
following inferences :
1st. The opinion which has long maintained that
the first temptation which led to the introduction
of sin into our world, was the instigation of a fallen
Angel, appears to be without foundation or authori-
ty in the scriptures, which plainly indicate that the
constitutional infirmities of flesh and blood are in
fact the Bource from whence all sinful temptations
rise.
2d. That tl*e common notion which Christian peo-
ple entertain and cultivate in the minds of their
children, of an invisible agent, who was once a holy
angel in heaven, that now continually accompanies
people wherever they go, and is all the time tempt-
ing them to sin, is nothing more than an invention of
the wisdom of the flesh, and is supported by no other
79
means than superstition. Is there even a child, who
has come to the years of discretion, that cannot see,
that in order for this evil agent to do all that is at-
tributed to him, he must be every where at the same
time ? It seems reasonable that we should be right-
ly informed on this subject, because if we have enev
mies to contend with, it is surely necessary to know
them and to know their strength. Our appetites and
passions are at all times with us ; and though they
are all good in the place for which they were made,
and for the use for which they were created, yet as
they are blind in proportion to their strength, they
will surely lead us into sin if they are not governed
by wisdom and prudence.
3d. There appears no authority for the common
opinion, that the first transgression produced a ra-
dical change in the moral constitution of man, or
that in consequence of this first sin, man Became to~
tally depraved and altogether opposed to all good,
and inclined wholly to all evil. Nor does it appear
that there was any such change effected in the phy-*
sical constitution of the creature, as to communi-
cate any taint to posterity. If even Cain had beent
wholly inclined to evil by nature, he would have
been as likely to take the life of Abel without the
occasion mentioned in the Scriptures as with it.
And if Abel had been wholly inclined to evil, he
would have been as likely to take the life of Cain,
and even that of Adam and Eve, as Cain to take his
life. Before sin took place it required a temptation
to produce it, and since the first transgression the
case has always been the same ; every crime is pre-
ceded by temptation, which would not be requir-
ed if man was naturally altogether inclined to
evil.
4th. The religion of Jesus affords us divine evi-
dences in support of that glorious hope of life and
immortality in which the whole created humanity
80
was made subject to vanity. How infinitely rich
is this blessed hope ! This is the " anchor of the
soul, both sure and stedfast, entering into that with-
in the vail where our fore-runner hath for us enter-
ed." Calmly leaning on this, Faith casts her long-
ing eyes beyond the proud swellings of the Jordan
of death, sees the inviting land of promise, lays
hold of the earnest of the inheritance, and sings the
triumphant song ; " O death, where is thy sting ?
O grave, where is thy victory ?"
. m-
.
No. 6.
LECTURE SERMON,
DELIVERED AT THE
SECOND UNIVERSALIST MEETING, IN BOSTON,
OCTOBER 11,1818.
BY HOSEA BALLOU, PASTOR.
Published Semi-Monthly, by Henry Bowen, Devonshire-street.
ISAIAH xxv. 6, 7, 8.
w And in this mountain shall the Lord of hosts make unto all people <t
feast of fat things, a feast of wines on the lees ; of fat things full of
marrow, of wines on the lees well refined. And, he will destroy in this
mountain the face of the covering cast over all people, and the vail that
is spread over all nations. He will swallow up death in victory ; and
the Lord God vrfll wipe away tears from off 'all faces ; and the rebuke
of his people shall he take away from off all the earth : for the Lord
hath spoken if."
THE first subject of inquiry found in this por-
tion of divine truth is to ascertain what the in-
spired author means by the mountain of which
he speaks in our text.
The same Prophet in his 2d chapter speaks aa
follows ; " And it shall come to pass in the last
days that the mountain of the Lord's house shall
be established upon the top of the mountains, and
shall be exalted above the hills ; and all nations
shall flow unto it." As the prophet here speaks
of the establishment of the mountain of the Lord's
house upon the top of the mountains, it seems to
indicate the setting up of the divine power and
government over the powers and polities of this
world ; the exalting of the mountain of the Lord's
bouse above the hills signifies the exaltation of tfet
11
82
divine economy and government over all the
powers of the earth. The same in substance is
found in the 2i chapter of Daniel, where the four
great empires of the world are particularly cha-
racterised, their dissolution represented, and the
kingdom of God set up and established. " Then
was the iron, the clay, the brass, the silver, and the
gold, broken in pieces together, and became like
the chaff of the summer threshing-floors; and the
wind carried them away, that no place was found
for them ; and the stone that smote the image, be-
came a great mountain, and filled the whole earth.*'
This is explained as follows ; " And in the days
of these kings shall the God of heaven set up a
kingdom, which shall never be destroyed : and the
kingdom shall not be left to another people, but it
shall break in pieces and consume all these king-
doms, and it shall stand forever."
The gospel covenant is represented by mount
Sion, in the epistle to the Hebrews; "But ye are
come unto mount Sion, and unto the city of the
living God, the heavenly Jerusalem," &c. Here
the same which is called a mountain is called the
city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem.
In the epistle to the Galatians the two covenants
are represented by the allegory of Sarah and Ha-
gar; " For this Agar is mount Sina, and answer-
eth to Jerusalem which now is, and is in bondage,
with her children. But Jerusalem which is above,
is free, which is the mother of us all." This is the
same Jerusalem of which mention is made in the
21st of Revelations, as follows : " And I John saw
the holy City, new Jerusalem, coming down from
God out of heaven, prepared as a bride,adomed for
her husband." This mount Sion, this heavenly,
new Jerusalem, this city of the living God is the
mountain of the Lord's house which is to be estab-
lished upon the top of the mountains, and exalted
83
above the hills, nnd unto which all nations are to
flow. All nations will finally submit to the laws
and government of the gospel, and be willing sub-
jects of him who " shall have dominion from sea to
sea, and from the river unto the ends of the earth,
of the increase of whose government and peace
there shall be no end."
As the prophet informs us, that alt nations shall
flow to this mountian of the Lord's house, so in our
text he says ; " In this mountain shall the Lord of
hosts make unto all people a feast of fat things,"
which invites us to the consideration of the uni-
versality of the grace of the gospel.
The divinity of this testimony is visible on the
face of it. It is like every thing which belongs to
the wisdom and goodness of God. There is no
partiality in it. Every thing contrived by man
discovers its origin by its partiality ; so whatever
is revealed from God proves itself to be from him
by its impartiality. This universal impartial Ian-
gauge is the language which the holy Ghost saw
fit to use to express the extensiveness of the divine
goodness. The promises of God to Abraham,
Isaac and Jacob, expressive of the gospel covenant
are recorded in similar language. God cer-
tified the fathers, that in the promised seed
all the nations and all the families of the earth
should be blessed. These promises perfectly har-
monise with the prophecy under consideration.
In this mountain, in this seed, in this covenant, in
this kingdom, in this city, in this government the
Lord of hosts shall make unto all people a feast
of fat things. The same universality is expressed
in the 2d Psalm. " I have set my king upon my
holy hill of Zion. I will declare the decree ; the
Lord hath said unto me, thou art my son ; this
day have I begotten thee. Ask of me, and I shall
give thee the heathen for thine inheritance, and the
84
uttermost parts of the earth for thy possession."
Like unto this is the following in the 22d Psalm.
" All the ends of the world shall remember, and turn
unto the Lord ; and all the kindreds of the nations
shall worship before thee. For the kingdom is the
Lord's ; and he is the governor among nations."
This word kindreds, is used by St. Peter in the 3d
of Acts. " Ye are the children of the prophets, and
of the covenant which God made with the fathers,
saying unto Abraham, and in thy seed shall all the
kindreds of the earth be blessed." According to
this divine declaration, all the kindreds of the
earth are the children, and if children, then heirs
of the testimony of the prophets, and of the
covenant which God made with the fathers. In
prospect of these great and glorious things of the
kingdom of God, the prophet David says, in the
64th psalm ; " All men shall fear, and shall de-
clare the work of God ; for they shall wisely con-
sider of his doings." In the 72d psalm we find the
following ; " He shall have dominion also from sea
to sea, and from the river unto the ends of the earth
men shall be blessed in him, all nations shall call
him blessed all kings shall fall down before him ;
all nations shall serve him." Psalm 86th, " All na-
tions whom thoti hast made shall come and wor-
ship before thee O Lord ; and shall glorify thy
name, for thou art great and doest wondrous
things ; thou art God alone." In bearing such
testimony as the foregoing, David was a man " af-
ter God's own heart." In addition to what has
been quoted from the prophet Isaiah, the following
may be mentioned ; Chapter 52d, " Break forth
into joy, sing together ye waste places of Jerusa-
lem ; for the Lord hath comforted his people, he
hath redeemed Jerusalem. The Lord hath made
bare his holy arm in the eyes of all the nations ;
and all the ends of the earth shall see the salvation
of our God." Chap. 53 "All we, like sheep,
have gone astray : we have turned every one to
his own way; and the Lord hath laid on him the
iniquity of us all He shall see of the travail of
his soul, and shall be satisfied ; by his knowledge
shall my rigtheous servant justify many, for he shall
bear their iniquities." Chapter 49th, " And he
said, it is a light thing that thou shouldest be
my servant to raise up the tribes of Jacob, and to
restore the preserved of Israel ; I will also give
thee for a light to the Gentiles, that thou mayest be
my salvation unto the ends of the earth." Time
would fail us to recite all this kind of testimony
from the prophets who spake of the coming of the
Just One, and of the glory that shouid follow. We
find in the New Testament many arguments and
declarations corresponding with the promises of
God and the sayings of the prophets on this glori-
ous subject of universal grace. Jesus said, " God
sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world
but that the world through him might be saved."
The beloved disciple says ; " We have seen and
do testify, that the Father sent the Son to be the
saviour of the world." Again be says that " Jes-
us Christ the righteous is the propitiation for the
sins of the whole world." St. Paul bestows much
argument to show that " where sin abounded, grace
hath much more abounded ; and that as by the of-
fence of one,judgment came upon all men unto con-
demnation, even so by the righteousness of one,the
free gift came upon all men unto justification of
life." He exhorts Timothy to pray and give
thanks for all men, because God will have all
men to be saved, and as a reason for this he says,
that the one Mediator gave himself a ransom for all,
to be testified in due time.
Having presented the hearer with this very lim-
ited sketch of the divine testimony in favour of the
universal goodness of God to mankind, a humble
desire is felt that we may now look with enlighten-
ed eyes and candid minds, to see how this doctrine
agrees with the works and ways of God which are
visible.
Can we see in all the works of God, any instance
where the Creator has discovered any want of
goodness to the creature which he has made ? Is
there any thing that we can point out in his uni-
versal providence that is a proof of a design to
harm the works of his hands ? Every animal, ev-
ery fish, every bird, every reptile and every in-
sect speaks forth the goodness of its Creator. Is
there a nation on the earth who are so treated by
the divine Being, that they can say to the world,
we have never received a favour from our
Creator? Is there an individual among men who
will stand forth and protest against all the doings
of God, and say, I have received nothing but evil
from the hand that formed me ? Is there a son or
a daughter of sorrow in the hearing of this humble
voice, who will assure us that " their light afflic-
tions, which are but for a moment," will not " work
for us an exceeding and eternal weight of glory ;"
and that God is not good unto all, and that his ten-
der mercies are not over all his works?
Much has been said in the Christian church, and
much has been maintained by the prejudices of the
ignorant against the universal goodness of God,
and in favor of a partial system of salvation ; but
after all, the great question is, has God furnished
those who limit his favor, with sufficient proof
that they are right in so doing? In his sun-shine
and in his rain does the Father of our spirits in-
form us, that he has elected a few only of his ra-
tional offspring to be heirs of his grace, and that
the remainder are doomed to everlasting wo ? No !
the blessed rays of the sun which makesourday, and
87
warms the earth, the rain from heaven, which waters
our fields and our orchards and our gardens, preach
the doctrine of universal impartial goodness; And
so do all the elements in the infinite variety of their
productions. The water we drink, the air we
breathe, the food we receive, the raiment we wear,
the strength of our bodies, the abilities of our
minds, our health, the sweets of friendship, the
beauties our eyes behold, the charms of music, the
flavour of fruits, in short every subject of thought
agrees in declaring the impartial goodness of God.
The enemies of this doctrine, would persuade
us to believe that it tends to licentiousness, and re-
moves all restraint necessary to prevent the gross-
est immorality. But have they ever attempted
to show that the universal promise of grace in the
seed of Abraham, ever tended to make that friend
of God, who believed it licentious ? Will they
undertake to show that the united testimony of
all God's holy prophets since the world began, who
have spoken of the restitution of all things, has
made the believers of the faithful word perverse
and sinful ? Can you my friends, see any thing
licentious in the sun-shine or in the rain, of which
all are made to share in rich abundance ? Is the
vital air licentious because it is free grace to eve-
ry living being? Are the cooling spring and limp-
id streams lascivious in their impartial favor? In
all these things God preaches every day, and his
auditors rejoice in his mercy.
Having noticed the universality of this promised
grace of the gospel covenent, it may be proper to
inquire something concerning what is promised.
" A feast of fat things, a feast of wines on the lees ;
of fat things full of marrow, of wines on the lees
well refined." This is surely a description, of a
most sumptuous feast. Here are no indications of
poverty and want. This feast too is made for all
people ! I cast my eyes around, 1 rejoice, my iieiiJft
swells with joy. This feast is made for you ail !
Can it be possible that this God of universal mercy
should have any enemies ? Yes, men are enemies
to God by wicked works ; yet for these very ene-
mies he has made this feast of fat things. But of
what does this feast consist ? Answer, it is com-
posed of the fruit of the spirit which is " love, joy,
peace, long-suffering, gentleness, goodness, faith,
meekness, temperance." This is the river, "the
streams whereof make glad the city of our God."
What is richer, what is sweeter, what is more
nourishing than love? Love to God and love to
man is life, it is peace, it is joy, it is long-suffering, it
is gentleness, it is goodness; it believeth all things,
it hopeth all things, it endureth all things; it is
meekness, it is temperance, it is the fulfilling of the
law, it is everlasting righteousness. This is the
milk and honey, of spiritual Canaan. This is the
feast of which we read in the 9th of Proverbs ;
" Wisdom hath built her house, she hath hewn out
her seven pillars ; she hath killed her beasts; she
hath mingled her wine ; she hath also furnished
her table ; she hath sent forth her maidens ; she
crieth upon the high places of the city, whoso is
simple, let him turn in hither ; as for him that
wanteth understanding, she saith to him, come eat of
my bread and drink of the wine which I have
mingled, forsake the foolish and live : and go
in the way of understanding." By the Prophet
Isaiah we are invited to this feast in the following
language : " Ho, every one that thirsteth, come ye
to the waters, and he that hath no money ; come
ye, buy and eat : yea, come, buy wine and
milk without money, and without price. Where-
fore do ye spend money for that which is not
bread ? and your labour for that which satis-
fieth not ? Hearken diligently unto me, and eat
89
of that which is good, and let your soul delight it-
self in fatness." And the blessed Jesus, in the great
day of the feast, stood and cried, " If any man thirst
let him come unto me and drink." By such lan-
guage as the foregoing, from the prophet and from
the Saviour, we are assured that this feast is made
for " all people." If this were not the case the
Holy Ghost would not use general and universal
terms in calling on people to come to it. Should
one of our wealthy citizens make a public enter-
tainment, and send his servants into the streets to
invite the people in such language as is used in
scripture to invite sinners to the gospel feast, every
person who heard such invitations would either be-
lieve that he was welcome, or that the man who
made the feast was a hypocrite. To talk about
general calls and special calls in this case would
never satisfy common sense.
Our brother, who holds to conditional salvation
may be admitted to bring his objection against
the final salvation of all men, and say, that the feast
is made for all who will come, and the invitation is
to whosoever will. Reply : We grant his pr6*mises,
but disallow his consequences. We will a^k him
whether he would be concerned for fear his chil-
dren would starve to death, if he had bread enough
to give them ? Would any person be concerned
for their children or friends, for fear they would
starve, when they had enough to eat ? It is true
there may be difficulties to be removed ; there
may be a case in which though there be a plenty
of provision, the children may not know where it
is. In this case the parent would certainly use
means to inform them. Again, children may be
plagued with disobedient hearts, they may wander
from home, they may, from being displeased, re-
fuse to come to the parental table, but hunger will
cure all these difficulties. Let the child that wjl-
12
00
fully refuses to cat, be indulged in its own way,
how soon will hunger humble its spirit. How came
the brethren of Joseph all to prostrate themselves
before him ? These men who were HO determined
that the dreams of Joseph should never be fulfilled,
who despised the thought of falling on their knees
to their brother, were humbled by famine. The
stout hearted, haughty prodigal was humbled,
brought to himself, and made willing to return to
his father's house by the force of hunger. Was
there even any uncertainty respecting the re-
duction of Joseph's brethren to a state of humi-
lity ? Was there any uncertainty about the final
return of the prodigal ? No, nor is there any un-
certainty that " All the ends of the world shall re-
member and turn unto the Lord."
That law by which all creatures are governed
renders it certain that all people will feed on the
best provisions they can procure, especially if it
cost them nothing.
If Ephraira of old, fed on wind, and followed
after the east wind, it was because he knew of no-
thing better. And if people now are as much de-
ceived as Ephraim was, they may endeavor to
feed on every wind of doctrine that blows from the
high places of spiritual wickedness ; but it is be-
cause they know of nothing better. God says, by
the mouth of the Prophet Hosea ; " My people
are destroyed for lack of knowledge." This situ-
ation of mankind seems to invite us to the consid-
eration of another important subject in our text,
expressed in the following words ; " And he will
destroy in this mountain the face of the covering
cast over all people, and the vail that is spread
over all nations."
This vail or face of covering which has been
spread over all nations is the ignorance and unbe-
lief of which St. Paul speaks in Romans 1 Jth, "For
God hath concluded them all in unbelief, that
he might have mercy upon all." And the same
Apostle has more on the same subject in his 2d
Epistle to the Corinthians ; " Seeing then that
we have such hope, we use great plainness of
speech ; and not as Moses which put a vail over his
face, that the children of Israel could not stedfast-
ly look to the end of that which is abolished : but
their minds were blinded : for until this day re-
maincth the same vail untaken away in reading
the Old Testament ; which vail is done away in
Christ. But even unto this day, when Moses is
read, the vail is upon their heart. Nevertheless,
when it shall turn to the Lord, the vail shall be
taken away."
The gospel dispensation and ministry were de-
signed for the enlightening and instrucing of man-
kind. Jesus was a teacher sent from God ; the
Apostles were commanded to teach all nations,
and preach thegospel to every creature. In short,
the true knowledge of God is the life and salvation
which the Saviour brings to the world ; it is the
feast of fat things which is made in mount Sion for
all people. Jesus said in his prayer to the Father :
" Glorify thy Son, that thy Son also may
glorify thee : thou hast given him power over
all flesh, that he should give eternal life to as ma-
ny as thou hast given him. And this is life eter-
nal, that they might know thee the only true God
and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent." Did eve-,
ry child of Adam now know God and Jesus Christ
they would have eternal life. We are told, that this
is the record,that God hath given unto us eternal life,
and this life is in his Son ; that is, the knowledge
of God is in Christ Jesus, Salvation then con-
sists in knowing God, which makes it evident that
the nature of God is salvation. As fast, therefore,
as we advance in the knowledge of God we enjoy
92
the rich provisions which are made for all people.
The hearer may now see the nature of the general
subject. The love, wisdom, knowledge and good-
ness of God are free for all people and are calcu-
lated to bless, with fulness of joy, every creature.
In the divine economy man is constituted capable
of advancing in wisdom, knowledge, and love, and
therefore seems destined in his nature to the en-
joyments under consideration.
When " all shall know the Lord," there will be
no need of one's teaching another ; the vail then
will be gone, there will be no unbelief, and of
course no hardness of heart. The knowledge of
the Lord shall cover the earth, as the waters cover
the sea.
Will the advocate for limited salvation, and the
endless misery of mankind pretend, that those who
are to bt> forever miserable are to remain ignorant
of the true character of God ? Will the time never
come when deception will be removed ? Have we
reason to believe, that error will be secured from
divine light so as to remain in the mind forever ?
Or will the opposer say ; No, error will be destroy-
ed, and the deceived will be brought to see
and know the truth, but then it will all be too late !
The day of his probation will then be ended, and
he not saved? This has an awful sound, and such
talk has greatly troubled thousands, but enlighten-
ed none. Let us ask, how it can be possible that
any rational being should know divine truth too
late to enjoy it ? Is it possible to know God and
Jesus Christ and not be filled with divine love ?
But this subject is erroneously represented, as if
we were to receive eternal life as a reward for
knowing God in a certain given time, called the
time of our probation ; after which it would be no
advantage to us to know him. This idea does not
acknowledge the truth of the words of Jesus ;
93
" This is life eternal, that they might know thec
the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou
hast sent."
The hearer is now invited to give a moment's at-
tention ta another most weighty subject contained
in the passage under consideration, and expressed
in the following words ; " He will swallow up
death in victory." Death is of two kinds, moral
and natural. Moral death is the effect of sin, nat-
ural death is the effect of a mortal constitution.
In order to swallow up these two kinds of death, sin
must be finished, everlasting righteousness take its
place, aud mortality must put on immortality.
The scriptures are clear on these subjects, and leave
no room for doubt. The fore-runner of Jesus said
of him ; " Behold the lamb of God which taketh
away the sin of the world." The beloved disciple
said ; " And we know that he was manifested to
take away our sins." Again ; " If any man sin we
have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the
righteous ;and he is the propitiation for our sins ;
and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the
whole world." Again ; " For this purpose was
the son of God manifested, that he might destroy
the works of the devil." Moral death consists in
unreconciliation to God and is swallowed up in vic-
tory by the ministration of reconciliation, to wit :
" that God was in Christ reconciling the world to
himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them."
Reconciliation to God is victory over moral death.
St. Paul says to the Romans ; " Moreover the law
entered that the offence might abound, but where
sin abounded, grace did much more abound.
That as sin hath reigned unto death, even so might
grace reign through righteousness unto eternal
life, by Jesus Christ our Lord. For when ye
were the servants of sin, ye were free from right-
eousness. What fruit had ye then in those things
whereof ye are now ashamed; for the end of those
things is death. But now, being made free from
sin and become servants to God, ye have your fruit
unto holiness, and the end everlasting life. For
the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eter-
nal life through Jesus Christ our Lord."
The 15th chapter of the 1st epistle of the Corin-
thians is principally devoted to the support of the
doctrine of the resurrection of the dead on the
hypothesis that "as in Adam all die,even so in Christ
shall all be 'made alive." The hearer is earnestly
solicited to read this chapter with peculiar atten-
tention, by which he will perceive that the Apos-
tle did not believe in a state of sin and misery after
the resurrection, but a glorious state of life and
immortality. The consummation of this trans-
cendent event the inspired author imforms us is the
fulfilment of our subject. "Then shall be brought
to pass the saying that is written, death is swallow-
ed up in victory." Lastly, " And the Lord God
shall wipe away tears from off all faces : and
the rebuke of his people shall he take away from
off all the earth ; for the Lord hath spoken it,"
Here the prophet presents us with the most moving
scene that ever imagination could invent, or
language describe. He represents the Father of
our spirits as throwing away forever the rod of
correction; and approaching his humble, penitent
weeping children, and vith the pitying hand of
parental love wiping away the tears his fatherly
severity had caused to flow.
To conclude, our subject and doctrine may be
improved in the following manner.
As God is recommended to be impartially good to
the whole human family, ordering and directing all
things for the advancement of our happiness, he is
worthy of our unfeigned love and gratitude ; and
the due consideration of this weighty truth imposes
.95
on us all the great and rational duty of conform-
ing our minds, affections and conduct to this be-
nevolent doctrine. Though the opposers of this
grace of universal salvation have so far misunder-
stood the subject, as to represent it as tending to li*
centionsness, we are fully convinced that no other
doctrine is a safe foundation on which to build a
moral character, or by which we can become
conformed to the religion of Jesus, which embra-
ces love to our enemies. It seems as vain as it is
absurd to attempt to cultivate universal love and
good will towards mankind by enforcing on the
mind partial and limited views of the goodness of
God. But having this divine and glorious founda-
tion firmly fixed in our understandings, let us re-
member with proper caution, that" the grace of God
which bringeth salvation to all men hath appeared,
teaching us, that denying ungodliness and worldly
lusts, we should live soberly, and righteously, and
godly, in this present world."
As the rich provisions of the gospel of everlast-
ing life are made for all people, as all are most ten-
derly and cordially invited to partake of the bles^
sed fruit of the tree of life, let us all strive in earn-
est to understand and know the truth as it is in Je-
sus. Let us feast on the divine truth revealed in
the faithful word. Why should reasonable crea-
tures, blessed with such powers of investigation, and
capable of enjoying such intellectual dainties, lie su-
pinely and feed on wind, on vanity, on lies, and
roll falsehood and the gall of error and supersti-
tion as a sweet morsel under their tongues ? Come
away from all the partial schemes of the wisdom
of this world, leave behind you all the broken cis-
terns hewn out by man's invention, which can hold
no water, and come to the fountain of living waters.
Have you endeavoured to satisfy your souls with
Che polluted bread of a heaven where you must look
9t>
down and see your fellow creatures in endless tor-
ments ? Where you must hear the ceaseless groans
of fathers, mothers, wives, children and other dear
relatives ? Have you strove to conform yourselves
to these abominations ? O hear the language of our
text, and let your hearts rejoice in the God of our
salvation. " In this mountain shall the Lord of
hosts make unto all people a feast of fat things, of
wines on the lees, of fat things full of marrow, of
wines on the lees well refined. And he will des-
troy in this mountain the face of the covering cast
over all people, and the vail that is spread over all
nations. He will swallow up death in victory ;
and the Lord God will wipe away tears from off all
faces; and the rebuke of his people shall he take
away from off all the earth ; for the Lord hath
spoken it."
No. 7.: y. .;;;,;>;;
LECTURE SERMON, ; "
DELIVERED AT THE
SECOND UNIVERSALIST MEETING, IN BOSTON,
OCTOBER 25, 1818.
BY HOSEA BALLOU, PASTOR^
Published Semi-Monthly, by Henry Bowen, Devonshire-street.
MALACHI, iv. 1.
*& For, behold, the day cometh that shall burn at an oven ; and all the
proud, yea, and all that do icickedly, shall be stubble ; and the d*y that
cometh shall burn them up, saith the Lord of hosts, that it shall leave
them neither root nor branch."
THIS portion of prophetic testimony having
been generally used to support the awful, terrific
doctrine of future endless misery, and being now
brought as an objection to a belief in the divine
goodness to all men, is the occasion of the request
which has called our attention to this subject at this
time.
As we have consented to discuss this text in thii
-evening's discourse, a hope is entertained that the
audience will feel such an interest in the investiga-
tion as will occasion a most devout and religioui
attention. If the Holy Ghost, by these words, in-
tended to inform us that it is the divine determina-
tion not to humble the proud nor reform those who
do wickedly, but to execute upon them endless tor--
ture, no doubt it is necessary for us so to understand
these and other words of divine inspiration ; but if
fhese words were designed to indicate the redue-
13
98
tion of the proud to humility, and the reformation
of those who do wickedly, it is of importance that
we so understand them. Let us, therefore, care-
fully examine the text under consideration to sec
if its most natural meaning is, that all the proud
and all that do wickedly are to be tormented eter-
nally in a fire that shall burn as an oven. If we
find that this is the true meaning of this passage,
we must admit it as evidence of the truth of the
'^^ terrific doctrine to which it is usually applied, and
as a refutation of the doctrine of universal salva-
tion by Jesus Christ. Furthermore, if the com-
mon use of this text be admitted, we must reason-
ably suppose, that this doctrine is the doctrine of
the holy scriptures generally.
Let us look at the text. " For, behold, the day
cometh that sball burn as an oven; and all the
proud, yea, and all that do wickedly, shall be stub-
ble : and the day that cometh shall burn them up,
saith the Lord of hosts, that it shall leave them
neither root nor branch." If this language is to
be understood according to its most literal sense
it means that all the proud, yea, and all that do
wickedly shall be burnt up as stubble is consumed
that is burned in an oven. There will remain of
the proud and the wicked neither root nor branch.
To use a simile ; we will suppose that it is said of a
tree, that the fire has consumed it, root and branch ;
would any reasonable person understand that the
tree now exists ? No, they would not. Now if the
tree do not exist, it surely does not continue to
burn. The conclusion then is this ; if the proud
and those who do wickedly are literally burnt up,
they will cease to exist, and of course, they will
cease to be tormented. It would be just as reason-
able to contend, that John Rogers is now burning
in the fire that consumed him, as to apply our text
4o prove the endlesi torments of the wicked.
We may ask why stubble should be used to rcr
present the proud and them who do wickedly ?
Stubble is extremely combustible, it is consumed
and gone almost as soon as it is set on fire. It
therefore shows that the proud and them who do
wickedly will continue to burn but a short time,
and this idea is fully expressed in the conclusion
of our text; "it shall leave them neither root nor
branch." The Holy Gfcost, by the mouth of
David, has said, as recorded in the 37th Psalm ;
" For yet a little while and the wicked shall not
be ': yea, thou shalt diligently consider his place,
and it shall not be." According to this divine
prediction the wicked will not exist but a little
while and of course cannot suffer but a little
while ; for they surely cannot suffer any longer
than they exist. We read in the 10th of Proverbs
as follows, " As the whirlwind passeth, so is the
wicked no more ; but the righteous is an everlast-
ing foundation."
Not only does the text under consideration ful-
ly disprove the idea to which it is usually applied,
but the several passages already quoted equally
disprove it. To their united testimony we may
add what candid, unprejudiced reason seems to
suggest on the same subject. *J^
It is granted by all who profess to believe in a
Supreme Being, that he is a Being of infinite
goodness. Now we know that it is not the nature
of goodness to harm any creature, but to do good
to all. From these plain self-evident facts we in-
fer, that God will never administer any kind of
affliction to any of his creatures, which is not de-
signed for their benefit. If a creature be in a
state of keen distress, from which there is no hope
of recovery, to put an end to this creature's ex-
istence is a favor. That very fond and compas-
sionate love, which renders the parent solicitous
for the child'i recovery from pain and sickness,
100
jmd impels to every possible exertion which pro-
mises the least relief, will, the moment all hope is
gone, seek repose in the dissolution of nature.
Were it proposed to a kind parent, whose tender
offspring is struggling with the distress of a most
painful complaint, that though the child could not
be cured, it might be preserved in its present situa-
tion to old age, would this be chosen rather than
that these pains should subside in the peaceful
sleep of death ? The evident fact is, that good-
ness is never willing to prolong pain and dis-
tress unless it is seen how this may prove bene-
ficial to the subject. It therefore belongs to those
who contend for the doctrine of endless punish-
ment, to cast in their minds whether they can justi-
fy themselves in giving to the Father of our spirits
a character, which for cruelty infinitely exceeds
the most unfeeling tyrant which has ever oppressed
mankind.
The faithful word of divine inspiration, as
recorded in the 57th chapter of Isaiah informs us,
that God " will not contend forever, neither will he
be always wroth : for the spirit should fail before
him, and the souls which he has made." And by
the same divine authority we have it recorded in
the 3d chapter of the Lamentations, that the " Lord
will not cast off forever : but though he cause grief,
yet will he have compassion according to the mul-
titude of his mercies. For he doth not afflict wil-
lingly, nor grieve the children of men."
While these last quoted passages prove, beyond
all contradiction, that God will not punish his
creatures with an endless punishment, they as ful-
ly show that the design of punishment is not to an-
nihilate the soul that God has made. The reason
which God renders in the passage quoted from
Isaiah, why he will not contend forever nor be al-
ways wroth is because the spirit would fail before
him, and the soul which he has made.
Iftl
We may now consider the following important
question, (viz.) How is it possible that all the
proud, yea, and all that do wickedly should be
burnt up root and branch, and yet be saved in the
Lord Jesus with an everlasting salvation ? And
furthermore, how can the wicked be saved by the
grace of God, if the words spoken by David be
true, where he says, as before quoted ; " For ) et a
a little while and the wicked shall not be ?" If the
wicked are not allowed to exist, how can they be
saved ?
Reply. Here we think is a proper place to bring in
the scripture doctrine of regeneration or new birth,
not with a design to treat it by way of explaining
it, but by application. Jesus said to the Jews ;
" Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of
your father ye will do." Now suppose any of
these Jews were converted by the spirit of truth
after our Saviour's ascention to glory, they there-
by became the children of God. If so, they were
no longer the children of the devil. If any of the
children of the devil can by regenerating grace,
become the children of God, then by the same
grace all the children of the devil may become the
children of God. Suppose this should ever be ac-
complished would not the predictions of the Pro-
phets be fulfiled ? Where are the wicked ? There
are none. Where is his place ? As there are none
wicked so there is no place for the wicked. Where
is the stubble ? the fire has passed over it there
is no stubble. Look carefully, see if the root be
not left the root is all consumed. Are the
branches spared ? There is neither root nor branch
left.
Now turn your eyes and behold the innumera-
ble multitude of all nations on mount Zion. From
whence came they ? These are they who came
out of great tribulation, and have washed their
made them white in the blood of the
lamb. They have been translated out of the king-
dom of darkness into the kingdom of God's dear
Son.
The hearers will now ask if we are to explain
the text under consideration in this way ? Is it in
reality a fact that this text which has been so often
quoted to terrify us with the apprehensions of nev-
er ending burnings, does, in reality, mean the
purification of all who do wickedly, and the total
destruction of wickedness ?
Reply : As we have already proved, that the
text can neither be applied to the endles duration
of punishment, nor yet to the annihilation of th
proud and them that do wickedly, we may now
proceed to enquire for its true application, by
bringing it into connection with other passages in
particular where similar language is used, arid with
those generally which express the design and will
of God concerning sinners. By a careful atten-
tion to this method, we shall be likely to avoid any
application that would be in opposition to the re-
Tealed testimony.
" For, behold, the day cometh that shall burn as
an oven." What day is this? A little before in
the preceding chapter, the Prophet uses the follow-
ing words ; " Behold I will send my messenger
and he shall prepare the way before me ; and the
Lord, whom ye seek, shall suddenly come to his
temple, even the messenger of the covenant, whom
ye delight in ; behold he shall come saith the Lord
of hosts. But who may abide the day of his corn-
ing ? and who shall stand when he appeal eth ? for
he is like a refiners fire, and like fuller's soap.
And he shall set as a refiner and purifier of silver;
and he shall purify the sons of Levi, and purge
them as gold and silver, that they may offer unto
the Lord an offering in righteousness."
103
The messenger here promised, who should prfc*
pare the way before the Lord, we find in John the
baptist, accordingly as we read Luke 1st, " And
t.hou,cbild,shalt be called the prophet of the highest*
for thou sha It go before the face of the Lord to
prepare his ways." Compare also, Isaiah 40th, 3d,
with Luke 3d 4th. By bringing these scriptures
together we learn, that the day spoken of in this 3d
chapter of Malachi was the time of the coming of
Christ who is called the messenger of the covenant,
who should be as a refiner's fire and like fuller's
toap. There is no doubt then but this scripture
was a prophecy of the gospel day, and of its
refining and purifying mankind.
We shall in the next place prove that the day
spoken of in our text is the same day of which
mention is made in the preceding chapter, which
we have shewn to be the gospel day. Following
our text the Prophet goes on to describe what shall
take place on this day that shall burn as an oven,
&c. but before he closes the subject he says ; " Be-
hold, I will send you Elijah the Prophet before the
coming of the great and dreadful day of the Lord.
And he shall turn the heart of the fathers to the
children, and the heart of the children to the fath-
ers, lest Income and smite the earth with a curse. 17
The header will observe that he who is called Eli-
jah in the Old Testament is called Elias in the New.
Speaking of John, Jesus says, as recorded Mat.
11;" For this is he of whom it is written, behold
I send my messenger before thy face, which shall
prepare thy way before thee. And if ye will re-
ceive it, this is Elias which was for to come.'*
Thus as evidently as we can prove any thing from
the scriptures, we prove that the day that is men-
tioned five or six times in these two chapters is the
gospel day.
The Prophet Isaiah speaks of this burning day
in hi* 9tb chapter as follows ; " For erery battle
104
of the warrior is with confused noise, and garments
rolled in blood, but this shall be with burning and
full of fire. For unto us a child is born, unto us.a
son is given, and the government shall be upon hi*
shoulder : and his name shall be called Wonderful,
Counsellor, the mighty God, the everlasting Fath-
er, the Prince of peace. Of the increase of his
government and peace there shall be no end."
As it is granted by all that this prophecy alludes
to Christ and to the peace which he has made by
the blood of his cross, it may be proper to ask
whether it be not reasonable to conclude that this
burning is the same as mentioned in our text, and
this fuel of fire the same as stubble IH our text ? If
what is so reasonable be allowed, it seems perfectly
afe to allow, that the true meaning of the passage
under discussion, is the purifying of the wicked " by
the spirit of judgement and the spirit of burning."
The fire which distinguishes the day and work
of the great sanctifier of sinners is described by
John, the fore runner of Jesus, in Mat. 3, " I indeed
baptise you with water unto repentance ; but he
that cometh after me is mightier than I, whose
shoes I am not worthy to bear ; he shall baptise
you with the Holy Ghost, and with fire ; whose fan is
in his hands, and he will thoroughly purge his floor
and gather his wheat into his garner, biu he will
burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire." Thus
the true spiritual baptism of Jesus is with the Holy-
Ghost and with fire ; and with the fire, with which
he baptises, he burns up the chaff.
In 1st Corinthians, 3d St. Paul has a passage
which is remarkably similar to the one we are in-
vestigating ; it reads thus ; " Now if any man
build upon this foundation, gold, silver, precious
stones, wood, hay, stubble ; every man's work shall
be made manifest : for the day shall declare it, be-
cause it shall be revealed by fire ; and the fire shall
try every man's work of what sort it is. If
103
man's work abide which he hath built there-
upon, he shall receive a reward. If any man's
work shall be burnt, he shall suffer loss : but he
himself shall be saved ; yet so as by fire." In this
passage wicked works are called stubble ; these
works are to be burnt up, and the wicked saved ;
yet so as by fire. Now if we allow scripture to
explain scripture, we may be satisfied of the true
meaning of our text. "All the proud, and all
them that do wickedly" must pass the fire of the
day of the Lord. In the character of the proud
and the wicked they must be destroyed root and
branch, and be translated into the kingdom of
God's dear Son.
We may now proceed to show, that this sense of
the passage under consideration is agreeable to
the scripture testimony generally in respect to
God's will and revealed purpose concerning sinners.
In St. Paul's 1st epistle to Timothy he exhorts
him to pray and give thanks for all men, and as a
reason for so doing, he says ; " For this is good and
acceptable in the sight of God our Saviour ; who
will have all men to be saved and to come unto
the knowledge of the truth." In his epistle to the
Ephesians, the same author says ; " Wherein he
hath abounded towards us in all wisdom and pru-
dence ; having made known unto us the mystery
of his will, according to his good pleasure, which
he hath purposed in himself: that in the dispensa-
tion of the fullness of times he might gather to-
gether in one all things in Christ, both which
are in heaven and which are on earth ; even in
him." According to these passages it is the will
of God that all men should be saved, should be.
gathered together in Christ. And Jesus himself
says ; " I came down from heaven, not to do mine
own will, but the will of him that sent me." If God
will the salvation of all men, and Jesus came to do
his Father's will it is evident that he came to save
14
106
all men. Again the Saviour says ; " For God sent
not his Son into the world to condemn the world ;
but that the world through him might he saved."
The forerunner of Jesus sajs of him; " Behold the
Lamb of God that taketh away the sin of the
world." When the religious people of the Jews
found fault with Christ because he was a friend to
publicans and sinners, lie informed them that he
came to call sinners to repentance, and to seek and
to save that which was lost. In a word, the minis-
try of the gospel is a ministry of reconciliation,
and testifies " that God was in Christ Jesus recon-
ciling the world to himself, not imputing their
trespasses unto them."
Not only does the testimony of Jesus, which we
have quoted, prove that sinners are the objects of
God's love and the subjects of gospel salvation,
but St. Paul reasons to the same point ; in his epis-
tle to the Romans he sa} s ; " But God commendeth
his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sin-
ners, Christ died for us." To the Ephesians he
says ; " But God, who is rich in mercy, for the
great love wherewith he loved us, even when we
were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with
Christ." Nothing is more obvious than that it was
the gracious design of the coming of Christ, and
the introduction of the gospel dispensation, to save
sinners from their sins, purify them by the spirit of
grace, and reconcile them to God. But how en-
tirely repugnant to all this is the opinion to which
our text is usually applied. In room of humbling
the proud, and bringing sinners to repentance, it is
believed that God will exercise unmerciful wrath
on his erring offspring to all eternity. Though the
text carries not the least intimation of any such
thing in it, yet so fixed is this notion, by the force
of tradition, that it seems almost as hard to disuade
people from it, as it is for a camel to go through
the eye of a needle.
107
That we may understand the ways of God with
the proud and them who do wickedly, it may
be proper to notice some instances which are re-
corded for our instruction. That of Nebuchad-
nezzar king of Babylon will not be considered un-
appropriate. Great was the pride of this prince
and great was his wickedness. Notwithstanding
God had warned him in a dream which Daniel the
Prophet expounded to him, and notwithstanding
the Prophet most affectionately counselled him to
break off his sins by righteousness, and his iniqui-
ties by shewing mercy to the poor ; yet such was
the pride of his wicked heart, that it seems he gave
no heed to these kind and seasonable monitions,
" but at the end of twelve months he walked
in the palace of the kingdom of Babylon. The
king spoke and said, is not this great Babylon that
I have built for the house of the kingdom, by the
might of my power, and for the honor of my ma-
jesty ? While the word was in the king's mouth
there fell a voice from heaven, saying, O king
Nebuchadnezzar, to thee it is spoken ; the kingdom
is departed from thee ; and they shall drive thee
from men, and thy dwelling shall be with the beasts
of the field : they shall make thee to eat grass like
oxen, and seven times shall pass over thee, until
thou know that the Most High ruleth in the king-
dom of men, and giveth it to whomsoever he will."
All this God accomplished on this proud monarch,
until his body was wet with the dew of heaven, his
hairs were grown like eagle's feathers, and his nails
like bird's claws." This humbled his heart, return-
ed to him his understanding, raised his eyes to heav-
en, and this is his confession; * Now I, Nebuchad-
nezzar praise, and extol, and honor the King of
heaven, all whose works are truth, and his ways
judgment ; and those that walk in prye he is able
abase." Was every child of Adam a Nebuchad-
nezzar, and every heart as proud as his, how easy
would it be for infinite wisdom, power and good-
ness to humble them all to a due sense of their de-
pendence on God. Such as was the result of God's
dealings with this haughty prince, we may reason-
ably suppose will be the result of his chastising
providence on " all the proud and all them that do
wickedly" for " those that walk in pride he is able
to abase."
Though the means which our heavenly Father
may use with his disobedient offspring may vary,
we have no reason to believe that his designs are
partial, we have no evidence to support the notion
that he will humble some and grant them mercy ;
but punish others eternally.
Another particular instance of God's dealings
with one who did extremely wickedly is the case
of David king of Israel. The crimes which this
monarch committed being pointed out to him in the
faintest simile which their nature would admit, he
adjudged the criminal to death But what were
the dealings of God towards him. He was visited
with such awful calamities in his family as were as
much worse than death, as his crimes were more
heinous than the one represented to him by the
prophet Nathan, for which he said, the man that
hath done this shall surely die. But was David
finally rejected from the favour of God ?
j^o, for he sang " of mercy and of judgment," and
praised God whom he acknowledged to be his sal-
vation.
It surely will not be contended, that the Divine
Being pays any peculiar respect to kings, by deal-
ing with their crimes in a more lenient manner,
than he does with the crimes of others. It should
be allowed that the higher a man's station is in so-
ciety the greater his criminality if he use his power
contrary to his duty.
If then, the king of Israel could be punished
here in this life, according to the offence which he
109
had committed, and if he were duly humbled anfl
received into favour, have the wicked now any rea-
son to expect to escape the righteous judgements
of God ? And have the religious any reason to
say, that God will never humble the wicked and
receive them all to mercy ? Was every child of
Adam a murderous David, and had sins as great as
his stained every soul : Yet would every humble,
penitent believer in Jesus say, "Behold the Lamb
of God, which taketh away the sin of the world."
It is allowed, if there be some more stiff-necked
than others, and harder to be brought into humil-
iation, we may not yet have mentioned them ; but
we shall find them in the case of the pharisee. He,
who by the mighty power of grace was converted
from a spiritually proud, and persecuting pharisee,
to a humble, meek disciple of Jesus, whom he had
persecuted, is such a trophy of divine mercy, we
now hold him up before you all as an example of
God's dealings with all the proud and all them
which do wickedly." What does St. Paul say of
himself? " This is a faithful saying, and worthy of
all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the
world to save sinners, of whom I am chief. How-
beit, for this cause I obtained mercy, that in me
first Jesus Christ might shew forth all long-suffer-
ing, for a pattern to them which should hereafter
believe on him to life everlasting." Was every
son and daughter of human nature a persecuting
Saul, yet there would be hope that they might all
be brought to say, " Lord, what wilt thou have me
to do? But when it pleased him who separated
me from my mother's womb and called me by his
grace, to reveal his son in me, immediately I con-
ferred not with flesh and blood."
Is it necessary to name a fourth particular in-
stance, and shall it be selected from among the er-
ring daughters of Eve ? Consider then the case of
Mary Magdalene out of whom the bruiser of the ser-
head cast seven devils. Was every man, wo-
man and child in the world as possessed as was this
woman, who was a sinner, yet might the grace of
the Redeemer bring them all to wash his feet with
the tears of penitance, and annoint him with the
precious ointment of much love and humble grati-
tude.
A hope is entertained that the hearer will not be
disposed to say, if all this be true we may indulge
in every sin and abomination. Of the whole seven
that were cast out this argument is the worst.
This is ingratitude the basest of all the serpent
tribe.
Did the king of Babylon find by experience
that because God was able to abase those who
walk in pride, it was therefore as well to walk in
pride as to be humble ? Did David find by expe-
rience, that sin against God and his fellow crea-
tures was attended with no evil ? Must sin be rolled
as a sweet morsel under the tongue ? Must a guilty
conscience be esteemed as a friend that sticketh,
closer than a brother ? Our argument to prove the
doctrine of the impartial goodness of God towards
all men, does in no sense deny his divine severity
towards the wicked.
By understanding our text in the way we have
explained it, we discover its harmony with other
passages where similar language is used ; we also
see its agreement with the united testimony of
scripture respecting the divine will and purpose
concerning the reconciliation and salvation of sin-
O
ners.
But in the common way of understanding this
passage, it is made to contradict the whole scheme
of the gospel, and to represent every subject of
divine grace as an object of neverending wrath.
Such absurdities are constantly reiterated from our
pulpits, and in almost all sermons the glaring con-
tradiction is urged on the hearers, that sinners are
Ill
the objects of divine love, and eternal vengenee ;
that Jesus came into our world for the express
purpose of saving sinners, and that sinners must be
endlessly miserable. There can be no wonder
that the common people are getting to be weary
of such preaching, nor is there any just reason of
complaint if attempts are making to effect a refor-
mation.
Not only is it our duty to endeavour to explain
particular passages in a way to bring them into the
general theme of the scriptures, but due attention
should be paid to understand the scriptures in a
way to agree with the disposition and conduct
which the religion of Jesus Christ requires. Sup-
pose then, that we adopt the common opinion of
our text, and contend that the Holy Ghost moved
the Prophet to set forth the endless misery of " all
the proud and all them that do wickedly," in the
language of this passage, will it then be easy to re-
concile this with the disposition which onr religion
requires us to exercise towards our enemies, afiRl
with our duty to mankind ? Can we see the pro-
priety of loving those who we believe are the ob-
jects of the unmerciful vengenee of our Creator,
of praying for those who we believe are predesti-
nated to endless sufferings.
But if we understand our text and the scriptures
in general to teach the doctrine of reconciliation,
and to support the joy, inspiring belief that he, who
gave himself a ransom for all men, will finally see
of the travail of his soul and be satisfied ; that he
who sets a refiner and purifier of silver, will even-
tually purify the wicked from all sin, humble the
proud, and give all to know the Lord, whom to
know is life eternal, it seems that the Christian duty
of loving all men, doing good to all men, and pray-
ing for all men is perfectly consistent with such,a
belief.
112
There is another particular rule according td
which particular passages, and indeed the scrip-
tures in general should be explained ; that is, the
knowledge of the truth gives joy to the heart.
St. Paul informs us, that " chanty rejoiceth in the
truth." It is then an evidence that we rightly un-
derstand the scripture, if the love of God shed
abroad in the heart can rejoice in the sentiment.
This Christian audience is now affectionately cal-
led on to try the sentiment usually supported by the
text under consideration, by the rule last suggust-
ed. If you can truly say that you sincerely love
all mankind, that you entertain that charity for all,
which suffereth long and is kind, can you say that
you rejoice in the belief, that millions of your fel-
low creatures are predistinated to endless suffer-
ings? This you all acknowledge is impossible.
How then can God, who is love itself, ordain a dis-
pensation of severity the design of which is to per-
petuate the sufferings of his own offspring as long
?*s he shall exist ?
My brethren, " there is peace in believing and
joy in the Holy Ghost." But is there any peace
or joy in believing in this doctrine of never ending
misery ? There surely is not. But if we really be-
lieve in the divine testimony, which plainly shows
that it is the plan of God, manifested in Christ Jesus,
to finish sin and to make an end of transgressions,
to take away our sins, to reconcile the world to
himself ; and that all his judgments and his mercies
are wisely directed to effect this blessed object,
we can "rejoice with joy unspeakable, and full of
glory.'' But while we rejoice in the consoling be-
lief, that all the judgments of God will finally even-
tuate in the reduction of " all the proud and all
them that do wickedly" to obedience, let us be
wise for ourselves, and adorn the doctrine of God
our Saviour, by doing justly, loving mercy and
walking humbly before God.
I '',: No - a
I LECTURE SERMON,
DELIVERED AT THB
SECOND UNIVERSALIST MEETING, IN BOSTON,
NOVEMBER 8, 1818.
BY HOSEA BALLOU, PASTOR.
Published Semi-Monthly, by Henry Bowen, Devonshire-street.
DEUTERONOMY, xxxiii. 16, 17.
*' Let the blttring come upon the head of Joseph, and upon the top of the
head of him that was separated from hit brethren. His glory is like tht
firstling of his bullock, and his horns are like the horns of unicorns :
with them he shall push the people together to the ends of the earth ;
*nd they are the ten thousands of Ephraim, and they are the thousand;
/ Manasseh."
THE events which the divine historian has re-
corded, respecting Joseph the son of the patriarch
Jacob, form a subject remarkably instructing to
every attentive observer.
The treatment he received from his brethren
was of such a peculiar cast, that Moses the prophet
of the Lord, more than four hundred years after-
ward, in the blessing pronounced on his family,
makes the honorable mention of his being separat-
ed from his brethren which we find in our text.
This memorable separation, the causes which oc-
casioned it, the circumstances which attended it ;
the wisdom and goodness of God manifested by it,
and the rich blessing which finally came on him in
consequence of his having been separated from hi*
brethren, will form matter for the first general
section of the present discourse.
15
114
Moved with envy, Joseph's brethren sold him tw
the Tshmelites, who were going from Gilead with
spies into Egypt, where Joseph was again sold for a
bond slave. The causes which seemed to occasion
this deadly envy were the following. Joseph was
the son of his father's old age, and until about the
time of his being sold, the only child of the belov-
ed Rachel. It seems rather difficult to determine
whether Benjamin was born, or not at this time.
The faithful historian informs us, that " Israel
loved Joseph more than all his children, because
he was the son of his old age." By this it would
rather seem that Benjamin was not born for he
was more especially the son of Jacob's old age than
Joseph. But the scripture chronology supposes
that Benjamin was born, and of course, that Rachel
<lied in the one thousand seven hundred and twen-
ty ninth year before Christ, and that Joseph was
sold the same year. Such is the nature of partial-
ity it seldom avoids being seen. It was so visible
in Jacob's conduct, that it created an unhappy jeal-
ousy in the minds of the rest of the family, so that
they " hated Joseph, and could not speak peacea-
bly unto him."
Nor was this parental partiality the only occa-
sion of that cruel envy which moved Joseph's
brethren against him ; for we are informed that
heaven inspired him with two remarkable dreams,
which evidently suggested the idea of his future
superiority over them, and their bowing down to
him as to a superior. An envious mind is always
in the dark. Had these brethren been wise, they
would have seen no occasion to be angry at their
brother. If their father was imprudent enough to
indulge an improper paitiality in favor of the sort
of his old age, it was far from right to hate the son
for the fault of the father. If they supposed the
dreams which their brother told were not divinelv
m
dictated, but were either the fruits of vain imagina-
115
ations, or only contrived up in order to deceive,
they might have saved themselves any trouble by
hein*? content to wait with patience until time
should shew the folly of all such vain attempts or
imaginations. But their hearts were not right ;
they therefore took the wrong way, the broad
road that leads to destruction. v
Full of burning, envy and indignation these bre-
thren left the family circle, the sacred tent of
venerable Israel, in the vale of Hebron, and went
to fe' r 1 their father's flock at Shechem.
Notwithstanding Jacob felt a partiality for
Joseph, he was by no means unmindful of his other
children. He felt a solicitous concern for the wel-
fare of his absent sons, and proposed to Joseph
that he should go to Shechem to enquire for his
brethren's health and prosperity. The tender un-
suspicious youth was as ready to obey as the father
was to command. Without the least hesitation
or suspicion he sat off on this errand of love. Lit-
tle did the venerable patriarch think what treat-
ment awaited the darling of his heart ; little did he
then think of the sorrows which were to overwhelm
his soul. Little did the tender child anticipate the
cruel sufferings which were to reward his filial
obedience and fraternal affection. Little did he
think, when he parted with his father in the lovely
vale of Hebron, that he should see him no more
till he should embrace him in a strange land, where
he should be a father to his father, and the lord
and support of his brethren.
When he came to Shechem he was informed that
his brethren had removed to Dothan where he im-
mediately repaired and found them. But here in
room of meeting the friendly eye and the affection-
ate smile, and being kindly welcomed to peaceful
tents of humble shepherds, he beholds the eye of
anger kindled with envy, the clouded brow of
wrath foreboding an awful storm, the dread image
of hate drawn in each visage. In vain does he
turn his innocent eye from one to another in search
of a kind protector. He is violently seized ,strip-
cd of his coat of many colours and cast into a pit
that was in the wilderness. This done, these un-
natural brethren sat down to eat bread.
Here we may observe the wisdom and goodness
of God in making use of one sinful passion to con-
trol another so as to cause the wrath of man to
praise him, and to restrain the remainder. Divine
providence so ordered, that at this hour the tra-
veling merchants from Gilead arrived at this place,
which suggested the idea of selling Joseph. These
murderous brethren had formed the determination,
in the first place, to take his life outright ; but
Reuben wishing to deliver him out of their hands,
proposed to cast him into the pit, where their de-
termination was to let him die. But now avarice
gains so much on anger, as by promising to rid
tfcern forever of their fear of becoming at all de-
pendent on Joseph, that they consent to sell him
for twenty pieces of silver. To attempt to de-
scribe the feelings of Joseph on this trying occa-
sion would be in vain. Poor solitary youth, not
an earthly friend in the wide world that could ex-
tend to him the arm of deliverance, or even speak
one consoling word. a Separated from his bre-
thren," he now moves along with his unfeeling
masters, but with what reluctant steps. No doubt
he cast a lingering eye of compassion on his perse-
cutors, and how hard was the thought that he
should see them no more. With what painful re-
flections did his thoughts return to the parental
tent in the lovely vale of Hebron, how did his bo-
som swell with grief when the pangs of everlasting
adieu to the sacred circle of home, country and
liberty pierced his tortured soul ? But with his
brethren were very different reflections. They
had fortunately sold their fears for twenty pieces
of silver. As the object of their envy receded
from their sight, they sought repose in a refuge of
lies and deceit. They now felt secure from the
humiliating thought of ever bowing down to their
brother or of seeing their father's fondness exercis-
ed over the child of his old age. They now rend
the coat of many colours,dip it in blood and carry
it to their father. He knows the garment, and ex-
claims ; " it is my son's coat ; an evil beast hath
devoured him ; Joseph is without doubt rent in
pieces." He mourns the untimely death of his
son, determined to refuse all comfort, and to go
down to the grave, to his son mourning.
Let us now notice the remarkable instances of
the wisdom and goodness of God manifested in all
this sinful, disastrous conduct of the cruel sons of
Israel, and in the partiality of the over fond father.
According to rational calculation, we may sup-
pose, that if the father of this family had preserved
an impartial regard for his children, it would have
been the means of lengthening its tranquility. If
Joseph had not dreamed and told the dreams which
served to kindle the fire of envy in his brethren's
hearts, it seems reasonable to suppose that they
might all have lived harmoniously and in peace.
But how evident it is that God overruled all these
circumstances and events for the good of all con-
cerned. How evident it is that the divine wisdom
had the directing of all these affairs. Joseph is
now safe in Egypt the country of his future glory,
excellency and usefulness, but a bond slave, a
menial servant. Who could believe that this de-
graded condition lay on his road to fame ? But
now consider him accused by his mistress of an
infamous crime, consider him cast into prison.
Here again the criminality and deceit of his ac-
cusor is all controled by heaven for the honor of
God, the good of millions, the exaultation of the
innocent sufferer and the celebration of ages.
118
Into the same prison where Joseph was bound,
the king cast his chief butler and chief baker,
whose dreams Joseph interpreted agreeably to the
final verdict of his majesty. But the chief butler,
contrary to the request of injured Joseph, was so
elated with being again restored to favor and office,
that he forgot the young prisoner who for two full
years more lay in the prison, until the dreams of
Pharoah brought him to the butler's recollection.
It was about fourteen years from the time Joseph
left the sweet and tranquil habitation of his belov-
ed father to the time he was brought out of prison
in Egypt, to stand before his majesty the king, to
interpret those remarkable dreams by which he was
warned of seven years of great plenty, which
should be followed with seven more of famine.
The wisdom which appeared in this long afflicted
Hebrew brought him into favor with Pharoah, who
appointed him to be over his own house and te
rule his people according to his will.
During the seven years of plenty Joseph used such
prudence and economy as to lay up vast quantities
of corn in store against the long and severe famine
which he foresaw would visit the land.
When the dearth came it was not confined to
Egypt, but extended over all the face of the earth,
so that all countries were dependent on Egypt for
bread. The famine was sore in the land of Canaan,
and pale hunger began to threaten the extensive
household of Jacob and his sons. Jacob therefore
said to his sons ; " Why do you look one upon
another ? 1 have heard that there is corn in Egypt ,:
gel you down thither, and buy for us from thence;
that we may live and not die." They came into
Egypt and into the presence of Joseph; but he was
so altered in the space of about twenty one years,
or perhaps more, and as they had no thought of
seeing him at all, and especially no expectation of
.finding him the lord of all the land of Egypt, they
did not know him. When they eame before hhta,
" they bowed down themselves before him with
their faces to the earth." Joseph knew his brethren ;
they were men who had attained to years before
he was separated from them, and had not altered so
much but he knew them. He now saw his first
dream fulfilled. All his brethren who were envi-
ous towards him, he now sees on their faces before
him. He treated them roughly, not because re*
venge was in his heart, but to try them. He re-
tained Simeon until the rest should return to the
relief of their families, and bring Benjamin down
to Egypt. They then conversed among them-
selves, in the Hebrew tongue, which they suppos-
ed Joseph did not understand, of their sin against
their brother, and were satisfied that they were
visited with evil for their iniquity. Joseph un-
derstood all they said, and was greatly moved with
compassion. After many trials and sore difficul-
ties, at the second time, when all the sons of Israel
were together, and Joseph had the pleasure of see-
ing his brother Benjamin, perhaps for the first time,
he made himself known to them. He could no
longer contain himself; he wept aloud and said un-
to his brethren, " I am Joseph ; doth my father yet
live ? And his brethren could not answer him ;
for they were troubled at his presence. And
Joseph said unto his brethren, come near to me I
pray you : and they came near. And he said I
am Joseph your brother, whom ye sold into
Egypt. Now therefore, be not grieved, nor an-
gry with yourselves, that ye sold me hither ; for
God did send me before you to preserve life.
And he fell upon his brother Benjamin's neck, and
wept ; and Benjamin wept upon his neck. More-
over he kissed all his brethren and wept upon them;
arid after that his brethren talked with him."
As the hearer is familiar with the account of this
most interesting subject, we may not be further
120
particular. It is recollected that the whole family
came down to Egypt and were nursed by Joseph
and supported by his bounty. Now was his second
dream accomplished.
Let us notice in this place, the words of Joseph
before recited ; ff God did send me before you to
preserve life." Is it not evident, my brethren,
that the infinitely wise, powerful, and good God
made use of the partial fondness of Jacob as a
mean to move Joseph's brethren against him ? Is
it not evident that the same divine Being inspired
Joseph with the two dreams which represented his
brethren's submission to him, and also that of their
father and mother, for the purpose of bringing
about the event of Joseph's being sold into Egypt ?
Is it not clear beyond all doubt, that all the wick-
edness, envyjhard heartednfess, and deceit of which
the ten brethren were guilty was controledby the
wisdom and goodness of God in a manner to pro-
mote the highest honor of the divine name, and the
best interest of those most perverse and wicked
men ? And must it not be gratefully acknowledged,
that all the afflictions which came on Jacob and
his family, and the afflictions of Joseph were de-
signed by our heavenly Father, for the good of all
these sufferers ? It seems necessary to call the at-
tention of the hearer to the considention of the
following questions : Does the argument which we
here maintain give to the divine Being a good
character ? Is it safe to have so much confidence in
God as to believe, that he manages 'all the con-
cerns of men in a way to promote their best inter-
est ? Is God so transcendantly kind as to turn our
own faults to our advantage ? Or will you say,
that this doctrine is not only too good to be true,
but of dangerous tendency, as it lays no restraint
on men, but promises them good for their evil ?
Reply : Is this doctrine any better than was the
conduct of God towards those envious brethren
121
who sold Joseph ? And did not these brethren ex-
perience a most just and ample retribution for
their sins, before they entered into the enjoyment
of the divine favor which was brought about by
means of their folly ? Is not this doctrine exactly
what the gospel holds up and requires ? Are we not
forbidden to render evil for evil? And are we not
commanded to render good for evil ? " Be not
overcome of evil ; but overcome evil with good."
The blessing that came on Joseph seems to have
been, in all respects, what his sufferings seemed to
deserve, as ample as his love, and as extensive as
his reasonable desires. To have it in his power to
reward his brethren with all the favour which their
necessities required for all the evil he had received
at their hands, to make every necessary provision
for his aged father and the whole of his numerous
family, from which he had been so long separated,
and of supplying many countries with bread dur-
ing a famine which must have swept off thousands
of innocent children with vast multitudes of others,
had it not been for the treasures which were
laid up by his wisdom and liberally dispensed by
his goodness, seems to have been as large and as
rich a blessing as could be desired.
To show, by the language of our text, that
Moses had a meaning in view, beyond what re-
spected the literality of the subject, and to apply
our text to Jesus, who was separated from his bre-
thren, forms the second general section of this dis-
course.
" His glory is like the firstling of his bullock,
and his horns are like the horns of unicorns : with
them shall he push the people together to the ends
of the earth : and they are the ten thousands of
Ephraim, and they are the thousands of Manasseh."
The firstling of cattle is similar to the first bora
among men. The first born of a family possessed,
by birth right, a previlege over the younger, as in
16
122
the ca?e of Esau and Jacob. The first born seem-
ed to have a power of ruling, and of having the
younger branches of the family in subjection. The
first born was also considered holy unto God, as
were the first fruits of the field ; and the holiness
of the first born and of the first fruits was the holi-
ness of all which were represented by them. This
part of the text, which relates to the firstling of the
oullock, may very fitly be applied to Joseph ns
well as Jesus, who is styled the "first born among
many brethren, the first born from the dead, and
the first born of every creature."
Joseph seems to have obtained the birth right of
the first born by a divine arrangement, whereby
lie became the governor and ruler of his numerous
family, though it is true Joseph was literally the
first born of the beloved Rachel. His glory an-
swered to his birth right, for we see him the ruler
~ *
and kind father of his brethren.
But why should Moses say ; " his horn? are a?
the horns of unicorns : with them he shall push the
people together to the ends of the earth : and they
are the ten thousands of Ephraim, and they are
the thousands of Manasseh ?" By horns, no doubt
power was intended. But how shall the power of
Joseph push the people together to the ends of
the earth ? And how is it that all people thus unit-
ed are the ten thousands, and thousands, of the
two sons of Joseph 1
This language and these sentiments are suppos-
ed to apply to Jesus in the following manner. As
the horns of unicorns are the most powerful among
beasts, they are used to represent the power of the
Saviour. And as it is said, " with them shall he
push the people together to the ends of the earth,"
it means the same as was expressed by Jacob con-
cerning the Shiloli unto whom the gathering of the
people should be ; and the same as expressed by
Jesus himself, when be said ; " And I, if I be lifted
123
up from the earth will draw all men unto me. v
The same is expressed by St. Paul to the Ephesiaus
as follows ; " Having made known unto us the
majesty of his will, according to his good pleasure,
which he hath purposed in himself : that in the
dispensation of the fullness of times, he might ga-
ther together in one all things in Christ, both which
are in heaven, and which are on earth ; even in
him."
Jews and Gentiles thus gathered into Jesus are
aaid to be the ten thousands of Ephraim and the
thousands of Manasseh. The two sons of Joseph
are here used to represent the two families, Jews
and Gentiles, which in their fullness, are the chil-
dren of the " everlasting Father and Prince of
peace."
When Jacob blessed the two sons of Joseph,
being blind, Joseph was careful to present Ma-
nasseh, the first born, to Jacob's right hand and
Ephraim, the younger, to his left, that the first
born might receive the appropriate blessing which
belonged to his birth right ; but Jacob wittingly
crossed his hands and laid his right hand on the
head of Ephraim and his left on the head of Ma-
nasseh. At this, Joseph endeavored to remove his
father's hands, and informed him that his left hand
was on the head of the first born ; to which he re-
plied ; " I know it, my son, I know it : he also shall
become a people, and he also shall be great ; but
truly his younger brother shall be greater than
he, and his seed shall become a multitude of na-
tions." Thus Moses in our text, when expressing,
the multitudes of Gentiles and Jews, in Christ Jesus,
says : " They are the ten thousands of Ephraim
und they are the thousands of Manasseh." The
Jews were first reckoned the children of God, and
Israel is called God's first born ; but the first are
last and the last first. The Gentiles take the tead
in the gospel dispensation, for not until the fullness
124
of the Gentiles is come in will the deliverer
come out of Zion and turn away ungodliness
from Jacob.
In considering Joseph and the things concerning
him as applicable to Jesus and his ministry we
find an extensive field opened before us, a field
fruitful as a garden, in all the most beautiful flowers
of divine representations, and in the fruits of grace.
The visions of the holy prophets, in which they
saw the extensive empire of the Saviour of the
world, the subjection of all the nations of the earth
to his divine and glorious government, seem to be
represented by the dreams of Joseph, which served
to kindle his brethren's hearts with envy. The de-
claration from heaven, which designated Jesus as
the beloved Son of God in whom the Father is well
pleased, seems to be represented by Jacob's love
for Joseph. How angry it made the scribes, the
pharisees, the priests and the doctors of the law,
that Jesus should pretend to be the Son of God.
A man by nO means of their standing ; why should
he pretend to be the king of Israel ? they were as
determined not to have this man to rule over them as
Joseph's brethren were that he should not rule over
them. As Joseph was separated from his brethren,
so was Jesus separated from his ; as Joseph w^as
sold for money, so was Jesus ; as Joseph was the
gracious saviour of the whole family of promise,
so is Jesus the Saviour of the whole family " of
heaven and earth."
My brethren, look, see the future saviour of the
family of Israel, leaving his brethren in Dothan to
go down to Egypt a slave, to see them no more
until he sees them as his humble subjects, and is
acknowledged their lord and protector; then look
again and see the blessed Jesus, bearing his cross,
going bo and to Calvary, separated from his brethren
and from all the living, to see them not again until
in a glorious resurrection state, he appears " the
Lord from heaven,"
125
Let us here talk freely on the grace and plan of
salvation by Jesus Christ, as represented by the
temporal salvation wrought by Joseph. Joseph
was appointed by heaven to be the saviour of all
his father's house. He was in fact the saviour of
his brethren before they knew him in Egypt. He
had treasured up a supply of bread during the
seven years of plenty for thousands who were not
then born. He was the saviour of vast multitudes,
by the merciful appointment of heaven, who were
strangers to him, and who knew him not. All the
time before his brethren came to Egypt, Joseph
was the appointed saviour of them and of their lit-
tle ones. It was just as certain that they would
all partake of the rich bounties of Joseph, even
before the famine commenced as it was after they
were all removed into the land of Goshen.
Now what reasonable objection can there be to
the sentiment, that the grace of (*od,and the scheme
of man's spiritual salvation " is ordered in all
things," and rendered as sure as the temporal sal-
vation of the house of Israel was in the scheme
which we have noticed ?
Joseph's brethren did not believe that they, their
wives and their little ones were all to be fed from
the bounty of him whom they had so cruelly
treated and sold into Egypt. But what power had
their ignorance and unbelief to frustrate the divine
plan in which their welfare was secured ? It is
true, they could not enjoy a confidence in their
brother until they knew him and were assured of
his forgiveness; but he was as truly their brother
and friend during their ignorance and unbelief as
lie was after he had made himself known to them.
Is it not equally true, that Jesus is the sinner's friend
and Saviour as truly during the season of ignorance
and unbelief as he is after faith is given ?
The name of Joseph in Egypt was synonymous
with bread, it was synonymous with life ; and in n
1213
other name was there any confidence. All power
in Egypt was committed into the hands of Joseph,
there was no other name given whereby the life of
the people could be saved. Is not all this true in
spirit respecting the name of Jesus, is it riot synon-
ymous with Saviour ? Is not this the bread of God
which came down from heaven, and gave life to
the world?
In his wise and gracious appointment, the God o-f
heaven gave life to millions in Joseph before they
were born ; " and this is the record that God hath
given unto us eternal life, and this life is in his Son.*'
This life was the life of the world from the begin-
ning. This was our life before we came into this
world, and the unborn ages to come are equally
enlitled to all its blessings.
The envy, the hatred, the deadly enmity of Jo-
seph's brethren towards him, could do no more
than was necessary to promote his glory and ad-
vance him in the way of the divine appointment.
80 all the cruel envy, hatred and persecution prac-
tised on the blessed Jesus, by his enemies, only ad-
vanced him towards that glory that during eternal
jiges will continue to brighten and beautify the ra-
tional creation of God. As we may notice this
subject in. part in our next lecture, which will be on
the subject of blasphemy against the Holy Ghost,
we may be brief.
How tender are the words of Joseph to those
who; had hated him without a cause : " Come near
to me I pray you." This is the language of the
Ulessed Jesus in the Gospel of his grace. He speaks
to every sinner, saying, " come near to me I pray
you." The apostle says " we pray you in Christ's
stead, be ye reconciled to God ; for he hath made
him to be sin for us, who knew no sin, that we might
be made the righteousness of God in him."
As we have seen that the blessing which came
upon the head of Joseph, was in all respects, as
127
large and rich as could be desired, may we- uot
believe with confidence, that the Redeemer will as
fully "see of the travail of his soul and be satisfied ?"
If in room of that most interesting account of the
tj
humble submission of all Joseph's enemies to him,
we were informed that three only were ever brought
to repentance, and to be humble before him, and
also to receive of his bounty, could \ve consider
his reward to be equal to what the present ac-
count makes it ? Would it be possible, in this case
to see how his dreams were fulfilled ? His sheaf
stood upright, and all his brethren's sheaves made
obeisance to it. The sun, arid the moon, and the
eleven stars made obeisance unto him. With less
than the submission of all could these heaven-in-
spired dreams have fully come to pass ? With
all this was he blessed, and blessed in the sweet en-
joyment of a forgiving spirit, and in the victory
that spirit gained over the affections ofhisbreth.
ren. Moreover, he was bountifully blessed in his
liberal bestow me nts on his dependant brethren.
They were all blessed in him, but he was the most
blessed of all : for " it is more blessed to give than
to receive." Thus we believe, that with less than
the reconciliation of all men to Jesus, the faithful
word of all God's holy prophets since the world
began, who have spoken of the restitution of all
things, can never be fulfilled. Nor can Jesus see
of the travail of his soul and be satisfied with less
than the humble submission to his laws, of all
who have ever been his enemies. We believe, and
believing we rejoice, that the kind Redeemer shall
finally be blessed with the full enjoyment of for-
giving the iniquities of all his enemies, of
feeding them at his own table, with the bread of
everlasting life. All will be blessed in him ; " all
nations shall call him blessed ;" but he shall be the
most blessed of all, as it is "more blei?sed t give
than to receive."
128
Blessed were the people that heard the joyful
tidings, that there was corn in Egypt. How did
the husband's heart leap for joy, that the compan-
ion of his bosom should not " perish with hunger !"
How unspeakably happy were parents made when
assured that their children could be supplied with
bread ! More blessed still are the " people who
know the joyful sound," of the gospel of Jesus,
and walk in the light of the Lord. Parents look,
behold the shepherd of Israel taking your little
children in his arms, and saying " of such is the
kingdom of heaven." Said the risen Saviour " go
ye into all the world and preach the gospel to ev-
ery creature." Yes, my friends, you are all wel-
come to the bread of life ; and
" Christ hath sent me to invite you,
" To a rich and costly feast ;
V Let not shame nor pride prevent you,
" Come, the rich provision taste."
' N. 9. ...?';',..
, LECTURE SERMON,
DELIVERED AT THE
SECOND UNIVERSALIST MEETING, IN BOSTON,
NOVEMBER 22, 1818.
BY HOSEA BALLOU, PASTOR.
Published Semi-Monthly, by Henry Bowen, Devonshire-street.
MATTHEW, xii. 31, 32.
w Wherefore I say unto you, All manner of sin and blasphemy shall be
forgiven unto men : but the blasphemy against the Holy Ghost shall
not be forgiven unto men. And whosoever speakelh a word against
the Son of man, it shall be forgiven him : but whosoever speakelh
against the Holy Ghost, it shall not be forgiven him t neither in this
world, neither in the world to come."
OUR Saviour spake the words of our text in his
reply to the Pharisees, who said of him, " this*fel-
low doth not cast out devils but by Beelzebub, the
prince of the devils."
The circumstance which led the pharisees to
speak as we have just noticed was the following.
There was brought unto Jesus one possessed with
a devil, blind and dumb : and he healed him, inso-
much that the blind and dumb both spake and
saw. And all the people were amazed, and said,
is not this the son of David ? That is, is not this
man who casts out devils and works so many mi-
racles the Messiah or Christ of whom the law and
the prophets have spoken? As the Pharisees were
bitterly opposed to Jesus, this exclamation from
17
130
the people gave them great uneasiness, for as
much as the people were in favor of Jesus, so
much they must be in opposition to the pharisees.
In order, therefore, to prevent the people from
believing in Jesus, the Pharisees said that he cast
out devils by Beelzebub, the prince of the devils.
It seems that the miracles of Jesus were so evi-
dent, so open, so undisguised, that his keenest eyed
enemies found no chance of success with the peo-
ple by denying the facts of the miracles ; they
must, therefore, deceive the people by some other
means. In the case of the miracle wrought on the
mar. that was born blind, they seemed to doubt the
fact of his having been born blind ; but having
called his parents and received their testimony,
they were compelled to believe the fact ; but they
said to the man to whom sight had been given, "gi\ 7 e
God the praise, we know that this man is a sin-
ner." It was contended, that as this miracle was
performed on the sabbath day, he who wrought it
could not be of God. If the Pharisees could per-
suade the people that Jesus was a sinner, notwith-
standing all the miracles which he did, they were
sure that the people would not believe that he was
the Messiah promised. But it seems that the peo-
ple had discernment enough to raise the question,
" How can a man that is a sinner do such miracles ?"
This question must receive some sort of an an-
swer ; and almost any thing would do that super-
stition would countenance, for the common peo-
ple supposed that these Pharisees and learned doc-
tors of the law, being godly people and of deep dis-
cernment must know. When, therefore, their wis-
dom suggested that the miracles of- Jesus were ef-
fected by the agency of the prince of the devils, it
was by no means difficult for the people to give
credit to the opinion, for they were already fixed
in the superstitious notions of devils.
131
The declaration, that Jesus cast out devils by
Beelzebub, the prince of the devils, was a declara-
tion directly against the spirit and power by which
the miracle was effected. In reply to this the
Saviour reasoned in his usual, natural, plain and
energetic manner, as follows : " Every kingdom
divided against itself is brought to desolation : and
every city or house divided against itself shall not
stand : And if Satan cast out Satan, he is divided
against himself ; how shall then his kingdom stand ?
And if I by Beelzebub cast out devils, by whom
do your children cast them out ? therefore they
shall be your judges. But if I cast out devils by
the Spirit of God, then the kingdom of God is come
unto you. Or else, how can one enter into a strong
man's house, and spoil his goods, except he first
bind the strong man ? and then he will spoil his
house. He that is not with me, is against me ; and
he that gathereth not with me, scattereth abroad."
Then follow the words of our text, which, when
considered in the connection in which they are
found, plainly indicate that the Pharisees, who said
that Jesus cast out devils, by Beelzebub, the prince
of the devils, did, in so saying, speak blasphemy
against the Holy Ghost.
We shall now proceed to enquire why this sin
or blasphemy against the Holy Ghost, by which
the miracles of Jesus were wrought could not as
easily be forgiven as any other sin or blasphemy.
It is generally contended that this sin against the
Holy Ghost cannot be forgiven because it is so
much more heinous than all other sins ; but be-
cause this is the general opinion it is no proper
evidence of its being true. Has it ever been
proved that this blasphemy is more heinous than
other sins ? The speaker feels solicitous that the
hearer maybe disposed, on this subject, to admit of
nothing without proof. We are not only at liber-
ty to reject all ideas which have been established
132
by tradition without proper evidence, but it is our
religious duty so to do. Let it then be proved
that this sin against the Holy Ghost could not be
forgiven the Pharisees as easily as any other sin
that they committed, because this sin was more
heinous than any other, and then we will believe it ;
but not before. But it is contended that this sin
is certainly greater than any other, because it is
committed against greater light. Here again we
call for proof. Are we informed in the scripture,
that this sin is committed against greater light
than any other ? No, we have no such information.
It is granted that learned divines, so called, have
made very nice calculations respecting the degrees
of divine Ijght and knowledge which were requir-
ed in order to enable a person to commit this sin ;
but then we must be just enough to these pious
doctors to allow them the whole of the credit due
to such profound researches, for they alone are en-
titled to it ; they have had no help from divine reve-
lation. On the other hand it is our duty to receive
nothing which they have safd on this subject as the
least evidence in the case. Let us look at the sub-
ject candidly. The Pharisees spake against Jesus,
ancTsaid, " we know that this man is a sinner."
Again, they spake against the spirit by which he
wrought miracles, and said ; " this fellow doth not
cast out devils but by Beelzebub, the prince of the
devils." Now have we any evidence to believe
that these Pharisees had any more light or divinfe
knowledge when they spake the latter sentence,
than when they spake the former ? No, we have no
such intimation. Why then, you will ask, might
not this sin be forgiven as easily or as soon as other
sins ? We still continue to reply negatively and
say, not because this sin is greater or more heinous
than other sins ; this we have a right to say, be-
cause the divine word gives no authority to the
contrary. Furthermore, if the divine forgiveness
133
flow from the infinite fulness of grace in God, the
supposition that some sins are so small that they
can be forgiven, but that others are so great that
they cannot be forgiven, is a flagrant violation of
reason. If some sins are small and others large
c?
as they compare together, it is plain that the small
cannot be infinitely great, and it follows of course
that the largest cannot be infinite if the small bear
any proportion to them. Now if all sin be of the
finite character of the mortal sinner, is it not ab-
surd to pretend that some sins are too great for the
infinite goodness of God to forgive ? The scripture
is plain on this subject. See Isaiah, i. 18. " Come
now, and let us reason together, saith the Lord :
Though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as
white as snow ; though they be red like crimson,
they shall be as wool." The most natural sense
of this text is, that though the sin of the people
were of the deepest dye, they might be washed
away. How then is it proper to explain our text
in a way to contradict this evident testimony? The
forerunner of Jesus said of him ; *' Behold the
Lamb of God that taketh away the sin of the
world." Here is no exception, no reserve. The
beloved disciple says ; " If we confess our sins, he
is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to
cleanse us from all unrighteousness. The blood of
Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin."
In these passages there is mention made of the sin
of the world, of all sin and of all unrighteousness,
and the power of the blessed Son of God is honor-
ed as being sufficient to overcome the whole, with-
out any exception.
If the hearer will be careful enough to attend to
a particular method of argument on this subject,
we will endeavor to prove from the divine oracles
that it is the design of the Saviour to cleanse every
sinner of the human race from all sin, not excepting
the sin against the Holy Ghost. If the hearer say,
134
Hull this argument is off of our subject, and that
what be wishes to know is, why the blasphemy
against the Holy Ghost may not be forgiven, or
why it could not be forgiven as soon as other sins,
lie may be told, that the argument proposed is
thought to be necessary in order to settle the ques-
tion whether the sin against the Holy Ghost is ever
to be forgiven according to the scriptures. If we
find that this sin will eventually be washed away
by the blood of Christ, then our main question
will be to ascertain why it could not be forgiven
" neither in this world, neither in the world to
come."
St. Paul in his 1st Epistle to Timothy lays it
down as an important fact in the great truths of
the gospel, that Jesus, the Mediator between God
and men, had given himself a ransom for all men,
to he testified in due time. To the Ephesians he
Jays it down as an important fact, that Christ loved
the church and gave himself for it. By these two
passages we have it proved that all men constitute
the church of Christ which he hath purchased with
bis own blood. This agrees also with this Apostle's
declaration to the Corinthians ; " I would have you
to know, that the head of every man is Christ."
To -the Hebrews he says, that Jesus, by the grace
<jf God tasted death for every man; and the belov-
ru John said, that he is the propitiation for the
sins of the whole world. Now it is certain, that if
xve can prove any thing from the scriptures, we
have proved, by the quotations made, that the
(i Saviour of the world gave himself a ran-
som for those Pharisees who spoke this blasphemy
against the Holy Ghost, that he tasted death for
them, and that he was the propitiation for their
vius. All this is undeniably proved. We ask in
the next place, why Jesus gave himself for the
rhurcb? The Apostle answers in the place quoted
from. Ephesians as follows ; " That he might sane,-
133
tify and cleanse it with the washing of water by tlie
word ; that he might present it to himself a glori-
ous chgrch, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any
such thing ; but that it should be holy, and with-
out blemish." The argument amounts to this.
Jesus gave himself for his church, he gave himself
a ransom for those pharisees who spake blasphemy
against the Holy Ghost ; they therefore belong to
his church. Jesus gave himself for the church,
that he might sanctify a no! cleanse it by the wash-
ing of water by the word. He therefore gave
himself a ransom for these blasphemous pharisees,
that he might sanctify and cleanse them.
To the Romans St. Paul says ; " As by the of-
fence of one judgment came upon all men to con-
demnation, even so by the righteousness of one
the free gift came upon all men unto justification of
life. 3 ' Then surely by the righteousness of Jesus
Christ, the second Adam, the Lord from heaven,
the free gift had came on those Pharisees who
spake against the Holy Ghost, unto justification
of life. In this same Epistle he says ; " For all
have sinned and come short of the glory of God ;
being justified freely by his grace, through the re-
demption that is in Christ Jesus." Then it is evi-
dent that all who have sinned and come short of
the glory of God are freely justified, through the
redemption of which the Apostle here spake ; and
if so, then those Pharisees, who sinned by blas-
pheming against the Holy Ghost were freely justi-
fied, &c.
What must be done in this case ? Will the ob-
jector say, that the testimony of Christ, that those
who blasphemed against the Holy Ghost should
not be forgiven " neither in this world, neither in
the world to come," plainly disproves all which
St. Paul has said on the subject ? But why have
Ave not equal authority to say, that what has been
quoted from St. Paul disproves what Jesus said to
136
the Pharisees ? What we have quoted from the
Apostle is much more than what Jesus said con-
cerning this blasphemy's not being forgiven. Pardon
this form of expression ; it is designed to bring the
hearer to consider how the testimony of both Jesus
and Paul may be allowed to stand good as the
faithful word of divine truth.
We may now endeavor to give the direct reason
why this blasphemy could not be forgiven as soon
as other sins. If we confine ourselves to the sense
of scripture on this subject we shall find that not
only these Pharisees had a design to answer by
speaking against the spirit by which Jesus cast
out devils, but God himself had also a design to
answer by it, and therefore this sin must remain
unwashed away until the design of our heavenly
Father shall be fully answered. Perhaps some
will say, that the supposition that the divine Being
had any purpose to answer by means of this blas-
phemy is blasphemy itself. But the speaker feels
fully satisfied on this point of doctrine, (viz.) that
no sin can exist a moment longer than it answers
some divine purpose. We may here recollect
what was seen when we treated in our last lecture
on the subject of Joseph and his brethren. Was
it not evidently seen that the partiality of Jacob in
favor of the son of his old age was controlled by
divine wisdom to answer a good purpose ? Was it
not seen that the envy of the sons of Jacob towards
Joseph was overruled for good ? Was it not
seen that the avarice of those wicked men was
made use of by divine Providence to check the
power of anger and to promote a wise, benevolent
object ?
But what object, what purpose of God could
possibly be promoted by such abominable blas-
phemies as this of which we read in our text?
Answer, the blindness of the house of Israel, the
fulfilling of the prophecies concerning Jesus, and
137
the establishment of the gospel in the world on
principles consistent with prophetic testimony.
If the religious Jews had believed that Jesus
wrought all his miracles by the spirit of God they
of course would have received him as thft Messiah.
If they had thus received him they would not have
rejected him, dispised him, nor would they have
put him to death. Then surely the testimony of
the prophets would have proved false, and the
scriptures written by holy men of God moved by
the Holy Ghost could never have gained credit
among the Gentiles.
As the astonishing miracles wrought by the hand
of Jesus were designed by heaven as proper evi-
dence of his Messiahship, the blasphemy of im-
puting these miracles to the power of an evil agent
was the only sin that could prevent the religious
Jews from believing in Christ. That this unbe-
lief of the Jews was necessary for the fulfilment
of the prophecies we are certified by the following
scriptures. St. John, 12. "But though he had
done so many miracles before them, yet they be-
lieved not on him : that the saying of Esaias the
prophet might be fulfilled, which he spake, Lord,
who hath believed our report ? and to whom hath
the arm of the Lord been revealed ? Therefore
they could not believe, because that Esaias said
again, he hath blinded their eyes, and hardened
their heart, that they should not see with their eyes,
nor understand with their heart, and be converted,
and I should heal them.'* Romans, 11. " For as ye
in times past have not believed God, yet have now
obtained mercy through their unbelief; even so
have these also now not believed, that through your
mercy they also may obtain mercy.'* In the pas-
sage quoted from St. John we find it plainly stat-
ed that the unbelief of the Jews was necessary for
the fulfillment of the prophecy of Esaias ; and fur-
thermore it is stated that in consequence f what
18
138
God had done, "they could not believe." By the
passage quoted from Romans we learn the special
utility of the Jews' unbelief; it was that through it
the Gentiles might obtain mercy. As the Jews' unbe-
lief led them to fulfil the prophcies, concerning the
Messiah, so their unbelief presented to the Gentiles
the proper evidence of the divinity of the scriptures
of the prophets, and of the mission of Jesus. Here
then we may say, we have proved that our heaven-
ly Father has plainly revealed in his word, that he
had a divine purpose to answer by means of the
Jews' unbelief, which was to communicate his
grace to the G.entiles. This being granted, or rather
proved, it must follow of course that when this unbe-
lief or blasphemy has effected all which God de-
signed by it, the merciful Father of our spirits will
use means to remove it from the house of Israel ;
and therefore it is said, as quoted from Romans,
11 ; " Even so have these also now not believed, that
through your mercy they also may obtain mercy."
As the unbelief of the Jews was the means of com-
municating mercy to the Gentiles, so in return the
mercy which the Gentiles have by such means ob-
tained will finally be communicated to the Jews.
We read again in this chapter the following : " For
I would not, brethren, that ye should be ignorant
of this mystery, that blindness in part is happen-
ed to Israel, until the fulness of the Gentiles be
come in. Arid so all Israel shall be saved : as it is
written, there shall come out of Sion the deliverer,
and shall turn away ungodliness from Jacob.'*
When the fulness of the Gentiles shall be convert-
ed to Christ, then the blasphemy of the Jews will
have answered the purpose for which God design-
ed it, and then the deliverer of Israel will be sent
out of Sion and will turn away this ungodliness
from Jacob.
The hearer can scarcely avoid seeing that all
these things are made plain by the testimony of
139
divine inspiration ; but many find a very great dif-
culty in submitting to the idea that the divine Be-
ing ever intended to answer any purpose by means
of man's transgression. Yet in the case of Joseph's
brethren, it is fully evident, that God made use of
their wickedness to promote their brother to
great power, and to give him an opportunity of
rewarding them good for their evil towards him.
So, also, the wickedness of the Jews, their hatred
towards the blessed Jesus, and their blasphemy
against the spirit by which his miracles were
wrought all served and still serve to bring the ob-
ject of their envy before the world of the Gentiles
as the glorious Messiah promised in the Jaw and
in the prophets, and to establish the doctrine of
God's everlasting love to sinners on a foundation
that can never be shaken. And to crown the
whole of this divine plan with glory and complete
success, after this wickedness of the Jews shall
have produced the effects before noticed, the
blessed Redeemer, will then, like Joseph, make
himself known unto his brethren the Jews, saying,
as he did to one of them, " I am Jesus of Nazareth
whom thou persecutest." It is worthy of notice
that Joseph's brethren, by means of their hatred to
him, gave a saviour to the land of Egypt and to
many other countries ; and also, that thousands of
Egyptians rejoiced in this most gracious saviour
before his own dear brethren were brought to
know him, or to partake of his bounty. So the
Jews by rejecting their Messiah, gave a glorious
saviour to the Gentiles who rejoice in knowing
him and in feasting on his grace, while the Jews
who gave him to us are weeping, wailing and
gnashing their teeth. But thanks be to God, our
blessed Saviour knows his brethren, his bowels
yearn upon them, he has stores of corn for their
relief, soon will the burst of joy be heard through
all the Gentile church, of Jesus' making himself
140
tnown to his brethren. When the Saviour wept
over Jerusalem, he closed his lamentation with
these memorable words ; " Behold your house is
left unto you desolate. For I say unto you, ye
shall not see me henceforth, till ye shall say, bless-
ed is he thatcoineth in the name of the Lord."
We may now enquire for the meaning of the
following words in our text ; " neither in this world,
neither in the world to come." The word WORLD
means age or dispensation. Jesus spake these
words under the law, during the continuance of
the legal priesthood. " This world" referred to
the then present order of things, and " the world to
come." to the age in which the Gentiles would be
visited with the gospel, and the Jews excluded.
That this is a definition of the word WOLRD which
is according to scripture the hearer may satisfy
himself by attending to the following passages :
In the 24th of Matthew, the disciples of Jesus asked
him when the end of the world was to come ; and
in his reply he represented to them the destruction
of Jerusalem as the end of the world, and told them
it would take place in that generation. St. Paul in
his Epistle to the Hebrews says, of Christ ; "But
now once in the end of the world, hath he ap-
peared, to put away sin by the sacrifice of him-
self." Other passages to the same effect may also
be consulted at the hearer's leisure.
It is true that some who believe that this sin
against, the Holy Ghost will finally be forgiven,
carry its punishment into a future world mean-
ing thereby a future state of existence. But as they,
after all, are under the necessity of understanding
the word WORLD as we have explained it, that is,
to mean a dispensation, it seems unnecessary to
carry this sin into a future state beyond our mor-
tal existence. And more especially does this ap-
pear unnecessary, because all the benefit which it
appears was designed to be effected by the unbe-
141
lief of the Jews, seems evidently to appertain to
this state of being. If it can be made to appear
that God has some good end to answer, by having
this sin, or any other exist in a future world we
shall cordially subscribe to such a belief ; but to
suppose that the Almighty will perpetuate any sin
in a future state only for the sake of tormenting his
dependant offspring is dishonorable to his ever-
blessed and gracious name. The opinion that the
divine Being exercises a disposition of revenge
towards man for sin, as a man who has received an
injury from his neighbor is influenced thereby to
injure him in return, is totally contrary to the re-
ligion of Jesus, and is altogether degrading both
to God and man. The Father of our spirits, al-
ways exercises one invariable disposition towords
all his creatures, this disposition is love. It was
love that moved God to overrule circumstances
so as to send Joseph into Egypt by means of his
brethren's envy, and these brethren were the ob-
jects of this love, and they finally enjoyed its.blessed
fruits. The same love moved our Father in
heaven so to overrule circumstances as to bring
Jesus to the cross by means of the blasphemy
mentioned in our text, and it is evidently the re-
vealed determhiation of God, that the blasphemous
Jews shall richly share of the divine grace which
they have been the means of manifesting to the
world. God is good, and his intentions are good
when he permits the evil passions of man to lead
him into sin ; he is good, and his intentions are all
compassionate and kind when he brings on his
erring children the most severe of his chastisements;
and he is also good in finally producing the pea-
ceable fruits of righteousness in those whom he
causes to feel his rod.
After having presented the hearer with what ap-
pears to be the true design of the text under con-
sideration, it may be profitable to look at the com-
142
mon opinion on the subject and see if it have the
resemblance of the spirit of Christ. The com-
mon opinion of our text is this ; the blasphemy
against the Holy Ghost is a sin too great to ever
be forgiven, and therefore the blasphemer must be
punished in a most awful state of torment eternal-
ly ; or as long as God exists. But let us ask,
why is this sin so great ? Why may it not be for-
given ? Why should the Almighty become un
kind to his children because they have committed
this sin ? Is the Almighty injured by this sin? No,
God cannot be injured by his creatures. Was
Jesus injured as much by this blasphemy as the
common doctrine supposes those will be injured
who committed it ? INo, it is allowed that Jesus
rests in glory in heaven. Then the law that re-
quires an eye for an eye does not require that the
blasphemer should be punished world without end.
But suppose the most awful punishment be inflict-
ed to all eternity on those blasphemers, is this ex-
actly according to the spirit of Jesus, who on the
cross, prayed ; " Father forgive them, for they
know not what they do ?" Jesus commanded his
disciples to love their enemies, to pray for those
that used them spitefully and persecuted them; is
it according to this spirit and disposition, that he
will torment his enemies eternally in the merciless
flames of fire and brimstone ? If it be safe to be-
lieve, that Jesus will always possess and exercise
the same spirit of love and compassion, which so
distinctly marked the character which he exhibit-
ed in the days of his flesh, we certainly have no
more reason to believe that he will consign the
blasphemous Jews to never ending torment, than
we have to believe that every tender, fond mother
in America will at the expiration of a short given
time, commit her tenderest offspring to the flames.
Let those who contend for the common unmerci-
/ul doctrine, to the support of which the text un-
143
der consideration is usually applied, duly consider
the words of Jesus, to those of his disciples, who
manifested a disposition to command fire from
heaven on the inhabitants of a village of Samaria ;
" Ye know not what manner of spirit ye are of;
the Son of man is not come to destroy men's lives,
but to save them."
The enemy of the spirit of God and of truth
will say in reply to the foregoing arguments, if
these things are all so, we may sin with impunity
and blaspheme without fear ; we may hate God,
disregard his commandments, give no heed to the
gospel and abuse the Saviour. Though we hope
that none present are so blind, so hard hearted, so
dead to the spirit of truth as to make these sug-
gestions, yet it may be serviceable to guard
against such insinuations, as we know the opposers
of divine truth are continually making use of them
against the doctrine of divine love. Come then,
and let us reason together on this subject. Are
you willing to step forth boldly and say to the
world, that the more you believe in the goodness
of God, the more you feel disposed to hate and
disobey him ? The more confident you are that the
Saviour is your unchangeable friend, the more
you feel disposed to abuse him ? No, there is nei-
ther male nor female in the world so morally de-
ranged as to talk in this way. How then will the
opposer argue? He, will say that it is his opinion
that the doctrine contended for in this discourse i
of dangerous tendency. But who does it danger-
ously influence ? Certainly ndt the believer of it,
for a belief in the divine goodness tends to fill the
believer with love to God, and love to God is that
alone which can lead us to obey him. Who then
does this doctrine effect so dangerously ? If any,'
it must be the unbeliever, the opposer. Here we
must allow the argument, in a sense, for the
preaching of Jesus himself tended to enrage hii
enemies, his miracles of mercy tended to ope*
114
their mouths in blasphemy. But would it hare
been better not to preach the truth because it
sturred up the opposition ? Would it have been
better not to cast out devils because if he cast them
out the Pharisees would blaspheme and say, that
" this fellow doth not cast out devils but by Beelze-
bub, the prince of the devils ?"
The opposer will say, perhaps, that he means
this ; if we believe in so much goodness it will tend
to make us worse. But this is absurd ; for eve-
ry thing tends to its own, goodness to goodness,
evil to evil, love to love, hatred to hatred, harmo-
ny to harmony, discord to discord, friendship to
friendship, enmity to enmity.
But says the objector, according to this doctrine
there is no punishment for sin, no, not even for this
awful blasphemy. Here again is a mistake. For
nearly eighteen hundred years the Jews, the de-
scendants of him to whom the promise of the gospel
was made, have wandered in " outer darkness,"
in consequence of this blasphemy, and how much
longer they will continue in this unhappy situation
none but our merciful Father in heaven knows.
But the objector will say that these arguments do
not suppose that the Pharisees who blasphemed in
the days of Jesus on earth are now burning in fire
and brimstone for that sin in the immortal world.
No, we see no evidence of this. If people are pos-
sessed with devils in the eternal world, and if Jesus
cast out devils in that world, and these old Pha-
risees there in that world believe and say that he
casts out devils by Beelzebub the prince of the
devils, then it is granted, that in the eternal world
they must be punished for such unreasonable folly.
But, my brethren, let us learn wisdom by the en-
samples furnished in the word of God, and remem-
ber that now is the accepted time, now is the day
of salvation ; and that none hut the willing and obe-
dient eat the good of the land.
No. 10. V
LECTURE SERMON,
DELIVERED AT THE
SECOND UNIVERSALIST MEETING, IN BOSTON,
DECEMBER 6, 1818.
BY HOSEA BALLOU, PASTOR.
Published Semi-Monthly by Henry Bowen, Devonshire-street.
ROMANS, xi. 7.
u Wli&t then ? Israel hath not obtained tkat which he tctkethfor ; but
the election hath obtained it y and the rest were blinded."
THE design in view which has led to the choice
of this portion of divine truth, as a subject of our
present lecture, is to investigate the scripture doc-
trine of election, to show the strict sovereignty of
God in electing some and blinding others, the
righteousness of God in the exercise of his sover-
eignty, and to disprove the common doctrine of
election which supposes, that our heavenly Father,
from eternity, elected some to everlasting life, and
predestinated others to a state of endless misery.
Our subject is one in which every Christian must
feel deeply interested, as it essentially concerns the
divine character, his revealed will concerning the
final state of mankind, together with the ultimate
object of the gospel of Jesus Christ. It is there-
fore hoped that due attention and impartial can-
dor will contribute to their utmost to a correct un-
derstanding of the weighty subject under consid-
ertion.
19
146
By "the election" in our text the Apostle
means a remnant of the house of Israel, who had
obtained what the whole had sought for, but of
which the greatest part had come short, being
blinded. In the preceding chapters the Author
had spoken of the failure of the house of Israel in
their endeavors to attain to the law of righteous-
ness, and of the more favorable condition of the
Gentiles, who though they did not follow after
righteousness, yet had " attained to righteous-
ness, even the righteousness which is of faith." To
the Gentiles he applies a prophecy of Esaiasas fol-
lows ; " I was found of them that sought me not ;I
was made manifest to them that asked not after me."
But concerning the house of Israel he uses the fol-
lowing words : " But to Israel he saith, all day
Jong, I have stretched forth my hands unto a diso-
bedient and gain saying people." In the commence-
ment of this chapter his attention seems to be
directed to make it appear that, notwithstanding
all which he had said, God had by no means, cast
, away the whole of his people, the Jews. The
following is his reasoning on the jubject : " I say
then, ham God cast away his people ? God forbid.
For I also am an Israelite, of the seed of Abraham,
of the tribe Benjamin. God hath not cast away
his people which he foreknew. Wot ye not what
the scripture saith of Elias, how he maketh inter-
cession to God against Isreal, saying, Lord, they
have killed thy prophets, and digged down thine
altars ; and I am left alone and they seek my life ?
But what saith the answer of God unto him ? I
have reserved to myself seven thousand men, who
have not bowed the knee to the image of Baal.
Even so then, at this present time also there is a
remnant according to the election of grace." That
is, as in the days of Elijah it pleased God to re-
serve seven thousand of. the Israelites to be
true worshippers of himself, while the rest bow-
147
ed the knee to Baal, so now, while the general
mass of the stock of Abraham are blinded, have
stumbled at the stumbling stone laid in Sion, and
are broken off through unbelief, there is a rem-
nan* stilJ preserved, who have escaped the gen-
eral calamity, and have by grace obtained what
the others sought for but found not ; of this rem-
nant, the Apostle reckons himself as one.
The hearer is now called on to direct his atten-
tion to understand, that this election was not made
with the least reference to the works of the chosen.
This the Aapostle is careful to notice in a most
plain and positive manner. See his observation
in the 6lh verse. " And if by grace, then it is no
more of works ; otherwise grace is no more grace.
But if it be of works, then is it no more grace ; other
wise work is no more work." This argument sup-
poses that if this election had been according to
works grace would have been entirely excluded ;
but as it was by grace, works were excluded. In
the 9th chapter the author in describing the sover-
eignty of God in the election of Jacob in preference
to Esau, says ; " For the children being not yet
born ; neither having done any good or evil, that
the purpose of God, according to election might
stand, not of works, but of him that calleth." And
in further arguing on this subject he adds; " For
he saith to Moses, I will have mercy, on whom I
will have mercy, and I will have compassion on
whom I will have compassion. So then it is not of
him that willeth, nor of him that runneth, but of
God that sheweth mercy. For the scriptures
saith unto Pharoah, even for this same purpose
have I raised thee up, that I might shew my
power in thee, and that my name might be
declared throughout all the earth. Therefore
hath he mercy on whom he will have mercy, and
whom he will" he hardeneth." To confirm this di-
vine sovereignty still further the inspired Apostle
adds the following significant query ; Hath not
the potter power over the clay, of the same lump
to make one vessel unto honor, and another unto
dishonor? What if God, willing to shew his wrath,
and to make his power known, endured with much
long suffering the vessels of wrath fitted to dis-
truction ; and that he might make known the
riches of his glory on the vessels of mercy, which
he had afore prepared unto glory, even us, whom
he hath called, not of the Jews only, but also of
the Gentiles ?"
Not only does the Apostle labour to show that
the remnant of the house of Israel, which he calls
the election, were elected according to the strict
sovereignty of God, and called by the riches of
sovereign grace, and made vessels of mercy ac-
cording to the same unconditional grace of God,
but he also directs his argument to prove that the
blindness of the Jews in general, their hardness of
heart &c. was effected also by the sovereign will
and pleasure of God, " According as it is written,
God hath given them the spirit of slumber, eyes
that they should not see, and ears that they should
not hear. And David saith, let their table be
made a snare, and a trap, and a stumblingblock,
and a recompence unto them : let their eyes be
darkened, that they may not see, and bow down
their back alway." On the same subject we read
Sn the prophecy of Isaiah as follows ; "And he
said, go, and tell this people, hear ye indeed, but
understand not ; and see ye indeed, but perceive
not. Make the heart of this people fat, and make
their ears heavy, and shut their eyes ; lest they
see with their eyes, and hear with their ears,
and understand with their heart, and convert
and be healed." And that this work of harden-
ing and blinding the house of Israel was effectu-
ally done we have the assurance in the 12th
chapter of the gospel of St. John : " But though
149
he had done so many miracles before them, yet
they believed not on him : that the saying of Esai-
as the prophet might be fulfilled, which he spake,
Lord, who hath believed our report ? and to whom
hath the arm of the Lord been revealed ? There-
fore they could not believe, because that Esaias
said again, he hath blinded their eyes, and harden-
ed their heart, that they should not see with their
eyes, nor understand with their heart, and be con-
verted, and I should heal them. These things
said Esaias when he saw his glory and spake of
him." In this passage it is stated that " they could
not believe.'' It is therefore evident that they were
effectually blinded, and to all intents hardened so
*
that to believe in Jesus was not in their power. It
appears furthermore, that the Saviour himself re-
garded this blindness of the Jews with peculiar cau-
tion, and delivered his doctrine in parables on pur-
pose that they might not understand. Of this we
are informed in Matthew 13th "And the disciples
came, and said unto him, Why speakest thou unto
them in parables? He answered and said unto
them, because it is given unto you to know the mys-
teries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it is
not given." And because God saw fit to hide the
things of the kingdom of his grace from the Jews,
Jesus expressed his thanks to the Father as record-
ed in Matthew 1 1th " At thaUime Jesus answered
and said, I thank thee, O Father, Lord of heaven
and earth, because thou hast hid these things from
the wise and prudent, and hast revealed them unto
babes. Even so, Father; for so it seemed good in
thy sight." The reason here given why the Father
had hidden these things from the Jews, was that it
seemed good in his sight so to do,
Let us attend, in the next place, to see if we can
learn from the divine testimony, the special GOOD
which was brought about by the exercise of the
divine sovereignty in the instances which have been
150
noticed. This is a subject of vast concern, for the
sentiment we embrace respecting it directly af-
fects the moral character of the divine Being : If
we consent to the opinion, that the elections which
we have noticed are elected unto eternal life, to
enjoy endless felicity, while those who are not of
the elect are predestinated to everlasting destruc-
tion in the future, eternal world, we thereby charge
God with partiality ; and it is utterly in vain to
attempt to clear the divine Being of this partiality
while we admit such a sentiment. It is true, our
Christian doctors have contended, that some were
elected from all eternity unto eternal life, and the
rest of mankind were reprobated to endless misery
for the glory of God ; and they are therefore un-
willing to allow that there is any partiality in God
in thus disposing of his creatures for his own glory.
But if we allow ourselves to be more particular on
this subject, is it not evident according to this sen-
timent that the glory of God requires him to be
good and merciful to some men, but utterly unmer-
ciful to others? As this must be granted, it fol-
lows of necessary consequence, that the glory of
God requires him to be partial. Nor does it alter
the case in the least to say, that the greatest possi-
ble good of the whole, requires the endless misery
of some ; for this amounts to the same thing, viz.
the greatest possible good of the whole consists in
partial goodness, which is an absurdity. If we are
able to find out what it is that the righteousness of
God, according to the purpose of election, con-
sists in, it must be something that accords with our
views of moral righteousness; for nothing can be
more evident than that we can see no righteous-
ness in that which is contrary to all our sense of
right. For instance, should an earthly parent choose
three children out of nine to partake of all the fa-
vors which he could possibly bestow from his am-
ple wealth, and destine the remaining six to
151
most severe wretchedness that could possibly be
endured, and all this should be directed by the
sovereign will of the parent without any regard to
the conduct of the children, we should be under
the necessity of pronouncing this conduct partial
and unrighteous. If this parent should inform us,
that he did this for the promotion of his glory as a
parent, it would answer no purpose, as to giving
the least satisfaction that his conduct was right.
Or if he should inform us that he acted, in all this,
for the good of the whole, and that the greatest
good of the whole required the utter ruin and de-
struction of two thirds ; this would reflect no light
on the subject. But if the parent of nine children
had a piece of work to perform which was indis-
pensable for the richest benefit of all his offspring,
and that in order to effect this object it was neces-
sary for some, two* or three, to know certain things
relative to his plan, and equally necessary for the
rest to be ignorant of those things which were re-
vealed to the few, there is no difficulty in seeing
the impartiality of the parent in making known to
certain individuals what he carefully kept from the
rest. And even should he use means to blind his
children in this case it would be perfectly consist-
ent with his grand object, and consistent with im-
partial goodness.
Christian hearer, suppose yourself one of the
children, who was enlightened into the mysteries of
this scheme which was wisely planned for the best
good of yourself and of the whole family ; suppose
too that you sincerely loved all your family, and
could clearly see how all were to be benefitted by
the blindness, or ignorance of those who were un-
enlightened, would it not be perfectly natural for
you to thank your father for hiding those myste-
ries from them, and revealing them to you ? With
these enlightened views, and in the exercise of impar-
tial love towards those wb<? were ha darkness shorild
152
you not be willing to suffer any reproach from
them which, on account of their necessary ignorance,
they might heap upon you ? And would you not
esteem the knowledge of the truth for which you
might sillier sufficient to coutervail all your suf-
ferings ? Sometimes would you not feel such ar-
dent desires towards your deceived brethren as
would lead you to wish yourself in their ignorance,
if thereby they might be permitted to see what
you were blessed with seeing, and hear that which
you rejoiced to hear ?
Dearly beloved hearer, your humble servant
feels perfectly satisfied that this is the true spirit and
light of the wisdom of God ; he enjoys a full per-
suation that the elections of God recorded in the
scriptures are all established on this eternal princi-
ple of impartial goodness, and that every elected,
enlightened child of God is exercised with this
spirit of love and pity for those who are in unbe-
lief.
That those, of whom the Apostle spake in
our text as not obtaining what they sought for, but
were blinded, were the subjects of the divine
favor, that their blindness was necessary for the
benefit of the world, and that they were designed,
in the wisdom of God, to be partakers of the bene-
fits arising to the world from their blindness and
fall, the Apostle fully proves in the chapter where
our text is written, as we shall now proceed to
show.
Let us notice the text and what follows ; " What
then ? Israel hath not obtained that which he
seeketh for ; but the election hath obtained it, and
the rest were blinded (according as it is writteo,
God hath given them the spirit of slumber, eyes
that they should not see, and ears that they should
not hear) unto this day. And David saith, let
their table be made a snare, and a trap, and a
stumblingblock, and a recompence unto them : let
153
their eyes be darkened, that they may not see, and
bow down their back alway." Here let us pause
Here let us ask, does divine revelation close thii
subject in this place ? Does it afford no hope that
these blinded, fallen sons of Israel, who stumbled
at the sturnbling-stone laid in Zion will finally be
received to favor? Are the inexorable doors of
eternal mercy shut against them by an unalterable
decree of the God of their fathers ? If all this
were true, then would the doctrine of election
and reprobation, as has been held in the Christian
church for ages be true also; but hark! What
does the inspired apostle say further on this sub-
ject and concerning them who were blinded and
had stumbled? "I say then, have they stumbled
that they should fall ? God forbid : but rather
through their fall salvation is come unto the Gen-
tiles, for to provoke them to jealousy. Now, if the
fall of them, be the riches of the world, and the
diminishing of them, the riches of the Gentiles ;
how much more their fulness ? For if the cast-
ing away of them be the reconciling of the
world, what shall the receiving of them be but
life from the dead. For if thou wert cut out
of the olive-tree, which is wild by nature, and
wert grafted contrary to nature into a good olive-
tree, how much more shall they, which be the na-
tural branches be grafted into their own olive-
tree ? For I would not brethren, that ye should
be ignorant of this mystery (lest ye should be
wise in your own conceit,) that blindness in part
is happened to Israel, until the fulness of the
Gentiles be come in. And so all Israel shall be
saved ; as it is written, there shall come out of Sion
the deliverer, and shall turn away ungodliness from
Jacob. For this is my covenant unto them, when
I shall take away their sins. As concerning the
gospel, they are enemies for your sakes : but jw
2t>
154
touching the election, they are beloved for the
fathers' sake. For the gifts and calling of God.,
are without repentance. For as ye in times past,
have not believed God, yet have now obtained
mercy through their unbelief; even so have these
also now not belived, that through your mercy
they also may obtain mercy. For God hath con-
cluded them all in unbelief, that he might have
mercy upon all !" On such luminous testimony
as this, comment is needless. With less blindness
than that which happened to Israel, no one can a-
void seeing that it was the design of the inspired
author to prove that the Jews' blindness was ad-
vantageous to the gentile world, and that they
would eventually be the happy partakers of that
grace which was revealed to the Gentiles by means
of their blindness. The hearer will carefully ob-
serve the connection between this subject and the
one treated of in our last lecture, and examine the
whole of this chapter on the momentous subject
of this inquiry by which he may see the glorious
liijht which caused the Appostle (o exclaim ; " O
the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and the
knowledge of God! How unsearchable are his
judgments, and his ways past tinding out !"
By the Calvimstic doctrine of election w^ have
been taught to believe, that the remnant according
to the election of grace, of which the Apostle
speaks in our context, " the election" of which he
speaks in our text were all that were the beloved
objects of divine mercy, of the whole house of Is-
rael; and that they who were blinded, were pre-
destinated from eternity to endless darkness and
misery. But by the evident sense of the divine
testimony on this subject we have ample evidence
to believe, what has been so fully proved, that " all
Israel shall be saved." Those blinded Jews were
the objects of the Saviours grace as much as those
155
who were chosen to receive and preserve thfe
knowledge of him. They were those of the fam-
ily, who, it was necessary should be ignorant of the
truth which was revealed to others of the same
family for the benefit of all. Our blessed Saviour
manifested towards those blinded Jews, the most
tender, affectionate regard. His pity for them
melted him into tears, he wept over them with as
much tenderness as Joseph wept over his breth-
ren.
St. Paul wai one of the family who was for some-
time blinded ; during which time he was active in
assisting his brethren who also were blind, in pro-
secuting their persecutions against the enlightened
disciples of Jesus. He was afterward himself,
brought toknow. the truth, to understand the mys-
tery of the wisdom and goodness of God in blind-
ing the Jews, and he ever seemed to be exercised
with a spirit and disposition of compassion for his
brethren according to the flesh.
In the beginning of the 10th chapter of this epis-
tlfe he expresses himself as follows ; " Brethren, my
hearts desire and prayer to God for Israel is, that
they might be saved." In the beginning of the
9th chapter he has the following indication of most
fervent benevolence ; " I say the truth in Christ, I
lie not, my conscience also bearing me witness in
the Holy Ghost, that I have great heaviness and
continual sorrow of heart. For I could wish that
myself were accursed, from Christ, for my breth-
ren, my kinsmen according to the flesh." Chris-
tian hearer, when you were asked, on supposition
you were one of the family that was enlightend in
certain matters concerning which your brethren
were in the dark, if you might not feel willing to
exchange circumstances with the unenlightened,
did you not feel an assent to the question? And
does it not seem that this was the exact case of tl*e
156
Apostle? He knew that he was chosen of God,
enlightened by the Saviour, made a vessel of mer-
cy, and ordained to the work of the ministry for
no good that he had done. It was not possible,
therefore, that with all this knowledge, he could
feel unmerciful towards his brethren, who remain-
ed exactly in the situation from which the grace
of God had taken him. It was therefore, with un-
speakable satisfaction, that he anticipated the hap-
py ever.t of the turning away of ungodliness from
Jacob, and the salvation of all Israel.
Brethren, though a regret is felt that better jus-
tice has not heen done to the weighty subject un-
der consideration, yet a hope is entertained that
you clearly see, that the blindness of those Jews
who were not of the elect spoken of in our text,
was designed for the benefit of the Gentile world ;
and that when their blindness shall have effected
all for which it was designed in the wisdom of God,
it will be removed, and the blinded will be saved
in Sions deliverer. And furthermore, that the
elected ones were chosen, not for their benefit
alone, but for the good likewise of those who \\uie
not elected.
\Ve may now look for a moment, and see if this
doctrine of election agree with the scriptures gen-
erally and \vith reason. The doctrine of election
according to the views we have taken of it, sup-
poses that those who arc elected, are elected for the
benefit of those who are not elected. The prophet
Isaiah in the 42d chapter speaks of an elect of
God as follows ; " Behold my servant, whom ]
uphold ; mine elect, in whom my soul delighteth :
I have put my Spirit upon him ; he shall bring forth
judgment to the Gentiles.- 1 the Lord have
called thee in righteousness, and will hold thine
hand, and will keep thee, and give thee for a cove-
|iant of the people for a light of the Gentiles ; to
open the blind eyes, to bring out the prisoners
from the prison, and them that sit in darkness out
of the prison-house." This elect of God is the
Lord Jesus, the Saviour of the world, of whom the
Apostle John says ; " we have seen and do testify
that the Father sent the Son to be the Saviour of
the world." This elect of God is the One Media-
tor between God and men, the man Christ Jesus,
who gave himself a ransom for all to be testified in
due time." Thus it is evident that this elect was
designed for the benefit of the whole world.
The Saviour also himself had an elect. He
chose his Apostles and ordained them to preach
his grace and salvation to the whole world. "'Go,
ye, into all the world and preach the gospel to
every creature." This elect therefore, was for the
benefit of the whole world.
Being one of the elect, and having received a
dispensation of the gospel of reconciliation, St.
Paul said to the Romans, " I am a debtor both to
the Greeks and to the Barbarians, both to the wise
and to the unwise." Here we see that what the
world lacked, the Apostles of Jesus had for it, what
the wise and the unwise lacked St. Paul had for
them. The Apostles were not chosen to be the
exclusive partakers of the grace which they re-
ceived, but were commanded by the divine Master
to bestow as freely on others, as they had received.
It seems a fair conclusion from the facts noticed,
that the grace of God which is specially communi-
cated to his elect is ultimately designed as much
for those who are not elected as for those who are.
This doctrine is perfectly consistant with the
dictates of reason and is analogous with the pru-
dent management of civil community.
In all societies a few are elected for the benefit
of the whole. They are never chosen to monopo-
lism all the blessing of society to themselves, but to
158
make as equal a distribution of burdens and favors^
df expenses and profits as possible. Look at the
elected officers of the town ; they see for the
blind, thfy hear for the deaf, they walk for the
fame, they have wealth for the poor, they provide
for those who cannot provide for themselves. No-
tice every officer in the general government of
our country, up to the presidency ; men are elect-
ed to fill all these places, not for their exclusive
benefit, but for the good of the whole union.
Let us ask, where in the vast creation, did the
wisdom of this world find the Calvinistic doctrine
f election and reprobation ? Does the sun shine
to light himself alone ? Are his fervid beams de
signed to warm his own bosom only ? And in the
mild rays of the queen of night does she alone re-
joice ? Do winds blow to refresh themselves? Are
rivers designed for their own benefit ? What ele-
ment, what vegetable, what animal exists for itself
only ?
" All are but parts of one stupendous whole,
Whose body nature is, and God the soul."
To conclude. Let us duly notice the moral teri-
dancy of divine truth, as seen in the subject un-
der consideration. God is good to all, his tender
mercies arc over all his works. This truth de-
ritandsof every rational being the-^xeicise of that
diffusive benevolence which embraces the whole
creation. Those whom God chooses to enlighten by
his grace, while others are blinded, are appointed
to administer the riches of the manifold wisdom
uid goodness of God to such as luck the knowledge
df his ways. The spirit of Christ is love to ene-
mies, his grace is the salvation of sinners ; if
therefore, we partake of his spirit and enjoy his
^race, we shall be led thereby to love our enemies
and to administer saving grace to those who walk
insi. hit tioi a fart that limited vievVs of the
159
goodness of God have limited the charity of those
\vho had them ? and have not those opinions, which
maintain that the Father of our spirits will exe-
cute unspeakable vengeance on a large proportion
of the human family eternally effectually hardened
the hearts of those who have been led by them,
and rendered them in too many instances, unrea-
sonable enthusiasts and violent persecutors of those
who have not conformed to their superstitions ?
Not only does the impartial grace which we
have seen in the doctrine of election lead us to love
all men, and to do good to all men, but it shews
us that we are no better than those who are blind
respecting this diving and glorious system of truth.
This doctrine naturally leads the believer to
pity the blindness of those who do not see ; but it
gives the consoling anticipation of the final recon-
ciliation of all things through Jesus Christ our
Lord. It fills the heart with gratitude to God.
who so wisely planned and so graciously designed
the blindness of the house of Israel, that thereby
salvation might come unto the Gentiles ; and has
so ordained in his impartial goodness, that the
blinded .lews shall eventually obtain the mercy
now enjoyed by the Gentiles. Thus of the twain,
the wisdom of God makes one new man, so mak-
ing peace. Therefore we read ; " Rejoice ye
Gentiles with his people. And again, praise the
Lord, all ye Gentiles ; and laud him all ye people/'
No. 11.
LECTURE SERMON,
DELIVERED AT THE
SfeCOND UNIVERSALIST MEETING, IN BOSTON,
DECEMBER 20, 1818.
BY HOSEA BALLOU, PASTOR*
Published Semi-Monthly by Henry Bowen, Devonshire-street,
II. CORINTHIANS, v. 18, 19, 20.
Vl Jlnd all things are of God, who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesut
Christ, and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation ; to wit,
that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not im-
puting their trepasses unto them ; and hath committed unto us the word
of reconciliation. Now then, we are ambassadors for Christ, as
though God did btseech you by us : we pray you in Christ" 1 * stead, be yc
reconciled to God."
IT is a peculiar and distinguishing characteristic
of the gospel dispensation, that it exhibits a new
order of things, brings the glad tidings of better
things than were before understood, sheds a clearer
light on mental vision than was before enjoyed,
makes a brighter manifestation of the gracious de-
signs of the wisdom of God than was made by the
legal dispensation, and creates new views, new de*
sires, and new affections of heart. Thegospel of God
our Saviour, contemplates the world of mankind as
being in a state of death, from which state its divine
efficacies were designed to quicken man into new-
ness of life by the spirit of truth. These sugges-
tions seem to be embraced by the Apostle in our
context where he says ; " The love of Christ com-
21
162
siraineth us, because we thus judge, that if one
died for all, then were all dead : and that he died
for all, that they which live should not henceforth
live unto themselves, but unto him which died for
them, and rose again. Wherefore, henceforth
know we no man after the flesh ; yea, though we
have known Christ after the flesh, yet now hence-
forth know we him no more. Therefore, if any
man be in Christ, he is a new creature : old things
are passed away; behold, all thing are become
new."
Applied to the Jewish converts, these words of
the Apostle are designed to notice the passing
away of the legal dispensation with all its rites
and the introduction of the bitter covenant and
more excellent ministry of the gospel ; and as they
apply to Gentile believers they regard the total over-
throw of all the idols and idol worship among the
heathen, and their reformation to the knowledge,
laws and ordinances of the gospel of Christ.
To these new things the Apostle alludes in our
text and says ; " all things are of God, who hath
reconciled us unto himself," &c.
The first particular subject of our text is what is
embraced in the reconciliation of the ambassadors
of Christ to God. Concerning this subject the
Apostle's testimony makes the following things
evident. 1st. That they had been in a state of
unreconciliation. 2d. That the whole process,
from the beginning to the end of the work of their
reconciliation was of God. 3d. That this work
was effected by Jesus Christ. Perhaps no man was
ever more unreconciled to God, to Christ, or to
the gospel than the author of our text had
been ; and it was well known to him that he was
not the author of those means by which he be-
came reconciled. He well knew that the knowledge
of JesuSj in the excellency of which he afterward
163
so much rejoiced, was by no means the object of
his enquiry or persuit at the time and on the oc-
casion to which he refers when giving an account
of his miraculous convertion to Christianity. He
often adverted to his views, his designs, and to his
conduct while opposed to the gospel, but in no
instance did he give any intimation that he obtain-
ed the grace of the Saviour in consequence of his
own faithful exertions. Similar remarks may
justly be made respecting the Apostles who were
chosen by our divine Redeemer during his per-
sonal ministry. Some he called from a lucrative
office under the Roman government, others from
the laborious employment of fishermen ; but it is
evident that the Saviour made his own selections
without regard to. the wisdom or will of his chosen,
for he informed them as follows; " Ye have not
chosen me, but I have chosen you, and ordained
you, that you should go and bring forth fruit."
Indeed there is an evident absurdity in the sup-
position that God reconciles any to himself on ac-
count of their good works, for those who are obe-
dient unto righteousness are not unreconciled to
God. For want of making proper distinctions be-
tween causes and effects, many well meaning and
pious people have maintained that the divine favour
is to be obtained by the penitence, faith and good
works of men, not discerning clearly, that repent-
ance, faith, and good works are the effects and not
the causes of the favour of God. Let us here in-
dulge a simile. A number of children, at that age
when passions and fancy are vastly more powerful
than reason and solkl judgement, leave the paternal
mansion disgusted at the rules of prudence, indus-
try and economy established in the domestic
circle, in quest of fancied pleasures in the
indulgence of those passions which grow rest-
less under restraint. The race is short ; they
164
soon fall into wretchedness and want, but do not
yet understand their errors. To save them from
this sad condition the still affectionate father un-
dertakes to make such communications to them as
may convince them of the propriety of his laws,
the indispensible nececessity of his prudence and
economy for the good of his family, and to recon-
cile them to himself. The means which the father
uses for the purpose mentioned are so wisely plann-
ed and so well executed that they eventuate in
effecting the deserved object. The children be-
come convinced of the excellency of those laws
and regulations at which they were so much of-
fended, they see the madness and folly of their
wicked indulgences, sorrow of heart and sincere
repentance are effectually wrought in them, and
they finally return to their gracious parent and de-
vote themselves to his service, which is now no
longer grievous, but joyous. Would it be at all
reasonable for these reformed children to believe
that their repentance and return to their parent
were means which obtained the love and good will
of their father ? Surely it would be most unrea-
sonable, for it is evident that the children's repent-
ance and return were the effects and not the causes
of the parental kindness. In the enjoyment of all
the blessings of their father's house, and with a
clear understanding concerning all these circum-
stances, might they not say with great propiety,
All things are of our wise and most merciful Father,
who hath reconciled us unto himself ?
Let us, in the next place, lend our attention to
the consideration of these words in our text ; " and
hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation. 5 '
By these words we learn that the same ministry, by
which the ambassadors of Christ were reconciled
to God, was given to them for the purpose of re-
conciling others ; by which the following facts are
J65
clearly suggested. 1st. That mankind at large, to
whom the Apostles were directed to preach the
gospel, was in the same state of unreconciliation
in which these ambassadors of Christ had been, and
from which the ministry of divine grace had re-
claimed them. 2d. That the same divine favour, by
which these ambassadors were reconciled to God, is
treasured up in the gospel ministry for those who
remain unreconciled ; and 3d. That the ambassa-
dors of Christ have nothing to administer to the
unbelieving and unreconciled but such as has been
administered to them, by which they became recon-
ciled to God. These facts are evidently embrac-
ed in this part of our subject and deserve a care-
ful attention. By losing sight of these things,
the minister of the word is exposed to corrrupt it,
and in room of administering the pure gospel of
reconciliation, as it has been communicated, to him-
self, he may immagine himself authorised to deal
with others in a very different manner from that
in which the divine favour was administered to him.
Without any design to trouble the feelings of
those who entertain sentiments differing from our
own, but with a humble desire to reflect light on
our subject, let us ask if we have any information
which authorises us to believe that St. Paul was
threatened with the everlasting vengeance of an in-
senced vindictive wrath unless he repented of his
sins and believed in the Lord Jesus? It is true the
same question may with equal propriety be asked
concerning all the Apostles, but the single case of
St. Paul, who was the author of the scripture un-
der consideration, is sufficient to try the question,
and place the subject in a clear light. The ac-
count recorded in the 26th of Acts, which was
solemnly given in by the Apostle himself, before
king Agrippa is so very important in itself, and so
essential to the present query that the hearer will
166
listen with attention to what may be recited from it.
After having given a particular relation of his past
life in the Jews' religion, his full persuasion that he
aught to do many things contrary to the name of
Jesus, and that he actually did those things shutting
up the saints in prison and giving his voice against
them when they were put to death, punishing them
oft in every Synagogue and compelling them to blas-
pheme, &c. he proceeds as follows ; " Whereupon,
I went to Damascus with authority and commission
from the chief priests, at mid-day, O king, I saw in
the way a light from heaven, about the brightness
of the sun, shining round about me, and them that
journied with me. And when we were all fallen to
the earth, 1 heard a voice speaking unto me, and
saying, in the Hebrew tongue, Saul, Saul, why
persecutest thou me ? It is hard for thee to kick
against the pricks. A nd I said, who art thou, Lord ?
And he said, I am Jesus, whom thou persecutest.
But arise, and stand upon thy feet : for I have ap-
peared unto thee for this purpose, to make thee
a minister and a witness, both of these things
which thou hast seen, and of those things in the
which I will appear unto thee ; delivering thee
from the people and from the Gentiles, unto whom
now I send thee, to open their eyes, and to turn
them from darkness to light, and from the power
of Satan unto God, that they may receive forgive-
ness of sins, and inheritance among them which
are sanctified by faith that is in me." In this most
solemn and interesting account is there the least
intimation of the threatening vengeance noticed in
our query ? Surely there is not. Indeed there ap-
pears, to have been no conditions stated in the
case. Jesus said to Saul ; " I have appeared unto
thee for this purpose, to make thee a minister and a
witness," &c. Jesus did not appear to this persecu-
1or to propose what are now called terms of grace
167
and conditions of salvation, but to make him a min-
ister and a witness. And as there were no threat-
nings nor conditions in the ministration by which
Saul was converted to Christianity and made a min-
ster of the same ministry of reconciliation, so he was
not directed to go to the Gentiles with threatenings
arid conditions, but he was sent to them to open
their eyes and to turn them from darkness to light,
and from the power of satan unto God." Jesus
opened Saul's eyes turned him from darkness to
light, and from the power of satan unto God, that
he might receive the forgiveness of sins, and inheri-
tance among them who are sanctified; and he sent
him to the Gentiles to work the same on them.
Tnat the Apostles might be duly furnished with
the true ministry of reconciliation ; the WORD of
reconciliation was committed to them as designat-
ed in our text, as follows ; " That God was in
Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not im-
puting their trespasses unto them." This word
and ministry of reconciliation does not impute
men's trespasses to them, but exercises the means
of reconciliation on them.
That this subject may be understood according
to its evangelical principles the following particu-
lars, which are implied in the words under consid-
eration may be noticed. 1st. God ia not unrecon-
ciled to sinners and therefore needs not to be re-
conciled to them. 2d. Sinners are unreconciled
to God, and therefore he has designed to reconcile
them to himself by means of the gospel ministry ;
and 3d. The ministry of the gospel comes with
all the means necessary to reconcile sinners t
God.
The opinion that our heavenly Father became
inimical to man in consequence of his sin is not on-
ly in direct opposition to the sentiment of our text,
tout is also repugnant to the essential character of
the divine Being. How is it possible to maintain
that God is unchangeable, the same yesterday to
day and forever, and yet suppose that his disposi-
tion towards his creatures is changed by their con-
duct ? Again, it denies the infinite knowledge of
God to suppose that he became unfriendly to us by
reason of our sin; for if he knew before he made
us that we should fall into temptation and become
sinful, he had all the reason to be our enemy then
that lie has had since. Moreover it denies the
divine goodness to allow that he made a being
when he knew that the work of his own hands
would incur his divine displeasure. Indeed, the
supposition that our Father in heaven became our
enemy in consequence of our sin, makes him to
violate the grand principle, which more than any
other, distinctly marks out the law of righteousness
expressed by the Saviour as follows; " I say unto
you, love your enemies, bless them that curse you,
do good to them that hate you> and pray for them
which dispitefully use you, and persecute you ;
that ye may be the children of your Father which
is in heaven ; for he maketh his sun to rise on the
evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just
and the unjust." As the divine Teacher, in the
passage here recited, notices the divine Being in
the character of a Father, it may be proper to ob-
serve in this place that it is inconsislant with the
character of an earthly father to become an enemy
to his offspring because his child is disobedient*
and surely it would be much more repugnant to
the character of our heavenly Father to become
unfriendly lo us for our faults.
The hearer is cautioned against construing this
reasoning into a supposition, that our heavenly
Father will not chastise his children for disobe-
dience, for chastisement is the sure pledge of the
father's love and faithfulness.
169
It may contribute to make our subject still
plainer, if we enquire for the possible means where-
by the di\ 7 ine Creator could be reconciled to man-
kind, if he were once our enemy. Will it be said, that
what his Holy Child Jesus has done in our world
was designed by his Father to reconcile him to the
world ? Truly, this has been believed, but it is in
direct opposition to the testimony of Jesus, who
said ; " God so loved the world, that he gave his
only begotten Son, that whosoever belie veth in
him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
For God sent not his Son into the world to con-
demn the world ; but that the world through him
might be saved." If God sent his Son into the
world because he loved it, he certainly did not send
him into the world to reconcile himself to those
whom he loved. It is a thing at which reason
marvels, that learned men should ever have been so
absurd as to suppose, that God could use means to
reconcile himself to his creatures, and that the suf-
ferings of Jesus were designed for this purpose ;
for if God loved us he was not unreconciled to us ;
and if he did not love us, but was an enemy to us,
he would have done nothing for our good.
Contrary to these notions of reconciling God to
men, the ministry of the gospel is designed to re-
concile men to God, by which ministry the tres-
passes of men are not imputed to them, but are
forgiven.
Let us in the next place, notice the efficacies of
the gospel ministry to effect the reconciliation de-
signed by it. To understand this subject, it is
necessary to know the cause of man's unreconcilia-
tion Tiiis is his ignorance of the true character
of God. This we learn from St. Paul's words,
Ephesians, iv. 18. Speaking of the vanity of the
Gentiles and their alienations he says ; " Hav-
ing the understanding darkened, being alienated
22
170
from the life of God, through the ignorance that is
in them, because of the blindness of their heart."
Because this was the situation of the Gentiles,
Jesus told the Apostle that he sent him to them,
to open their eyes, and to turn them from dark-
ness to light. If there were any property of the
divine Being, that is inimical to us, the more our
eyes were opened to see its nature the more unre-
conciled we should be to it. But as God is infi-
nitely gracious, unchangeably merciful, and alto-
gether lovely the more our eyes are opened to see
and understand the blessed qualifies of his nature,
the more we are reconciled to him, and the better
we love him. Again, if our nature were totally
opposite to the nature of God and holiness, the
more we discovered of the nature ot God, the
more we should be opposed to it.
The fact is, God is the real source of all moral,
intellectual nature, and a knowledge of him is the
only mean by which we can be reconciled to him,
and the want of this knowledge is the real cause of
our unreconciliation.
In consistency with these well established facts,
the gospel ministry brings the testimony and evi-
dence of the love of God and of his divine good-
ness to sinners. The following is the testimony ;
" When we were without strength, in due time
Christ died for the ungodly. For scarcely for
a righteous man will one die ; yet peradventure
for a good man some would even dare to die.
But God comrnendeth his love toward us, in that,
while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.
For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled
to God by the death of his Son : much more, being
reconciled, we shall be saved by his life. But
God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love where-
with he loved us, even when we were dead in sins,
hath quickened us together with Christ. Here
171
in is love, not that we loved God ; but that he loved
us, and sent his Son io be the propitiation for
sins."
By such testimony it is seen, that the ministra-
tion of reconciliation brings, in the most direct
manner, the love of God to the understanding of
the sinner, by which repentance is wrought in the
heart and the soul brought to love God ; for it is
the goodness of God that leadeth to repentance,
and again, we are told, that " we love him because
he first loved us.''
It is contended by many that it is dangerous
to inform sinners that God is really kind and mer-
ciful to them. It is thought that this information,
if it be true, will tend to make them worse. Why
then do the scriptures abound with such testimony ?
And again, why did not the manifestation of the
love and compassion of Jesus to Saul make him
worse ? Jesus said to him ; " Saul, Saul, why per-
secutest thou me ?" Why did not this enemy of
Christ reply ; I persecute you because you love me,
I hate your name because in it alone 1 am sensi-
ble I have salvation ; and now as your compassions
fail not, and you are determined to make me a
minister of divine mercy, I arn determined to
hate you more and persecute you tenfold to what
I have heretofore ? If there were no danger in
making such a glorious display of the goodness of
God to this so great an enemy of the gospel, how
should it happen that similar manifestations to
sinners now should be so very dangerous as is re-
presented by those who are the ministers of wrath
and condemnation ?
It may be useful in this place to notice some of
the similes used in scripture to represent the min-
istration of reconciliation. By the prophet
Isaiah Christ is called a LIGHT to lighten the Gen-
tiles, and Jesus said ; " I am the light of the
world ," and having communicated his light to his
disciples, he told them, that they were the light of
the world. Now according to the objection which
we have noticed, it is dangerous to give light to
them who are in darkness, for it may make them
worse. Jesus said ; " I am the bread of life."
This is the bread which came down from heaven
and giveth life to the world ; but it is dangerous to
give this bread to sinners, it is thought it may
make them worse. Jesus represented the sinner
by those who are sick, and himself as a physician.
Will it do to say, it is dangerous to heal the sick
because it may make them worse? No, these things
are not so. Those who have been delivered from
the power of darkness by the true light, have
been thereby delivered from the power of satan
and translated into the "kingdom of God's dear
Son. Those who have eaten of the bread of God
have found it to be spiritual life, and those who
have received the healing balsam of the divine
Physician have felt the power of sin to die within
them, and have been reconciled to God through
Jesus Christ.
As it may be due to the situation of some minds,
we may notice a question which is so often stated,
viz: if the sinner may immediately receive divine
favour, when and where is he to be punished for
his sins ? This question is made of great concern by
those who believe that the gospel is a ministration
of condemnation. But there is one thing we can-
not but observe in those who urge this ques-
tion; they never ask when they, themselves, are
to be punished for their sins. They appear to
have no concern about this weighty question as it
regards themselves ; their whole concern is about
sinners. And this concern is not for fear they will
be punished, but for fear they will not be.
Let us return the question to those who bring it,
and ask them, when and where are you to receive
punishment for your sins? You contend, that
173
the wicked must be punished, you are zealous to
have the wicked punished ; as Nathan said to
David, " thou art the man."
Turn, Pharisee, thine eyes within,
Nor further search abroad for sin.
When and where was murderous David, king of
Israel, punished for his sins ? When and where
was the author of our text, " the minister and
witness" of Jesus, punished, for the murders which
he had practised on the innocent lambs of Christ?
We answer the question and say, sin and mise-
ry are inseparably united in the nature of cause
and effect. When and where we are sinful,
then and there we are our own tormentors. " The
way of the transgressor is hard there is no peace
to the wicked."
Look at the nature of this subject. Jesus ap-
peared to Saul, to make him a minister and a wit-
ness, to open the eyes of the Gentiles. But when
were these Gentiles punished for being blind ?
The Apostle was to turn the Gentiles " from dark-
ness to light." But when were they punished for
being in the dark ? He was to deliver them from
the power of sat an. But when were they punish-
ed for having been under satan's power ? My bre-
thren, satan's yoke is a hard service, his govern-
ment is tyrannical, and his power is oppressive.
The reason why our heavenly Father has sent
the ministration of his grace to reconcile sinners
to himself, is, that they may receive inheritance
among them who are sanctified. If satan's yoke were
easy and if his burden were light, if sin and happi-
ness were connected, why should the Almighty
wish to deprive his creatures of this felicity ? And
if sin and all manner of vice afford happiness to
man in this world, why will they not be permitted
to continue hereafter, and there continue the
source of human happines ? There never was a
deception lhat operated so much to the disadvan-
tage of mankind, as that of believing that happi-
ness is to be obtained in sin. This deception makes
slaves of millions, who devote themselves to their
blind passions, and " are dead while they live."
From this deception, from this slavery and from
this death the ministry of reconciliation is designed
lo deliver the world. Therefore, the ambassadors
of Jesus, cry, as in our text, " we pray you, in
Christ's stead, be ye reconciled to God."
Reconciliation to God, is reconciliation to his re-
vealed attributes and will, and consists in a confor-
mity to the divine commands. A profession of re-
Jigion may be totally disconnected with the reconcil-
iation contemplated in our text, which is known,
as was suggested in our introduction, by new views,
new affections, and new desires. If we judge by
their fruits, many have professed the religion of the
Saviour, who have no different views from what
they had before, only they now believe that they
are more righteous than their neighbours ; and re-
main as destitute of love to their brethren of the
human family as ever. God is love ; therefore to
be reconciled to God, we must be reconciled to this
divine principle. God is known to be love to all
his creatures, because he actually does good to all.
If we love all God's rational offspring, as our breth-
ren, we are therein reconciled to God. St. Paul
says ; God "will have all men to be saved, and to
come unto the knowledge of the truth." If this
will be in us, and if we can in sincerity pray for
this will to be accomplished, we are therein recon-
ciled. We are commanded to love our enemies
and to do to others as we would have them to do
to us, in doing which, we are reconciled to God.
We are commanded to forgive those who trespass
against us, in which we resemble our Heavenly
175
Father who was in Christ reconciling the world unto
himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them.
We are commanded to forgive one another, as God,
for Christ's sake hath forgiven us. This is confor-
mity to God. We are required to do justly, to
love mercy, and to walk humbly with God ; and in
so doing we are reconciled to him.
But says our opposer, what if we do not conform
to these divine requirements ? it makes no differ-
ence, if God loves all men, wills that all should be
saved, and does not impute our trespasses to us.
Reply ; Our reconciliation to God, and our con-
formity to his will and all his requirements is the
salvation which our Heavenly Father wills for us;
it is the life which Jesus came to give to the world ;
it is heaven, it is joy and peace in the Holy Ghost.
This doctrine is the doctrine of divine love, this
love is a fountain of living; waters, it is that rivei-
jvhose streams make glad the city of our God.
No. 12.
LECTURE SERMON,
DELIVERED AT THE
SECOND UNIVERSALIST MEETING, IN BOSTON,
JANUARY 3, 1819.
BY HOSEA BALLOU, PASTOR.
Published Semi-Monthly by Henry Bowen, DcTonshire-street
JOHN xii. 32.
li >And /, if I be lifted up from the ear/A, will draw all men unto me."
As the time drew near that the Lord of glory,
the mediator of the new covenant should seal his
testament with his blood, there came to his disci-
ples certain Greeks, and said to Philip, Sir, we
would see Jesus. Philip and Andrew comunicate
this request to their master, who in room of either
consenting to their request, or of refusing, replied
saying, " The hour is come that the son of man
should be glorified. Verily, verily, I say unto you,
except a corn of wheat, fall into the ground and
die, it abideth alone, but if it die, it bringeth* forth
much fruit."
These Greeks, being Gentiles, were not the sub-
jects of the ministry of Jesus in the days of his
flesh, but as soon as he should be put to death in the
flesh and be quickened by the spirit, then would
the gospel be preached to the Gentiles. Therefore
when he was told that certain Greeks desired to
see him, he spoke of his being glorified in sending
23
178
his gospel to them. He was the corn of wheat
that abode alone until it fell into the ground
and died ; but after it died and was quickened it
brought forth much fruit, "even judgment unto the
Gentiles.'* The Saviour proceeded to speak of his
sufferings, saying ; " Now is my soul troubled ;
and what shall I say ? Father, save me from this hour :
but for this cause came I unto this hour. Father,
glorify thy name. Then came there a voice from
heaven, saying, I have both glorified it, and will
glorify it again. The people therefore that stood
by, and heard it, said, that it thundered: others said,
an angel spoke to him. Jesus answered and said, this
voice came not because of me, but for your sakes.
Now is the judgement of this world : Now shall the
prince of this world be cast out. And I, if I be
lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto
me." Here again it seems evident, that the Re-
deemer had special allusion to the request of the
Greeks. As if he had said ; I must die ; I must be
lifted up upon the cross ; I must be laid in the silent
house of death ; I must rise from the dead, bring
life and iinmotality to light through the gospel ;
then, not only these few Greeks shall be permitted
to see me, but I will send forth to the fulness of the
Gentiles, and finally the Jews, the ministery of
reconciliation by which I will " draw all men unto
me."
A few arguments will now be directed to prove,
that all men are the subjects of the Redemer's grace.
This point of doctrine is now before the public
mind, and more than any other invites the attention
of all denominations. It is true, those who preach
a contrary creed, endeavour as much as possible to
pospone the consideration of this subject, and they
use all the influence which they can possibly bring
to act on the public mind, to turn the attention of the
179
people from a candid examination of it. However,
it very frequently happens, that the efforts which
are designed to prevent people from looking into
these things excite their curiosity and incite
them more to the examination than if nothing
was said or done. If it were a crime for the rulers
of the Jews to associate with the Saviour and at-
tend on his instruction ; if excommunication await-
ed those who should profess Christ openly, there
was the night season, when the enemies of the Re-
deemer were either locked up in sleep, or perhaps
in superstitious conclave, scoffing at the benign
doctrine of grace and concerting more severe meas-
ures to prevent its spread, when a Necodemus,
could go, unnoticed to Jesus and obtain a know-
' ledge of salvation. If the wisdom of this world be
crafty enough to employ gentle, soothing, and per-
suasive measures to quiet the people in that old
cruel system of partiality and endless misery, it is
only like joging the cradle to quiet the child, while
its criea increase with its want of nourishment.**
This doctrine of universal salvation, which we
propose to prove in this discourse, seems to be fa-
voured by the dictates of sound reason, and fully
supported by the evidences derived from the nature
of the manifest economy of universal providence.
If we could do ourselves the justice to lay aside
all the prejudices of our mistaught minds and open
our eyes to the light of reason, and our ears to th
voice of enlightened understanding, we should soon
find our minds engaged in the sweet contemplations
of the impartial goodness of the Supreme ruler.
The same creative power gave existence to all
men, all are blessed by the same munificent provi-
dence, the sun that makes and rules the day, the
moon that rules the night discover no partiality in
dispensing their favours, Do not the rains fait
and the dews descend as common blessings on man-
kind? Is not the vital air, is not the fullness of
the waters the undivided inheritance of man-
kind ? Is there an element, is there a vege-
table, is there a fruit which nature reserves from
the general store house of him, who opens his hand
and satisfies the desire of every living thing ?
i i
Let us contemplate the unity of our common
nature, the dependence of one on another, and that
eternal indissoluble law by which we are united.
Notwithstanding there is an infinite variety among
mankind, there is no distinction of moral nature ;
nor is there a genio in the whole family of man that
the philopher can prove to be useless and of no ad-
vantage to others. Those who are considered to
be the most useful members of community fre-
quently owe their means to be so, to them, who be-
ing placed in the low walks of life, are scarcely
known in society. What would kings be without
subjects ? what would rulers be destitute of people ?
Are not servants as profitable in their stations,
as their masters are in theirs ? and are not the rich
and the poor blessings to each other ? The sacred
connections of husband and wife, of parents and
children, of brethren and sisters, if duly contem-
plated, furnish a most delightful prospect of the de-
pendences of our common nature. In fact it seems
that mankind forms one compact indssoluble body
which may be represented by the human frame,
which can lose none of its members without be-
ing rendered maimed and incomplete.
It is true the partial system has driven men of
deserning minds to make calculations, that the
eternal separation of those, who are in this life
united by the tenderest ties of our nature, and the
indiscribable misery of children will occasion an
increase of the parent's happiness,
181
misery of parents will greatly increase the felicity
of children in the eternal world. But it must be
acknowledged that such arguments are equally as
hostile to every good quality of man, as the system
which they are designed to defend is to reason and
revelation. We say, that men of descerning minds
have been driven to argue thus, for they can dis-
cern, that unless this be the case, what they call
heaven will be a place of the keenest mental tor-
ment, that can be conceived of. Losing sight of
nature and of nature's God, and adhearing to their
partial creed, many contend, that at what they call
the great day, parents will rejoice to see their offs-
pring turned away into the burning lake, while
other instances will occur, in which children will
sing praises to God in the highest at seeing their
parents, the inheriters of unspeakable misery.
If we can suppress our indignation against such
unhallowed cruelty, so as to take a deliberate view
of a faint simile, we may suppose that the sweet
slumbers of a numerous family are suddenly inter-
rupted by the midnight cry of fire. They are
roused from sleep amid the smoke and flames of
their own dwelling; the father and several of the
eldest children but just make their escape from the
devouring element, and leave the wife and mother
with a number of the children to perish in the flames.
Now observe, the doctrine which stands opposed to
the salvation of all men, and which can support it-
self at no less expense then to inhance the felicities
of heaven by the miseries of hell, supposes that the
happiness of the husband and father, on finding him-
self safe from the fire, is to be increased by his see-
ing the companion of his bosom, the mother of his
children, and her little ones in the flames, and by
hearing their lamentable cries ; and these children
who made their escape are to possess hearts to re-
182
joice to see the mother that watched over their in-
fancy and childhood, and their brothers and sisters
perishing in the most excruciating anguish.
To wound your feelings with such a simile as this,
on any ordinary subject would surety require an
apology, but in respect to the subject under con-
sideration our simile is as dim as the faint glimmer
of a dying taper compaired with the concenterated
blaze of a thousand suns. The flames that destroy-
ed the unhappy victims were merciful to terminate
their sufferings in a moment, that nothing but the
remembrance of the sad catastrophe might remain,
but the flames of hell and its " lively bright hor-
rors" are supposed to exist eternally, to gladden
kindred hearts, and to brighten the joys of relative
apirits forever and ever!
To the eye of candid reason, it seems perfectly
clear, that to make an eternal separation of the hu-
man family, and to place one part in a state of
everlasting misery, would render the whole miser-
able, let the line of separation be drawn in one
place or another. If the division be made accord-
ing to the doctrine of partial election, without any
regard to the conduct of men, the husband may be
chosen, and the wife a reprobate, in another case
the wife may be chosen, and the husband a repro-
bate : And this dividing line will separate parents
from their children, and children from each other,
and it is as plain as any thing can be that if one
Company is appointed to a state of misery the other
must be.
You that are parents, you who are brothers and
iisters are called on to judge of this question.
Suppose your nearest and dearest connections, as
children and brethren were prisoners in an enemy's
land, and you were certified by letters from them,
that they were treated in the most cruel manner,
183
their lodging the cold damp ground, their food scant
and unwholesome, and that there were no hopes of
their ever being released, could you be happy ?
Without the least commiseration could you repose
on your beds of down, and feast yourselves at your
sumptuous tables? All this you know to be im-
possible.
Or suppose this final separation is to be made
with due reference to the works of men in this
world, this alters not the case, for we cannot be
happy while our connections suffer even for their
faults.
If we draw a reasonable conclusion from the
manifest goodnsss of God to all men, in his tempo-
ral providence, and if we assist this conclusion by
the considerations already suggested of the unity
and dependence of our nature, we must decide in
favour of the proposition for which we contend ;
for it is most unreasonable indeed to suppose, that
the system of the Redeemer's grace, which derives
its origin from the same source, from whence
came every principle of our existence and every
favor of divine providence, is less benevolent in its
designs or less efficacious in its means.
We may now notice some of the evidences, which
support the doctrine of universal grace, found in
the divine testimony. We say some of the eviden-
ces, because it would require much time, and supe-
rior abilities to those employed on this occasion to
bring the whole of this sort of evidence into view.
Indeed we must be very limited on this part of our
subject that we may avoid using too many of the
passages already recited in these lectures for the
same purpose, and that the hearer's patience be not
too much burdened.
The text under consideration may first be notio
ed. ID this passage Jesus promises to draw off
184
men unto himself. And his testimony concerning
those who come to him is as follows : " I am the
bread of life; he that corneth to me shall never
hunger ; and he that believeth on me shall never
thirst." By this passage it is evident, that by com-
ing to him, and by believing on him, Jesus meant
the same thing. He farther says ; " Him that com-
eth to me I will in no wise cast out No man can
come to me, except the Father, which hath sent
me, draw him : and I will raise him up at the last
day. It is written in the prophets, and they shall
be all taught of God. Every man, therefore, that
hath heard, and hath learned of the Father, comcth
unto me."
By these passages we learn, that the instructions
and the drawings of the Father are the only mean?
by which men can come to Christ. They further-
more teach us, that those who are, by such means,
drawn to the Saviour will not be cast off. Thus
the evidence issues in a most direct confirmation
of the proposition to be proved.
St. Paul, in his first epistle to Timothy say?,
that God " will have all men to be saved and to
come unto the knowledge of the truth." And Je-
sus said ; " I came down from heaven ; not to do
mine own will, but the will of him that sent me."
Suppose one of you own an hundred sheep, and
they all break from your enclosure and go astray,
they all enter into your neighbour's pasture. In
room of sending them home, he endeavours to retain
them, and uses all possible means to prevent their
return. You direct your shepherd to go and seek
and save that which is lost. You teli him, that it is
your will that he returns the whole ; the shepherd
is told by your enemy who retains your flock that
he will give up a few of the sheep, but must keep
the greatest part. The shepherd replies ; I have
185
not come io negotiate for the sheep, I have come
to do the will of him that sent me. How can this
will be done and yet but a few of these sheep re-
turn ?
The will of God is further expressed by St. Paul,
as follows ; " Having made known unto us the mys-
tery of his will, according to his good pleasure,
which he hath purposed in himself: that in the dis-
pensation of the fulness of times he might gather
together in one all things in Christ, both which are
in heaven, and which are on earth ; even in him."
Again he says ; " Wherefore God also hath highly
exalted him, and given him a name which is above
every name ; that in the name of Jesus every knee
should bow, of things in heaven and things on earth,
and things under the earth ; and that every tongue
should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glo-
ry of God the Father." And furthermore he
says ? " For it pleased the Father, that in him
should all fulness dwell, (and having made peace
through the blood of his cross) by him to reconcile
all things unto himself; by him, I say, whether they
be things on earth, or things in heaven." To these
we may subjoin the passage we treated of in our
last lecture ; "And all things are of God, who hath
reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ, and hath
given to us the ministry of reconciliation ; to wit,
that God was in Christ reconciling the world unto
himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them :
And hath committed unto us the word of reconcilia-
tion. Now then, we are ambassadors for Christ,
as though God did beseech you by us, we pray you
in Christ's stead, be ye reconciled to God : for he
hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin,
that we might be made the righteousness of God in
him." If the hearer will allow these and concurrent
passages their natural agreement and signification
24
186
they must be considered sufficient evidence to
prove that the design of the Saviour's grace is the
salvation of all men.
Another argument in favour of our proposition,
and which is thought to be sufficient of itself to
establish it, is drawn from the revealed fact that it
is consistent with the holiness of God for him to
love sinners and to bestow the greatest possible fav-
ours upon them. The scripture informs us that
" God commendeth his love towards us, in that,
while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us." And
a^ain ; " But God, who is rich in mercy, for his
great love, wherewith he loved us, even when we
were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with
Christ." Now if it be consistent with the holiness
of God for him to love those who are dead in sin,
and to commend his love to such by the death of
Christ for them, and to quicken them together with
Christ, it proves beyond all controversy, that sin is
no objection to God's granting his grace and salva-
tion to men. Standing in the light of this glorious
truth, and feeling the life of the spirit of this grace,
who can be so hard hearted as to sentence millions
of their fellow sirmers to endless darkness and woe?
In this spirit of love and grace it seems the divine
Redeemer stood, when he said ; " And I, if I be
lifte 1 up from the earth, will draw all men unto me."
It is granted on all hands, that God can never
change ; he is the same yesterday, to-day, and for-
ever. Yesterday and to-day he was and is the
friend and lover of sinners. How then is it possible
that he should ever cease to love these beings and
to do them good ?
This argument provokes the Pharisee to start
the old trite objection, that the doctrine leads to
licentiousness. This objection, though it has been
fairly removed hundreds of times, will never leave
i87
ihe world as long as a Pharisee remains in it. If
the manifestation of the divine love to sinners have
a natural tendency to encourage them in sin, why
did God comment his love unto us, in that while
we were yet sinner*, Christ died for us ? Why are
those blessings of the divine Providence, to which
the Saviour adverted for proof that God loves his
enemies, continually, and with such profusion scat-
tered down upon us? Are we serving the cause of
religion and moral virtue by persuading people to
believe that the goodness of God naturally leads
men to sin. My brethren, should you believe me
your friend if I persuaded your children to the
opinion, that if you love them, notwithstanding
their faults, it is no matter what they do, and that
it is even better for them to violate all your whole-
some laws and to treat your advice and admonitions
with contempt ? Surely if there be any such thing
as a heinous siain our world, we have it here un-
der consideration. Because our heavenly Father
gives us life and all the numerous blessings of life
must we improve all his favors to dye our souls in
the crimson of sin ? Because Jesus hath loved us
and given himself for us, is there no way we can
act like reasonable beings only by hating him and
disobeying his commands ? O ingratitude ! legiti-
mate child of the Pharisee, retire, cold and unfeel-
ing, to the frosty bosom from whence thou came.
It has already been suggested, that by coming
unto Christ is meant, being taught of God and be-
lieving in Christ ; and this was seen by the words
of Christ in the 6th of John, which have been quot-
ed. They therefore, who come to Jesus, come to
him in their understanding ; they receive him as
their prophet to teach them, their priest, who offer-
ed himself for the sinner, without spot unto God,
and as a king to rule them. The blessings enjoyed
188
in consequence of coming to Christ are expressed
in his most gracious words, recorded in Mat. xi. ;
" Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy
laden, and I \\ill give you rest. Take my yoke
upon you, and learn of me ; for I am meek and low-
ly in heart; and ye shall find rest unto your souls.
For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light."
How lovely does the Saviour appear in his gracious
invitations and promises. He invites all to come
to him ; he promises to draw all men to him ; he
promises to give them all rest and an easy service ;
he promises that he will in no wise cast any out.
Well did the dear Redeemer say ; " I will draw
all men unto me. The doctrine of Jesus is per-
fectly calculated to draw men. It holds up to
view those virtues and those advantages which are
powerful attractive?. In the passage just recited,
those who labour and are heavy laden are promis-
ed rest. What can be more inviting to any who
have for a long time laboured under an intolerable
burden, than an opportunity to cast it off, and to
enjoy rest ? Suppose men were in bondage and
hard servitude, as \\ere the Israelites in Egypt, op-
pressed with severe taskmasters and made to serve
with the most cruel rigour; and a humane, benevo-
lent prince should ransom them all, and invite them
into his country, where they should have all things
they wanted without money and without price,
where no law but the perfect law of liberty exists,
where they would have no service to perform but
such in which they should have perfect delight and
freedom, would not a clear manifestation of these
facts draw them away from the tyrant to their kind
deliverer and Saviour? Would it be necessary to
threaten them, and preach up terror to them?
"Would it be proper to tell them that the person
\vhp had ransomed them would come and put them
189
to the most cruel tortures if they did not immed-
iately enter into his service? Under all these cir-
cumstances would it be necessary to tell these mis-
erable wretches, that it is true their present servi-
ces are very light, merely nothing in comparison
with the service of the prince who had purchased
them, but then this prince will punish them all
with the most cruel tortures if they do not enter
his service without delay 1 If any thing could pos-
sibly opperate to deceive these redeemed ones, and
to keep them in slavery it must be some such de-
ceit. As certain as they should be made to be-
lieve such falsehoods, they would make nice calcu-
lations not to go into the hated service any sooner
than just to escape the tortures threatened. But
suppose they should go to this person in conse-
quence of these threatenings, they would not be
drawn, they would be driven. 'Jesus did not say,
I will drive all men to me. If we were to judge by
some preaching that we hear, we should suppose
the preachers were sent to drive us to heaven, in the
greatest haste too, for fear our Redeemer should
destroy us ?
The Saviour says in the 6th of John, as before
quoted ; "lam the bread of life ; he that cometh
to me shall never hunger." What is more drawing
to the destitute, foodless poor than the gladsome
news of bread without money, and without price?
Suppose such a famine as was in Egypt and all the
countries round about it should visit the United
States, the provisions of the land, after the most
prudent measures had been taken, is nearly ex-
hausted, pale hunger makes its appearance on all
faces and the wisest know of no relief; at this aw-
ful crisis a large fleet from a foreign country ar-
rives with vast quantities of bread as a present to
us ! how would it draw the people. In what crouds
190
would they rush along the streets ; how would
every eye and every countenance brighten with
gladness. In such a circumstance as this what
should we think of a man who should come forward
and say ; * I am sent by the monarch who has sent
you bread, to warn you to apply immediately for
his bounty that you may escape his vengeance ?
And what should we think of the people who should
spend their time to hear these terrors proclaimed?
In such a time of favour and rejoicing, would it be
seemly to stop the hungry and tell them they have
no right to the free bounty that has arrived unless
they really believe in this act of goodness ? Would
t be thought indispensably necessary to have a
creed written, with well studied articles to the
number of thirty-nine, for the people all to learn by
heart before they should be allowed to taste the
bread of life ? Would it be treating those, who
were fainting for want of food, according to the
benevolent designs of the gracious doner of these
ample provisions, to prevent their receiving this un-
purchased, unconditional favour, by suggesting con-
ditions, terms, and articles of faith to be complied
with and believed? Suppose the articles are all
made out according to the wisdom of him, who
urges their necessity, but the people cannot under-
stand them. Some are mysterious, some are in di-
rect opposition to others ; one explains them in
one way ; and another explains them in another
way, many profess to believe them because they
are told that they cannot obtain favour unless they
do. Those who should believe in this case might
believe themselves to death, and close their eyes
without seeing the salvation which mercy hath sent
them: others, whose minds should revolt at a creed
which contains contradictions would be turned
191
away as unbelievers, and fare no better than those
who believe.
Jesus says ; " If any man thirst let him come
unto me and drink." The unfortunate, who
have suffered hunger and thirst in sultry climes,
inform us the want of drink is vastly more severe
than the want of food. Here then the merciful
Saviour makes use of a simile which gives the
most striking idea of his goodness. Of a number of
faint, weary, hungry, and thirsty pilgrims, on burn-
ing sands, if one should cry out to his fellows here
is water ! How quickly would it draw them all
together.
The prophet Isaiah, speaking of Jesus, says ;
" A man shall be an hiding place from the wind,
and a covert from the tempest ; as a river of water
in a dry place : as the shadow of a great rock in a
weary land." How very inviting, how attracting,
how drawing are the favours here noticed. The
beasts of the field and the fowls of the air seek these
favours. When storms and winds beat on them,
they seek a shelter ; when they are thirsty you find
them by the streams ; and when a sultry sun is vehe-
ment you find them in the shade. Do you ask
what these things mean ? I >o you inquire how you
can obtain so great a favour? The word is nigh
thre, even in thy heart and in thy mouth. Jesus
is made unto us, wisdom, righteousness, sanctifica-
tion, and redemption. To be drawn to Christ is
to be drawn into wisdom, whose ways are pleasant-
ness and all her paths are peace. It is to be drawn
into righteousness, which is heaven. It is to be
drawn into sanctification, which is holiness. It is
to be drawn into redemption, which is freedom
from the law of sin and death. O Jesus, how great
is thy promise ! Thou wilt draw all men unto
192
thyself. Then shall every creature which is in
heaven, and on the earth, and under the earth, and
such as are in the sea, and all which are in them ;
say, blessing and honour, and glory, and power, be
unto him that sitteth upon the throne and unto the
Lamb, for ever and even
No. 13.
LECTURE SERMON,
DELIVERED AT THE
SECOND UNIVERSALIST MEETING, IN BOSTON,
JANUARY 17, 1819.
BY HOSEA BALLOU, PASTOR.
Published Semi-Monthly by Htory Bowen, DeTonahire-gtrett.
PSALM, cxxvi. 6.
" Ht that goeth forth and weepeth, bearing precious teed shall, doubllcst,
come again with rtjoicing, bringing hit theavtt with Aim."
PIVINE wisdom has seen fit, that the commence-
ment of those affairs which are designed to .termi-
nate in great and extensive blessings to mankind,
should be distinguished for the hardships, painful
labours, extreme difficulties, privations, uncom-
mon sufferings, sorrow and tears which attend
them. This remark will be found to be, general-
ly, appropriate, whether applied to political or
religious concerns, and is often justified by the
experience of individuals. This sentiment seems
symbolically expressed in our text and its intro-
duction. To represent the reverse of condition
which Zion experienced by a deliverance from
captivity the prophet says ; " When the Lord
turned again the captivity of Zion, we were like
them that dream. Then was our mouth filled with
laughter, and our tongue with singing : then said
they among the heathen, the Lord hath done great
things for them. The Lord hath done great things
25
194
for us, whereof we are glad. Turn again our cap
tivity, O Lord, as the streams in the south. They
that sow in tears shall reap in joy. He that goeth
forth and weepeth, bearing precious seed shall,
doubtless, come again with rejoicing, bringing his
sheaves with him."
From the scanty portion of grain, on which the
husband-man depends to bread his dependant fami-
ly, he takes a selected portion, and having with
much labour prepared his field, he commits the pre-
cious seed to the bosom of the earth. His fears
anticipate draught, blasts, and mildews ; his hope
endures, as seeing things that are invisible, and looks
forward to the time when neaven shall reward his
toils with a joyful harvest, and return him thirty,
sixty or an hundred fold. The autumn comes
and brings the golden harvest, and plenty calls for
songs of gratitude and joy. But to the eye of in-
experience how mysterious would this appear.
The portion of bread corn is already scant, and
the husband of a numerous family takes part of
this and buries it in the earth. It appears as an
unreasonable waste. Thus we frequently judge
of the ways of divine Providence; and are led to
say, if God were good to his creatures, why should
such and such things be permitted to wound our
tenderest feelings ? Why should such sorrows be
sent as the inheritance of the oppressed, the in-
nocent, and the defenceless ? Not being able to
see the end from the beginning of events, we are
often misguided in judgment, and entertain doubti
of the divine goodness towards us. But could we
comprehend the mysterious wisdom of God by
which he turns every thing to the good of his crea-
tures, causing light afflictions, which are but for a
moment, to work for us an exceeding weight of glo-
ry, we should at once conclude, that the measure
of evil endured by the creatures of God, is a*
195
nothing when compared with the glory that shall
be revealed in us, and which can be traced back
to those afflictions, which, during their continuance,
were grieveous.
These introductory observations seem to lead
the mind into an extensive field, where an infinite
variety of objects invite our attention to the con-
templation of the wisdom and goodness of God, in
causing light to shine out of darkness, order to
grow out of what appears to us confusion, peace
of mind from sorrow of heart, tranquility out of
trouble, prosperity out of adversity, in a word,
good from what we call evil, strength from weak-
ness and glory from shame. But keeping in mind
that proper limits must bound the labours of a lec-
ture, the audience is invited to contemplate our
subject as manifested in the Saviour of mankind.
Jesus went forth in our world weeping, bearing
and sowing precious seed, and he shall doubtless,
come again rejoicing, bringing his sheaves with
him. He sowed in tears, he shall reap in joy ; he
shall see of the travail of his soul and be satisfied.
Our first enquiry will be directed to notice the
occasion of our Saviour's tears.
Jesus was possessed of the sensibilities and sym-
pathies of our nature in their purity and perfection,
which caused him to feel the afflictions of the af-
flicted, the sorrows of the sorrowful and the distress
of the distressed. Many proofs of this are found
in the history of the Saviour. We may notice him
at Bethany where he raised Lazarus from the dead.
Notwithstanding he knew what he was about to do,
and that Lazarus would, in a few minutes, be a liv-
ing man, to the astonishment and joy of his weep-
ing sisters, such was the tenderness of his lovely
mind and sweet affections, that when he saw the
Jews, who had come to comfort the bereaved sis-
ters, weeping, and the two disconsolate sisters weep-
ing, he himself groaned in spirit and wept with
them. Let those who mourn remember thisi and
realize that their sorrows are duly noticed by him
who is the resurrection and the life, who hath the
keys of hell and death. That power of life arid
salvation, which gloriously triumphed at the tomb
of him, who had been dead four days, is still the
same, and has given assurance, that as in Adam all
die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive.
On that most joyful occasion of the enterance of
Jesus into Jerusalem riding upon an Ass, when
the people in vast multitudes welcomed the King of
Zion, and praised God with a loud voice for all the
mighty works they had seen, saying, blessed be the
King that cometh in the name of the Lord ; peace
in heaven, and glory in the highest; the blessed
Jesus, in room of being elated with these tokens
of submission and expressions of joy, in room of
participating the exceeding gladness of the people,
his mind seemed intent on a very different
subject, the account of which is as follows ;
" And when he came near he beheld the city, and
wept over it saying, if thou hadst known, even
thou at least in this thy day, the things which be-
long unto thy peace ! but now they are hid from
thine eyes. For the days shall come upon thee,
that thine enemies shall cast a trench about thee,
and compass thee round, and keep thee in on every
side and shall lay thee even with the ground, and
thy children within thee ; and they shall not leave
in thee one stone upon another ; because thou
knewest not the time of thy visitation."
Having a clear view of the sword, the famine,
and the pestilence which would surely come on
Jerusalem, and knowing that the youth who were
then 4 ii the days of their innocence, would be the
sufferers in this calamity, the Saviour was deeply-
affected and wept.
J97
Suppose you, who love thelown of Boston for
a thousand reasons, which we have not time to
name, should be certified by a divine communica-
tion, that this metropolis should, within forty years,
suffer all the dreadful calamities of a long siege,
attended with famine and pestilence, with factions
within, which should waste the strength and the
blood of the inhabitants, until the place should be
given up to an enraged enemy, that should have no
mercy on those who should fall into their hands,
could your eyes look on the stately, magnificent
buildings, knowing they would all be leveled with
the ground, could they behold the lovely youth,
who now make such a charming appearance in
these streets and churches without weeping ? Such
was the occasion of those tears which the compa-
sionate Jesus shed over the devoted Icity of his
father David. He looked on that pride and joy of
the earth, he beheld the temple of God, that wonder
of the world, he knew that the time of their dis-
truction was within that generation ; his gracious
eyes beheld the lovely youth \xhose thousands
then adorned the venerable habitations of their an-
cesters, and knew that they would be the distress-
ed sufferers in the calamities to which that nation
and city were appointed.
When he was going to Calvary to suffer death
from the wicked hands of the people, who by their
persecutions of him and his disciples were filling
up the measure of their sins, he was evidently
more concerned for the sufferings that people
were bringing on themselves and on their children,
than for what he himself was about to endure.
When he saw the great company of people, and of
women, who followed him lamenting his fate, he
turned and said unto them ; " Daughters of Jeru-
salem, weep not for me. but weep for yourselves,
and for your children. For, behold, the days arc
198
coming in the which they shall say, blessed are Ihe
barren, and the wombs that never bare, and the
paps which never gave auck. Then shall they be-
gin to say to the mountains, fall on us, and to the
hills, cover us. For if they do these things in a
green tree, what shall be done in the dry ?"
If the hearer will indulge a digression in this
place, liberty will be taken to remark on two par-
ticulars. First, it does not appear, from the
Saviour's speech here recited, that his own suffer-
ings were of that kind or degree that has been re-
presented by christain doctors. They have sup-
posed that the sufferings of Christ were far beyond
any possible comparison, even greater than we
can conceive, and that this rendered them effica-
cious with his Father to procure our pardon of sin.
Now if hi* sufferings were so immense, why should
he represent to the daughters of Jerusalem that
they had more reason to weep for themselves and
their children, then for him ?
Secondly, it does not appear that the Saviour
thought of the subject, which has been the weigh-
ty burden, of those minds, who have consigned the
inhabitants of Jerusalem to everlasting misery in
the future world, for he spake of nothing but of
their sufferings in this life. If it had been known
to Jesus, that all the sufferings which that people
was appointed to endure in the destructions that he
denounced upon them, were nothing in comparison
with what they must suffer in another world, why
<lid he, when he wept over Jerusalem, speak of the
destruction of that city and its inhabitants by the
1iand of their enemies, and neglect to say anything
on the subject of their future sufferings, which were
Lo be intiniu-ly greater ? The candor of the hearer
vill do justice to these remarks, while we return to
our subject.
r he prophet Isaiah represents our Saviour a
199
man of sorrows and acquainted with grief. He
grieved and wept for the auctions and sufferings
of mankind ; he felt the woes of human nature ; he
bore their sicknesses and carried their sorrows,
but the angel of his presence upheld him ; he was
touched with the feelings of all our infirmities.
The superstition, the bigotry, and the traditions
of the people wherewith they made void the law of
God, and the hardness of their hearts were a pecu-
liar cause of his grief. Such was their blindness
that his mirai les could not open their eyes ; and
such was the hardness of their hearts that his love,
pity and mercy did not soften them. What stub-
born, unyielding and forbidding ground was this!
There was but here and there a spot where the
precious seed that he sowed could be received into
good ground, and promise a future harvest.
We may now direct our attention to enquire
what seed the Saviour sowed, and to ascertain its
precious qualities.
In the 13th chapter of Matthew, Jesus repre-
sents himself as a sower, who went forth to sow ;
" And, when he sowed, some seeds fell by the
way-side, and the fowls came and devoured them
up. Some fell upon stony places, where they had
not much earth ; and forthwith they sprung up, be-
cause they had no deepness of earth: and when the
sun was up they were scorched ; and, because they
had no root they withered away. And some fell
among thorns ; and the thorns sprung up and chok-
ed them. But others fell into good ground, and
brought forth fruit, some an hundred-fold, some
sixty-fold, some thirty-fold." In the same chapter
he says ; " He that soweth the good seed is the son
of man." Again, he signifies that by seed he means
the " word of the kingdom." And furthermore he
represents the kingdom of heaven by " a grain of
mustard-seed, which a man took and sowed in his
200
iield. v ' It is evident by these scriptures, that Jesus
represented his doctrine by " good seed." The
doctrine of Christ is, therefore, our present subject.
Here it is worthy of notice, that the great teach-
er sent of God, though he taught a doctrine which
was very different from that which wastaught by the
doctors of his day, was never the author of a set of
articles of faith called a cred. And it is likewise
of importance to notice, that in this, his Apostles
faithfully followed his example. The work of
framing creeds is the invention of men.
Jesus founded his doctrine and all he came to
do, on the divine character and will of his Father.
He said ; " I came down from heaven, not to do
mine own will ; but the will of him that sent me.
God sent not his Son into the world to condemn
the world ; but that the world through him might
be saved. The Son of man came not to call the
righteous, but sinners to repentance. The Son
of man came to seek and to save that which was
lost."
By these precious sayings of Jesus we are cer-
tified that God is merciful to sinners, wills their sal-
vation, and sent his Son for this very purpose.
In the 5th of Matthew, Jesus sets forth his pre*
cious doctrine in the plainest terms possible, as
follows ; " I say unto you, love your enemies,,
bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate
you, and pray for them which despitfully use you,
and persecute you ; that ye may be the children
of your Father which is in heaven : for he maketh
his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and send-
eth rain on the just and on the unjust. For if ye
love them which Jove you, what reward have ye ?
Do not even the publicans the same ? And if ye
salute your brethren only, what do ye more than
others ? Do not even the publicans so ? Be ye
therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in
heaven is perfect."
201
By this most precious testimony we are assured
that our Father who is in heaven loves his enemies ;
and we are furthermore certified that we are re-
quired to do the same. How many articles of
faith is it necessary to arrange in order, to com-
prehend this subject ? How long is it necessary for
a good scholar and a bright genius to spend at a
theological school in order to understand this doc-
trine ? It pains the speaker to the heart, that he is
obliged to say, that theological schoojs are em-
ployed in teaching youth how to evade the plain
testimony of Jesus, and how to keiep the people
from receiving it.
In the 15th of Luke, the Saviour sets forth his
doctrine of salvation in three parables. He was
induced to do this in reply to the Pharisees and
Scribes, who murmured at him because he receiv-
ed sinners and ate with them. In the first parable
he represents sinners and their salvation by a lost
sheep, which the owner seeks, finds, and carries
home ; in the second, by a piece of money which
a woman lost, sought and found. He furthermore
represents the angels in heaven rejoicing more over
one sinner that repenteth, than over ninety
and nine just persons who need no repentance ;
and in the last he sets forth the return of sinners to
God by the return of the prodigal son to his father.
This sower of the precious seed of the kingdom
of God, was particular in planting the doctrine of
the divine goodness ; and in order to hand it to us in
the most acceptable manner, he says ; " If ye then,
being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your
children, how much more shall your Father which
is in heaven give good things to them that ask
him ?"
Nothing can be more evident, than that our
tieavenly Father is more kind to us, who are evil,
than we are to our children, according to this pre-
cious testimony of our Saviour. This is precious
26
202
need in very deed, ft is precious beyond all com-
parison. This declaration of him, who went
forth weeping, bearing precious seed, is of more
value than all the bodies of divinity which have
been written since the enemy sowed tares among
the wheat.
Let us ask ourselves, notwithstanding we are
evil, and too frequently err in our conduct to-
wards our children, could we possibly consign our
dependent offspring to endless torments for their
childish faults? And yet such is the common doc-
trine taught by the creeds of men, that little chil-
dren are instructed to repeat sentences which teach
them to believe that their heavenly Father will
torture millions of his creatures, in never ending
misery ! How painful is ttie thought, that such a
sentiment should be imprinted in the tender minds
of our innocent children, concerning whom Jesus
said ; " Suffer little children, arid forbid them not,
to come unto me ; for of such is the kingdom of
heaven." O how precious is this kind declaration
of the Saviour, to parents ! This is the testimony
of him, who is now at the right hand of God. Com-
pare these words of Jesus with the popular doc-
trine of the total depravity of infants, and of hell's
containing millions of them, who never saw the
light of the sun !
Such is the vast importance of the comparison
here suggested, that the cnndid attention of the au-
dience is invited to consider the following question;
If the testimony of Jesus concerning little chil-
dren be both true and precious, is not the opinion
that little children are totally depraved, and are
heirs of eternal misery, false and impure ? This
false doctrine belongs to the tares, which the ene-
my sowed among the wheat. Jesus never sowed
<uch seed ; he never uttered any thing so dishon-
ourable to God, nor did he ever plant such a thorn
to torture the sensibility of affectionate parents.
203
The doctrine of Jesus is the doctrine of love.
The doctrines of men are the doctrines of hatred.
The doctrine of Jesus teaches that God loves his
enemies, wills their salvation, and sent his Son to
save them. The doctrines of men teach that God
hates his enemies and will punish them eternally.
The doctrine of Jesus informs us that he came to
call sinners to repentance. The doctrines of men as-
sert that the finally impenitent will be made forev-
er miserable, but Jesus never spake of the " finally
impenitent." The doctrine of Jesus teaches the for-
giveness ofsin. The doctrines of men require a
sacrifice to appease the divine wrath. The doc-
trine of Jesus informs us, that he will draw all men
unto himself. The doctrines of men assert, that
God has decreed but a part to be drawn to Christ.
The doctrine of Jesus informs us that all things
are given to him. The doctrines of men assert,
that but a few are given to Christ. The doctrine
of Jesus is precious wheat ; but the doctrines of
men are tares which are to be consumed by the
fire of truth and love.
There are several particulars respecting the
preciousness of the doctrine of Jesus, which are
worthy of special notice ; some of which we shall
here mention.
First, This doctrine is from God. Jesus says ;
" My doctrine is not mine, but his that sent me.'*
The Creator, Ruler and Disposer of all things has
sent us a communication of his divine will and fixed
purpose concerning us. This doctrine being from
the highest authority in the universe must be con-
sidered precious.
Secondly, In all respects, this doctrine is most
favourable to mankind. There is no particular
part that can be altered for the better. Let the
most wise and prudent undertake to add any thing
to this doctrine and they make it worse. Let them
take any thing from it and they leave it not so good.
204
Thirdly, It is most precious on account of its
simplicity and conspicuity. It is rendered so visi-
ble in the divine testimony, that any attempt to
explain it tends to render it obscure. If one
should attempt to show us the sun in a clear day
by holding a candle before our eyes, it would ob-
scure our vision, and tend to hide from our sight
what is already as visible as it can be. Such are the
effects of the wisdom of this world when employed
to show us that light which shines in the " face of
Jesus."
Fourthly, This doctrine of the New-Testament
is life. It is the bread of God which giveth life
to the world. St. Paul says; " God hath made us
able ministers of the New-Testament, not of the
letter, but of the spirit; for the letter killeth, but
the spirit giveth life." There is no death in the
doctrine of Jesus. Peter said ; " thou hast the
the words of eternal life. "
Fifthly, It is universal. It is the same to all
men. Jesus has but one doctrine for every crea-
ture under heaven ; and this doctrine is calculated
to gather together all things in one, even in Christ.
There is no particular view of the doctrine of
Jesus, in which it appears more precious, than in
its universality. Though the sun be most precious
in its light and heat even to an individual, how glo-
rious is the thought that this light and this heat are
universal. And though these life-giving qualities
are dispensed through every degree of latitude and
longitude round the globe, every one has enough.
So it is with that " true light that lighteth every
man that comcth into the world." If a few astro-
nomers, who should study the laws of the heavenly
bodies, should frame a creed embracing the most
essential particulars in the phenomena of the sun,
and then require every one, learned and unlearn-
ed to believe in their creed as a condition by
which they might obtain its light, they would dis-
205
cover as much true philosophy as those, who stile
themselves divines do of divinity, in framing
their creeds, and requiring our assent to them, that
we may obtain the favour of God.
Sixthly, This doctrine is most precious, because
it is always the same. It is now what it was in the
beginning, it is now what it will be when thousands
of ages shall have passed away. The same love,
the same mercy, the same good will of our
heavenly Father, in which the most enlightened
now rejoice, have, in all ages of the world, been in
full exercise towards mankind ; nor can they ever
relax, but will forever continue.
And Seventhly, This precious doctrine of the
love of God is calculated to transform every ra-
tional being into its own nature and to render eve-
ry man precious like itself. " Every man that hath
this hope in him purifieth himself, even as he is
pure. Now are we the sons of God ; and it doth
not yet appear what we shall be, but we know,
that when he appeareth we shall be like him, for
we shall see him as he is." In this way the fruits
of the precious doctrine of the Saviour will final-
ly produce the joyful harvest contemplated in
our text, and will load, with ripe sheaves, the
blessed Redeemer of the world, who in sorrow
went forth and sowed his precious seed.
When the fulness of the different times, which
intervene between seed time and harvest, have pass-
ed away, and the hand of labour is abundantly re-
warded with a plenteous harvest, then the hffoband-
man realizes the end of his toils, and comes from his
field, rejoicing, bringing his sheaves with him. So,
when the fulness of times shall have passed away,
for the perfecting of the work of the gospel minis-
try, he that sowed in tears shall reap in joy. All
shall know the Lord from the least to the greatest ;
and the knowledge of God shall cover the earth as
the waters cover the sea.
206
As the husbandman, who commits the precioas
wheat to the bosom of the earth, and waits for the
early and the latter rains, receives to his full satis-
faction the plenteous harvest, so we are certified
that Jesus shall see of the travail of his soul and be
satisfied. O the blessed assurance ! Shall Jesus,
who sowed in tears reap as large a harvest as will fill
his vast desires ? Yes, " for by his knowledge shall
my righteous servant justify many, for he shall bear
their iniquities." Jesus " gave himself a ransom
for all to be testified in due time." He will never
be satisfied until his " ransomed shall all return and
come to Zion with songs, and everlasting joy upon
their heads ; they shall obtain joy and gladness, and
sorrow and sighing shall flee away."
Every convert to God, .every ransomed soul
that returns and comes to Zion, brings a ripe sheaf
of the precious grain of love to God and Jove to
man, which Jesus sowed in tears. It should be
distinctly understood, that the design of the Sa-
viour in sowing the good seed in the world, was
that it might bring forth the fruit of righteousness.
Here then let us examine the argument which
the doctrine of limited salvation urges against the
final happiness of all men. The argument is this ;
It is not right in the sight of God, to bestow the
same felicity on the wicked, as he does on the
righteous. This is our opposer's argument, but
we say it does not, in the least, affect the merits of
the subject. This objection only shows that the
opposgfr is totally ignorant of what he endeavours
to disprove. The question is, is it just and right
in the sight of God to bring sinners to repentance,
and convert the ungodly to holiness ? This is the
question, and our opposer ought to understand it ;
for if he could see that, in order to disprove the
doctrine for which we contend, he must show that
it is not right to convert the sinner to God, he
would cease to oppose.
207
Jesus said, as has been before noticed, that he
" came to call sinners to repentance^." St Paul
says, " This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all
acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world
to save sinners, of whom I am chief." But let us
keep in mind, that Jesus saves his people from
their sins ; not in their sins, as our opposers seem
to insinuate that we believe.
There are two particulars respecting the harvest
under consideration, which may be distinctly no-
ticed.
First, The quality of the grain to be gathered
in. This is righteousness. " Such as a man sows,
such shall he also reap." Jesus sowed the doctrine
of love, of faith, of repentance, of hope, of charity,
of forgiveness, of doing to others as we would that
they should do to us ; such will he reap. Had he
sows the doctrine of eternal hatred, final impeni-
tance, endless enmity, death and condemnation,
he would expect to reap a harvest of the same
kind. Those who preach such doctrines now, ex-
pect to see such a harvest, and they very often
speak of the tremendous day, when the ripe
sheaves will be gathered in. But who will come
rejoicing bringing in such a harvest?
Secondly, The extent of the harvest is a subject
that claims our notice. Jesus represented the fu-
ture extent of his doctrine, by the parable of the
mustard-seed, "which a man took and sowed in
his field ; which indeed is the least of all seeds i
but when it is grown it is the greatest among herbs,
and becomes a tree ; so that the birds of the air
come and lodge in the branches thereof." Also
by the parable of the leaven, " which a woman
look and hid in three measures of meal, till the
whole was leavened." There is a beautiful indi-
cation of the same in the 72d Psalm, as follows ;
" There shall be an handfull of corn in the earth
upon the top of the mountains; the fruit thereof
208
shall shake like Lebanon ; and they of the city
shall flourish like grass of the earth." Isaiah says,
" Thy people shall be all righteous.'* And speak-
ing of the Prince of peace, he says ; " Of the in-
crease of his government and peace there shall be
no end." David says, "All kings shall fall down be-
fore him; all nations shall serve him-All the ends of
the world shall remember, and turn unto the Lord;
and all the kindreds of the nations shall worship
before thee. For the kingdom is the Lord's ; and
he is the governor among the nations." This ex-
tensive harvest was seen by St. John, on the isle of
Patnaos, as he thus discribes ; " I beheld, and lo, a
great multitude, which no man could number, of
all nations, and kindreds, and people, and tongues,
stood before the throne, and before the Lamb,
clothed with white robes, and palms in their hands;
and cried with a loud .voice, saying, Salvation to
our God, which sitteth upon the throne, and unto
the lamb." This is the rejoicing of the extensive
harvest. And though this vast multitude of all na-
tions, &c. were seen together, there were " white
robes" enough for them all.
My hearers You were all seen in this vision ;
the robe of righteousness is ready for you. The
time will come when every knee shall bow, and
every tongue confess, that Jesus is Lord to the
glory of God the Father.
Though the mustard-seed was despised when the
Saviour planted it, and though it lie a long time in
the earth, its glory will unfold and its increase
shall satisfy the capacious desires of him who came
to call sinners to repentance.
Dr. Watts says ;
" Though seed lie buried long in dust,
It shan't deceive their hope !
The precious graia can ne'er be lost,
For grace insures the crop."
No. 14.
LECTURE SERMON,
DELIVERED AT THE
SECOND UNIVERSALIST MEETING, IN BOSTON,
JANUARY 17, 1819.
BY HOSEA BALLOU, PASTOR.
P ublished Semi-Monthly by Henry Bowen, Devonshire-street.
MARK ix. 43, 44.
^ 4/2n< if thy hand offend thee, cut it off ; it it better for thee to enter into
life maimed, than having two hands to go into hell, into the firt that
never thall be quenched ; Where their worm dieth not, and the fire vs
not quenched.
SOME of the motives winch have inclined the
speaker to" call the attention of this audience to
the consideration of thig portion of divine truth are
the following:
1. There is, perhaps, no passage in the scrip'tures,
that has been more commonly used to lead the
minds of people to believe in the doctrine of end-
less misery, and to be exercised with the fear of
such a state, than this. And as one of the objects
of these lectures is to disprove such a doctrine, and
to show that the passages, which are usually quot-
ed in its support, are misapplied, it seems proper
to notice this passage in a way to show the error
of its common use. And,
2. That the opportunity maybe embraced to
enforce the argument of the text to induce the
mind to submit to any privations, which are neces-
sary to the discharge of that Christian obedience,
by which we enter into the spiritual life of the spirit
of truth.
27
210
We may, in the first place, institute an inquiry,
directed to satisfy the mind respecting the usual
application of this scripture to a future state of
endless misery.
In giving to this inquiry such a form as raa\
tend to facilitate a judicious conclusion, the fol-
lowing things are premised ;
1. The testimony, by which any fact is to be
proved, should be of one, who knows the thing to
be a reality, to which he bears such testimony.
2. In a case where testimony is all the evidence
that can be had, this testimony should be of such a
character as to admit of no reasonable doubt re^
specting its true application.
3. It is indispensable, that testimony, by which
the belief of any proposition is to be established
should be entirely free from any contradiction?.
And,
4. It is moreover proper to observe, that in pro-
portion to the greatness of the subject, on which
we are called to form a judgment, what has been
premised enforces its claims on the mind.
As to the magnitude of the subject, which is now
called in question, nothing exceeds it. The doc-
trine which asserts, that mankind is to suffer un-
speakable torments to all future eternity is a sub-
ject, that justly requires as direct and clear evidence
as any nameable case whatever.
With the foregoing considerations impressed on
our minds, let us examine the words of our text
with a design to ascertain the truth concerning this
~ ^j
vast question. "And if thy hand oft'end thee, cut
it off; it is better for thee to enter into life maim-
ed, than having two hands, to be cast into hell, into
the fire that never shall be quenched ; where their
worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched."
This is the testimony on which the doctrine of eter-
nal, never-ending misery is founded. The hearer
211
is most earnestly requested to lay aside all prepos-
sessions on this subject, and investigate it with as
much caution as the interest which we all have in
the subject demands.
I. Let us ask, is there in this passage any thing
that goes to prove that its author was speaking of
what is to take place in a future state of being ?
Most certainly, irithout a doubt, replies the be-
liever in endless punishment, for Jesus here speaks of
being cast into hell ; and surely hell is not in this
world. My dear friend, I humbly asked you to
lay aside all prepossessions on this subject ; but in
room of this, your answer is the production of pre-
judice. Did this faithful and true witness ever say
that hell is not in this world? Is it asserted in our
text, that this hell is in a future state of existence ?
Both these questions must be answered in the ne-
gative. Will our opposer say, that the whole tes-
timony of scripture must be admitted in this case,
and that we must learn where hell is, and what it is,
by the united testimony of inspired writers? To
this we agree at once. The prophet David says ;
" (ireat is thy mercy toward me ; and thou hast
delivered my soul from the lowest hell." Again
he says ; " The sorrows of death compassed me,
and the pains of hell gat hold upon me ; I found
trouble and sorrow." Jonah says; " I cried by
reason of mine affliction unto the Lord, and he
heard me ; out of the belly of hell cried I, and thou
heardest my voice." Now as certain as David and
Jonah were in this world, when they thus spake,
so certain it is, that in the days of these prophets,
hell was in this world. Why might it not Ije in
this world in the days our Saviour was on the
earth?
It appears evident, from the passages just quot-
ed, that a state of extreme trouble and affliction is,
in the language of scripture, called hell. There-
212
fore, in order to justify the application of this word
to a state of punishment in a future world, there
must be a declaration directly to that effect ; but
there is no part of the text under consideration
that can in any way answer such a purpose.
2. "Will it be contended, that as the Saviour
said ; " Where their worm dieth not, and the fire is
not quenched," he must necessarily mean to speak
of a future endless torment ? To this vye reply ; as
it has already been agreed, that the scriptures must
be taken in their connection, and their united tes-
timony admitted in this inquiry, it seems most pro-
per to connect these words of our Saviour with a
similar passage in the 66th of Isaiah, which reads
thus ; " For as the new heavens, and the new earth,
which I have made, shall remain before me, saith
the Lord, so shall your seed and your name remain.
And it shall come to pass, that from one new moon
to another, and from one sabbath to another, shall
all flesh come to worship before me, saith the Lord.
And they shall go forth, and look upon the carcas-
ses of the men that have transgressed against me :
for their worm shall not die, neither shall their fire
be quenched ; and they shall be an abhorring unto
all flesh."
By this passage the case is perfectly clear that
the worm, and the fire that is not quenched are in
this state of existence, where times of worship are
measured by new moons and by sabbaths. And
there can be no doubt but the Saviour, in our text
had his eye on this passage in Isaiah, and spake of
the same subject.
We will now allow the objector liberty to say,
that it is evident that the passage in Isaiah alludes
to the time of the new heavens, and the new earth,
which must refer to a future state.
We reply to the objector, in this case, and say;
" Ye greatly err, not knowing the scriptures," for
213
the prophet in his 65th chapter speaks as follows ;
"Behold I create new heavens, and a new earth ; and
the former shall not be remembered, nor come into
mind. But be ye glad and rejoice forever in that
which I create ; for, behold, I create Jerusalem a
rejoicing, and her people a joy And they shall
build houses, and inhabit them ; and they shall
plant vine-yards, and eat the fruit of them." Will
houses be built, and vine-yards be planted in a fu-
ture world ? No ; all these scriptures evidently
regard things which belong to our present state of
mortal existence.
By a careful comparison of the passages to which
we have referred, and by taking into the connec-
tion one in St. Peter, and another in Revelations,
on the subject of the new heavens, and new earth,
and on the new Jerusalem, it appears clear that
those scriptures were designed to represent the
gospel dispensation. St. Paul, in his epistle to the
Hebrews, who understood the language of Isaiah,
says to the believers in Jesus ; " Ye are come unto
mount Zion, and unto tlte city of the living God,
the heavenly Jerusalem." He does not say, that
they will get to this heavenly Jerusalem in a future
world, but he tells them, that they have already
come to it.
But what does Isaiah mean by saying ; " They
shall go forth, and look upon the carcasses of the
men that have transgressed against me ; for their
worm shall not die, neither shall their fire be
quenched; and they shall be an abhorring unto all
flesh?"
Reply By all flesh, no doubt, the prophet
meant the Gentiles of different nations who should
come into the gospel church and covenant ; and by
the men that transgressed against the Lord, he
meant the Jews who rejected their Messiah. These
Jews are represented as tormented with a gnawing
214
worm and a perpetual fire, arid to be an abhorring
to the Christian church of Gentiles.
These remarks seem to bring us directly to the
meaning of our text. " It is better for Ihee to en-
ter into life maimed, than having two hands, to be
oast into hell, into the fire that never shall be quench-
ed; where their worm dieth not, and the fire is, not
quenched/' That is, than to be cast jnto the state
of condemnation and outer darkness, where there
shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth, into which
the Jews who reject the gospel will be cast.
Will it now be asked, what will become of those
Israelites who rejected the Messiah and have ben
cast into this state of condemnation ? Let St. Paul
give -the answer ; "Blindness in part is happened
to Israel until the fulness of the gentiles be come
in, and so all Israel shall be saved."
As it has been premised that the testimony by
whieh a belief in a proposition is to be established,
must be free from contradiction, before we can al-
low that the doctrine of endless misery is proved
by the scriptures, they must be found entirely free
from any declarations to the contrary.
St. Paul informs us, that God " will have all men
to be saved," and that Jesus gave himself a ran-
som for all' 5 men. Now if God's will and the
Saviour's ransom finally fail of their object, what
can we prove from the scriptures? If those whom
God wills to save, and whom the Saviour ransomed
are to be miserable eternally, who are to be saved ?
The fact is, there is no such testimony in the
.-jcripturcs, which can, witf; the least degree of fair-
ness be applied to a state of never ending misery ;
and in fact if there were any such testimony in the
scriptures, yet it could not prove the proposition,
$<>>long as there remain so many positive declara-
Vkus against it.
Moreover, we feel it to be a duty to state, that
in room of straining particular passages, which
speak of the punishment of the wicked, so as to
favour the idea of unlimited punishment, we should
feel justified in restraining any passage, could such
be found, that should seem to favour an opinion so
dishonourable to God, and so revolting to our best
feelings.
It surely should not require so much direct tes-
timony from the scripture to prove that-God will
have mercy on all men, as to prove that he will
not ; for it' we judge the divine Being by his con-
duct to men in this life, the evidence of his univer-
sal goodness is perfectly ample. And David says
" the Lord is good to all, and his tender mercies
,are over all his works."
If what the scriptures assert on this subject be
true, and if we may credit the testimony of divine
providence we must conclude, that the doctrine
that teaches unmerciful, never ending punishment
is a direct impeachment of the divine Being; and
is the greatest specimen of ingratitude that is to
be found in all the world.
This ungrateful doctrine is now held up to be
the guardian of morality ! In order to be moral
we must solemnly and heartily accuse the kind
Father of our spirits, who loves sinners and sent
his Son to be the propitiation for the sins of the
whole world, of having predestinated millions of
human beings to a state of endless woe, before the
creation of the world ! If religion and morality
begin with such ingratitude, what will be their pro-
gress ? and what will be their end ?
There is one more argument M hich the oprjpser
may think ought to be noticed, whicla is the follow-
ing ; As Jesus says, in our text ; " it is better for
thee to enter into life maimed, than having two
216
hands, to be cast into hell &c. ; as entering into
iife means entering; into a state of eternal felicity,
hereafter, so being; cast into hell, being the opposite
of entering into life, seems to favor the opinion
that this hell is in the future, eternal world.
In replying; to this argument, we shall bring the
principal design of the text before the hearer, and
introduce the argument of the Saviour for the pur-
pose for which he used it.
And bore the hearer is called on to observe that
(he objection to which we are now about to reply
is, in fact, founded on a mistake. By entering into
life, we have no evidence to believe, that the Sa-
viour had any allusion to entering into a state of
complete happiness, in the eternal, immortal state ;
but we have evidence to the contrary of this, even
in the text itself. Observe the words; "it is bet-
ter for thee to enter into life maimed," &c. He
surely did not mean, that men were to enter into
a state of immortality in the'eternal world maimed.
John Baptist, says ; "he that believeth on the Son
hath everlasting life." St. John says, " we know that
we have passed from death unto life, because we
love the brethren." St. Paul says, " there is, there-
fore, now no condemnation to them which are in
Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after
the spirit. For the laws of the spirit of life in
Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin
and death." To the Ephesians he says ; " But
God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love
.wherewith he loved us, even when we were dead
in sin, hath quickened us together with Christ."
This is that life into which those who believe and
pbey the gospel enter maimed.
But the immortal state is represented glorious
and complete.
We shall now solicit the attention of the audi-
ence to the consideration of what is meant by being
217
maimed, in our text, and to an illustration of the
proper object of the Saviour's argument. Ob-
serve the introduction of our subject. "And who-
soever shall offend one of these little ones that
believe in me, it is belter for him that a millstone
were hanged about his neck, and he were cast into
the sea. And if thy hand offend thee cut it off;
for it is better for thee to enter into life maim-
ed," &c.
The evident meaning of the Saviour seems to be
this; if one of your nearest connections in the
world, even if one as dear to you as a hand, should
oppose your yielding obedience to the gospel, part
with this dear connection rather than part with di-
vine truth. And though you thereby feel as one
who has lost a hand, yet what you gain is more
than what you lose. In this connection, Jesus
mentions the cutting off of a foot, and the pluck-
ing out of an eye for the same cause as the cuting
off of the hand; and it is very evident that this
recommendation was given on account of the op-
position that was constantly in exercise against the
cause of truth, and which he knew would increase
unto grevious persecution.
Jesus said ; " Think not that I am come to send
peace on earth ; I came not to send peace, but a
sword. For I am come to set a man at variance
against his father, and the daughter against her
mother, and the daughter-in-law against her moth-
er-in-law. And a man's foes shall be they of his
own household. He that loveth father or mother
more than me is not worthy of me ; and he that
loveth son or daughter more than me is not worthy
of me. And he that taketh not his cross and fol-
loweth after me is not worthy of me. He that
findeth his life shall lose it ; and he that loseth his
life for my sake shall find it."
28
218
It was hard indeed for Ibe disciples of Jesus to
part with such tender connections, and they, no
doubt, felt, in some respect, as people do, who
have lost a hand, a foot, or an eye ; but then on
the other hand, they had Jesus who is worth more
than all they lost.
St. Paul was called, to enter into life at the ex-
pense of all that he held dear, of a worldy nature.
Brought up at the feet of Gamaliel, educated a
Pharasee, in high esteem among his people-, and in
the confidence of the high Priest of his nation ; in
his youth when his prospects were exceedingly flat-
tering, and at a moment when he was engaged in
rendering all possible service to the interest of those
authorities, which were hostile to the cause and
disciples of Christ, he is called to embrace the Sa-
viour, and to part with all his connections and
friends on earth. He entered into life maimed.
He felt like one who has lost a hand, a foot, and an
eye, but thereby saved his life. How often would
such a person think of the members gone. How
often would he say, O that my hand, my foot, and
my eye could again be restored. So it was with
St. Paul. He says ; " I say the truth in Christ, I
lie not, my conscience also bearing me witness in
the Holy Ghost, that I have great heaviness and
continual s-orrow in my heart. For I could wish
that myself were accused from Christ for my
brethren, my kinsmen according to the flesh."
And again, he says ; " Brethren, my heart's desire
and prayer to God for Israel is, that they might be
saved." But there he saw them, devoted to the
worm and fire, discribed by the prophet Isaiah.
They were the Apostle's ' kinsmen according to
the flesh." They were to him like lost members
of his body, for whom he exercised great and con-
tinual concern.
219
Will the advocate for endless punishment say,
that St. Paul's concern for his brethren was be-
cause he believed they would never obtain mercy?
Will any pretend that Paul was heavy-hearted, be-
cause he believed as many do now, that they were
consigned over to endless woe ?
Such a supposition is in direct opposition to the
clear and luminous arguments which this 1 Apostle
has left recorded in his epistles, particularly in the
1 1th of Romans, where he fully explains the occa-
sion of the blindness of the Jews, and largely vin-
dicates their final readmission to favour. Speak-
ing to the Gentile believers, he says ; " For as ye
in times past have not believed God, but have now
obtained mercy through their unbelief, ewen so have
these now not believed that through your mercy,
they also may obtain mercy." And as has been
before noticed, he says ; " All Israel shall be
saved."
It surely would be very contrary to the prospects
of the Christian hope, to suppose that St. Paul, or
any other Saint would spend an eternity in the
maimed condition that he was in, in consequence
of leaving his brethren in darkness and unbelief.
Many professed Christians in our times, and in-
deed many professed preachers of the gospel, feel
or affect to feel great concern for fear the souls of
their fellow creatures will be finally sentenced to
everlasting tortures in the eternal world. This is
a maimedness, which St. Paul has informed us
nothing of. But those who now believe the truth
as it is in J&sus and yield obedience to its require-
ments enter into life maimed. They are called to
part with dear connections, which are near to them
as the members of their bodies.
The false religion of anti-christ, like the doctrines
of the Pharisees and the Sadducees of old, has so
established itself by the power of tradition, is
220
guarded and supported by so many means, which
in the eyes of the world are honourable, that to
call it in question, to presume to bring it into the
light for examination excites great alarm among
its friends. One who has been brought up and ed-
ucated according to the orthodox creed, joined a
church, and formed an extensive connection in re-
ligious society, has kind and affectionate parents,
brothers and sisters, who are respectable members
of the same communion, by some means which
heaven has appointed is called to reflect on some
of the doctrines of the church by way of query.
Such questions as the following arise in the mind.
How is it that a wise, kind, and merciful creator
has predestinated, from eternity, millions of human
beings to endless and unspeakable torments? In
his providence, he is universally kind, he openeth his
hand and satisfieth the desire of every living thing ;
why should he not be as universally kind in the
economy of his spiritual grace? We read in the
scriptures, that " God commended this love toward
us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died
for us." We furthermore read that Jesus Christ
the righteous is the propitiation for the sins of the
whole world. Why should the scriptures speak in
such terms if a few only of the human family are
subjects of the divine favour? These thoughts
and many others revolve in the mind of the sup-
posed individual. The person thus exercised feels
a strong desire to speak with some one on the sub-
ject ; but fears arise that it may give offence ! The
'matter is suffered to rest for the present ; the per-
son goes to the house of worship with a determina-
tion to learn something, if possible, that may as-
sist in solving these queries. The minister prays;
and in his prayer he fervently entreats the Father
of mercies to send forth the light and power of the
gospel even to the ends of the earth, that all may
221
be brought to a saving knowledge of God. This
prayer awakens the attention of our querist, who
now says; why does my minister pray for all the
>vorld if he has no faith for the whole ? The min-
ister preaches ; and his sermon is designed to prove
the divine sovereignty in electing some to ever-
lasting life, and predestinating others to endless
destruction. This contradiction between the prayer
and the sermon tries the mind exceedingly. The
person goes home, finally feels such powerful ex-
ercises of mind, that a determination is formed to
talk with others on the subject.
No sooner are these queries made known to the
dearest connexions in life, than surprise is manifest-
ed ; and the person asked whether they are dispos-
ed to call in question the mysterious doctrines of
the gospel, doubt the creed, and pretend to be wiser
than the minister ? But all does not satisfy the
mind, into which a few scattering beams of divine
light have found 'their way. Says the supposed
person, I will go for once and hear a preacher who
holds up Jesus a universal Saviour. Yes, this I
must do, and if I am despised for it I must bear it. It
is accordingly so done, and God blesses the word to
the satisfaction of the heavy ladened soul, and
Jesus now appears Lord of all, Lord of the dead
and the living ; and the, enraptured soul says, I
have seen and must testify that the Father sent the
Son to be the Saviour of the world. With the
heart the person believes unto righteousness, and
with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.
What is next ? The Church disowns this member
and casts it out ; family connections grow cold
and alienated in their affections, and this lonely
individual enters into life maimed.
What a loss is here ! Perhaps father, mother,
brothers, sisters are parted with. Yea, perhaps a
husband or a wife, as the case may be.
Joys arise on the one hand, peace is found io-
believing, and a free universal gospel is life to the
soul. On the other hand heaviness of heart, that
those dear connections, which are left in gloomy
darkness, and are exercised with the awful terrors
of everlasting misery, cannot now see and rejoice
in this heavenly, glorious truth, that " God is the
Saviour of all men."
But, my brethren and sisters, though many of
you have entered into life maimed ; though you
have left fathers, mothers, companions, brethren
and sisters, sons and daughters, you are satisfied
that it is better to enter into life thus maimed,
than to be cast into that ceaseless fire of erroneous
creeds, and to be gnawed with that restless worm
of continual fear.
There is likewise one consolation that more
than repays all the losses you sustain ; your faith
and hope enter within the vail where Jesus enter-
ed, in whom dwells all the fulness of the Godhead
bodily ; ' and ye are complete in him." When
you contemplate the fulness of him who filleth all
tilings, you perceive that God has purposed to
"gather together in one all things in Christ." You
" know that the head of every man is Christ," arid
that not a bone of him shall be broken. You,
therefore anticipate the time, when you shall enter
into immortality and eternal life, not maimed, but
being complete in Christ the head of every man,
all those dear connections who oppose you here,
will join you there. Those who could not com-
mune with you here, will have no partial creeds
there. All will be illuminated with the radiant
sun of righteousness, tears will there be wiped
from ofi'all faces, and there shall be no more death,
neither sorrow nor crying, neither shall there be
any more pain. But he that sitteth upon the
throne shall make all things new, according to the
223
pattern shewn unto the disciples, in the mount
where Jesus was transfigured.
That the hearer may have a clear and distinct
understanding of the general subject to which we
have attended, a comparison should be carefully
made between the state of the disciples of Jesus,
in this present world, where, though spiritual life,
and the fruits of the spirit, which are love, joy,
peace, long suffering, gentleness, goodness, and
faith, are enjoyed, yet there are many sufferings;
such as persecutions for the sake of the word, sor-
rows of heart for those who oppose the truth, and
all the roaimedness signified in our text and of
which mention has been made, with that perfect,
glorious, and immortal state, of which Jesus spake
when treating on the subject of the resurrection,
and of which St. Paul, speaks in his 1st epistle to
the Corrinthians.
The opposer will now say, if you are right, why
is it not just as well for us to remain ignorant of
these truths as to know them ? What difference
can it make ?'
In reply we will ask the following questions.
Suppose some deceived person should be led to be-
lieve, that the coming spring will be so widely dif-
ferent from the vernal seasons which are past, that
in room of a warmer sun than winter affords, and in
room of the usual zephyrs and flowers of May, the
sun will run still lower than in winter, and the
winds be more chilling, the frost more intense, and
not a flower will be seen, nor a birtl heard to sing ;
further, suppose this gloomy soul should persuade
thousands to believe his errors, and should spread
a gloorn over half the inhabitants of our country,
how would those, who remained confident in the
goodness and faithfulness of God, feel for their de-
ceived friends? Would they not endeavour te
224
persuade them away from their fears? And would
it be just as well for those who should be thus de-
ceived, to remain in their error, as to live by faith,
and rejoice in hope of the glory of God, which is
hastening on as fast as time moves ?
Would it not be very proper to say to the peo-
ple, who in consequence of this gloomy unbelief,
were making no preparations to improve the lovely
season of seed time, repent of your errors, see to
your concerns, be ready with all your means, for
the spring is at hand, the days grow longer, it will
be but a short time before the flowers shall appear
and the time of the singing of birds will come ?
DELIVERED AT THE
SECOND UNIVERSALIST MEETING, IN BOSTON,
FEBRUARY 14, 1819.
BY HOSEA BALLOU, PASTOR.
Published Semi-Monthly by Henry Bowen, Deronshire-street.
HEBREWS ii. 14, 15.
fi Forasmuch then at the children are partaker* of flesh and blood, he also
himself likewise took part of the same ; that through death he might de-
stroy him that had the power of death, that is, the devil ; And dtliver
them who, through fear of death t were all their lifetime subject to bon-
dage."
THE first enquiry, to which the attention of the
hearer is invited, will be directed to ascertain some
particulars relative to the children mentioned in
our text.
We shall see, by the context, that these children
comprehend the whole human family. In refer-
ence to a passage in the 8th Psalms, the Apostle
says ; " But one in a certain place testified, saying,
What is man that thou art mindful of him ? or the
son of man that thou visitest him ? Thou madest him
a little lower than the angels ; thou crownedst him
with glory ajd honour and didst set him over the
works of thy hands : Thou hast put all things in
subjection under his feet. For in that he put all
in subjection under him, he left nothing that is not
put under him. But now we see not yet all things
put under him : But we see Jesus, who was made
a little lower than the angels for the suffering of
29
226
death, crowned with glory and honour ; that he by
the grace of God should taste death for every man.'"
By man, it is evident, the Apostle meant the whole
humanity, as did the prophet also in the passage
referred to ; and by every man y he meant the same
thing in a distributive view.
The Apostle's argument evidently amounts to
this ; the glory and honour to which man was orig-
inally destined by his Creator, we now see com-
plete in Jesus, who tasted death for every man,
and in him only.
Immediately following what we have just quot-
ed from our context, the author, in giving the rea-
son for the sufferings of Jesus, calls the whole hu-
man nature, taken in the distributive sense before
noticed, sons ; "For it became him, for whom are
all things, and by whom are all things, in bringing
many sons unto glory, to make the captain of their
salvation perfect through sufferings."
Here it is important that we notice distinctly,
that the Apostle designed to speak of the divine
creature when he spake of him, " for whom are
all things, and by whom are all things;'' and when
he spake of many sons, he meant the same as he
did by every man ; and when he spake of bringing
many sons to glory, he meant the bringing of every
man to the glory which we see in Jesus, of which
he had just spoken.
Directly following our last quotation, the author
calls these many sons, who are to be brought unto
glory, the brethren of him who is their sanctifier
and says that they are one with hiA ; " For both
he that sanctifieth and they who are sanctified are
all of one : for which cause he is not ashamed to call
them brethren ; saying, I will declare thy name
unto my brethren j in the midst of the church will
I sing praise unto thee."
227
By him who sanctifieth, the author nieans Jesus,
who is the captain of our salvation ; by those who
are sanctified, he means every man or the many
sons, of whom he had just spoken, and by brethren
he means the same thing, and furthermore he calls
them the church.
Our author introduces our glorified Saviour, as
saying ; " Behold I, and the children which God
hath given me." These children are the same as
expressed by the Apostle in the following words
which have been quoted ; " What is man ?" mean-
ing the whole human nature. " Every man," mean-
ing the same. " Many sons," comprehending the
same. " Brethren" of the great sanctifier; " The
church." These are the children mentioned in our
text, who are partakers of flesh and blood.
Having ascertained in the first section of our in-
quiry, that the children mentioned in our text com-
prehend the whole human family, we may attempt
2dly, To show who is the Father of these child-
ren. This question is settled at once by the author
in the context, in the following words which have
been noticed ; " For it became him, for whom are
all things, and by whom are all things, in bringing
many sons unto glory, to make the captain of their
salvation perfect through sufferings.'' These many
sons, who are brought unto glory, are the children
mentioned in our text, and he for whom are all
things, and by whom are all things, is the Father of
these children.
If it seem incorrect to the hearer, to call all men
the children of God, and if any objection be made
to this doctrine on account of the sinfulness of
man's character, our argument may be supported
by the following considerations.
St. Luke in tracing the genealogy of Jesus car-
ries it up to the creation of man, and says; "Which
was the son of Enos, which was the son of Seth,
228
which was the Son of Adam, which was the son of
God." If it be proper to call Adam the son of
God, it seems also to be proper to call all the des-
cendants of this first man, the children of God.
If the objection be urged on account of the sinful
character of man, we reply, that the children do
not destroy this relation by disobedience. For as
the relation of parent and child certainly exists be-
fore the child becomes active in obedience, or dis-
obedience ; it would be false reasoning to argue
that obedience could constitute this relation, or
that disobedience would disannul it. The Lord
says, by the prophet Jeremiah ; " Turn, O back-
sliding children, saith the Lord ; for I am married
unto you." Thus the divine Being addresses the
wicked by the endearing appellation of children.
That it is consiitent with the doctrine of Jesus to
allow that sinners are the children of God, this di-
vine teacher fully shows where he teaches us to
pray, and say ; " Our father which art in heaven
forgive us our sins." Here Jesus teaches the sin-
ner to call God his Father.
St. Paul, speaking to the Athenians, as recorded
in the 17th Acts, said ; "God that made the world,
and all things therein, hath made of one blood all
nations of men for to dwell on all the face of the
earth, and hath determined the times before ap~
pointed, and the bounds of their habitation ; that
they should seek the Lord, if haply they might
feel after him, and find him, though he be not far
from every one of us ; for in him we live, and
move, and have our being ; as certain also of your
own poets have said, for we are also his offspring."
According to this declaration, " all nations of men"
are the offspring ot God. Let us inquire,
3dly. What this relation of all men to the di-
vine Being consists in ?..
229
It seems that the simple fact of man's being ere*
ated, or formed of the dust of the ground by the
hand of God, is not altogether a sufficient cause to
account for his being called his offspring ; for it is
evident that all other creatures and things were
equally the production of the divine Power ; but
the beasts of the field, the fowl of heaven, the fish
of the sea are not called the offspring and children
of God.
If a man, who is a mechanic, contrive and make
ever so curious or valuable a piece of machinery,
it would not justify our calling him the father of
this production of his skill, nor would it justify our
calling this machine the son, child, or offspring of
him who made it. But if a man have born to him
a child, this child partakes of the very nature of
the parent, and it is this participation which consti-
tutes the relation of father and child. So if the
" Father of spirits" has so constituted man, that he
is a partaker of his nature, he is, in a most proper
and divine sense the child and offspring of God.
This is the nature of the relation which consti-
tutes all men the children of God, and this relation
lies at the foundation of the divine economy, by
which we are amply provided with all things which
appertain to life and godliness. This relation
accounts for till which we read in the scriptures of
the love, mercy, and compassions of the divine Be-
ing towards man. We cannot conceive the possi-
bility of any being's loving that which is totally
different from itself.
But man " is the image and glory of God," and
it is as consistent with the nature of things, for God
to love his own image in mankind, as it is for par-
ents to love their image in their children.
This relation accounts for the moral obligation
that men are under to love God above every other
object. " Thou shalt love the Lord, thy God with
230
all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy
strength," is not an arbitrary command, but is es-
tablished on the nature of the divine relation in
which we stand to our Father which is in heaven.
If there were in nature any thing more calculated
to happify mankind than is the divine Being, that
thing would certainly have the greatest claim on
our love.
But this is not the case ; there is not in the whole
universe any thing so favourable to man, as is the
Father of his spirit. God is the fountain from
which we came, and nothing but God can satisfy
the soul.
David gaid ; " As the hart panteth after the wa-
ter-brooks, so panteth my soul after thee, O God.
My soul thirsteth for God, for the living God." If
water were not a part of the composition of the
human body, we should never feel a desire for it,
nor could it give us the least refreshment. So if
we were not partakers of the divine nature in our
constitution as mortal beings, we could never feel
the least desire for God, nor could the communi-
cations of the divine spirit give us life or any re-
freshment. How eagerly does one who is thirsty
receive the cooling draught, and with what exquis-
ite pleasure does he slake his parching thirst. .Te-
ens says : " If any man thirst, let him come unto
me and drink ;" Drink what ? The spirit of truth
which is a well of water springing up into ever-
tasting life.
This divine relation, which constitutes all men
the children of God, explains the meaning of such
passages as the following ; " For the earnest expec-
tation of "the creature waiteth for the manifestation
of the sons of God. Because the creature itself
also shall be delivered from the bondage of corrup-
tion into the glorious liberty of the children of
God: For we know that, if our earthly house of this
231
*
tabernacle were dissolved, we have a building of
God, an house not made with hands, eternal in the
heavens. For in this we groan, earnestly desiring
to be clothed upon with our house which is from
heaven. For we that are in this tabernacle do
groan, being burdened ; not for that we would be
unclothed, but clothed upon, that mortality might
be swallowed up of life." IB these passages men
are represented as the sons of God, and while they
are in the earthly house of this tabernacle, they
are considered in a state of bondage, from which
they groan to be delivered ; and the state into which
they are to enter when the earthly house is dissolv-
ed, is the glorious liberty of the children of God,
to inhabit a house not made with hands eternal in
the heavens.
Now if man was wholly of an earthly nature,
if the natural elements which constitute his earth-
ly house of this tabernacle compose the whole of
his nature, would jhere be the least shadow of sense
in such scriptures ?
To conclude thii general inquiry concerning the
children mentioned in our text, we may ask, in
what way the passage under consideration is to be
understood, unless this divine relation of mankind
to the Father of our spirits be granted ? " The
children are partakers of flesh and blood ;" If the
children were nothing but flesh and blood, why is it
said,' that they are partakers of flesh and blood?'
" He (Jesus) also himself likewise took part of the
iame." If Jesus consisted only of flesh and blood
ia it intelligible language to say, he took part of
the same ?
But the Christian hearer will say at once, that he
has no doubt that Jesus partook of the divine na-
ture and stood in a constituted relation to his Fa-
ther, and was something besides flesh and blood.
Now when all this is conceded, the hearer's atte*
tion is invited to reconsider a part of the context
which has been noticed; "For both he that sanctifi-
eth and they who are sanctified are ail of one ;
for which cause he is not ashamed to call them
brethren." If Jesus, who is the sanctifier, and
mankind who is sanctified by him, are all of one,
so that he is not ashamed to call men his brethren,
then it is plain that the nature of the relation of
Jesus to the Father is the nature of the relation
of every maji to the Father of our spirits. And
this agrees with the scripture which saith that Je-
sus is " the first born among many brethren.
The hearer is cautioned against supposing that
we mean to level the blessed Redeemer to no more
than equality with ourselves, by contending that
the relation in which we stand to our Father and
his Father; to our God and his God, is the same
in which he himself stands ; for though all this is
evident from the scriptures, yet it is also contained
in them, that " God hath highly exalted him, and
given him a name that is above every name that is
named, whether in this world or that which is to
come, that in the name of Jesus every knee should
bow of things in heaven, and things on earth, and
things under the earth ; and that every tongue
should confess that Jesus is Lord to the glory of
God the Father."
We may now notice the moral condition which
our text and context give to the children named in
fj
the text, and concerning whom we have endeav-
oured to direct the foregoing researches.
On this question we may say but little ; as the
subject is rendered sufficiently clear by the scrip*-
ture under consideration and its connection.
In our text, these children are said to be partakers
of flesh and blood, and to be in bondage through
fear of death. Just above the Apostle had said,
as has been twice noticed ; " Both he that sanctifi-
233
eth and they who are sanctified are all of one," &c.
By this we learn that the children were in an ua-
sarictified state, which rendered their sanctification
necessary. And this agrees with the following ac-
count which we find in the Apostle's writing to the
Ephesians ; " Husbands love your wives, even as
Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for
it ; that he might sanctify and cleanse it with the
washing of water by the word ; that he might pre-
sent it to himself a glorious church, not having spot,
or wrinkle, or any such thing ; but that it should be
holy, and without blemish."
This is the church of which mention is made in
our context : " I will declare thy name unto my
brethren ; in the midst of the church will I sing
praise unto thee."
This is the church which Jesus loved, when it
was unsanctified, unclean, full of spots and wrinkles,
and in a state of bondage. This church consists of
every man or the whole human family, as the
Apostle saith in the place where our text lies ;
" But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower
than the angels, for the suffering of death, crowned
with glory and honour; that he by the grace of
God might taste death for every man."
Our next inquiry may be directed to obtain the
meaning of the following words ; " He also himself
likewise took part of the same ; that through death
he might destroy biin that had the power of death,
that is, the devil."
These words seem to indicate the following
things ; 1st. That the devil has the power of death.
2d. That the devil may be destroyed. 3d. That
the means by which the devil can be destroyed is
that of death. And, 4th. That Jesus took on him
flesh and blood for the purpose of destroying the
devil, by means of death. Apprehensions are en*
tertained that we are about to encounter some for-
30
234
midable difficulties in the progress of this inquiry,
especially if we entertain the opinion concerning
the devil, which has been generally believed. This
opinion supposes, that the devil is an immortal spirit,
that he was once an angel of light, and an inhabi-
tant of heaven, in which God and holy angels
dwell. It supposes that this angel rebelled against
the Almighty, for which cause he was driven out
of heaven, and cast down to hell, where he will ex-
ist in unspeakable torments ai long as God shall
exist in heaven, happiness, and glory.
Dr. Watts, whose opinion, concerning the devil,
or satan, was according to the wisdom of other doc-
tors, has left the following as his sentiment, to be
read and sung in Christian devotion :
" Far in the deep where darkness dwells,
" The land of horror and despair,
" Justice hath built a dismal hell,
" And laid her stores of vengeance there.
u Eternal plagues, and heavy chains,
" Tormenting racks and firey coals.
" And darts t' inflict immortal pains,
" Dy'd in the blood of damned souls.
" There Satan the first sinner lies,
" And roars and bites his iron bands;
" In vain the rebel strives to rise,
" Crusb/d with the weight of both thy hands."
Now it is certainly very difficult, according to this
doctrine, to account for all that the scriptures say
indicating that the devil has continually sojourned
in this world. This same author supposes that ihis
satan, who lies in the " dismal hell" of which he
spake, crushed with the weight of both the hands of
the Almighty, and who strives to rise from his con-
finement in vain, was the tempter who beguiled
our mother Eve. He says ;
" When Satan in the serpent hid,
" Propos'd the fruit that God forbid."
And not only does this common opinion about the
devil, suppose he was the tempter, who beguiled
235
Eve, but it supposes that he is present with every
man through his whole lifetime on earth, tempting
us to sin !
But our authors have not told us how the devil
can be confined to that " dismal hell/' of which
they say so much, and at the same time be here
on earth to superintend the vast affairs of sin and
wickedness throughout all nations and kingdoms of
the world.
There are more difficulties still which we must
dispose of as prudently as possible.
If the devil be in fact an immortal spirit, and if
he be confined to a state of endless misery, how
shall we understand the Apostle in our text, who
says, that Jesus took flesh and blood, that through
death he might destroy him that had the power of
death, that is, the devil ?
How could Jesus, by dying, destroy an immor-
tal, spiritual being? and one too who is to exist as
long as Jesus shall exist?
Not only is it believed, that the devil will exist
as Jong as Jesus, who died to destroy him, but it
is likewise believed that he will be able to main-
tain his government over a much larger number of
the human race, than will ever be made subject to
the laws of the Redeemer. In support of this
opinon, such passages of scripture as the following
are frequently cited; " Many are called, but few
are chosen. Wide is the gate and broad is the
^vay that leadeth to destruction, and many there
be which go in thereat : Because strait is the gate,
and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and
few there be that find it." It is believed that the
adversary is continually exerting himself, and
using all his infernal arts to lead men into sin, that
the divine Being may be moved to sentence them
to his dismal abode, where he may have the con-
trol of them forever; on the other hand, it is be-
23$
liered that Jesus Christ is Continually employing
all the means of grace to bring sinners to repent-
ance, that they may be his happy subjects in the
eternal world ; but the result of all these counter
operations, and this warfare between Christ and
the adversary will be a few to the praise of the glory
of the Redeemer's name, and many victims to the
more successful endeavours of the prince of dark-
ness!
Notwithstanding these sentiments are thought to
be true, and of essential importance in the Christian
doctrine, yet we hear abundance said, find much
written, and not a little sung of the glorious victory
which Jesus won over the adversary, when he died,
and rose from the dead. But if those sentiments
be correct, which give the result of the warfare,
between Christ and the adversary so much in favour
of the latter, it is evident that another contest, and
one more like victory would establish the adversary
in universal dominion !
That we may, at once deliver our minds from all
the inconsistencies which the common opinion
concerning the devil involves, let us avail ourselves
of the important fact, that no such sentiment is
found in the scriptures, nor in the least favoured by
reason or common sense.
That the devil was ever a holy angel we have no
account in the scriptures ; that any man was ever
tempted by an agent distinct from the powers of
flesh and blood we have no reason to believe.
St. James says ; " Every man is tempted, when he
is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed-" And
it is a fact, that we are never tempted to commit
any sin, that may not be accounted for without a
separate agent.
The word devil, or satan, means an adversary, an
enemy, an opposer. And this character every man
finds in himself. Every man, being a partaker of
237
flesh and blood, has the adversary in him, who
tempts him to sin; and can say, with as much pro-
priety as St. Paul did, " In me, that is in my flesh,
dvvelieth no good thing." The Apostle further
says ; " J delight in the law of God after the inward
man. But I see another law in my members
warring against the law of my mind, and bringing
me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my
members." Again he says, " the flesh lusteth
against the spirit, &nd the spirit against the flesh ;
and these are contrary the one to the other; so that
ye cannot do the things that ye would. .Now the
works of the flesh are manifest,which are these: adult-
ery ,fornication,uncleanness,lasciviousness,idolatry,
witchcraft, hatred,variance,emulations,wrath,strife,
seditions, heresies, envyings, murders, drunkenness,
revellings, and such like." Again he says ; " the
carnal mind is enmity against God, is not subject
to his law, neither indeed can be."
This "carnal mind," this " law of sin," this enmity
against God, is the devil, that has the power of
death, for " to be carnally minded is death.'* Cor-
ruption and mortality are within the powers of
flesh and blood, and the history of sin, evil, and
death no where extends beyond those limits.
This power of the flesh was figuratively repre-
sented by the serpent, which beguiled Eve ; and
it was said to the serpent ; " dust shalt thou eat all
the days of thy life." The prophet Isaiah says ;
"dust shall be the serpent's meat."
This serpent is not an immortal spirit ; for such
a spirit surely would not feed on dust ; and the
words ; " all the days of thy life," certainly indicate
that the life of the serpent would come to an end.
It seems that our subject must now be plainly
seen by the hearer.
" Forasmuch then as the children are partakers
of flesh and blood, he also himself likewise took
238
part of the same ; that through death he might
destroy him that had the power of death, that is,
the devil." That is, as the children of God, the
heirs of life and immortality are partakers of flesh
and blood, in order to abolish death and bring life
and immortality to light ; in order to destroy the
devil and his works, arid to triumph over all these
earthly and carnal powers, Jesus took on him flesh
and blood, was made in all points like unto his
brethren, was tempted in all points as we are, sub-
dued every temptation of the flesh, by the power
of the spirit which he had without measure, laid
down his natural life, arose from the dead incor-
ruptible and immortal. " He dieth no more; death
hath no more dominion over him." Flesh and
blood which cannot inherit the kingdom of God,
and corruption which cannot inherit incorruption
are no more. The serpent's days are ended, he
has no more dust to eat, he is destroyed and is no
more.
If the adversary had an immortal constitution,
could exist out of flesh and blood as well as in them,
the putting off of flesh and blood, would only de-
molish one of the enemy's encampments, while it
would leave him unbounded gpace and eternity
to occupy still.
We may now draw to a conclusion, by an at-
tempt to illustrate the following clause of our text;
"And deliver them, who through fear of death,
were all their lifetime subject to bondage.''
For want of the knowledge of life and immortality
which Jesus has brought to light by his resurrection
from the dead, men are perpetually subject to bon-
dage through fear of death. But a belief in the
gospel of our blessed Redeemer gives us a com-
plete victory over all such fears. It enters the si-
lent, dark mansion of the dead, with a steady clear
239
light which directs us to the bright abodes of im-
mortal life.
The disciples of Jesus, who were favoured with
positive evidence of the resurrection of the Saviour,
were so completely delivered from the bondage of
fear, that they never hesitated to publish the doc-
trine of the resurrection even to the perpetual haz-
ard of their lives.
Such was the persuasion which St. Paul had of
the truth of the resurrection, and the glory of the
future world, that he said ; " I am in a strait be-
tween two, having a desire to depart, and to be with
Christ ; which is far better." This Apostle built
all his hopes of a future existence on the fact of the
resurrection of Jesus Christ. He says ; " If Christ
be not raised, your faith is vain ; ye are yet in your
sins. But now is Christ risen from the dead, and
become the first fruits of them that slept. For as
in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made
alive.*' He further says ; " The first man is of the
earth, earthy ; the second man is the Lord from
heaven. And as we have borne the image of the
earthy, we shall also bear the image of the heavenly/'
In the image of the earthy man we find the carnal
mind, which is enmity against God, is not subject to
his law, neither indeed can be. We find a law in
our members warring against the law of our mind,
and bringing us into captivity to the law of sin.
We find all the fruits of the flesh, and all the devil,
of which the Apostle speaks in our text, that has
the power of death. But in the image of the heav-
enly man none of these things exist. No carnal
mind, no enmity against God, no law in the mem-
bers warring against the law of the mind. That
flesh and blood which cannot inherit the kingdom
of God, and that corruption which cannot inherit
interruption will exist no more.
240
The " whole creation" thus delivered from the
bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of
the children of God, will realise the fulness of
what we now see but in part.
My brethren, how near are these things ! but a
moment, as it were, separates us from the immor-
tal scenes anticipated by the Christian faith. The
view of these eternal things and a steady belief in
them, are present victory over the powers of the
flesh. This is indeed a holy calling, a calling to
heavenly mindedness and heavenly conversation.
These thoughts and contemplations are blossoms in
the desert, they are pools in parched ground. This
doctrine of eternal life is a river in a dry place,
the shadow of a great rock in a weary land.
Jesus says; " In the world you shall have tribu-
lation, but in me ye shall have peace."
My friends, do not reject and refuse this peace,
this joy, this consolation, because it is free to all.
You do not refuse the light and warmth of the sun
because all men have it; why then will you turn
your backs on the grace of Jesus because he is that
wisdom which is without partiality?
No. 16.
LECTURE SERMON, |,
DELIVERED AT THE
SECOND UNIVERSALIST MEETING, IN BOSTON,
FEBRUARY 28, 1819.
BY HOSEA BALLOU, PASTOR.
Published Semi-Monthly by Henry Bowen, Devonshire-street.
REVELATION, xxi. 8.
" But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers,
and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all lyars, shall have
their part in the lake which burneth with Jire and brimstone ; which is
the second death."
THIS passage is among the number which hare
been used to prove a state of intolerable misery in
the eternal world, and continually recited in those
terrific sermons which were designed to awaken
the fears, and operate on the timidity of the igno-
rant.
Our 'duty leads us to investigate the use which
has been made of this passage, to examine the pro-
priety of its common application, and as plainly as
possible refute whatever may appear incongruous
with the word of God, and the doctrine of his grace.
It will likewise be expected, frbat suitable labour
will be directed to discover the true sense of this,
and similar passages.
Our text informs us, that the lake of fire and
brimstone is the second death, and as this death is
called " the second death," it evidently refers to a
first death. The common doctrine of the church
supposes that the first death is the death of the
31
242
natural body, and the second death the eternal
condemnation of the soul and body after the re-
surrection, in a state of the most exquisite torture.
There seems to be no small inconsistency in this
opinion, in that it makes the second death to be
second to something as entirely different from it-
self as any thing could be invented. The death of
the body consists in a total extinction of animal
life, in an intire destitution of all sense, and ren-
ders the subject incapable of pleasure or pain.
Where then is the propriety of calling a state of
the quickest sensation, and the most intolerable
misery second to that which is altogether unlike it ?
While a person lives in this world, he is subject
to sorrow, adversity, sickness, and pain. Why
then would it not seem altogether more congruous
to call a state of misery hereafter the second life,
than to call it the second death, that is, second to
the death of the body ?
Another very great inconsistency in the common
use of our text is, that it supposes that after peo-
ple shall have ceased from all the sins which are
enumerated in the text, and are in a constitution of
existence in which no such crimes can ever be com-
mitted, they are then and there to be tormented
for what they did in this world. No one supposes
that there will be unbelievers, whoremongers, idol-
aters, &c. in the eternal world. What reason then
is there in supposing, that in a world where no
crime can ever be committed, crimes will be eter-
nally punished? rh this world we are obliged to
punish crimes, and the object is to reclaim the
criminal, or to deter others from committing like
offences, or both. But what is this punishment for
in the eternal world, in which no one pretends
that any crime can ever be committed ?
Will the advocate for this hereafter punishment,
pretend that it is inflicted on mankind because they
243
have been sinful in this world ? We will then ei>
deavour to show that this is not a correct answer.
Suppose then that a man now commits a crime,
say theft, or murder, must he be punished ? Yes,
he surely must be punished. Why, what necessity
is there of this punishment ? Answer ; if he be
not punished, he will repeat the crime with impu-
nity, and restraint will be taken from others, and
crimes will be multiplied.
This is admitted as a rational answer, and pub-
lic sentiment yields to the execution of the law.
But this answer cannot be giren in relation to
this supposed punishment in the future world ; for
punishment can be no terror to evildoers, where
there are none.
In case of criminality in this world, could it be
made to appear, that the relinquishment of penalty
would in no way tend to multiply crimes, the hu-
manity and good sense of the public would most
surely discontinue to punish.
It is evident that punishment regards the future,
and directs its endeavours to reclaim from wicked-
ness and to prevent crimes.
By the prophet Isaiah, God says to sinful Israel ;
" Why should ye be stricken any more ? Ye will
revolt more and more." The evident sense of this
is, there is no good reason for punishing, unless evil
can be prevented by it.
But what evil will be prevented by this endless
punishment in the future world ? Its advocates do
not pretend that it will either make its subjects bet-
ter, or restrain others from sin.
But it is said, that it is necessary to hold up the
terrors of endless punishment to deter people
from committing sin in this world. If this be all,
there is no necessit) of the doctrine's being a truth,
if it be believed, though in fact it be false, it has
all the effect to deter people from committing sin
that it would have were it true.
244
But we are ready to deny even this utility to the
doctrine in question. For the advocate of the
doctrine makes provisions which completely nullify
its power to produce any such effect. He informs
the transgressor that if he repent of his sins any
time in this life he will avoid this punishment here-
after ; and moreover he certifies him that repent-
ance is within his own power, and that he can re-
pent any time if he will. Now where is the terror ?
We will suppose that our legislature makes a
law, that if a man steal to the amount of a certain
sum, he shall, on conviction thereof be confined to
hard labour for life, unless he shall in one week af-
ter committing the crime wash his hands in clean
water. Would there be any terror in this law ?
Would this law prevent wicked men from stealing?
No, it would not. Nor does telling them that unless
they repent of their sins before they die they will
be punished for them in the future world prevent
their committing sins.
Having suggested these improprieties in the
common use of our text, we may now proceed to
inquire for the scripture doctrine concerning it.
As this lake of fire and brimstone is called the
second death, we wish to have it kept in mind, that
wherever we read of the lake of fire, the same is the
second death; and wherever we read of the second
death, the same is the lake of fire.
The first passage in which we find the second
death mentioned, in these words, is recorded in the
2d of Revelations, and in the epistle to the church
of Smyrna ; " Fear none of those things which thou
shalt suffer; behold, the devil shall cast some of
you into prison, that ye may be tried : and ye shall
have tribulation ten days : be thou faithful unto
death, and T will give thee a crown of life ; He
that hath an ear let him hear what the spirit saith
unto the churches : he that overcometh shall not be
hurt of the second death."
245
This was written to a Christian church, and
plainly indicated that those who should not over-
come the trials with which they wereaboutto be tried,
but who should be overcome by them, should be
hurt of the second death.
Tf the hearer will use proper caution on this sub-
ject, what is meant by the second death will be
very plainly seen. This church of Smyrna had
been collected from among the Gentile idolaters.
The state they were in, before their conversion to
Christianity is called death in the language of the
JVevi Testament. In his epistle to the Ephesians,
St. Paul says ; " But, God who is rich in mercy,
for his great love wherewith he loved us, even when
we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together
with Christ." The blindness of the Jews and the
idolatry of the Gentiles are represented as a state
of death from which the gospel was designed to
raise and quicken the nations. Jesus said ; "The
hour is coming and now is, when the dead shall
hear the voice of the Son of God, and they that
hear shall live." St. John says; "We know that
we have passed from death unto life, because we
love the brethren." And St. Paul again says;
" For the law of the spirit of life in Christ Jesus
hath made me free from the law of sin and death."
This state of moral death in which the gospel
found both Jews and Gentiles is the first death.
From this death the gospel quickened and raised its
converts into newness of life and espoused them
to Christ.
To the Romans St. Paul says ; " Likewise reckon
ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, but
alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Let not sin, therefore reign in your mortal bodies,
that ye should obey it in the lusts thereof : Neith-
er yield ye your members as instruments of n-
righteousness unto sin ; but yield yourselves unto
246
God, as those that are alive from the dead, arid your
members as instruments of righteousness untd
God."
Being made alive unto God by faith in Jesus,
and having turned their backs on the idols they had
formerly worshipped, these Gentile Christians were
exposed to grievous persecutions ; and in this
epistle, which St. John wrote on the isle of Patmos,
they are reminded of certain trials which they were
about to encounter, and are told that those, who
should overcome, should not be hurt of the second
death. That is, if they remained stedfast in the
doctrine of Christ, they should not again fall into
a state of death, which would be to them a second
death.
In the epistle to the church of Sardis we have
an account of this death's having actually taken
place. The following is the account ; " I know thy
works, that thou hast a name that thou livest ancj
art dead." This death had come upon them in
consequence of their having defiled their garments.
The writer says to the minister of the church ;
" Thou hast a few names even in Sardis, which have
not defiled their garments ; and they shall walk
with me in white: for they are worthy." This was
a plain intimation that the most of them in Sardis
had defiled their garments ; and if they had defiled
their garments, it proves that they had had clean
garments, for that which is not clean cannot be
defiled.
Here then the case is plain. Those people had
been washed in the water of regeneration ; their
garments had been made white in the blood of the
Lamb ; they had been made alive by the quicken-
ing spirit of Christ ; but now they had turned from
the holy commandments which bad been delivered
unto them; they had defiled their garments; and
though they retained the name of Christ, yet they
247
were dead; and this death must be the second
death ; for they had been dead in sin before.
The writer of the epistle further observes ;
" He that overcometh, the same shall be clothed in
white raiment ; and I will not blot out his name
out of the book of life, but I will confess his name
before my Father, and before his angels." Now
it is plain that those who had defiled their garments
had not overcome, and as they were dead, their
names were blotted out of the book of life. This
shows that their names had been in the book of
life, for if they had not, how could they have been
blotted out. Names that are in a book may be
blotted out of that book, but it is not possible to
blot a name out of a book in which it was never
written !
We can now see the reasonableness of saying,
that the second death is the apostacy which has
taken place under the gospel dispensation.
Of this falling away we read in a number of
passages. St. Paul speaks of it to the Thessaloni-
ans as follows ; " Let no man deceive you by any
means ; for that day shall not come, except their
come a falling away first, and that man of sin be
revealed ; the son of perdition whom the Lord
shall consume with the spirit of his mouth, and
shall destroy with the brightness of his coming."
St. Peter speaks of apostate Christians, and calls
them " cursed children ; which have for*aken the
right way, and are gone astray." And further he
says of them ; " If after they have escaped the
pollutions of the world, through the knowledge of
the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, they are again
entangled therein, and overcome ; the latter end is
worse with them than the beginning.
For it had been better for them not to have
known the way of righteousness, than, after they
have known it, to turn from the holy command-
ments delivered unto them."
it is evident that those of whom the Apostle
ripake, had been in the right way, otherwise they
could not have forsaken it. They had known the
way of righteousness, but had turned from the holy
commandments which they had received ; they had
escaped the pollutions of the world, through the
knowledge of Jesus, but were again entangled
therein and overcome. These were dead the
second time. Jude speaks of them as follows;
" These are spots in your feasts of charity, when
they feast with you, feeding, themselves without
fear ; clouds are they without water, carried about
of winds ; trees whose fruit withereth, without fruit,
twice dead, plucked up by the roots.''
Let it be observed in this place, that the errors
by which Christianity was early corrupted, and the
false doctrines which were introduced into the
church, together with all the vile and abominable
idolatries and senseless superstitions which have
characterised Christianity for ages form what we
mean by the second death, and constitute what the
scriptures mean by a lake of fire and brimstone.
We have an account of this fire and brimstone
in the 14th of Revelations as follows; "And the
third angel followed them, saying with a loud
voice, if any man worship the beast and his image,
and receive his mark in his forehead, or in his hand,
the same shall drink of the wine of the wrath of
God, which is poured out without mixture into the
cup of his indignation ; and he shall be tormented
with fire and brimstone in the presence of the ho-
ly angels, and in the presence of the Lamb; and
the smoke of their torment ascendeth up forever
and ever ; and they have no rest day nor night
who worship the beast arid his image, and whoso-
ever receiveth the mark of his name."
The hearer is requested to keep in mind that this
fire and brimstone, and the second death are the
249
same. And as we have already seen that the prim-
itive Christians did, many of them, apostatize from
the truth, defile their garments, were overcome by
the corruptions of the world and were hurt of the
second death ; and as all this appears to have taken
place here in this mortal state, and to have not the
least allusion to a state of punishment in the future
world, we will now examine what we have just
quoted concerning this torment with fire and brim-
stone, and see if it be in this world or in the eter-
nal state.
The first thing the hearer is requested to get
possession of is, that this torment is experienced by
the worshippers of the beast at and during the time
of their worshipping him. This is of importance
to understand ; for the common use of this scrip-
ture supposes that the divine Being will torment
men in the future state, out of revenge because
they worshipped the beast here in time ; as if they
were the gainers here by worshipping the beast,
and he the loser, but finally the Almighty finds
means, in the eternal world to Inflict such ven-
geance on those deluded creatures, as will perfectly
satisfy him for the loss he sustained by their wor-
shipping the beast.
We do not mean to say that those who hold the
common opinion of the text, pretend to say, that
the divine Being is a loser by men's worshipping
the beast, or that they are gainers by such worship,
what we contend for is, that the divine Being will
certainly act on some principle, and as it is not al-
lowed that this punishment is designed to reclaim
or to deter, it must be to revenge, which supposes
an injury received.
Let us ask the candid questions, and let them be
candidly answered, if God have received no injury
from his creatures, why should he be unfriendly to-
wards them ? And if there be no real gains to the
creature who worships the beast, no profit arising
from all his services, why is not this foolish, idol-
32
250
atrous, and superstitious worship bad enough to
punish its deluded votaries.
Let us try the force of the following metaphor,
which we shall find to be apposite to the present
subject. You who are the parent of a number of
children have an enemy, who, taking the advantage
of the dusk of the evening, and by putting on some
of your clothes and by imitating your voice de-
ceives your children, so that while they think the}
are following your directions through the most drea-
ry, unpleasant ways, they are zealously executing
your enemy's most cruel injunctions. The pool-
deluded children sometimes complain of their hard
service, and of being destitute of refreshment or
rest, but are told to hold on with good courage,
that though their lot be hard at present, they may
rest assured that as it is their kind falher who is
leading them, he will reward them ten-fold for all
they suffer. This deception goes on until morn-
ing. No sooner than day-light appears, one of
your children happens to get a glance of the haggard
visage of your inveterate foe ! He starts back and
refuses to go any further, and calls on his brethren
and sisters to stop, and tells them they are all de-
ceived, and are devoted to the service of their fath-
er's enemy. They no sooner find their error, than
their deluder leaves them, and you find your wan-
dering offspring, wounded, and half dead. When
they see you they rejoice and fly to your embrace,
deeply regret the delusion that has led them from
you, and humbly implore your favour. The ques-
tion now before you is this, will you now punish
your etnatiated offspring because they have been
deluded into misery and want? Your answer is
anticipated. You reply, No, surely my children
have sniffled enough, I will now let them see that
their father's yoke is easy, and that hisburden is light.
That this metaphor is justified by the subject,
may be seen by the following in St. Paul's epistle
to the Thessalonians. Speaking of the man of sin,
he says ; " Who opposeth and exalteth himself
251
above all that is called God, or that is worshipped ;
$o that he ? as God, sitteth in the temple of God,
shewing himself that he is God." If the beast spok-
en of in Revelations had not deceived the people
he surely never would have been worshipped.
And if we examine the passage which speaks of the
torment endured by the worshippers of the beast,
we shall see that the worshippers are thus torment-
ed, while they worship. .Notice these words; "And
they have no rest day nor night, who worship the
beast." Have and worship, are in the same tense.
And we have no more authority for supposing that
the worshippers of the beast are to be tormented
any longer than they worship him, than for sup-
posing that they were thus tormented before they
worshipped him.
The hearer will also carefully notice these words;
" They have no rest day nor night." Here we find
the present tense and the present state distinctly
set forth. " They have no rest ;" that is, they are
now destitute of rest, " Day nor night.'* That ip,
here, where time is divided by day and night.
Having ascertained that this torment is during
day and night, and while the tormented are wor-
shipping the beast, it will contribute much to
the settling of the subject, to know how long this
beast is to be worshipped- In the 13th chapter of
the Revelations, we have the account wanted, it
reads thus ; " And there was given unto him a
mouth speaking great things, and blasphemies ;
and power was given unto him to continue forty
and two months." In the llth chapter, we are in-
formed that the Gentiles should tread the holy city
under foot forty and two months. This is the same
forty and two months, which the beast had power
to continue.
Now if we multiply forty-two by thirty, the
number of days which the Jews allowed to a month,
the amount is twelve hundred and sixty days. This
is t xactly the same time which the two witnesses
were to prophecy in sackcloth, as we read in chap-
ter llth, " And I will give power to my two wit-
nesses, and they shall prophecy a thousand two
hundred and three score days, clothed in sackcloth.'*
One thousand two hundred and three score, is
twelve hundred and sixty. This is the same period
with the three days and an half which the dead bo-
dies of the two witnesses were to lie in the street of
the great city, which is spiritually called Sodom and
Egypt. If we call a day a year, three years and
an half contain forty and two months. And this is
the same as the time, times, and half a time, which
the woman, of whom we read in the 12th chapter,
was to be in the wilderness. Calling these times
prophetic years, we find the forty and two months,
which afford the twelve hundred and sixty days,
which we may suppose are so many years.
Twelve hundred and sixty natural years is as
long a time as can be allowed for the continuance
of the beast, of his worship, or the torment of his
worshippers with fire and brimstone, which is the
second death.
It is evident, beyond all dispute, that there is no
more propriety in carrying the second death, or
lake of fire and brimstone into the eternal world,
than there is in supposing that the forty and two
months the beast had power to continue, are to be
reckoned in the eternal world ; or in supposing that
the holy city will be trodden underfoot of the Gen-
tiles in the eternal world ; or in supposing that the
two witnesses will prophecy clothed in sackcloth in
the eternal world ; or that their dead bodies will lie
in the street of the gfeat city called Sodom and
Egypt, three days and an half, in the eternal world ;
or that the woman will be in the wilderness a time,
times and half a time in the eternal world.
This representation of the religion and doctrines
of the church of antichrist, by fire and brimstone
agrees with the prophecy of Isaiah, recorded in his
34th chapter. " And the streams thereof shall be
turned into pitch, and the dust thereof into brim-
stone, and the land thereof shall become burning
253
pitch. It shall not be quenched night nor day, the
smoke thereof shall go up forever; from genera-
tion to generation it shall lie waste ; none shall pass
through it forever and ever."
It would seem that a land of this description
could not be inhabited by any creature whatever ;
but the prophet says ;. " But the Cormorant and
the Bittern shall possess it ; the Owl also and the
Raven shall dwell in it." He further supposes that
wild beasts will dwell in this land of brimstone and
fire, and says ; " There shall the great Owl make
her nest, and lay and hatch, and gather under her
shadow." This language is so similar to the ac-
count we have of this fire and brimstone in Revela-
tions, that we may suppose they both relate to the
same subject.
The unclean beasts and birds, mentioned by
Isaiah, are the same as mentioned in Revelations
18th. "Babylon the great is fallen, is fallen, and
is become the habitation of devils, and the hold of
every foul spirit, and a cage of every unclean and
hateful bird."
It seems to have been the design of prophecy,
to represent the church and her doctrines by a land
whose very dust is brimstone, and whose streams
are burning pitch, and her clergy and rulers by
unclean birds and ravenous beasts. And it is
certain that the church of antichrist, with its rulers,
its clergy, its doctrines, and superstitions, has
answered the description in full.
We will now endeavour to show that the charac-
ters mentioned in our text are those who answer
to the worshippers of the beast, that they are the
unclean beasts and birds of Babylon, and that
their doctrine in room of being a pure river of the
water of life, is fire and brimstone by which they
are tormented.
The first character mentioned in our text is the
fearful. Fear is the very foundation of antichris-
tian religion. It views God in the character of
a most voracious beast. It worships him with a
view to pacify his wrath. It represents him asfull
of vengeance towards all who do not render him
iaithfui service, and supposes that he will punish
f hem unmercifully, if they do not yield to his re-
quiremets. This religion says, take away the
fear of eternal damnation, and I would never wor-
ship God again, I would pay no regard to his
ordinances.
This religion is in fact a stream of fire and brim-
stone, fire, because it is full of zeal, and brimstone,
because it destroys the reason of its votaries.
There is nothing which more suddenly destroys
the regular action of the brain, than sulphur. Fear
is of this nature, it sets reason at defiance. So has
the religion of the church. It says, reason has
nothing to do with religion. What St. John says
of fear and love seem very appropriate in this
place, fie says " Fear hath torment,*' and again ;
" Perfect love casteth out fear."
The unbelieving is the second character men-
tioned. But who are unbelievers? They are
those whose creeds contradict the faith of Abra-
ham. God promised Abraham, that in him, and
HI his seed, all the natrons of the earth should
be blessed. And it is said, that Abraham believed
God, and it was counted to him for righteousness.
Vbraham was therefore called the friend of God,
and the father of the faithful. Now those who
beliove in that Babylonish creed which excludes
a great part of mankind from the blessings of
Jesus, and his grace, are the unbelieving mention-
ed in our text. These unbelievers suppose that
they are the only true believers on earth, and
their belief is like fire and brimstone, and the more
firmly they believe, the more intensely they are
burn!. They have their part in the lake that
burns with fire and brimstone, which is the second
'{.-? alb.
tJo\v much is a man's part in this torment ? Just
so much as will correspond with the perversness
of his abominable belief. In the same- ratio as
they believe, tliey are tormented, and as tar UK
they doubt they find relief.
The abominable is the third character mentioned.
There are many sinful practices which are called
abominable in scripture; one trray be mentioned,
of which Israel was guilty, and by which the Chris-
tian church has become contaminated. In his 16th
chapter, Ezekiel charges Jerusalem of having com-
mitted more abominations than were committed by
Sodom and her daughters ; and among those the
following is stated ; "Moreover thou hast taken
thy sons and thy daughters, whom thou hast born
unto me, and these hast thou sacrificed unto them
(idols) to be devoured." This has been done in
the antichristian church, by that doctrine which
consigns little children to everlasting torment for
tbe glory of that idol God, who delights in such
cruelty. Every soul that believes this doctrine is
tormented day and night. If they have children
how are their souls tormented with the fearful ap-
prehension of their everlasting destruction ?
Murderers are the fourth class. " He that loveth
not his brother is a murderer." And that anti-
christian doctrine which teaches that God hates his
creatures has caused men to hate one another, and
fo put thousands to death. This murderous, perse-
cuting spirit is a perpetual fire, and torments every
.soul that possesses it.
Whoremongers are the 5th class. These are those
who get their living by means of spiritual adultery
under the direction of the mother of harlots,
These are unclean birds. Isaiah calls them Owls,
Satirs, Ravens, c. He says ; " There shall the
great Owl make her nest, and lay, and hatch, and
gather under her shadow." This is au unclean
bird that is afraid of the light.
Sorcerers are tbe sixth character. These are
famous for their wisdom, and very deep understand-
ing in dark mysterious matters. They know ever}
thing about another world ; arid in their own con-
ceit, or pretensions can inform people concerning
256
what they call heaven and hell. These are a, toi*
ment to themselves.
Idolaters form the seventh class. These are all
who worship the false God, who sits in the temple
of God, shewing himself to be God.
Liars are mentioned last. The author of our
text, has given a description of a liar. He says;
" Who is a liar, but he who denieth that Jesus is the
christ ; he is antichrist that denieth the Father and
the Son."
These worshippers of the beast are the dead,
small and great, which John saw stand before God ;
who were judged out of those things which were
written in the books, which are the doctrines of
men, according to their works. They had receiv-
ed the mark and name of the beast, therefore their
names were not in the Lamb's book, or doctrine,
of life. These were cast into the lake of fire and
brimstone, which is the second death. .
The hearer is requested to observe that the argu-
ments to which we have attended, go to prove that
the false doctrines of antichrist constitute the second
death, and the lake of fire and brimstone, and that
these doctrines perpetually torment them who be-
lieve them. Our reasoning disallows the continu-
ance of this torment after these doctrines of anti-
christ shall be discontinued. The worshippers of the
beast will be tormented as long as they worship
him ; but lie had po we*r given him to continue only
forty and two months. The hearer is likewise re-
quested to observe, what Jias already been noticed,
that in order to extend the second death or lake of
fire and brimstone into another state of existence,
we must also carry the time of the church in the wil-
derness, the time of theprophecyingof the two wit-
nesses, in sa-ckcloth, and the forty and two months of
the reign of the beast into a future state. All
which is palpably absurd.
My brethren, this discourse will close with the
following divine induction ; " Come out of her my
people, that ye be not partakers of her sins, and
that ye receive not of her plagues."
No. 17. " v *.
LECTURE SERMON, *!
DELIVERED AT THE
SECOND UNIVERSALIST MEETING, IN BOSTON,
MARCH 14, 1819.
BY HOSEA BALLOU, PASTOR.
Published Semi-Monthly by Henry Bowen, Devonshire-street.
2 TIMOTHY i. 9, 10.
" Who hath saved tw, and called us with an holy calling^ not according to
our works, but according to hit own purpose and grace^ which wasgiwn
us in Christ Jesus before the world began : But is now made manifest
ty the appearing of our Saviour Jesus Christ, uho hath abolished death)
and hath, brought life and immortality to light through ihe gospel."
OUR first inquiry will be directed to ascertain
what the Apostle means by the word saved. With
a view to bring this subject to the understanding
of the hearer, in as plain and as profitable a man-
ner as possible, we shall attempt in the first piace
to examine the common doctrine of the church re-
specting salvation, and in the second place bring
the scripture testimony on the subject into view, that
the difference between the common doctrine and
the divine testimony may distinctly appear.
What we propose to examine in the first place is
found in the following statement, which is here
quoted from the shorter catechism ; " All mankind
by the fall lost commilriion with God, are under his
wrath and curse, and so made liable to all the mis-
cries of this life, to death itself, and to the pains of
hell forever.'* This is the miserable state into
which man fell, according to the sentiment under
33
258
examination; and from which God provided means
to save some, accordingly as is expressed thus ;
"God having out of his mere good pleasure from
all eternity, elected some to everlasting life, did
enter into a covenant of grace to deliver them out
of the state of sin and misery, and to bring them
into a state of salvation by a Redeemer."
It is evident that the learned divines, who com-
posed this creed, designed to apply the doctrine of
salvation in a way to save the elect from the ever-
lasting pains of hell, more specially than to save
them from the miseries of this life and from death ;
for it is a fact well known to all, that whoever these
elected ones may be, they are subject to death as
well as others, and it is generally thought that they
have a larger share of the miseries of this life.
This common doctrine of salvation may there-
fore be stated thus; All mankind, the elect and
non elect, by the fell are under God's wrath and
curse, which curse is the pains of hell after the
death of the body and forever ; but in conformity
to a decree of God, made from all eternity, there is
a Redeemer provided to save the elect from this
everlasting curse.
Having now before us the doctrine of salvation
as it has been held in the Christian church for a
long lime, and as it is now held and taught to old
and young, let us attempt to examine its propriety.
And let this be done with all that candor which is
due to all subjects of moment, and especially to
this which evidently involves the character of the
divine Being. Let it be done too with that charity
towards the framers of this creed, and towards
those who now believe in it, which holds the high-
est rank among the Christian virtues ; for certain
it is that this candor and charity are necessary to
be kept in constant exercise, among such short-
sighted, benighted creatures.
259
On approaching the proposition before us, the
following absurdities present themselves.
1st. It is absurd to say, that those whom God
elected from all eternity to be saved by a Redeemer,
are liable to the pains of hell forever.
2d. It appears absurd to say, that those whom
God entered into a covenant to save, are under his
wrath and curse, by which everlasting misery
hereafter is intended.
3d. This scheme of salvation accuses the divine
Being of partiality in the most direct manner. It
states that all mankind are in one condition, all un*-
der God's wrath and curse, and all liable to the
pains of hell forever; but that though all are in one
condition, the scheme of salvation embraces only a
part without extending the least benefit to the
rest.
4th. The doctrine under examination supposes
that the divine Being has condemned millions of
unborn infants to the pains of hell forever, for an
act which Adam and Eve committed in the garden
of Eden, which certainly appears to be unjust in
the extreme.
Let candor look, for one moment, at these ab-
surdities and improprieties, and at the same time
let charity kindly impute them to the imperfec-
tion of our common nature.
A body of learned divines have said, after much
deep study and profound deliberation, that God
from all eternity elected some of the human race
unto salvation by a Redeemer, and at the same
time say, that these elected ones are under his
curse which is the pains of hell forever in the fu-
ture world. These learned doctors, who knevr
that the scriptures assert the impartiality of God,
and who professed to believe that he is no respec-
ter of persons, have limited his eternal mercy to
but a part of mankind, and have excluded the rest
280
from his favour forever. Notwithstanding they
well knew, that it is repugnant to the law of God
to condemn the innocent, and that ihe divine Be-
ing hath said, " the son shall not suffer for the ini*
quity of the father," yet for one act of Adam they
have condemned all mankind to a state of endless
misery.
According to these tenets thousands of millions
of unhappy wretches have already been sent to
this hell, of which these divines speak, without ever
knowing until they got there, that there ever was
an Adam, or that he had sinned and involved them
in this a\vful calamity to all eternity. How many
millions of infants, of people who were educated in
Christian countries, have gone from this world be-
fore they were old enough to understand the horri-
ble story framed by these divines ; but much more
numerous still is the number of those who Were
born in heathen lands and never heard of any part
of the Christian scriptures, much less, if possible of
this antiscriptural creed.
Such is the general corruption of the Christian
doctrine, introduced by the creed under considera-
tion, that all which people think of being saved
from is the pains of hell hereafter.
On this notion sermons in general have been
framed, and carefully directed to instruct people
in the way by which they may be saved from this
hell in the future state.
This future misery is the gloomy subject, which
is presented to people's minds, in all the vivid
forms which imagination and the most powerful
-eloquence have been able to set forth, in order to
terrify the mind and to call into action the most
fearful apprehensions of which the human mind is
susceptible. A II this is considered necessary in order
to lead sinners to repentance, by which they may
avoid this state of torment.
261
This scheme of doctrine leads the mind to un-
derstand the scriptures, which speak of saving sin*-
ners, to mean the saving them from hell in the
eternal world, or from the wrath and curse of God
hereafter.
The hearer is requested to take this common
opinion into careful consideration and compare it
with the scripture testimony. First examine to
see if you can find this wrath and curse of God
resting on all mankind, of which such careful men-
tion is made in the creed to which we have alluded.
After a careful and patient examination of the
divine testimony, your humble servant has unspeak-
able joy in being able to say that this wrath and
curse of God is no where recorded in the scrip-
tures.
When those doctors, who framed the creed un-
dertook to describe the consequences of the first
transgression, did they a! all confine themselves to
the divine word? No, surely they did not; for if
they had done this, they would not have found that
God pronounced any curse even on Adam and
Eve themselves, much less on all mankind for what
these two did.
If this unaccountable notion of the wrath and
curse of God were a trufh would it not have been
announced by the Creator on his first visit to his
sinful children ? But did the merciful Father of
our spirits intimate to Adam and Eve, that they
had brought his wrath and curse, which are eternal
misery, not only on themselves, but on all their
numerous, unborn offspring?
No, blessed be his name, he mentioned but two
curses, and one of them was on the serpent, and
the other was on the ground. And in room of say-
ing one word concerning cursing all mankind with
the pains of hell in a future state, the divine Being
did not intimate that even the serpent himself would
262
be subject to any infelicity beyond his natural life.
" Dust shalt thou eat all the days of thy life ;" and
beyond this there was no intimation. It was said
to the serpent; "I will put enmity between thee
and the woman, and between thy seed and her
seed ; it shall bruise thy head and thou shalt bruise
his heel." Here in room of God's wrath and curse
on our first parents, is a blessed and glorious pro-
mise of a final victory over, and deliverance from
the power of the tempter.
Let us next inquire for the scripture testimony
concerning salvation, and endeavour to understand
what we are saved from, and by what means we
are saved.
On this particular, less will be necessary than
would be required if the same had not been notic-
ed in some of our former lectures ; yet such is the
importance of the doctrine under consideration, as
to justify its frequent investigation.
It was said by the Angel of God, to Joseph, con-
cerning the child Jesus, " Thou shalt call his name
Jesus for he shall save his people from their bins."
According to this, that from which Jesus saves us,
is our sins. But according to the common doctrine,
it seems that the angel would have said ; thou shalt
call his name Jesus for he shall save the elect from
the wrath and curse of God in the future world.
In justifying himself before the scribes and Phari-
sees, who accused him of receiving sinners and eat-
ing with them, our Saviour represented sinners by
a sheep gone astray, and the repentance and salva-
tion of sinners he represented by the return of the
lost sheep to the fold, by the diligent concern and
care of the shepherd. Let us here ask, what the
sheep that went astray was saved from ? Was it
saved from the wrath and curse of its owner ? Had
the shepherd any decree out against the comfort
and life of this strayed member of his flock? Would
263
it not seem absurd in the extreme to pretend that
the shepherd went after the sheep with a view to
save it from his own vengeance ? The fact is, the
sheep was saved from its wanderings and from all
the inconveniences of the condition into which it
had wandered.
The parable of the prodigal son is another beau-
tiful representation of the salvation of sinners, and
is found in connection with the parable of the lost
sheep, and used by the Saviour for the same pur-
pose.
But what was the Prodigal finally saved from by
being brought to repentance, and to mV father's
house ? Was he saved from any wrath and curse
of his father ? Had the father any unmerciful de-
cree out against his son's life or happiness ? When
the returning son was yet a great way off, and the
father's compassion urged him to run and meet his
child, was this parental effort, and all the mighty
tide of compassion manifested on that occasion ex-
erted to save this son from his father's wrath and
curse ?
The hearer cannot but see that nothing could be
more unreasonable than this notion. And yet is it
not as plain as the gun at noon, that the common
doctrine of salvation is predicated exactly on this
absurdity ? Does it not explain scripture in a way
to represent the divine Creator as exerting the
means of his grace to save sinners from his own
wrath and curse ? Does it not hold up the idea
that God sent his son to surfer and die for sinners,
in order to save them from this curse of the Father,
which curse is said to be the pains of hell forever?
Does it not constantly hold forth the notion, that
the ministry of the gospel is now exerting all its
energies and means to snatch sinners away from
the divine wrath, as brands are plucked from a
fire?
...
The divine instructor on another similar oc-
casion to the one we have just noticed, made us$
of the following simile ; " The whole, need not the
physician, but they that are sick. For the son of
man is not come to call the righteous, but sinner?
to repentance."
As the Saviour represented the case of the sin-
ner by one who is sick, and the salvation of the sin
ner by the recovery of the sick to health by means
of a physician, we may ask, if it could be reconcil-
ed with reason and common sense, to pretend that
the physician exerts his skill and the power of his
medicine to save his patient from his wrath and in-
dignation ?
The fact is, my Christian friends, Jesus who
dwells in the bosom of the Father, never repre-
sented his doctrine of salvation to be in any sense
Jike the doctrine of the church which we have ex-
amined. Our heavenly father, as manifested in his
son, and as held up by the preaching of Jesus,
loves his enemies, loves sinners, and because he
loves them he sent his son to be the propitiation
for our sins. He sent him to save us from our sins,
and to reconcile us to God.
St. Paul to the Colossians says of God ; " Who
hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and
hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear
son."
This passage very plainly shows us the nature of
that salvation of which our text speaks. It is a sal-
vation from error, deception, ignorance and all
their evils, to truth, knowledge, understanding and
all their blessings.
To the Ephesians he says, that "Christ loved
the church and gave himself for it, that he might
sanctify, and cleanse it with the washing of water
by the word; that he mi<rht present it to himself a
glorious church, not having spot or wrinkle, or any
265
4
such tiling ; but that it should be holy and without
blemish."
Let us carefully examine this representation, for
here the Apostle informs us the object which
Christ had in view when he gave himself for the
church. And what was it? Was it to appease
his Father's wrath ? Was it to reconcile the Fath-
er to the church ? Was it to save the church from
God's wrath and curse in the eternal world ?
No, my brethren, Jesus gave himself for the
church that he might sanctify and cleanse it. The
church was in an unsanctified, unclean state,
and the gospel or doctrine of Christ is that water
or word by which he cleanses and saves it from its
uncleanness. Christ saves his church from all spots
and wrinkles, and presents it to himself a glorious
church. Hark, and hear those sons and daughters
speak in loud exclaim ; " Thou hast loved us and
washed us from our sins in thine own blood."
Our next endeavours will be directed to illustrate
what the Apostle means by the holy calling, with
which he accompanies our salvation, and to show
the natural connection in which they stand to each
other.
This subject may'be seen most clearly by a lit-
tle improvement of the similes which were used to
represent the nature of salvation. But we may
commence these remarks by recuring to the words
of the Angel to Joseph ; " Thou shalt call his name
Jesus, for he shall save his people from their sins."
Now it appears very consistent that when Jesus
saves a sinner from his sins, he should at the
same time call him to walk in holiness of life.
Otherwise what benefit could there result from this
salvation ?
If what is meant by saving the sinner, is to save
him from the penalty of the law, it is true such a
alvation might be entirely disconnected with a
holy calling. If a man for instance, have stolen,
lor which crime the law says he shall be thus and
34
21>6
so punished, and we wish to save him from receiv-
ing such punishment, there would be no necessary
connection between such salvation and the reform-
ed and virtuous conduct of this man. But if the
object be to save the man from being a thief, it is
absolutely necessary in this case to furnish the man
with such moral sentiments, and such a sense of
moral virtue as will prevent his repeating the
crime.
There seems to be an evident connection like-
wise, between bringing the lost sheep back to the
fold, and such measures as might be necessary to
prevent it from again going astray ; for if the pro-
pensity to wander still remain, and there be no
provisions to prevent indulgence, there would seem
an impropriety in making those exertions by which
the sheep was found and returned to the fold.
This subject is very clearly seen in the case of
the reformed prodigal. If after he had relumed to
his father's house, and had been there most kindly
received ; if after all his penitence and reformation ;
if after he had been clothed with the best robe, had
shoes put on his feet, and his father's ring upon his
hand ; if after partaking of the fatted calf and the
joys of the family on this occasion, he had again
turned his back on his father and again acted the
prodigal, the joy that had lighted up the counte-
nances of the family would most surely have been
turned into mourning, and in room of festivity, fast-
ins: would be more suitable to the occasion.
^
But it is most clearly seen that every circum-
stance which contributed to the return of this lost
son, and all the favour which was shown him by his
father, together with all the enjoyments of the full
and well replenished house to which he was wel-
comed, called, in the most persuasive manner, on
him who had been dear!, but made alive, who had
been lost, but was found, to take heed to his ways,
to stand fast in the liberty wherewith his father had
made him free, that he might continue to enjoy
those invaluable blessings.
267
My Christian friends, has our merciful Father lit
heaven condescended to forgive us all our trespass
ses, has he clothed us with the white linen of the
righteousness of Christ, have we tasted that the
Lord is gracious, and heen permitted to set at his
table, and to feast on those rich provisions with
which Zion is blessed? And do not these favours
cail us with an holy calling, to do justly, to love
niercv, and to walk humbly with God?
V * **
This same Apostle has signified the sentiment of
our text, in the following words to Titus ; " For
the grace of God which bringeth salvation hath ap-
peared to all men, teaching us, that, denying un-
godliness and worldly lusls, we should live soberly,
righteously, and godly in this present world.
Looking tor that blessed hope, and the glorious
appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus
Christ, who gave himself for us, that he might re-
deem us from all iniquity, and purify unto him-
self a peculiar people zealous of good works."
Here is redemption from all iniquity, and purifica-
tion unto good works. And this is again express-
ed in the following words to the Ephesians ; " For
by grace are ye saved through faith ; and that not
of yourselves ; it is the gift of God : not of works,
lest any man should boast. For we are his work-
ma nship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works,
which (iod hath before ordained that we should
walk in them." One passage more may suffice on
this particular. St. Peter addresses his brethren
as follows ; " Grace arid peace be multiplied unto
you through the knowledge of God, and of Jesus
our Lord, according as his divine power hath given
unto us all things that pertain unto life and godli-
ness, through the knowledge of him that hath call-
ed us to glory and virtue ; whereby are given unto
us exceeding great and precious promises ; that by
these ye might be partakers of the divine nature,
having escaped the corruption that is in the world
through lust. And, beside this,giving all diligence.
.add to your faith, virtue; and to virtue knowledge;
and to knowledge, temperance ; and to temperance,
patience ; and to patience, godliness ; and to god-
liness, brotherly kindness ; and to brotherly kind-
ness, charity. For if these things be in you, and
abound, they make you that ye shall neither be
barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord
Jesus Christ. But he that lacketh these things is
blind, and cannot see afar off, and hath forgotton
that he was purged from his old sins. Wherefore
the rather brethren, give diligence to make your
calling and election sure ; for if ye do these things
ye shall never fall ; for so an entrance shall
be ministered unto you abundantly into the ever-
lasting kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus
Christ.' 1 :
By the similes and passages which we have em-
ployed in the illustration of this section of our text,
it appears that holiness of life is a requisition enjoin-
ed by the gospel, and that this holiness of conduct
should be considered as properly connected with
our salvation from sin.
In the passage quoted from St. Peter, we may
notice particularly that we are required to add to our
faith the Christian graces, such as virtue, knowledge,
temperance, patience, godliness, brother kindness,
and charity, with the assurance, that if these things
be in us, and abound, our fruitfulness in the know-
ledge of our Lord will be such whereby an en-
trance will be administered unto us abundantly
into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Sa-
viour Jesus Christ.
The conclusion then is evident, that although
we may profess the true faith, yet if we do not at-
tend to our holy calling, our faith becomes dead,
cannot work by love, nor purify the heart.
Let us therefore, my brethren, endeavour to
adorn the doctrine of God our Saviour, by walk-
ing worthy of the vocation wherewith we are
called.
269
Our text informs us that our salvation and calk-
ing are not according to our works, but according
to the purpose and grace of God, which was given
us in Christ Jesus, before the world began. By
this we understand, that as early as the divine Be-
ing purposed the gift of Jesus Christ to the world
of mankind, he gave us in him this salvation and
holy calling. This grant therefore, could not be
governed by the works of man, it could not be said
to be according to our works for the following
reasons.
1st. Tt was given us in Jesus Christ before we
were either born or had done good or evil.
This subject may be represented by the follow-
ing similes, \\hen the Almighty made the earth,
the sun, the moon, and all things for the conven-
ience of all creatures, he gave the present genera-
tion of men the earth, the sun, the moon, and all
material things. This gift, being in the constitu-
tion of nature, and made sure to us ages before we
were born, could not have been given as a reward
for our works.
Again, When the Creator formed Adam, and
constituted him the natural father of us all, he then
gave us, in him, eyes, with which we see, ears, with
which we hear, mouths, with which we speak, feet,
with which we walk, and hands, with which we la-
bour. And it is very evident, that these gifts were
not given us as a compensation for our works.
But it appears very clear that our duty, and natural
calling, to make proper use of our eyes, our ears,
our moulhs, our feet, and our hands was given us
in that constitution in which those natural faculties
were given.
Though we are much crouded for want of time
to illustrate the several remaining particulars con-
tained in our text, we feel pressed to mention in
this place, the error so frequently urged on us by
those who exhort us to get an interest in Christ.
The hearer will perceive by these plain arguments,
the passage under consideration, that we all
had an interest in Jesus Christ before the word be-
gan. And you will further observe that there is
just as much propriety in exhorting people to et
an interest in Adam so that they may inherit from
him the natural faculties of the body, as to exhort
us to get an interest in Christ. J>ut it is not only
proper, but highly necessary that all adhere to the
exhortation to improve all temporal and all spiritual
blessings and gifts in a way to honour the benevo-
lent giver.
2d. If the Apostle made a comparison between
his former conduct, when he was among the perse-
cutors of Christ, his doctrine, and his disciples, he
might very justly say that the-salvation which lie
had obtained by the gospel, and the holy calling
with which he was called were not according to his
former works. And if the comparison be made be-
tween the conduct of others, and this salvation, the
result is expressed by the Apostle to Titus as fol-
lows ; " For we ourselves also were sometimes
foolish, disobedient, deceived, serving divers lusts
arid pleasures, living in malice and envy, hateful,
and hating one another. But after that the kind-
ness and love of God our Saviour toward man ap-
pxarel, not by works of righteousness which we
have done,, but according to his mercy he saved us,
by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of
the hoiy Ghost ; which he shed on us abundantly
through Jesus Christ our Saviour."
Having made these important statements to
which we have attended, the Apostle proceeds in
the, conclusion of our text, to speak of the vast
utility of the appearing of Jesus Christ in our
n-M-ld, which was to moke those things manifest by
abolMiirig death and bringing life and immortality
to lii'lit through the gospel.
It i- perfectly con-istent with the nature of things,
and wjth common observation, that the manifesta-
tion of things is subsequent to their being estaj)-
271
lished in the counsel of him who ordains them,
And as it would bo a mistake of no small magni-
tude to attribute to the manifestation of things,
the cause of their existence, so it is an error of ex-
tensive magnitude, to attribute to the manifestation
or appearance of Jesus Christ, and what he did in
our world, the caute of that gift which was made
sure to us, in him, before the world began.
The divine truths taught by the Saviour, the doc-
trine of God's love to sinners, the forgiveness of
sins, were all as true before the birth, preaching,
and sufferings of Jesus, as they have been since.
The glorious doctrine of the resurrection and of
future eternal life was as true before the process
of Jesus commenced, as since. This accounts for
all the passages which represent our Saviour as the
faithful and true witness. It agrees with his own
words to Pilate ; " For this cause was I born, and to
this end came I into the world, that I should bear
witness to the truth." And the same thing is meant
by St. Paul to the Romans ; " But God commend-
elh his love toward us, in that, while we were yet
sinners, Christ died for us."
It seems that all which the Saviour did, was de-
signed as a manifestation of those divine things,
which our heavenly Father had given us before the
world began. Things that had been kept secret
from the foundation of the world were made known
when this sun of righteousness arose with healing:
*J c5
in his beams. So does the rising sun, which makes
our natural day, manifest the surrounding objects,
which the darkness of night had obscured from our
sight.
The resurrection of Jesus made manifest the
abolition of death. It brought to open light what
was shown unto Moses at the bush, when God said ;
" I am the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac,
and the God of Jacob. God is not the God of the
, but of the living, for all live unto him,"
272
Our text informs us, that Jesus Christ hath not only
abolished death, but hath brought life and immor-
tality to light through the gospel. This form of
expression fully acknowledges that life and immor-
tality were divine facts in the economy of God be-
fore the corning of Christ, but that his process was
necessary to make these glorious things known to
mankind.
To conclude, the arguments to which we have at-
tended are designed to show that the common no-
tion of saving mankind from the wrath arid curse
of God in the eternal world is without foundation,
either in scripture or reason ; and that according
to the scriptures our immortality and eternal life
were established in the economy of divine wisdom
before man existed. Also, that the salvation which
the gospel of Jesus Christ effects for us, is a salva-
tion from our sins, from our wanderings, from the
darkness of our deceived minds-, from all unclean-
ness, to righteousness, to reconciliation to God, to
the knowledge of the truth, and to holiness of life.
And if it be asked, what there is for us to do, if
we believe this doctrine, we reply in the words of
divine truth, which have been already noticed.
" Giving all diligence, add to your faith, virtue ;
and to virtue, knowledge ; and to knowledge, tern*
perance ; and to temperance, patience ; and to pa-
tience, godliness; and to godliness, brotherly kind-
ness ; and to brotherly kindness, charity.
Furthermore, if we be asked, what reward we
may expect for our careful attention to these vir-
tues, we again reply; In keeping the command-
ments there is great reward. Great peace have
they that love the law, and nothing shall offend
them. "And the work of righteousness shall he
peace, and the effect of righteousness, quietness, and
38SU ranee forever."
. I - No. 18. ' v ( -i
LECTURE SERMON, **
DELIVERED AT THE
SECOND UNIVERSALIST MEETING, IN BOSTON,
MARCH 28, 1819.
BY HOSEA BALLOU, PASTOR.
Published Semi-Monthly by Henry Bowen, Devonshire-street.
MATTHEW xxr. 46.
" And these thall go away into everlatting punishment : but the righleoiu
into life eternal."
WHILE calling the attention of this congregation
to the consideration of this portion of our Saviour's
f ^timony, many difficulties are presented to the
: and of the speaker ; some of which it may be profi-
table to name.
1. The long established use and application of
this text, by commentators, preachers, and all de-
nominations of Christians stand in direct opposition,
in one important particular, to the use and appli-
cation which your servant feels himself obligated
to make of it. The particular alluded to is the
applying of this text to a future state of our exist-
ence. And to this may be added another particu-
lar, nearly as universally assented to as the former,
which is the belief that this text proves the endless
duration of misery.
2d. The power of tradition in the human mind
forms the most material difficulty which seems to
oppose our attempt to bring the true meaning of
our Saviour, in the passage before us, to the hearer's
understanding. It is vain, my friends, to pretend
35
274
that \ve are free in our minds from the force of
education. Indeed we ought not to be. We were
wisely so constituted, that what we imbibe in our
youth should fix a lasting prepossession in our
minds, in favour of opinions which are recommend-
ed by our instructors, and against those which
we have been taught to view erroneous. But we
should do well to consider, that while it is acknow-
ledged that great benefits arise from this natural
and necessary bias of the human mind, it is equally
true, that it may often s happen as to produce ef-
fects most pernicious. Solomon says ; " train up
a child in the way he should go, and when he is
old he will not depart from it." Here the author
relies on the force of education, and gives a most
wholesome advice to those who have the charge of
children, to bring them up in the way they should
go. And it is furthermore evident that the recom-
mendation designed to guard against the unhappy
effects of the same power in a case where an erro-
neous education should be imposed on youth.
Having been taught in our tender years that our
heavenly Father has ordained a stale of the most
dreadful torment in the future state for those who
are sinners in this world, and having been instructed
at the same time to apply the text under considera-
tion, together with almost all passages of scripture,
which speak of the punishment of the wicked to
this future state of misery, it has become as habitual
for the mind to apply such passages to this future
misery, as to apply the names London, Boston, and
Philadelphia to the Cities of these names ; or as to
apply the names Washington, Franklin, and Ad-
ams to the distinguished statesmen of these names.
Under these circumstances, the opposer of di-
vine truth has nothing to do, but to rest upon the
prejudice of the public mind. He comes forward
with all possible assurance and boldly asserts that
our Saviour has laid it down in the most solemn
275
and unequivocal manner that " He that believeth
and is baptised shall be saved, and he that believeth
not shall be damned ;" laying an emphasis on the
damnatory term that causes our nerves to tremble.
He depends entirely on the prepossessions of the
public mind to apply this damnation to a future
state; an application in no way intimated by our
Saviour, and by no means intimated by any words
in connection with the passage.
In the same way the preacher f who applies our
text to a state of punishment in the future world,
manages with the prejudice of his hearers. He
says ; the divine teacher himself has told us, that at
the last judgment, when all the dead are raised and
brought to the tremendous bar of God, the sinner
will be placed on the left hand, and sentenced to
everlasting punishment. He depends entirely on
the blind prejudice of his hearer's minds to justify
his assertions, and the application he makes of the
text. There is not a word in the text nor in any
part of its connections, that intimates any thing
about a resurrection of any from the dead, or that
the judgment treated of in this chapter is the last
judgment, or that any part of the subject belongs
to a future state.
But notwithstanding the embarrassments which
have been named, and another, which is by no
means inconsiderable, the very limited abilities of
the speaker, which are sensibly felt as in adequate
to make a proper arrangement of the momentous
subject before us, and altogether unequal to the
task of contending against the host of prejudices
which are marshalled against the simplicity that is
in Christ, yet there are two considerations which
are highly encouraging. The testimony of Jesus
which lies before us, and which stands connected
with our text makes our subject so very plain that
it seems to promise conviction to every mind ; and
the remarkable candor which has characterised
276
/
this congregation, which attending to this course of
Jectures, gives that support to the speaker, without
which he would have been discouraged.
It may be well for us to raise some queries re-
specting the general use of this portion of scrip-
ture, by which the mind of the hearer may be the
better prepared to seek for its true application.
1st. As this passage is usually applied to a fu-
ture state, let us ask whether in order to justify
such an application it be not indispensable that
some part of the testimony in connection with the
text should designate that it belongs, not to this
state, but to a future world ? For instance, should
the speaker, this evening contend that this twenty-
fifth of Matthew treated of things which took place
before Noah's flood, should you not feel justified
in opposing such an extravagant statement by say-
ing, that there is not a single intimation in the
whole chapter that gives any countenance to it ?
You certainly would. Then be so candid, kind
hearer, as to acknowledge, that in order to justify
the application of this scripture to a future state of
existence, there must be found something in the
testimony that so applies it.
2d. As it is the current opinion that in order for
the accomplishment of the judgment treated of in
this chapter, all the dead must be raised, have we
not a right to contend, that in order to support this
opinion, the resurrection of the dead should be
distinctly stated some where in the general ac-
count ?
If the speaker should now say, that according to
the testimony of the Saviour concerning the judg-
ment in the twenty-fifth of Matthew, the gift of
speech will be given to all the beasts, to all the
birds, and to all the fishes ; and that at that time
we shall hear them all talk in our native language,
if you thought proper to refute such a visionary
notion, would it not be sufficient to say that there
277
is nothing in the chapter or its connection that
gives any authority for such a statement? : It is
hoped then that you will acknowledge, that if it be
allowed that all the dead will be raised before the
judgment, recorded in this chapter, can take place,
we must be able to find authority for this opinion
in the account before us.
3d. An it is held that the judgment/of which we
read in this chapter is the last judgment, is it not
very proper that we should be able to find some
proof of this idea in some part of the testimony of
the divine instructor ?
But in relation to these particulars, we feel con-
fident in what has already been said, that there is
no intimation in the whole account before us, that
this judgment is the last judgment, or that the dead
will be raised to be brought to it, or that it relates
to a future state.
The attention of the hearer is now solicited to
the following statements, which the speaker ex-
pects to prove in this discourse.
1st. The time of the judgment under considera-
tion, is confined to the generation in which our Sa-
Tiour lived on earth, according to his own testi-
mony.
2d. The Jews, as a people, who rejected the
gospel of Christ, and persecuted his Apostles were
those who were sentenced to everlasting punish-
ment. And,
3d. Those who believed in Jesus and received
the testimony, and administered to the necessities
of his persecuted Apostles, were those that were
blessed with life eternal.
The better to bring those statements, accompan-
ied with their proper proofs, before the mind of
the hearer, we shall commence our examination of
the divine testimony where the subject before us
seems to begin. This is in the latter part of the
23d chapter.
278
it scours llial J< us was in the temple where ht
addressed the Scribes and Pharisees, calling them
hypocrites, blind guides, serpents, and a generation
of vipers* He then proceeds to testify to them the
judgment which would come upon them and the
occasion of it. "Wherefore, behold, I send unto
you prophets, and wise men, and scribes; and some
of them ye shall kill and crucify; and some of them
shall ye scourge in your synagogues, and persecute
them from city to city : that upon you may come
all the righteous blood shed upon the earth, from
the blood of righteous Abel unto the blood of Zac-
irias, son of Barachias, whom ye slew between lira
temple and the altar. Verily, I say unto you, all
these tilings shall come upon this generation."
Be so good, my friends, as to remember this de-
claration of the Saviour. He here speaks of the
most tremendous judgment that ever fell on man-
kind, and he confines the time to that generation.
He then lamented over Jerusalem, spake of its des-
olation, and said ; " Ye shall not see me henceforth
till ye shall say, blessed is he that cometh in the
name of the Lord."
Here ends the 23d chapter, and the 24th com-
mences by informing us that " Jesus went out, and
departed from the temple : and his disciples came
to him, for to show him the buildings of the temple.
And Jesus said unto them, see ye not all these
things ? Verily I say unto you, there shall not be
left here one stone upon another, that shall not be
thrown down.'* Here it is evident, that Jesus al-
luded to the event of which he had been speaking
to the Scribes and Pharisees, which was the calam-
itous destruction and desolation of their city.
" And. as he sat upon the mount of Olives, the
disciples came unto him privately, saying, tell us,
when shall these things be ? and what shall be the
sign of thy coming, and of the end of the world ?
279
Here let us carefully notice what is embijiced
in the questions proposed by the disciples. They
asked the divine master, when the things which he
had denounced on the Jews should take place.
And also, what would be the sign of his coming,
and of the end of the world.
In reply to these questions, Jesus delivered all
that is recorded in the remainder of this, and the
following chapter. So that in order to understand
what he meant in the 25th we must preserve the
connection of the subject, which evidently com-
mences in the 23, and continues to the end of the
25th.
Jesus replies ; " Take heed that no man deceive
you : for many shall come in iny name, saying, I
am Christ ; and shall deceive many. And ye shall
hear of wars, and rumours of wars; see that ye be
not troubled ; for all these things must come to
pass, but the end is not yet."
Here let us carefully inquire what Jesus meant
by the end? Did he here speak of the end of
what the disciples asked him ? No doubt. For if
they asked him concerning the end of the world,
and he, in his reply, spake of the end of something
else, and not of the end of the world, the answer
was calculated to deceive. It is evident, therefore,
that when Jesus said, as has been quoted ; " the
end is not yet," he meant that the end of the world,
of which his disciples asked him, was not yet.
He proceeds ; " For nation shall rise .against na-
tion, and kingdom against kingdom ; and there
shall be famines and pestilences, and earthquake? in
divers places. All these are the beginning of sor-
rows. Then shall they deliver you up to be afflict-
ed, and shall kill you : and ye shall be hated of all
nations for my name's sake. And then shall many
be offended, and shall betray one another, and shall
hate one another. And many false prophets shall
rise, and shall deceive many. A no!, because ini*
280
(juity shall abound, the love of many shall wax
cold. But he that shall endure unto the end, the
same shall be saved." The end of what ? Answer,
the end of the world, of \\hich the disciples asked
him.
" And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preach-
ed in all the world, for a witness unto all nations;
and then shall the end corne."
The end of what? The end of the world. Ob-
serve, the disciples asked Jesus concerning the end
of the world, and he replies to their query. He
speaks of the emdthren times. He first says ; " the
end is not yet ;" secondly, he says ; " He that en-
dureth unto the end, the same shall be saved ; and
lastly, he says; " then shall the end come." And
as the end of the world was the only end spoken of,
we feel safe in believing that Jesus meant to speak
of what his disciples meant by the end of the
world.
A hope is entertained that the attention of the
hearer will be successful in obtaining a clear un-
derstanding of what is here meant by the end of the
world. We have been in the habit, by means of
our early education, of supposing that by the end
of the world here mentioned, the destruction of the
natural world was intended. And this is now the
general opinion. Religious people suppose that
the end of the world, of which mention is made in
this chapter, means the end of this material system.
And they expect that the earth, the sun, and the
moon, will be literally destroyed. The speaker
is apprehensive that many now in this congregation
have these views ; and consequently suppose that
when Jesus said ; "Then shall the end come, he
meant the same thing as has been held up by our
Christian divines, and preached upon so much, and
made a common topic in those frequent discourses,
the objects of which were to terrify people with
the thoughts of seeing the earth burn up, the dead
281
coming out of their graves to judgment, and the
wicked plunged into hell.
My dear friends, if these are your views, your
servant feels no disposition to censure you, he knows
too well the effects of tradition to blame any one
for these notions ; but you are now called on to ex-
ercise that reason which distinguishes us from beasts,
and constitutes us the favoured subjects of a divine
revelation, so that you may be able to form a cor-
rect judgment of the subject now before you. Let
us carefully proceed with the testimony of Jesus,
and endeavour to learn the events with which he
connects and designates the end of the world.
"When ye, there fore, shall see the abomination of
desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, stand
in the holy place, then let them which be in Judea
flee into the mountains." When does Jesus direct
them that be in Judea to flee into the mountains?
Answer, at the end of the world. But if the end
of the world mean what tradition has taught us,
why should those that may be in Judea at the time,
when this earth is to be dissolved, and all the dead
raised to judgment, flee into the mountains ?
But we proceed. "Let him which is on the house
top not come down to take any thing put of his
house ; neither let him which is in the field return
back to take his clothes. And woe unto them that
are with child, and to them that give suck in those
days! But pray ye that your flight be not in the
winter, neither on the sabbath day ; for then shall
be great tribulation, such as was not since the be-
ginning of the world to this time, no nor ever shall
be." We have been told that there will be^ an
eternity of trouble, after the end of the world, infi-
nitely greater than any that ever preceeded ; but
here in the description of the end of the world, by
Jesus himself, he says, there shall never be such a
time of trouble afterward.
By the peculiar discription to which we have
attended, there is no reason to doubt that the Sav-
iour was giving an account of the destruction of
36
282
Jerusalem by the Kornans. And it is evident, be-
yond all controversy, that all that was meant by
the end of the world, was the end of the Jewish
polity, and the destruction of the nation, the city
and temple. That the hearer may he further sat-
isfied, that by " the end of the world'' is not meant
what our tradition has taught, we notice the words
of St. Paul to the Hebrews. Speaking of Jesus he
says ; " But now once, in the end of the world,
hath he appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice
of himself." The end of the world here meant was
the end of the Levitical priesthood.
The Saviour further says ; " Immediately after
the tribulation of those days shall the sun be dark-
ened, and the moon shall not give her light, and the
stars shall fall from heaven, and the powers of the
heaven shall be shaken : and then shall appear the
sign of the son of man in heaven; and then shall
all the tribes of the earth mourn, and they shall see
the son of man coming in the clouds of heaven
with power and great glory. And he shall send
his angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and
they shall gather together his elect from the four
winds, from one end of heaven to the other." Here
carefully observe that Jesus speaks of the sign of
his coming, and also of his coming with power and
great glory ; and of his sending forth his angels, &c.
Let us here ask the question, how we shall time the
event here spoken of? Has this event ever taken
place ? Tradition says, No, but it will take place
at the disolution of this earth. But what right
have we to time this event ? If Jesus did not lime
it, have we a right to ? And if Jesus has timed it,
have we a right to alter the time ? Hear his word?.
"Now learn a parable of the fig tree: When
his branches is yet tender, and putteth forth leaves,
ye know that summer is nigh; so likewise ye,
when ye shall see all these things, know that it is
near, even at the doors. Verily I say unto you,
this generation shall not pass till all these things be
fulfilled. Heaven and earth shall pass away, but
my word shall not pass away.''
*
283
By this plain, undoubtful testimony of the divine
teacher we are authorised to believe that the time
of which he spake, when he should come in his
glory with his angels was in the generation in which
he lived. He had just before told the Pharisees
that all the righteous blood shed upon the earth
should come upon them, and was particular in say-
ing ; Verily, I say unto you, all these things shall
come upon this generation.'' And now when speak-
ing of his coming in his glory with his angels, he
says ; " Verily I say unto you, this generation shall
not pass till all these things be fulfilled."
The Saviour proceeds to inform his disciples,
that the particular day and hour of his coming
were known to his Father only ; and in the whole
of the remaining part of the chapter he refers the
events of which he speaks to the time he had before
designated and confined to that generation. This
24th chapter ends with an account of what should
be done to an evil servant, who should " say in his
heart, my lord delayeth his corning ; and shall be-
gin to smite his fellow servants, and to eat and
to drink with the drunken : the lord of that ser-
vant shall come in a day r when be looketh not for
him, and in an hour that he is not aware of, and
shall cut him asunder, and appoint him his portion
with the hypocrites : there shall be weeping and
gnashing of teeth." As he had just before, in his
address to the Scribes and Pharisees, called them
hypocrites, and denounced the judgments of heaven
upon them, he now informed his disciples, that if
any who professed to be his servants, should get off
their watch, should say, my Lord delayeth his com-
ing, and should eat and drink with the drunken,
and abuse his fellow servants, he should be placed
among the hypocrites on whom he had denounced
those judgments.
The 25lh chapter begins with the word then, by
which it is evident that the speaker meant to refer
to the time he had before designated. "Then
shall the kingdom of heaven be likened unto ten
284
virgins." When did the Saviour say the kingdom
of heaven should be likened unto ten virgins ?
Answer, at the time when those judgments should
come on Jerusalem and on the Jews, of which he
had spoken ; all of which he confined to that gen-
eration. When he should come in the clouds of
heaven, with power and great glory, and send his
angels forth to gather together his elect ; all which
he confined to that generation.
This parable of the virgins was designed to re-
present the difference there would be between the
situations of those Jews who foolishly rejected the
Saviour, and who abused his Apostles, and those
who believed in him, and administered to the ne-
cessities of the promulgators of his doctrine.
The parable of the talents, which follows this of
the ten virgins, represents the same thing, and so
does this of the sheep and the goats.
This passage begins thus ; " When the son of
man shall come in his glory, and all the holy angels
with him,then shall he sit upon the throne of his glory;
and before him shall be gathered all nations; and
he shall separate them one from another, as a shep-
herd divideth his sheep from the goats," &c.
Here.be cautious, <c When the son of man shall
come," &c. When was this? Look back to the
30th verse of the 24th chapter. " And they shall
see the son of man coming in the clouds of heaven
with power and great glory," &c. And then ob-
serve that the Saviour took all possible pains to
certify his disciples that all these things should
take place in tjiat generation.
The whole subject is perfectly plain. In the 24th
chapter Jesus spake of his coming in his glory with
h?s angels, and also of the judgment that he would
then execute on his enemies ; and here in the 2/ith
chapter, he represents these things and events by
the parable of the virgins, that of the talents, and
this of the sheep and goats; and by keeping the con-
nection of the subject it appears evident beyond all
doubt, that this parable alluded to the events which
took place in the generation in which he lived.
285
But if this subject had been left in any respect
doubtful, inspecting the time of this judgment, yet
other passages of our Saviour's testimony respect-
ing the same event are perfectly sufficient to settle
the question and to remove all doubts.
See Matt. xvi. 27, 28, " For the son of man shall
come in the glory of his Father, with his angels;
and then he shall reward every man according to
his works. Verily I say unto you, there be some
standing here which shall not taste of death, till
they see the son of man coming in his kingdom "
Mark viii. 38. ix. 1. " Whosoever, therefore, shall
be ashamed of me, and of my words in this adul-
terious and sinful generation, of him also shall the
son of man be ashamed, when he cometh in the
glory of his Father, with the holy angels. And he
said unto them, verily I say unto you, that there
be some of them that stand here, which shall not
taste of death till they have seen the kingdom of
God come with power." Luke ix. 26, 27, For
whosoever shall be ashamed of me, and of my
words, of him shall the son of man be ashamed,
when he shall come in his own glory, and in his
Father's, and of the holy angels. But I tell you
of a truth, there be some standing here, which shall
not taste of death till they see the kingdom of God."
These passages fully and clearly show, that the
coming of Christ in his glory with his angels, to re-
ward every man according to his works, was an
event which took place in the generation that lived
at the time that Jesus was on the earth. And we
have another direct proof of this fact recorded in
Matt. x. 22, 23, And ye shall be hated of all men
for my name's sake; but he that endureth to the
end shall be saved. But when they persecute you
in this city, flee ye into another : for verily I say
unto you, ye shall not have gone over the cities of
Israel till the son of man be come.''
The time of this judgment being thus settled, let
u inquire what accusation was brought against
those on the left hand for which they were sentenc-
286
ed to everlasting punishment? The accusation
runs thus; " I was an hungred, and ye gave me no
meat : I was thirsty, arid ye gave me no drink : I
was a stranger, and ye took me not in: naked, and
ye clothed me not : sick, and in prison, and ye vi-
sited me not." The accused ask when these things
took place ; and are told ; " Inasmuch as ye did it
not to one of the least of these, ye did it not unto
me." Notice here, that Jesus was delivering this
whole discourse to his disciples alone, on the mount
of Olives. By these, therefore, it is evident that he
meant his disciples ; and he gave them to under-
stand, that the persecutions that they should suffer,
he would reckon as done to himself. And on the
other hand, the righteous are justified for having
done those things to the disciples of Christ, which
the wicked had neglected to do; and he accepts
these acts of kindness as done to himself.
We will here ask those, who apply this subject
to the future state, whether they will allow that we
are to obtain an immortal state of endless felicity
for the performance of our duty, in administering
to the wants of our fellow creatures? The fact is,
after they have made such an application of this
scripi lire, they do not believe that our immortal state
of happiness is the reward of our good works here.
But we must attend to the argument of our op-
posers, who contend, that the words of this text ne-
cessarily mean an endless duration.
Everlasting punishment, and life eternal. They
are critical to observe, that the words everlasting
and eternal come from the same word in the Greek
testament, and they, therefore, infer that the dura-
tion of punishment must be as long as the duration
of happiness in the future world. But they assume
the application of these words to a future state,
without even an attempt to show, that, such an ap-
plication is justified by the testimony of the Sav-
iour. This application we have proved to be erro-
neous ; which necessarily applies the word render-
ed everlasting and eternal to what belongs to the
287
present state. And that this application is correct
we prove as follows : The word in Greek, render-
ed everlasting and eternal in our language, is
aioonion, which is an adjective. The noun occurs
in the question which the disciples asked the divine
master, in the 3d verse of the 24th chapter : " Tell
us, when shall these things be? and what shall be
the sign of thy cotning,and of theendofthe(az'007ios)
world ?'' Now we have proved that the end of the
aioonoSy in the 24th chapter meant the end of the
Jewish dispensation. It follows therefore, by fair
analogy, that if the aioonos, which came to an end
in the generation that Jesus lived on the earth,
meant a dispensation or order of things, that which
followed meant the same (viz.) a dispensation or
order of things.
The plain simple truth is this; The dispensation
and order of the Jewish economy ended, and the
gospel dispensation and economy commenced ; and
so did the dispensation of that long and severe judg-
ment on the house of Israel, under which they have
groaned until this day.
We therefore render the text thus ; " These shall
go away into a dispensation of punishment, but the
righteous into a dispensation of life, or into the
gospel dispensation. This gospel dispensation or
aioonos, is mentioned by the Saviour, in Ma^tt.xxviii.
20, " Where Jesus sent forth his disciples to
preach, and said to them; Lo, I am with you al-
ways even unto the end of the (aioonos) world."
The hearer is referred to PARKHURST'S Greek Lex-
icon, where on this word he will find the following ;
" An age, period, periodical dispensation of divine
Providence. In Mat. xxiv. 3, it evidently refers to
the Jewish age, or age under the Mosaic law. (See
Whitby, Doddridge, and Macknight on that text.)
But in Matt, xxviii. 20, it seems plainly to denote
the age under the Messiah."
When this subject is seen in its own clear light,
when we look at it with the eye of unprejudiced
candor, and view it in its relation to the threaten-
ings denounced by Moses on the rebellious house
of Israel, we see thai Jesus denounced on the Jews
no other punishment than such as Moses and the
Prophets had foretold. If the hearer will examine
the 26th chapter of Leviticus, the 28th of Deuter-
onomy, the 4th of Lamentations, and compare them
with the -24th and 25th of Matthew, he will be sat-
isfied that neither Moses, the Prophets, nor Jesus
spake any thing of punishing; the house of Israel
in a future state of existence; but he will be con-
vinced that not only Moses and the Prophets, but
Jesus likewise did denounce the most awful and
distressing calamities on the Jews, that we can pos-
sibly conceive of human sufferings in this world of
misery and woe.
When Pilate, being convinced of the innocence of Jesus, would
have released him, all the people answered, saying, "His blood
be on us and on our children." They pronounced the dreadful
imprecation and were taken at their word. God has visited the.
iniquity of the fathers upon the children of them who have hated
him, and has executed on the wicked the judgments which were
foretold by the prophets.
But all this seems nothing in the eye of that blind superstition,
which can see no punishment for sin in this world, and which ap-
plies the threatenings to a future state. But in the judgment of
reason, and in the light of divine revelation, the punishment*
which have been inflicted on the Jews for the wickedness with
which scripture and history charge them, have been according to
their sins.
As to the argument, that punishment must be as durable as hap-
piness, it not only seems to be destitute of any evidence, but re-
pugnant to reason. Punishment is designed to reclaim from sin,
that happiness may succeed ; but if punishment bo endless it cer-
tainly is the cnfl of divine Providence, and not the means by which
be bring? a more glorious end to pass.
To conclude : my friends, the dealings of God with his child-
ren in past ages, should be regarded by us as examples of his
faithfulness to his promises and his threatenings. As our heav-
enly Father has always rewarded'the righteous, and punished the
wicked in a way to make his approbation of the former and his
disapprobation of the latter evident to every observing mind,
let us be wise for ourselves and for our children. If we approve
the opportunity which God has offered us, to throw off error and
-superstition, and to receive Christ and his pure religion, we shall
enter into life, and our children after us, in room of inheriting
from us error and darkness, will bless their fathers and their
mothers, who resolved to throw off the doctrine of despair, and
to espouse the hope of the gospel of God our Saviour.
;/ No. 19. : ;^>
LECTURE SERMON,
DELIVERED AT THE
SECOND UNIVERSALIST MEETING, IN BOSTON,
APRIL 11, 1819.
BY HOSEA BALLOU, PASTOR.
Published Semi-Monthly by Henry Bowen, Devonshire-street.
PROVERBS xi. 31.
" Behold, the righteous shall be recompensed in the earth ; much more
the wicked and the sinner."
AMONG the reasons for calling your attention at
this time, to the consideration of this subject, the
following may be named :
1. This passage having been made the subject of
one of our discourses on the 1st sabbath of Novem-
ber last, a number, who heard the discourse at that
time, have since requested that it might have a
place among the lectures. And
2. This subject seems so nearly allied to our last,
that it is thought advisable to place it next in course,
that it may operate in some measure as a farther
illustration of it.
Our text gives evident support to the following
particular subjects :
1. There is righteousness in the earth.
2. There is wickedness in the earth.
3. There is a sure recompense for righteousness.
4. There is a sure recompense for wickedness.
5. The recompense of righteousness is in the earth.
6. The recompense of wickedness is in the earth.
37
290
These particulars may be said to be fully prov-
ed by the text; for there ean be none righteous,
unless there be righteousness, and there can be
none wicked, unless there be wickedness ; nor can
righteousness be recompensed where there is none,
nor can wickedness be recompensed where it does
not exist.
The hearer's attention is now invited to an in-
quiry, which will be directed to ascertain how to
make a proper distinction between the righteous
and the wicked. The way in which this subject is
generally held, supposes that there is one class of
men who are exclusively righteous, and another
class exclusively wicked. Hence we hear so much
about two classes of mankind. Christian preach-
ers and commentators have filled their sermons
and their volumes with lengthy and intricate dis-
criptions of these two classes of people. If we say
any thing of the divine favour to all mankind, if
we express the least hope that God will have com-
passion on all men, if we bring plain scripture to
testify and say, " The Lord is good to all, and his
tender mercies are over all his works," we are se-
verely rebuked by those who call themselves righ-
teous, who tell us that the scriptures every where
make two classes of people, the righteous and the
wicked.
That the scriptures speak of two characters is
freely acknowledged ; but that they every where
or even any where give support to the notion that
one class of mankind is exclusively righteous, and
another class exclusively wicked is by no means
acknowledged.
It is worthy of special notice that the testimony
of scripture agrees with matter of fact For in-
stance, scriptur* says; "While the earth remain-
eth, seed time and harvest, and cold and heat, and
summer and winter, and day and night, shall not
cease." Now the matter of fact testified by the
f
291
passage quoted, perfectly agrees with what we
know by experience to be true. But should we
find that the scriptures any where say, that while
the earth remaineth there shall be a certain class of
people, frotn generation to generation that shall be
exclusively righteous, and another class exclusively
wicked, could we say that this is evidently true ?
could we say that these two classes have always
been as distinguishable as seed time and harvest,
as cold and heat, as summer and winter, and as day
and night ?
My friends, look round you, do you know who
these righteous are ? Can you distinguish this righ-
teous class from the wicked class as easily as you
can distinguish day from night ? Who are they ?
Are they that company of meek, humble believers
in Jesus, who pray as the divine master taught
them ; " Our Father who art in heaven forgive us
our sins ?" If they are not sinners why do they
pray that their sins may be forgiven ? -
On the other hand, who are the wicked? Are
they that company of profane sailors, who appear
so careless about religion ? But these men, of all
grades of society are acknowledged to be the most
generous. They will impart to misery the last
dollar of the scanty wages for which they have risk-
ed their lives on the uncertain deep, while the
wealthy Christian, who goes to the sanctuary in
splendour, with great circumspection, gives to pov-
erty a shilling. But who are the wicked ? Are
they such as make no profession of religion, have
subscribed to no creed, joined no church ? But
where are these men, and what are they about
when their neighbours are sick, or are in want, or
are in distress ? Are they then carelessly loiter-
ing behind our high professors of religion, who are
administering all needed assistance to the distress-
ed ? Where are they when the devouring element
turns women and children into the streets ? Do
292
they idly fold their arms and look on, while the
righteous put out the fire ? What do these wick-
ed people do when their country is invaded by a
plundering foe, and all that is dear to man lies at
stake ? Do they then sleep on beds of down,
while the saints watch in the camp ? The fact is,
if we are willing to acknowledge the truth, there is
no class of people who are so righteous that there
is no need of reformation ; nor is there a class
that is in no danger of growing worse.
We find the righteous and the wicked in the
same individual. David says; "Judge me, O
Lord, according to my righteousness." And again
he says; "The Lord rewarded me according to
my righteousness." But with what humility does
he acknowledge his sin. He says ; " Wash me
thoroughly from mine iniquity, and cleanse me
from my sin. For I acknowledge my transgres-
sion and my sin is ever before me." Yes, in the
same man, and at the same time we find the righte-
ous and the wicked, " him that serveth God and him
that serveth him not." St. Paul says ; " With the
mind I myself serve the law of God, but with the
flesh the law of sin."
The habit which professed Christians have so
long indulged, of thinking and speaking of the
wicked, as a class of people distinct from them-
selves, is a proof of the depravity of their own de-
ceived hearts. The publican, who dared not raise
his eyes toward heaven, but smote his breast, say-
ing, God be merciful to me a sinner, was rather
justified than the Pharisee, who thanked God that
he was not like other men.
The result of a candid examination of this par-
ticular subject may be represented by health and
sickness. And as this representation is warranted
by the declaration of the Saviour to those who
thought they were righteous when they were not,
it may be the more acceptable. Jesus said ; "They
293
that are whole need not the physician, but they
that are sick." Now health and sickness are so di-
rectly opposite, that there is no difficulty in dis-
tinguishing one from the other. But there are ma-
ny cases where it would be difficult to determine
which of two that are sick is the most unwell. And
we may further observe that there is no such thing
as a class of people who are exclusively healthy, or
a class that is exclusively sickly. ^Those, who to
day are in health may be sick to morrow ; and
those who are indisposed to day may be restored
and enjoy health to morrow. Yes, and in the
same person, and at the same time we may find a
degree of health and a degree of sickness. De-
grees of health and sickness may increase or de-
crease, and the subjects may either recover, or de-
cline and die.
Let us in the next place endeavour to ascertain
the nature of the recompense which the divine
economy awards to the righteous, and what it is
designed for.
As we have seen that there are different degrees
in righteousness, so we may expect to 'find that re-
wards are so varied as to correspond with these dif-
ferent degrees. .Again, we may observe that in
some things a man may do that which is right, and
receive a recompense accordingly ; on the other
hand, the same man may do that which is wrong in
gome things and be recompensed accordingly.
The whole duty of man is embraced in two di-
vine requirements. The first requires us to love
God with all the heart, and the second being like
unto the first, requires us to love our neighbours
as ourselves. On these two commandments, Jesus
says, " hang all the law and the prophets." Now
as far as any person loves God so far is he recom-
pensed, and no further. And as far as he loves his
neighbour so far he is recompensed in that respect,
and no further.
294
But wbat is the recompense which the soul en-
joys who loves God ? Answer, it is God himself.
" God is love ; and he that dwelleth in love, dwell-
eth in God, and God in him." In an exact propor-
tion to the love which the heart exercises towards
God is it recompensed with this richest of all re-
wards. There is no other object, on which the
affections of the heart can be placed, that- is so
sure of returning a recompense, in all respects
equal to the degree of love which is exercised.
Companious may love each other mest tenderly,
but by unavoidable circumstances they may be se-
parated, so as to render their affection even painful.
Again, there may be love to creature objects
where no return of affection is received. But who
ever loves God cannot be separated from him, nor
can he ever experience any want of love in God.
The soul that truly loves the divine Being IB bless-
ed with the presence of the object of affection.
There is no place nor condition that can exclude
the mind from this enjoyment. * Though we were
banished from the society of man, if we loved God
he would be present with us ; would be a well of
water springing up into everlasting life. How of-
ten do we see Our brethren and sisters in the hour
of death, rejoicing in a present Saviour, and cheer-
fully resign life and all earthly things for the en-
joyment of God.
What is this rich recompense designed for in the
divine economy ? It is designed for the only end
that divine love can possibly have in view. It is
to promote love and enlarge its enjoyments in the
soul that is exercised by it.
As there are secondary cases in which righte-
ousness manifests itself, so there are secondary re-
compenses corresponding with them. As conse-
quences growing out of love to God, we notice
those virtuous actions, and propriety of conduct,
which are attended with effects which sufficiently
295
%
recompense and amply bless the agent in his deeds.
Who ever loves God, will love truth ; he will love
honesty ; he will love justice ; he will love mercy ;
he will love wisdom and knowledge. Now as he
loves these things he will speak the truth ; he will
be honest ; he will do justly ; he will be merciful ;
he will endeavour to acquire wisdom and know-
ledge, and he will consider all these things as dura-
ble riches and righteousness.
Now as these virtues are all calculated to reward
us for all our exertions in their principles, so it is
evident that our recompenses must be according to
our merits. Accordingly as a man loves the truth,
and speaks the truth, he enjoys the divine sunshine
in his breast; and in addition to this sure and ample
reward he gerarally is believed by others, and con-
fidence is plared in his word. In the same propor-
tion as a man is Jjonest in what he does, he has the
enjoyment of bib own conscience, which is a treas-
ure that the honest man prizes far above silver or
gold. And in addition to all this he has the satis-
faction of being esteemed by others for his honesty,
which is worthy of high estimation.
Those, who do justly, love mercy, and walk
humbly with God, who seek for wisdom as for hid-
den treasures, and find out knowledge of witty in-
ventions, enjoy a constant income of moral and in-
tellectual wealth which is far richer than the revenue
of silver, or the merchandise of the most precious
spices.
The design of these rich rewards, in the econo-
my of the divine government, is to induce moral
beings to labour with all possible diligence to per-
fect themselves in the love of God.
We may now ask what recompense the divine
government is pleased to render to the wicked, and
what is the design of such a recompense.
As wickedness is exactly the reverse of righte-
ousness, so the recompense of the former must be
the reverse of that of the latter.
296
If we have no love to God we cannot enjoy him,
The thought that he exists and exercises universal
dominion, and controls all things by his Almighty
power is a source of infelicity. The soul, in room
of being refreshed with the sweet waters of life,is
suffused with anger, wrath, strife, and bitterness.
In the room of peace, there is trouble. " The
wicked are like the troubled sea, when it cannot
rest, whose wajters cast up mire and dirt There ia
no peace, saith my God, to the wicked."
Such is the establishment of moral rectitude in
the human soul, by the hand of our Maker, that our
reason is compelled to acknowledge the dignity of
divine justice, the purity of all the virtues, and the
excellency of righteousness. But where the affec-
tions of the heart are not devoted to these holy
qualities, the soul is forever under%ondemnation.
Self accusation, self reproach gnaw like the vul-
ture within.
In an exact proportion to the distance the soul
is in, from that love to God and our neighbour,
which is the fulness of the divine requirement, is
measured the recompense due to the sinner. There
is tribulation and anguish to every soul of man
that doeth evil ; and this tribulation and anguish
are in proportion to the evil for which they are a
recompense.
But why should the divine government so or-
dain, that sin should be recompensed with so much
misery ? Why does it not please God to adminis*
ter comfort, peace, and joy to the sinner, in his
sins? What is the design of the divine economy
in this thing ?
We may find a solution of these queries in our si-
militude of health and sickness. Health is the re-
ward of that kind of food, which is nourishment to
the body, of that temperance and exercise which
our nature requires; while food that is unwhole-
some, or that is rendered injurious by art, together
297
with intemperance, and the want of proper exercise,
are recompensed with those natural disorders with
which the human body is afflicted. It is necessa-
rily so in the nature of things. It seems impossible
that it should be otherwise. And it is the certainty
of these consequences, which induces the prudent
to abstain from intemperance and idleness.
The evil consequences resulting from wrong
practices, are designed, by divine wisdom, for the
same benevolent purpose as the good effects which
are the recompense of doing well. When we do
well we enjoy the pleasant fruits of righteousness, and
this enjoyment opperates as an inducement to con-
tinue in well doing. On the contrary, when we do
wrong we suffer the recompense of our error, and
this suffering is wisely appointed as a mean to
wean us from that improper indulgence of inordi-
nate appetites and passions in consequence of which
we suffer, and to warn us to take heed to our ways.
The prophet Jeremiah, speaking to the wicked,
seems to express this idea with great plainness. He
says ; " Thine own wickedness shall correct thee,
and thy backslidings shall reprove thee."
In our reasoning on the subjects of the recom-
pensing of the righteous, and of rendering to the
wicked according to their works, attention has been
paid more to what we may term the internal fruits
of righteousness and sin, than to outward blessings
and calamities with which divine Providence has in
all ages of the world expressed his approbation of
righteousness, and his disapprobation of sin. We
shall now contemplate the subject more generally,
noticing some of the divine promises and threaten-
ings, connecting the subject with the consideration
of that part of the testimony of our text which in-
forms us, that the recompense of both the righteous
and the wicked is in the earth.
It may be proper, before we proceed further, to
apprise the hearer, that the arguments which are
38
298
to follow will be found directed to disprove the
common doctrine, which teaches that those who are
righteous in this state of existence, will be recom-
pensed for their righteousness with immortality and
eternal life in the future state ; and that those who
are sinners in this life will be recompensed with
endless perdition hereafter. This we feel fully au-
thorised to undertake by the divine authority ex-
pressed in many more passages than can be cited
in one sermon ; this authority is evidently express-
ed in our text, in that it certifies us that both the
righteous and the wicked shall be recompensed in
the earth ; for it surely seems unreasonable to sup-
pose, that they are recompensed here in the earth,
and after this recompensed to all eternity. In fact
this idea is a most palpable absurdity ; for any thing
short of deserts is not a recompense ; nor can that
which is more than deserts be called a recompense.
With a view to bring this general subject before
the hearer in as plain a manner as is convenient, let
a few questions be asked, and let reason and exper-
ience answer them.
1. In a state like this, in which we are possessed
of inclinations, passions, and appetites, which, if not
properly chastened, duly restrained, and wisely
governed, will most assuredly lead us into sin, in or-
der to influence the mind, and bring its fortitude
into proper action, and the inclinations into the
right channel by the hope of a favourable recom-
pense, is it best to place this recompense in this
present life, or in a future state ? Professors of re-
ligion in general, and even preachers contend, that
unless the recompense for well doing is in a future
state, virtue is not worth pursuing, as there is not
in virtue itself and in its good consequences in this
life a sufficient reward for its duties. The question
now before us inquires whether it would not better
secure the object to have the recompense in this
life ? In favour of its being here may be urged.
299
that all objects that are calculated to influence the
human rnind, have their powers increased by their
proximity to us, and deminished as they are placed
more remote. Man is so constituted that he thinks
more of his present necessities than he does of what
he may want in some future time.
If you wish to hire labourers into your service,
you can more readily obtain them by promising
them their pay every setting sun, than if you pro-
pose paying them ten or twenty years hence. If
your neighbour, or even your minister should tell
you, that if you wish to obtain faithful labourers,
you must by no means promise them immediate
pay, but promise it as long hence as will possibly
suit your conveniences ; and furthermore, you must
be careful when they are labouring for you, to al-
low them as little refreshment and rest as possibly
will keep them alive, or they will leave you, would
you think the advice was any evidence of the wisdom
and experience of him who gave it ? No, you would
not. And though you might possibly think your
advisor meant well, being ignorant, you would not
follow the advice.
Why then, my friends, should we believe, that
divinq wisdom, with an intention to engage us in
the service of virtue, should place its reward in a
future state of existence, in a world we know noth-
ing of, from which no traveller ever returned ?
Why should we believe that the wisdom of God,
with a design to make us faithful in his service,
should carefully make this service extremely toil-
some, and allow us no rest nor refreshment that is
comfortable during our labours ?
2. With a view to operate on the mind by fear,
and to restrain the passions by apprehensions of
danger, where would wisdom place the dreaded
object, in this life, or -in a future state ?
In favour of its being here, and before our eyes,
may be urged, that any terrific object has a greater
300
influence on the mind being near and visible, than
when remote and invisible. Even a coward will
boast of his courage, and will dare the foe, while
he lies at a distance and out of sight, but when llie
hostile band presents the glittering armory that
dazzles his eyes, his. weak heart melts like wax be-
fore the sun. Why then should terror be placed
at a distance and out of sight in order to have the
greatest effect on the mind ? If it be necessary to
excite our fear, that we believe in the common doc-
trine of a burning lake in a future state, would it
not add an incalculable influence to the object if
our terrific preachers could draw away the curtain
and present the horrible scene to our open vision-?
As they take great satisfaction in describing to the
imagination of parents their children in hell, would
not the effect be still more powerful if the eye
could behold the fiery pit, arid see the beloved
children in the flames ? But all this must be car-
riedon in a secret place, out of sight of all the living;
and none to report it to us, only those who know
nothing about it.
3- Is it not a most evident fact, that for tempor-
al enjoyments, enjoyments of this life, men will ex-
ert their utmost powers, face the greatest dangers,
and surmount all surmountable difficulties ? For
these enjoyments the husbandman labours from
early morn until the shades of night cover him.
And this he repeats day after day, week after week,
month after month, year after year, until he wears
out his strength and his days. Ask him why he
thus toils ; will he inform you, either that he ex-
pects an immortal state of bliss hereafter as a re-
ward ; or that he fears>eternal torments if he should
quit his field? No, he will point to his wife and
to his children, and say ; it is for them I labour,
for them I toil, and the love I bear them makes my
labour easy and my burden light ; yea it is a pleas-
ure and content is my companion.
301
Does not the mariner risk his life on the seas,
does he not encounter the most inclement weather,
put his face to the violence of the storm for
the sake of the comforts and luxuries of life? For
the enjoyments of this temporal state, we see the
warrior, far from his family, encountering the fa-
tigues of marches and counter marches ; lying upon
the cold damp earth ; his food coarse and often
loathsome, and when the hour of perilous danger
arrives, and he is summoned to the charge, does he
now expect immortality and eternal life if he fights,
and does he dread endless damnation if he refuses?
No, these are not the motives which stimulate him
to set his face to danger and his breast to the battle.
The defence of his country, the defence of his wife
and children, and his honour as a soldier are motives
sufficient. Why then, my friends, are we told that
no rewards in this life are sufficient to excite us to
religion and virtue ? Why are we told the pitiful
story, that nothing short of the hope of endless hap-
piness hereafter, and the dread of everlasting dam-
nation in the world to come are sufficient incentives
to move men to subscribe to a creed which men
have invented, and a covenant written by a clergy-
man, join a communion, and make a few prayers
which he learns by heart, and go to meeting on the
sabbath ?
4. Since the doctrine of endless rewards and
punishments has been advocated and preached by
the Christian clergy, and the anathemas of eternal
condemnation held up on every sabbath day ; and
since all classes of people have been habituated in
such a belief, has it all together had the desired ef-
fect ? Has it made men in reality any better? If
we place the least confidence in the most authentic
histories, and if we allow experience to judge in this
case the matter is plain, that a spirit of the most vio-
lent persecution has always accompanied this doo
trin, and the most shocking outrages on humanity
have marked its progress.
302
,0. Let us ask now, where true wisdom lies, and
where her peaceful path is to be found ? We find
the answer in the words of Jesus, who said ; " Come
unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden,
and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you,
and learn of me ; for I am meek and lowly in heart :
and ye shall find rest unto your soul. For my
yoke is easy and my burden is light." By these
precious words we learn that the Saviour endeav-
oured to persuade men into his service by assuring
them that his service was easy, and that he imposed
no burdens but light ones. He compares his reli-
gion with its opposite, as an easy service to one
that is hard ; as rest to fatigue.
As long as we are persuaded to believe that the
way of righteousness is a hard way, that it is attend-
ed with constant trouble, that few or no enjoyments
are found in obedience to its requirements, all the
promises which the preacher holds up of bliss in a
future world, will never induce usto travel the hated
road. On the contrary, as long as we are told that
sin and wickedness are attended with ease, pleasure,
delight, and perpetual gratification and satisfaction,
and as long as we believe this worst of all descep-
tions, so long we shall live in sin, notwithstanding
we may be told of the most horrid torments in a
future world as a recompense therefor.
Man loves happiness and hates misery, and this
love and hatred are the only inducements which
move him to action. Let us realize then that righ-
teousness will make us happy in the present life,
and that sin will make us miserable here on the
earth, and let us constantly withstand the testimony
of our preachers, and the temptations of the flesh to
the contrary, and we shall live as the grace of God
teaches, by denying ungodliness and worldly lusts,
and by living soberly, righteously, and godly in this
present world.
303
It is worthy of special regard, that the divine
promises and threatenings, recorded by Moses and
the prophets, with which God was pleased to signify
his approbation of righteousness, and his disapproba-
tion of sin, relate to blessings and punishments which
have been enjoyed and suffered by the house of
Israel in the earth.
For their encouragement the Lord promised them
all mariner of temporal blessings; and as a terror he
threatened them with all manner of temporal calam-
ities. And while they walked in the statutes of the
Lord, and did his judgments these promises were
faithfully fulfilled. The people multiplied greatly
and abounded in all the rich blessings of life, of
health and peace. But when they rebelled and
walked in the way of sin, they were visited with all
the plagues, judgments, and calamities with which
they had been threatened. NO people ever varied
their character more than have the Jews. At times
they were the most upright, the most pious, the
most virtuous of all the nations of the earth ; and
then they were blessed above all people in the
world. At other times they have been the most
perverse ; have so forsaken the true God, as to
carry idolatry to its extremes, have practiced vio-
lence and oppression, by which they became a prey
to their enemies, and were carried into captivities,
and punished with all the sore judgments which
were written in their law or denounced by their pro-
phets. And as no people have ever been more
wicked, so none have been more punished than they.
The judgments which our Saviour denounced on
the Jews were the same of which we read in the
26th of Leviticus and other writings of Moses, in
the Lamentations of Jeremiah and the other writ-
ings of this and the rest of the prophets. And it is
directly to our argument to observe that all these
Calamities have come on that people ; and that, we
have no more authority for applying either the
304
promises for obedience, or the Hire a ten ings for dis-
obedience to a future state, than we have for be
lieving that the Jews, for their obedience in this
world, will be blessed in the future slate in the quiet
possession of the land of Canaan: and for their diso-
bedience will be visited with sickness and be carried
away into captivity by their enemies.
To conclude. Let us, my friends, open our eyes
on the certain consequences with which our heav-
enly Father rewards the obedient here in the earth.
Let us regard that calm sunshine of peace within,
which we are sure to enjoy as the reward of well
doing. Let us endeavour to estimate in a proper
manner the rich inheritance which is the certain lot
of those who keep the commandment;; of God. '
Let us look round us, and see if prisons, dun-
geons, and gallows are not a sufficient argument to
prove, that the wicked are recompensed in the
earth. And if this sad scene be not sufficient, go
draw the veil from still greater horrors, where in-
temperance and uncleanness exhibit the warning
spectacle of degraded humanity. Beloved youth,
look, these terrors are no fictions ; they are awful
realities! Your feet stand in slippery places! O
put on the whole armour of righteousness that ye
may be able to stand in the evil day ; and pray
most fervently that you may not be led into temp-
tation, but that you may be delivered from evil.
No. 20. - r ! ; .
LECTURE SERMON,
DELIVERED AT THE
SECOND UNIVERSALIST MEETING, IN BOSTON,
APRIL 25, 1819.
BY HOSEA BALLOU, PASTOR.
Published Semi-Monthly by Henry Bowen, Devonshire-street.
EZEKIEL xvi. last of 50.
" Therefore, I took them away as I saw good."
THE spirit of divine tmth, addressing Jerusalem
by the prophet, informed her that she was more cor-
rupted in her ways than her sisters, Samaria and
her daughters, or Sodom and her daughters. The
words of the prophet are these ; " As I live, saith
the Lord God, Sodom thy sister hath not done, she
nor her daughters, as thou hast done, thou and thy
daughters. Behold this was the iniquity of thy sis-
ter Sodom, pride, fulness of bread, and abundance
of idleness, was in her and in her daughters, neither
did she strengthen the hands of the poor and needy.
And they were haughty, and committed abomina-
tion before me ; therefore I took them away as I
saw good."
The destruction of the inhabitants of Sodom is
the subject of our text, and that to which the most
cautious attention of this Christian audience is now
most earnestly solicited.
By those who believe and preach the " heart-
chilling doctrine" of endless torment, the destruc-
tion of Sodom is constantly adverted to as an evi-
dent proof of this tenet, and an instance of its posi-
tive reality. >
39
306
Now as it is one of the objects of this course of
lectures, to disprove the doctrine here mentioned,
and to show, that the divine testimony which its acl-
Tocates apply as proof of this tenet gives it no sup-
port, it is thought expedient to show that we have
no evidence to believe that the Sodomites are an
instance of an endless state of misery. A nd as sev-
eral other instances of the destruction of the wick-
ed are generally used for the same end as this of
the destruction of Sodom, notice will be taken of a
number of them in the present discourse, in a way
to show that they afford no evidence in support of
the doctrine, in favour of which they are perpetually
employed by our terrific preachers.
The first question which we shall attempt to ex-
amine is, whether the scriptures, which speak of the
destruction of Sodom, give any account of the end-
less misery of those people who died in that des-
truction ?
We are informed in the 18lh and 19th chapters
of Genesis, that, on account of the grieveous sin of
Sodom and Gomorrah, " the Lord rained upon
Sodom and upon Gomorrah, brimstone and fire
from the Lord out of heaven. And he overthrew
those cities and all the plain, and all the inhabitants
of the cities, and that which grew upon the ground."
This is the account which we have in Genesis of
the destruction of the Sodomites. But we find no
mention made of their being consigned to a state of
torment after their temporal destruction.
Here let us bring our subject into the light by
the following queries.
1. Of the two events, the temporal destruction
of the Sodomites and their being consigned to a
state of unspeakable torment in the invisible and
eternal world, whicfi is the greatest ? Every one
will acknowledge at once, that the last mentioned
of these events is infinitely greater than the first.
Indeed, those who believe and hold forth the idea
of the endless misery of the wicked hereafter, al
307
ways inform us, that all the sufferings of this mor-
talstate are nothing compared with the sufferings of
the miserable in the eternal world.
2. Why, allowing the common opinion of the
miserable state of the Sodomites in the invisible
world, is there a particular account given of their
temporal destruction, and yet not a word about this
everlasting torment in the future state, which is a
subject infinitely greater ? To illustrate the nature
of this question, we will suppose, that we have an
account in our newspapers of a fire in the city
of Philadelphia that burnt several ware-houses
and consumed considerable property. This ac-
count falls into the hands of our Christian preachers,
and they come forward in public and state a most
lamentable account of the total destruction of the
city of Philadelphia by fire. They set forth, in the
most moving language the awful sufferings of the
wretched inhabitants of that city, not one of which
were able to make their escape from the devouring
flames ! They even go so far as to informs us of
certain manifestations of the tender sympathies of
husbands and wives, parents and children, brothers
and sisters in the last sad moments of their dreadful
destruction. After the peace of the whole town
should be thus trifled with for some time, and all
our hearts had been wrung with the keenest sor-
row for the astonishing sufferings of our fellow
mortals, some of us should ask our preachers how
they were informed of the sorrowful news of the
destruction of the inhabitants of Philadelphia?
They in a very careless indifferent manner, after a
few civilities, inform us that we have had the ac-
count in the public papers ; and ask us if we have
not seen the account of the burning of those ware-
houses and all the goods there were in them ?
What should we think in such a case ? Should we
not allow ourselves to query whether these good
teachers had not made some mistake ? or exagerat-
ed in a most unwarranted degree the account given
308
in the papers ? You will all agree that no excuse
could possibly palliate for such a breach of our
peace, except it could be proved that our teachers,
who had thus troubled our souls, were actuated by
a delirium. But my .friends, even this comparison
falls infinitely short of the subject under considera-
tion. There is not so great a disproportion between
the supposed account of the fire in Philadelphia,
and the exageration of this account, which we have
supposed, as there is between the account recorded
in Genesis of the destruction of the Sodomites, and
the exagerations by which thousands have been led
to believe that those who were there destroyed, were
consigned to a state of interminable misery. The
question before you is like this ; Would the public
prints notice, in a particular manner, the burning
of a few ware-houses in the city of Philadelphia, but
say nothing of the burning of the whole city, inha-
bitants and all?
3. As it is acknowledged by all, who reason well
on the relation between testimony and facts, and the
legitimate powers of the former to establish the
latter, that extraordinary and naturally incredible
events require a strength of testimony and a clear-
ness of evidence which correspond with the extra-
ordinary character of what is to be proved, is it not
our indispensable duty, and what we owe to our-
selves and to the cause of truth, to ask our divines,
who insist on the endless misery of the Sodomites,
to produce evidence of this fact, the force and clear-
ness of which are equal to the extraordinary char-
acter of this supposed fact ?
That this supposed fact is naturally incredible
appears most evident by comparing it with the man-
ifest character of the divine Being. God is a being
of infinite wisdom, power, and goodness.
We may suppose, that if God were infinitely wise,
and infinitely powerful, but entirely destitute of
goodness, he might contrive a scheme of infinite
cruelty, and carry the same into effect ; but if he
309
possess as much goodness as he does wisdom and
power, it is, palpably absurd to believe that he is
the author of any being to whom he is not good ;
and it is equally absurd to say that God is good to
the Sodomites if they are consigned to a state of
infinite misery.
That our heavenly Father was good and boun-
tiful to the inhabitants of Sodom in their mortal
state is evident from our context, in which we are
informed of the idleness of the people, their fulness
of bread, and their criminal neglect of the poor and
needy. These accusations fully show that they
were guilty of abusing the goodness of divine Pro-
vidence ; by which it is clear that God was good to
them. Now as it cannot be denied that our heav-
enly Father was good and bountiful to the inhabi-
tants of Sodom in their mortal state, is it consist-
ent for us to believe that he is not good to them in
the eternal word, if he there continues their exist-
ence ? Where is the evidence that he, who alone
can create, and preserve the existence of rational
beings, ever does this to the damage of his creatures?
The plain truth is this ; in room of having such
clear and positive evidence in support of this com-
mon notion of the endless misery of the inhabitants
of Sodom, as reason would require, there is not the
most distant hint of any such thing, in the account
recorded in Genesis.
There is a passage in the epistle of Jude, which
speaks of Sodom and Gomorrah as follows ; " Even
as Sodom and Gomorrah, and the cities about them
in like manner giving themselves over to fornica-
tion, and going after strange flesh, are set forth for
an example,suffering the vengeance of eternal fire."
This passage is frequently cited to prove that the
eternal state of the inhabitance of Sodom and Go-
morrah is miserable. Let us examine the passage
and see if it afford any such conclusion. The
words, "are set forth foftan example suffering the
vengeance of eternal' fire,'* are supposed to support
the opinion in dispute. In order to show that these
words have no such meaning, we will notice two
passages where St. Paul uses the words, "set forth."
See Rom. iii. 25. " Whom God hath set forth to be
a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare
his righteousness for the remission of sins that are
past, through the forbearance of God." 1. Cor.iv.
9. "For I think that God hath set forth us the
Apostles last, as it were appointed to death : for
we are made a spectacle unto the world, and to an-
gels, and unto men." In both these passages, the
words " set forth" evidently mean a most open
and clear manifestation of that which was "set forth."
But who will pretend that the eternal torments of
the Sodomites, in the burning lake of the invisable
world, are set forth for an example ?
When God "set forth" his dear Son for a propi-
tiation of our sins, thousands of witnessing eyes be-
held him and saw his miracles of mercy ; thousands
of ears heard the gracious words which he spake,
and thousands felt the life giving, and health restor-
ing power of the Saviour. His whole process from
his birth to his ascension was attested by many wit-
nesses, who could not have made any material mis-
take respecting the subject of their testimony. But
have we the testimony of a single individual, who
has seen the Sodomites in torment since their
destruction, or heard their groans ? It is true, and
it is spoken with regret, that our terrific preachers
speak on this subject, with as much seeming assur-
ance, and in terms as positive as does the historian
who relates an account of which he is an eye witness.
The Apostles were " set forth ;" and being " set
forth," were a spectacle unto the world, and to an-
gels, and to men ; and Sodom and Gomorrah were
set forth for an example ;" but who were the spec-
tators ? Who were the witnesses? Have angels
and men seen them in the torments of the irivisable-
world ? No, there is iix> such thing; but we are
informed, by the divine historian, that " Abraham
311
gat up early in the morning to the place where he
stood before the Lord. And he looked towards
Sodom and Gomorrah, and toward all the land of
the plain, and lo, the smoke of the country went up
as the smoke of a furnace." There can be no rea-
sonable doubt that the destruction of the inhabi-
tants of Sodom and the Cities of the plain was, "set
forth" before the eyes of all the inhabitants of the
surrounding country ; and there can be no doubt
but that it was considered by those who saw it, as
a dispensation of divine Providence for the wicked-
ness of the people. And it was recorded in the
scriptures for an example, and a warning to the in-
habitants of the earth not to practice their sins.
The fire which destroyed Sodom and the cities
of the plain, is called eternal fire on account of the
long time it continued in the country, and burned
in those pits of slime of which we read in the ac-
count of the battle between five kings on the part
of Sodom and its confederates, and the four kings
who went against them.
But the fact is we are assured in the most plain
terms that the punishment of the sin of Sodom is
not in a future state, but was executed on its inha-
bitants in a most sudden and expeditious manner.
See Lam. iv.6. "For the punishment of the iniquity
of the daughter of my people is greater than the
punishment of the sin of Sodom,that was overthrown
as in a moment, and no hand stayed on her." By
this testimony we learn the following facts, which
relate to the argument under consideration.
1. The punishment of the sin of Sodom, was
their temporal destruction.
2. This overthrow, which was the punishment of
their sins was executed in a very short time.
3. There was no protracted punishment execut-
ed on them after this sudden overthrow. This we
learn from the concluding words of the passage
quoted ; " No hand stayed on her." And
312
4. This punishment of the sin of Sodom was less
than the punishment of the iniquity of the house of
Jsrael. And it is furthermore worthy of observa-
tion, that if the punishment of the sin of Sodom be
endless misery, it is a most palpable absurdity to
say, that the punishment of the iniquity of the house
of Israel was greater. The punishment which the
prophet describes, as being greater than the pun-
ishment of the sin of Sodom, was altogether the ca-
lamities of wars, famines, and other temporal judg-
ments which came on the people for their iniquities.
And by the prophet Ezekiel, in the place where
our text is recorded, we have the reason given why
the punishment of .Jerusalem aught, injustice, to be
greater than the punishment of the sin of Sodom.
It is here staled that Jerasalem was more cor-
rupted in all her ways, than Sodom.
Having fully proved, as far as any thing can be
proved by the divine testimony, that the common
opinion concerning the punishment of the Sodom-
ites is not only without foundation in scripture, but
also in direct opposition to the plain testimony on
the subject, we may now notice the words of our
text, by way of the following inquiry.
As God says, by the prophet, in our text ; "There-
fore, I took them away as I saw good," what good
was there effected by their being taken away in
such a manner ? The reason why they were taken
away, was their sins. Now if they remained as
great sinners after they were destroyed, as they
were before, then the occasion of their being taken
away was not removed by their destruction. Here
then we see, what we always may notice in false
notions of the ways of God. They always repre-
sent the divine Being as capable of acting without
effect, or in a partial manner, or to a malevolent
purpose. God destroyed the Sodomites because
they were sinful ; yet after their destruction they
were no less sinful. Thus the object failed. Af-
ter their destruction, as their sin remained, the
313
Almighty consigned them to burning flames etern-
ally, not to reform them of course, but to vent on
them his eternal wrath. Thus error represents the
divine Being, revengeful and cruel.
A desire is felt, that the hearer would lend an at-
tention to these questions, viz. Why should our heav-
enly Father manifest any disapprobation of sin ?
Does he suffer any inconvenience from it ? Does
the happiness of the sole Governor of the universe
depend on the conduct of his creatures? Now as
all will agree that the Almighty cannot be injured
by sin, so it is reasonable to conclude that he for-
bids it because it is injurious to man ; and it is rea-
sonable also to conclude that the judgments, by
which the divine disapprobation of sin is manifest-
ed, are designed to lessen and not to increase human
misery. But will any one undertake to prove that
human misery is lessened by inflicting unspeakable
torments on mankind as long as God shall exist ?
Let us, my friends, lay aside all the vain notions
of tradition and superstition respecting our subject,
notions which suppose that our Father in heaven is
acting the part of an implacable enemy to his own
rational offspring, and let us listen to the language
of our text; and- let us realize it as the language of
a kind and merciful father. " Therefore I took
them away as I saw good." My friends, how does
this language sound to you ? Does it carry any idea
of unmerciful vengeance ? No, it does not. But it
gives a clear idea that God acted in this instance,
consistantly with his nature which Js love, and with
his character as a Father. He acted for the good
of his creatures.
According to promise, we may now proceed to
notice some other instances of the destructien of the
wicked, which instances are generally used in sup-
port of the system of terror to which the destruction
of the Sodomites is so universally applied.
The first we propose to examine is the destruc-
tion of Pharaoh and his host in the red sea.
40
314
There has been and continues to he much dispute
and opposition of opinion among divines, respecting
God's raising up Pharaoh and hardening his heart
for eternal destruction. Some insist that the Al-
mighty, by a sovereign act, created Pharaoh for ev-
erlasting misery in the eternal world, and that he
hardened his heart on purpose that he might com-
mit sin enough to justify his endless condemnation.
Others oppose such notions, and charge them with
making liod the author of sin. But they contend
that Pharaoh hardened his own heart, was the sole
author of his own sins and is justly sentenced to
everlasting perdition together with all his host for
disobedience in refusing to let the children of Israel
go peaceably out of Egypt. Thus there is one dar-
ling point, in which, after they have opposed one
another with all the arguments which they can pos-
sibly bring to bear on the subject in dispute, and
after they have reciprocally censured each other
for holding dangerous errors, they meet, and become
perfectly quiet in the belief, that Pharaoh and his
host are in the torments of hell, from which there is
no deliverance.
That which these opposing divines dispute about.
is not embraced in the present object, to which this
research is directed, but the point in which they
both meet, and concerning which they entertain no
doubt, is the question now to be settled.
But how are we to obtain our object ? The tra-
dition of the church says, that Pharaoh and his host
are in a state of endless torment. This tradition
is now called in question. But how are we to bring
this case to a fair decision ? The following meth-
od is proposed. Let those divines, who hold and
endeavour to maintain that Pharaoh and his host are
in a state of endless misery pursuant to an eternal
decree of God, and those who deny that tenet, but
maintain that Pharaoh and his host are in this state
of torment in consequence of abusing their moral
agency drop their dispute, until they shall have
315
proved that Pharaoh and his host are actually in
such a state. And then let them all agree to be-
lieve nothing on this subject more than the divine
testimony proves.
When this method is agreed to, the ,\\hole ques-
tion is settled ; for the fact is, there is no intimation
in the scripture account that Pharaoh or any of his
host were sufferers after they were drowned in the
red sea.
It is a most humiliating thought, that our learned
doctors of ihe church should so long maintain this
phantom of their imagination, to the dishonor of
God, and to the discomfort of every tender sensi-
bility of the human heart.
But the day of trial and retribution is come ; and
this folly must be recompensed. It is true, they
may turn away their faces, they may wish to avoid
meeting these glaring absurdities ; but the spirit of
investigation, which is now manifesting itself, will
never suffer this matter to rest, until such barbarity
of sentiment is totally rescinded.
The hearer is cautioned against the supposition
that the preacher takes the least satisfaction in giv-
ing those, who maintain the errors which he is en-
deavouring to expose, the smallest sensation that
may disturb their comfort, and against harbouring
such a reprehensible disposition. But he may be
assured, that no respect due to fellow mortals, can
justly prevent us from bringing their false notions
to the light.
The next subject, which we propose to notice is
that of Korah, Dathan, and Abiram. We have an
account in the 16th of Numbers of the destruction
of these persons, their families, and of all that ap-
pertained to them, by being swallowed up in the
earth. This is another instance of divine provi-
dence, which, those who believe and preach the doc-
trine of endless, unmerciful punishment advert to
as a certain proof of its reality. But how can the
account which we have of the destruction of those
316
people prove what it says nothing of nor even im-
plies ? If one should say, that Korah, Dathan, and
Abiram with their families went immediately, after
they were swallowed up in the earth, to some one
of the planets, where they have all lived ever
since in a state of affluence, who could prove to the
contrary ? There is nothing in the account which
we have of those people that intimate what became
of them after they were swallowed up in the earth.
If we could be satisfied with the account which
we have of this matter, there is no difficulty in un-
derstanding why these people were swallowed up,
and the benefit thereby intended to the congregation.
As these men rose up to oppose Moses and Aa-
ron, and to excite the people to rebellion, Moses
told the congregation ; " Hereby shall ye know that
the Lord hath sent me to do all these works. If these
men die the common death of all men, or if they be
visited after the visitation of all men, then the Lord
hath not sent me ; but if the Lord make a new thing,
and the earth open her mouth, and swallow them up,
with all that appertaineth unto them, and they go
down quickly into the pit, then ye shall understand
that those men have provoked the Lord." Accord-
ing to these words the event took place, arid the re-
bellion was ended.
The question is now put to the candor of this
Christian audience, what is there in this account that
authorises the belief that Korah, Dathan, and Abi-
ram are now in a state of endless torment ? Moses
did not intimate to the congregation that these peo-
ple would be tormented after death ; and in fact if
he had told them so, they could not have been wit-
nesses of the truth of his testimony ; nor could any
other people since ha veknown whetherMoses spoke
the truth or not. We have no account either sacred
or prophane, that gives any information of the situ-
ation of this company after the earth swallowed
them up. If they have been in a state of torment
ever since, that torment has been no terror to the
317
living, because the living have known nothing of it.
And it is certain, that those who advert to the case
of Korah and his company, as an instance proving
the doctrine of a future state of misery, do this
thing on no higher authority than human tradition.
The destruction of the old world by the flood, is
another event, on which, our preachers of punish-
ment in a future state, depend for proof of their
terrific doctrine. And such is the habit of thinking,
with pious and religious people, on this subject,
that whenever they think of the drowning of the
inhabitants of the old world, their minds are carried
directly to the idea of the awful state of suffering
which those people have been in ever since. They
never presume to call the matter in question. They
never think of asking whether there be any proof
of this horrible notion. They take it altogether
on tradition, without taking the trouble ever to
read the account to see what is said respecting it.
Yet it is worthy of notice, that these very people,
thus led away with superstition, will wonder, and
even laugh at the absurd superstitions of other peo-
ple, in matters of no consequence in comparison
with this which we have now called in question. For
instance, what a world of contention there has been
between Roman catholics and Protestants, on the
question respecting transubstantiation and what is
termed, the real presence. Protestants will even
ridicule the superstition of their opponents on this
subject; but after all, have they a thousandth part of
the evidence to prove that the inhabitants of the old
world are in a state of endless misery, as the catho-
lics have to prove the real presence? No, surely
they have not. When Jesus took bread and brake
it, he said ; " this is my body." Protestants say,
that Jesus spake figuratively ; bu t the catholics deny
this, and say, he meant as he said. Now what we
ask is this, is there in all the account which we have
of the destruction of the old world, any thing so
much in favour of the misery of the people after
318
death, as the words of Christ are in favour of the
catholic sentiment ? The fact is, there is nothing
said on the subject. There is no intimation that
the inhabitants who were drowned by the flood were
made miserable at all in a future state. Thus Pro-
testants as well as the old pharisees " strain at a
gnat, and swallow a camel."
In the last place, we will notice the case of Judas,
who betrayed Jesus. Because Jesus said ; " It had
been good for that man if he had not been born,"
it is now contended that Judas is in a state of misery
from which there is no deliverance. But did the
divine teacher say any thing on the subject of the
state of existence that Judas would be in after this
life ? No he surely did not. How then can his
words prove what they say nothing of?
Let us ask the following question ; Is it possible
to prove that Judas now has any existence, from
the words of Jesus, which we have quoted ? " It
had been good for that man if he had not been born."
Do those words prove that Judas is now in exist-
ence ? Surely no one will even pretend this. But
it is beyond all scruple, that a sentence which does
not prove that a man exists at a given time, cannot
prove that he is miserable or happy at the same
given time.
But it is said, if Judas exists, and if he should be
made happy in the eternal world, the words of Jesus
are not true, because the existence of Judas will be
a blessing. This we pronounce loose and fallacious
reasoning, such as is never used to prove any thing,
except the doctrine of a future or endless misery.
In all matters appertaining to men's interest, in this
life, better proof is required than what is here re-
lied on to prove a state of endless torment.. We
even venture to say, that there could not be found
a jury of twelve men who would award property to
the amount often dollars to a man, who could not
prove his claim to it by evidence more to his case.
We may suppose that Jesus meant, that it would
319
have been good for Judas, if his lot had been ap-
pointed with those who never saw the light; or we
may suppose, that he meant, it would have been
iiood for Judas if he had not been born until after
^
that period of time ; or we may suppose that Jesus
meant, it would have been good for Judas if he had
not at that time been born of the spirit of truth ; for
Peter says of those that fall away ; "It had been
better for them not to have known the way of righ-
teousness, than after they have known it, to turn
from the holy commandments delivered unto them.'*
Either of these suppositions is within the possible
meaning of the words of Jesus, but the supposition
that Jesus meant, that it would have been good for
Ju^as not to have had an existence is not within the
possible meaning of his words ; for if he had not ex-
isted he could have receive^ no good in any way.
Whoever will carefully read what Job says con-
cerning his being born, in his 3d chapter, and like-
wise what Jeremiah says of his own birth in his 20th
chapter will surely find as much proof of the mise-
ry of these men in an other world, as they can find
in the words of Jesus respecting the misery of Ju-
das in the future state.
According to the words of Jesus in the 19th of
Matthew, Judas had followed him in the regenera-
tion. And we learn by the account we have in the
10th chapter, that Judas, as well as the rest of the
twelve Apostles was endowed with power to heal
the sick, to cleanse lepers, to raise the dead, and to
cast out devils; he was also commissioned to preach
the gospel. In the labours of this miraculous min-
istry we have no account that Judas was not as
faithful and as successful, as the rest of the twelve.
But he was a fallible man like the rest ; satan en-
tered into him, and he committed one act that was
base in the extreme ; he betrayed his master. Peter
also denied him, and confirmed his denial with oaths.
Judas was called a devil and Peter was called satan.
Our tradition has placed Judas in hell, in the eternal
world, and Peter in heaven.
320
The exclamation that Judas made when he re-
pented and brought back the money, (O that all,
who profess to repent, would do likewise,) to the
chief priests is worthy of observation; " I have sin-
ned, in that I have betrayed the innocent blood.
This shows the high estimation in which this un-
happy man held innocence. It seems that the pain
of his heart was occasioned by his having betrayed
the innocent.
Now if lie had had no love nor regard for inno-
cence, but if entire opposition to all good had pos-
sessed his heart he surely would not have repented
and brought back the money ; he would not have
exclaimed, "I have sinned in that I have betrayed
the innocent blood."
My friends, the scriotures gives no account that
this man was miserable in another state ; but the
distress his soul was in, in consequence of having be-
trayed the innocent Jesus, should be a solemn warn-
ing to every one of us, that we never violate our duty
to the innocent.
To conclude ; God took away the Sodomites,
Pharaoh and his host, Korah and his company, the
inhabitants of the old world, Judas who betrayed
his master, and many other, as he saw good. His
designs are all the designs of goodness. And if the
Holy Ghost had intended to inform us that all (hose
people were miserable in the invisible world, we
should have found it so recorded in the faithful tes-
timony. But we have reason to be thankfnl, and to
praise the name of him, who gave himself a ransom
for all, who is the propitiation for the sins of the
whole world. We have great consolation in believ-
ing, that " as in Adam all die, even so in Christ
shall all be made alive. In opposition to the doc-
trine of future, endless misery, we present the un-
changeable goodness of that God, who " is good
unto all and whose tender mercies are over all his
works.
DELIVERED AT THE
SECOND UNIVERSALIST MEETING, IN BOSTON,
MAY 9, 1819.
BY HOSEA BALLOU, PASTOR.
Published Semi-Monthly by Henry BoWen, Congress-street.
ISAIAH xxviii. last of 19.
" And. il Shall be a vexation only to understand the report,' 1 ''
THE prophet in this chapter, contemplates the
house of Israel in a state of great seeming security,
into which they had introduced themselves, by
making a covenant with death, and an agreement
with hell, and by preparing for themselves a refuge
of lies.
As is perfectly natural with those, who, by their
own wisdom, frame for themselves partial systems,
this people exulted in their confidence, and raised
their expectations of seeing the destructions and
calamities, from which they fapcied themselves se-
cure, fall like an overflowing scourge on those who
had neglected to enter into their covenant, to avail
themselves of their agreement, and to take shelter
in their refuge.
According to their confidence and expectation
they said ; " We have made a covenant with death,
and with hell are we at agreement ; when the over-
flowing scourge shall pass through, it shall not come
unto us ; for we have made lies our refuge, and
under falsehood have we hid ourselves."
Thus an overflowing scourge was expected ; but
it was to come on others, they were safe. They
41
322
had made due preparation* for security, and had
nothing to anticipate but their own safety ana the*"
destruction of others, who had neglected to get an
interest in their means of defence.
But the wisdom of man is foolishness with God.
When he thinks himself secure, and is looking out
for the destruction of others, he is frequently sub-
jected to the vexation of seeing his confidence fail,
his hope expire, and his expectations die.
Such was the lot of that people whom the
prophet addressed in this chapter. For in reply
to their boasting, the Lord says; Behold I lay
in Zion for a foundation a stone, a tried stone ; a
precious cornor stone, a sure foundation ; he that
believeth shall not make haste. Judgment also
will I lay to the line, and righteousness to the
plummet ; and the hail shall sweep away the refuge
of lies, and the waters shall overflow the hiding
place. And your covenant with death shall be dis-
annulled, and your agreement with hell shall not
stand; when the overflowing scourge shall pass
through, then ye shall be trodden down by it.
From the time that it goeth forth it shall take you :
for morning by morning shall it pass over, by day
and by night; and it shall be a vexation, only to
understand the report. For the bed is shorter
than that a man can stretch himself on it; and the
covering narrower than that he can wrap himself
in it." This was widely different from their ex-
pectations. All their calculations failed. Their
covenant with death disannulled ; their agreement
with hell disolved; and the waters overflowed
the hiding places composed of lies. The bed pre-
pared for repose is found to be too short ; and the
covering designed for defence from the cold, is too
narrow. Thus their labour is lost : and in room of
security they find trouble, and in room of behold-
ing the dist ruction of others, thev are vexed with
^> j tf
the report of their own.
323
That the spirit of prophecy spake in this chap-
ter concerning Christ and the gospel day seems
evident from the 16th verse which has been quoted.
" Behold I lay in Zion for a foundation, a stone,
a tried stone ; a precious corner stone, a sufe foun-
dation; he that believeth shall not make haste.' ?
Compare this with the following words of St.
Peter; "Wherefore also it is contained in the
scripture, behold I lay in Sion a chief corner
stone, elect, precious ; and he that believeth on
him shall not be confounded." Also Acts 4. II.
"This is the stone which was set at naught by you
builders, wiiich is become the head of the corner."
Likewise Psalm 118. 22, 23. "The stone which
the builders refused is become the head stone of
the corner. This is the Lord's doing ; k is mar-
velous in our eyes ;" compared with Mat. 21. 42.
" Jesus saith unto them, did ye never read in the
scriptures, the stone which the builders rejected,
the same is become the head of the corner ; this is
the Lord's doing, and it is marvelous in our eyes?"
To this stone St. Paul alludes in the 9th of Romans
where he speaks of the stumbling of the house of
Israel, as follows ; " But Israel, which followed af-
ter the law of righteousness, hath not attained to the
law of righteousness. Wherefore ? Because they
sought it not by faith, but as it were by the works
of the law : for they stumbled at the stumbling
stone ; as it. is written, Behold, I lay in Sion a
gturnbling-stone, and a rock of offence : and who-
soever believeth on him shall not be ashamed.
By the light shed on our subject, by this compar-
ison of scripture testimony, we are assisted to make
the following conclusions.
I. The doctrine and religion of the old Jewish
church, were represented by the prophet, as a cov-
enant with death, an agreement with hell, and a re-
fuge of lies.
II. The Messiah, his doctrine and religion are
represented by a precious corner stone, judgment
laid to the line and righteousness to the plummet, and
to hail and to waters forming an overflowing scourge,
by which the covenant with death is disannulled,
the argument with hell destroyed, and the refuge
of lies overflown. And
III. The vexation which the report of the doct-
rine, religion, and things of Jesus would cause his
enemies, in the day of the manifestation of his pow-
er and grace.
The doctrine and religion of the old pharisees,
the most religious sect among the Jews, being the
natural fruits of their carnal evil hearts, were very
justly represented by a covenant and an agreement
with death and hell. St. Paul says ; " To be car-
nally minded is death." And Jesus, speaking to
the pharisees, said; " O generation of vipers! how
can ye, being evil, speak good things? for out of
the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh.
A good man, out of the good treasure of his heart,
bringeth forth good things ; and an evil man, out
of the evil treasure, bringeth forth evil things."
There never was but two sorts of religion in the
world, the true and the false. True religion is the
natural growth of a good heart ; and false religion
is the spontaneous production of an evil heart.
There never was but two doctrines in the world,
the true and the false. The true doctrine is the
offspring of the wisdom which is from above ; and
the false is the vain imagination of the wisdom which
is from beneath. " The wisdom that is from above
is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, and easy to be
intreated, full of mercy and good fruits, without
partiality and without hypocrisy;" but the wisdom
which is from beneath is directly the reverse ; it is
impure,contentious,unkind, inexorable, unmerciful,
full of evil fruits, partial, and hypocritical.
325
This last was the ckfctrine of the pharisees, it was
that leaven which had, in a great decree, leavened
the whole Jewish nation, it rendered the pharisees
and the people in general so inimical to Christ and
his gospel.
This doctrine which is represented by a covenant
with death, and an agreement with hell, may always
be known by its enmity. Put it into whatever
dress you may, call it by whatever name you please,
represent it as the most precious of all treasures,
all this does not alter its nature. Call it, if you will,
the apostolic faith, the holy catholic, the evangelic,
the Calvinistic, the Arminian, or the orthodox, if
there be partiality, if there be an unmerciful spirit,
and if there be an implacable wrath in it, it is a
covenant with death and an agreement with hell.
This doctrine may be taught by a renowned Gama-
liel, it may have and command the influence of
Colleges and eminent professors, it may be decora-
ed with gowns and bands, but it remains the same.
Lies and hypocrisy are its refuge. In his faith-
ful-ness to his adversaries, our Saviour did not fail to
point out their hypocrisy, and the methods by which
they deceived the people. He said ; " Wo unto
you, scribes and pharisees, hypocrites ! for ye de-
vour widow's houses, and for a pretence make long
prayer." All such prayers were falsehoods ; they
were mere pretences, designed to deceive the peo-
ple. For this species of hypocrisy, Jesus told them,
that they should receive the greater damnation.
Again, the Saviour said ; " 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 two fold more the child of hell than
yourselves." This must have been done by false-
hood and deceit.
" Wo unto you scribes and pharisees, hypocrites!
for ye make clean the outside of the cup and the
platter, but within they are full of extortion and
326
excess." This again is all deceit. " Wo unto you
scribes and pharisees, hypocrites ! for ye are like
unto whited sepulchres, which indeed appear beau-
tiful outward, but are within full of dead men's
bones, and of all uncleanness." All this was de-
signed to point out their hypocrisy, in appearing to
be righteous when they were full of iniquity.
" Wo unto you scribes and pharisees, hypocrites!
because ye build the tombs of the prophets, and
garnish the sepulchres of the righteous, and say, if
we had been in the days of our fathers, we would
not have been partakers with them in the blood of
the prophets." All this again was hypocrisy,
which proved them to be the children of those who
killed the prophets. The Saviour further said to
his enemies ; " Fill ye up then the measure of your
fathers. Ye serpents, ye generation of vipers !
how can ye escape the damnation of hell ?"
Speaking to his disciples concerning the scribes
and pharisees, Jesus said ; " All their works do
they to be seen of men : they make broad their
philacterJes, and enlarge the borders of their gar-
ments, and love the uppermost rooms at feasts, and
the chief seats in the synagogues, and greetings in
the markets, and to be called of men, Rabbi, Rabbi."
When these hypocrites gave any thing to the
poor, they would sound a trumpet before them in
the Synagogues, and in the streets, that they might
have glory of men. When they fasted they were
careful to disfigure their faces and to appear with
sad countenances, that they might appear unto men
to fast. These solemn, but false indications form-
ed the refuge of lies which suitably become the par-
tial doctrine and illiberal religion which they pro-
fessed and practiced, and which the prophet repre-
sented by a covenant with death and an agreement
with hell.
We have already said that there never was but
one fal?e religion, that there never was but one
327
false doctrine ; this false doctrine and spurious re-
ligion have always in all ages, do now, and will as
long as they exist in the world manifest themselves
by rve righteous, and they rvicktd.
When the advocates of partial religion talk of
the wicked, they always speak in the third person.
" This man receiveth sinners and eateth with them."
He is gone to be guest with a man that is a sinner.
This is the native language of false religion. It is
never heard to say, he is come to me a sinner, he re-
ceiveth me a sinner. It never says, "this is a faith-
ful saying and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ
Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom
I am chief."
When we say that there is but one false doctrine,
we mean that all the doctrines invented by the wis-
dom of this world are one in spirit; they are par-
tial, they are full of enmity, they have treasures of
unmerciful wrath in them; in one word, you will
always find that a false doctrine is unmerciful to
sinners, but abundantly compassionate to the righ-
teous. All the errors in the world are but one in
this.
Those, who look on themselves as righteous, and
view others as sinners, calculate largely on their
own safety, on the rich rewards which they are to
receive; but are full of expectations arid horror on
account of the vengeance that is coming on the
\\icked. This is the case with the pharisee in all
countries, and has been in all ages. The old pbari-
sees of Jerusalem, those of the Christian church of
every denomination are one character, of one doc-
trine, of one spirit, they all speak one language.
They look out for an overflowing scourge to fall
on the wicked, but they are secure.
To such people the mild, merciful doctrine of
Jesus is an overflowing scourge ; to such doctrine,
that gospel which is as the rain, which distils as the
dew is as a storm of hail which beats the tender
herb to the ground.
To hear llie news, to understand the report that
grace, mercy, and peace are flowing to sinners
through a kind Redeemer is indeed a vexation.
Let us, my hearers, notice some of the instances
of vexation occasioned by the good ness and mercy
of the Saviour, which are recorded in the New-
Testament.
But first let us observe how exactly the pharisees
were prepared to meet with disappointment and
vexation. They expected a Messiah, and were
looking out for him. They had no doubt but he
would be one of their order, and would come to
them as to the only righteous people on earth.
They expected to receive his full approbation, and
to hear all the anathemas which they had been in
the habit of pronouncing on sinners, who had neg-
lected to conform to their religion, reiterated by
their Messiah accompanied with executive wrath.
Under these circumstances, and with such expec-
tations, the chief priests, scribes, doctors of the law
and pharisees, at Jerusalem, hear a report which is
circulated about the city, of one Jesus, away in the
extreme part of the country, in Galilee of the gen-
tiles, who has undertaken to preach. In such a
case it would be natural for them to inquire, who
he was, and what sort of a man, and how he came
inducted into the ministry. They soon learn that
he is the son of a carpenter, and that he was baptis-
ed by that John, who, being possessed of the devil,
had the audacity to call them, as holy as they were,
a generation of vipers. This information gives
them disgust.
Another report comes which states what this
new preacher has insinuated respecting the scribes
and pharisees; this report says, that the preacher
has the impiety to tell his hearers ; " Except your
righteousness shall exceed the righteousness of the
scribes and pharisees, ye shall in no case enter into
the kingdom of heaven." This is looked upon as
329
most profane, yea abominable. There comes
another report, and the news flies about like light-
ning, that this new preacher pretends to be the Mes-
siah promised, and that he works miracles in confir-
mation of his divine mission ? This is vexation in-
deed.
My friends, can you conceive of any thing that
could have been a greater vexation to a religious
people, to a people, who really believed that they
were heaven's favourites ; and were conscious to
themselves that they had served God in a most per-
fect manner, than to be told by one, who could
heal the sick with a word, cast out demons by a
command, open the eyes of the blind, and call the
dead to life, that publicans and harlots should go
into the kingdom of heaven before them ? If the
man who made this declaration, had been an ordi-
nary character, or if he had been a person of no note
among the people, it might not have occasioned
them any trouble ; they might have suffered it to
pass like the unstable wind, which might the next
hour blow the other way. But what must have been
their astonishment, vexation, and confusion on hear-
ing this report from the lips of Jesus, whose fame
had already extended through all the country,
whose wonderful miracles had already set the peo-
ple all in motion, after whom thousands and thou-
sands were flocking, carrying their sick, their lame,
their blind and dumb, and who rejoiced in the man-
ifestations of the divine power in healing all infir-
mities among the people ?
"Publicans and harlots go into the kingdom of
God before you." What a vexation ! The chief
priests and elders of the people, who were in ex-
pectation of the Messiah, and who had made eTery
preparation for his reception, which they thought
necessary were now informed that publicans and
harlots were to go into the kingdom of God before
them.
42
Never were people more vexed than were tbe
pharisees in the affair of the man who was born
blind. In the first place they would not believe
that he was born blind ; but after they had called
his parents, and were certified that this was the case,
they then asked him how he had received his sight.
He assured them that Jesus had opened his eyes.
They finally concluded that even if he did open his
eyes, yet he was a sinner because he had done it on
.the sabbath day. But others said; "how can a
man that is a sinner do such miracles, and there was
a division among them."
Such was the vexation occasioned by this aston-
ishing miracle, and by the testimony of him on
whom it was performed, that they cast him out of
the Synagogue.
The raising of Lazarus, and the report of this
fact caused great vexation among the pharisees.
who on this account, together with the chief priests,
gathered a council, and said, what do we ? for this
man doeth many miracles. If we let him thus alone,
all men will believe on him." And they took
counsel to put him to death. Nor did they think
that this would be sufficient to prevent the evil ;
they thought it expedient also to put Lazarus to
death, because many of the Jews believed on Jesus
on account of going to see Lazarus, and being made
acquainted with the fact of his having been dead,
but raised up by the power of Jesus.
This divine teacher gave his enemies unspeakable
vexation by charging them with hypocrisy to their
faces, by calling them serpents, and a generation of
vipers, and pronouncing on them woes and the dam-
nation of hell.
But nothing caused greater vexation to the self-
righteous, than the language of Jesus to sinners.
" Son, be of good cheer, thy sins be forgiven thee ;
daughter, be of good cheer, thy sins be forgiven
thee." For this they charged him with blasphemy.
331
This forgiveness of sins, placed the sinner on the
same footing with the righteous, which was a vexa-
tion to those who had been at an incalculable ex-
pense and trouble to become righteous.
The parable of the labourers was designed to set
forth the impartial goodness of God, and the vexa-
tion that the self-righteous would feel on hearing the
report. All the day long did the labourers who
were first hired, make their calculations how much
better they were to fare at evening, than those who
were idle in the markets. And when they saw them
come into the vineyard at the eleventh hour, they
were persuaded that they would receive little, or
nothing for what they did ; but when they saw them
paid off, and knew that they received every man a
penny, they were in hopes of receiving more, but
what was their vexation when they received their
penny also?
They murmured, they complained, they accused
the good man of the house of unjust conduct; but
he told them that he would give unto the last even
as unto them.
The parable of the prodigal and the elder brother
is another representation of the vexation which the
doctrine of divine grace caused in the minds of the
pharisees. When the elder brother was coming
from the field at evening, he heard music and danc-
ing in the house and great merriment and rejoicing.
He sent a servant to know the occasion, who return-
ed and informed him that his brother had come
home, and that his father had killed the fatted calf,
because he had received him safe and sound.
O the vexation that this report occasioned ! Ele
now looked back on the tedious labours which he
for a long time, " lo many years," had faithfully
performed in the service of his father, without even
a kid to make merry with his friends. All this he
compared with the ease, and pleasure in which his
prodigal brother had passed his time, and wasted
332
liis father's property, and the expensive entertain-
ment and sumptuous feasting with which his father
had welcomed him on his return. Such was the
vexation of this toil-worn labourer, on hearing this
report, that " he was angry and would not go in.' 1
INfo, he would not go into his own house, he would
not refresh himself on his own provisions, he would
not return to his own rest. His father came out
and entreated him, but to no effect, of which we are
informed.
My friends, what was the matter which caused
this anger and vexation ? It was simply this, the
father's compassion, his mercy and grace to the sin-
ner, was like an overflowing scourge, was like a
storm of hail to the malevolent, unmerciful senti-
ments of this self-righteous bigot, who felt as if he
could have rejoiced to see his brother excluded
from all mercy.
It seems next to impossible, that any should not
understand this case, and see the difference between
the doctrine of the self-righteous, and that doctrine
of divine grace, which gave such offence to the ene-
mies of Jesus.
Such was their offence, such their vexation, that
they finally procured the death of the Lord of Glory.
But by this means they were preparing for still
greater vexation.
u God moves in a mysterious way,
" His purpose to perform."
After they had crucified the merciful Jusus, they
made careful exertions to prevent his disciples im-
posing on the people a report of his resurrection.
A stone was set at the mouth of the sepulcher, and
a guard of soldiers to watch.
How hush, how still is the world ! Every thing
is now secure. No multitudes now flocking in
crowds to hear the preaching of Jesus, no poor blind
one grouping after him who could give sight to the
333
blind, none rushing along the streets with their sick,
lame, and possessed of devils, to find him who con-
troled all maladies, no little children in the streets,
crying hosannah to the son of David, blessed is he
that cometh in the name of the Lord. Where are
the disciples of the crucified Jesus ? They have
fled, like timorous lambs from prowling wolves.
None dare show themselves. The powers of dark-
ness seem to triumph.
The scene changes, all Jerusalem is in astonish-
ment. The disciples are publicly preaching the
resurrection of Jesus ; are endowed with the holy
ghost and the gift of tongues, so that men of ail na-
tions hear them speak in their own language, the
wonderful works of God.
The report of these things must have vexed the
chief priests, the elders, the scribes and the pharisees
beyond all description. They now saw all their
efforts fail, and their hopes blasted. The Apostles
accused them of having murdered Jesus, whom God
had annointed; they performed most astonishing
miracles in confirmation of their testimony. When
Peter and John restored the lame man in the tem-
ple before all the people, and declared that this mi-
racle was wrought through faith in the name of Je-
sus, whom God had raised from the dead, these ene-
mies of the gospel were " grieved that they taught
the people, and preached through Jesus the resur-
rection of the dead."
After this manner the word of God prospered,
the gospel spread ; and though it was the rain of
righteousness and the gentle dew of peace divine to
those who had professed no religion, had formed no
covenant with death, nor agreement with hell, yet
to the pharisees, to the scribes, to the chief priests,
and to the elders it was an overflowing scourge, it
was as a storm of hail that beats the tender herb to
the earth.
334
The report of the conversion of Saul, of his re-
nouncing their superstitions, deserting the cause of
persecuting the name of Jesus, and his preaching
the gospel to the gentiles, was calculated to give
them much perplexity and great .vexation.
Thus far, dear friends, we have noticed things
which took place in ancient times; let us now en-
quire if any thing similar is known in our day? Yes,
we have those who profess the name of Jesus, say
unto him, Lord, Lord, and yet are of the senti-
ments and description of the old pharisees. They
have made a covenant with death and an agreement
with hell. Death and hell compose their religion.
Do they not hide themselves in a refuge of lies ?
Do they not for a pretence make long prayer ?
but devour widow's houses ? Do they not appeal-
like whited sepulchers outward, and yet within are
they not full of extortion ? Do they not lie with
their countenances, by disfiguring their faces ? Did
you never see professors of religion wear a very
different face at one time than at another? Yes,
you reply, but you thought it was because they
were a most Godly people. Then you have given
them their reward, for this opinion of yours is all
that they disfigured their faces for.
These modern pharisees are the most zealous peo-
ple in religion, they look upon themselves as the
favourites of heaven, but those who do not sub-
scribe to their agreements and covenants, and take
shelter in their refuge of deceit, they esteem as ob-
jects of the divine wrath which is ready to burst
upon them, and lingers to blast them in everlasting
woe.
To these enemies of the meek, humble, kind and
merciful doctrine and religion of Jesus, the report,
which God is sending forth at this eventful period,
of his impartial grace, and his tender mercies which
are over all his works, is a most grevious vexation.
When the divine testimony is brought to them,
335
which certifies that God " will have all men to be
saved and to come unto the knowledg of the truth,"
that Jesus "gave himself a ransom for all to be testi-
fied in due time," that "where sin abounded, grace
did much more abound," that "as by the offence of
one,judgment came upon all men to condemnation;
even so by the righteousness of one, the free gift
came upon all men unto justification of life,' 5 that
as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be
made alive," in power, in glory, in honor, in incor-
ruption and immortality, this faithful report is a
vexation.
Stung with resentment, they exclaim, heresy, de-
lusion, a dangerous doctrine, a doctrine pleasing
to the carnal mind, and which tends to all manner
of vice. They complain that this doctrine holds
out no reward for righteousness, if God has mercy
on the sinner, then there is no encouragement to
serve him ; if sinners are not to be punished eter-
nally, it is no matter what th?y do. So murmured
the labourers who bore the burthen and the heat of
the day, at the good man who humbled their pride
by making the last equal with them.
Their eye was evil because goodness had extend-
ed beyond the narrow limits of their creed. They
had lotted on the gratification which they expect-
ed in seeing those, who spent so much of their time
in idleness, destitute and pennyless. Similar calcu-
lations are now made, and pretended saints are
exulting in the expectation of the joys which they
are to inherit in heaven in seeing sinners in endless
perdition.
So complained the elder brother, because his
father kindly received the prodigal and killed for
his entertainment the fatted calf. Such was his
resentment that he would not go into the house.
Similar resentment is now manifested, and the
proud boasting pharisee is heard to say, " if sinners
are going to heaven I wish riot to bear them com-
pany."
336
O that these deceived souls could he introduced
to, and form an acquaintance with so great stran-
gers as they are to themselves.
Then should we hear from them a different
language. Then would they say if there be mercy
for sinner?, then is there a ray of hope for us. If
Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners,
then are we the objects of his unmerited favour.
My Christian friends, you are most humbly and
affectionately entreated not to construe the faith-
fulness of this discourse, to signifiy that the speak-
er harbours one unfriendly feeling towards any
denomination or name in the world. The soul
object is to set truth before you, to show the differ-
ence between true and false religion, to endear
the character, the doctrine, and spirit of Jesus to
your hearts ; and to give you occasion to trust and
to rejoice in his grace.
" Let Pharisees of high esteem,
Their faith and zeal declare;
Ail their religion is a dream,
If love be wanting there."
God is love, and love worketh no ill. Through
all worlds and to all beings, God is love. With
him there is no variableness nor shadow of turn-
ing. What he has been, and what he is now, is
what he will forever remain.
Let us, my dear friends, imitate our Father in
heaven, let us love our neighbours as ourselves,
let us love our enemies and pray for them.
No. 22.
LECTURE SERMON,
DELIVERED AT THE
SECOND UNIVERSALIST MEETING. IN BOSTON,
MAY 23, 1819.
BY HOSEA BALLOU, PASTOR.
Published Semi-Monthly by Henry Bowen, Congress-street.
ROMANS, y. 8.
411 But God eommendeth his lore toward us, in that, while tee ivere yet
sinners, Christ died for j."
THE general subject, on which the Apostle la-
boured, which led him to the statement made in
our text, was to show that the justification of man
unto spiritual life, depended on a covenant of pro-
mise, and not on a law of works. In the preceding
chapter our author is remarkably explicit, where he
says, " Now to him that worketh is the reward not
reckoned of grace, but of debt. But to him that
worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth the
ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousnes."
And speaking of the faith of Abraham, even before
circumcision, he says, " For the promise that he
should be the heir of the world, was not to Abraham
or to his seed, through the law, but through the
righteousness of faith. For if they which are of
the law be heirs, faith is made void, and the pro-
mise made of none effect. Therefore it is of faith,
that it might be by grace ; to the end the promise
might be sure to all the seed : not to that only which
is of the law, but to that also which is of the faith of
Abraham, who is the father of us all*" The faith of
43
.
338
which the Apostle here speaks, is the same which
he calls " the covenant of promise" in Ephesians 2.
12. It is an egregious mistake to suppose that
Abraham's believing in the promise of God, is the
"righteousness of faith," by which he was consti-
tuted the heir of the world; for Abraham could
not believe the promise that he should be the heir
of the world until such promise was communicated
to him, and this promise could not have been com-
municated to him at an earlier date than the estab-
lishment of its own truth in the purpose of him who
made the promise.
This covenant of promise is the FAITH, of which
the Apostle again speaks in the beginning of this
chapter as follows; " Therefore, being justified by
FAITH, we have peace with God, through our Lord
Jesus Christ." That this FAITH, by which we are
justified, is not our act of believing, will appear
evident by the connection in which the Apostle here
places it. That we may understand this subject
clearly, we must disregard the division of these two
chapters, and read the lastTerse of the fourth chap-
ter and the first of the fifth together. Speaking
of Jesus, the Apostle says, " Who was delivered
for our ofterices, and was raised again for our
justification. Therefore being justified by faith,
we have peace with God, through our Lord
Jesus Christ." Here it is evident that the inspired
Apostle makes the resurrection of Christ, and the
faith by which we are justified the same ; by which
it is evident, that by FAITH he no more meant the
act of believing, than he meant that the resurrection
of Jesus, for our justification, was the act of be-
lieving.
This FAITH, which is the covenant of promise, the
Apostle distinguishes most clearly from the act of
believing in chapter 3d, as follows ; " For what if
some did not believe ? shall their unbelief make the
faith of God without effect ? God. forbid : yea, let
339
God be true, but every man a liar." No one will
suppose that the faith of God is his act of believing,
for the act of believing; is a consequence resulting
from the power of evidence in the mind, which
power can never act in the mind of him who is om-
niscient. But this FAITH of God is his covenant of
promise, made known to Abraham four hundred
and thirty years before the giving of the law by
Moses ; concerning which covenant our author
speaks to the Gallatians as follows ; " And this I
say, that the covenant that was confirmed before of
God in Christ, the law, which was four hundred and
thirty years after, cannot disannul, that it should
make the promise of none effect." This covenant
of promise this author again calls faith in the 1 Hh
of Hebrews. " Now faith is the substance of things
hoped for and the evidence of things not seen.*'
The substance of what we hope for is not our act of
believing, but the thing in which we believe.
It was thought needful to be thus particular on
this subject, for two reasons.
I. To expose the common error which supposes,
that our act of believing is required as a condition
of our justification before God. This error has so
confused the minds of professors of Christianity,
that they know not how to explain their own
thoughts. They believe that God requires our act
of believing as a condition of our justification; and
it is constantly held up and urged that our ever-
lasting destruction will be the just recompense of
our unbelief. But if we ask what there is for us to*
believe, there is no answer. For if the thing to be
believed were stated, the next question would be,
shall the unbelief of man make the faith of God
without effect ? And,
II. Because it was in the fulfilling of this cove-
nant of promise, that God commended his love to
sinners by the death and resurrection of Jesus.
340
The particular mode by which the Apostle pre-
sented the testimony contained in our text was by
drawing a comparison between the compassion or
goodness of man, and the compassion or goodness of
God. The following are his words; " For when
we were yet without strength, in due time Christ
died for the ungodly. For scarcely for a righteous
man will one die ; yet perad venture for a good man
some would even dare to die. But God commend-
eth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sin-
ners,Christ died for us." Here the comparison is clear
and striking to the mind; and evidently shows thai
the design of the Apostle was to show that the love
of God to sinners is vastly stronger than the love of
man toward man.
The first particular which we shall consider as
proved by the testimony of our text is, that neither
sin nor any thing else was ever the cause of enmity
in God toward man.
Though this proposition is of immense conse-
quence, it seems to have been overlooked by our
divines, who have constantly represented the divine
Being to be full of wrath and tremendous indigna-
tion against sinners. And yet the passage under
consideration is a direct and plain testimony against
all that has ever been said on this subject.
The hearer is requested to notice, with attention,
the two propositions which are in direct opposition
to each other, and which are the foundations of true
and false doctrine. One proposition asserts that
God loves sinners, and that nothing ever can cause
him to do otherwise ; and the other contends that
God hates the sinner, and will eternally exercise un-
merciful wrath on the transgressor. If one of these
be true, the other must be false ; they cannot both
be true, nor can they both be false. But which is
true ?
As there is like to be some dispute on this subject,
and as the hearer will wish to have it so conducted;
341
as to make a clear distinction, both between the
parties, and their respective arguments, we will
give to the parties distinguishing names. The par-
ty, who contends that God loves the sinner, we will
call LIGHT, and the one who contends for the con-
trary proposition we will call DARKNESS.
Do you ask why these names are chosen ? Be-
cause light seems to be expressive of love, and dark-
ness of hatred. And the beloved John says, " He
that loveth his brother abideth in the light But he
that hateth his brother is in darkness."
Let us hear what darkness argues in support of
his favourite proposition, viz. that God hates the
sinner.
He says, as God is a Being of infinite holiness
and purity he cannot love unholiness and impurity,
but must consistently with his own essential attri-
butes, hate sin in an exact proportion to his love of
righteousness ; and as the sinner is not righteous,
but sinful ; is not holy, but unholy ; is not pure,
but impure, God must of necessity hate the sinner.
Light replies; Though I grant your premises,
yet I cannot concede to your conclusion. So far
from allowingyour conclusion to beajustdeduction
from your premises, I shall contend that it is in di-
rect opposition to them, and if it could be maintain-
ed as a truth, it must be by disproving the argument
from which you deduce it.
The amount of your argument is, that God is op-
posed to sin, This I grant. Now tell me Dark-
ness, what is sin ?
Sin is the transgression of the law. What does
o
the law require ? Thou shalt love the Lord thy
God, with all thy heart, and with all thy strength,
and thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.
Rightly answered. Now, Darkness, do you not
see that hatred is the trangression of, and the only-
sin that can be committed against this law ? If it
be sin for man to hate God, is it holiness for God
342
to hate man ! In room of haling sin, you contend
i hat (.iod hates the sinner, that is, he hates the man
\vho hates him. Thus you deny your own premi-
ses. For there is no more holiness in God's hatiug
man, than there is in man's hating God ; there is no
more righteousness in any supposed enmity in God
toward man, than there is in man's enmity toward
God.
Darkness says, that this argument is blasphemy,
that it accuses God with unholiness and sin.
Light denies the charge, arid says ; It is you,
Darkness, that accuses God with this unholy spirit
of hatred. To illustrate the subject light uses the
following methaphor.
The parent of a family of children gives to his
offspring^ a law which requires them all to love him
sincerely and to love each other; but these child-
ren fall out by the way, get wrong notions respect-
ing their parent's character and law, and are rilled
with hatred toward him, toward his law, and toward
one another. In consequence of this the parent, in
room of loving his children as he did when he first
gave them this law, now hates them and is full of
enmity towards his disobedient offspring. What a
sad scene is here ! The children are enemies to
iheir parent, and what is worse, the parent is an ene-
my to his children !
Let candor judge in this case, let enlightened rea-
son decide the question, which is worst, for the child
to hate the parent, or for the parent to hate the
child ! Though the light shmeth in darkness, yet
the darkness comprehendeth it not.
If the death of Christ for sinners was a commen-
dation of the love of God toward us, it certainly
proves, beyond all contradiction, that sin, nor any
thing else had caused any hatred or enmity in God
toward man.
The second thing which we shall consider as prov-
ed by the declaration of our text is, that the com-
343
mon opinion and doctrine of (he church, which has
represented the death of Christ as necessary in or-
der to reconcile God to mankind is erroneous.
This error has been exposed and disproved in
some of our former lectures, but as it is an error of
such vast magnitude, involving such palpable ab-
. surdities, representing God as a changeable. Being;
and as it is so generally believed among various de-
nominations, it seems proper to notice it in our dis-
course from the words under consideration, by
which the error is so fully exploded.
The error under consideration supposes, that
mankind in consequence of sin, was under the divine
wrath of God, which required the endless misery of
the transgressor : and that Jesus Christ suffered the
wrath of God in room and stead of the sinner, by
which God became reconciled and satisfied. The
statement is made thus plain, that the hearer may-
have a distinct view of the subject, and be able to
judge after hearing what may be offered on it.
That this testimony is by no means too high col-
oured may be seen by the following quotations from
our hymns. But before we attend to the quota-
tions, let it be observed, that we hold these hymns,
in general, in high estimation, and the authors of
them as bright and shining lights in the Christian
constellation ; but after all we are disposed to do
ourselves justice by gathering the good into vessels,
and by casting the bad away.
" Once we were fallen, O how lowl
Just on the brink of endless woe."
" Sinners to save from endless woe?.
The wrath divine he sinks beneath."
' Think,' how his side was piero'd for you.
T" appease the wrath divine."
" He oq Calvary's summit di'd :
God, your Father's satisfi'd."
" Sinners to save from endless woe.
The Father's frown he sinks beneath."
'" Tis fmish'd Heaven is reconcil'd r
344
" The wrath of an offended God,
In sweet oblivion laid."
" And sinners freed from endless pains,
Own him their Saviour and their head."
Here are endless woes, endless pains, Divine wrath,
the Father's wrath, the wrath of an offended God,
an unreconciled heaven, all which stood threatening
mankind, but were poured forth on the devoted
head of Jesus, by which we are saved from the wrath
of God.
My brethren, such language as this certainly re-
presents our Father in heaven, to be a changeable
Being, and a Being capable of exercising the great-
est possible enmity. It supposes that our merciful
Father was so full of wrath, that he was just on the
point of sending mankind to a state of endless woe,
when Jesus stept between us and harm, snatched
the thunderbolt from the uplifted hand of stern jus-
tice, and received its burning vengeance in his own
innocent bosom, at which God was satisfied.
This is the theme our Christian doctors have in-
culcated and our Christian poets have sung, but it is
the blackness of darkness which has obscured the
beauty of the Divine countenance for ages, and
caused the mind to wander in the labyrinth of error.
This error is found in that creed, which lay on
our cradles in our infancy, and our dear mothers
taught us to repeat with infant lips, and to say, "All
mankind by the fall, lost communion with God, are
under his wrath and curse ; and so made liable to
all the miseries of this life, to death itself, and to
the pains of hell forever."
In opposition to this erroneous representation,
let us place our text together with a few concurrent
passages.
"But Godcommendethhislovetowardus, in that,
while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. God
so loved the world, that lie gave his only begotton
Son, that whosoever believeth on him should not
345
perish, but have everlasting life. Herein is love,
.not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and
sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins.
But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love
wherewith he loved us, even when we were dead in
sins, 'hath quickened us together with Christ."
These passages, which are but a specimen of the
gospel, fully prove the following facts.
I. That God loved the sinful world of mankind
with a great love.
II. That in consequence of this love he sent his
Son into the world to be the propitiation for our
sins. And,
III. That in consequence of the love which God
had toward those who were dead in sins, he quick-
ened them together with Christ. Now just as plain
as these obvious facts are proved by the testimony
already recited, so evident it is that the death of
Christ was never necessary to reconcile our heaven-
ly Father to us ; but was a manifestation of his un-
changeable love toward us.
The third particular which you are invited to
contemplate relative to our text is, that its subject
belongs to that covenant of promise which was the
Apostle's theme which led him to speak these words.
That we may have a clear view of this, let us first
examine the character of the promise made to Abra-
ham, by which he was constituted the heir of the
world and the Father of us all ; and then bring our
text to compare with the promise, that their union
may be visible. The promise to Abraham reads
thus, " In thee shall all families of the earth be bles-
sed." St. Paul's comment on this promise in his
epistle to the Gallatians is as follows, " And the
scriptures, foreseeing that God would justify the
heathen through faith, preached before the gospel
unto Abraham, saying, in thee shall all nations be
blessed." By this passage we learn, that the bles-
sing which God promised to all the nations of tho
44
346
earth was justification through faith ; which faith
we have proved to be the covenant of promise, or
the faith of God which cannot be made void by the
unbelief of man. Relative to this justification our
Apostle says to the Romans ; " For all have sinned
and come short of the glory of God ; being justified
freely hy his grace, through the redemption that is
in Christ Jesus." And again, in the chapter where
our text is recorded, he says ; " Therefore, as by
the offence of one, judgment came upon all men
unto condemnation, even so by the righteousness of
one, the free gift came upon all men unto justifica-
tion of life."
In the light of the divine promise to Abraham,
which the passages here quoted present, we can see
most clearly, that the gospel of eternal life was pro-
mised to all mankind, as the bountiful, unbought,
unasked favour of our heavenly Father. And this
favour, when stated in promise to Abraham, was,
as it now remains, the necessary production of the
divine, unchangeable love of God to mankind,
which never was, nor can be made less by the sin
of the world. Having this view of the goodness of
God, we seethe divine harmony of our text with the
covenant of promise. " God commendeth his love
toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ
died for us." The same covenant love which
was manifested to Abraham four hundred and thir-
ty years before the giving of the law, by Moses, is
now commended toward mankind, while yet in sin,
by the de'ath of him in whom all the families of the
earth are blessed with justification. In relation to
this divine subject Jesus said to the Jews ; " Your
father Abraham rejoiced to see my day ; and he
saw it, and was glad."
The fourth particular subject belonging to our
text, to which your attention is solicited, is embrac-
ed in the following question: Why did Christ die
for us ? We have already proved that there was
347
no necessity of his dying in order to procure the fa-
vour of God toward sinners, for if that had been the
case, his death could not have been a commendatiou
of the divine love. And indeed,if there were any need
of more proof on this subject, than has been pre-
sented, we should find all deficiencies supplied, by
the prayer of Jesus vxhen dying on the cross.
Let us, my friends, with profound solemnity, lis-
ten to these words, \\hichcontain more true divinity,
more pure unadulterated gospel, than all the creeds
which have been written since the world began.
" Father forgive them, for they know not what they
do." Why did he not say ; " Father, forgive them,
for I have now suffered thy wrath which burned
against them ; I have drank the cup of thy fury
which was prepared for them; I have borne that
they may never bear thy righteous ire?" If all this
had been true, why should he pray as he did, and
request that God would forgive them? If the Fath-
er had exacted a full penalty for their sins, of his
son, how- could he after this be called on to forgive
them ? But the reason, the plea which the dying
Saviour stated in his prayer, was, " For they know
not what they do."
Our question remains. Why did Christ die for
us ? How are we benefited by his death ? Be pa-
tient, we still reply in the negative. Christ did not
die for us, that we might avoid condemnation if we
commit sin, nor did he suffer for us, that we might
not be punished for faults if we commit them. This
we know by our experience and by his word. We
know by experience, if we sin we feel condemned,
and this we must feel until the condemnation is re-
moved by repentance. And we know by the words
of Jesus, that, in place of his suffering in our room
and stead, as our erroneous doctrines have taught
us, he will render unto every man according to his
works.
348
Why then did he die for us ? The answer is in
our text. He died to commend the love of God
toward us sinners. He died for us, that he might
take away our sins. " Behold the lamb of God,
which taketh away the sin of the world." He died,
the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to
God. He suffered for us, to set us an example,
that we should follow his steps. He died for us,
that he might bring life and immortality to light
through his resurrection. He died, rose and reviv-
ed, that he might be Lord, both of the dead and the
living. He died and rose again, that the scriptures
of the prophets might be fulfilled, and the ministry
of reconciliation be established. He suffered and
died to show us how sin and all moral evil are to be
overcome, by rendering good for evil, love for hat-
red, kindness for unkindness, and mercy for wrath.
Four important particulars may be distinctly no-
ticed which rendered the death and resurrection of
Christ of vast utility to mankind.
I. To commend and make known the unchange-
able love and mercy of God to a sinful world, there-
by to bring sinner's to repentance and to be recon-
ciled to God.
II. To fulfil all that the prophets had written
concerning him, that the authenticity of divine reve-
lation and the doctrine of the gospel might be suc-
cessfully communicated to the gentile nations.
III. That the patient sufferings which he endur-
ed for the benefit of his enemies and the whole
world, might ever remain as an example for his dis-
ciples to imitate, in all faithfulness, patience, and
resignation to the will of God. And,
IV. That he might bring life and immortality to
light by his glorious resurrection ; and manifest
the truth of a future happy existence for mankind.
If the mind will be serious and candid, it will at
once acknowledge that these four particulars, when
viewed in their harmony and proper connection,
349
when considered in relation to the innumerable
blessings which they have already produced, and
promise to produce in future, are altogether wor-
thy of the wisdom, power, and goodness of our
heavenly Father.
But to pretend that it was necessary for Christ
to suffer and die to appease the wrath of our mer-
ciful Father in heaven, is the most unaccountable
perversion of divine truth, of which the vain imagi-
nation of benighted humanity was ever capable.
The fifth particular subject to which our text
seems to invite our most careful notice is, that the
love and mercy of God toward sinners, commended
to us by the death of Christ, is consistent with the
unchangeable principle of moral righteousness.
It might be thought, that in order to establish this
hypothesis, nothing more could be required as
evidence than the text under consideration. For
if we are certified that the divine Being does in fact
love sinners, that is sufficient evidence that it is
morally right that he should do so ; but our pre-
sent object is to do more than barely to prove the
fact, the object is to illustrate it to the understand-
ing. To do this we will first admit our opposer's
objection to be stated, The objection is this ;
According to the strict rule of moral righteous-
ness, every moral being must be treated according
to his works ; but if God does in reality love
sinners, if he grants them the infinite blessings of
his grace, it seems that he does not deal with them
according to their deserts. Reply,
It is granted that moral righteousness requires
that every transgression and disobedience should
receive a just recompense of reward, but then it
must be granted, that as the right to inflict punish-
ment is derived from the commission of crime, so
it is limited by the offence committed, and it is an
acknowledged fact that to extend punishment be-
yond the demerit of a crime, is, at least, as wide
350
a departure from moral right as to come short. But
he right to do good and to show kindness is not
derived, nor is it limited.
In finite beings the power and means to do good
and to show favour are limited, but the right is not
limited. And in every instance in which our power
and means are too limited to grant all the favour
that is needed, we have the liberty still to extend
our benevolent wishes without limitation.
If one of our fellow creatures commits a crime
which is punishable by law, it is true, we have no
right to prevent this punishment, but we have an
unlimited right to love this criminal, and beyond
all the punishment of his crime, to wish him well,
and if in our power, to do him all the good that he
may need. Now, in punishing him according to
his offence moral righteousness is perfectly execut-
ed, but it now has all the right and all the inclina-
tion to love and do the subject good, as it had
before any crime was committed.
St. Paul, speaking of God says ; " Who hath
saved us and called us, with an holy calling, not
according to our works, but according to his own
purpose and grace, which was given unto us in
Christ Jesus before the world began." Before the
world began, who can dispute that God had a moral
right to purpose a dispensation of grace to man-
kind? Or who will contend, that his right to love
and to do good to the creatures which he should
create, could be in the least limited by what they
might do after they should be brought into being ?
A parent has an unlimited right to love an infant
child, he has a right to bestow on it an immense
fortune, even before the child has any knowledge
of its parents. Nor does this, in the least interfere
with either his right or duty to subject this same
child to a reasonable and righteous discipline, in
which the child may be rewarded for well doing,
and chastised for its disobedience.
351
Thus in the eternal mind of our Creator, a boun-
ds store of divine riches was treasured up for his
rational offspring, before man was brought into be-
ing; and among ten thousand other favours, God
appointed a rod of correction, and a dispensation
of chastisement for the improvement and moral
benefit of mankind, while passing through a state
of imperfection, subject to vanity.
The sixth and last particular, which we now
propose to make of our text, is to contemplate its
sentiment as a pattern for our imitation, and as a
principle worthy to be practised.
This is the use which the Apostle John has made
of the same sentiment, expressed in a passage
which has already been noticed in this discourse.
" Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that
he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation
for our sins." From this rich and glorious senti-
ment the Apostle draws the following conclusion.
" Beloved, if God so loved us, we ought also to love
one another." Certainly there cannot be a more
reasonable inference drawn from any proposition
ever laid down than the one which the Apostle here
draws from the love of God to mankind. If we
had good reason to believe that our Father in
heaven really hated his enemies or those who do
not love him, if we were consistent with such a be-
lief, we should hate all those whom we viewed of
this description. And this has been the case in the
Christian church as well as through the world.
Men have hated and persecuted one another on
this mistaken notion ; and verily thought they did
God service by so doing. But if we are convinc-
ed that God loved us, while we were yet enemies
to him by wicked works, and if we believe that he
loves every sinner of the human family, and that he
has manifested this love by the death of his holy
child Jesus, it is all as clear as the sun in a cloud-
less day, that we ought to love our enemies, and to
351
do them all the good that is in our power. And
to do otherwise, my Christian friends, is to deny
our religion and our doctrine, and that in a more
effectual manner than Peter denied his Lord.
To conclude. Our subject presents before our
rejoicing eyes, a boundless scene of divine grace ;
it invites us to the sweetest field of contemplation,
where goodness, unlimited goodness, mercy, unlim-
ited and impartial mercy eternally flow as broad
rivers and streams ; as waters, risen waters for men
to swim in, which no man can pass.
Let us close with the appropriate words of the
poet:
" When all thy mercies, O my God,
My rising soul surveys ;
Transported with the view, Fm lost ;
In wonder, love and praise."
No. 23.
LECTURE SERMON,
DELIVERED AT THE
SECOND UNIVERSALIST MEETING, IN BOSTON,
JUNE 6, 1819.
BY HOSEA BALLOU, PASTOR.
Published Semi-Monthly by Henry Bowen, Congress-street.
1 THESSALONIANS, iv. 13.
" But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them
which are asleep, that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope."
IN a world of sorrow, in a state of being incident
to the infinite variety of adversity with which man
is exercised, as nothing can be more needed, so
nothing is esteemed more precious than that which
is calculated to mitigate oursorrows,soothe our grief,
and sweeten adversity. To do these, and to strow
the thorny path of mortal life with the rose of con-
solation, and to open in the parched ground of hope-
less sorrow a living spring of ceaseless joy, the gos-
pel of eternal life has been sent from God to man.
As the parental sensibilities are moved with pity
at the sorrows of their offspring in affliction, and as
such an occasion is visited with special tokens of
compassion, so hath it pleased the Father of our
spirits to break through the dark clouds of mortal-
ity and death with the rain-bow of his covenant
and to send his annointed to bind up the broken-
hearted and to comfort all that mourn.
In possession of the knowledge of the unseen,
eternal things, belonging to the spiritual inheritance
of the rational offspring of God, and exercised with
that generous affection and those kind sympathies
3J3
which ever seek the benefit of others, it was impos-
sible for the Apostle to stand an indifferent specta-
tor of hopeless sorrow, when in possession of that di-
vine knowledge by which a celestial cordial of con-
solation might be seasonably administered.
But in order to administer consolation to those
who are exercised with adversity or sorrow, it is
necessary that the cause should be understood and
likewise the extent of grief. Unless the physician
understands the cause of complaint, and the extent
of disease, it would be mere chance if he did not
give force to the former, and enhance the latter by
his prescriptions. The case of the woman in the
gospel is an instance of what we are now observing.
Twelve years was she troubled with her disorder,
" and had suffered many things of many physicians,
and had spent all that she had, and was nothing the
better, but rather grew worse." But when she
came to Jesus she was made whole without suffer-
ing any thing of him, and without expense.
The cause of that kind of sorrow which the Apos-
tle was desirous to prevent appears to be ignorance.
Observe the text ; " But I would not have you to
be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are
asleep, that ye sorrow not, even as others which
have no hope."
The particular subjects suggested by these words,
and to which our future labours in the present dis-
course may be directed are the following.
I. Ignorance concerning those which are asleep,
is the only cause of hopeless sorrow for 1hem.
II. The knowledge of the truth concerning those
which are asleep administers hope and comfort to
those who mourn for their friends.
III. This knowledge is communicated in the gos-
pel, through Jesus Christ.
There are two powers by which ignorance oper-
ates in the human mind, in a way to prevent happi-
ness and to augment sorrow, even to despair. The
354
first prevents our knowing the things which belong
to our peace, and the second opens a door for an in-
finite variety of imaginations all calculated to ad-
minister affliction and to cause our sorrows to in-
crease.
The mind that is destitute of knowledge and at
the same time devoted to fearful imagination, is
like one disturbed by a frightful dream.
Safely slumbering in the peaceful chamber of
repose, and no danger nigh, one might dream of
descending a declivity directly leading to a fatal
precipice, view destruction as inevitable, and feel
the pang of despair; and the whole difficulty end
with the sudden interruption of the dream. In fact,
though there were every possible reason for sweet
content, supporting confidence, and joyful hope,
ignorance of all these things would not only pre-
vent these blesssings,but expose the mind to a thou-
sand imaginary anticipations which belong to the
family of despair.
A few examples from the scriptures may serve
further to illustrate this subject.
There were three particular events relative to
the patriarch Jacob, his ignorance of which was the
cause of the greatest anxiety, most fearful appre-
hensions, and hopeless sorrow. When he was in-
formed that his brother Esau, whom he had sup-
planted, was coming to meet him with four hundred
men, he feared the wrath of his injured brother,
and his soul was greatly troubled for his wives and
for his children. There was no way of escape by
flight, his means to oppose his brother were nothing,
he feared all was lost, and that the anger of his
brother would blot out his name forever from under
heaven. Now imagination presented before his al-
most distracted eyes the most shocking catastrophe
to which mothers and their innocent children could
possibly be exposed. His fearful heart melted
within him, and he placed his devoted family in the
355
order in which, if they must be destroyed, his choice
would dictate, and in that arrangement which might
possibly afford him an opportunity of saving such
as were the most dear to his troubled heart. But
how suddenly were his fears all dispelled when
Esau ran to him, embraced him with fraternal af-
fection and tenderness, and kindly received and
compassionately treated every branch of his family.
What an expense of feelings, the most tormenting
would have been saved in this case, if the love and
forgiveness, which most bountifully flowed in the
heart of Esau toward his brother, had been known
to him, whose ignorance of the truth had deprived
him of peace, and had let a thousand frightful ap-
prehensions into his mind, which had no foundation
in fact.
It might be about ten years after this, that the sons of
Jacob brought to their father the coat of many col-
ours, which his beloved Joseph wore from home,
when he went to seek after the welfare of his breth-
ren. This coat they now presented to their father,
torn in pieces and covered with blood. " He knew
it, and said, it is my son's coat ; an evil beast hath
devoured him; Joseph, is without doubt, rent in
pieces. And Jacob rent his clothes, and put sack-
cloth upon his loins, and mourned for his son many
days." Yea he refused all comfort and said ; " I
will go down into the grave unto my son mourning.' 5
Who can describe the sorrow which preyed on
the heart of the afflicted father ? Methinks I see
him seated alone beneath some favourite, salutary
shade, giving vent to his grief and indulgence to his
tears. He seems to ask ; was it the lion's paw that
struck the tender lad to the ground, or was it the
hungery jaw of the merciless tiger that dislocated
his youthful limbs, or was it the voracious leopard
that deprived me of the desire of my eyes ? O cruel
ignorance ! what distracting imaginations ! Could
Jacob but have known that his Joseph was safe in
.356
Uie hands of the Angel of God who protected him,
hope would have brightened his countenance, sooth-
ed his affliction, and administered peace and joy to
his heart.
In the days of the famine, when the sons of Israel
were to go down to Egypt the second time, and
when they demanded Benjamin to go with them,
how trying was all this to the heart oi'the father of
the twelve tribes. How full of grief are his words.
" Joseph is not, and Simeon is not, and ye will take
Benjamin away. All these things are against me."
Such were the hopeless sorrows of one who was ig-
norant concerning the subjects of his sorrow. At
the very moment when this dark and gloomy as-
pect lay before his eyes, Joseph was lord of all
Egypt, the owner of the vast grainei ies in that land
of plenty, and Simeon was safe in the hands of his
compassionate brother; and both were waiting with
fervent desire to see Benjamin. Had the venera-
ble Patriarch known at this time the truth, his heart
would have leaped for joy, as it afterwards did
when his children returned and told him that Jos-
eph was alive.
In the several cases which we have noticed, it is
evident that the ignorance of Jacob was that which
not only prevented the joyful expectations of hope,
but introduced the most tormenting imaginations.
Now the sentiment of our text supposes that this
is the case with those, who being ignorant concern-
ing them that are asleep, sorrow for them without
hope.
There are two opinions concerning those who
are fallen asleep in death, and but two, which are
calculated to exercise the mourner with hopeless
sorrow.
The least pernicious, is the opinion that there is
no future existence for mankind. When a person
of this opinion loses by death any near and beloved
connexion there are two grounds of sorrow. The
357
first is the loss, the eternal loss of such a desirable
connexion, and the other is the everlasting extinc-
tion of this intellectual moral being. And it is im-
~
possible that either of these reflections should be
accompanied with the least ray of hope. Is it a
father or a mother, a wife or a child, a brother or a
sister, of which the mourner is bereaved ? And
was this connexion most dearly and tenderly belov-
ed ? What a gloomy thought, to believe that death
has blotted out of existence one so tenderly and af-
fectionately beloved, must present an impenetrable
cloud of darkness to the mind, that forbids its mak-
ing the least advance, repels, and drives it back on
its perishable self, and yawns to receive the hope-
less mourner to the abyss of nonentity.
Enough, you say, dwell not a moment on such
horror. But what shall we say ? the other opinion,
which denies the consolation of hope to the mourner
is, that our future existence is worse, far worse than
no existence at all. Such are the dismal horrors of
everlasting misery in the coming, eternal state,
which the traditions of the church have handed
down from generation to generation, as have ren-
dered the thoughts of eternity, thoughts of horror.
Is it replied, that our traditions admit that some
few of the human family will be happy hereafter,
and therefore when our friends die, we may enter-
tain a hope that they belong to this little favourite
number ?
We reply ; an absurdity is no just ground of
hope. If but a few of the human family are ap-
pointed unto salvation, it is absurd for all to hope
that they belong to that little number. It is a cir-
cumstance that affords matter of much contempla-
tion ; and one from which human weakness and hu-
man selfishness may he learned, that go where you
will, among whatever denomination of people, even
among those who hold the most illiberal sentiments,
and believe that not more than one out of a, thou-
358
sand will be happy hereafter, yet if they lose any
of their friends by death, they hope they are gone
to rest. There are in this metropolis, no doubt, a
very respectable number of pious people, who be-
lieve without a doubt, that when the Saviour said ;
*'many are called, but few are chosen," he meant
that but a few of the whole family of mankind are
elected unto everlasting life in the eternal world ;
and yet when these people are visited with berear-
ing providences, and any of their connexions are
taken away by death, they hope it is well with them
hereafter. You cannot find one, in any possible
case who will say to the contrary. Fathers, mothers,
wives, children, brothers, sisters, near friends, inti-
mate acquaintances, none of them will admit the
doctrine of everlasting misery, in which they be-
lieve, to apply to each other, nor to themselves.
And yet, according to their creed, they have not
the least ground for the hopes which they entertain.
If you ask these people what reason they have
for the least comfort, they will say ; we do not
know whom God has reprobated, and therefore we
do not know that our friends or ourselves are ap-
pointed unto wrath. Thus their ignorance con-
cerning them that are asleep, in most of instances,
according to their creed, is the sole reason why they
are not distracted with gloomy and black despair.
Were this creed of limited salvation, and the doc-
trine of the endless misery of a great part of man-
kind the truth of the divine economy, and could the
vail of ignorance concerning them that are gone
from this mortal state be removed, what language
could possibly describe the horrors and the lamen-
tations which would be the unhappy consequence
of such a manifestation?
We have heard the heart-rending moans and
melting sighs of those, whose dear connexions were
toiling under the burden and lash of slavery. Their
interjections would seemingly move the stones to
359
pity. What to these people is the sumptuous fare
of the board of plenty ? or what to them is the bed
of down ? or what to them are the thousands they
possess? All would they give could the father,
child or brother, as the case might be, return to
freedom and home. But compared with the dire
scenes of eternal misery under consideration, all
this is no more than the weight of a pebble to that
of the ponderous globe.
Do you believe this doctrine ? O tell it not to
the mourner. If you do not, and cannot believe it
for yourselves; if you can believe it only for others,
why tell it to them ? Can they bear to believe it
for themselves and for their friends, any more than
Vou can endure to believe it for yourselves and for
those whom you love ?
It is worthy of notice, that as the creed under
consideration requires people in general to be igno-
rant concerning them that are asleep, in order for
them to have any hope in the days of their mourn-
ing, it is exactly the reverse of the sentiment of our
(ext, which supposes that to be ignorant concerning
them who are asleep, exposes us to sorrow without
hope ; and on the contrary that the true knowledge
concerning the condition of such would be a source
of divine consolation.
Let us direct our attention in the next place to
ascertain that knowledge concerning those who have
fallen asleep in death, which the faithful word of
divine inspiration affords.
But before we proceed to notice any parctiu'lar
passages, it is of importance that we begin this in-
quiry under the influence of proper motives ; and it
is likewise necessary that in the pursuit of our object,
we should reason with due reference to the criterion
furnished by our text. The motives which ought
to induce us to this investigation should be free from
the influence of any particular creed, from embar-
rassments arising from prepossessions for, or against
3'60
any party opinions, and should be entirely devoted
to the attainment of the truth, the promotion of the
honour of God, and the advancement of our own
rational and intellectual happiness. And if we pur-
sue this inquiry with due reference to the criterion
furnished by our text, we shall admit nothing as
true which is calculated to destroy our hope con-
cerning those who are asleep.
The words of Solomon recorded in Ecclesiastes
seem to be direct to our present subject. t( So I
turned, and considered all the oppressions that are
done under the sun ; and, behold, the tears of such
as were oppressed, and they had no comforter; and
on the side of their oppressors there was power ;
but they had no comforter. Wherefore I praised
the dead which are already dead, more than the
living which are yet alive."
The three following ideas are evidently suggest-
ed by the passage recited :
I. In relation to all the oppressions tfone und^r
the sun, and in relation to all the oppressed, and all
the oppressors, they were both equally destitute of
comfort.
II. The condition of those who are dead is bet-
ter than the condition of those who are yet aljye.
And,
III. There is no just occasion for our mourning
because our friends are dead.
It may be proper to observe here, that we do not
mean that we have no just cause of mourning when
our friends are taken from us, in one certain sense.
We have reason to sorrow for the loss of their
sweet and agreeable company on our pilgrimage of
mortal life, but on their account, we have no just
cause to mourn that they are dead. It is with regret,
that we dismiss our children from the happy do-
mestic circle, where parental love and filial affec-
tions have been the blessing of both parents and
children, when we have po reason to doubt that
46
361
tlieir departure is necessary for their future happi-
ness in life, and the tear of sensibility marks the
adieu which sanctions the separation. The house
they leave seems lonesome to those who are left
behind, and yet as long as it is believed by parents
that it is best for their children to be away, they
will not indulge a disposition to wish them back.
The Apostle in our text, does not forbid, nor
dissuade his brethren from sorrow for the loss of
their friends. But his reasoning was to prevent
their sorrowing without hope. And it is certain
that if we have the same opinion concerning the
dead, that Solomon expressed in the passage just
recited, though we may feel to mourn that we are
destitute of the society of those we tenderly love,
yet there is a consolation in believing that they are
better off than the living.
This author, speaking in another passage of the
dissolution of the body, says ; " Or ever the silver
cord be loosed, or the golden bowl be broken, or
the pitcher be broken at the fountain, or the wheel
broken at the cistern : then shall the dust return to
the earth as it was ; and the spirit shall return unto
God who gave it."
What can give more rational consolation to
those who mourn, than to realize that the spirits of
their departed connexions are with God ? or what
thought can possibly contribute more to tranquillize
our minds, and prepare us to meet our own disso-
lution, than a confident belief that we shall be with
God ? To be in the hands of a God of infinite wis-
dom, power, and goodness ; to be disposed of ac-
cording to his will, which is boundless goodness
and mercy, is all that a reasonable creature can
possibly desire; and of this we may be safely per-
suaded.
When the Sadducees questioned our Saviour con-
cerning the resurrection of the dead, he said to
them ; " But they which shall be accounted worthy
362
to obtain that world, and the resurrection from the
dead, neither marry nor are given in marriage ;
neither can they die any more ; for they are equal
unto the angels; and are the children of God, be-
ing the children of the resurrection. Now, that the
dead are raised, even Moses shewed at the bush,
when he calleth the Lord the God of Abraham, and
the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob. For he
is not a God of the dead, but of the living ; for all
live unto him."
By the authority of Jesus we are here certified,
that all that die live unto God in the resurrection,
and are the children of God, equal to angels, and
can die no more.
When we consider that he who thus testified was
sent of God to " bear witness unto the truth," that
the " spirit of the Lord God" was upon him, that
the Lord anointed him to Wnd up the broken
hearted, and to comfort all that mourn, shall we
^ hesitate to believe his testimony ? There certain-
ly is no subject concerning which the divine teach-
er has left us his testimony, which is of greater
moment than this. The doctrine of the resurrec-
tion, which was the subject of debate between him
and the Sadducees, lies at the foundation of the reli-
gion of Jesus, and we have every re r asonto believe
that he was explicit when he refuted and silenced
his adversaries on a question of such impprtance.
We may further remark, that there is not the least
intimation that the divine teacher spake figuratively
or parabolically in this reply to the Sadducees ; but
every circumstance relative to the subject which we
have on record, goes to show that his words are to
be understood in the most plain and obvious sense.
We may now notice some passages from the
writings of the author of our text concerning them
that are asleep, which correspond perfectly with
the words of the divine teacher.
J63
To the Romans he says ; " For he that is dead is
freed from sin." This information concerning
those that are asleep seems extremely necessary in
order to administer consolation to mourners. If
we may make further use of the simile of our child-
ren's'going from us, we may observe, that could
we always know that they would fall into no vi-
cious or irreligious habits, it would be a source of
much comfort. Of this we are certified concerning
those who have gone from this earthly corruptible
state; they are freed from sin. The temptations
of the flesh will no more allure, inordinate appetites
no more entice, unholy desires are extinct, and the
spirit is with God who gave it.
To the Corinthians this author says; " For we
know that, if our earthly house of this tabernacle
were dissolved, we have a building of God, an house
not made with hanc^i, eternal in the heavens." In
this mortal state, if our dwellings are superb and
every way convenient, we know that we shall en 1 ^
joy them but a littte time ; but concerning them
that are asleep, they have an house eternal in the
heavens. Our earthly house of this tabernacle, let
it be ever so beautiful, must soon crumble y> dust,
and all the loveliness of mortal flesh is but a flower
for the tomb. Look we on our sons and daugh-
ters, and pride ourselves in their strength and beau-
ty? All is but a blossom exposed to the blast of
the east wind. "All flesh is grass, and all the
goodliness thereof is as the flower of the field."
But heavenly and eternal things are permanent.
On the subject of a future state, and of the im-
mortality of that constitution, St. Paul has said
more in the 15th chapter of his first epistle to the
Corinthians than is recorded by any other writer
in the scriptures. His first argument on the sub-
ject establishes the resurrection of Christ, his second
shows that, as in Adam all die, even so in Christ
shall all be made alive, and his third is directed tg>
364
the consideration of the immortality and glory of
our future state. On these subjects the following
i.s selected ; " But now is Christ risen from the
dead", and become the first fruits of them that slept.
For since by man came death, by man came also
the resurrection of the dead. For as in Adam all
die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive. It is
sown in corruption, it is raised in incorruption ; it
is sown in dishonour, it is raised in glory ; it is
sown in weakness, it is raised in power ; it is sown
a natural body, it is raised a spiritual body. The
first man is of the earth, earthy ; the second man
is the Lord from heaven. And as we have borne
the image of the earthy, we shall also bear the im-
age of the heavenly. For this corruptible must
put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on
immortality. Then shall be brought to pass the
saying that is written, deathws swallowed up in
victory."
My Christian friends, if we may safely believe
what we have quoted from Solomon, from the tes-
timony of our divine Redeemer, and from his emi-
nent servant St. Paul, concerning them that are
asleep, we have every consolation that we could
reasonably require. If we believe that the spirit
goes to God who gave it, that the dead are better
off' than the living, that all live unto God in the re-
surrection, and are equal to angels, that they die
no more, that they are freed from sin, are raised in
power, in glory, and in immortality, in the image
of the heavenly man, what more could we ask con-
cerning our dear connexions which have gone be-
fore us, or what more can we require in order to
tranquilize our minds in the hour of death?
On the other hand, let us ask how we could en-
joy any reasonable consolation concerning them
Which are asleep, if what we have proved from
scripture be not believed ?
It is true that many are earnestly contending
that the doctrine which we have so clearly pointed
out from the faithful word of truth, is a doctrine
dangerous to the eternal welfare of immortal souls,
and calculated to lead those who believe it into
every kind of sin. But how can this be the case ?
Is it supposable that a revelation from God would
in plain terms declare that which is dangerous to
our eternal welfare, and calculated to lead us into
sin ? This is a reflection against God. Will any one
come forward and acknowledge that a belief in all
this grace and goodness of God would lead them
into sin ? For instance, take this passage ; " He
that is dead is freed from sin." Suppose a person
believes this divine truth, would this belief induce
him to sin now? St. Paul, no doubt believed it,
did it lead him into sin? Suppose the following
case. One of you,* my hearers, have unhappily
imbibed a strong antipathy, even to hatred, against
your neighbour; a friend of yours comes to you
and tells you he has something of importance to
communicate to you. You accommodate him with
a convenient opportunity, and he says, I have come
to tell you that in one week from now, you and
your neighbour, whom you now so much dislike,
will be on terms of perfect amity and peace, he has
always been your friend and will certainly con-
vince you, that in room of ever having injured you,
he has been the means of all your prosperities.
Suppose you believe this statement, would your
belief lead you to hate your neighbour more than
ever? No, it would have a directly contrary effect;
you would love him the moment you believed it,
and would long for the time to come that you might
embrace him.
When Samuel told Saul that he should meet a
company of prophets, and that the spirit of the
Lord would come upon him, that he should be
turned to another man, and prophecy with the
366
prophets, this did not lead the young man into sin.
Did the whole of this assembly really believe, that
in a short time they should be in a state of immor-
tal holiness and felicity, filled with the love of their
heavenly Father, and employed in songs of ever-
lasting praise to God and the lamb, such a belief,
my friends, would now work by love and purify
our hearts.
But the wisdom of this world has contrived 3 dif-
ferent way to make men love God, which is by
threatening them with his everlasting displeasure.
It has invented the most horrible reports and re-
presentations that imagination can possibly reach,
concerning them that are asleep, by which sorrow
is augmented to despair. Sermons full of the ter-
ror of eternal misery, and the representations of
the dismal stateof the dead are delivered to enhance
the sorrows of the bereaved. Little tracts are sent
to people gratis, to inform them that the probabil-
ity is, that their friends, who have left this world
are in a state of torment. It is impossible, on con-
sidering such inventions and practices, not to think
of the torn, the bloody coat presented to Jacob,
accompanied with these words ; " This have we
found ; know now whether it be thy son's coat or
no." How many bereaved, afflicted mothers have
read these tracts, and almost despairingly exclaim-
ed, " it is my son's coat," without do x ubt ray de-
parted child is miserable.
Never did our blessed Saviour manifest such a
spirit, never did he inculcate such doctrine. He
who wept by the tomb of Lazarus, in sympathy
with mourning sisters,, who declared himself the
resurrection and the life, hath brought life and im-
mortality to light through the gospel. His doc-
trine is full of consolation, it is full of that hope
which is an anchor of the soul, sure and stedfast,
entering into that within the vail, where our fore-
ninner hath far m entered.
367
My friends, while looking round on perishable
nature, while contemplating the loss of our dear
connexions who have gone from this mortal state,
let us "lay hold on this hope which is set before us,"
that we may not sorrow concerning them which are
asleep, even as those who have no hope. But let
us, with confidence in God our Father, and in Christ
our Saviour, sing, with solemn joy in the words of
Dr. Watts ;
" Why do we mourn departing friends?
Or shake at death's alarms?
'Tis but the voice that Jesus sends
To call them to his arms."
No. 24.
LECTURE SERMON,
DELIVERED AT THE
SECOND UNIVERSALIST MEETING, IN BOSTON,
JUNE 20, 1819.
BY HO SEA BALLOU, PASTOR.
Published Semi-Monthly by Henry Bowen, Congress-street.
JOHN v. 28, 29.
' Marvelnot 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 goorf, unto the resurrection of life ; and they that have done evil,
unto the resurrection of damnation."
THOUGH I have once spoken on these words in
this place, and likewise been induced to explain
them in a controversy that was published, it is still
requested by some of the readers of these lectures
that this passage should be noticed before the vol-
ume is completed. And as the common use of this
text is in opposition to the doctrine set forth in these
sermons, arid especially to the use we made of the
scriptures in our last, it is thought necessary thaf a
discourse on this subject should be placed next in
order.
This passage is one of a number which the pop-
ular doctrine of the church has applied to a future
state of condemnation and misery. It has been used
to set forth and maintain that those who do good in
this world will be raised from the dead hereafter
and be justified unto life in an immortal constitu-
tion, for the good works which they did in this
world ; and that those who do evil in this mortal
state will be raised, at the same time, into an -in>
47
369
mortal constitution, and condemned to eveilasting
misery for the evil they did in this mortal consti-
tution.
In the first place we shall suggest some argu-
ments against the doctrine, for the support of which
this text has been used.
In this doctrine there is a manifest want of that
due connexion between cause and effect, which is
so wonderfully displayed in the natural order of
things. While we are here in the body, if we feed
on wholesome and nourishing food the natural ef-
fects are strength and health of body ; but if we,
from whatever cause, feed on that which is un-
wholesome or poisonous, the consequences are the
reverse of the former, and sickness and weakness
are sure to follow. But it would be evidently ab-
surd to attempt to argue, on physical principles,
that these effects, either health or sickness, strength
jor weakness will be experienced in a state of im-
mortality, after this corruptible shall have put on
incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on im-
mortality. Now it is plain from the scriptures,
that all sin, all wickedness, and all evil doings are
the works of the flesh; and there appears no more
reason for supposing that the effects of these works
are to extend into the immortal state, than for sup-
posing that the effects of wholesome, or unwhole-
some food are to extend to that state.
If one sow grain in a field in New-England, it
follows of natural consequence that the harvest
will be gathered from the same field ; but there
appears no natural connexion, as between cause
and effect, between sowing grain in this country
and gathering a harvest from it in Europe. St.
Paul says; " He that soweth to his flesh, shall of
(he flesh reap corruption." This seems perfectly
natural, because " whatsoever a man soweth, that
shall he also reap." But to argue that corruption
rmay be gathered from an incorruptible state is to
argue against the very nature of things.
370
The apostie to the Romans is explicit on this
subject, where he says ; " There is, therefore, now
no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus,
who walk not after the flesh, but after the spirit."
By this it is evident that condemnation cannot
exist any longer than men walk after the flesh.
But none pretend that any of the human family
will walk after the flesh in that incorruptible state
of which the apostle speaks, where he says ; " This
corruptible shall put on incorruption, and this mor-
tal shall put on immortality."
We can easily discern the natural connexion be-
tween all the vices which are practised by men
and the infelicities which these vices introduce into
society, and the unhappinessthey occasion to those
who practice them ; but it is totally impossible to
trace the connexion between these vices and a state
of permanent misery in an immortal state.
Secondly, as this opinion of a state of immortal
happiness for the good works of men in this life,
and a state of endless misery for their evil works
while here is supposed to fall under the notice of
those scriptures which teach us that God will
render to every man according to his works, it seems
proper that we look to see if we can find such a
proportion between the virtues which are practis-
ed in this life and a state of immortal felicity, and
between the vices committed here and a state of
endless torment as will justify this doctrine. The
moment this inquiry is proposed the absurdity of
the doctrine appears; for there is a much nearer
proportion between the labour of one hour and
the wealth of the whole world as its reward, than
can be seen between all the good works which a
CT
man could perform during a long life, and a re-
compense of an immortal state of complete happi-
ness. Nor is there so great a proportion between
all the sins which one could possibly commii in this
life and the recompense of a state of endless misery,
371
as between the smallest offence ever committed on
earth arid a retaliation of the most severe and pro-
tracted tortures which could be inflicted in this
mortal state. These statements are self evident
facts, which we know to be true as well as we know
that a day is not as long as a year, or that one grain
is not equal to a ton weight.
According to the scriptures, we are authorised to
believe, that the blessings of the gospel in this life
are far too great to be considered as being accord-
ing to our works. St. Paul says ; se Who hath saved
us, and called us with an holy calling, not according
to our works, but according to his own purpose
and grace which was given us in Christ Jesus be-
fore the world began." Again the same author
says; "Not by works of righteousness which we
have done, but according to his mercy he saved us.'*
Now if the salvation obtained in this life by the
grace of God is too great to be considered accord-
ing to our works, there surely is not the shadow of
propriety in supposing that a state of permanent
felicity in the eternal world is according to our
works in this. But the proportion between our
good works in this world and a state of endless hap-
piness in the next is as near as between our sins here
and a state of endless misery hereafter.
Thirdly, this doctrine of endless rewards and
punishments is involved in an insuperable difficulty
for the uant of the power to distinguish between the
meet subjects for these respective rewards.
What will this doctrine do, for instance, with
David, king of Israel ? That he did evil, and that
to a most heinous degree is evident from the faith-
ful records of scripture. Now if they who in this
life have done evil are to be raised into an immor-
tal state of misery, David, king of Israel, will be
thus raised to condemnation. Will it be said that
David become a good man, and did many good
things after he committed the abominations which
372
are recorded of him ? This we are happy to ac-
knowledge; but what does this prove, only that
David was like other men, and sometimes did that
which was right and sometimes that which was
wrong? For another instance, where will the doc-
trine under consideration place St. Paul in the eter-
nal state ? That he did evil in this world the scrip-
tures as fully prove as they prove any thing. But .
it will be said that this man was reformed and be-
came a good man ; this too we are happy to ac-
knowledge, but what more does this prove than
that St. Paul was like David, and like other men,
a changeable creature ! who sometimes did right,
at other times, wrong ? The fact is, as was fully
shown in' our lecture on the recompensing of the
righteous and the wicked in the earth, all men are
in some degree righteous and in some degree wick-
ed. And it follows that if all that do good in this
world are to be eternally happy hereafter, all man-
kind will be happy ; and on the other hand, if all
who do evil in this life are to be endlessly miserable
in the next, all men will be thus miserable !
Fourthly,thedoctrine under consideration is absurd
in that it supposes that the good works and virtues
of men in this imperfect state are more meritorious
than the perfect and permanent virtue which will
characterize the blessed in heaven ; for if that im-
mortal state of holiness and felicity is merited by
the virtue imperfectly practised in this mortal state,
there remains no merit in the virtues practised in
the future world nor any reward for that sliperiour
degree of righteousness. And on the other hand, this
doctrine involves another absurdity, in that it re-
compenses the sins of this life with a state of end-
less arid positive misery, but reserves no punish-
ment for the sins of which the souls of the miserable
will be guilty in that state where they will sin with-
out restraint. Why should imperfect righteous-
ness merit an eternity of happiness, and yet perfect
373
righteousness merit nothing ? Why should the sins
of this life be recompensed with a state of everlast-
ing or eternal misery, and the entire sin of the eter-
nal world go forever unpunished ?
Once more, this doctrine maintains that God will
punish his rational offspring without mercy, with-
out designing their reconciliation or profit. This,
of all the objections which we have to the doctrine
under consideration is the greatest. This supposes
that God possesses a worse disposition, and practi-
ses greater cruelty than the wicked possess or prac-
tise. All the cruelties of heathen idolatry are ten-
der mercies, in comparison with the cruelty attri-
buted to our heavenly Father by this doctrine.
People are deceived by the names which supersti-
tion uses to identify this cruelty in God, but the
name of a thing alters not its nature. Vindictive
wrath, holy anger, retributive justice are terms us-
ed to designate a property of the divine nature
which, when examined impartially and without a
superstitious awe, is found to be worthy of no bet-
ter name than unmerciful malevolence ! To attri-
bute such a quality or character to God, we view
as the vilest act that moral darkness has ever pro-
duced ; and we reject the sentiment with the deep-
est horror.
Let it be distinctly noticed here, that this argu-
ment does not lie between the doctrine of endless
punishment, and no punishment for sin ; we have
all along in these lectures maintained that sin is
punished, but we find that it is punished in the world
where it is, and not in an immortal state where it
is not.
Having, as was proposed, suggested a few argu-
ments against the doctrine for the support of which
our text has been generally used, our next labour
will be directed to bring the portion of scripture
under consideration before the hearer in connex-
ion with such other passages as relate to event?
374
which evidently belong to the present state of exis-
tence, but where language signifying a resurrection
is used; at the same time carefully comparing with
them those passages which evidently relate to a
resurrection into an immortal state, that it may be
clearly anderstood that the latter and former clas-
ses of scripture cannot, with any propriety, be ap-
plied to the same event.
The arguments to which we have attended in
this discourse, are designed to show that the text
under consideration ought not to be applied in the
usual way, by showing that the doctrine supported
by it when so used is not true. The arguments
now designed will go to show that the scriptures
make use of words signifying a resurrection, in a
figurative sense, when nothing beyond this mortal
state is intended, that the passage under considera-
tion is of this description ; and that it is proved to
be so by comparing it with other passages which
evidently have their application in time, and also
by comparing it with passages which speak of a re-
surrection into an immortal state, by observing the
difference there is between the two classes.
That our text evidently belongs to that class of
scriptures which speak of a spiritual resurrection,
or of a resurrection which has no allusion to a fu-
ture state of being may be seen by attending to the
context, which reads as follows ; " Verily, verily,
I say unto you, he that heareth my word, and be-
Jieveth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life,
and shall not come into condemnation, but is pass-
ed from death unto life." Here it is perfectly
plain that the death from which the believers had
passed was of a moral, and not a literal kind ; and
it is perfectly plain also that the life into which
they had already entered was of a spiritual nature,
which believers enjoy by the means of believing in
the word of Jesus in the present tense. And it is
furthermore evident that the condemnation men-
375
iioned in the passage already quoted is a condem-
nation which is the consequence of unbelief in the
present life, and is the same as is signified by the
following words of Jesus ; " He that believeth 'not
is condemned already." The next words to those
quoted from our context are the following ; " Ve-
rily, verily, I say unto you, the hour is coming,
and now is, when the dead shall hear the voice of
the son of God, and they that hear shall live. For
as the Father hath life in himself, so hath he given
to the son to have life in himself, and hath given
him authority to execute judgment also, because
he is the son of man." It is abundantly evident
that the Saviour still continued to speak of the
dead in trespasses and sins, of their hearing and be-
lieving bis word, and of the spiritual life which faith
in the gospel wrought in them. And it is also evi-
dent that his authority, which he here mentions, to
execute judgment, administers that condemnation
into which the unbeliever is brought.
Our text follows the words last quoted ; " Mar-
vel 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 unto the resurrection of damnation." Now as
it is acknowledged by all that Jesus was speaking
figuratively in the context, until he came to the
words of our text, it seems entirely unwarranted
to make him now, all of a sudden, speak of a literal
resurrection. It/is altogether more reasonable to
suppose, that as he meant the dead in a moral or
spiritual sense, by the dead who should hear his
voice and live, he now means the carnal state of
carnal minds by the graves from which the dead
were to come forth.
That the word graves is used figuratively in
scripture we learn from the 37th of Ezekiel, where
the prophet represents the return of the captivity
376
of Israel from the countries where they had been
scattered, first by the resurrection of the dry bones
in the valley of vision, and secondly, by bringing
them out of their graves. And here we may re-
mark, that there would be the same propriety in
understanding the prophet to mean a figurative re-
surrection by the dry bones, representing the re-
turn of Israel's captivity ; but when he speaks of
bringing them out of their graves, to mean their re-
surrection from their literal graves into an immor-
tal state, as there is in explaining our text and con-
text in the usual way.
There is a passage in the 12th of Daniel which
commentators very justly consider a parallel pas
sage, with our text; it reads as follows; " And at
tfeat time sliall Michael stand up, the great prince
which standeth for the children of thy people ; and
there shall be a time of trouble, such as never was
since there was a nation even to that same time :
and at that time thy people shall be delivered, eve-
ry one that shall be found written in the book.
And many of them that sleep in the dust of the
earth, shall awake, some to everlasting life, and
some to shame and everlasting contempt." It
seems reasonable to suppose, that as Jesus came to
fulfil the law and the prophets, he had his eye on
this passage in Daniel when he spake the words of
our text ; and that he meant by those who were in
the graves the same as Daniel meant by those who
were asleep in the dust of the earth ; and by those,
who should come forth to the resurrection of life,
he meant the same as Daniel did by those who
should awake from the dust of the earth to everlast-
ing life ; and by those who should come forth to
the resurrection of condemnation, the same as
Daniel meant by those, who shoujd come forth unto
shame and everlasting contempt.
Will the hearer now say that all this may be,
and that both Daniel and the Saviour were speak-
48
ing of the resurrection of mankind to a state of im-
mortal- happiness and misery in a future world ?
To this we reply, when Jesus spoke to his disciples
of the destruction of Jerusalem and of the calami-
ties which should shortly come on the Jews, he us-
es the words of Daniel nearly verbatim when he
speaks of the time of trouble. By this circum-
stance we are instructed that both Daniel and the
Saviour spake of the same time and of the same
events, and that that time was when Jerusalem was
destroyed by the Romans.
The true meaning of the words of Jesus and of
the passage in Daniel appears to be this; those
Jews who listened to the mild voice of the gospel,
proclaimed by Christ and his Apostles, came forth
from spiritual death to the life of faith in the new
covenant; but those Jews, who rejected the doc-
trine of salvation, crucified the Saviour, and perse-
cuted his apostles, were those who had done evil,
and they were roused from the dormant state in
which they lay, as in a covenant of death and a
refuge of lies, by the voice of judgment and come
forth to the resurrection of that condemnation
which is so particularly pointed out in the 24th and
25th chapters of Matthew ; and which was illus-
trated in our lecture on that subject.
That the resurrection under consideration is not
a resurrection from this mortal to an immortal
state, may be made to appear by comparing the
account of it with the account given of the resur-
rection into a state of immortality, which we find
in several passages and which were noticed in our
last lecture.
In the account of the resurrection noticed in our
text, some are raised to life and some to condem-
nation ; and this account we have seen agrees so
well with the testimony quoted from Daniel, that
no doubt remains that the Saviour and the prophet
spake of the same event. But can we make St.
378
Paul's account of the resurrection of all mankind
into an immortal stale agree with these several tes-
timonies so as to be satisfied that the apostle was
treating on the same subject of which Daniel and
the Saviour treated ?
Jesus says ; that they who have done good shall
come forth to the resurrection of life, and they that
have done evil to the resurrection of damnation.
Daniel says; " And many of them that sleep in the
dust of the earth shall come forth, some to ever-
lasting life, and some to shame and everlasting con-
tempt" St. Paul says ; " As in Adam all die even
so in Christ shall all be made alive." And he is par-
ticular in stating the constitution which all men
will receive in the resurrection of which he speaks.
It is spiritual, incorruptible, immortal, and glorious;
it is the image of the Lord from heaven. He
makes no distinction. He says nothing of the good
works of some and the evil works of others. His
testimony is, in fact, directly against any distinc-
tion or difference in that immortal state. All
are made alive in Christ ; and as this life is spirit-
ual, incorruptible and immortal, this testimony
agrees with the testimony of Jesus to the Sadducees
on the same subject of the resurrection, in which he
says, that in the resurrection they are the children
of God, equal unto the angels, and can die no more.
In his debate with the Sadducees, Jesus gave no
intimation that any would rise from the dead to a
state of condemnation, but was particular in saying
that all live unto God.
In our present light of this subject, we can plain-
ly see, that by supposing that Jesus spake in our
text of the same subject of which he spake in his
reply to the Sadducees, we make him contradict
himself. And by supposing that our text is a tes-
timony of the same event of which St. Paul spake
in his argument on the resurrection in the 15th of
the first of Corinthians, we set the testimony of Je-
sus and St. Paul at an irreconcilable variance.
379
Our present subject may be represented by sup-
posing, that a traveller returns to this town from
the state of Vermont, and informs us that in conse-
quence of a disturbance among the convicts in the
State prison, the prisoners were all brought out
under sufficient guards, to be examined and tried
for their conduct. This trial, our traveller informs
us, finally terminated in the solitary confinement of
a large number of the leaders of the disturbance,
but in the liberation from prison of many who were
found to be meritorious in their conduct in endeav-
oring to suppress and prevent the wicked designs
of the others.
This traveller being a man of respectable stand-
ing in society, and of undoubted reputation, no one
is disposed to doubt the truth of the testimony
which he has given on this subject. Not long af-
ter having this information in the way here related,
our traveller returns from a tour through New-
Hampshire, and informs us that the new govern-
our in that state has seen cause to set all the pri-
soners in the state at liberty, and that he was aw
eye witness of the fact. For want of proper cau-
tion some of us now 7 confound the two reports, and
think that these several relations are concerning
what took place relative to the prisoners in Ver-
mont.
In this way we should make the testimony of
our traveller destroy itself and the veracity of its
author. And yet his whole testimony in both ca-
ses, when understood according to the different sub-
jects related, and the proper distinctions preserved
according to the plainest sense of the several ac-
counts given, all appears clear and without the
leabl contradiction.
By applying, in an indiscriminate manner, those
passages of scripture which specially belong to
the temporal, mutable state of man in this life, and
those which speak of an immortal state, all to the
380
future existence of mankind, the greatest absurdi-
ties have been supported by the scriptures. In the
same way the dispute between those who contend
for salvation by the agency of the creature, and
those who maintain that works are out of the ques-
tion relative to salvation has been protracted for
ages in the Christian church. And yet if the pas-
sages of scripture, which are quoted on both sides
of the argument were applied to their respective
subjects there would be no room for dispute or oc-
casion for any difference of sentiment.
For instance, the account we have of the judg-
ment in the 2 r >th of Matthew proceeds according
to the works of those who are judged ; and those
who are welcome to the kingdom, are justified ac-
cording to their works, and those who are sentenc-
ed to punishment are so condemned according to
their conduct. Now as this passage is applied to
the eternal state of the unseen world by both par-
ties in the dispute just named, those who rest the
final justification of the creature on his works seem
to have a decided advantage in the dispute. And
it is all in vain for the opposer to try to reconcile
this passage with his notion of justifying the crea-
ture to everlasting life in the eternal world without
any reference to his good works in this world.
This he will not attempt to do ; but in order to do
away the force of this judgment, he quotes some
passages which speak of grace to Ihe exclusion of
works ; such as the following ; " Who hath saved
us and called us with an holy calling, not accord-
ing to our works, but according to his own pur-
pose and grace. Not by works of righteousness
which we have done, but according to his mercy
he saved us. By grace are ye saved, through faith,
and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God.
Not of works lest any man should boast. Now to
him that worketh the reward is not reckoned of
grace but of debt ; but to him that worketh not,
but believeth on him wliojustitieth the ungodly,
his faith is counted unto him for righteousness."
As it is perfectly evident that these passages, on
the very face of them, were designed to set forth
the grace and salvation of God in a way to exclude
the works of the saved as the ground of such salva-
tion, the argument now fairly turns in favor of the
other side ; for here are more passages than the one
brought in favour of the contrary side.
What is the next thing to be done? Does he who
predicates salvation on works undertake to show
that the passages last quoted do not indicate the
fact for which they are adduced ? No, for this
would be labour lost : it would be as easy to prove
that these passages mean nothing. What then does
he do ? He proceeds to quote some more scrip-
ture on the other side, such as the following; "The
willing and obedient shall eat the good of the land,
but if ye rebel ye shall be devoured with the
sword, for the mouth of the Lord hath spoken it.
The soul that sinneth, it shall die. The son shall
not bear the iniquity of the father, neither shall
the father bear the iniquity of the son; the righte-
ousness of the righteous shall be upon him, and the
wickedness of the wicked shall be -upon him. Say
ye to the righteous, that it shall be well with him;
for they shall eat the fruit of their doings. Woe
unto the wicked! it shall be ill with him ; for the
reward of his hands shall be given him. For the
son of man shall come in the glory of his Father,
with his angels, and then he shall reward every
man according to his works. For we must all ap-
pear before the judgment seat of Christ, that every
one may receive the things done in his body, ac-
cording to that he hath done, whether it be good,
or bad." As it is perfectly evident that these last
quoted passages do not indicate that men are justi-
fied without good works, but in consequence of
them, the dispute stands exactly as it did when it
382
began, and where it must stand until these dispu-
tants come to a determination to understand parti-
cular passages of the scriptures according to the
particular subjects to which they respectively be-
long.
All those passages, which speak of judging and
rewarding men according to their works have their
true and just application to that divine economy in
which our heavenly Father administers to his mor-
al offspring that discipline which grows from his
love and faithfulness and which our imperfection
requires.
On the other band, all those passages which speak
of the abundant grace of God, of his great love to
sinners, of his saving us, not according to our works,
but according to his own purpose and grace, which
was given unto us in Christ Jesus before the world
began, have their true and just application to that
divinely gracious economy of the Father of our
spirits, in which he has made ample provisions for
the spiritual and eternal welfare of all mankind.
And if we '.i - e careful to keep the different subjects
of which the scriptures treat, as distinct from each
. other as the divine testimony requires, we shall
never apply the passage under consideration to the
immortal state of man, nor is it believed by your
servant, that any other passage can be found, which
speaks of rewarding men for their good works, and
of punishing others for evil works, which can, with
the least colour of propriety be applied to the state
of man, when this mortal shall have put on immor-
tality, and this corruptible incorruption.
To pretend that it is not convenient or proper
for men to be rewarded in this world according to
their works here, is more absurd than it would be
to argue, that it is not convenient or proper for
children to receive rewards of merit, and chastise-
ments for disobedience at the school where they re-
ceive their education. And to contend that all the
383
good works, and all the evil works' done in this
mortal state are to be judged and recompensed in
the eternal world, is a thousand times more unrea-
sonable than it would be for a parent of vast wealth
to go to the school master who educated his children
and get a particular account of every thing his
children did while at school, and then proceed to
make his last will and testament according to that
account.
To conclude, while our text assures us, that good
works will never go unrewarded, nor evil works
unrecompensed, it by no means intrudes on the
eternal inheritance given us in Christ Jesus before
the world began ; nor does it in any way contradict
the testimony, that " as in Adam all die, even so in
Christ shall all be made alive."
No. 25.
LECTURE SERMON,
DELIVERED AT THE
SECOND UNIVERSALIST MEETING, IN BOSTON,
JULY 4, 1819.
BY HO SEA BALLOU, PASTOR.
Published Semi-Monthly by Henry Bowen, Congress-street.
ZEPHANIAH, iii. part 17.
" He will rest in his Zoe."
L\ this short book of the prophecy of Zephaniah
there is much said on the subject of the sins of va-
rious nations, and of the sore punishments which
the divine ruler had seen fit to execute upon them
for their correction, and as an admonition to his
chosen people, the Jews.
The design of the judgments of God is most
clearly expressed in the following, recorded in our
context : " Therefore, wait ye upon me, saith the
Lord, until the day that I shall rise up to the prey ;
for my determination is to gather the nations, that
I may assemble the kingdoms, to pour upon them
mine indignation, even all my fierce anger ; for all
the earth shall be devoured with the fi*e of my
jealousy. For then will I turn to the people a
pure language, that they may all call upon the name
of the Lord, to serve him with one consent.'*
The account here given by the prophet, con-
cerning the indignation and fierce anger of the.
Lord, is of a very different nature from the account
49
385
of the same subject, which is current in our times.
The divine indignation or anger according to our
Christian doctors, is totally unmerciful ; and Ihose
on whom it is fully and completely executed, no
more than begin to feel its horrors in this world,
but are duly prepared by an astonishing miracle,
to endure the fierceness of its burning forever in
the eternal world. In the days of divine inspira-
tion and prophecy, when men " spake as they were
movefd by the Holy Ghost," no such horrible sen-
timents were held up to the people. Then the de-
solation of cities, the captivity of their inhabitants,
plagues, famines, and pestilences were among the
usual denunciations of the judgments of God ; but
now, nothing that can be suffered in this world
seems to answer the purpose ; and our wise men
pretend to know the particulars of the eternal
world much better than of this, and speak of the
horrors of future condemnation, and of the indig-
nation of the Lord in that state, without the small-
est hesitation. Whether they are correct, or the
inspired prophets we are at liberty to judge for
ourselves. It is a plain fact that their accounts
differ, and that as widely as day from night.
According to the prophet in the passage just
cited, the indignation, even all the fierce anger of
the Lord is poured out on the whole earth. No-
thing said of reserving any for a future state. And
what is worthy of special notice is, after all this
fierce anger of the Lord is poured out on the peo-
ple, and the whole earth is devoured with the fire
of his jealousy, God says, " then will I turn to the
people a pure language, that they may all call up-
on the name of the Lord, and serve him with one
consent." So that the very same people who suf-
fer all God's fierce anger, are thereby prepared to
learn a pure language in which they shall all call
on the name of the Lord, with dispositions and
hearts to serve him.
386
As consequences resulting to the house of Israel,
from the execution of the divine indignation, the
following is recorded by the prophet ; " In that
day shalt thou not be ashamed for all thy doings,
wherein thou hast transgressed against me; for
then I will take away out of the midst of thee them
that rejoice in thy pride ; and thou shalt no more
be haughty because of my holy mountain. The
remnant of Israel shall not do iniquity, nor speak
lies; neither shall a deceitful tongue be found in
their mouth : for they shall feed and lie down, and
none shall make them afraid. Sing, O daughter of
Zion; shout, O Israel ; be glad and rejoice with
all the heart, O daughter of Jerusalem. The Lord
hath taken away thy judgments, he hath cast out
thine enemy ; the King of Israel, even the Lord, is
in the midst of thee : thou shall not see evil any
more. The Lord thy God in the midst of thee is
mighty ; he will save, he will rejoice over thee with
joy ; he will rest in his love ; he will joy over thee
with singing."
In this most interesting representation we are led
to contemplate the happy issue of the judgments of
God, even all his fierce anger, in the salvation of
his people, in their rest and joy. Even God him-
self is represented as rejoicing over them with joy,
and as finding rest in his love toward them.
In order that one may rest in love the following
particulars seem to be necessary.
I. Love must be holy and all its desires right-
eous. And,
II. The desires of Jove must all be accomplished
in their fullest extent.
To a moral being an unholy love and unlawful
desires are a source of inquietude, and the more
such love and desires are indulged the greater is
the infelicity occasioned by them. But the con-
trary is the effect of a holy love and of righteous
and lawful desires. The more they are indulged
387
the greater is the satisfaction, and the more perfect
that rest which results from such indulgence. The
love of our heavenly Father toward his offspring
is a holy love, and all its desires are lawful and
right. It is the holiness of love and the lawfulness
of its desires which justifies all the means which
are necessary to carry these desires into effect.
This subject may be represented by the love of
parents toward their children. The parental love
is lawful and all its desires are righteous. It looks
on children with strong desires for their improve-
ment and happiness. If they are disobedient, love
desires their reformation ; and it is the purity of
this love and the righteousness of its desires that
justify those rebukes, warnings, and chastisements
which are necessary for the bringing of the disobe-
dient to submit to those wholesome precepts which
are alone designed for their benefit* Take away
this parental love, and remove the desire of doing
good to the disobedient child, and every rebuke, eve-
ry admonition, and every punishment inflicted, would
be as destitute of righteousness, as the heart of the
parent is of love. But where this holy love and
these pure desires are in exercise, they fully justify
the greatest severity which may be necessary for
the good of the disobedient. And here let us cau-
O
tiously observe, that the parent never finds rest un-
til all that love desires is accomplished. While
stubbornness and disobedience remain in the child,
and during the administration of chastisement, the
parent has no rest. Anxiety, pity, grief, love and
tender affections mingle in the feeling heart with
indignation, severity and faithfulness; but when
this stubbornness is subdued, and the disobedient
heart brought to submit, how calm, how quiet is
the rest which the parent finds in that victori-
ous love, which has now conquered all opposition,
and carried into effect its utmost desires. If the
parent could find rest in the administration of pun-
ishment, then in order to continue this rest, the
punishment would be protracted ; but rest is taken
after the labour is clone, and the longer the labour
continues, the longer rest is defered.
To apply our metaphor, we may observe, that
God's love toward mankind is a holy love, and all
the desires of that love are righteous. The holi-
ness of his love and the righteousness of its desires
sanctify his severest judgments and direct them all
to the accomplishment of the desires of love.
The figure of expression used in our text is very
strong; it seems to represent the divine Being as
being in want of rest from the exercise of his se-
verity and indignation, and as finding that rest in
his love toward those whom he had chastised, by
pouring on them all his fierce anger, which termi-
nated in their subjection to his will. But the scrip-
tures, without intending to represent the Almighty
as being changeable, use such metaphors for the
purpose of conveying an idea of the ultimate de-
sign and goodness of God, in all his works.
Where we have an account of the creation of all
things, we are informed that God proceeded with
his work day after day for six days, and when he
had ended his work, he rested on the seventh. But
here let us remark, that he rested in his love, for
he was .able, after taking a perfect survey of all
his works, to pronounce the whole " very good."
If there had been any part of the creation which
would not answer the purpose for which it was
made, God would not have pronounced it good,
nor could he have loved that which was not good,
nor could he have rested in his love.
Man was the last work which the divine Creator
performed, and man he made in his own image.
Man he stiles his offspring, he calls himself our Fa-
ther, and he directs his providence and grace in a
way to provide for us, and to bring us to the en-
joyment of himself.
389
When man had sinned, and God came to him in
the cool of the day, he pronounced his judgments
with such limitations as to manifest his purpose in
the final deliverance of his sinful children from the
power of the tempter by the seed of the woman
who should bruise his head. Thus we see that God
rests no where but in his love.
Had the creator on this occasion, denounced on
man the malediction of never ending misery, ac-
cording to the doctrine of our catechism ; and had
it been his pleasure to inform them, as the writers
of our creeds have informed us, that by this first
transgression the whole posterity of Adam and Eve
had become liable to the pains of hell forever, we
could hardly find how to reconcile this doctrine
with the idea that our heavenly Father rests no
where but in his love.
It may be profitable in this place, though it be
painful, to spend a few reflections on the resting
place, which the wisdom of this world has invented
for the Father of our spirits. This invention, in
order to accommodate our heavenly father with the
most perfect and quiet rest, has assigned a great
part of his rational offspring to the most exquisite
torments which improved imagination has been
able to suggest, and has assigned the execution
of this torture to him ! That parents may not
only see this subject, but feel a little by having it
represented in subordination to our understanding,
we may suppose a similar invention for the accom-
modation of the parent of a numerous family, to
give him the most perfect rest. Thus three quar-
ters of his children are to suffer the most exquisite
torments which human invention can devise; and
to have this torture so administered as to be pro-
tracted for a long time, and the parent himself must
execute this punishment !
Parents, would you call this a bed of roses ? Do
you wish to repose your weary limbs, after care-
fully nursing and bringing up children, on such
390
down as this? Disgusted, you reply, why do you
torture our feelings and grate our ears with such
unnatural similes?
We deserve to have our feelings harrowed with
these thorns, with these briars and thistles, for we
have spread them out by our wicked inventions for
our merciful and compassionate Father in heaven
to rest himself on to all eternity ! The creeds of
the Christian church now contain the invention un-
der consideration, our preachers dwell upon it, and
on its different parts, with an earnestness by which
they evince their zeal for God, and professors pa-
tiently hear this doctrine proclaimed, and pro-
nounce it wholesome orthodoxy. As long as this
remains to be the case, a hope is entertained that
people in one way or another, will be made to hear
their doctrine applied in a way to make them feel
its effects.
However men may err in their inventions, how-
ever they may attribute the worst of designs to God,
he is of one mind and none can turn him. The
love in which he rested on the seventh day, after he
had created all things, is the same love which he
manifested after man had sinned. This is the love
which he has had in view in the administration of
all his judgments, arid the same which he has man-
ifested through Jesus for the salvation of mankind
from sin and death. The hearer will recollect that
we have said that in order for one to rest in love,
all that love desires must be accomplished. This
idea is within your easy comprehension. If one
has a desired object, an object of the most affection-
ate regard in view, but great difficulties and dan-
gers lie in the way of obtaining this object, you
know that this condition is by no means calculated
to give rest. But if the difficulties become sur-
mounted, and the dangers removed, and the longed
for object finally obtained, the successful soul finds
rest in love. Thus Joseph the persecuted brother,
391
tenderly loved his brethren, suffered many things
for their profit, overcome all embarrassments and
finally received them all under his safe protection
and found a calm, a sweet repose in his love. To
prove them, to try them, for a season he treated
them roughly, and with seventy. He accused them
of being spies, come to see the nakedness of the
land. He kept Simeon bound while he sent the
rest to their families. He directed the silver cup
to be deposited in Benjamin's sack, he gave orders
for his arrest, and greatly tried the hearts x>f those
who had sold him; but during all this time Joseph
did not rest in this manifestation of anger. How
often did he weep alone with love, pity, and grief
for his brethren ; but when he had humbled them
enough and made himself known to them, embraced
them all and granted them forgiveness, he rested in
his love. Had he failed in his heart's desire of see-
ing all his brethren duly humbled, and had two
thirds of the whole utterly refused to acknowledge
their faults, or submit themselves to him, we may
reasonably suppose, that he would not have enjoy-
ed that rest in his love which he did when he fed
them all at his own table.
Let the mind pass from this circumstance to the
consideration of the love of God to mankind and
to consider the extent of mercy's design as mani-
fested through Jesus. The following passages re-
late to this subject. " For God so loved the world,
that he gave his only begotten son, that whosoever
believeth in him, should not perish, but have ever-
lasting life. For God sent not his son into the
world to condemn the world; but that the world
through him might be saved. But God commend-
eth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet
enemies, Christ died for us. Herein is love, not
that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent
his Son to be the propitiation for our sins. We
have seen and do testify that the Father sent the
392
Son to be the Saviour of the world." By these
passages we learn that the grand design of the Fa-
ther's love in sending the son into the world was to
save the world, and this design must be fully ac-
complished in order for the Father to rest in his
love. My friends, you know that love which de-
sires that which we can never obtain, in room of
affording us rest, gives us uneasiness. Now if
the design or desire of the Father's love is the sal-
vation of the world, how can he ever find rest in
his love if this desire is never accomplished? But
he worketh all things after the council of his own
will. His judgments and his mercies will be em-
ployed and well directed to their object, until the
vast design of lore is completed in the reconcilia-
tion of all things to God, who will forever rest in
his love. Thus are the judgments of God explained
in the song of Moses the servant of God, and the
song of the Lamb. " Great and marvellous are thy
works, Lord God Almighty ; just and true are thy
ways, thou king of saints. Who shall not fear
thee, O Lord, arid glorify thy name ? for thou only
art holy ; for all nations shall come and worship
before thee ; for thy judgments are made manifest."
The divine economy in the moral system may be
represented by a bountiful and benevolent provi-
dence, by which our temporal wants are satisfied.
Winter, in which appears no promise of bread in
future, spring, in which promises but just make
their appearance, and summer full of labour and
toil precede the bountiful autumn, when rest and
festivity cause to forget the labours of the past sea-
sons, and we find that all has happily terminated
for good.
This general subject may be contemplated to
advantage, by taking into consideration the labors
and sufferings of our blessed Redeemer, all which
terminate in giving him rest in his love. After the
50
393
prophet Isaiah gave a most circumstantial account
of the Saviour's sufferings and the object of them,
in which account he stales the following : ' He was
wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for
our iniquities; the chastisement of our peace was
upon him ; and with his stripes we are healed," he
further says; "He shall see of the travail of his
soul, and shall be satisfied ; by his knowledge shall
my righteous servant justify many for he shall bear
their iniquities." St. Paul informs us that the man
Christ Jesus gave himself a ransom for all men to
be testified in due time, and that he by the grace
of God tasted death fot every man. And St. John
says, he is the propitiation for the sins of the whole
world. Jesus himself says; the true shepherd lay-
eth down his life for the sheep. Now these pas-
sages all go to show what was the desire of the Sa-
viour's heart, " who loved us and washed us from
our sins in his own blood.'* And they contain evi-
dence that the whole of his desire will finally be
accomplished. When this is done, it will be evi-
dent that he rests in his love.
When Jesus wept over Jerusalem, and said ; " O
Jerusalem, Jerusalem, thou that killest the prophet*,
and stonest them which are sent unto thee, how
often would I have gathered thy children together,
even as a hen gathereth her chickens under her
wings, and ye would not ! Behold your house is
left unto you desolate ; he further added ; for I
say unto you, ye shall not see me henceforth, till
ye shall say, blessed is he that cometh in the name
of the Lord." It is worthy of notice, that in this
instance, and on this most interesting occasion, the
Saviour terminated his prophetic malediction in a
way to give place to his blessed appearance and
his being hailed with " Blessed is he that cometh
in the name of the Lord." Thus the blessed Jesus
rested no where but in his love.
394
When on the cross, at the close of his sufferings,
the dear Redeemer manifested that love was his
resting place. He prayed for his enemies, saying ;
" Father forgive them, for they know not what
they do."
Keep in mind that the whole which love desires
must be accomplished in order that love may give
rest. If the Saviour loved his enemies, if he loved
sinners, if he designed their redemption, their for-
giveness, and salvation, can he ever rest in this love
unless this desire be granted ? " He shall see of
the travail of his soul and be satisfied." But he
never can be satisfied with any thing short of the
joy that was sat before him, for which he endured
the cross, and despised the shame.
If, as has been erroneously held, and is now be-
lieved and taught, after the dispensation of divine
mercy through Jesus Christ, shall have accomplish-
ed all it ever will accomplish ; if after it has recon-
ciled all that it ever will reconcile, millions are to
remain in eternal rebellion under the dominion of
sin, darkness and death ; and if the same blessed
mediator, who gave himself a ransom for all men,
who is the propitiation for the sins of the whole
world, who by the grace of Go,d tasted death for
every man, is to execute on those wretched millions
never ending wrath, how is it that he can ever rest
in his love ?
The prophet Isaiah calls the promised Shiloh,
"the everlasting Father and the Prince of Peace."
But with what propriety he can be called a father
to those for whom he has no mercy is utterly in-
conceivable ; or how he is properly called the
prince of peace, when he is the administrator of
endless wrath on his own subjects, is truly difficult
to understand.
Let us again repeat, in order that love may give
rest, all that love desires must be accomplished,
395
St. Paul exhorted husbands lo love their " wives,
even as Christ loved the church, arid gave himself
for it ; that he might sanctify and cleanse it with the
washing of water by the word ; that he might pre-
sent it to himself a glorious church, not having
spot or wrinkle, or any such thing ; but that il
should be holy and without blemish." According
to this declaration Christ gave himself for the
church because he loved it, and because he loved
it he undertook to sanctify and cleanse it, that he
might free it from every spot arid wrinkle, and pre-
sent it to himself a glorious church. This same
Apostle says that Christ gave himself a ransom for
all men. All men are therefore of his church. His
church was unsanctified, unclean, full of spots and
wrinkles, and inglorious ; but by the ministration
of the word of life, he will sanctify and cleanse it.
But short of the completion of this work, he cannot
rest in his love. The uncleanness of human nature
was the reason why his love moved him to the min-
istration of his cleansing word, and as long as one
spot or wrinkle remains the washing must be con-
tinued ; but when sin is finished, when all shall
know the Lord from the least to the greatest, then
will that love which moved the Saviour to give
himself for us, afford a heaven of rest to him whose
soul travailed for man's salvation.
Our subject may be profitably contemplated by
applying it to the love which actuates the Christian's
heart ; and especially to the love which moves the
faithful minister of Jesus Christ to be vigilant in
his ministry. And here let us remark, that as Jesus
undertook the ministry of his grace from pure love
to sinners, so it is indispensably necessary that the
ministers of his word of life should have the same
love which moved their divine master to our re-
demption. If Jesus had had no love for mankind,
if he had been as strenuous for man's endless mise-
3915
ry as many appear to be in our day, he never would
have given himself for us. Remember the caution
which our Saviour observed with Peter. " Simon
Peter, lovest thou me ?'* being answered in the af-
firmative, says ; " feed my sheep." He did not say,
terrify and frighten my sheep ; but feed my sheep;
and Peter did most faithfully feed the sheep ; and
it was because of the love which he bore to the w
chief shepherd, and to the sheep. And this was
the case with the whole of that immortal band of
Apostles who went forth to feed the flock, which
Christ had purchased with his own blood, and to
wash the church with the washing of water by the
word. They laboured, they suffered, but they had
peace and rest. They rested in that triumphant
love which incited them to the work of the minis-
try. But this love could have given them no rest,
if it had not the power to promise success to their
labours.
For many centuries the ministry in the Christian
church has seemed to labour more to persuade peo-
ple into a belief of the general failure of the gospel
dispensation, than to inspire a hope that its success
will eventually correspond with the universal and
impartial love of the Saviour ; and though the
preachers have uniformly professed great love for
sinners, and a willingness to exert all their means
to prevent the everlasting ruin of souls, yet they
have as constantly insisted that they shall rejoice
in heaven to see the unconverted part of their con-
gregations in a state of hopeless misery ! But how
is this consistent with the idea of resting in their
love ? It is easy to conceive how the minister of
the word rests in his love to the people and to the
gospel, if he has the prospect bright before him, of
the final, full, and entire success of the ministry.
St Paul says ; " Having this ministry we faint not."
But what is the peculiar nature of this ministry
397
which caused the Apostles not to faint? See the
answer in the same Apostle's words ; " Who hath
made us able ministers of the IS'ew Testament, not
of the letter, but of the spirit ; for the letter killeth,
but the spirit giveth life." Possessing the love for
mankind which the Apostles evidently did, they
must have fainted if their ministry had been a min-
istry of death; but their ministry was a ministiy
of life, of righteousness, and reconciliation, in which
they laboured that they might " present every man
perfect in Christ Jesus."
The same spirit of love, which gives rest to the
faithful minister of the word of life, is the rest of ev-
ery true believer. It is acknowledged by all denom-
inations of Christians, that the spirit of Christ is the
spirit of love, and that this love extends to all man-
kind. With the different persuasions among us,
there is but one sentiment on this subject. All
Christian people profess to love the whole human
family, and to pray for the salvation of all. Now
since this is uniformly the case, let us ask, what rest
ean they have while exercising this generous love
and benevolence, and yet believing that millions
of their fellow creatures must inevitably, not only
be excluded the joys and peace of heaven, but be
the subjects of positive misery forever?
It is true we have been told the extravagant sto-
ry that the saints in heaven will rejoice forever in
the everlasting misery of the unconverted. We
have been told, that parents will rejoice in the sen-
tence of endless condemnation passed on their own
offspring in the eternal world ! But will this be
resting in love ? If parents have as much love for
their children in the next state as they have here,
will that love allow them to rest in heaven, while
their offspring are tortured in everlasting burnings?
No, allowing the doctrine of future endless misery,
those who rest must rest in eternal hatred ! but HI
hatred there is no rest.
398
My brethren, did you ever find rest in a spirit of
enmity ? in a disposition to rejoice in another's
misery ? Is it possible for unmerciful wrath to give
rest ? No, if we ever find rest either in this world
or in the next, it must be in love. And love, that
it may give rest, must have its vast desires accom-
plished.
What an unbounded field of glory and beauty
our subject presents to our rejoicing eyes ! The
vast, the unbounded, the incomprehensible love of
our heavenly Father,is-his eternal rest. After all his
judgments, after all his righteous indignation is ful-
filled on all his enemies, he will retain his unchange-
able love to all his offspring, and rest forever in
seeing all the desires of his universal, impartial love
fully accomplished.
Jesus, the mediator, who loved us and gave him-
self for us, shall see of the travail of his soul, and
be satisfied, shall see all the desires of his heart ac-
complished, shall have the heathen for his inheri-
tance and the uttermost parts of the earth for his
possession, and shall rest in his love for mankind
forever.
The Apostles of the Lamb, who following the
steps and the example of their divine master, loved
the human race, laboured in the ministry of right-
eousness, and reconciliation, suffered the loss of
all earthly things for the establishment and promo-
tion of the truth, shall see all the desires of their
love fulfilled, and rest in their love.
All the faithful successors of the Apostles, in the
ministry, who have been excited by the powerful
influences of the spirit of love, to fulfill their minis-
try, in the Lord Jesus, tp testify the gospel of the
grace of God, shall see all the desires of their love
fulfilled in the reconciliation of all things to God,
fhrough Jesus, and shall rest forever in their love.
Every true believer in Jesus, who Lath been
quickened by the spirit of the gospel, which is the
spirit of love, shall see the boundless desires of his
heart fulfilled in the subjection of every creature
in heaven and on earth, to the authority and love
of Christ, and shall forever rest in his love.
To conclude My friends, let us never seek rest
but in love. " Let not the sun go down upon your
wrath." " Let us love one another, for love is of
God." " He that loveth another hath fulfilled the
law."
No. 26.
LECTURE SERMON,
DELIVERED AT THE
SECOND UNIVERSALIST MEETING, IN BOSTON,
JULY 18, 1819.
BY HOSEA BALLOU, PASTOR.
Published Semi-Monthly by Henry Bowen, Congress-street.
MARK v. 31.
" Thou seest the vfiultitudt thronging thee, and sayesl thou, who touched
me .?"
THE occasion of these words was the following
circumstance. One of the rulers of the synagogue,
of the name of Jairus, came to Jesus, and falling
down at his feet, besought him most earnestly, say-
ing, " my little daughter lies at the point of death.
I pray thee come and lay thy hands upon her, that
she may be healed, and she shall live." The com-
passionate Saviour was moved at a petition which
flowed so directly from a parent's heart, and which
indicated such strong faith in his power to heal.
He immediately went with the afflicted father.
% No sooner was it known that he was going to heal
the sick child, than a great crowd of people follow-
ed and pressed hard upon him. They were, no
doubt, extremely anxious to be eye witnesses of the
miracle. In this vast concourse there was a woman,
who had been afflicted for twelve years with a dis-
tressing disorder, " and had suffered many things
of many physicians, and had spent all that she
had, and was nothing bettered, but rather grew
worse." This afflicted woman had lost all hopes
of recovery by the assistance of human aid ; indeed
51
401
she was poor and pennyless. Her little estate had
already passed over into the hands of her physicians,
who in room of doing her any good, had caused her
many painful sufferings. Destitute, alone and
friendless, a thought came into her mind, and it im-
mediately formed itself into a resolution accom-
panied with a perfect confidence, that if she could,
by any possible means, press through the crowd of
people so as to but touch the clothes of Jesus she
should be made whole.
It is scarcely possible to imagine a circumstance
more calculated to excite exertion than this. She
was, no doubt, a very feeble person, a great multi-
tude of people were crowding, and pressing to keep
close to Jesus that they might not miss of seeing the
miracle. The difficulty of getting through the
crowd was, no doubt, very great; but salvation
was so near and so desirable, that it invigorated
her feeble system to such a degree that her efforts
were availing. It is not unlikely that we may form
a pretty correct idea of the manner of this woman's
exertions on this occasion. She would naturally
direct her eyes toward Jesus and get a glimpse of
him as often as possible ; when it so happened that
she could, by the greatest exertion get before one
of the crowd, she never let the opportunity slip ;
one step gained was cautiously kept; she was care-
ful that no one should crowd her back ; she looked
well to her feet that they should not slide ; spake
not a word to any one lest she might miss an op-
portunity to advance ; the nearer she gets to the
prize the stronger and more active she grows, till
she eagerly reaches forth her hand and touches the
garment of the Saviour. She now realizes her
faith, her confidence has not deceived her, she is
made whole.
Though this woman did not once think that the
Saviour was apprehensive of her approach, we have
good reason to believe that he who knew the very
402
thoughts of men's hearts, who saw Nathaniel under
the fig-tree, knew her case, her faith and the efforts
she had made to come to him. Immediately after
this woman touched his garment, he turned himself
about in the press and, as if surprised that any one
should touch him, said, who touched my clothes ?
The disciples, being ignorant of the particular case,
and surprised that their master should ask who
touched him, when he had, for some time, been
pressed with the crowd of people all around him,
said to him, " thou seest the multitude thronging
thee, and sayest thou who touched me ?" Jesus
made them no reply, but cast his eyes round to see
her, who had done this thing, when the woman, fear-
ing and trembling, knowing what was done in her,
come and fell down before him, and told him all
the truth. And he said unto her, " daughter, thy
faith hath made the whole; go in peace, and be
whole of thy plague."
Our subject, as it now lies before us, seems to
suggest the following particulars for consideration.
I. What appertains to the subject of the power
of Jesus to heal the natural disorders of the human
body.
II. The consideration of this power as indicating
the moral excellency of the doctrine of Jesus, and
its efficacy in removing the moral and spiritual
maladies of mankind.
III. The similarity between the disorders of the
body and those of the mind.
IV. As there were no natural complaints that
were too malignant to be cured by the miracu-
lous power of Jesus, it seems to justify the infer-
ence that there are no cases of moral or spiritual
disorder, which are beyond the reach of the divine
efficacy of his grace.
V. The natural inducements which led the in-
firm to Jesus, may be used to represent those of
403
a moral nature which lead the rational mind to the
doctrine of Christ.
YJ. A noticeable difference in the motives of
people who crowd the places of public worship
where the healing doctrine of Jesus is preached, is
signified by the crowding multitude who pressed
continually on Jesus, and the special cause of the
woman's approach. And
VII. The resolution and perseverance of this
woman may be used in a way to encourage sinners
to come to Christ.
But that the hearer may not be troubled to re-
tain these particulars, the whole subject, we say,
is to be seen by examining it in a natural and mor-
al sense.
The miraculous power of Jesus was so manifest-
ed, that even his bitterest enemies did not pretend
to deny that miracles were wrought by him ; they
however, attributed that power to an evil demon,
or Beelzebub.
The miracles of Jesus were done in such a pub-
lic manner, and in such vast numbers, that not only
his keenest eyed enemies, who surely would have
been able to have detected any imposition on the
public, were fully convinced, but the thousands
who were healed of all manner of diseases, remain-
ing among the people of different parts of the
country, were living testimonies by which these
miracles were established, and the fame of the di-
vine physician sent abroad through every region.
Respecting these miraculous cures, it is of im-
portance to notice, that no partiality was ever
known to have any influence in the bestowment of
such favours; nor have we any account, that any
worthiness in the subject was ever inquired for, or
that any known unworthiness excluded any from
these mercies. In these particulars the miraculous
cures wrought by Jesus, bear the indubitable tnarks
of the true divinity. Had Jesus made any distinc-
404 v
tions, and had he healed some and refused to heal
others in the same condition, the use of his mira-
culous power would have exhibited infallible
marks ol the wisdom of this world, which has for
ages subverted the gospel of Christ, by teaching for
doctrine the vain tradition, that some only of the
human race were elected from all eternity unto
everlasting life, while the residue were by as early
a decree, reprobated from the divine favour for-
ever. But the blessed Jesus neither preached not-
practiced such a sentiment. Again, had the Sa-
viour been careful to confer his miraculous favours
according to character, had he minutely inves-
tigated the conduct of the infirm and sick and con-
fined his favours to the virtuous, he Would then
have given, by way of example, some support to
the doctrine of men, in which they have confined
the favor and mercy of God to the virtuous. But
Jesus said, " 1 am not come to call the righteous,
but sinners to repentance."
We have every reason necessary for believing,
that the gracious design of our heavenly Father, in
giving such power to Jesus, extended beyond the
temporal benefits received by those who were
healed of their infirmities. It is generally argued
by Christians, that the miracles of Jesus were de-
signed as evidences of his Messiahship or divine
mission ; and this we may safely believe, and yet
believe that the design extends still further. What
benefit, we may ask, is there in believing that Je-
sus was the Messiah? The answer is, that we may
receive him as a divine teacher, and believe in his
doctrine. But the inquiry does not end here.
What benefit is there in believing his doctrine ?
The answer is, a belief in his doctrine is a remedy
for the moral evil of our nature ; or in other words,
the doctrine of Jesus is a cure for all the disorders
of sin, and our belief in this doctrine is a mean of
ks healing effects in the mind. If the doctrine of
405
Jesus Christ were not possessed of this power, it
seems impossible to understand the great necessity
of its being propagated in our world.
The notion that this doctrine consists of a long
string of abstract articles of faith, which have been
written into human creeds, the belief of which is
proposed in the gospel as a condition of our being
made eternally happy in a future sfate, is so per-
fectly destitute of reason, and so foreign from the
nature of events which take place in the system of
causes and effects, that it is by no means entitled
to any share of our confidence.
The belief of the truth itself is of no other ad-
Yantage than its effects in delivering from sin; and
changing the mind into the divine image. The
miraculous cures wrought by the Saviour consist-
ed in removing the natural disorders of the human
body, so that the leper was cleansed, the deaf made
to hear, the blind to see, the lame to walk, and the
dead to live. And in all these cases the divine
efficacy of his doctrine was most plainly indicated.
For it is the knowledge of the divine and glorious
truths which compose his doctrine that cleanses from
-sin and moral defilement. God does not forgive
the wicked as a compensation for believing in cer-
tain tenets, but forgiveness of sin means no more
nor less than is expressed in the following words of
scripture ; " In that day there shall be a fountain
opened to the house of David, and to the inhabi-
tants of Jerusalem, for sin and uncleanness. Be-
hold the lamb of God which taketh away the sin of
the world. Who hath loved us, and washed us
from our sins in his own blood. That he might
sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by
the word. Though your sins be as scarlet they
shall be as white as snow ; though they be red like
crimson, they shall be as wool."
Between the disorders of the human body, and
those of the mind, there seems to be no small re-
406
semblance. Both are the natural productions of
the constitution of the creature, who was made
subject to vanity, not willingly, but by reason of
him who subjected the same in hope. Both are
promoted by the indulgence of appetites and pas-
sions, both become inveterate by habit. Natural
blindness and ignorance of divine things are so very
similar that the scriptures use the same word to
signify both, and the Saviour represents sinners by
those who are sick.
If the mind of the hearer has consented to the
idea that the miraculous cures performed by Jesus
on the bodies of people, were designed to indicate
the power of his grace to cleanse from sin and mor-
al defilement, we may proceed to consider one of
the most glorious truths, which the gospel was de-
signed to reveal. This great truth is seen in the
following argument. As there were no natural
disorders which were too stubborn for the miracu-
lous power of Jesus to remove, no demoniac so
raving that Jesus could not clothe him in his right
mind, none so strongly locked in the dark house of
death that he could not call them from thence, we
infer, that no degree or description of sin, however
chronical, however inveterate is beyond the power
of divine mercy to wash away.
We are informed that there was one instance of
a posssessed of a devil whose case was beyond the
power of the disciples of Jesus ; but Jesus cast him
out, and told the disciples that their unbelief was
the reason that they failed of this miracle. The
same may be the case with many even now, they
can find sins which they think cannot, be washed
away, but all this is owing to their unbelief.
The case of Lazarus was attended with peculiar
circumstances which may be profitably noticed in
the present argument. When Jesus advanced to-
ward the sepulchre, the weeping sister Martha ex-
claimed, " Lord, by this time he stinketh ; for he
407
hath been dead four days." Probably her thoughts
were the following. Hadst thou but come in sea-
son, such is thy power, thou rnightest have prevent-
ed my brother's death, or even after his breath bad
left his body, possibly hadst thou been here to ex-
ert thy power before corruption had begun its
work, the event might have been to the praise of
thy glorious power and to our consolation. But
the precious time is gone, the opportunity is lost,
four days have surely carried my brother beyond
the reach of thy restoring power. But notwith-
standing all this reasoning, at the words of Jesus,
" Lazarus, come forth," the dead was raised.
Like faithless Martha, many who profess to be
the disciples of Jesus, have made their calculations,
by which they have bounded Ihe grace of God, and
carried sinners of a certain character beyond those
limits. It is frequently the topic of our preachers,
to set forth, in the most lamentable language, the
awful situation of thousands and millions of their
fellow creatures, who, they say, will come short of
the divine mercy, through delay. Had they ex-
erted their powers in season, had they improved
their precious moments of probation, all would
have been well and the prize secure. But it is now
too late. The door of mercy is shut. And though
the poor wretched sinner would now give a thou-
sand worlds, if he had them, for one hour in which
he might repent, he is denied the privilege of re-
penting forever.
With such appalling language as this, and more
to the utmost stretch of imagination assisted by the
blindest enthusiasm, the feeble nerves and delicate
minds of women and children are terrified into a
kind of religious delirium. But surely one plain
testimony of divine truth removes all those gloomy
fears. " Where sin abounded, grace did much more
abound."
408
But it is not enough that we prove the proposi-
tion that, the grace of God revealed in the gospel
is sufficient to take away the sin of the world ; it is of
still greater consequence that the mind should un-
derstand the nature of this great truth. For this
kind of knowledge is that which changes the mind
from darkness to light, and delivers it from the
reigning power of sin to the Jove of holiness and to
the obedience of the just.
The doctrine of Jesus Christ reveals the divine
character to the understanding whereby the sinner
is brought to know God, whom to know is life eter-
nal; God is love, and love has the power to trans-
form the mind into its own image; God is justice,
and justice forms its own character in the heart of
its moral subject ; God is truth, and truth drives
out error and takes up its residence in the soul ;
God is holiness, and holiness washes out every stain
of sin, and implants in the mind a love to its divin-
ity. The sinner thus saved, thus delivered from
sin is made rationally happy in the enjoyment of
those moral perfections which are the natural ele-
ments of a moral being. All that can be termed
sinfulness is just as contrary to the health of the
soul, as disorders of the body are to the health of
the body. And all the salvation which a sick man
needs is to be delivered from his sickness, and all
the salvation a sinner needs is to be saved from his
sins.
The opinion that a time will ever come when it
will not be just in the nature of things for a sinner
to repent, embraces and necessarily implies the ab-
surdity that it will be just for the sinner to continue
in sin!
But the common doctrine of the church contends
that if men do not repent of their sins in this life,
they will not be allowed the privilege of repenting
in a future state, and therefore must remain sinful
forever. Now all these notions are the offpring of
52
imagination, and have no foundation in reason nor
in the scripture of truth. The gospel was sent into
this world for the purpose of reforming mankind,
and reconciling the nations to God. It was need-
ed here, because it is here that men are sinners. If
it could be proved that the next state of existence
is one subject to these moral infirmities, what rea-
son can there be offered that their remedy will not
be found in that state as well as in this. We have
physicians and medicine in this mortal state, and it
is thought by some that there are medicines in ev-
ery climate sufficient for the disorders of that cli-
mate. Now if the next state be incident to sick-
ness and disorders, what reason can there be offer-
ed that there will not be physicians and suitable
medicines in that state to cure those disorders?
When the great physician of souls was here on
earth, he was never known to shun a place because
sickness or wickedness was there. He, no doubt,
knew that legions possessed the man in the country
of the Gadarines, yet he went there, and there he
cast out the devils ; and if on the other side of
death legions of demons possess men no doubt Je-
sus will in due time cast them out.
The hearer is cautioned against supposing that
we allow that the next state will be subject to sick-
.ness or to sin ; we distinctly say that the evidence
of this is wanting both in scripture and reason.
As the inconveniences of sickness and disorder
are sufficient to induce the patient to apply to a
physician, so the painful infelicities of sin are the
proper inducements to apply to the spiritual phy-
sician, whose doctrine is amply efficacious in re-
moving our sins from us. The supposition that has
taken the lead of the minds of religious people,
that it would be desirable to live in sin in this world,
if it were not that it is so offensive to God, that he
will punish them forever hereafter to show his re-
sentment, is one of the most pernicious deceptions
410 .
that ever darkened the understanding; of mankind.
This deception is the means of continuing people
in the love of sin. They long to live in it, and
would without restraint, were it not for this system
of fear. But it has been fully proved that this ter-
ror is no real security to a virtuous life. Those who
are the strongest advocates for this doctrine of tor-
menting men in another world, because they hav 7 e
been sinners here, are, in general, as wicked men as
any other class. It is true they endeavour to be
more secret in the practice of vice, but this only
adds the wickedness of hypocrisy to the rest of
their sins. These remarks are by no means di-
rected against any particular denomination, they
are designed for general application. The fact is,
if men are really virtuous, they are so from the love
they have for the moral principles of our common
nature ; and we are happy to find some of this des-
scription among all denominations and in every
cJass of citizens.
It would be most glaringly absurd for one to tell
a sick man languishing with distressing pain, that as
there is no penal law by which any punishment can
be inflicted on him for being sick, he had better not
send for a physician, nor give himself any trouble
about recovering his health. A patient who should
be treated with such communication would surely
think himself trifled with. If one who knew the sit-
uation of the woman, who pressed through the
crowd to reach the garment of Jesus, had told her,
that no punishment would be inflicted on her if she
did not go to him, and therefore she might indulge
in the pleasures of her disorder, would she have
supposed the person serious ? But this would have
been no more absurd than it is to tell sinners, that
if there be no everlasting damnation in the eternal
world for their sins in this, they may indulge in all
the pleasures of sin. As sin is a disorder it cer-
tainly deprives of happiness, and plunges the sinner
41J
into misery ; and if there be any propriety in urg-
ing those who are sick to apply to a physician,
there certainly is the same propriety in urging sin-
ners to come to Christ, that is, to come to his doc-
trine, to his truth, to his spirit. And the language
of the Redeemer's invitation is most reasonable ;
" Come unto me all ye who labour and are heavy
laden, and I will give you rest."
The motives which influenced the multitude,
who thronged Jesus as he went to the house of Jai-
rus, were no doubt various. Some probably, saw
Jesus now for the first time, and were highly incit-
ed with the hope of seeing a miracle wrought. Per-
haps others were his bitter enemies, and were on
the look out to discover some fraud or deception
in the man. Some went in the crowd because oth-
ers were going, and they went for the sake of the
company. Some no doubt went froin the laudable
motive of giving their countenance and support to
the divine teacher in whom they most sincerely be-
lieved. Some very likely were there who had ex-
perienced the healing power of the Redeemer, and
were rejoiced to have an opportunity of seeing a
miracle of mercy again performed. But among
the whole there was one distressed woman whose
mind was far from speculative contemplations.
She was impelled to press through the crowd that
she might be healed of her own infirmity.
As it was with the multitude, who, on various oc-
casions thronged our Saviour in the days of his
ministry on earth, when some for one motive and
some for another joined those vast assemblies, so,
no doubt, it is with those who now assemble where
the healing doctrine of Jesus is preached. Some
from curiosity, some from habit, some from fash-
ion, some to keep the company of others, some we
hope go because they love the words of everlasting
life, and now and then one, perhaps, who feeling
the infirmity of their own sinful heart, go with a
412
determination to press through every obstacle and
come to Jesus, who is the way, the truth, and the
life; who is the fountain opened for sin and un-
cleanness.
While delivering this course of lectures your
servant has often thought of the possible motives
which occasioned such uncommon assemblies to
crowd every part of this house, and a hope has been
entertained that among the many, a few, at least,
were striving to find him of whom Moses in the
law, and the prophets did write. A fervent desire
has been exercised that the doctrine of our blessed
Redeemer might be held up to the view of the
hearers, that they might reach forth the hand of
faith and lay hold on the hope which is set before
them.
Being taught by the Saviour, we did not indulge
in an expectation that the word of truth would be
received and kept by all who heard it. Jesus re-
presented the success of his own preaching by the
instructive parable of the sower, who went forth to
sow ; t6 and as he sowed some seeds fell by the way-
side, and the fowls came and devoured them up.
Some fell upon stony places, where they had not
much earth ; and forthwith they sprang up, because
they had no deepness of earth, and when the sun
was up they were scorched ; and because they
had no root they withered away. And some fell
among thorns ; and the thorns sprang up and choked
them. But others fell into good ground, and brought
forth fruit, some an hundred fold, some sixty fold,
some thirty fold." If such has been the success of
those feeble efforts made to propagate the gospel
of the kingdom in this place, surely we have reason
to be thankful to the Lord of the vineyard. If
while the enemies of the word have, like the birds
in the parable, taken away that which was sown in
the heart, if while the spirit of persecution agitating
the tongue of censure has caused many to shrink
413
from a steady perseverance in what they gladly
received, if while the cares of the world, the deceit-
fulness of riches, and the lust of other things have,
like thorns, sprang up and choked the word in
some, others have received it in good and honest
hearts, have retained the precious grain, and
brought forth fruit to the honour of God, our la-
bours have not been in vain, our exertions are
amply rewarded.
This last, of the course of lectures proposed for
publication, in its conclusion, will call on all who
hear, to form the resolution which enabled the wo-
man to press through the crowd and come to Jesus,
and come to him likewise. That is, that you strive
to the utmost of your well directed abilities and
means to come to the knowledge of the Saviour's
doctrine.
Is it not the case with many, as it was with the
woman, have you not spent much and suffered ma-
ny things of those " physicians of no value," who
have endeavoured to heal you with the doctrines
and commandments of men ? arid do you not find
that after all you are none the better? Have you
found peace in believing that our heavenly Father
has elected some to everlasting life, and reprobated
the rest to endless woe? Have you found that all
your plague is healed by fancying that you are
elected unto life eternal, while your companions
and children may be devoted to everlasting sor-
row ? Can such medicine as this make you perfect-
ly whole. No, but in the bitterness of your souls,
when you look on your little ones, and believe that
they are exposed to endless ruin, you cry out as
Abraham did, " O that Ishmael might live before
the Lord." Come then, my friends, to the peace-
ful doctrine of Jesus, who took little children in his
arms and blessed them, and said, " of such is the
kingdom of heaven." O the peace there is in be-
414
lieving this testimony ? It overcomes the plague of
unbelief, and fills the heart with joy.
Can you find any real relief from the power of a
carnal heart, by believing that your immortal state
depends on your own good works in this imperfect
state ? Do you feel whole from all your plagues
by believing in this prevailing doctrine which rests
the weight of eternity on the imperfect works of
mortality and time ? This doctrine of human con-
trivance, always associates the " heart-chilling"
doctrine of endless misery for those who come
short of their duty, with every pleasing prospect
of a world of joy for those who by their good
works win the immortal prize. This doctrine as
well as that of election and reprobation makes an
eternal separation between those of the most en-
dearing connexions on earth. Why is there so
much mourning, so much gloominess on the coun-
tenances of those who hope to gain immortal glory
by their works I Is it because they have pressed
through the superstitions of the church and caught
hold of the garment of the Saviour 1 No, this
is not the case. They have endeavoured to mend
their own garments, and they find the rent is
continually growing worse. Let such come to
to the Saviour's doctrine, and believe that the gift
of God is eternal life, and they shall find peace in
believing and joy in the Holy Ghost.
Nothing short of that which God has implanted
in the soul can satisfy the mind. The apostle says ;
the word is nigh thee, even in thy heart and in thy
mouth, the word of faith which we preach. This
word of faith is the gift of God, which is eternal
life in Jesus ; and nothing short of this can satisfy
the mind. While we oppose this principle we op-
pose our own happiness;, and while we shut one
individual of the human family away from this
word of life, we bring death to our own souls in so
doing.
415
Some are embarrassed with one doctrine and
some with another, that they are prevented from
coming to the doctrine of Jesus. Many, very many,
are striving to feed on the husks that the unclean
eat, and neglect to come to Christ. The vanities
of youth, the pride and fashions of the age keep
thousands back from coming to the purifying reli-
gion of Jesus ; and yet his willing, his gracious arms
are extended, as in the last day, that great day of
the feast, when he stood and cried, " If any man
thirst let him come to me and drink."
To conclude My Christian friends, I feel it my
duty as well as a pleasure, when I reflect on the
more than ordinary attention which you have paid
to these lectures, and the liberal patronage with
which you have favoured their publication, to ten-
der you my most grateful acknowledgments. And
while I am constrained deeply to regret that my
labours should come so short of the great subjects
^\n which I have treated, I humbly prostrate my
soul before God, and implore his forgiveness in
every particular wherein I have erred through ig-
norance or infirmity ; and earnestly entreat that
these feeble efforts may be attended with the bles-
sing of him who fed thousands of men, women and
children with so small a portion. And to his name
alone be all the glory. AMEN.
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