:^ •as:' . X .\\'.vrv REASONS FOR OUR HOPE: COMPRISING UPWARDS OF A THOUSAND SCRIPTURAL EVIDENCES, DIRECT, ILLUSTRATIVE, AND COLLATERAL, OF THE DOCTRINE OF THE FINAL SALVATION OF ALL THE HUMAN FAMILY: DEMONSTRATING THE BIBLE TO BE A UNIVERSALIST BOOK: THE SELECTIONS BEING CLASSIFIED CNDER A SERIES OF FIFTY DISTINCT PROPOSITIONS, VARIOUSLY EXPRESSIVE OF «' THE COMMON SALVATION." CONSIDERABLY ILLUSTRATED WITH CRITICAL, CONTROVERSIAL, AND PRACTICAL REMARKS j TOGETHER WITH SCRIPTURAL ANSWERS TO SEVERAL POPULAR OBJECTIONS. BEING ANOTHER TESTIMONY AGAINST THE SACRELIGIOU8 AND TRADITIONARY ERRORS PREVALENT IN THE CHRISTIAN CHURCH. BY J. VICTOR WILSON. 'Be ready always to give an Answer to every man that askelh you a Rbasok OP THE Hope that is in you, with meekness and fear.' — St. Peter. 'Lei the word of Christ dwell in you richly, in all wisdom.'— Col. iii. 16. 'Pray that the word of the Lord may have free cotrRSE, and be glorified.' — i Theas. iii. 1. 'Rightly dividing the Word op Truth.' — 2 Tim. ii. 15. 'Open Thou mine eyes, lliat I may behold wondrous things out of Thy Law.' — Pa. cxix. 18. BOSTON: PUBLISHED BY THOMAS WHITTEMORE, 37 CORNHILL. C. L. STICKNEY, 140 Fulton-St., New-York. J. H. GIHON, 113 Chesnut-St., Philad. J. A. GURLEY, Cincinnati. 1846. Enlered according to Act of Congress, in the Year 1846, BY J. VICTOR WILSON, In the Clerk's Office of the District Court of Massachusetts. CONTENTS. Preface, ..... 9 Introduction, — (composed in Scripture language,) 13 — 26 ARGUMENTS FROM THE DIVINE DISPOSITION. Proposition \. Universal Salvation the DESIRE of God. It is the Desire, aisO; of all good men, of Christ, and of the Angels. This Desire shall be universally realized. Free Agency Objection answered, 27 41 Prop, II. Universal Salvation is the PURPOSE of God. This Purpose shall be fully accomplished. Objection answered, .... ^j ^^ Prop. III. Universal Salvation the WILL of God. The Divine Will shall prevail. Objection answered, 55 Q5 Prop. IV. Universal Salvation the PROMISE of God. This Promise shall be completely fulfilled. Conditionality Objection answered, - - . (55 75 Prop. V. The Apostles recognized this PnoMisE op the Patriarchal- Covenant, as one of the main pillars of Gospel Faith. Objection answered, - 76 g^ Prop. VI. God has Sworn an OATH, in confirmation of His Promise. This Oath shall surely be performed, 87— S9 Prop. VII. God has issued a COMMAND for Universal Salvation. All the Commandments of God certain of ultimate obedience. Argument for Universal Salvation from THE Law of God. Objection answered, 90 100 Prop. VIII. Universal Salvation the PLEASURE of God. The Divine Pleasure shall be fully consummated. Ob- jection answered, - - . 101 106 IV CONTENTS. FROM THE OFFICES OF CHKIST, AND NATUKE OF THE GOSPEL. Prop. IX. Universal Salvation was the Object of Christ's Mission. His Object cannot fail, 106 — 110 Prop. X, The Death of Cliri^sl was for Universal Salva- tion. His atonement will be effectual for the Redemption of All, .... 111—113 Peop. XI. All Mankind the Body and Possession of Christ. He shall retain, preserve, and redeem, all his purchased Possession, - - 113 — 116 Prop. XII. Mankind a Universal Brotherhood, who are all, without Distinction, included in the scheme of Re- demption, . - - - no — 118 Prop. Xlll. All Men are Sinners. Salvation shall be co-extensive with Sinfulness, - 119 — 121 Prop. XIV. Eternal Blessedness is not of works, but of the iujpnrtial Grace of God. The Grace of God shall efleclually accomplish Universal Salvation, 121 — 124 Prop. XV. Salvation not the Reward of superior merit, but the Gift of God. It is a Free, Universal Gift, and not an offer, merely, but a Gift that shall he realized hy All, .... 125—128 Prop. XVI. The Church of Chuist shall eventually be- come Universal, - - - 129 — 131 Prop. XVII. All shall ultimately Serve and Adore the Lord, - - - 131—134 Prop. XVIII. All shall finally be Subdued and Reconcil- ed to God, through Christ, - - 134 — 137 J*rop. XIX. Christ shall Reipn until All shall come lo Repentance and Salvation from Sin, 138 — 141 Prop. XX. All who Need to be delivered from the thral- dom of Evil, shall be Saved, - - 142—144 Prop. XXI. As many as have fallen through Adam, shall be Restored by Christ, - - 144 — 146 Prop. XXII. All the Jews shall inherit Salvation, 147 Prop. XXIIl. All the generations of the Gentiles shall come to the knowledge of the Truth, - 148 Prop. XXIV. All the Material Creation shall eventually CONTENTS. V be glorified, which is typical of the universal purification of the Spiritual, ... 149 — 151 FROM THE EXTINCTION OF ALL EVILS. Prop. XXV. SIN shall finally be destroyed. The Dev- il, — Temptation, shall be annihilated, 151 — 156 Prop. XXVI, Sorrow and Pain shall be put away, 156 Prop. XXVII. Ignorance and Error shall be turned into Universal Truth and Knowledge, - 157 — 158 Prop. XXVIII. Death, natural and moral, shall be swal- lowed up of spiritual Life and Immortality, 159 — 161 Prop. XXIX. Hell shall be overcome and abolished. Conjectures concerning Hades as an Intermediate State. 161—167 FROM THE TRIUMPH OF GOOD OVER EVIL. Prop. XXX. The Lord is as solicitous for the Salvation of His creatures after DEATH, as before, - 16S — 171 Prop. XXXI, The work of Salvation shall continue to go on, as long as Sin shall exist, - 171 — 173 Prop. XXXII. The Resurrection shall glorify the whole human family, every man in his own order, in the like- ness of Christ and the Angels, - 173 — 178 Prop. XXXIII. Divine Punishments are Parental, merciful. Reformatory, They are sure. They are never meted by proxy to other than the transg-ressor. They are speed- ily awarded. Appertain to the place and time where sin is. Are ]\\?,\\'^ proportional to offences. Are for human sake, because our sinning cannot injure God. Are sub- duing, melting, reconciling, — not retaliative, cruel, or useless, - - - 179—193 Prop. XXXIV. Evil was ordained by Divine Wisdom to exist for a season, as a means for the attainment of high- er good. God overrules all evil for good. Objection stated and answered in language of Scripture, 194 — 200 CONTENTS. FROM THE DIVINE ATTRIBUTES. Prop. XXXV. Universal Redemption the fruit of God's in(inite(JooDXESs, - - - 200—20.3 Pi-op. XXXVI. Universal Redemption the result of infi- nite Mkkcy, - - - 201—208 Prop. XXXVIl. Universal Rcdeinplion the Consequence ofintinite Justice. Argument for the same, comprised in a nnmeroas class of Scriptures concerning the Great, Spiritual, Messianic Day of Judgment, established at the commencement of Christ's King-dom ; in which he shall continue to reign and rule, until All shall be Sub- dued unto him, - - - 208—217 Prop. XXXVill. Universal Redemption the aim of infinite Wisdom. . _ . - 217—222 Prop. XXXIX. Universal Redemption the effect of infi- nite Power. - - - 222—225 Prop. XL. Universal Redemption follows from the Om- nipresence of God, - - 225 — 226 Prop. XLI. Universal Redemption deduced from the in- finite Truth of God, under four heads, viz: Faithful- ness, Impartiality , Veracity, and Unchangeability, 227—232 Prop. XLII. Universal Redemption the issue of infinite Holiness, - - - 232—233 Prop. XLI II. Universal Redemption the achievement of infinite Love, ... 233 — 235 FROM the divine RELATIONS TO MAN. Prop. XLIV. As the Universal CREATOR, God will be the Redeemer of All, - - 235—237 Prop. XLV. As the Universal FATHER, He is the Friend, and will be the Saviour of All, 238-240 Prop. XLVI. As the Universal GOVERNOR, God will ultimatelv triumph over all evil, - 240 — 243 Prop. XLVII. The Lord is a PHYSICIAN, REFINER, and PURIFIER for All the souls of Men, 244—249 CONTENTS. VM THREE COLLATERAL ARGUMENTS, Prop. XLVIII. The Elect are the Earnest and First- Fruits of the final Ingathering of All Things in Christ, 250—254 Prop. XLIX. The highest Moral Precepts of the Chris- tian Religion are only in harmony with the sentiment of Universal and Eternal Grace, - 254 — 259 Prop. L. The dogma of Endless Sin and Misery is lit- erally CONTRADICTED in the Scriptures, 260 — 261 MISCELLANEOUS. A UmvERSALisT Creed, written by St. Paul, Minister of the Everlasting Gospel, - - 262 Table of the Scriptural expressions of Universality, (80,) with references to the places where they afTord the direct and inferential Proofs of Universal Redemption, 263—269 Chapter of Bible Statistics. - - 270 — 272 Paucity and weakness of the assumed Scriptural grounds of Endless Misery, - - - 273—284 Scriptural Demonstration of the frequent limited significa- tion of the Words 'Forever,^ ^Everlasting,' <^c. 285 — 293 Comparison of the three grand systems of Theology which divide the Christian Church, — Calvinism, Arminianism, and Universalism, ... 294 — 312 PREFACE. The Destiny of Mankind, — a theme supremely vast, immensely important, and • universally interesting, — is the subject upon which this humble messenger would fain pre- tend to impart an additional measure of instruction, hope, and consolation, to those who aspire to the blessed realms of immortality. Yet it claims to be no unerring guide, or ora- cle of truth, concerning so lofiy a theme. Its message is but second-hand, and therefore may often fail to speak the words of wisdom. It hath itself been taught by another, but that, — a teacher from whom it is impossible that any learner shall go away unenriched, — even the Sacred Book or God. If thou would'st therefore know still more, dear reader, and yet more surely, concerning this propitious subject, go to, thyself, with the assurance that this source of know'edge is not so easily exhausted of its treasures, and study of that which is able to teach the wisest of the wise. This is another of those books which have originated in the necessities of private convenience ; in the compilation of which, before half completed, the subject grew more and more fertile, attendant with a corresponding augmentation of pleasure and profit, until the usefulness which it afforded to its progenitor, induced the desire and purpose of placing its conceived advantages in the possession of others. The Scriptural Argument for Universal Salvation, — that PREFACE. sentiment which is engaging the affections, the zeal, and becominof the fondest theme, of so many philanthropic souls, — is confessedly, the most important and the most formi- dable department of our defence. And it is by this, chiefly, and most effectually, that we must expect to conquer. Be- lievers in the opposite doctrines, who have been carefully taught from earliest infancy, to love and reverence the Holy Scriptures, cannot have their prejudices and misgivings against the truth of an Impartial God of Salvation, entirely dissipated, until they are shown how thoroughly that doc- trine is sustained in the Bible, and how utterly insufficient is the evidence which is drawn from the Bible to establish so contrary a gospel as Endless Misery. With such believ- ers, the most eloquent and logical appeals to the mind and conscience, are of no avail in comparison with a pointed and palpable testimony drawn from that Book, which is highest in their affections, and the standard of their reason. A book or other writing in favor of Universal Salvation, is greatly more apt to receive a hearing from the cunilid uf our opposers, if it be plentifully fortified with Scripture. This consideration was one inducement tc the preparation of a work like the present, which is designed to exhibit in a peculiar and especial manner, a connected scries of the Reasons for our Hope, that may be perspicuously drawn from the Scriptures. Many other incomparable treatises on the distinguishing doctrine of our Faith, have been pub- lished, which are built up, body and soul, upon the Bible. Yet we have a confidence, that a succinct, separate, and full presentation of the purely Scriptural grounds of our doctrine, is an essential work ; that the arrangement of this book will oe PREFACE. XI not be found to cover entirely pre-occupied ground ; and that some such classification as is herein adopted, is calculated to bring together a greater phalanx of solid proof, and in a more complete and forcible manner, than the promiscuous way in which the Scriptural Evidences of Universalism are most generally exhibited. With regard to the opinions on points of doctrine minor to the main question, which this work av iws, we cannot affirm that the whole Denomination, or even the majority, is always represented. Universalists, like other Protes- tant persuasions, have well defined the principles upon which they must agree, in contradistinction to those upon which they may differ. Free-Agency is the chief of va- riable questions, in all systems of divinity ; and with res- pect to this, we have had much occasion in the course of our book, to declare convictions of the Calvinistic order, which probably agrees with the largest half of our de- nominational mind, on this perplexing subject; for it is well known that there are Calvinistic and Arminian Universa- lists, as well as Calvinistic and Arminian Endless Miseri- aiis, — though that nominal distinction is not usually recog- nized. The former have always the strongest mass of Scripture at their command ; the latter are most distin- guished for their superior skill in the department of philo- sophical reasonings and metaphysics. If the former are the most lucid, definite, matter-of-fact. Scriptural, and vehement advocates of Universalism, and entertain the most practical views of religion, — the latter are perhaps the most learned, profound, speculative, and spiritual. With the latter body of Universalists, the Unitarian Denomination, as far as the dogma of Eternal Evil is discarded, is identical. And jai PBEFACE. this fact impresses us with a strong presentiment, that at no very distant period in the future, these two larp^e and assim- ilating branches of Christendom will be joined in one, but respectively recognised as Calvinistic and Arminian Universalists. And we take this occasion to remark, that although all Universalists possess a bias more or less fixed, for either the Calvinistic or the Arminian plan for Universal Salvation to be accomplished, and although that doctrine is equally tenable and consistent from either class of princi- ples ; yet it is so utterly beyond the stretch of human wis- dom to determine where the truth ends and the error begins, in each, — to define the true connection and dependence of what is truth in both, — that it is impossible to find a Calvin- istic Universalist who will not often unconsciously speak the native tongue of Arminianism ; or an Arminian Uni- versalist who will not necessarily, upon occasion, give utter- ance to sentiments that more appropriately belong to Calvin- ism. And this is just as true of Orthodox Calvinists and Arminians, as Universalist. Let no one, for literary criticism, open this book, that is of so unclassical a kind, that has for its object so different a thing than the gratification of taste, — even the elevation of the mortal conceptions and affections concerning realities divine. Let it be read in search for gems of truth, not for gems of thought, and we have a trust that the reader may be not altogether disappointed in the pursuit. Pass indul- gently over mere errors of word, and seek to detect errors of principle. Remember that the Bible, and not belles-lettres is our theme ; and then make the maxims and deductions of that precious Volume the criterion by which to pass sen- PREPAO& XUl tence upon it ; but not the conventional delicacies of proso- daic science. Tlie Poetical Selections with which each chapter of our book is accompanied, though they were mainly inserted for the j-urpose of relieving the monotony of Scripture extracts, we value not as the least considerable in importance of this work's contents. While they are not all truly poetical, nor always well adapted to the subjects with which we have associated them, yet we are sure that the most of them are of such a character, and especially those which have been derived from the Parnassian wealth of Bailey's 'Festus,' confessedly the grandest poetical production of our age, — we are sure that our readers will prize the possession of these extracts more than volumes of expositor)? prose, of which species of matter it was one design of these selec- tions to take place. It will be observed that we have quo- ted none but which express the high sentiments of Univer- salism, and from but few authors who have been interes- ted in nominal Universalism. The variety and eminence of these authors, together with the character of the citations, well illustrate the following remark of Mr. Sawyer : — " The genius of all true poetry is essentially congenial with Universalism. "* * The spirit of poetry is the spirit of beauty and love, caught by the poet's eye in every thing. He sees a Divine hand every where ; he traces a Father's love in all the ways of Providence. And it is one of the conditions of a lofty poetical mind, that it beholds so much wisdom and goodness in all God's works and wajifci" as to feel a divine confiderce in it.'"^ The chief proposition with which we have begun this •Rev. T. J. Sawter's 'Endlees Punishment,' p. 59-60. XtV PR4FACB. work, namely, that The Bible is a Universalist Book, may be very startling^ to some, and very shocking especially to thousands who have been taught to believe that Universa- lism is every thing wicked and abominable, and nothing that is good. By this general proposition, we mean to as- sert that the Bible clearly and abundantly contains the principles and theory of Univers?)>ism ; that it comprises no doctrines which are opposite to, or inconsistent with, the Univcrsalian religion or philosophy; that its prime Author, the Holy Spirit, and its instrumental authors, the prophets and apostles, were ever actuated in its revelation, by the influence of those two great, all-comprising truths of our Faith, the Universal Fatherhood of God, — the Universal Brotherhood of Man. Who will not confess the perfect propriety of calling that a Universalist Book, which so profusely teaches us of a Universal Creator, a Universal Father, a Universal Governor, a Universal Redeemer, a U niversal Familyhood, a Universal Gospel, a Universal, Omnipresent Spirit, a Universal Resurrection, a Universal Re-Creation, a Universal Salvation, a Universal Subjection, a Universal Adoration, a Universal prevalence of Good, a Universal extermination of Evil, a Universal Law of Love, Universal sinfulness and unbelief, a Universal Judgment, a Universal Repentance and Reconciliation, a Universal Church, a Universal Gift, a Universal Atonement, Univer- sal Grace, Universal Goodness and Mercy, and a Universal Blessedness? And of all this, besides a great deal more, dofve expect to convince the candid reader, in the course of our book, by plain presentations of the Scripture testimony. To conclude this subject, we will make one more observa- PREFACE. XV tion, which we address particularly to the believer of Par- tial Salvation. Suppose the advocates of Endless Misery- were in possession of a Divine Revelation, which should leach them with the clearness of light, that the disposition of God towards His creatures was such, the He had no De- sire, Purpose, Will, or Pleasure, that all, but only a part, should be saved ; that Christ came not to save, nor to die for, all, but a part only ; that the ministration of the Spirit of Grace is for a part of mankind, exclusively ; that the eternal Love, and Goodness, and Mercy of God, only em- brace n moiety, but not the mass, of human kind ; that Justice is an attribute of damnation, and that "Wisdom, and Holiness shall be glorified by eternal damnation, as well as by eternal redemption ; that all Punishment is in the future life, that it is never remedial, merciful, and disciplinary, but absolutely endless as God's own being; that the devil and his works, that sin, that pain and anguish, that ignorance, unbelief, and imperfection, that death and hell, shall all be sustained and continued as long as God, goodness, happi- ness, knowledge, and salvation ; that millions shall never repent, or become morally subject unto God, nor ever serve and worship him ; that salvation is wrought only in this world, and if not obtained here, that God will at death aban- don the soul forever; that God created a hell in the begin- ning, and fixed endless torments the penalty of sin at the dawn of creation ; and superadded to all this, suppose that Revelation to be filled with infinitely profound lamentations of the Lord, that the creature wills of myriads shall eternally prevail against His own, and nullify the intentions and de- sires of His nature ; that Evil is an unconquerable princi- ple, and the King of Evil an immortal King, whose mischief XVi PREFACE. never shall be remedied, whose booty never can be rcgairt- ed ; — suppose, I say, that the doctrine of endless woe wa^' distinctly declared in this Revelation in all this variety of aspect and phraseology', — and moreover, that it flowed as naturally from sound reason, and from the teachings of na- ture, as from the revealed attributes and course of Provi- dence, — then would not endless misery be nndo7ihtedly the truth, and would not that Revelation be An Orthodox' Book ? The answer is a unanimous Yea ! Well, then, if in the course of this volume we succeed in proving exactly* the reverse of each one of these particulars, with respect \6 our own Revelation, will you not fairly concede the same thing to Universalism, namely, that the Bible is a Univer- iolist Book ? INTRODUCTION. 'Come now, and let us reason together.' 'Let us choose to ourselves wliat is right ; let us know among ourselves what is good.' Let us 'judge even of ourselves vv^hat is right ;' let us 'Prove all things, and hold fast that which is Good/ Let us 'Believe not every spirit, but try the spirits, whether they are of God — [worthy of Him, and in accordance with His creation, providence, and word,] — because many False Prophets are gone out into the world.' 'The wisdom of this world is foolishness with God,' and 'is earthly, sensual, devilish.' 'But the wisdom that is from above, is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, and easy to be entreated, full of mercy and good fruits, without paktiality, and without hypocrisy.' 'The simple believeth every word ; but the prudent man looketh well to his going ; a wise man feareth and departeth from wrong.' 'The simple inherit folly ; but the prudent are crowned with knowledge.' 'Every prudent man dealeth with knowledge.' 'Beware lest any man spoil you through [pretencive] philosophy and vain conceit, after THE TRADITION OF MEN, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ.' 'What saith the Scripture V 'To the law and to the Testimony, [then ;] if they speak not according to this word, it is because there is no light in them.' 'Lo ! this that we have searched out is true ; hear it, and know thou it for thy A 14 INTRODUCTION. good.' 'I think myself happy because I shall answer for myself this day touching all the things whereof we are ac- cused.' *'I would seek unto God, and unto God would I commit my cause.' '0 that I might speak to the Almighty ; and I would have confidence in arguing my cause before God. For truly, ye are forgers of sophisms ! — Physicians of no value, all of you ! O, that ye would be entirely silent, and it would be to your wisdom ! Hear, I pray you, my reasoning, and attend to the arguments of my lips. Would ye speak falsely for God ? for Him will ye utter fallacy ? Do ye flatter yourselves that ye can deceive Him or evade His searching, as man deceiveth his fellow man ? Surely He will rebuke you if ye secretly have respect to persons. Should not His excellency restrain you, and His majesty fill you with awe ? Your remembrances of Him are as the light ashes, and your conceptions as the rotten clay. — Hold peace, and let me speak, and then let anything come upon me ! In regard to this, I will take my flesh in my teeth and my life in my hand, — yea, though He slay me, yet will I trust in Him ; I will still vindicate my cause before Him, and He also shall be my salvation. Attentively hear my words, and to my doctrine give ear. Behold, now, I have set in order my cause, I know that I shall be justified. Who is he that will plead with me ? for I shall guide my tongue, and in the truth I will give up the ghost.' 'If it be *In many of these passagps from the book of Job, the improved translation of Mr. Barnes ia chiefly followed, in preference to the Bometimes less ex- pressive construction of the common text. It may be aH well also 10 observe here, that the renderings of quite a number of passn^jes cited in the course of this work, are, upon the best authorities, varied from the Elundard King James' version; though in general, and on the whole, Uni- versalists are no more at variance with the venerable English Bible as it is, than, and in some cases not hall so much, as, other pergiiasions. INTRODUCTION. ^^ not true now, who will confute me, and show my argument to be worthless V 'If thou can'st, answer me ; set thy words in array before me, — stand firm ." 'Produce your cause ; bring forth your strong reasons. Let them bring them forth, and show us what shall happen. Let them show the former things what they be, that we may consider them, and know the latter end of them ; and declare to us things to come, and show the things that are to come hereafter, that we may knotv that ye are gods.' 'Teach me, and I will hold my tongue ; and cause me to understand wherein I have erred.' 'But I beheld, and there was no man ; even among them there was no counsellor, that when I asked of them could answer a word ! Behold, they are all vanity !' •MENE : God hath numbered thy kingdom and finished it. TEKEL : Thou art weighed in the balances and art found wanting.' ' Therefore we both labor and suffer reproach : because we trust in the Living God ; who is the Saviour of All Men, especially of those who believe' [Him thus to be, for their salvation is already entered upon.] But, 'Charity beareth all things, believeth all things [that appertain to the Gospel of Glad Tidings,] hopeth all things, endureth all things.' 'And we have also a more sure word of proph- ecy whereunto ye do well that ye take heed, as unto a light that shineth in a dark place, until the day dawn, and the day-star arise in your hearts ; knoioing this first, that No Prophecy of Scripture is of any private, [selfish, limited,] INTERPRETATION.' 'The Weapons of our warfare are not carnal, [appealing to the fears, prejudices, ignorance, weak- nesses, and passions, rather than to the intelligence, moral impulses, and finer feelings of the soul,] but mighty, through 16 INTRODUCTION. God, to the pulling down of strong-holds ; casting down imagi7iations, and every high thing that exaltelh itself against t?ie knowledge of God.' 'For God hath not given tcs the spirit of Fear, but of Power, and of Love, and of a Sourid Mind.^ 'There is no /ear in love ; but perfect love casteth out fear. He that feareth, is not made perfect in 'love.' 'Now we believe, and do testify, that the Father sent the son to be the Saviour of the world ;' 'to put away Sin ;' 'to renconcile All Things to the Father.' That 'he died for All ;' that 'the Father hath given All Things into his hands ;' that 'all that the Father hath given him shall come unto him ;' that he 'will draw All Men unto him,' 'give eternal life to as many as God hath given him,' 're- concile the World,' 'subdue All Things unto himself,' 'save that which was lost,' 'destroy the works of the devil,' 'finish the work,' 'bring Every Knee to bow, and Every Tongue to confess,' 'to the glory of God the Father,' that 'in the Lord they have righteousness and strength,' 'see of the tra- vail of his soul, and be satisfied.' That 'the Lord is good unto all his works,' even 'kind to the unthankful and the evil,' 'loves us even while we are enemies,' 'is very pitiful and of tender mercy,' and ^his mercy endureth forever,' and 'his salvation is forever, for 'he is the Lord, and changeth not,' and 'knoweth our frame, and remembereth that we are but dust ;' that he is 'the Father of the spirits of All Flesh,' .knowelh what his children have need of,' 'will never leave nor forsake us,' 'will not always chide,' 'doth not afflict wil- lingly,' and 'will not cast off forever,' for he 'chastises for our profit that we may be partakers of his holiness,' and 'as the father chasteneth his children, so the Lord our God INTRODUCTION. 17 dealeth with us.' That 'his hand is not shortened that it cannot save,' for 'he lookelh upon all the inhabitants of the earth and fashioiielh their hearts alike,' and will 'put his law in their hearts, and write it in their minds, that All shall know Hiiri from the least unto the greatest ;' for He 'will have All Men to be saved and come to the knowledge of the truth,' and 'who hath resisted His will ?' 'Of Him, and through Him and TO Him are All Things,' for 'For His pleasure are All Things created,' and 'He doeth all His pleasure.' 'He hath Purposed in Himself to gather together in One All Things in Christ,' that 'there shall be One Fold and One Shepherd,' and 'every Purpose of the Lord shall stand.' 'The Covenant which the Lord made unto Abraham, saying, In thy seed shall All the Kindreds of the Earth be blessed, by turning away every one from their iniquities,' we 'stagger not at through unbelief,' 'for He is faithful that Promised,' and we are 'fully persuaded that what He hath Promised He is able also to perform,' while He hath also 'confirmed it Hy an Oath, saying,' 'By Myself have I sworn &c., and thy seed, [the Messiah,] shall possess even the gate of his ENEMIES ; and in thy seed shall All the Na- tions of the Earth be blessed.' 'Looking for that blessed hope,' when 'the creation shall be delivered from the bon- dage of corruption [to which 'God hath subjected' it eVi hope,] into the glorious liberty of the children of God,' when 'tears shall be vv^iped from off All Faces,' when God shall 'over- come evil with good,' so that 'where sin abounded, Grace shall much more abound,' 'and there shall be no more pain,' nor 'death,' nor 'curse,' nor 'sin,' 'and sorrow and sighing shall flee away,' 'and the vail of the covering that is cast over All Nations shall be removed,' when 'the glory of the IS INTRODUCTION. Lord shall be revealed, and All Flesh shall sec it together,' and 'shall be like him, because they shall see him as he is,' and, 'being the children of the resurrection are equal unto the angels,' and 'having borne the image of the earthy, shall also bear the image of the heavenly ;' when 'as all have died in Adam, shall All in Christ be made alive ;' when 'as by the disobedience of one, death having passed upon, All Men to condemnation, even so, through the righteous- ness of one, the Free Gift of justification to life shall have likewise come upon All Men ;' 'when 'the Lamb of God taketh away the Sin of the world,' and the 'glad tidings' of 'the everlasting gospel' 'of the Grace of God which bringeth salvation to All Men,' 'shall be made known unto All Peo- ple,' 'preached to every creature which is under heaven,' 'to Every Nation, and Kindred, and Tongue, and People,' so that 'AH Nations whom God has made,' and 'All the Kin- dreds of the Nations shall worship before Him, and glorify His name,' and 'Every creature which is in heaven, and on the earth, and under the earth, and such as are in the sea, AND ALL THAT ARE IN THEM, shall be heard saying. Blessing, and honor, and glory and power, be unto Him that sitteth upon the throne, forever and ever !' 'Now we, having the same spirit of faith, [as the apostles and prophets,] according as David wrote, I believed, and therefore have I spoken, — we also believe, and therefore speak.' 'Let us hold fast the profession of our faith, without wavering.' 'And this is the victory which overcometh the world, even our Faith.' 'Thanks be to God which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.' 'Now the Spirit spake expressly, that in the latter times some should depart from the Faith, giving heed to seducing INTRODUCTION. 19 spirits, and Doctrines of Devils. That 'the priest and the prophet should err in vision and stumble in judgment, and the tables of the Lord should be full of vomit and filihiness.' 'False teachers, who privily should bring in damnable her- esies, even denying the Lord that bought them.'' 'That many should follow their pernicious ways, by reason of whom the way of truth should be evil spoken of. Who, through covetousness should with feigned words make merchandise of you.' That 'the time should come when they would not endure sound Doctrine ; but after their own ways should heap to themselves teachers having itching ears, who should turn away their ears from the truth and should be turned wnio fables.' That 'they should afflict the just, [through their fearful dogmas and tyrannical sway,] take a bribe, [invent a false scheme to avert the just pun- ishment of transgression,] and turn aside the needy from their right.' 'And build the high places of Tophet, \^Helly — an imaginary vvrorld of eternal woe and blasphemy,] which is [only,»myaci,] the Valley of the Son of Hinnom, — to burn [even] their sons and daughters in the fire ; which I commanded them not, neither came it into My heart, saith the Lord.' 'But refuse profane and old wives' fables, and exercise thyself rather unto godliness.' 'For thus saith the Lord Jehovah, the God of Israel, Let not your prophets and your diviners that be in the midst of you deceive you, - - for they prophesy falsely unto you in My name : I have not sent them, saith the Lord,' 'They make you selfish ; they speak a vision of their own [narrow] heart, and not out of the mouth of the Lord.' 'I speak as to wise men ; judge ye what I say.' 'Who hath believed our report ? and to whom is the arm 20 INTRODUCTION. of the Lord revealed ?' 'For concerning- this seel, we know that it is everywhere spoken against.' 'Thus saith the Lord unto you, Be not afraid nor dismayed by reason of this great multitude [wlio are enemies to you ;] for the battle is not yours, but God's.' 'For their rock is not as our rock, even our enemies themselves being the judges,' 'Whatso- ever is born of God, overrometh the World.' 'Marvel not, my brethren, if the world hate you.' 'Our doctrine is of God ; he that knoweth [the character of] God, heareth us. He that is not of God, heareth not tjs, [but ridicule, carica- ture, and defame us.] Hereby know ye the spirit of truth and the spirit of error.' 'How forcible are sound words! but what doth reproaching demonstrate ?' 'Should a wise man answer with arguments of wind, and fill iiimself with the east wind ? Should he reason with words that do not profit, and discourse upon that in which there is no benefit?' 'Whom shall he teach knowledge ? and whom shall he make to understand doctrine ?' 'the doctrine which is ac- cording to godliness ?' 'Them that are weaned from the milk [of hereditary prejudice and bigotry ;] they that are drawn from the breasts, [of priestly idolatry and imposition.] For precept must be upon precept, precept upon precept ; line upon line, line upon line ; here a little and there a little.' 'And they that erred in spirit shall come to under- standing, and they that murmured shall learn doctrine.' — 'That which had not been told them shall they see ; and that which they had not heard shall they consider.' 'Who among you will give ear to this ? who will hearken and hear for the time to come ?' 'How long halt ye between two opinions ? If the Lord be God, follow Him ; \{ Baal, then follow him.' 'Come thou with us, and we .will do INTRODUCTION. 21 thee good ; for the Lord hath spoken good concerning Is- rael.' 'Attend to know understanding, for I give you good doctrine.' 'I shew unto you a more excellent way.' 'Now the end of the commandment is charity out of a pure heart, and of a good conscience, and of a faith un- feigned : from which some have swerved, and turned aside unto vain jangling, desiring to be teachers of the law, un- derstanding neither what they say nor whereof they affirm.' •And with lies [concerning the terrors of God and of futur- ity] they have made the hearts of the righteous sad whom God hath not made sad, and strengthened the hand of the v/icked that he should not return from his wicked way, by promising him life,' (through the unjust punishment of an innocent Being in his stead, thus providing for the fears of the evil a dangerous unction, a false means of escape from the just, certain, and speedy retribution of iniquity, telling him also about the sweets and pleasures of sin, and of the hardships of righteousness, of the nice congeniality of sin- fulness with his whole nature, discouraging the sinner against any efforts for goodness, by fearful denunciations of his deep depravity, and of his incapability of doing any good thing, and by 'putting far away the evil day.') And 'because, (as they vainly imagine,) sentence against an evil work is not executed speedily, therefore the heart of the sons ofmen is fully set in them to do evil,' (since the awards of justice may be put off so long, and may be so easily escaped.) So, 'all people will walk every one after (the character he ascribes to) his god ; and we will walk in the name of the Lord, our God, forever and ever.' 'But we bear them record that they have a zeal of God, but not according to knowledge. For they being ignorant 1 22 INTRODUCTION. of (the extent of) God's rigliteousness, and going about to establish their own (limited, partial views of) righteouyness, have not submitted themselves to the {infinite) righteous- ness of God.' 'They run into darkness in the day-time, and grope in the noon-day as if it were night.' 'But we have not followed cunningly-devised fables.' 'But have renounc- ed the hidden things of dishonesty, not walking in crafti- ness, nor handling the word of God deceitfully, but, by manifestation of the truth, commending ourselves to every man's conscience in the sight of God.' 'And if our heart condemn us, (that we have not the truth,) God is greater than our heart, and knoweth all things' ('we have need of, even before we ask him,' and what is at all times best for us, so that we do not fear that our heavenly Parent will endlessly perpetuate us or any of his creatures in error, but trust in Him with implicit, child-like confidence that He will ultimately bring us all to 'the knowledge of the truth.') 'Earnestly contend for the Faith (of " the Common Sal- vation'') which was once delivered to the saints.' 'It is good to be zealously affected always in a good thing.' 'Be not ashamed of the testimony of the Lord.' 'Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made you free, and be not entangled again in the yoke of bondage." 'Continue in this faith grounded and settled, and be not moved away from the hope of the gospel, which ye have heard, and which was preached for Every Creature which is under Heaven.' 'Holding fast the faithful word as thou hast been taught, that thou may'st be able by sound doc- trine, both to exhort and convince thegainsayers.' 'Taking the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the spirit, which is the word of God.' 'Is not My word like fire ? saith the INTRODUCTION. SSCf Lord ; and like a hammer that Lreaketh the rock (of super- stition) in pieces?' 'Only let your conversation be as be- cometh the Gospel of Christ, - - stand fast in one spirit, with one mind, striving together for the faith of the Gospel, and in notki?ig terrified by your Adversaries ; which is to them an evident token of your perdition, but to you of Salvation, and that of God.' 'In all things showing thy- self a pattern of good works, in Doctrine showing uncor- ruptness, gravity, sincerity, sound speech that cannot be con- demned, that he that is of the contrary part may be ashamed, having no evil thing to say of you.' 'Let your speech be always with grace, seasoned with salt, that ye may know how ye ought to answer every man,' 'and give a reason to every one that asketh you of the Hope that is in you.' — 'Speaking the truth in love, that ye may grow up unto him in all things, which is the Head, even Christ.' 'Walk worthy therefore of the vocation wherewith ye are called, with all loveliness and meekness, with long-suffering, for- bearing one another in love, and endeavoring to keep the unity of the spirit in the bonds of peace.' 'And be ye kind to one another, tender-hearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you.' 'Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in hea- ven.' 'Seek that ye may excel to the edifying of the church. 'But be ye doers of the word and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves.' 'For faith without works is dead;' 'and by works is faith made perfect.' 'Add then to your faith, virtue ; and to virtue, knowledge ; and to know- ledge, temperance ; and to temperance, patience ; and to patience, godliness ; and to godliness, brotherly-kindness, 84 INTRODUCTION. and to brotherly-kindness, love.' 'Now abideth Faith, Hope, and Love; but the greatest of these is Love.' 'And this I pray, that your love may abound more and more, in knowledge, and in all judgment, that ye may approve things that are excellent; that ye may be sincere and without of- fence till the day of Christ, being filled with the fruits of righteousness which are by Jesus Christ, unto the glory and praise of God.' 'Let us not love in word, neither m tongue, but in deed and in truth.' 'Behold, how good and. how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity.' — 'We ought also to love God, because He first loved us.' 'And this is the love of God, that we keep his command- ments ; and His commandments are not grievous.' 'He that loveth not his brother abideth in death ; whosoever hateth his brother is a murderer ; and no murderer hath eternal life abiding in him. Hereby perceive we the love of Christ that he laid down his own life for us.' 'Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatso- ever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatso- ever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatso- ever things are of good report : if there be any virtue, if there be any praise, think on these things.' 'Meditate on His wondrous works.and talk of His excellent doings.' 'Be ready to every good work.' 'Always abound in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labor is not in vain in the Lord.' 'Be filled with the knowledge of his will, in all wisdom and spiritual understanding, that ye may walk worthy of the Lord in all pleasing, being fruitful in all good works, and increasing in the knowledge of God.' For 'the grace of God which bringeth salvation unto All Men having appeared, teacheth us, that denying all ungodli- INTRODUCTION. ness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly in this present world.' 'Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter ; Fear God, and keep His commandments ; for this is the whole duty of man.' 'For what, O Man, doth the Lord require of thee, but to deal justly, love mercy, and walk humbly with thy God.' 'Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and thy neighbor as thyself. On [the ultimate uni- versal obedience of] these two Commandments hang [de- pend the fulfilment of] all the Law and the Prophets.' 'Now, our Lord Jesus Christ himself, and God, even our Father, which hath loved us, and hath given us Everlasting Consolation and Good Hope, through Grace, comfort your hearts, and stablish you in every good word and work. — Amen.' REASONS FOR OUR HOPE. PROPOSITION FIRST. It is the DESIRE of God's Nature, and the Deep Yearning of the So?i, and of the Angels and Saints, that Every Lost Child of Humanity shall be Redeemed from the Bondage of Evil. PROOFS. The Scriptures explicitly affirm, that the Lord would, 'that ALL should come to Repentance,' and that He 'is not WILLING that ANY should perish;' that is, that any crea- ture should continue and be kept in sin and wretchedness without salvatio?i. 2 Pet. iii. 9. Moreover, 'God is Righteous.'' — Ezra ix. 15. And ^Tke Desire of the Righteous is ONLY GOOD.'— Prov. xi. 23. If a desire for the salvation of a single sinful soul is a good and righteous desire, is it not an excellent and godlike De- sire that would embrace in its uncontracted sympathy and love, the good and happiness of the ample universe ? -I DESIRE MERCY, and not Sacrifice,' saith the Lord. — Hos. vi. 6. Besides, all the numerous Scriptures that teach the tender compassion, the loving-kindness, the abundant mercy, the great goodness, the eternal faithfulness, the everlasting Zot;e, and the beneficent paternity o{ GoA, are unequivocal evidences that the Universal Father of Spirits, DESIRES, at least, yea, with an intensity infinitely tender and deep, and which even overbounds the united sympathies of every living spirit He has fashioned, — the emancipation of All His children from the blasting dominion of Ignorance, Un- righteousness, Temptation, Sorrow, and Pain. 28 REASONS FOR OUR HOPE. Such passages as the following, 'One God, the Father of All;' 'God is Love ;' 'Good to All,' and 'changelh not;' •Riches of His Goodness ;' 'Only Good,' &c. are forever inconnpatible with the character of a Deity whose Disposi- tion for the prevalence of good, not to regard the extent of His Power, is not for Universal Salvation and Holiness. Such Scriptures as these, 'The Lord is very pitiful, and o[ tender mercy.'' — James v. 11 ; 'Thou, O Lord, art a God Fidl of Compassion, and Gracious, Long- Siiffering, and Plenteous m Mercy and Truth.^ — Ps. Ixxxvi. 15; 'Not a sparrow can fall to the ground without your Father, and ye are much belter than they.' — Mat. vi. 26; 'His Tender Mercies are over All His works ;' 'Doth not afflict willingly ;' 'His anger endnrelh but a ?«w??e?/^ ;' 'His Mercy is Ever- lasting;' 'His Faithfulness endiwxeih unio AW Generations;' are all forever irreconcilable with the horrid superstition of the Church, that there is a dreadful Being in the heavens the fearful Arbiter of the worlds, who irretrievably aban- dons myriads of the creatures of His handiwork, the mo- ment their life-sands are exhausted, to a world of awful suf- ferings and the tortures of malignant, immortal fiends, an- nihilating all His goodness, mercy, love, compassion, and faithfulness towards them, during the very eternity. The great Apostle exhorted that supplications, prayers, iniextc^s^'iorxs, anA giving of thanks, (too, for he did not at all apprehend that the Christian's holy orisons for the world's salvation ascended to the throne of Grace in vain,) should be made for ALL MEN ; for this was good and acceptable in the sight of God our Saviour ; as He WILL HAVE All Men to be saved and come unto the knowledge of the truth ; and as Christ Jesus, the Mediator between God and man, also gaoe himself a Ransom for ALL ; which, (though millions disbelieve,) shall be testified in doe time. And being to this blessed faith 'ordained a Preacher and an A- postle,' he willed that men should offer this prayer every- where, lifting up holy hands without lorath (without enmity or selfishness, that would exclude any portion of the great Brotherhood of our kind,) or doubting. — 1 Tim. ii. 1—8. Another Apostle instructs that prayer be made 'm faith, REASONS FOR OTJR HOPE. 29 not leaver ing,'' — Jas. i. 6; and Paul again, elsewhere, that the Christian failh 'is the substance of things hoped pok,' (not shuddered at,) — Heb. xi. 1 ; that 'whatsoever is not of faith IS sin. — Rotn. xiv. 23 ; and that 'he that doubleth is condem- ned ;' for Jesus saith, 'This is condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men love darkness rather than light.' — John iii. 19. Does not the Desire and Hope of the Universalist correspond with the Faith of the Apostle, where he exclaims, 'Believing, we rejoice with joy unspeakable, and FULL of glory ?' — 1 Pet. i. 8. In that memorable, touching prayer of Jesus, which is nearly the latest that is recorded of him ; after the particular intercession for his disciples, which he offered up, come the words, 'Neither PRAY I FOR THESE ALONE ; but for them also which shall believe on me through their word, iYi&i they all maybe One ; - - that the world may believe that Thou hast sent me ; - - and that the World may KNOW that Thou hast sent me, and hast loved them, as Thou hast loved me.'— John xvii. 20--23. How can it be doubted that 'the meek and lowly Jesus,' who 'had compassion upon the ignorant and those which were out of the way,' — Heb. v. 2 ; who was 'not ashamed to call them Brethren,'' — Heb. ii. 11 ; nor to be named 'the Friend of Publicans and Sinners,' — Mat. xi. 19; Luke vii. 34; who 'was moved with compassion toward the people be- cause they fainted and were scattered as sheep having no shep- herd,' — Mark vi. 34; Mat. ix. 36 ; xiv. 14; who wept over the doomed Jerusalem and its people with mourning and lam- entation, — Lukexix. 41; Mat. xxiii. 37 ; and whose dying breath was sweetened with a heavenly petition even for the redemption of his murderers, — Luke xxiii. 34 : how can it be doubted that he, even the profound depths and immeasu- rable love of the soul of the Son of God, to his mightiest strength, is covenanted for the deliverance of all his purchas- ed possession, the blessedness of Universal Humanity ? St. Peter informs us that even the Angels desired to look into the Gospel of 'Glad Tidings of Great Joy to All People,' sent down by the Holy Ghost from heaven, 'which testified beforehand of the sufferings of Christ, and the Glory that B 30 REASONS FOR OUR HOPE. should follow.' — 1 Pet. i. 1 1, 12. And if 'there is joy among the angels ill heaven over every sinner that lepenlelli,' who shall deny that they likewise Desire llie Salvation of All? who rather can conceive of the inhnite happiness which the celestial beings must experience at the glorious prospect of 'The Creation being delivered from the bondage of Cor- ruption into the glorious liberty of the children of Cod,' — 'All Things Subdued unto,' and 'Made alive in Christ,' — 'Death swallowed up in Victory, 'and God become 'All in All.' St. Stephen prayed also for the forgiveness of his murder- ers. — Acts vii. 60. Should we dare to say that this noble martyr would not desire to meet them again in the Father's Kingdom, redeemed from mortal evils, 'washed and made whitein the blood of the Lamb,' made 'equalunto the angels ?' And surely, if those cruel murderers, the whole world. David often uttered prayers for all people, and for the ■wicked : '0, let the wickedness of the wicked come to an end!' — Ps. vii. 9. 'Seek out wickedness till Thou find none !' — Ps. x. 15. 'Let all people praise Thee !' — Ps. Ixvii. 5. 'O ye sons of men, how long will ye turn my glory into shame V — Ps. iv. 2. 'Let every thing that hath breath praise the Lord !' — Ps. cl. 6. St. Paul was inspired to express a heartfelt Desire that ALL ISRAEL might be saved. — Rom. x. 1. Yet the Jewish people as a whole, since their earliest national exis- tence was the most evil and corrupt race of men that ever lived. Under the mysterious but gracious ways of heaven, this was the very reason why they were chosen from among all the nations of the earth, to be made a more illustri- ous example of His Mercy, as was Paul, who confessed himself to be the chief of sinners. And St. Paul was no respecter of nations, any more than he was of persons ; so that it is perfectly reasonable to conclude even from this passage alone, that if he desired the salvation of All Israel, he as fervently wished also for the salvation of -4Z^ /Ac Gin tiles. Whoever imagines that Paul did not think the Grace of GoJ to be sufficient for the salvation of the Gen- tiles, and of every soul of them, must be a dull student of his writings, surely! REASONS FOR OUR HOPE. 31 Is not the Lord's Prayer itself a free and universal one ? Through it, all men, of all conditions and natures, are to ad- dress the God of creation and providence, as the Father of all, in heaven, whose paternity and name are to be univer- sally hallowed ; that the spiritual kingdom of His goodness and holiness may come unto them, — unto all ; that the good pleasure of His will may be continually done and hastened in them, until all the earth shall finally be in perfect har- mony with it as heaven is ; and especially that He should deliver us all from evil, from the dominion of sin, the blight of anguish, ignorance, and error, and from all unnecessary suffering ; and forsake us not also in temptation ; because the kingdom of mankind is His alone, the Universal Lord and Sovereign, who alone has the power to deliver His crea- tures from the evils into which their weakness and imper- fection must necessarily involve them ; and, because to Him will be ascribed the everlasting glory and honor of the work of salvation, as, that all His creatures shall eventually acknowledge and praise no other. It is an inspired precept, that 'Whoso mocketh the poor, reproacheth his Maker ; and he that is glad at calamities, shall not be unpunished.' — Prov. xvii. 5. Kit were the na- ture of the Lord to have pleasure in the infliction of misery, or to delight in the retaliation of evil for evil, or to be rec- onciled to the endless endurance of sufferings and sins, such a precept could scarcely have emanated from Him. Strictly, it is an improper thing that we should ever speak of the Deity as possessing any unrealized Desires, — He who doeth all His sovereign pleasure, and comprehends, fixes, and grasps the end from the beginning, and towards the consummation of whose great Purposes nothing in His whole universe can be, in reality, antagonistic. But it is here employed, in the absence of an expression more suitable to the character of the present argument, seeing that it is of very general theological usage, and seeing also that there is a caricature form of Christianity which most strenuously protests that the nature of God is such, that so far from His being possessed of the least mind or disposition whatever, (while it truly confesses His most perfectly ample Ability,) 32 REASONS FOR OUR HOPE, to confer immortal blessedness upon millions of the souls He creates ; rather curses. them into cxistcnrc not merely in weakness, but abominably, totally depraved, and places them in a world of temptation and evil, and within the pow- er of invisible spirit-fiends, so that it is not possible for them even to make a motion without sinning, all for the horrible pretext of binding down their miserable existences in tor- ments unutterable and continued wickedness to all eternity ! But, while there is not a passage in the Bible, nor the sem- blance of one, to prove that the heavenly Parent has no De- sire or inclination that the sinful shall be restored, but is eager rather that they shall sin and suffer forever, there is abundant testimony to the contrary, and confirmation of it from the records of the Divine Will, Purposes, Promises, and Doings. Additional Remarks. It is inconceivable that there is any thing in the nature of the faith itself of Universal Redemption, that should in- spire so much of the great heart of Christendom with such an inveterately pious abhorrence of, and so rude a spirit of persecution against it. There is surely nothing either blas- phemous or ridiculous in the opinion that the universe hnot doomed with an irremediable, endless curse ; that countless numbers of the immortal race shall not fry and welter and wail in eternal agonies ; but on the contrary, that the worlds are under the complete and perfect dominion of a Governor who is more infinitely wise, good, merciful, and powerful than the best of us, or than even the angels perhaps can con- ceive ; that this world is but the lower, the incipient stage of an immortality of perpetual advancement in knowledge and holiness, in which we are purposely created imperfect at first ; that all mankind from the beginning of human ex- istence are eternally and inseparably linked in the endearing ties of a Universal Familyhood, who, though in this earlier undeveloped state, are far estranged and at enmity, being entangled in the deceitfulness of the world, shall neverthe- less ultimately meet and know each other in the kingdom REASONS FOR OUR HOPE. 33 of Life and Light. Is there anything on the face of a belief of this kind which is repulsive to the feelings of a good heart, or contrary to the sense of an intelligent mind ? It is impossible. We are to look into something beyond and independent of the doctrine itself for the cause of tfie hatred which is everywhere manifested against it, and against its believers, even into the hearts of those who are its enemies. And who are the despisers of our glorious Hope ? Are they the benevolent, the amiable, the humble, the merciful, and the truly devotional, and the truth-loving among us? — Nay, for this is the very 'word which is nigh unto them, even in their hearts and in their mouths, this word of Faith which WE preach.^ It is only this hope which can com- pletely satisfy the deepest longings of every Christian's soul of all faiths ; nothing short of this accords with the highest aspirations of the philanthropic heart ; no other view of things so entirely agrees with the most natural instincts, the most satisfactory reasonings, and the brilliant harmony that swells from the beautiful fabric of nature ; and nothing else can rationally explain or 'vindicate the ways of God to man,' or be reconciled with the whole spirit of the gos- pel Christianity, an 1 the character of its holy Founder. Who then but the proud i i high places, the cold-hearted, bigoted, stubborn-minded, self-righteous, Pharisaical Religionists of the Church, who, not enduring to be deprived of the vain unction which they cherish of their being the peculiar ob- jects of the Divine favor, the most highly valued of God's children, the only rightful inheritors of His blessings, in the narrow selfishness of their souls, " do not wish to go to hea- ven if such and such shall also attain it too." Surely, the sentiment of 'the great salvation,' of all others, is not that which is pleasing and grateful to the impulses of the de- praved, the revengeful, the selfish and carnal heart, nor is it a sentiment half so likely to have originated in the bosom of the dark Prince of Evil as the terrible dogmas to which this is opposed. No, it is not the Universalist that cherishes a faith which corresponds with the profane desires and evil wishes of the wicked. Yet it is only from the lips of the pro- 34 REASONS FOR OUR HOPE. fane that we hear the utterance of prayers for the damnation of their fellows in the awful oven of gehenna. Hero is a fact which is "worthy of all acceptation," thai however much men may affrct to be horrified at the doctrine of" the Restitution of Ail Thintrs," which was "spoken of by all the holy prophets since the world began," however severely they may scorn and anathematize and villify its believers, no man that prays, can steel his conscience to pray against the salvation of all and the destruction of evil, — a consummation of things so " devoutly to be wish- ed for," which would so greatly glorify God, and kindle the spirit of love, gratitude and devotion, — neither can any man rationally pray for the verity and hastening of the doom of everlastin? misery ; and no person could listen to such a prayer without being shocked at its impiety and blasphemy. In this respect indeed, the hearts and souls of all the most divinely amiable of the Christian Church are with us, so true it is that the more deeply the believer drinks into the genial and gracious spirit of the Master and his religion, the more ardent and irrepressible is his yearning for the truth of the very sentiment which distinguishes us 'a peculiar peo- ple,' that "THE NEEDY shall not alway be forgotten." — "Sure- ly the God of all truth would never have implanted aspira- rations so universal in the minds of good men, did they not leap from the heart to the recognition of the same truth which gave them birth. And whatever may be said or in- ferred from this fact, we deem it an important corroboration of the truth as it stands out from the pages of God's revela- tion. It is not the law written in the heart, so much as it is the testimony, responded to by every evidence in nature, and by every utterance of the God of nature. Our hearts sug- gest, nature promises, and the word of God declares, that "Of Him, and through him, and TO HIM are All Things." * " Celestial Charity ! thy labors most Divine ; thy sympathy with sighs, and fears, And sin ; thy ^reat, thy godlike Wish, to heal All misery, all fortune's wounds, and make The soul of every living thing rejoice I" — Pollok. •Fernald's Universalism against Partialism, p. 32. REASONS FOR OUR HOPE. 35 COMPLETION OP THE ARGUMENT. Shall this Desire of the Lord, these Prayers of Jesiis, and this Hope of the Angels and Saints, be ever Realized ? 'Behold,' saith the Psalniist, 'Thou Desirest truth in t/ie inward parts ; and in the hidden part, [therefore,] Thou shall MAKE ME to kuow wisdom.' — Ps. li. 6. David here expresses a very different sentiment from that wliich has commonly obtained in the Church. If he had writien, 'We know, God, that Thou deeply Desirest that truth and holi- ness should possess the souls of the children of men, yet, O Lord, the wicked shall forever disobey Thee, and thus defeat Thy merciful Desires toward them, which Thy creatures only can fulfil, when they choose to make themselves pure, and worthy of behig the recipients of Thy favors,' he would have been decidedly more 'orthodox.' 'He is of one mind, and who can turn Him ? and what His Soul Desireth, even that HE DOETH.' — Job xxiii. 13. This explicit testimony of the inspired word, completes our argument. It is established that the Desire, the Disposition of the Father of Life, is for the redemption of all souls ; and now we prove with equal plainness, that whatsoever enters into the mind of the Infinite One to Desire, there can be no possible obstacles in the way which His wisdom and power cannot surmount, to the most complete accomplishment of all His pleasure. 'He that planteth the ear shall He not hear ?' and He that 'openeth His hand and satisfeth the Desire of every tiling liv- ing,' — Ps. cxlv. 16 ; shall He not be abundantly able to mould the hearts of all His intelligent offspring to the satis- faction of that great ineffable wish of Infinite Perfection, ce- lestial love, and even of human righteousness, that evil may be overcome with good, and immortal happiness, which iu 'the Desire of all nations, shall come ?' Besides, 'The Lord shall REJOICE in His works.'— Ps. civ. 31. Surely we are not to believe in a Deity who would 'Rejoice in His works,' when the all-beneficent Desire and Pleasure of His nature, should be forever disappointed and baffled through the counter machinations of His own crea- 36 REASONS FOR OUR HOPE. tares ; wlio would 'Rnjoire in His works,' in the event of a consimimalion of His creation in which the end of things should he infinitely worse than the heginning or progress; who would 'Rejoii'cin His works' whin millions of the im- mortal spirit-works of His hands shall be crushed forever beneath the tremendous doorn of everlasting misery and sin- fulness. And does not the Wise Man tell us that 'the Lord heareth the prayer of the Righteous,'— Prov. xv. 29 ; and that 'the Desire of the Righteous shall be granted?' — Prov. x. 24. And Dnvid,also, that 'He \\\\\fuljil the Desire of them that fear Him ?'— Ps. cxlv. 19. The Saviour taught, 'What things soever ye Desire when ye pray, belkve that ye Recpive them, and VE small have THEM.' — Mark xi.24. And in the next verse he particularly forbids the utterance of selfish, exclusive prayers, in these words : 'And when ye stand praying, Forcive, if ye have aught against ANY.' This ought to convince us that the Christian Gospel requires not only Universal Prayers, but that such prayers be trustful and believing. Jesus said, 'I know that God heareth me always.'' — John li. 42. We cannot indeed believe that the Son, to whom the spirit of the Father's wisdom and knowledge and power were not given by measure, should have ever offered any petitions to the God of grace that were not to be most fully an- swered. Yet we have seen that he himself prayed for the Salvation of sinners, of his very crucifiers, and for the World. In D;ivid's 'Psalm ofTriuiTiph,' which is also typical and prophetical of the glorious Conquest of the Saviour of the World, it is written, 'The King [Messiah] shall joy in Thy strength, O, Lord! and in Thy Salvation howgreat- ly shall he Rejoice ! Thou hast given himhis\mkJi'v's,'Dy.^\v.v., and hast not withholden the request of his lips.'-Ps. xxi. 1,2. In sequence to the Desire of Paul for the salvation of All Israel, it is not to be forgotten that he himself, in his consideration of the subject, positively declared, 'And so All Israel shall be Saved.' — Rom. xi. 26. And also that the falling of them should be 'the riches of the Gen- tiles,' and 'the reconciling of the world.' REASONS FOR OUR HOPE. 37 Furthermore, God is 'Omnipotent,'' — Rev. xix. 6, '^ Al- mighty,^ — xi. 17. 'Doeth according to His will in the ar- mies of heaven and among the inhabitants of the earth,' — Dan. iv. 35. 'Doeth all His Pleasure,' — Is. xlvi. 10. And ' There is no re.stiiaint to the Lord to save by Many or by Few,' — 1 Sam.xiv. 6. The first section of this argument is in entire accordance with Arminianism, whose most distinguished champions have availed themselves of the same strong, unequivocal scripture proofs, that the Creator ivould be the Saviour of the entire family of mankind, were there nothing to prevent it ; while the Calvinists, on the contrary, who in this res- pect understand the Scriptures too well to doubt the infi- nite Ability of Deity to accomplish 'whatsoever pleaseth Him,' taking the doctrine of endless misery for granted, very well know that this dreadful doom could not possibly be brought about except it were of the absolute and eternal Will of Gf)d, and consequently deny in toio the Divine Desire, Will, Purpose, or Pleasure to redeem all men. They are thus obliged to narrow down the interpretation of all those universal passages which the Arminians and the Universalists cling to, while on the other hand, concerning the principle involved in the second section of this argument, namely, that the Sovereign Jehovah eternally and perfectly accomplishes every Desire which it is possible for His wis- dom and goodness to conceive, and every Inclination that can possibly enter into the good pleasure of His Will, the tables are turned, and the C«Z«r«f5^ and Universalist are together with the Bible all their own, to hurl the doctrine of an evil Antagonist deity, to the shades of oblivion, to prove that 'Therp is none other God but the Lord,' and that 'The Lord God OMNIPOTENT reigneth !' This great and sublime truth which is the glory of old Calvinism is a terri- ble weapon against the inconsistencies of Arminianism, and would swepp that doctrine entirely from its strong-hold up- on the Church, as the mightier truths of Universalism shall themselves ultimately both of them, were it not for the secret deep hidden prayer that sparkles in the souls of so many of the «'oo<^ victims of the darksome faith of everlast- 2 38 REASONS FOR OUR HOPE. ing perdition, that 'the God and Father of AH,' may be a belter Being than they have dand to believe, that even thougli He cannot save the world, lie really Desiris to do it, and if it were possible, would. Singular indeed it is that there should be even a man, that lives from breath to breath upon the bountiful goodness of a Being whose mercies are so prcal and unsearchable, possessed of a heart so cramped and selfish as not to desire the universal deliverance of man from the oppressive thraldom of evil. Yes, thankfully there are but few such, but alas ! there are many, a great many more who groan under the fear that the Great Giver of all Good Himself, does not Desire but that a part shall be re- deemed, or, which amounts to the same, cannot redeem the world if He would ! "In the voice Of that old man, there wns a tone which thrili'd To the soul's depths, and from the fount ol tears Drew forth rich streams, and made the suppliant feel He had a rin;hieous Advocate with God. He prayed for All Men, that time-stricken one ; And as he dwelt upon the love which would Al some far period bring all wanderers back Unio their Father's House, his whole frame shook With stronj; emotion, and his voice grew faint, Till he could speak no more." — Mrs. J. H. Scott. OBJECTION. Man is not a mere machine that God can move and direct bis will at pleasure; but is endowed with perfect independence and fieedom of impulse, so unlimilcd and omnipotent, indeid, in its nature, if is even possible for him to jjo down into irredeemable suffering in direct opposition to his Maker's Desire. ANSWER. We must not be deceived by specious words. That word machine, so pertly on the end of every simple tongue that speaks its sapient dictum in behalf of unlimited free agency, is often thrown from the lips as if it were the magic sound that should stultify the voice of the opposition for- ever. We had better attend to the silver-toned whisper- ings of the word, if we have regard al all to the instructions REASONS FOR OUR HOPE. 39 of inspiration, and leave the insipid interjections and the guess-work hallucinations of metaphysicians, alone. God himself is the Vindicator of His trulhs, as well as the Au- thor of them ; and so long as we can get at His pure truths through His own word, we care nothing about consequences, for He will take care of them. Now hpre is a passage of Scripture : 'IN HIM, loe live, and MOVE.' — Acts xvii. 2S. If there is any meaning in these words, it is a meaning so direct to the purpose, so plain, and so comprehensive, that it ought to receive the most careful consideration. The very movements and motions of all that live, are in God. There is no use now in being startled at consequences. There glitters the great universal truth in the radiant splendor of the page whereon is stamped the indefaceable superscription of the Everlasting One! and who should annihilate it? In the light of our blessed revelation we cannot believe that the existence of present evil is against the Will of God, nor that such evil can ever transgress the limits in which the eternal wisdom fixes and guides it, any more than we can believe that evil is an eternal principle, an end and not a means, and never to be universally glorified in good. Has the believer in the independence of the Divine Will from the heart of man, ever considered the force of such passages as the following upon this point, with which the Scriptures so profusely abound ? ^I loill Bring the blind by a way that they know not ; I will Lead them in paths that they have not known. I will make darkness light be- fore them, and crooked things straight. These things WILL I DO unto them and NOT forsake them, [to work out their own salvation in the weakness and nothingness of their poor nature.] They shall be turned back, they shall be greatly ashamed,' [sorrowful, repentant.] — Is. xlii. 16, 17. 'Itvill Give them an heart to know Me, that I am the Lord ; and they shall be My people, and I will be their God : for they shall return unto Me with their whole heart.* — Jer. xxiv. 7. Observe here, and in all similar promises, the utter dissemblance of anything like conditionality or contingency. The uniform and strong language of the tes- 40 REASONS FOR OUR HOPE. timony is, 'I WILL,' and 'THEY SHALL.' Yet these iniperaiive expressions are not employed in the sense of forcible or compi/hivc subjection ; for it is explcs^ly written, that tlie salvation which God provides is received 'with their whole heart.^ ' Tiirn Thou me, and I shall he turned ; for Thou art the Lord my God. — Jer. xxxi. 18. ^Lead me in Thy truth, and teach nie,' prayed the Psalmist ; for Thou art ihe God of my Salvation.'' — Ps. xxv. 5. Docs this .^-ourul like the doctrine of free agency and self-salvation ? Yet it is the oft-rciierated declaration of the sacred hooks, that 'of our- selves we can do nothing ;' that 'we are not sufficient of our- selves, [even] to think anything as of ourselves ; hut our sufficiency is of God.' — 2 Cor. iii. 5. Oh, were it true that our immortal destinies for happiness or misery were suspended upon the frail things of this weak and brief existence, upon the 'filthy rags' of our own righ- teousnesses, and the good or evil self-swaying of a will of feeble moral strength, abandoned to itself; — were it rvot true that the only hope of salvation from evil for the best, for ALL of us, is the goodness, mercy and power of our Maker, of Him alone, through the unfailing means of His appoint- ment ; what a universal atmosphere of gloom, and grief, and lamentations, and sufferings, would thicken and settle upon the broad canopy of creation ! And if a single crea- lure of the Father's family of whom He Desires the salva- tion, shall be lost in the terrible gulf of 'the bottomless pit* forever, if these great things hang at such loose ends and are so deplorably involved in uncertainty, and chance, then I say there is no solid ground of hope for any soul of man, and we might all as well be open Atheists at once. Yea, further, if the souls of all men are naturally and wholly prone to evil, and are Avilhal invested with sufficient power to resist the omnipotent attraction of the Divine perfections to all eternity, the only consummation of things at last must inevitably be, one grand sublime exhibition of a uni- versal hell, and the everlasting damnation of the whole ag- gregated concourse of our species ! Ah, how long must this simple and positive declaration REASONS FOR OUR HOPE. 41 of Jesus be disregarded, in the unwholesome speculations of mankind upon this question? 'No man can come unto me, except the Father which hath sent me draw him.' — Joha vi. 44. And yet, hath God created millions of souls, who never can be saved, but who must be cruelly tormented ia a universe of misery as long as the ages of eternity and the energies of Omnipotence are unexhausted, merely because He will not Draio them unto Him ? Such a thought itself is almost blasphemous, yet the fault of so monstrous a re- flection is the blame of the system which forces such con- siderations upon us, and not ours. But we have in the very words of Jesus himself, too explicit a disproval of such a proposition to substitute anything of our own. It is this : 'If I be lifted up from the earth, I will Draw All Men unto Me.'— John xii. 32. This last objection of the free agency of man being em- powered to defeat the Desire of the Lord for universal sal- vation, shall be finally dispo.'^ed of here by one more text, whose bearing on the subject seems to be too obvious to re- require any illustration. 'A man's heart deviseth his way, but the Lord Directeth his steps.^ — Pro v. xvi. 9. PROPOSITION SECOND. It is The Eternal PURPOSE of Jehovah that All Men shall be Ultimately Holy and Blessed. PROOFS. 'According to His PURPOSE and Grace in Christ Je- sus BEFORE THE WORLD BEGAN, [ages before the entrance of evil, even, and here is an evidence that the existence of sin, its remedy, and its eventual consummation were specially foreknown and decreed from the beginning,] HE HATH ABOLISHED DEATH, [the moral death which came upon Adam in the day of transgression, and which is the inheritance of all men,] and hath brought LIFE, [the regenerated life of salvation,] and Immortality, to light through the Gospel.' And Paul immediately adds 'Whereunto I am appointed a Preacher.' Singular that men should imagine St. Paul to 42 REASONS FOR OUR HOPE. have believed the doctrine of endless misery and eternal death, who taught ilml God should ullerly abolish death, and crown all iinnioriality with tlie life which the pure and perfect Exemplar brought lo light through the Gospel ; that this was the Ancient Purpose of God, and ns 'He speaketh of things that be not as though they were,' so he speaks of this annihilation of death with all confidence, as tho\igh it were already accomplished ; and to this Gospel of the Destruction of Evil and of Universal Salvation was St. Paul ordained a Preacher. Is it not clear to you that St. Paul was a Universali;