:^ •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;<t Preacher? See on this
point, 1 Tim. ii. 1--7 ; iv. 9-11 ; i. 9--15 ; 2 Tim. i, 7--12.
It ought to be recollected ihathe does not intimate in this
passage nor in any other, that 'the gospel of glad tidings'
by the resurrection of Christ, brought to light or demonstra-
ted the existence of a region of horrible demons, eternal
torments, and everlasting death. Nothing of this kind,
forsooth, is contained in the great Purposes of God. And
does anything whatever exist which is not comprised with-
in the great circumference oi God's Eternal Purpose ? — Be-
sides, Paul was ordained,
'To preach among the Gentiles ihe Unsearchable Riches
of Christ, and to make ALL MEN see, WHAT is the Fel-
lowship of the Mystery, \\\\\c\i fi-om the Beginning of tlie
World hath been "hid in God,- -according to THE ETER-
NAL PURPOSE, which He Purposed in Christ Jesus our
Lord.' — Eph. iii. 9—11. Here it is seen that the mis-
sion of 'the Saviour of the World' to reveal 'the unsearcha-
ble riches' which God shall develope through him from the
great 'Mystery' of Evil, a mystery even from the founda-
tion of the world till then, is an Eternal Purpose.
Now, airain, listen ; 'He hath PURPOSED IN HIM-
SELF, That in the Dispensation of the Fulness of Times,
He might Gather together i.N one, ALL THINGS, in Christ,
both which are in heaven and which are on earth.'— Eph. i.
9, 10. The Greek of this passage expresses, more clearly
than the translation, the idea of a Re-Heading., a Re-Lni-
ting, of All Things to Christ, a Restoration of what is dis-
joined or cut off from its proper place. It is one ot the
REASONS FOR OUR HOPE. 43
most glorious promises of Universal Redemption which the
Scriptures contain, and one whose sense is so luci I and
brilliant, that it has cost the popular 'orthodox' conimenta-
tors more severe and tedious labor to smother and put out its
obvious meaning, than almost any other passage of the
kind we can think of.
'For THIS PURPOSE was the Son of God manifested,
That he might Destroy the Works of the Devil,' [viz :
temptation, sin, error and ignorance, sorrow, suffering, and
death.] — 1 John iii. 8. O, who would not rather give cre-
dence to this broad testimony of the final extinguishment of
evil, an end of things which would so highly exalt Chris-
tianity above all other systems or sciences in the world, an
end so well worthy of the God of the Universe, and which
would so infinitely exemplify His glory, than to believe that
dreadful and contrary teaching of the creeds of mens'devis-
ings, that God shall not only immortalize but infinitely mag-
nify the evils of time in eternity, and grant them a separate
universe, larger perchance than all the dominions of Heaven,
where the Triumphant and Mighty Prince of Evil shall
eternally reign in his majestic glory as sovereign and inde-
pendent in his sphere, as the Original and the Good ?
What was the Everlasting Decree of Jehovah respecting
the children of men ? Let the Bible answer : 'I will De-
clare THE DECREE : the Lord hath said unto me. Thou
art My Son, this day have I begotten thee. Ask of Me,
and I will Give thee the Heathen /or thine hiheritance,
and the Uttermost Parts of the Earth for thy Possession.^
— Ps. ii. 7, 8. Here we have a plain testimony of the De-
cretal Purpose of the King of Kings to 'subdue all things
unto himself,' through the mission and spiritual ministry
of the Son. Now behold a specimen of the obliquity and
degeneracy of the 'wisdom of this world.' The Presbyteri-
an 'Confession of Faith,' tells of an eternal and immutable
Decree in the counsels of heaven, whereby according to the
supreme and absolute Will of God, and without the least
foresight of either faith or good works, because He foreor-
dains whatsoever comes to pass, which foreordination ex-
tends not only to the first fall, but to all other sins in par-
44 REASONS FOR OUH HOPE.
ticular, certain men and angels, wlioso number was so cer-
tain and definite tiiat it never can be either increased or di-
minished, were particularly predestinated to endless happi-
ness, while all the rest of mankind that should be created,
to whom the ministry of the Spirit should be purposely
withheld, were irretrievably doomed and foreordained to
everlasting death, to the glory of His vindictive Justice !
This is a strong example of the fearful variancy which sub-
sists between the glorious and ennobling teachings of the
divine record, and the unworthy, the degrading conceptions
of celestial things which are woven into the written and
standard superstitions of perverted intellects. It would per-
haps be edifying and amusing to denote all along through
the course ofonrargument, the great-gulph contrast between
the teachings of the various Partial ist creeds on many points,
and the plain language of those prophecies which came in
the olden time 'not in words which man's wisdom teacheth,
but w^hich the Holy Ghost teacheth.' But as this did not
enter into our plan, we propose rather towards the end of
our book, to treat the reader to a chapter of the Beauties of
the Creeds.
Again, 'The Father Sent the So7i [for this Purpose,— ex-
pressly Designed him] to be the Saviour of the World.'
— 1 John iv. 14. Now let me ask those who believe and
teach that the Father sent the Son only for the purpose of
being the Saviour of the elect, whom God should save, or of
the righteous, who should save themselves, let me entreat
them to look this plain scripture in the face, fairly, and
tell us whether it is not of itself a triumphant proof of our
Proposition ? Mark its conciseness, its clearness, and its
force. Consider how fruitless and vain would be the task
of the TJniversalist to evade the strength of that passage, were
it to have 1 een written 'The Father did not send the Son to
be the Saviour of the World.' Can you possibly distil from
the inmost essence of those brief and easy words, any other
signification whatever, than the Father's righteous Inten-
tion to redeem the world of the lost through the mediation
of Jesus Christ? If I can get you to agree to this, and
surely, it seems to me that the believer in Christ cannot
REASONS FOR OUR HOPE. 45
honestly refuse credence to a proposition which is so plainly
taught, I am quite as confident that I shall be able also to
convince you that whatever God hath Determined, 'shall
surely be brought to pass.'
Here is another passage which beautifully illustrates the
merciful disposition and benevolent intentions of the Heav-
enly Parent towards the children of men. 'I know the
thoughts which I Think toivard Yozi, saith the Lord,
thoughts of Peace and NOT of Evil, to Give you an Ex-
pected [a hopeful] End. Then shall ye call upon Me, and
ye shall go and pray unto Me, and I will hearken unto you,
and ye shall seek Me, and shall find Me.' — Jer. xxix. 11
"13. Mark, asfain, 'Ye Shall !' 'I Will!'
'God hath NOT APPOINTED Us to Wrath, but
[He hath Appointed Us] * to obtain salvation by our Lord
Jesus Christ, who died for Us,' [even 'for all,' 'for every
man,' for his 'enemies, "for the whole world.'] — 1 Thess. v.
9, 10.
There are some, and there have been theologians of em-
inence, who have professed to disbelieve in any such thing
as an original, vast, and all-comprehending Design, or Pur-
pose of God in the creation of the universe. Their reason-
ings have amounted to this. That in the event of creating
at all, it was well known to Deity that certain circumstan-
ces must necessarily arise which would operate counter to
the general good tendency of things, and thus introduce into
the elements of the spiritual and natural world, a confusion
that to an immense extent would be absolutely irremediable
forever. This being the case, it were impossible for God
to fix and chain the order and relations of things to all eter-
nity, sufficient to bring about an ultimate consummation
which would comprise the highest possible excellence and
harmony of all things. Consequently, all that may be in-
ferred concerning any eternal or original Purpose, is, accor-
ding to this view, that God designed to work all things to-
gether so that as much good as possible should be evolved,
under the circumstances ; or in other words, that He resolv-
ed to do as well as He could, (though, indeed, He could not
bate the awful demands of His Justice for the sake of good,)
46 REASONS FOE OUR HOPE.
while the act of creation itself, though it should inevitably
result in the production of so much final, endless evil, was
perfectly justii'Iable on the supposition that God was confi-
dent of His ability to produce in the end of things a larger
aggregate of good than evil. (Yet strange to say, the
abettors of this same theory fix their criterion of human sal-
vation at a mark, such that, not one-millionth scarcely of the
whole family of our race from Adam until now shall possi-
bly escape the doom of endless burnings I) It would seem
that no individual who is tolerably conversant with the
Scriptures, could entertain so unworthy, so inglorious an
opinion concerning the Divine Purposes, as that which we
have above cited. But there is such an almost irradicable
predisposition in the minds of the greatest part of Christen-
dom, and even w'ith many of the pious and learned, in
favor of the truth of endless misery, that almost any straw
of a support will be caught at that it may be kept afloat, no
matter if tliat supporting principle be as contradictory to rev-
elation and to reason as the other. It will require but very-
little reflection on the part of the reader to discover how
such a conception of things as we have stated above, debases
the lofty, infinite attributes of Jehovah, His Power aud
Wisdom, even down upon a level in kind with the imperfec-
tion of those qualities in man.
But what possible view of this question except that which
Universalism assumes, is reconcilable with this grand theo-
logical maxim, this infallible test of religious truth, that each
of the divine attributes are illimitable and infinite in mea-
sure ? Or shall we say that the wonderful and mighty
work of this beautiful and harmonious creation was under-
taken by the Almighty Architect without regard to any de-
fined, all-skilful, and all-comprehensive Plan, — that this stu-
pendous machinery of the worlds was all broken into being
and hurled into its complicated evolutions at hazard, and
blindly regardless of its immense consequences, of its pro-
gressive developments of, and final resolution into, weal or
woe, with the myriad immortal hosts with which it is peo-
pled ? This, surely, it were madness to suppose, for it is
denied by every teaching which is spoken from the glories
^^ASONS FOR OUR HOPE. 47
of nature, through the admirable traces of design that are
everywhere discoverable, and all the skilful adaptations of
the elements and objects of the creation which are seen, to
the production of good and the perpetuation of harmony.
A proposition like this would arraign the Wisdom of God.
Shall we then say, as there seems to be a lingering notion
in the creeds, that until the fall of man, the earth and man
and all things were perfect ; that the introduction of evil
was a casualty unforseen and unprovided-for, and which
consequently did not enter into the original Design of crea-
tion, which design was all comsummated in perfection
universal, when the rebellion of the angels and the fall of
humanity ushered into the universe irremediable ruin ? —
Nay, for we should impugn the infinite Knowledge. Should
we then admit the Arminian proposition of God's original
purpose, firm and determinate, to confer immortal happiness
upon all the creatures of His hands, even though the exis-
tence of evil were foreseen, a Purpose which extended uni-
formly down even to the advent of the Redeemer ; yet, af-
ter all, that its accomplishment was allowed to hinge upon
the variableness of subordinate circumstances, upon the
brittle thread of emergency and conditionality, upon the
frail impulses and manifestations of creature wills, so that
the eternal purpose must inevitably be swallowed up of ever-
lasting and inglorious defeat ? Not with the Scriptures in
our hands could we countenance such an opinion, for we
should be continually upbraided with a denial of the Divine
Omnipotence ^ which is sovereign over every soul of man to
turn it 'whithersoever He will.' What then ? Ought we
to acknowledge with the Calvinist, that all things, even to
the most trivial and minute circumstance that ever bubbled
upon the sea of existence, that every motion of nature, and
every slight or mighty impulse of mind or instinct, whether
it open into evil or good, are all universally and forever in-
terwoven into the sure dependencies of a magnificent series
of cause and effect, which to the veriest item all revolves
in the unerring lines and fixed courses designated by the
unwavering index of the Infinite and Original Decree ?
but that the great cycle of eternity shall roll its round and
48 KEASONS FOR OTTR HOPE.
evil, and sufToring, and darkness shall still prevail? Is this
a God-worthy idea of the Purpose of Deity in creation ? —
Not if that Being is a God of universal Love and Goodness.
Which of these views, then, of this important subject, bears
most the semblance of truth ? for beyond these several con-
clusions men have searched in vain for alternatives. For
our own part, we can rest in no other but that which we
have briefly developed above from the Scriptures, the same
which a distinguished poet conceived and sung in the
following lofty strain :
" From the wide complex
Of co-existent natures, there shall rise
One Order, Ail-involving and entire ;
For He, beholding in the sacred light
Of His essential Reason, all the shapes
Of swift Contmgence, all successive ties
Of action propagated through the sum
Of possible existence, — He, at once,
Down the long series of eventful time,
So fix'd the dates of being, so dispos'd
To every living soul of every kind
The field of motion and the hour of rest.
That all conspired to His Supreme Design, —
TO UNIVERSAL GOOD."— Akenside.
COMPLETION OF THE ARGUMENT,
Shall this Great Purpose of the Almighty be Accomplished?
'The Lord of hosts hath sworn, saying, Surely as I
have Thought, so shall it come to pass ; and as I have
Purposed, so shall it stand.^ — Is. xiv. 24. Yet, although
'He hath Purposed in Himself to Gather together in One
All Things,' some Christians earnestly deny that God ever
Purposed any thing of the kind, while others insist that
such a Purpose can never be accomplished if it were made.
'I am God, and there is none else ! I am God, and
there is none like Me ! Declaring [Decreeing] the End
from the Beginning, and from Ancient times the things
that are not yet done, [and] saying, My Counsel shall
Stand, and I ivill Do All My Pleasure /'—Is, xlvi. 9, 10.
REASONS FOR OTJR HOPE. 49
'Yea, I have spoken it, I will also Bring it to Pass. I
^are Purposed IT, — I will also DO IT!' [Do what? Pro-
cure the Salvation of the wicked. Listen :] 'Hearken
unto Me ye stubborn-hearted, that are/ar from righteous-
ness : I will bring near My Righteousness ; it shall not
be far off, and My Salvation shall not tarry : and I will
place Salvation in Zion for Israel, My glory.'— Is. xlvi.
10—13. It is never, in fact, intimated in the Scriptures
that men must convert and save themselves, in order to
fulfil the Great Purposes of .Jehovah ; that the Salvation
of God tarrieth or 'waiteth upon man's weak will or min-
istry.' But the general tone of all the Bible is, in this
respect, /, the Lord have Purposed, and I will also Fulfil.
'I have spoken it, I have Purposed it, and will not
repent, neither will I turn back from it.'— Jer. iv. 28.
' Ye shall be Mij people, and I will be your God. For
behold, the whirlwind of the Lord goeth forth with fury,
a continuing whirlwind ; it shall fall with pain upon the
head of the wicked. The fierce anger of the Lord shall
not return until He hath DONE IT, [such is the florid,
poetic style in which the Prophets describe the punitive
and disciplinary means by which the King and Father of
men will bring ^the loicked' to become ^ His People. ^1 and
until He have Performed the Intents [the Purposes] of
His heart. In the Latter Days ye shall consider it.' — Jer.
XXX. 22-24.
'That that is Determined [Decreed, Purposed,] shall be
done !' — Dan xi. 36.
'The Lord Jehovah hath Purposed, and who shall dis-
annul it ? His hand is stretched out, and who shall turn
it back ?'— Is. xiv. 27.
'I will work, and who shall let [prevent] it ?' — Is. xliii.
13. Arminianism answers. The mighty Spirit of Evil and
his angels, and the rebelling self-power of millions of unre-
generate hearts.
'I know, O Lord, that Thou canst do Everything.' — Job
xlii. 2.
'If He form such a Purpose concerning Man, the spirit
and the breath He will Gather to Himself : All Flesh
50 REASONS FOR OUR HOPE.
should expire together, and Man return to the dust.' — Job,
xxxiv. 14. 15, INfoyes' translation. For, 'Every Purpose
of the Lord shall be Performed.' — Jer. li. 29.
The immense array of passages which the Scriptures-
contain to this same purpose, in discountenance of the idea
of the existence of counter powers and Tnctaphysicnl phe-
nomena in the universe which shall operate to defeat liic
will or Purposes of the Almighty, are not to be slightly
regarded, or at once set aside and exchanged for the weak,
unsafe deductions of ill-grounded human philosophy upon
this subject. Our amassments of the text-proofs of this
particular proposition, which is only subordinate yet tribu-
tary to our general argument, are distributed, it ought to be
observed, all along under a variety of aspects throughout the
course of our book. We should wish to have the full force
of all the passages of this class, especially and constantly
awakened in the reader's mind ; for we deem it, in the ag-
gregate, the most complete and satisfactory argument
against the doctrine of Contingency, and the popular notions
in regard to 'Free Agency,' that can possibly be preferred
on the negative of those questions. This idea of the inter-
vention of obstacles between God and His Purposes, — this
morbid doubt and unbelief of the Divine Ability to work
out to the uttermost all the good counsel of infinite Love, on
the fallacious ground that the mighty Will of God is actu-
ally wrought against by the human will in this world, — we
like it not, we cannot find place for such a belief. Nothing
so much undeifies the Everlasting Sovereign in our imagi-
nation as conceptions of this nature. If the Power and
Wisdom of God were insufficient to overrule and direct
every possible flit of circumstance, of great and small de-
gree, all into the constant current of the Vast Original
and Beneficent Purpose, rolling onward to completion, — or,
" Did He o'erlook the least of His concerns,
(Since from the least, the Greatest oft originate,)
Then unforseen Contingence might alarm Hun,
And disturb the smooth and even course of His
Affairs." — Cowper.
REASONS FOR OUR HOPE. 51
Objection.
The gracious Purposes of God do not extend towards the wick-
ed; the original vast Desi;,'n of tlie Deity could not have comprised
the salvation of those who should wilfully and etlectually persevere
against the striving of the Holy Spirit. For, a Purpose tiiat should
thusincludethe redemption ofihe sinful and the righteous indefiniie-
ly, would not only be opposed to the demands of Justice, but in-
terfere with the freedom of hmnan volition ; (or all men could not
be saved unless millions were forced into salvation, against their
inclination, which God never would do. Thus, all men being left
free to their choice of endless perdition or happiness, the wicked
must forever frustrate the benevolent Intentions which God would
otherwise cherish in their behalf.
ANSWER.
First, it is assumed that the Eternal Purpose of the Lord
only comprised the salvation of the righteous. How does
this compare with the Bible ? Let us see. 'And you that
were sometimes alienated, and €?iemies in your minds by
wicked works, yet now hath He reconciled.'' — Col. i. 2L
'He shall have put down all rule, and all authority and pow-
er, for he must reign till he hath put all Enemies under his
feet, until the last enemy, Death, [evil, corruption,] shall be
destroyed, when All Things shall be Subdued unto him,
and God shall be All in All.'— 1 Cor. xv. 24-28. 'The
Son of Man came not to call the Righteous, but Sinners to
Repentance.' — Mark ii. 17. He was sent 'To seek and to
save that which loas Lost.'' — Luke xix. 10. 'To save Sin-
ners,' yea, even 'the chief.' — 1 Tim. i. 15. To bring the
wicked, which were not God's people, to become His peo-
ple. — Hos. ii. 23 ; John x. 16, &c. Do not these convince
the objector that the Purpose of the Lord in His salvation,
extends alike towards the Alienated and the Subjugated, the
Evil and the Good ? Yet the objection was indeed suffi-
ciently covered by the evidences of the Universality of the
Divine Purpose in the scheme of redemption, exhibited in
the former part of the present argument.
But here is another point. None but the righteous can
be saved, you say. Now the Bible affirms, 'There is none
Righteous, no. Not One.' — Rom. iii. 10. 'The Scriptures
have concluded all under sin.' — Gal. iii. 22. 'God hath
52 REASONS FOR OUR IIOPK.
concliulcil ALL in unbelief, [why ?] that he might have Mer-
cy upon All.'' — Rorii. xi. 32.
Aiul here is anollier scriptural reason why the Purpose
of God for salvation is Universal, and embraces all distinc-
tions of men. 'By Grack ye are saved, — not of works.''
We cannot save ourselves, for 'No man can come unto me,'
said Jesus, 'except it were given him of my Father.' — John
vi. 65. And it is expressly written, that this 'Grace of
God bringeth Salvation to All Men.' — Titus ii. 11.
Besides, it is impossible for any man to earn or merit the
immortal inheritance, consequently 'eternal life' must be
'THE Gift of God.' — Rom. vi. 23. And God is an Impartial
Giver, for 'He is not a Re.specter of any.' — 2 Sam. xiv. 14.
And it is declared, in fact, that, 'through the righteousness
of one, THE Free Gift [not Offer, mind,] has passed unto
All Men.'— Rom. v. 18.
The objection under review likewise speaks of cflectual
strivancc on the part of the \vicked, against the operations
of the mighty Spirit of God, in the manifestations of His
Grace. Is this a doctrine of the Scriptures ? 'Is the Spirit
of the Lord straitened?' — Micah ii. 7. 'None can stay His
hand, or say unto Him, What doest Thou ?' — Dan. iv, 35.
'Who hath directed the Spirit of the Lord ?'— Is. xl. 13.
'He is Great in Counsel, and Mighty in work,' and 'Nothing
shall be impossible with Him.'
It is asserted by the objector that the salvation of the
wicked is opposed to the demands of Justice. This is an
unscriptural principle, for 'God is of one mind' and 'God is
Love;' therefore the divine Justice has no claim that is op-
posite to the impulses of the Divine Love, or Mercy, or
Goodness, which are infinite, and desire the salvation of
All ; else God would be 'divided against himself,' and 'a
kingdom that is divided against itself cannot stand.' But
the attributes of Deity are all alike centred in the fulfil-
ment of His great Purpose of the ultimate Ingathering of
All Things tlirough Christ. Such a passage as this, (and
the Bible abounds with strong parallels, as will be exhibited
hereafter,) 'The Judgments of the Lord are true and righ-
teoiis altogether. More to be desired are they than gold,
REASONS FOR OTTR HOPE. 53
yea, than much fine gold ; sweeter also than honey or the
honey-comb,^ Ps. xix. 10, ought to instruct those who believe
tho Divine Justice to be so terrible an attribute, such a foe to
goodness, so merciless a tyrant over the infinite Mercy and
Love, into a very different belief. In the 45ih of Isaiah
the Prophet calls Hiin 'A Just God and a Saviour ^^ and
goes immediately on to declare the immutable and sublime
Oath of Jehovah, that He would bring 'Every Knee to bow,
and Every Tongue to confess, that in Him they have righ-
teousness and strength ;' which is a very conclusive proof
that salvation is not inconsistent with the Justice of God,
nay, not even the universal subjection of mankind.
It is a foolish thought which some people entertain, as
that contained in this objection, that the evil shall have to be
compelled to relinquish their doom of eternal misery, in ex-
change for holiness and blessedness in order that they may
be saved. Such an idea is opposed to all common sense.
It supposes that the spirits of millions of men, who are all
perfectly free and without restraint deliberately to choose
their immortal destiny, shall prefer to take their everlasting
abode in the dreadful regions of suffering, remorse, despair
and ruin, and in the society of incarnate fiends, rather than
turn to the other hand and receive of the Spirit a draught
of the water of everlasting life, and be admitted into the
mansions of endless purity and bliss. But in the first place
no such deliberate choice has ever been given to any soul
of man, and in the next, there is not a rational being in the
universe that would choose such a destiny, aye, but would
infinitely prefer annihilation to a lot so terrible, how much
less if all the glories of the heavens were added to influence
his choice for good. Depend upon it, if there is such a
world of exquisite and tremendous woes as that which the
Kingdom of Beelzebub is described to be, there is no latent
energy in all the capacities of the soul which would not be
strained to the very verge of self-destruction before it would
consent to be plunged into so cruel a condition. So if the
human volition is not to he forced at all, into hell more than
into heaven, there is certainly no argument here, at least,
for the sentiment of endless perdition.
3
54 REASONS FOR OUR HOPE.
Now we liave come to l.h:it part of the objection which
relates to Free Agency, wliich wo shall answer briefly but
scriplurally. First, then, we would tubstantiate this propo-
sition, namely, That neither the sins of men in particular,
nor all evil, in the aggregate, can frustrate the Divine Pur-
pose for the salvation of All Men, because they themselves
are ordained, and constitute a "part o/'that Eternal Purpose
itself, and are so ordered as to contribute to, and hasten its
fulfilment. This principle, which if just, entirely removes the
consequences which the idea of Free Agency is supposed to
generate, will only be supported here, but we think suffi-
ciently well, by one or two passages, though it will be more
amply brought out hereafter:
'The Law entered that Sin might abound ; but where Sin
abounded, GRACE did [even] MUCH MORE abound.'—
Rom, V. 20. 'Wherefore then serveth the Law? It was
added because of transgressions, till the seed should come to
whom TirE Promise was made ; [he who should britise the
Serpe7i/'s head, 'destroy the Devil, and all his works,'] It
was Ordai7ied ihronf^h angels, in the hand of a Mediator.' —
Gal. iii. 19. 'The Law is our schoolmaster, to bring us to
Christ.'— Gal. v. 24.
'The Creation WAS MADE subject to vanity, [but] not will-
lingly ; [not wilfully ; not that it should rest or be perpetu-
ated in evil, as an end ; | but by reason of Him who [so ] sub-
jected it, in Hope [of a glorious consummation, namely,]
That the Ckeation itself also shall he Delivered from the
Bondage of Corruption, into the srlorious liberty of the chil-
dren of God.'— Rom. viii. 20, 2L^
The Sins of men and the powers of Satan are all ordain-
ed and overruled by the hand of Providence for the very
development of Ills wise and merciful Purposes. — Proofs:
the cases of Joseph, Job, and Judas ; Judges ix. 23 ; Is. xlv.
7; Ps. Ixvi. 10; Mat. iv. 10.
But the following passages, while they in some measure
go to establish the same point, push also directly at the
principle of Free Agency, and not merely at its deductions :
'I know, O God, that the way of man is not in himself; it
REASONS FOE OUR HOPE. 55
is NOT in man, that walketh, to Direct his steps.' — Jer. x.
23.
^ Man's goings are of the Lord ; how can a man then un-
derstand his own way ?' — Pro v. xx. 24.
'God, in whose hand is our breath, ayid whose are all our
ways.'' — Dan. v. 23.
'Behold, All Souls are Mine, saith the Lord, — Ezek. xviii.
4 ; 'In whose hand is the soul of every living being, and the
breath of all mankind.' — Jobxii. 10.
From tliese facts we come to the same conclusion that one
of the Prophets derived from this very idea. 'Lord, Thou
WILT ORDAIN Peace for us, because Thou hast also
lorought all our works in us.' — Is. xxvi. 12. Is not the doc-
trine of the following passage from Bailey's 'Festus,' identi-
cal with this ?
" To act is ours; surely, whate'er we do,
Whether it be for our own good or ill,
Or others' ill or good, it is at last
To manifest God's glory, — it is ordered.
The soul is but an organ, and it hath
No povv'r of good or evil in itself.
More than tlie eye hath pow'r of light or dark.
God fitted it for good ; and evil is
Good in some other way we are not skill'd in.
The good we do is of His own good will, —
The ill, of His own letting."
PROPOSITION THIRD.
It is the Irrefragible WILL of Deity that All His Intel-
ligent Creation shall be Redeemed from Evil and be
Glorified in Holiness.
PROOFS.— POSITIVE.
'This is the Father's WILL, which hath sent me,' said
Jesus, 'That of ALL, which He hath given me, [see also
John iii. 35, and 23 parallels, under Prop. XI.] I should
LOSE NOTHING, but should raise it up again, at the
Last Day.' — John vi. 39. And 'how are the dead raised
up? and with what body do they come?' Answer, 'It is
sown in corruption, it is raised in incorruption ; it is sown
66 REASONS FOR OUR HOPE.
in disho7iour, is raised m glory ; it is sown in wealmess, it
is raised m power : it is sown a natural body, it is raised
A SPIRITUAL BODY ;' in Hhe innage of the heavenly ;' 'equal
unto the Angels in Heaven ;'' 'like uvto Christ's glorioi/s
Body.' — 1 Cor. xv ; Luke xx ; Phil. iii.
'Jesus Christ gave himself [in order to appease the wrath
and palliate ihe curse of God, and deliver us from justly
incurred punishment .?] for our Sins, that he might Deliv-
er us from [a Future WorM of Endless Sin and Suffering ?]
THIS PRKSENT EviL WoRLD, — Accordiug to THE WILL
OF GOD.'---Gal. i. 4.
'God, our Saviour, WILL have All Men to he saved,
and come unto the knowledge of the truth.' — 1 Tim. ii. 4.
In illustration of this passage, no Universalist writer even.has
ever said anything stronger or more lucid, in the same
compass, to develope the strength of its testimony for the
doctrine of Universal Salvation, than the learned and cele-
brated Dr. Gill, Calvinist. We cannot forbear to quote the
remarks of his on this subject to which we allude : 'The
salvation which God wills that All Men should enjoy,' he
says, 'is not a mere possibility of salvation, or a mere put-
ting them into a suitable state ; or a proposal of sufficient
means of it to All in His word ; but a real, certain, and
actual salvation, lohich He has determined they shall
HAVE ; and is sure, from His own appointment, from the
provision of Christ as a Saviour for them, from the covenant
of grace in which everything is secured necessary for it,
and from the mission of Christ to effect it, and from its be-
ing effected by him ; wherefore the Will of God that All
Men should be saved, is not a Conditional Will, ox what
depends upon the will of man, or anything to he performed
by him, for then none might be saved ; and if any should,
it would be 'of him that willeth,' contrary to the express
words of Scripture ; but is an absolute and unconditional
will respecting their salvation, and which infallibly secures
it.' — Annot. in loco.
'The Mystery of HIS WILL, That in the Dispensation
of the Fulness of Times, He might Gather together IN
ONE, ALL THINGS, both in heaven and in earth, even
i' REASONS FOR OUR HOPE. 57
in Christ.^ — Eph. i. 9, 10. 'And if any man be in Christ,
he is a Neio Creature.' This is in harmony with the A-
postle's teaching in the xvth of First Corinthians, that at
the great universal New Birth and Re-Creation of the Res-
urrection, 'All shall be made alive in Christ,' Death, which
is the antithesis of the life into which we shall be re-made
in Christ shall be 'svv^allowed up in victory,' and Sin, the
sting, the effect of the great moral death, which shall be
at last 'destroyed,' shall also be lost forever !
'This is the WlLh of God, even, yoursanctification.'—
1 Thess. iv. 3. This might be esteemed a passage of but
little force in establishing the present proposition, were it not
for the more formidable aspect with which it is invested
when viewed in connection with the numerous array of pas-
sages in the next section which prove the irresistible ener-
gy of the Divine Will.
The same is also the Will of Jesus, expressed in the fol-
lowing words at the conclusion of his beautiful prayer in
the xviith of John : 'Father, I WILL that they also whom
Thou hast given me, [viz. All Flesh, verse 2,] be with me
where I am, [in the immediate heavenly presence of the
Lord ;] that they may behold my glory which Thou hast
given me ; for Thou lovedst me from before the foundation
of the world, righteous Father, The World hath 7Lot [yetl
known Thee; but /have known Thee, and these [also, the
disciples,] that Thou hast sent me, have known. And I
have declared unto them Thy name, and will [continue to]
declare it, [until the world shall all know the Lord,] that
the love wherewith Thou hast loved me, may be in them,
and I [also] in them.''
'Glory to God in the Highest .'' sang the celestial mes-
sengers who announced to the shepherds the 'Glad Tidings
of Great Joy which shall be unto All People ;' 'and on
Earth Peace, GOOD WILL toward Men.'— Luke ii. 14.
NEGATIVE.
'The Lord is NOT WILLING that ANY should perish,
but [His Will w] That All should come to repentance.'—
2 Pet. iii. 9. Of course it is not to be imagined by any
58 REASONS FOR OUR HOPE.
who believe in the Omnipotence of God's Will, that present
but temporary sinfulness is against the abioltitc Will of the
Lord, so that this passage docs not teach His actual plea-
sure, but ineffectual, that all evil should be immediately
abolished, as the belief of some is.
'It is NOT THE WILL of Your Father which is in
Heaven that ONE of these little ones should Perish.' — Mat.
xviii. 14.
*I WILL NOT contend forever, NEITHER WILL I
be always wroth.'— Is. Ivii. 16.
'The Lord WILL NOT cast off forever. --Lam. iii. 31.
"O fhou wlio art prayinji that Mercy may win
All Nations and Kindieds from error and ein, —
Attend thou in silence and porjder thy plea,
Tlie voice of tlie Spirit is whispering to thee.
Our Father and Saviour is better than tiiou ;
Believe in His wisdom and gratefully bow.
Rejoice in the griice of tlie heavenly Dove,
For the words of the Spirit are breathings of Love.
The reign of transgreE.«ion and darkness shall cease,
For Mercy will prosper the Kingdom of Peace;
And wheiithon art praying that thus it may be,
Tlie voice of the Spirit is whispering to thee."
Rev. A. C. Thomacj.
COMPLETION OF THE ARGDMENT.
Shall the Will of God, or the Sins of Ma7i, be Triumph-
ant?
'Behold, the Nations are as a drop of a bucket, and are
counted as the small dust of a balance. Behold, He taketh
up the isles as a very little thing. -- All Nations before Him
are as nothing ; and they are counted to Him less than
nothing, and vanity! - - It is He that sitteth upon the circle
of the Earth, and the inhabitants thereof are as grasshop-
pers. - - [What a sublime apostrophe is this, of the weakness
and pusillanimity of man in comparison with the Majesty
and Greatness of the Omnipotent !] - - The Everlasting God,
the Lord, the Creator of the Ends of the Earth, fainteth not,
REASONS FOR OUR HOPE. 59
neither is weary ! There is no searching of His unrler-
standing. But He givcth Power, to the faint, and to them
that have no might, He increaseth strength.'— Is. xl. 15--2S.
'AH the Inhabitants of the Earth are reputed ns nothing;
and HE DOETH ACCORDING TO HIS WILL in the
Armies of Heaven and among the Inhabitants of the Earth,
and none can stay His hand, or say unto Him, What doest
Thou ?' — Dan. iv. 35.
'iie worketh All Things after the Counsel of His Oivn
WiLL.'-Eph. i. n.
'Who hath resisted His Will? - - Shall the thing formed
say unto him that formed it, Why dost thou make me thus V
— Rom. ix. 19. 'Behold, as the clay is in the potter's hand,
so are Ye in My hand,' saith the Lord. — Jer. xviii. 6.
The direct object of the Messiah's mission was to Accoiji-
plish the Will of God, and 'to finish His work.' — John iv.
34. 'Lo ! (in the volume of the book it is written of me,)
I came to do Thy Will, God.'— Heb. x. 7; Ps. xl. 7. He
came down from heaven not to do his own will, but the
Will of Him that sent him, which was, that of the whole
world, which was given him, he should lose nothing. —
John vi. 3S, 39. And shall Jesus fail of accomplishing the
purpose of his mission ? No. For 'All Power is given
unto him in heaven and in earth,' — Mat. xxviii. 19 ; 'He
is the Head of All principality and Power,' — Col. ii. 20 ;
even 'the Head of Every Man,' — 1 Cor xi. 3 ; consequently
'he shall see of the travail of his soul and be satisfied.' —
Is. liii. 11.
'The Son Quickeneth aviiom he WILL.'— John v. 21.
Having seen that the Redemption and Blessedness of All
Men is the Will of the Lord, the fulfilment of which He has
even required us to pray and to ofler thanksgivings for, with-
out doiibiing, (1 Tim. ii. 1~S,) this assurance of John is
very precious : 'This is the confidence we have in Him,
that if we ask anything which is According to His Will, He
heareth its ; and if wc know that He hear ns, whatsoever
we ask, we know that we shall have the petitions that we
desired of Him.'— 1 John v. 14, 15.
60 REASONS FOR OUR HOPE.
'Our Father who art in heaven, - - Thy Will be Done !'
—Mat. vi. 10.
There is an old anecdote which so well illustrates the
short-sightedness and absurdity of the Arminian notion of
the Will of God, that we cannot desist from introducing it
in this place. The application of this anecdote is not origi-
nal here, but is taken from an article on the subject of the
Divine Will, in a number of the 'Univcrsalist Watchman,'
a good paper of our order published in Montpelier, Vt.
'A poor, but eccentric man, supposing himself to be near
his end, called in an attorney to make his will ; and when
the question was propounded, 'how will you dispose of your
property .?' 'Why,' said he, 'in the first place, I Will my
brother Zachariah, $1000.' 'A thousand dollars !' exclaim-
ed the attorney, 'why, my dear sir, you are not worth a
thousand dollars in the world !' 'No matter, no matter,'
says uncle Zeph, 'it's biy Will Zack shall have a thousand
dollars, and he may go to work and get it if he has a mind
to r
(If it had been a thousand acres of land which was be-
queathed to the unlucky Zack, instead of 'dollars,' some one
might have happily remarked that he probably had to take
THE Wihh.for THE Deed.) Uncle Zeph's Will however is
not a parallel in all respects to the other immense Will
of which we are arguing, inasmuch as, according to the pop-
ular view\ God not only compels the heirs of immortality
to work out and earn the salvation which He is said to will
them to have, but creates them totally depraved, and wholly
prone to sin, abandons them in their helplessness to a world
in which the power of the Arch-Enemy is let loose, places
even other obstacles, which are utterly insuperable, in their
way, and then ha^iishes them to endless damnation because
they DO NOT get the salvation lohicli He Willed them.
The following splendid extract from Bailey's great Poem
of 'Festus,' which is an inestimable treasury of sacred phi-
losophy, and of some of the greatest thoughts and most
beautiful imaginings that ever sprung up in the celestial soil
of poet's mind, expresses a noble and heaven-worthy idea
of the love, omnipotence, and sovereignty ol the Divine
WiU:
REASONS FOR OUR HOPE. 61
" The Will of God is all in all. He makes,
Destroys, remakes, for His own pleasure. All.
After inferior nature is subdued,
All Evil is confiu'd. The elements
Conglobe themselves from chaos, purified, —
The re-begotten world is born again.
Moral corruption with the body ceaseth,
Spirits rise up, and link arnl rule with heav'n.
The soul-state is search'd into; dormant Death,
Evil, and all the dark gods of the heart,
And the idolatrous passions, overcome
And vvorshipless are seen ; and then the Word
Heard and obey'd, next conies the Truth divine
Redintegrate ; then Evil's last and worst
Essay, is vanquish'd by Almighty Good.
The universe all expurgate of evil.
And hell for aye abolish'd, — All Create,
Redeem'd, — their God all love, themselves ail bliss."
Objection.
Yet there seems to be an innate conviction and consciousness in
the soul of every man that he is possessed of an independent pow-
er of volition, a power which is able to resist successfully, and
therefore eternally, even the strongest divine influences in his
behalf; so that, as sin is most congenial to the natures of millions
of our race, such must inevitably remain in sin and misery forever,
and so cannot be saved. Then it follows that although the end-
less damnation of the wicked is against the Will o( God, it could
not be ordered otherwise, because the divine Will is not omnipo-
tent over the human to work the salvation of mankind.
ANSWER.
The doctrine of this objection is so manifestly at variance
with the Scriptures, that it will simply be necessary to cite
a few testimonies that will be directly to the point, in order
to refute it completely. Please to bear in mind the chief
point of this objection. The free-will of man is an insupera-
ble barrier against the Almighty's moulding the hearts
and guiding the wills of the children of men in conformity
with His own. Now mark the gospel rebuke of such a sen-
timent :
'God Put in their Hearts to Fulfil His WILL.' — Rev.
xvii. 17.
n
H2 REASONS FOR OUR HOPE.
' God Worketk hi Ymi, both TO WILL and TO DO, of
His good pleasure.' — Phil. ii. 13.
'It [salvation,] is NOT of him [Man,] that Willeth, or
of liiin that runneth, but of God, that showeth mercy.' — Kom.
ix. 16.
'OF HIS OWN WILL begat He us by the Word of
Truth.'— Jas. i. IS.
'They were born not of blood, not of the Will of the Flesh,
not of the Will of Man, but of [the Will of] God.' — John
i. 13.
'/ Will Direct all his tvays.'' — Is. xlv. 13.
'/ Will Direct their ivork [anddirect it also] in truth.' —
Is. Ixi. 8.
'Thine ear shall hear a word behind thee, saying. This
is the ivay, 2valk ye in it, when ye turn to the right hand,
and when ye turn to the left.' — Is. xxx. 21.
'And there shall ye remember your ways, and all your do-
ings wherein ye have been defiled ; and ye shall loathe your-
selves in your ov'n sight, for all your evils that ye have com-
mitted. And 7/e shall knoiv that I am the Lord, when I
have WROUGHT WITH YOU, for My name's sake.'—
Ezek. XX. 43,44.
'I will sprinkle clean w-ater upon You, and Ye shall be
clean ; from all your filthiness and from all your idols, /[the
Lord, observe, and not themselves,] Will Cleanse You. A
neiv heart also WILL I GIVE You : and a new spirit
WILL I PUT within you. And / WILL TAKE AWAY
the stony heart o?it of your flesh, and I WILL GIVE YOU
an heart of flesh. And T WILL PUT My spirit within
You, and CAUSE YOU to xoalk in My stattites, and YE
SHALL keep Mv judgments and DO them.' — Ezek. xxxvi.
25-27.
Do not these scriptures strongly and abundantly prove
that the human heart is a legitimate sphere for the opera-
lions of divine power ? What a forcible evidence is that
latter one especially, of the unbounded sovereignty which
the Lord possesses over the wills and souls of His depend-
ent creatures. There is indeed nothing more absurd in it-
•self, it seems to us, independent of the Bible testimony a-
REASONS FOR OUR HOPE. 63
gainst it, than the idea of the impossibility of God's interfer-
ing with the spontaneous workings of the minds of His weak
and erring children ; that the Author of being has endow-
ed mankind with powers which can of themselves work out
confusion to His plans, disappointment to His desires,
and eternal frustration to His Will, while at the same time
He has deliberately manacled His own right arm, that it
should not interpose to reverse the evils which spring up,
and avert impending ruin. Yet this is the character of that
great doctrine of 'Free Agency' which is gravely and confi-
dently urged against the faith of the salvation of all kindreds.
But no matter. Let men, all who may, let the world, believe
such doctrines. Yet the stupendous panorama of existence
is still moving on in a sublime and unvarying ordei', to
its appointed end, and the evidencesare plain and suffi-
cient, that
"He feeds the sacred fire
By which the mighty process is maintain'd,
Who sleeps not nor is vveary ; in whose sight,
Slow circling ages are as transient days ;
Whose work is without labor, whose Designs,
JVofiaw defects, nor difficulty thwarts,
And whose Beneficence no change exhausts."
It is not true that man is possessed ofthe power of willing
or choosing one thing as well as another. Man is the com-
plete creature and unconscious subject of Circumstance, and
Circumstance of God. He is possessed of a constitution,
which has laws, and those laws, and the laws of external
things work out their sure and undeviating effects. Every
impulse of the soul and body is as much the production of
surrounding causes, as the phenomena of nature. Not the
most trivial motion or occurrence that can be imagined, no
more than the grandest revolutions of being, could have by
any possibility been ordered otherwise than they have been
without destroying the universal harmony of things, with-
out interfering Avith the very Purpose of the Divinity, as
manifested in the eternal laws in which all things were fast
tened in the beginning, and through which all things are
perpetually sustained. Everything is thus not only as it
64 REASONS FOR OUR HOPE.
must be, but as it should be, and as God u-ills. Man then
is not a 'free agent,' not a being whose thoughts, and doings,
and feelings, and character, and destiny are entirely at his
own command. What does he know of, or how can he con-
trol, the condition of his mind for a day, or even for an hour
or minute of the future ? It seems to us an indisputable
truth, that every thought, every motive, every deed, and ev-
ery motion that is wrought in the human constitution, arises
from the operation of the hidden laws of the mental and
physical economy which are unbending and inavertible
Thus the infinite variety of character and condition in men,
which the world exhibits. And it is a wise provision that
things are so. All men could not be made alike, unless
they were born and reared under identical circumstances,
which were both utterly impossible and impracticable. But
the Creator so moulds the character and the very actions
of every individual through thd instrumentality of exterior
conditions and influences, that all men have their appointed
personal sphere to fill, and so the world is full, and there are
no two souls alike. If man is really the author and archi-
tect of his own character, when does t^at self-creation be-
gin? It cannot be defined, for the premise is not true.
I repeat, we have not the power within us of creating
our own choice. Are we ourselves the author of our fixed
and unwavering preference of pleasure to pain, of happiness
to misery ? May we choose if we will to love the paupers
or vagabonds of the streets as well as our parents, family,
and friends ? Can we please to relish one kind of food to
eat as well as another? or the fodder of cattle if we choose
as well as the provisions which are usually considered appro-
priate to man ? Accidents, and illness, and death, we need
not be troubled about them, for we have only to command
our potent wills, and they cannot harm us ! How foolish
are men for going to hell, when they have the ample power
to prevent it, and may just as well go to heaven, if they will
only please to turn about and travel the other way !
Now the fact is, we are 7iot so the sovereigns of our own
wills and choice. God makes every individual being for a
certain destiny, and surrounds him with circumstances
REASONS FOK OUR HOPE. 65
which contribute to afford him those experiences which will
be to his everlasting benefit ; and in order that His purpose
shall be exactly fulfilled, is it most reasonable to suppose
that He abandons that frail man to himself and to Chance,
so that His will may, or shall almost inevitably, be defeated ;
or that He, on the contrary, carefully attends to the means,
'directs all his ways,' fixes his instincts, guides and controls
his impulses and actions, propels the workings of his mind,
and superintends the effects of every outward influence, so
that the complicated tissue of causes shall all conspire to has-
ten the accomplishment of His pleasure ?
"We will, and act, and talk of liberty.
And all our wills, and al! our doings, both.
Are limited within this little life.
Free-will is but Necessity in play, —
The chattering of the golden reins which guides
The Purposes of Heaven to their goal."
PROPOSITION FOURTH.
The Lord has Repeatedly PROMISED, tJie Lltimate Salva-
tion of All Men.
\st. To Himself.
'And the Lord said, Shall I hide from Abraham that thing
which I will do ? Abraham shall surely become a Great
and ]\Iighty Nation, and All the Nations of the Earth shall
be Blessed in him.' — Gen. xxii. 17, 18.
2d. To the First Parents.
'I will put e7i7nit7j between thee, [the Serpent, — Sin, per-
sonified, the evil principle, the carnal 'law of the members'
that lurks in the body as a Tempter, — see Jas. i. 14.] and
the Woman, [by appointing sorrow, suffering and moral
death the inevitable and speedy effect of disobedience,] and
between thy seed, [Suffering, Error, and Death,] and her
seed, [Christ.] IT [the Redeemer,] SHALL BRUISE
THY HEAD, [this is the ancient Promise of the ultimate
W) REASONS FOR OUR HOPE.
total Destruction of Evil,] and thou shalt [only] bruise
his HEEL,' [a curable injury of the most inferior nature, show-
ing that the damage of Sin is entirely remediable. — Gen.
iii. 15. In this passage, there is an important point to be
noticed, besides the glorious Promise it comprises of the sal-
vation of all. It lies in that first clause in which the Lord
declared that He would put enmity betweeiithe Serpent and
the Woman. Now the Woman here is to be understood
the representative of the whole race of man ; and then we
shall understand from those words, that God should affix a
perpetual and irreconcilable enmity between mankind and
the principle of evil. Universalists are peculiar in fully be-
lieving that the execution of this sentence has been complete-
ly fulfilled, that there does actually exist, that there ever has
existed, in the hearts of all men, not only a natural, instinc-
tive hatred of sin, and of whatever is corrupt and abominable,
but that there is also in the constitution of every man, an
innate admiration, love, and reverence for those things that
are good, and beautiful and excellent. And this principle
still holds good, if we admit that many nations and millions
of men have not been possessed of correct ideas of what is
good and what is evil ; for confessedly, there does exist cer-
tain conceptions of right and wrong, of good and evil, in the
minds of the most uncultivated of our species. So, we can-
not think that such a thing has ever existed in the human
bosom as a love of sin, for itself alone. But we would rath-
er contend, in the light of all the world's experience, and the
soundest deductions of moral philosophy, that the most de-
praved of men loathe their own iniquities, and are led into
them, not for a love of the evil, but through the vain expec-
tation of arriving at some imagined good which is hoped to
be attained thereby. Thus, the very participation of evil
is itself an evidence in one way of the universal aspiration
of mankind to higher good. But as the way of transgi'es-
sion must eternally be found at enmity with the true interest
of the soul as well as with its unperverted impulses and
deepest yearnings, there is no danger but that, with the po-
tent co-operation of the Spirit of Grace, all souls will soon-
er or later come to realize that 'it is an evil thing and a bitter.
REASONS FOR OUR HOPE. 67
to forsake theLord their God, 'so that they 'shall loathe them-
selves in their own sight,' 'their own wickedness shall cor-
rect them,' and they shall seek the pleasant ways and peace-
ful pathsof wisdom.
3d. To Abraham.
'And the Lord said unto Abram, - - In thee shall All the
Families of the Earth be Blessed.'' — Gen. xii. 3.
Ath. To Isaac.
'And the Lord appeared unto Isaac and said, - - In thy
Seed shall All Nations of the Earth be Blessed.'' — Gen.
xxvi.4.
5th. To Jacob.
, 'And behold a Ladder [see John i. 51,] set up on the
Earth, and the top of it reached to heaven ; and behold,
the angels of God ascending and descending upon it.
And behold, the Lord stood above it, and said, I am the
Lord God of Abraham, thy father, and the God of Isaac ;
the land whereon thou liest, to thee will 1 Give it, and
to thy seed. And thy seed shall be as the dust of the
earth ; and thou shalt spread abroad to the west, and. to
the east, and to the north, and to the south, and in thy
seed shall All the Families of the Earth be Blessed.'
— Gen. xxviii. 12—14. This vision of Jacob concerning
the 'land of promise,' and indeed all that is recorded res-
pecting that beautiful country, is considered' typical of the
inheritance and beatitude of the great Promised Canaan
of the spiritual world, which through the seed of this Pa-
triarch, should be bestowed [mark, 'I will Give it,' not
offer,] upon '■All the Families of the Earth.' If there
was ever a human being who did not belong to amj fam-
ily of the earth, then we would grant that his immortal
blessedness is not Promised Ae?'e, at least. But, I tell vou,
dear reader, it takes nothing short of a Universalist to
believe such testimonies as this. To all others, they are
a mere 'dead letter.'
^th. To Moses.
'And the Lord said, I have pardoned according to thy
68 REASONS FOR OUR HOPE.
word ; but (is truly as I lire. All thi: [People of the] Earth
shall be Filled with the Glory of the Lord.'' — Nuinb. xiv. 21.
7th. To David.
'I have made a Covenant with My chosen, I have Sworn
unto David, My servant, Thy Seed will I establish forever,
and build up thy throne for All Generations.' — Ps. Ixxxix.
3, 4. 'He hath made with me an Everlasting Covenant,
Ordered for All Things, and sure; for this All is my
Salvation, and All my Desire.' — 2 Sam. xxiii. 5.
ith. To Solomon.
'Because thou hast asked for thyself Understanding, to dis-
cern judgment, heboid, 1 have done according to thy Mords.
Lo, I have given thee a Wise and an Understanding heart,
so that there was none like thee before thee, neither after
thee,' &c. 1 Kings, iii. And this is a part of the Wisdom
of Solomon which the Lord gave him : 'Man goeth to his
Long Home ; - - Then shall the Dust retjtrn to the Earth as
it loas, but THE Spirit shall Return unto GOD, who
GAVE IT.' — Ec. xii. 7.
9th. To Isaiah.
'Therefore My people shall Know My name ; therefore
shall they Know in that Day that I am He that doth speak.
Behold, it is I ! How beautiful upon the mountains are the
feet of him that bringeth Good Tidings of Good, that P^lb-
lishdh Salvation, that saith unto Zion, Thy God Reign-
ETH ! Thy watchmen shall lift up the voice, — wnth the
voice together shall they sing; for they shall see eye to eye
when the Lord shall bring again Zion. Break forth into
Joy ! Sing together ye waste places of Jerusale7n ! The
Lord hath made bare His holy arm in the eyes of All the Na-
tions, and All the Ends of the Eakth shall sec the Sal-
vation of our God .'' — Is. Iii. 6-10.
lO/A. To Jeremiah.
'Behold, the days come, saith the Lord, that I will make
a Neiv Covenant with the house of Israel, and with the
house of Judah. - - And this shall be the Covenant that I
will make with the house of Israel : After those days, saith
the Lord, J icill Put My laio in their inward parts, and
REASONS FOR OUR HOPE. 69
Wi'ite it in their Hearts, and will be their God, and they
shall be My People. And they shall teach no more every
man his neighbor and every man his brother, saying"; Knovv'
the Lord, for they shall ALL know Me, from the least
of them unto the Greatest of them, saith the Lord ; for I
\\\\\ Forgive [take aw^4y] their iniquity, and I Avill remem-
ber their sin no more.' — Jer. xxxi. 31—34.
Uth. ToEzeldel.
'I will make them One Nation ; - - One King shall be
King to them All ; - - I will save them out of all their
dwelling-places wherein they have sinned, and will Cleanse
them ; so shall they be My People, and I will be their God.
And David, My servant shall be King over them, and they
All shall have One Shepherd ; [see John, x. 16 ; Eph. i.
10 ;] they shall also walk in My judgments, and observe
Mj'' statutes and do them. - - Moreover, I wdll make a Cov-
enant of Peace with them ; it shall be an Everlasting Cov-
enant with them ; - - And the Heathen shall Know that I
the Lord do sanctify Israel, when My sanctuary shall be in
the midst of them for ever more.' — Ezek. xxxvii. 22— 2S. 'I
will set My Glory among the Heathen, and All the Hea-
then shall see My judgment that I have executed, and My
hand that I have laid upon them.' — xxxix. 21.
12//i. To the So7i.
'I will Give thee the Heathen for thine Inheritance, and
the Uttermost Parts of the Earth for thy Possession.' — Ps.
ii. S.
\2th. Through Christ, the Angels, the Prophets, and
the Apostles, — To the World.
I. 'If I be lifted up from the earth, I will Draw All Men
unto Me.'— John. xii. 32.
II. 'Fear not; for Behold, we bring you Good Tidings of
Great Joy, which shall be unto ALL PEOPLE.' — Luke
ii. 14.
III. 'AH thy children shall be taught of the Lord, and
great shall be the Peace of thy children.' — Isaiah. 'I
will Cleanse their blood that I have i^ or Cleansed.' — Joel.
'I Avill turn to the people a pure language that they may
4
70 REASONS FOR OUR HOPK.
All call upon the name of the Lord to serve Him with
one consent.' — ZicrHANiAH.
IV. As 2ve have home the image of the Earthy, we shall
ALSO bear the image of the Heavenly.'' — Paul, 'God hath
spoken of the limes of the Restitution of All Things, by the
mouth of all His holy Prophets since the world began.' —
Pkti:r. 'Of His own Will begat He us by the word of
truth, that we should be a kind of First-Fruits of His
Creatures.' — James. [And, 'if the First-Fruits be holy,
THE Lump is also holy.' — Rom. xi. 16.]
"Sing of His wondrous faithfulness,
VVhich all our race shall prove.
Sing of THE Pkomisk of His Grace,
And Universal Love.
Proclaim Salvation from the Lord
For All the sons of Men;
His hand hath trac'd it in His word.
With an immortal pen.
Engraved as in eternal hrass,
The joyful Promise shines,
Nor can the powers of darkness rase
Those Everlastin" lines."
COMPLETION OF THE ARGUMENT.
Will this Glorious Projiise of the Divine Parent fail of
being FulfiUed?
'Thus saith the Lord, I tvill Perform that Good Thing
tohich I have Proinised unto the house of Israel, and to the
house of Judah.' — Jer. xxxiii. 14.
'■I will 7iot leave thee, [saith the Lord to Jacob,] 'until I
have Done that which I have spoken to thee of.' — Gen.
xxviii. 15.
'My Covenant will I 7iot break, nor alter the thing that
is gone out of My lips.'— Ps. Ixxxix. 34. 'I will hasten My
word to Perform it.' — Jer. i. 12.
'Thus saith the Lord, If My covenant be not with the day
and night, and if I have not appointed the ordinances of
heaven and earth : Then will I cast away the seed of Ja-
REASONS FOR OUR HOPE. 71
cob, and David, My servant : - - But I WILL fulfil My
Covenant with them, and have mercy on them, saith the
Lord.'— Jer. xxxiii. 25.
. 'He hath remembered His Covenant forever, the word
that He commanded unto a thousand Generations ; which
Covenant He made with Abraham, and confirmed with an
Oath unto Isaac, aud unto Jacob, for a law, and unto Israel
for an everlasting Covenant, saying, Unto thee will I give
the land of Canaan, [this was a figure of the heavenly,] the
lot of your Inheritance.'— Ps. cv. S— IL
'He will ever be mindful of His Covenant ; He hath
showed His People the power of His works, that He should
give them the Heritage of the Heathen ; - - He sent Re-
demption unto His People ; He hath commanded His Cov-
enant forever !' — Ps. cxi. 5, 6, 9.
'I the Lord have spoken it, it shall come to pass, for I will
Do it ; I will not go back, neither will I spare, [ 'till I have
caused My fury to rest upon thee, and thou art purged trom
thy filthiness,' verse 13,] neither will I repent.' — Ezek. xxiv.
14.
'God is not a man that He should lie, neither the son of
man that He should Repent. Hath he said, and shall He
not DO it? or hath He spoken, and shall He not make it
GOOD?'— Numb, xxiii. 19.
' Will the Lord Cast of forever ? and will He be favora-
ble NO MORE ?' Is His Mercy entirely Gone Forever ? or
DOTH HIS PROMISE FAIL FOREVERMORE ?—
Hath God forgotten to be Gracious ? Hath He in Anger
shut up His tender mercies ? And I said, This is my infir-
mity V — Ps. Ixvii. 7-10. 'jFor the Lord will not Cast Off
Forever ;' 'Neither will He Forsake His Inheritance ;'—
'Nor suffer His Faithfulness to Fail ;' 'For His Anger en-
dureth but a Moment,' but 'His Mercy endureth Forever!'
—Lam. iii. 31 ; Ps. xciv. 14; Ixxxix. 83; xxx. 5; cxxxvi.
'The Lord is not slack concerning His Promises.'' — 2 Pet.
iii. 9. 'The word of the Lord endureth forever. '—1 Pet. i.25.
'The Scriptures must be Fulfilled,' — Mark xiv. 49. 'The
Scriptures cannot be broken.' — John x. 35.
'Jesus Christ was a minister of Circumcision for the
72 REASONS FOR OUR HOPE,
truth of God, to Confiioi tlie Fromlses made unto the Fa-
thers.' — Rom. XV. 8.
'Thus it beliooved the Son of Alan to suffer, and to
rise from the dead the third daj^ : that repentance and Re-
mission of Sins should be preached amonsr All Nations, be-
c>innin?at Jerasalcm, - - And Behold, I Send THE PROM-
ISE OF MY FATHER upon You.'—hwVc xxiv. 46-48.
'Abraham staggered not at the Promise of God through
unbelief, but was strong in faith, giving glory to God ;
being fully persuaded that what He had Promised, He was
Able also to Perform.^ — Roni.iv. 21.
'Let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wa-
vering, for He is Faithful that Promised.' — Heb. x. 23.
"Oh, why should the hearts of believers be sad,
Orreliijion be clolli'd in the vestments of gloom ?
In lieavcn above there are none but the glad,
And we are their kindred and heaven our home.
Weep we for the living, — the cruel, the vain.
The proud and seif-righleous who scoff at our Faith;
But the infinite Love even them shall reclaim,
Unbelief shall be lost in the life beyond death."
Rev. A. B. Grosh.
OBJECTION.
These Promises are all Conditional, depending not for their ful-
filment upon the direct Power of Gnd, nor the surety of His Pur-
poses ; but upon the universal obedience and richteousness of men
in the present life. But as this necessary condition is manifestly
not cotnplied with on tlie part of mankind, of course God is under
no obligation to confer the Universal Blessedness which He gra-
ciously proposed and offered in the beginning.
Will the objector please to point out the Proviso clauses,
and the Restrictive Sentences, in the above quoted passages
relating to the Promise of the Abrahamic Covenant. But
he will not indeed pretend that any of these passages are
modified by any such conditional phrases. The objector
merely imagines that they ought to be there, or are at least
understood., because he thinks they are certainly expressed
somewhere in the Bible. But unless he will allow that the
REASONS FOR OUR HOPE. 7 J
Bible contradicts itself, we shoukl be satisfied to attend
carefully tirst, to the portions which are already under no-
tice. Now there is no language in all the two Testaments,
of a more positive and absolute character, than that of the
foregoing collection of the Promises. Each of them is
a plain 'Thus saitli the Lord,' containing the broad, un-
qualified, and unreserved, / Will Do, and They shall Be,
th2is, thus, and So. It is obviously altogether in vain for
any to attempt to evade the great scriptural grounds of the
Faith of universal redemption by any pretensions of their
Co7iditionality. Such an objection we should really not
expect to meet with here, after the proofs we have just ex-
hibited in the last section, o'ithe Infallibility of the Divine
Promise of the Restoration, but we are disposed to combat
this objection a little further and more directly.
Connected with one of the leading Promises comprised in
the first division, there is a verse that so strongly illustrates
and enforces the truth of our present position, that we pur-
poselj^ omitted and reserved it, for the present place. We
will re-quote that Promise including the omitted verse. It
is that memorable one in the 31st of Jeremiah : 'Behold,
the days come saith the Lord, that I will make A New Cov-
enant with the house of Israel, and with the house of Ju-
dah : [now mark :] NOT ACCORDING to the covenant
which I made with their fathers, in the day that I took them
by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt ; [Well,
in what respect then was this New Covenant to differ from
the Old and obsolete one ? Why, in regard to this very
conditio7iality,— read :] jvhich My Coveyiant they brj^ke,
although I Avas an husband unto them, saith the Lord. —
[Here we see that God had ordained that the realization of
the blessings which were promised under the former Cove-
nant should be dependent upon the self-exertions and contin-
uing obedience of the people, who should also have power to
'break' that Covenant, and be in consequence disinherited
from its privileges. But the New Covenant was '■Not Ac-
cording'' to this. It involved a Purpose of the Almighty
which was of too grand and important a character to be sus-
pended upon the weak nature of man, or upon any subordi-
74 REASONS FOR OUR HOPE.
natc, anil therefore imperfect power, whatever. Now we
note llie characteristic alisoluteness of the Promises of the
New Covenant.] But THlSsliall be the Covenant that I
will make with the house of Israel ; After those daj's, saiih
the Lord, I WILL PUT iAIY LAW IN THLIH INWARD
PARTS, AND WRITE IT IN THEIR HEARTS ;] Is
not this one of the most withering reprehensions of the Free
Agency Doctrine that the Lord hath spoken ?] and will be
their God, and THEY SHALL BE MY PEOPLE. - - -
For THEY SHALL ALL KNOW ME,' &c. There is
not the smallest condition here, of any effort of faith or good
Avorks on the part of mankind for the inheritance of this
salvation, (for those things belong to the Conditional Dis-
pensation of the present stale,) the only condition to be ac-
complished in order that All shall Know the Lord and be-
come His People, being, that the law should be put in their
inward parts and written in their hearts, which God Avho on-
ly can, has Himself promised to do.
'Bv K?,' said Paul, 'All the Promises inCiikist, are YEA
and "VERILY, unto the Glory of God.'— 2 Cor. i. 20.—
Here is a very plain attestation of the absoluteness of the
Divine Promises through Christ. These Promises, it must
be conceded, relate to the ?OT???orte/? salvation and blessedness,
(1) because it is an unconditional &^[vdi\\on., whereas the re-
demption of the present life is not, as is clearly manifest from
a hundred testimonies to this point, and the absoluteness of
the former is no less strongly verified ; (2) because the salva-
tion 'in Chrisf is a Universal one, while that of the present
state only embraces 'the first fruits,' 'the elect ;' and (3) he-
canse Christ is a sj9m7?fffZ, and not a temporal Saviour, a
Heavenly King, whose kingdom is 'not of this world.'
'God is true,' saith the Apostle, 'And Jesus Christ the
Son of God was not preached among you by us. Yea
AND Nay, [may he,a7id may 7iot be,'\ but [the Promise] in
him was YEA.'— 2 Cor. i. 18, 19.
St. Paul anticipated and replied to this very objection
we are considering, with much explicitness in another
place. ^ Is the law \\\\e covenant of works which concerns
the present life,] then,'' he asks, 'against the PROMISES
REASONS FOR OUR HOPE, 75
OF God? God forbid! For if there had been a laio given
which COULD have conferred life, truly, righteousness
should have been by the law, [whose benefits are condition-
al, rather than by Promise, whose blessings are certain.—
'For if that covenant had been faultless, then should no place
have been sought for another.'] But the Scripture hath
concluded ALL under sin, that the Promise might be given
[made known] to them that believe, — Gal. iii. 22 ; [the
C7/ibelievers 'being kept under the law shut up unto the
faith which should afterwards be revealed.' — v. 23.
And again, 'The Covenant [with the fathers] which was
confirmed before of God through Christ, the law cannot
DISANNUL, tJiat it should make the Promise of none effect. —
For if the Inheritance be [through the obedience] q{ the law,
IT IS NO MORE OF Promise ; but God gave the Inheritance
to Abraham by Promise.' — Gal. iii. 17, 18.
The Covenant is said to be 'an Everlasting Covenant,
ordered in all things, and SURE.' — 2 Sam. xxiii. 5.
The Promise, Paul certifies us, is made 'SURE to All
THE Seed,' which is 'AH the Nations,' 'Families,' and 'Kin-
dreds of the Earth.' — Rom. iv. 16. See Rom. ix. 8.
The word of Prophecy is said to be 'SURE.'— 2 Pet. i. 19.
The Testimonies of the Lord, 'VERY SURE.'— Ps.
xciii. 5.
And 'this Hope we have as an anchor to the soul, both
Sure and Steadfast.'' — Heb. vi. 19.
'Not one jot or tittle of the law shall fail, till all be ful-
filled.'— Luke xvi. 17.
Besides, salvation is ^7iot of works ^ but 'according to His
Eternal Purpose,' 'according to His own Purpose and Grace
in Christ Jesus before the world began.' And does the Al-
mighty hang the accomplishment of His Purposes, and the
fulfilment of His Promises, upon the weakness of creature
workings, or the blind staggerings of Chance ?
'I will cause you to pass under the rod, saith the Lord,
and bring You into The Covenant.' — Ezek. xx. 37.
Praise the Lord for He ie glorious,
Never shall His Promisk fail,
God hath made His love Victorious,
Sin and death shall not prevail.
76 REASONS FOR OUR HOPE.
PROPOSITION FIFTH.
The. Apostles Eecngjiized this Ancient Promise and Univer-
sal COVENANT of Grace as the very Keystone of the
Gospel Temple, and continually Referred to, and Illus-
trated it in their Writings.
EXAMPLES.
"We are judged for the Hope of the Promise of God which was
made uiuo our l''aihei's." — Paul.
•This is THE Promise He hath Promised us, even life eter-
nal.' — 1 John ii. 25. 'Eternal life, which God, that cannot
lie, Promised before the world began.' — Titus i. 2.
'The Covenant which God made with our Fathers, say-
ing unto Abraham, In thy Seed shall All the Kindreds of the
Earth be Blessed,'' — Acts iii, 25 ; ['by turning away Every
One from his iniquities.'— verse 26.]
'This is My Covenant with them, saith the Lord, when I
shall TAKE AWAY THEIR SiNS.' — Rom. xi. 27.
'And the Scripture, forseeing that God would justify the
Heathen through Faith, preached before THE GOSPEL
unto Abraham, saying, In thee shall All Nations he Blessed.'
—Gal. iii. S.
'According to His Promise, God hath raised unto Isra e
a Saviour, Jesus."— Acts xiii. 23.
'And we declare unto You Glad Tidings, how that the
Promise which was made unto our Fathers, God hath fulfil-
led the same unto Us their children, in that He hath raised
up Jesus from the dead.'— Acts xiii. 32, 33. Him hath God
exalted to be a Prince and a Saviour, and to give repentance
to Israel and forgiveness of sins.'— v. 3L
'The Promise is unto j^ou and your children, and to All
that are Afar Off, even as Many as the Lord our God shall
call,— Acts ii. 39 ; for 'He will have Mercy upon whom He
Will have mercy,' even 'upon ALL,' and 'Who art thou,
O Man, that repliest against God ?' — Rom. ix.
'He is thc?*Mediator of A Better Covenant, established
upon Better Promises; for if that First Covenant [that of
the law — of works, which is necessarily mjser/ccf, because
REASONS FOR OUR HOPE. 7^
of its contingency, "] had been Faidtless, there should no
place have been sought for the Second.' — Heb. viii. 8, 9. —
'For the law made nothing Perfect, [sure ;] but the bringing
in of A Better Hope, DID.' — Heb. vii. 19.
These Promises St. Peter calls ^Exceeding Great and
Precious.' — 2 Pet. i. 5.
'The Hope that is laid up for You in heaven, whereof ye
have heard before in the word, of the truth of the Gospel,
which is come unto You, as it is to All the World, and
bringeth forth fruit, as it doth also in you, since the day ye
heard of it, and Knew the Grace of God in truth.'— Col. i.
5,6.
'Continue in the 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, whereof I, Paul, am made a Min-
ister.' — Col. i. 23. Yet how many good people there are
calling and thinking themselves believers in the Gospel,
who, notwithstanding the plain declarations of the great A-
postle as to the doctrine to which he was ordained a Preach-
er, entertain an especial repugnance to Universalist Minis-
ters of modern times.
Yes, St. Paul indeed was a Minister of the Gospel, but
not a minister of lorath, not a preacher of a God who is a
respector of persons, of a Saviour who shall spurn the sin-
ful and the unbelieving from his kingdom, of a salvation
which is of works, of self, and for a few, and not of grace,
of gift, of Christ, and for all, — of a Hell of cruel, excrucia-
ting, endless, and useless tortures for 'those who are igno-
rant and out of the way; for the word Hell, nor indeed either
of these anti-Christian doctrines, is to be found in all his
numerous writings. But he was a Preacher of a very dif-
ferent gospel, indeed, even 'the glorious Gospel of Christ,' —
2 Cor. iv. 4 ; 'the glorious Gospel of the blessed God,' —
1 Tim. i. 11 ; which is a 'Gospel o( Peace, and Glad Tid-
ings of Good Things,'— lS,ph. vi. 1, Rom. x. 15 ; 'the Gos-
pel of the Grace of God,' — Acts xx. 24 ; a Gospel which is
without charge, and for all, — 1 Cor. ix. 18, 19 ; a Gospel
which is for the circumcision, the uncircumcision, and the
E
78 REASONS FOR OUR HOPE.
heathen, — Gal. ii. 7, 9 ; the same which Jesus 'went through
every city and villai^e preaching, showing the Glad Tidings
of the kingdom of God,'— Luke viii. 1 ; of which the Proph-
ets foretold he should make known, when they wrote, 'Behold
upon the mountains the feet of him that bringeth Good
Tidings, that publislieth Peace,' and 'Salvation,' — Nah. i.
15; Is. lii. 7 ; of which the Lord spake when He Promised, '1
will give to Jerusalem One that bringeth Good Tidings,''—
Is. xli. 27 ; and Isaiah when he prophesied, 'The Lord
hath anointed him to preach Good Tidings, — even to pro-
claim deliverance to the captives, the opening of the prison
to them that are bound, and to comfort all that mourn, — Is.
Ixi. 1 ; the same as tliat which the angel announced from
on high as 'Glad Tidings of great joy which should be unto
All People,' — Luke ii. 14 ; that Gospel which should be
preached 'among All Nations,' into 'All the World,' 'for
'Every Creature,' even 'for Every Creature 7vhich is under
Heaven,' — Mark xiv. 9 : xvi. 15 ; Col. i. 23 ; which the
Revelator denominates ' The Everlasting Gospel,' which shall
be given 'to Every Nation, and Kindred, and Tongue, and
People,' — Rev. xiv. 6 ; the Gospel, in fine, which the Apostle
himself defined to be the Covenant with Abraham, in which
God Promised that through One who should come, 'All
Nations shall be Blessed.' — Gal. iii. 8. This, and no
other, is the Christian Gospel, the Faith which Paul cher-
ished and preached, and in relation to which he declared
that any other gospel beside this which he had received and
communicated should be accursed.— G\\\. i. 6—8. Aye, he
preached 'the Fubiess of the blessing of the Gospel of Christ,'
— Rom. XV. 29 : 'I have preached to you the Gospel of God
Freely,' also, said Paul, — 2 Cor. xi. 7 ; yea, 'I have Fully
preached the Gospel of Christ.' — Rom. xv. 19. Universal-
ists are indeed the only legitimate believers of the fulness
of the Divine Gospel, as exhibited by the Saviour and his
apostles, yet the modern Pharisee would not only deny to
them a faith of the Redeemer's Gospel, but also the very
Christian, and Evangelical name. And this is the more
singular and unfair, when the fact is well known that the
Universalist form of Christianity is the only one that truly
REASONS FOR OUR HOPE. 79
comports with the very signification of the terms 'Gospel'
and 'Evangelism,' which, is (for these two words are synon-
ymous,) good neivs, joyous, or heavenly intelligoice, tidings
of great blessedness and Peace ; while the opposite doc-
trines, which teach so many fearful things, concerning the
dreadfulness of God's Justice, the terribleness of Lucifer,
the fabled antagonist God of Evil, of his awful rebellion in,
and separation from heaven, of the unimaginable terrors
and sufferings of the vast kingdom of Tartarus, of the deep,
dark, and abominable wickedness of the human heart, and
of the essential gloominess and mysteriousness of religion,
— this form of faith, jealous of the appropriation of those
terms to any other system, is itself, in its whole nature, the
very antipodes of what those Avords express.
'The Promise is pronounced, 'The Word of God, even
the Mystery which hath been hid from ages and from Gen-
erations, but now is made manifest to His saints ; to whom
God would make known what is the Eiches of the Glory
of this Mystery among the Ge7itiles.'—Co\. i. 26, 27.
'Ye have heard of the dispensation of the Grace of God,
that is given me, [saith Paul,] to you-ward ; how that by
revelation He made known unto me the Mystery, - - which
in other ages was not made known unto the sons of men,
as it is 71020 revealed unto the holy Apostles and prophets
by the Spirit, that the Gentiles, [the scripture usage of the
words 'Ge7itile,' nnd 'Heathen,' is generally equivalent to
the Unbelievi7ig and the Wicked m general,] should be
Fellow-Heirs, of the same Body, [of Mankind,] and Par-
takers of His Promise in Christ throtigh the Gospel, [see
Gal. ill. 8.] - - - that I should preach among the Gentiles
the TJnsearchahle Riches of Christ, and to make All Men
SEE, what is the Fellowship of the Mystery, which from
the Beginning of the world hath been hid in God.'— Eph.
iii. 3-9.
' There is neither Jeui 7ior Greek, there is neither bond nor
free, there is 7ieither Male nor Female, but ye are all ONE
in Christ Jesus ; (see also John xiii. 37, &c ;) and if Ye
be Christ's, then are Ye Abraham's Seed, a7id Heirs ; —
1B9 REASONS FOR OUR HOPE.
according to the Promise' (of Universal Blessedness which
was made unto the fathers.) — Gal. iii. 28, 29.
'For THE Promise that he should be Heir of the World,
was 7iot to Abraham and his seed through the law, but
through the righteousness of Faith. For if they which are
of the law, (only,) be heirs. Faith is viade void, and the
Promise made of none effect ; (for then only those who are
faithfully obedient to the works of the law in the present
life could inherit the salvation, while millions who are dis-
obedient to the law, and myriads more who are without it
entirely, departed, living, and unborn, could never be re-
leased from their sins.) Because the law worketh wrath ;
for where no law is there is no transgression. Therefore
it is of Faith, that it might be by Grace ; to the end that it
might he SURE TO ALL THE SEED; (\{s tmcondition-
ality ensures this, the inheritance being purely of 'Grace,'
of 'Promise,' of 'the eternal Purpose which He purposed in
Christ Jesus our Lord,' and 'not of works,' for 'all are con-
cluded in sin,' and 'unbelief.' So, the Promise is SURE
to All the Seed. And who are the seed of Abraham ? Ans.
All Mankind : 'The Children of the Promise — [viz: All the
Families of the Earth,'] are counted for the Seed.' — Rom.
ix. 8 ; and as All are Christ's, so All are Abraham's seed,
and accordingly Heirs of the Promise. — Gal. iii. 28, 29.]
Not only to the seed which is of the law, but to that also
v/hich is of the Faith of Abraham, [the Gentiles,"Unbeliev-
ers and the unrighteous,] who is the Father of us All, —
as it is written, I have made thee a Father of MANY Na-
tions.' — Rom. iv. 13-16. 'For they are not ALL Israel
which are (merely) OF Israel.'— Rom. ix. 6. For 'God
is able even of the stones of the field, (much more of living
souls, though never so morally dead,) to raise up children
unto Abraham.'— Mat. iii. 9. The ancient prophecy is,
that 'Israel shall be heir unto them that were his heirs.'—
Jer. xlix. 2. Ezekiel also wrote from the mouth of the
Lord, 'I will cause men to walk upon you, even My people
Israel ; and they shall possess thee, and thou shalt be their
Inheritance, and thou shalt no more henceforth be bereaved
of them.'— xxxvi. 12. 'Thy seed shall inherit the Gentiles.'
Is. liv. 3.
REASONS FOR OUR HOPE. 81
Thus it is seen that the good Father of All has bequeathed
the inheritance of His righteousness and salvation impartially
to all His children, whose heirship has been duly confirmed,
and whose title is luminously and indelibly recorded. And
what a pitiful thing it is to see the whole family of the race
involved in wrangling and enmity concerning the fruition
of this paternal legacy, when its extent is so unsearchable,
and its Donor so infinitely beneficent and impartial!
'We, according to His Probiise, look for New Heavens
and a New Earth, wherein dwellelh Righteousness.' — 2
Pet. iii. 13. But we do not look for any terrible world of
demons and tormented spirits, wherein shall dwell eternal
suflTering and unrighteousness, for the Lord has never Pro-
mised anything of such a kind.
' We sorrow not for those who sleep as others who have
NO Hope.'— 1 Thess. iv. 13. 'Weep je not for the Dead,
neither bemoan him.' — Jer. xxii. 10.
'Having therefore these Promises, dearly beloved, let us
cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh, perfecting
holiness in the fear of God.' — 2 Cor. vii. 1. 'For the Grace
of God which bringeth salvation to All Men having appear-
ed, teacheth us, that denying ungodliness and worldly
lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly in this
present world.'—Titus ii. 11.
'Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ,
who, according to His abundant mercy, hath Begotten us
again unto A Living Hope, by the Resurrection of Jesus
Christ from the Dead, to an Inheritance incorruptible and
undefiled, and that fadeth not away.' — 1 Pet. i. 3.
THE CHRISTIAN HOPE.
"Hail, sweetest, dearest tie that binds.
Our glowing hearts in one, —
Hail, sacred Hope, that tunes our minds,
To sing what God hath done.
It is the Hope, the blissful Hope,
Which Love Divine hath given,
The Hope that sin shall be no more,
And Ail shall meet in heaven.
82 REASONS FOR OUR HOPE.
From Efistern shores, from Northern hinds.
From Western hill and plain
And Souliiern climes — the brotiier-banda
Miiy hope to meet ni;nin.
0, glorious, great, relestial Hope,
""which Gospel Failli hath given,
That Evil shall at last be o'er,
And All shall meet in heaven.
No hope deferr'd, no parting sigh,
That blessed meeting knows,
There glory beams from every eye.
And love immortal grows.
0, precious Hope, and glad'ning Hope,
Which boundless Grace hath given.
That All Mankind shall be Redeem'd,
And glonhed in Heaven."
OBJECTION.
But in order that All Mankind should inherit the blessings that
were Covenanted unto the Fathers, through Christ, it is essential
that there should be a universal and abiding Faith in the eflioacy
of that Covenant, and in the Redeemer, Jesus, which alas '. is
manifestly untrue with myriads of our race.
ANSWER.
The Apostles themselves have foreseen and conclusively
answered this objection, so that it will be merely necessary
to quote their language in order to show its unscripturality,
at once; though the scriptures that have already been ad-
vanced in proof of the infallibility and unconditionality of
these proinises, we think amply, but perhaps a little more
indirectly, cover the same ground :
'What if some did not believe ? [asks the apostle ;] shall
their unbelief make the faith, [the faithfulness] of God of
none effect? God forbid ! Yea, let GOD be True, and
Every Man a liar.'— Rom. iii. 3, 4. Though every individ-
ual of mankind were to doubt or disbelieve the truth of the
gospel and of the divine promises, it would only affect their
happiness, and not the truth itself. God would still be true
to the performance of His Promises, for His faithfulness is
immutable, and does not depend upon the faith or disbelief
REASOKS FOR OUR HOPE. 83
of His creatures. Thus, the disbelief of man, or even of
'every man,' cannot prevent the fulfilment of the purposed
Promises, to make them of none effect ; for if it could, then
those Promises, and the veracity of God would be falsified,
and not the faith of man.
'He that believeth hath the witness in himself; [he en-
joj'^s the peaceful fruit of his believing, receives the end of
his faith, doth enter into rest, and hath eternal life abiding
in him ;] but he that believeth not [the testimony of] God,
hath made him a liar ; because he believeth not the Record
that God gave of His Son. [What was that Record ? The
universal blessedness which was anciently proinised in the
Messiah :] And this is the Record, that God hath {offered .?]
GIVEN us Eternal Life, and this Life is through His Son.'
— 1 John V. 10, IL So indeed it is, that all who persist
in discrediting and fighting against the testimony of the
Lord to His Universal Grace and Salvation, treat Him just
as if He were a liar ! But it is a blessed thing that the
love and mercy of the Lord are so much greater than all the
faithlessness, and stubborn unbelief, and even than the si7is
of men, and shall ultimately overcome and resolve them
into good.
'■If we Believe not, [we must be banished to everlasting
agonies ?] yet He abideth Faithful ; He cannot Deny
Himself.' — 2 Tim. ii. 13. He hath Promised that 'AH the
Kindreds of the Earth shall be Blessed,' and that 'All Men,
(which of course m\\?,imc\\xAe unbelievers and the ignorant,)
shall come to the knowledge of the truth;' and 'We is faith-
ful that Promised,' for He is 'the Father of the Spirits of
All Flesh,' whose 'tender mercies are over all His works ;'
so if any disbelieve, yet He abideth faithful, for He is 'loith-
out variableness,^ and '■cannot lie,' nor '■deny Himself
It is commonly asserted that all unbelievers shall be doom-
ed to endless misery. What use must people make of their
Bibles to entertain or give utterance to such a sentiment as
that ! Reader, do you believe that doctrine ? If you do,
you must allow that damnation is universal, and that you
yourself are surely being reared up for an inhabitant of the
vast, dreadful, and everlasting kingdom of His Satanic Ma-
84 REASONS FOR OUR HOPE.
jesty ; for the Scriptures expressly affirm that ^God hath
concluded AhLi in unbelief.^ 'But stop!' say you, *you
have not quoted but half of that i)assage !' You are exceed-
ingly unlucky in retninding me of that, I reply, for that fol-
lowiiiiT clause annihilates your position that the unbelievers
shall be lost, inasmuch as their unbelief is the very reason
why they need and why they shall have redemption, and as
the necessity for universal salvation is the reason why All
are concluded in unbelief. You see we draw opposite con-
clusions from the same premise. You say that because a
man is an unbeliever, he shall be eternally perpetuated in
darkness, and endlessly tormented with pains. I say on the
contrary, that because men are 'darkened in their under-
standings,' perverse in faith, distrustful of their merciful
Father, and sinful, they shall be saved, because Christ died
and lives expressly /'^r s?/cA, and because God wills, and
has determined and Promised to redeem them, and finally
to exhaust all evil. And as all men have more or less dis-
affection towards their Creator, He has concluded them All
unbelievers, '■that He may shoio Mercy unto AIL'
Against this phalanx of plain and palpable proofs we have
drawn from the scriptures in proof of our position that the
Promise we are considering is not contingent iipon the faith
of men, (as we have before proved that it is neither contin-
gent upon human loorks,) the objector will bring the follow-
ing texts, in contradiction to those we have above cited : 'He
that believeth not shall be damned.' — Mark xvi. 16. 'He
that believeth not the Son shall not see life ; but the wrath
of God abideth on him.' — John iii. 36. 'God shall send
them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie : that
they all might be damned who believed not the truth.' — 2
Thess. ii. 11, 12. Now we would not evade these appar-
ently conflicting scriptures, else we might have omitted to
notice them at all. Universalist writers have always been
careful to give these passages, and all others of the kindred
stamp, verv particular and candid consideration. But an
exposition of these passages not being the task we have un-
dertaken in this book, the reader ought not to accuse us of
evasion for not giving explanations of them as they shall
REASONS FOR OUR HOPE. 85
all alonf^ occur to our minds in the course ot our argument,
especially if we shall he careful to refer him to ready and
complete sources of information upon those difficulties. —
Mr. Balfour, in his 'Inquiries,' has probably written most
upon those passages we have just cited, and upon the whole
class of those which contain the words damnation, judg-
ment, fire, hell, &c. And we might also observe, that while
the 'Pro and Con,' of Rogers, the Sermons of Ballou, the
'Familiar Conversations' of Streeter, the 'Dialogues' of AVin-
chester, the various 'Discussions,' &;c., contain extensive,
thorough, and easy expositions of all the popular objective
passages, — Mr. Whittemore, in his 'Plain Guide to Univer-
salism,' among much other useful and valuable matter, has
given a complete explanation q/'ewry one of ihevi, in course,
from both testaments, in a concise, critical, and conclusive
manner, and stored with a vast number of concessionary ex-
planations from the most eminent Biblical critics of other
persuasions.
But in regard to those three objective texts which are
above mentioned, we will remark that the following points
may be easily, and have been repeatedly, demonstrated. —
(1) That these passages do not contradict nor disagree with
the numerous Promises of universal salvation, nor with the
infinite love and goodness of God, nor with the scripture
doctrine of salvation 'by grace,' and 'not of works' nor self.
(2) That the word 'damned' which they contain, that is ac-
cording to its common acceptation, is a manifest perversion
of the inspired Greek, which reads, simply '■condemned,'' as
the same word is sometimes rendered in our version, which
word Qur Lord himself defined, (John iii. 15,) that 'light was
come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than
light.' (3) That 'the condemnation' which was the conse-
quence of disbelief, has no connection whatever with the
state of immortality, which is the great point that is ground-
lessly taken for granted, while the contexts and abundant
other scripture is against it. (4) That these passages are
parallels with a large class which teach the joy and life-giv-
ing influences of a confident Christian/a?YA, on the one hand,
and the state of fearfulness, darkness, doubt, and supersti-
5
86 REASONS FOR OUR HOPE.
tion which ^ah'ideth'' \\\wn the votarios of error and bigotry.
Anil {■')) that many of the most learned commentators have
interpreted these passages in the same manner, acknowl-
edoing that the doctrine of endless misery cannot be forced
from those words, without violence to their legitimate sig-
nification.
But we have not yet quite done with the objection we
were reviewing. The idea we here have to express is, that
whatever is truth, is immutably and eternally so, whether it
be known or unknown believed or doubted. Now we are
required to believe in Jesus Christ as our Saviour, as 'the
Saviour of the World.' But we are not required to believe
this in order to prove it true ; but because it is an actual,
living truth, as true now, as it will be when it is fully re-
alized to us, and as true millions of ages ago as it was when
the Promise was first communicated, because the means of
its accomplishment were fully appointed, and the operation
and result of those means as well known unto Omniscience
as they ever can be. We quote the following passages in
evidence of these remarks as applied to the Divine Promises:
'Forever, O Lord, Thy Word is settled in heaven ; Thy
Faithfulness is unto All Generations.'— Ps. cxix. 89. 'Con-
cerning Thy Testimonies, I have known that of Old Thoti
hast Foicnded them., aven Forever.' — cxix. 152. 'Thy Word
is True from the Beginning.' — cxix. 160. 'The works
were F'mished [in the Eternal Mind] from the Foundation
of the World.' — Heb. iv. 3. For a thousand years are with
the Lord but as a day, and He callcth those things that be
notas though they were. 2 Pet. iii.S; Rom, iv. 17.
"Can liar make
God lie ? or cheat his neighbor of his soul ?
No 1 God's Salvation vvaiicth not on man's
Weak will or ministry ; nor man's perdition
Upon Lis brother's hatred or neglect.
Can murderer slay the soul ? or suicide
Drutr immortality? Their sin is (Treat,
And is eternally rondeiimed of God ;
But Death both cause and consequence destroy?.
Their own, as well as victim's recompense." — Festus.
REASONS FOR OUR HOPE. 87
PROPOSITION SIXTH.
The Lord has Solemnly MADE OATH, that He will E-
■mntually Redeem and Glorify All Souls, and SWORN
to the Fidfihnent of His Promise.
PROOFS.
'By Myself have I Sworn, saith the Lord, - - - That
in Blessing- 1 will bless thee, and in Multiplying I will mul-
tiply thy seed as the stars of Heaven, and as the sand upon
the sea-shore ; and thy Seed \^Christ^ shall Possess even
the gate of his enemies. And in thy Seed shall All
the Nations of the Earth he Blessed.'' — Gen. xxii, 17, 18,
'I am the Lord and there is none else ! I have Sworn
BY JMyself, the word hath gone out of My mouth in Righ-
teousness, and shall not return. That TJnto Me Every Knee
shalt Bow. and Every Tongue shall swear, [the vow of love
and filial allegiance,] Surely shall Say, hi the Lord have I
Righteousness and Strength V — Is. xlv. 22, 23.
'■God had SwouN tvith an Oath unto David, that of the
fruit of his loins according to the flesh. He would raise up
Christ to sit upon the throne.' — Acts ii. 30; Saying, 'Once
have I Sworn by My Holiness, - - his Seed shall endure
forever, and his throne as the Sun before Me. It shall be
established forever as the moon, as a Faithful Intercessor in
heaven.' — Ps. Ixxxix, 35—37. And 'He ever liveth to make
intercession for us.' — Heb. vii. 25.
•'When God made the Promise unto Abraham, because
He could Swear by no Greater, He Sware by Himself,
saying, SURELY, Blessing 1 will Bless thee,' &c. — Heb.
vil. 13, 14.
'Men Swear verily hy \\\q Greater, and an Oath for con-
firmation is to them a7i end of all strife ; wherein God,
willing more abundantly to show unto the Heirs of His
Promise, ['All the Families of the Earth,'] the ImmiLt ability
of His Counsel, [does this sound like 'Contingency?'] Con-
firmed it by an OATH, that by two immutable things, in
which it was impossible for God to lie, we might have
a Strong consolation who have fled for refuge [from 'the
88 REASONS FOR OUR HOPE.
bondage of fear,'] to lay hold on the Hope set before Us,
which Hope we have as an Anchor to the soul, both Sure
and Steadfast, and which entereth into that within the vail,
whither the Forerunner is for us entered.' — Heb. vi. 14-20.
••^iark to the mighty paean that begins
And swells and echoes from the farthest bounds
Of the redeem'd, perfected universe !
For every creature which in heaven is,
And on and under earth, and in the sea.
And all that in them are, take up the strain !
And blessing, honor, glory, povv'r, ascribe.
To Him that sitteth on th' eternal throne,
And to the Lamb forever, evermore!"
Rev. Thomas Whittemore.
COMPLETION OF THE ARGUMENT.
Are the Scriptures Positive that the Almighty shall be Able
to Perform this Great Oath to which He hath Sworn ?
'And the Lord appeared unto Isaac and said, - - / 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, [this was
a vision of the Promised Land, and typical of the celestial
inheritance.] And in thy Seed shall All the Nations of
the Earth be Blessed.' — Gen. xxvi. 2-4.
'So shall Ye be My People, and I will be your God :
that I viay Perform the Oath v:hich I hate Sworn unto
your Fathers, to give them a land flowing with milk and
honey.' — Jer. xi. 4, 5.
'He will turn again ; He will have compassion upon us ;
He ivill Subdue 02ir iniquities ; and Thou wilt cast all their
Sins into the depths of the sea ; Thou wilt Perform the
Truth unto Jacob, and the Mercy to Abraham, which Thou
hast Sworn ^tnto our Fathers from the days of Old.' — Mi-
cah vii. 19, 20.
The beautiful hosanna of the venerable Zacharias, at the
birth of John the Baptist, is appropriate here to conclude
the testimony of the Promise and Oath of the Lord of the
ultimate triumph of Good, and the Salvation of Mankind :
REASONS FOR OUR HOPE. by
'Blessed be the Lord God of Israel,
For He hath visited and Redeemed His People,
And hath raised up a horn of Salvation for Us,
In the house of His servant David, —
As He spake by the mouth of All His holy Prophets,
Which have been since the world began :
That we should be Saved from our [spiritual] enemies,*
And from the power of all that hate [tempt] us ;
To Perform the Mercy Promised to our Fathers,
And to Remember His Holy Covenant,
The oath which He Sware to our Father Abraham,
That He would grant unto Us, that We,
Being delivered out of the hand of our enemies, [the power
[and dominion of evil,]
Might serve Him without fear in holiness and righteousness,
Before Him all the days of our life.
And thou, child, shalt be called. The Prophet of the Highest,
For thou shalt go before the face of the Lord,
To prepare his ways,
To give knowledge of Salvation unto his People,
By the Remission of [the Redemption frovi] 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.' — Luke i. 68-79.
"How sweet to the soul is the still small voice
That speaks from the throne above !
It bids us in faith and hope rejoice.
In God and His boundless love!
Though bow'd by the weight of earthly woe,
It bids us be strong in Him ;
And upward we look and behold the bow
Of Promise, which ne'er is dim.
Though darkness may brood around a while.
And shadow our way in gloom,
The light of His truth ere long will smile,
And joy in our pathway bloom,
*The original of this word doei" not imply merely AM/nan adversaries, but
has the sense also of adverse, oy)\)cia\\\o principles . It is frequently employ-
ed in the Scriptures to represent temptations, and evil influences in general,
and must be so understood in this place, to agree with the context.
90 REASONS FOn OUR HOPE.
Then let us attend to the still small voice,
Tiiat whispers fjoni heaven above.
And ever conriiJing in God, rejoice.
In Him and His boundless Love."
Mrs. C M. Sawyeb.
PROPOSITION SEVENTH.
The Almighty has COMMANDED the Salvation of All
Men.
PROOFS.
'Look unto Me and BE YE SAVED, ^?Z the Ends of the
Earth, for I am God, and there is none else I' — Is. xlv. 22.
'Go ye into All the World, and Preach the Gospel [the
Patriarchal Covenant of Glad Tidings and Blessedness to
All the People of the Earth, — see Gal. iii. 8, Luke ii. 10,
&c.] to EVERY CREATURE.'— Mark xvi. 15.
'Go ye and teach All Nations, haptising them, &c. teach-
ing them to observe all things -whatsoever I have Command-
ed you.' — Mot. xxviii. 19, 20. See ihe following striking
parallels, — Luke xxiv. 47, Is. xlix. 6. Ps. xcviii. 3, Rev. xiv.
6, Luke ii. 10, Col. i. 20 and 23, Eph. iii. 9, Luke iii. 6.
'The times of ignorance God winked at, but now CoM-
MANDETH All Men, Evcryichere, to Repent.' — Acts xvii. 30,
'Ho ! Every One that thirsteth, COME YE to the Wa-
ters ; [see Ezek. xlvii ; Rev. xxii.] and he that hath no
money, COME !'— Is. Iv. 1.
'YE SHALL BE HOLY, foj- I the Lord your God am
Holy.' — Lev. xix. 2.
'Therefore, saith the Lord, TURN YE even to Me with
all yo7ir heart, [not against their ui/ls, mind,] and with fast-
ing, and with weeping, and with mourning, and TURN
unto the Lord your God.' — Joel ii. 12, 13.
'Abstain from Evil, and do Good,' — 'Cease to do Evil,
and learn to do Well,' — Do Good, and Sin not, — 'Eschew
Evil, and learn Good,' — &c. '
It is well known, at least to the Universalist Order, though
indeed, the fact is verj'' generally disregarded by that Body
of Christians who should know it best, that there are many
REASONS FOR OUR HOPE. 91
Strong and undeniable proofs that John Wesley, the noble
Founder of the Methodists, was, during the last year or so
of his life, not only a doubter of the truth of endless misery,
but an actual believer in universal redemption. The evi-
dences of this, which are various, are principally to be
found in his sermons, and his correspondence with several
distinguished divines, written during that period. Some
English editions of his works contain many of his laier
sermons abounding with glowing specimens of his thinking
and preaching upon this subject, which, in the modern, and
epecially the American editions, have been carefully oblitera-
ted. We are glad to present the reader here with a brief
extract from one of his occasional sermons, which happily
illustrates and enforces the very subject of the present Pro-
position : 'There is,' says he, 'a very clear and full Pro-
mise, that toe shall ALL love the Lord oxtr God with all our
hearts. So we read, 'Then will I circumcise thy heart, and
the heart of thy seed, to love the Lord thy God with all thy
heart and with all thy soul.' — Dent. xxx. 6. Equalljr ex-
press is the word of the Lord, which is no less a Promise,
though in the form of a Command: 'Thou shalt love the
Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and
with all thy mind.' No words can be stronger than these,
no Promise zy.w\sQTaoxQ express. In like manner, 'Thou
shalt [ultimately] love thy neighbor as thyself,' is as express
a Promise as Command. And indeed, that general and Tjn-
limifed Promise which runs through the Avhole gospel dis-
pensation, 'I WILL PUT My laws into their minds, and write
them in their hearts,' turns all the Commands into Pro-
mises, and consequently this among the rest : ^Let this
mi7id he in You which was also in Christ Jesus.^ The Com-
mand here is equivalent to a Promise, and gives full reason
to expect that He ivill work in us what He requires of us.'
'• Joy to the World ! for our God is victorious,
Soriow and Evil shall chain us no more ;
Christinn rejoice ! for His Kingdom is glorious,
And He in His triumph Mankind shall Restore !"
92 REASONS FOR OUR HOPE.
COMPLETION OF THE AKGUMENT.
Shall (he Lord's Command be Eternally Disobeyed?
'I will give you a mouth and wisdom, [said Jesus,] that
All your Adversaries shall not be able to gainsay or Re-
sist.' — Lnke xxi. 15. 'Lo! I am witl^you alway, even un-
to the end of the world. — And All Poioer is given unto me
in heaven and in earth.' — Mat. xxviii. 18, 19.
'The Lord thy C!od will Circumcise thy heart, to love the
Lord thy God with all thy soul, &c. and thou SHALT Re-
turn and Obey tlie voice of the Lord, and DO all His Com,'
mandmcnts.'' — Deut. xxx. 6—8.
'I am the Lord your God ; wherefore Ye SHALL do My
S?a^?i?es, and Keep My judgments, and DO them.' — Lev.
XXV. 18.
'The Law of the Lord conrerteth the said ; - - the Com-
mandment of the Lord enlighteneth the eyes.' — Ps. xix. 7, 8.
'YE SHALL diligently Keep the Commandments of the
Lord your God, and His Testimonies and His Statutes
which He hath Commanded.' — Deut. vi. 17.
'He Sjyahe, and it was Done ! ['Let there be lifjht! and
there WAS light.'] He Comma7ided, and it STOOD FAST!'
Ps. xxx. 9. 'AH the inhabitants of the Earth are before
Him as nothing.' — Is. xl. 22.
'His works are Verity, and ALL HIS COMMAND-
MENTS ARE SURE! They Stand Fast Forever
AND Ever, and are DONE, in truth and uprightness.' —
Ps. cxi. 7, 8.
'He sendeth forth His Comjiandment upon the Earth, and
His Word runneth very sioiftly !' — Ps. cxlvii. 15.
'I am the Lord ! I will speak, and the word that I shall
speak shall come to pass.' — Ezek. xii. 25.
'The grass withereth, and the flower fadeth, but the
Word of our God endureth forever!' — Is. xl. 8.
'Who is he that saith it [Endless misery and sin, for in-
stance,] Cometh to pass, when the Lord Commandeth it
NOT ? — For the Lord will not Cast Off forever; but though
REASOMS FOR OUR HOPE. w3
He cause grief, yet will He have Compassion, according to
the multitude of His mercies. For He doth not afflict wil-
lingly, nor grieve the children of men. To crush under His
feet the Prisoners of the earth, — to turn aside the right of
a man from before the face of the Most High, — to subvert
a man in his cause, the Lord ajrproveth not. Out of the
mouth of the Most High proceedeth not Evil and Good.'
— Lam. iii. 31—38.
'Ye have viade TUE Commandment of God OF NONE
EFFECT by your Traditions, - - teaching for Boctrines the
Commandments of Men.' — Mat. xv. 6, 9.
Here v/e may appropriately introduce the argument for
Universal Salvation derived from the Scripture instructions
concerning The Divine Law. This, of course, we can on-
ly do very briefly, in accordance with our general plan, which
is simply to build up the skeleton of the Scriptural argu-
ment for the leading doctrine of our faith, by the exhibi-
tion of its proofs, principally, in as clear and forcible a light
as possible, — by such an extensive and judicious classifi-
cation of Scripture extracts, of so plain a kind that they re-
quire but little or no interpretation, as to prove the Bible to
be a Universalist Book.
JVhat is the great, fundamental, and all-comprehending
Law of the Supreme Being? We have only to know the
nature of that Being in order to answer the question at once,
and decisively. The Scriptures declare Him to be an Om-
nipresent Spirit whose nature is Love. All the qualities
and attributes of His nature are included in that one Princi-
ple ; Love is the sum, the compound of them all, the same
as light is the essential nature of the seven primary colors
into which it is refracted by the prism. Then what is the
character of the grand, universal Law which emanates from
the throne of God and encircles the boundless universe in
its sway, what is it but a Law whose chief characteristic,
and whose very nature is expressed in that same word,
Love ? But we need not reason on this subject, for there
is ample Scripture to the very point. 'Love,' says the A-
postle, 'is the fulfilling of the Law.' — Rom. xiii. 10. And
Again, 'All the Law is fulfilled in this one word, Thou
F
94 REASONS FOR OUR HOPE.
shall Love thy neighbor as lhyself.'---Gal. v. 14. This
was an allusion to the words of Jesus in reply to the law-
ier's question, 'What is the Great Commandment of the
law V in which he expressed the same truth : 'Thou
shalt Love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with
all thy soul, and with all thy mind, - - - and thou shalt
Love thy neighbor as thyself. On these two Command-
meyits hang all the Laiv and the Prophets.'— Mat. xxii. 36--
40. Now why is the fulfilment of the Prophecies dependent
upon this Law ? Answer ; because 'all the holy Prophets
since the world began have spoken by the mouth of God of
the times of the Restitution of All Things,'— Acts. iii. 25 ;
which can never be brought about until God's Universal
Law of Love is universally recognized and obeyed ; 'for.
Love is the Fulfilling of the Law.' All throughout the New
Testament, this same Divine Commandment o( Love towards
God, as a Father, supremely, and of Love between man and
man, as brethren, universally, seems to be the great Law
to which the whole family of the earth and heaven are re-
garded to be bound, and for the fulfilment of which the im-
partial love of God has directed all His purposes, plans, and
pleasure. Si. James calls it the 'Royal Law.'— ii. 8. St.
Paul, 'the Commandment which briefly comprehends all
others.'— Rom. xii. 9. And this 'Law of the spirit of life in
Christ Jesus,' he says, 'frees us from the Law of sin and
death.'— Rom. viii. 2; and another apostle therefore
calls it, 'the Perfect Law of Liberty.'— Jas. i. 25. The Law
of God is elsewhere called ' Good,'— 1 Tim. i. 8 ; 'Holy,'
—Rom. vii. 12 ; and 'Perfect,' because it is efficient in
'converting the so7il.' — Ps. xix. 7.
Having thus learned the nature of God's eternal and im-
mutable Law towards His intelligent creation, already and
from the heginn'mg fulfilled on His part, (for He loves 'the
world,' yea, 'with an everlasting love,' from which 'nothing
can separate' it,) but yet unfulfilled on the part of His crea-
tures, we have next to inquire whether this T^ivine Law,
whose great requirement is, that all souls shall ultimately be
knit together in the inseparable ties of inter-mutual, uni-
versal love, and that the love of the Father of spirits towards
REASONS FOR OUR HOPE. 95
all shall be felt and returned by all, — whether the Divine
Law which has this ineffable requirement, shall ever be ful-
filled? The popular theology which talks so much oi the
Tvecessity of a full satisfaction of the Laiv, teaches a very
different fulfilment of the Law of God, indeed, from that
which we shall find in the Scriptures. Acknowledging
the Divine Law to require of mankind a universal homage
to their Maker, and universal love among themselves, yet
this requirement, it teaches, can never be fulfilled. And
why ? Because, forsooth, the Law must be satisfied. Why,
then, the Law loill be fulfilled, of course, if it is ever satis-
fiedr—h^ow is this? Why, the penalty for the trails grcssion
of God's Laio is Endless Misery, says 'orthodoxy,' the Law
has been broken, the penalty incurred, and the Law must
have satisfaction. Now, we would answer this by asking
a few plain questions : Can the Law of the Lord,
which, as you confess, demands the universal obedience and
love of Mankind, ever be satisfied ox fulfilled in the endless
perpetuation of myriads in disobedience, hate, and suffer-
ing ? Is that Law a '■FerfecV one which demands of the
same creatures, their love and confidence toward God with
all their strength, and at the same time, their everlasting
enmity and wretchedness ? Can that Law be mighty in the
'■converting of the souV if the penalty of its transgression is
such as to destroy its own purposes, and to build up, mag-
nify, and eternalize the very calamities it was designed to
remedy ? Does not your doctrine imply that Revenge,
Endless woe, and not Love, is 'the Fulfilling of the Law?
And does it not also contradict that oft-repeated teaching of
the sacred word that '5?/ the deeds of the Law, no flesh can
be justified in His sight V — Rom. iii. 20 ; Gal. ii. 16 ; iii. IL
And, why, if the Law demands those two opposite ways of
being satisfied, shall it not rather prefer to have the satisfac-
tion it requires, from its universal obedience, and not from
its eternal /rzw^ra^ioTi.? And if it be so imperative that the
Law must be satisfied, and in the awful rather than the bles-
sed way, why shall not the penalty be universally inflicted,
seeing that it is universally incurred ? If it be said that the
Saviour suffered the infinite misery which was due to all the
96 REASONS FOR OUR HOPE.
redeemed, then we ask whether the Divine Law be di^Justy
a 'Ptire,'' a 'True,'' a '■Holy,'' a. 'Good' one, as the Scriptures
say, if it could be reconciled and satisfied with the sufferings
of an Innocent being, in substitution for the Guihy? And
to speak of the Divine Law at all as demanding 'Satisfac-
tion,' that is, useless, malicious, vengeful redress, is it not
the same as to attribute to that Law a host of human im-
perfections, and to compare the merciful Deity to bloodthirs-
ty, implacable, capricious Neros and Borgias ? Besides,
the sajnngthat endless torments is the threatened penalty
which God has alTixed to the transgression of His Law,
is entirely assumed. There is not a word of Scripture for
it. Did He pronounce such a penally at the solemn charge
He gave to the First Parents, not to taste the fruit of the
tree of knowledge ? or even after their sinning? Was the
doom of everlasting wo spoken by the mouth of the Lord as
the recompense of disobedience amid the thunderings of Si-
nai, when the tables of the eternal. Moral Law were solemn-
ly committed to the Lawgiver of the nations? Surely it
would have been uttered then, were it ever to be. Conjoined
with any of the numerous repetitions of the commandments,
or of parts of them which are written in the books of the
Prophets, of the Wise Man, or of the Psalmist, is the
infliction of immortal agonies ever to be found ? When
the Son of Man came down from heaven to declare the
counsels and the purposes of his Father, did He lift up
his earnest voice and proclaim, 'Such and such things
are Commanded in My Father's Law, and such which, I
show unto you, are forbidden ; Choose ye, O sons of
Earth and Lnmortality, which ye will perform ! For ye
are free, indeed, and trust ye not that the Lord will pity or
help though millions of you foolishly plunge yourselves
in the bottomless abyss of perdition he hath prepared for
you ! Behold, I offer you everlasting glory and holiness,
as the reward of constant obedience to the Law which I
declare unto you, (though I forewarn you that the ways
of wisdom in this world are not ways of pleasantness
and peace, but of constant mortification, and sorrow of
heart, and frequently of especial afflictions and calami-
REASONS FOR OUR HOPE. 97
ties.) But verily I say unio you, that except ye observe
and keep all the statutes and all the Commandments of
the Law of the Lord your God, to do them, ye shall
surely be revivified and awakened in the world to come,
to unspeakable, deathless, hopeless misery, in a region
where ye shall be deprived of your power of obedience,
world without end ! Be not deceived ; the way of the
transgressor is easy, and the happiest here, but—Endless
Perdition to the Wicked ! Behold I shew unto you the
Reward and the Penalty ! Everlasting Life to the Good !
Everlasting Death to the Evil!' Are there to be found in
all the discourses of our Saviour, any such teaching as this ?
Nay, you will not pretend it. Or did any of the Apos-
tles, in their various statements of the Divine Law, or in any
of their writings upon the subject, ever intimate that the
unmerciful penalty of eternal woe had been affixed to its
violation, or any other penalty which is inconsistent with
its ultimate universal obedience ? We shall soon be con-
vinced, on the contrary, we think, that the sacred writers
have confidently believed in the final complete Fulfilment
of the Law of God.
Whether the testimony of the Prophet in one of those
beautiful chapters concerning the glory and triumph of the
mission of the Messiah, that 'The Lord roill Magnify His
Law, and make it Honorable,'' i. e. to be Honored r--^^^- xli.
21, whether the eye of inspiration was here directed to the pe-
riod when 'the vail of the covering that is cast over All Peo-
ple shall be removed, and tears shall be wiped from oflf All
Faces,' when 'All shall know the Lord from the least unto
the greatest,' when 'AH People shall be turned to the Lord
to serve Him with one consent,' we shall not attempt to dis-
cuss. We would rather rest the decision of the question
we are considering upon one, plain, unambiguous declaration
of the Divine Teacher. What language could be more
conclusive, candid reader, than this? '■Verily, I say unto
you, [said Jesus,] till Heaven and Earth pass, [or, Heaven
and Earth can sooner pass,] one jot or tittle shall in no
WISE PASS FROM The Law, [the eternal Moral Law, — 'the
Commandments,' verse 19,] till ALL be Fulfilled.' — Mat.
WS REASONS FOR OUR HOPE,
V. 18. St. Luke records tlie same speech of our Lord, in*
the following- language : '// is easier for Heaven and
Earth to pass, than for One Tittle of the Law to fail.'
— xvi. 17. Here we might rest, and safely permit the sub-
ject to stand, settled, we think, and immutable, as the Rock
of Ages, upon the strong ramparts by which it is sustained
in the scriptures we have already exhibited. Why then
should we point to our former arguments, concerning the
Disposition, the Purpose, the Will, the Promise and the very
Oath of God for the Salvation of the Universe, in confirma-
tion of the sublime truth to which we have here arrived?
For the mind that would obstinately set itself against the
force of evidences so clear and strong, would not scruple to
discredit the very Oath of Jehovah, and yet to disbelieve
'though one should rise trom the dead !' Would it be of
any avail to point such an one, who should persist in be-
lieving in the eternal reign of evil and disobedience to the
Law of God, to those mighty words of the Lord of Power
and Truth, ^ I will Put MY LAW in the inward parts,
and Write it in the Hearts^ [of those who were not My Peo-
ple,] that ALL shall knoiv Me, from the Least to the Grea-
test V With those Avho doubt that the Divine Spirit is the
Sovereign of the human soul, it is of no consequence to urge
upon them this great, recorded Purpose of the Almighty to
stamp the impress of His oAvn Spirit upon ours, to print His
holy Law upon the hearts, and engrave it upon the minds,
of All His People, blotting out the deep-dyed crimson stains
of their iniquities forevermore. — Heb. viii. 10—16. But we
shall here leave this part of our subject, to answer this 'free
agency' objection which here arises, by itself, and shall
thereby, we think, deduce an additional measure of strength
to the irrefragible position at which we are planted.
•'The Ransom'cl of ihe Lord shall come to Zion's holy hill,
And songs of praise and shouts of joy the heav'iily courts shall fill ;
And Every Knee shall how to God, and Every Tongue confess,
That God, the Lord, their Helper is, their strength and righteousness."
Mrs. J. H. Scott.
REASONS FOR OUR HOPE. 99
OBJECTION.
The Commandments of the Lord, in consequence of the inviola-
ble liberty of our choice of evil or good, happiness or misery,
are never accompanied with the means of enforcing their obedience,
no more than human commands are, and therefore only appeal to
us as exhortations or entreaties to holiness and life eternal.
ANSWER.
'I said not unto the seed of Jacob, [saith the word of the
Lord,] Seek Ye Me, IN VAIN ! I, the Lord speak
Righteousness ! I declare things that are Right !' — Isa. xlv.
9. ° The Only Wise makes no unreasonable, or useless, or
vain Commands ; none which He might foresee shall not
be obeyed, or which He were not able to carry out, and
none which were not absolutely necessary to be enforced to
the accomplishment of His Purposes. Consequently, 'AU
His Commandments are STJ RE P And His Command-
ment, therefore, upon All Men, to turn unto Him and live,
will surely 'stand fast forever and ever, and be DONE, in
truth and uprightness.' For He does not Command the
weak children of humanity to Seek Him in vain.
'I will Give them One Heart, and I will Put a Neiv Spir-
it whh'm You ; and I will Take the stony heart out of their
flesh, and will Give them a heart of flesh ; That they may
walk in My Statutes, and Keep My Ordinances, and BO
them:—EzQk. xi. 19, 20.
'Because thy rage and thy tumult is come up into Mine
ears, therefore I will put My hook in their nose, and My bri-
dle in thy lips, and I will Turn thee back by the way
BY WHICH THOU CAMEST.' — 2 Kings, xix. 28.
'I will Put ]My fear [filial reverence] in their hearts, that
they shall not depart from Me.' — Jer. xxxii, 40.
'From the place of His habitation. He looketh upon All
the Inhabitants of the Earth, and [gradually, invisibly, mys-
lenous\y,]fashioneth their hearts ALIKE.' — Ps. xxiii. 14, 15,
'0, Lord God of our Fathers, art not Thou God in Heav-
dPO REASONS FOR OUR HOPE.
en? And rulest not Thou over All ihe kingdoms of the
heathen ? And in Thy hand is there not Power and INIight
so that No?ie is able to ivithsland TheeV — 2 Chron. xx. 6.
We would conclude our argument for Universal Salva-
tion derived from the Commands and the Moral Law of God,
which we have attempted to show shall ulliuiately be uni-
versally fulfilled, by quoting the following passage from a
discourse by John \Vesley, on 'The Perfection of Mankind :'
"When the Apostle says to the Ephesians, 'Ye have
been taught, as thk truth IS, in Jesus, to be renewed in the
spirit of your mind, and to put on the new man, which is
created after the image of God, in righteousness and true
holiness,' he leaves us no room to doubt that God will thv^
reneio us in the spirit of our minds, and create tis aneiv in
the image of God, wherein we were first created. Other-
wise it could not be said that this IS the truth, as it IS, in
[or through] Christ Jesus. And the Command of God giv-
en by St. Peter, 'Be Ye holy, as He that hath called you is
Holy,' implies a Promise that We shall he thus holy. As
God has called us to holiness, He is undoubtedly willing,
as well as able to work this holiness in us. For He cannot
mock His helpless Creatures, calling upon them to receive
what He never intends to Give."
•'In Thy hand is every spirit.
And the meed the same may merit,
All which all tlie worlds inherit,
Thine !
'Tis not to thy creatures giv'n
To scale the lofty ways of Heav'n —
Al way just and kind ;
But, before Thy miahty breath.
Life, and Spirit, Dust, and Death, —
The boundless All is driv'n,
Like clouds by wind !" — Festus.
REASONS FOR OUR HOPE. 101
PROPOSITION EIGHTH.
It is the PLEASURE of the Father Almighty, that All
Souls shall Ultimately be Purified and Gathered
to Himself.
PROOFS. POSITIVE.
'According to HIS GOOD PLEASURE, - - That in the
Dispensation of the Fuhiess of Times, He might Gather
Together in One, All Things, in Christ, both which are
in heaven and on earth.' — Eph. i. 9—11.
'It PLEASED the Father that in Christ should All
Fulness dwell ; and, having- made Peace by the blood of
his cross, by him to Reconcile All Things to Himself,
whether Things on Earth or Things in Heaven.' — Col. i.
19. 20.
The following passage, we tliink, may very justly be con-
sidered a parallel of this class of scriptures, and confirmatory
of our Proposition : 'He REJOICETH more over that
sheep which he sought and found, than over the ninety and
nine which went not astray.' — Mat. xviii. 14. Is it not the
obvious design of these parabolic words, to teach us the
Good Pleasure of the Heavenly Father in the Salvation of
the Erring, — of the very last of them ? In the next section
we shall see that the Scriptures know of no such thing that
the Lord shall ever cease to have Pleasure in, and Rejoice
over, all the children of His creation and care.
'I know also, my God, that Thou HAST PLEASURE
in Uprightness.' — 1 Chron. xxix. 17. 'For the Righteous
Lord loveth Righteousness.' — Ps. xi. 7. Can it easily be
inferred from such passages as these, that God shall be en-
tirely well Pleased and reconciled to have 'the throne of
Iniquity built up forever,' possessing an unbounded sway
over a mighty universe of its own, where countless millions
of His children shall be eternally held captive ? And
should heaven be a place of Pleasure and Rejoicing, when
6
USB REASONS FOR OUR HOPE.
SO vast a proportion of the Universal Family were dragging
out the immortality of their being, in insupportable miseries,
beneath it ?
'The Lord DELIGHTETH in Mercy.'— Mkah vii. 18.
And 'His tender Mercy is over All His Works,' and 'En-
dureth Forever.' There could not be a stronger proof of any
proposition, than this, of the one we have in hand.
'The Lord TAKETH PLEASURE in His People.'— Ps.
cxlix. 4.
'Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive Glory, Honor, and
Power, for Thou hast Created All Things, and for THY
PLEASURE they are, and were created.' — Rev. iv. IL
NEGATIVE.
'Have I ANY PLEASURE AT ALL, saith the Lord,
that the Wicked shall die ? and NOT that he should return
from his ways and live ? [that is, that the moral death of
the wicked, which, in fact, 'has passed upon all men,' for 'in
Adam all die,' should be total, and perpetual ? Is it My
Pleasure that because a man becomes wicked, he should re-
main so, and not be redeemed from his sinful propensities,
that he should never be turned from his evil ways and live .?]
— Ezek. xviii. 23.
'I HAVE NO PLEASURE in the death of him that
dieth, saith the Lord.' — Ezek. /viii. 22. It is not consistent
with the Lord's goodness that He should derive any Plea-
sure or gratification from what is evil, for its own sake,
though we cannot doubt that the transient existence of evil,
in view of its glorious results, is in entire accordance with
the Good Pleasure and the Supreme Will of the Almighty.
Thus, although we are not at liberty to believe that the tem-
porary and universal sinfulness and moral death of Mankind
are contrary to God's Pleasure, we are at the same time
forbidden to think that it is the Evil He delights in, and that
He will perpetuate it, but the illustrious End to be attained
through its means.
'As I Live, saith the Lord God, I HAVE NO PLEA-
SURE in the death of the wdcked ; but [it is My Pleasure']
that the Wicked turn from his evil way and live.' — Ezek.
xxxiii. 11. We could not wish for a more explicit Scrip-
REASONS FOR OUR HOPE. 103
ture testimony to the Pleasure of the Lord for Universal
Redemption, than this. Yet, while the Calvinist repudiates
the doctrine of all such passages, and the Arminian zealously
contends for it, both agree that no such Pleasure of the Fa-
ther of Mankind can ever be realized. We shall see in the
next section how far the Universalist is in the Avrong in be-
lieving in the Om7iipotence of the Divine Pleasure.
'Is it A PLEASURE for Thee to Oppress, or to Des-
pise the Work of Thy hands V — Job x. 3. 'The Lord doth
NOT afflict willingly, nor grieve [aggravate, expand., be-
yond necessity, the evils of] the children of men.' 'God is
great, and Despisest not anij.''
'Thou art not a God that HATH PLEASURE in wick-
edness, neither shall Evil, [absolute, total, infinite, final,]
dwell w'iih. Thee. The foolish shall not stand [endure'] in
Thy sight.'— Ps. v. 4.
"Nor life, nor death, from His rich love can sever, —
His by creation, — His in free redemption !
Ail shall be bless'd, each kindred, tongue and people.
And sing His glorious praises, shouting. Holy, Holy
Lord God Almighty !"
COMPLETION OF THE ARGUMENT.
Shall the Pleasure of the Lord be Consummated 1
'As the rain cometh down, and the snow from heaven,
and returneth not thither, but waterelh the earth, and mak-
eth it bring forth and bud, that it may give seed to the sower
and bread to the eater : SO shall My loord be that goeth
forth out of My mouth ; it shall not return tinto me VOID,
BUT IT SHALL ACCOJIPLISH THAT WHICH I PLEASE, AND It
SHALL Prosper in the thing whereunto I sent it.' — Isa.
Iv. 10.
'My Counsel shall Stand, and I WILL DO ALL MY
PLEASURE.'— Isa. xlvi. 10.
'THE PLEASURE of the Lord shall Prosper in his
[Chrisfs] HANDS.' — Is. liii. 10.
'Thus saith the Lord, that saith of Cyrus, [Christ, the
104 REASONS FOR OUR HOPE.
Messiah,] he in Mi) Shepherd, — he shall Perform ALL
MY PLEASURE !'— Isa. xliv. 28.
'GOD DOETH WHATSOEVER PLEASETH HIM.'
— Eccl. viii. 3.
'Whatsoever THE Lord PLEASED, that DID He, in
Heaven, and in Earth, and in the Sea, and in all deep pla-
ces,' — Ps. cxxxv. 6 ; cxv. 3; Jonah, i. 14.
'I will REJOICE and JOY in Mv People.'— Is. Ixv. 19.
'The Lord shall REJOICE in His Works:— ?s. civ. 3L
'The Lord thy God in the midst of thee is Mighty ; He
will Save. He will REJOICE over thee with joy ;
He ivill Rest in His love ; He will JOY over thee with
singing.' — Zeph. iii. 17.
'As the Bridegroom Rejoiceth over the Bride, so shall
thy God REJOICE over thee,'— ha. Ixii. 5.
'Wherefore, [wrote the Apostle,] we pray always ^Aa^ OMr
God would Fulfil All the GOOD PLEASURE of His
Goodness, and the works of Faith with Power, that the
name of our Lord Jesus Christ may be Glorified, and ye
in him, accordino- to the Grace of our God, and of our Lord
Jesus Christ.'— 2 Thess. i. 11, 12.
"Lord of Life and Glory,
Infiiiile ill Povv'r,
In rigiiteoiisness before tliee,
Shall all mankind adore.
0, Thou whoso glorious Pleasure,
Is full of truth and love,
Thy Might's unbounded measure,
Shall ultiniately prove.
Author of Creation !
When the worlds were done.
Shouts of exultation,
Echo'd round thy throne.
Author of Salvation !
Haste Thy glorious day
When from Thy vast creation
Bursts a universal lay !"
REASONS FOR OUR HOPE. 105
Objection.
God will not gratify His Pleasure at the expense of Mis Justice,
which demands everlastina tormenl to the vMcked ; neither can
He, so long as the nature of man is as He has made it, free to go
as far beyond His Pleasure aa he chooses. But when we make
ourselves^< to be saved, then He will have mercy upon us, and
fulfils His Pleasure in us.
'God worlceth in You, both to Will and to do q/" HIS
GOOD PLEASURE.'— Phil. ii. 13.
'The God of Peace Make yon perfect in every good -work,
to do His Will, Working in You that which is WELL-
PLEASING in His sight.'— Heb. xiii. 21.
'The king's heart is in the hand of the Lord, and as the
rivers of water are turned, He tiirneth it uhithersoever He
will.' — Prov. xxi. 1.
'The preparation of the heart in man is from the Lord.' —
Prov. xvi. 1.
'The steps of a man are ordered by the Lord.' — Ps.
ixxvii. 23.
The Divine Omnipotence and Goodness are indeed the
only solid grounds of our Hope of eternal happiness, and
not anything in or beyond our own power to accomplish
short of the mighty efficiency of those attributes. Can we
alone, creatures of dust and nought, advance one single
step towards the attainment of the heavenly throne ? Stand
still in thy place, O Man, hold that ceaseless breath, and
consider what thou art ! Mark the incessancy of thy de-
pendence upon some invisible sustaining Power, beyond
the narrow limits of thy puny frame, and let the weighty
truth cause thee to sink down beneath an overwhelmning
flood of reverence, into the shallow insignificance of thy be-
ing ! And yet it is thou, who of thyself cannot gratify one
small desire, nor preserve for one instant thy existence, who
boastest of thy self-invested power, and talkest of foiling
the lofty Will and the omnipotent Pleasure of the God that
fashioned thee, in whom thou livest and movest ! 'What
106 REASONS FOR OUR HOPE.
hast thou which thou didst not also receive?' And has
the Most High resigned to thee His Superior power and
received thine inferior, thy dependent, instead, that thou
shouldst so valiantly prevail, and He so submissively yield?
Go to, now ; determine thou in thy heart to lift up thy hand
against a brother to take his life. Fix well thy purpose,
let thy steel be keen and heavy, and ponder the deadly aim.
But liark ! The God of that man and of you has resolved
that the life shall be prolonged, that the deed of violence
shall not be done. This is His fixed Pleasure, His abso-
lute, determinate Will, be thou forewarned, — now, thinkest
thou to succeed in thy design, under circumstances like these?
Is not thy breath and thy pulse in His hand, and could He
not on the instant, to prevent the baffling of His "Will, trans-
fix ye a lifeless statue to the earth, an everlasting monument
of desperate presumption ? Yet be assured of this one fact,
that thy life is not more entirely in the power of thy God,
than thy affections, thy thoughts, and thy doings !
"Despite of sin,
The world may recognise in all time's scenes.
Though belts of clouds bar half its burning disk,
The overruling, overthrowing Pow'r,
Which by our creature Purposes works out
Its deeds, and by our deeds, its Purposes."
PROPOSITION NINTH.
It was the Express OBJECT OF CHRIST'S MISSION,
To commence the Work of Universal Regeneration and
Destruction of Evil, To accomplish the Divine Will,
and Fulfil the Promise of the Ancient Covenant.
'The Son of Man is come, To Save that which was Lost.'
— Mat. xviii. 11.
' To SEEK a7id to Save that which was Lost.^ [Mark the
uniform expression, 'WAS lost,' not shall be, in eternity,
as the Endless Misery Doctrine would have it.] — Luke,
xix. 10 ; Ezekiel, xxxiv. 16.
REASONS FOR OUR HOPE. 107
'Not to Destroy men's lives, but to Save them. '---Luke
ix. 56.
'Not to condemn [damri] the world, but that the World
through him might be Saved. ^—io\\x\, iii. 17.
'To Save the World. — John xii- 47.
'To BE THE Saviour of the World.' — 1 John iv. 14.
'To be the Life of the World.' — John viii. 24.
'To takeaway our Sins.'' — 1 John iii. 5.
'To Save His People from [an endless hell ?] their Sins.'
—Mat. i. 21.
'To give himself/or 07ir Sins, and To deliver us from [a
Future^ this present Evil World.^ — Gal. i. 4.
'To be a Propitiation, and to declare the righteousness of
God for the remission of sins that are past.' — Rom. iv. 26.
' To make Reconciliation for the Sins of the People.' —
Heb. ii. 17.
'To Bless You, by turning away Every One of You from
his Iniquities.' — Acts iii. 26.
'To save Sinners, and the very chief of them.' — 2 Tim.
i. 15.
'To call Sinners, and 7iot the Righteous, [if, indeed,
there are such,] to Repentance, and To heal those who
have need of a Physician.' — Mat. ix. 12, &c.
'To GIVE [not sell, nor offer,] Repentance and Remission
of Sins.'— Acts v. 31.
'To Destroy Death, [the great moral death which was
introduced by Adam, v\rhich all have died,] and him that
hath the power of Death, that is, the Devil,' [Temptation,
the Evil Principle, personified.] — Heb. ii. 14.
'To Destroy the Works of the Devil.' — 1 John iii. 8.
[What are 'the works of the Devil,' the offspring of the far-
pervading spirit of evil? Sin and temptation, sorrow and
pain, ignorance and error.]
'To Put away Sin.'— Heb. ix. 26.
'To Finish Transgressions.' — Dan. ix. 24.
'To Make an End of SIns.'— Dan. ix. 24.
' To make Reconciliation for Iniquity, and To bring in
Everlasting Righteousness.' — Dan ix. 24.
' To Reconcile All Things to himself— Col i. 20.
1C|8 REASONS FOR OUR HOPE.
'That he might Give Eternal Life to all that the Father
had given him,'— viz: 'All Flesh.''— John xvii. 2.
'To do the Will of God.' — John iv, 38, viz: 'To lose
NOTHING of All the Father had given hiin,' ['All Things.']
—John vi. 3S.
'To be a Covenant of The People, for a light of the Gen-
tiles, [unhelieveis,] — To bring out the Prisoners from the
Prison,— To proclaim Deliverance to the Captives.' — Isa.
xlii. 7 ; Ixi. 1 ; Luke iv. IS.
' To Perform the Mercy Promised to our Fathers.' — Luke
i. 72.
'To guide our feet into the way of Peace.' — Luke i. 79.
Another object of the Redeemer's mission, was, to reveal
and be a witness of, the great truths relating to thg character
and purposes of God. 'To this end was 1 born,' said he,
'and for this cause came I into the world, that I might hear
witness to the truth.' — John xviii. 37. He did not come to
create any new truths. The office of a witness is not to
ma,ke truth, hut to testify to what is already true. Thus, we
cannot suppose, for example, that he came to make it true
of God that He 'loved the world,' His 'enemies,' and was
good, merciful, and kind, 'to the unthankful and the evil,' —
or to accomplish anything by which it loould be true that
God were the Father and Friend of any of His creatures.
These were actual, eternal truths before they were revealed,
and whether they were revealed or not ; if they had nx)t
been, the testimony of Christ could not have made them so.
But of these divine and glorious truths men were pitifully
ignorant, and were 'without hope and without God in the
world.' They were almost wholly unlearned even of the ex-
istence of a Supreme Spirit, and there was no blessed filial
confidence in the goodness and protecting care of a heavenly
Parent. Man was the creature of fear and superstition, and
was moved to deeds of shocking desperation, in hopes of
propitiating the imagined terrors, and of buying the favor,
of his gods. But Messias came a witness 'faithful and
true,' to exhibit the resplendent truths of the kingdom, 'as
they were in the beginning, are now, and ever shall be,
REASONS FOR OUR HOPE. 109
world without end.' "He revealed to a wondering world
the cliaracter of God as the Friend and Father, who fed the
fowl^aftlie air, decked the lillies of the field, and watched
the fiflling sparrow, and who would more abundantly take
eare of the children of men, the noblest works of his hand.
He also brought life and immortality to light, and bore his
testimony to the resurrection of the dead, and to prove his
witnessing true, he descended into the grave, rose from its
power, and ascending on higb, received gifts for men, 'yea,
for the rebellious also.' Thus he 'came to bear witness to
the truth,' and because these truths are destined to prevail
over all opposition, and save man universally, in prospect
and fruition, therefore is he, 'the Saviour of the World.^^
"Hail to the Lord's Anointed,
Great David's greater Son,
Hail I iti the time appointed.
His reisfn on eartl> beuiin.
He conies to break oppresi^ion.
To set the Captive Tree,
To take away Transi;ression,
And our Redeemer be.
He cnme3 with succour speedy.
To those who siifl'er wrong,
To help the frail and needy.
And bid the weak be strong.
Oe'r every foe viciorions,
He on liis ttirone shall rest.
From age to age more glorious,
All blessing and all-blest." — Montgomer-v.
COMPLETION OF THE ARGUMENT.
Has God invested the Saviour with Suffi.cient Power and
Meajis to effect a Triumphant Accomplishment of these
Glorious Objects 1
ANSWER.
'Which of you, intending to build a tower, sitteth not
down first and counteth the co^i, whether he have sufficient to
Fiiiish it ? Lest haply, after he hath laid the foundation,
and is NOT able to Fi7iish it, all that behold it begin to mock
Williamson's Exposition of llniversalism, p. 17.
G
110 REASONS FOR OUR HOPE.
him, saying, This Manhesnn lohvild, and was not able
TO Finish f'—Lnke xxiv. 2S--30.
'The Father hath not given the Spirit by meamre ^unio
him.' — John i. '5;3.
'The Father lialh committed all jnlcnient to the Son.'—
John V. 22.
'Thou hast given him Fouur over All Flesh.'— ^ohr\ xvii.
2. 'All Power is gicen unto me in Heaven and m Earth.'
Mat. xxviii. 18. 'The Father loveth the Son, and hath
given all things into his hands.' — John iii. 35.
'God hath set him fak above all Principality mid Pmr-
er, and Might, and Dnimnion, and every name thai is nam-
ed, not only in this world, but in tlial which is to come.'—
Eph. i. 2i:
'He is the Head of All Principality and Poiv^r.'—Q,o\.
ii. 20.
'Christ, THE Power of God, and the Wisdom of Gud." —
1 Cor. i. 24.
'Jesus knew All Men' - • he hneto what teas i\ Man.'--
John ii. 24, 25.
'Him that is Glorious in apparel, travelling in the Great-
ness of his Strength, Mighty to Save !'— Is. Ixiii. 1.
' They shall not Prevail against thee, for I am loith thee,
sailh the Lord.'— Jer. i. 19.
'Behold the Lamb of God that taketh away the Sin of
the world !'— John i. 29.
' He will Finish the v)ork, and cut it short in Righteous-
ness.'— Rom. ix. 28. 'The works wejie finished, from the
foundation of the world.' — Heb. iv. 3.
'He shall have put down All rule, and All authority and
Power, for he must reign till he hath put All Enemies un-
der his feet,— till All Thinffs are Subdued unto him, iliat
God maybe All in All.'— 1 Cor. xv. 24-28.
"Whi)t lliough the Ransom'd may refuse,
Clirist's iDPssajre to receive ;
His ffrncious messengers abuse, —
Yet still he came to Save.
Yea, slioiild deception still prevail,
And blind all nalions" eycB,
In his great day he'll rend the vail,
From all beneath the skies."
REASONS FOR OUR HOPE.
PROPOSITION TENTH.
Ill
The DEATH OF CHRIST was for the Sins,— for the
Redemption and Eternal Blessedness of All Mankind.
PROOFS.
'Jesus was made a little lower than the anqels, that he,
b)^ the Grace of God, should taste death for EVERY MAN.'
"-Heb. ii. 9.
'I am the Living Bread, [said Jesus,] which came down
from heaven ; -- and the bread that I Vv'ill give is my flesh.
which I ivill Give for the Lz/eo/ THE WORLD.'— John
vi. 51.
'The Mediator between God and Man gave himself a
B.ansom for ALL.' — 1 Tim. ii. 6.
'If ANY MAN sin, we have an Advocate with the Fa-
ther, Jesus Christ the Righteous. And he is the Propitia-
tion for OUR sins, and not for ours, only, but also for the
Sins of THE WHOLE WORLD.'— 1 John ii. 1, 2.
'ALL we like sheep have gone astray ; we have turned
EVERYONE to his own way; and the Lord hath laid
upon him the Iniquity'dTus ALL.' — Isa. liii. 5, 6.
'He spared not His own Son, but delivered him up for Us
ALL.'— Rom. viii. 32.
'One Died for ALL.'— 1 Cor. v. 14.
^He Died for ALL.'— 1 Cor. v. 15.
He Died for 'the Ln godly. '—Horn. v. 5.
He Died for 'the Unjust.'— \ Pet. iii. 18.
He Died for 'Sinners.' — Rom. v. 7, 8.
He Died for his ' Enemies.''— ^ova. v. 10, 11.
He Died for Unbelievers.— Rom. xiv. 15.
He died for Fornicators. — 1 Cor. vi. 19, 20.
" Universai. Saviour, Thou
Wilt all creatures blees ;
Every Knee to thee shall jjow,
Every Tongye confess.
112 REASONS FOR OUR HOPK.
Nonght shall in thy mount destroy,
Sin prevail no moie,
An!.'els .shall be lill'd with joy, —
Al! Mankind adore.
When, according to thy word.
Salvation is revcal'd,
Unin thee, Redep.ininjf Lord,
The hearts of All shall yield.
Open thou the radiant scene.
In all thy glory shine.
Let thy glorious reij^n begin,
Reign of Love Divine."
COMPLETION OF THE ARGUMENT.
Shall the Sacrifice, and Sufferings, Sorrotos, Prayers, Min-
istry, and Teachings of Christ, prove hieffectuol for
the Salvation of Millions of the Race ?
ANSWER.
'He sliall see of the travail of his soul, and be satisfied."
— Isa. liii. 11.
The Universal Ransom shall 'he Testified in Dve Time:'
—1 Tim. ii. 6.
^ I have Overcome the World.' — John xvi. 33. 'Greater
is he that is in you, than he that is in the world.'— 1 Jn. iv 4-
' Jesus, the Author and Finisher of our Faith.' — Heb. xii. 2.
St. Paul geems not to have entertained any doubt of the
complete universal victory and triumph of his Master, as he
spake of the sure redemption of all for whom Christ died,
with all confidence : 'Which is the earnest of our inher-
itance, [wrote he to the Ephesian Christians,] tinfil the Re-
deynption of rnr. Purchared Possession.' — Eph. i. 14. ' The
Creation shall be Delivered.'— 'Rom. viii. 20. All shall be
made alive through Christ that have died through Adam.—
1 Cor. XV. 22.
'He shall Prevail against his Enemies.' — Isa. xlii. 13.
'7 WILL drani All Men unto we.'— John xii. 32.
'The Bread of Life cotncth down from heaven, and Giv-
eth Life to the World.' — John vi. 33.
REASONS KOR OUR HOPE.
1U{
'For Eoery Knee shall bow to him, and Every Tongue
shall confess to God,'— Rom. xiv. 11 ; 'that Jesus Christ is
Lord, to the Glory of God the Father,'— VhW. ii. 13; 'sure-
ly shall say, In the Lord have I Righteousness a7id strength:
— Isa. xlv. 23.
"I sing the Gospel day, •'
Wlien Clirisl sliall finish sin,
His wondrous love display,
And every rebel win.
The Saviour, Christ, must reign.
Till all his foes submit.
And, sav'd from sin and pain.
Shall worship at his feel.
Then death iiself shall die.
And Life, triumphant, teign.
No more shall sinners siah.
In darkness, guilt and pain.
Prostrate tiiey fall, and humbly own.
That God alone, is All in All."
PROPOSITION ELEVENTH.
The Whole Family of Mankind, are THE BODY, PEO-
PLE, & POSSESSION OF CHRIST.
PROOFS.
'All THL^fGS are delivered unto Me of My Father:—
Mat. xi. 27.
'The Father loveth the Son, and hath given All Things
into his hands:— 3 o\in ill. 3-5.
'All Things that the Father hath, are Mree.'— .Tohnxvi. 35.
'The Father hath given All Things into his hands:—
John xiii. 3.
'Thou hast given him power over All FLESH.'--Jn. xvii 2.
'All Things have been delivered unto me of my Father.'
—Luke X. 22.
'All T/«me are Mine, and mine are Thine, and I am
Glorified in Them.'— John xviii. 10.
'The Head of Every Man is Christ.'— 1 Cor. xi. 3.
'Our Lord Jesu:=; Christ, of whom the Whole Family in
Heaven and in Earth are named: — Eph. iii. 14, 15.
114 REASONS FOR OUR Hd'E.
•He was the true Light, which lightelh, [ot shall erdighten,]
Everyman that Cometh into the World.' •■~io\\n i. 12.
'Jerusalem which is from Above, [the Heavenly Kingdom
of Zion,] is Free, which is the Mother of Us All.'—
Gal. iv. 26.
'Chri?t, THE Heir of the World.' — Rom. iv. 13.
'Christ, the IreiK of All Things.'— Hcb. i. 2.
'It pleased the Father that in Christ should All Fulness
dwell.'-Col. i. 19. [Cor. x. 26, 28.
'The Earth is the Lord's and the Fulness thereof.' — 1
'I will give thee the Heathen for thine Inheritance, and
THE Uttermost Parts of the Earth for thy Possession.'
— Ps. ii. 8. ■
'Ye are Complete in him, which is the Head of All prin-
cipality and poiver.' — Col. ii. 8.
'Arise, O God, for thou shall Inherit All Nations.' — Ps.
xxxviii. 8.
'Christ is Lord over [Oio7ierof] All, God blessed forev-
er.' — Rom. ix. 5.
'None of us liveth to himself, and NO MAN dieth to
himself; for whether we live, we live unto the Lord ; and
whether we die, we die unto the Lord. Whether V)e live,
therefore, or Die, We ark the Lord's. For to this end
Christ both died, rose, and revived, Mff< lie might become
Lord [Owner] hothofY^A^ Dead and The Living.' — Rom.
xiv. 7, 9.
'Jesus Christ is Lord [0^^•??e?•] of All.' — Acts. x. 36.
'All are yours, [the elects'] whether Paul, or AppoUos,
or Cephas, or the World, or life, or death, or Things pres-
ent, or Things to come, — All are yours, and Ye are
Christ's, and Christ is God's.' — 1 Cor. iii. 22.
'There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither Bond
nor Free, there is neither Male nor Female, but Ye are
ALL ONE IN Christ Jesus.'— Gal. iii. 28, 29.
'As the body is one, and hath many members, and all the
members of that body, being many, are one body : So also
IS Christ. For by one Spirit are we All baptised into
ONE BODY, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, [the ex-
pression Jetos a?id Gentiles comprehends the v;hole ivorld,}
REASONS FOR OUR HOPE.
115
whether we be bond or free,' &c. — 1 Cor. xii. 12, to fin. cap.
' There is neither Greek nnr Jeio, Cirai?ncisio?i nor Un-
circumcisio?i. Barbarian, Scythian, Bond or Free, but
Christ is ALL, and IN xVLL.' — Col. iii. 11.
'He that committeth fornication sinneth against his own
body. Know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy
Spirit ichich is in You. tiihich Ye have of God, and Ye
ARE NOT YOUR OWN ? For Ye are Bought loith a Price.^ —
1 Cor. vi. 19, 20.
'I will say to them which loere not My People, Thou art
My People.' — Hos. ii. 23, et mult, aliis.
•'Fathfir, is not Thy Promise sure
To lliv ex:ilted Son,
That throiirjli All Nations of the Earth
Thy word of Life shall run ?
Are not the souls of all mankind.
Beneath the arch of heav'n,
To liie dominion of Thy Son
Without exoeption giv'n ?"
COMPLETION OF THE ARGUMENT.
D) the Scriptures counlenance the dreadful Idea, that an
almost infinite number of the Souls lohich ha.ve been
gicen to Christ shall ultimately be ivrcsted from him,
a7id become the eternal Property of the Savage King
of Hell and Misery?
ANSWER.
'I am persuaded, [said Paul,] that he is able to KEEP
that which is committed to him.' — 2 Tim. i. 12.
'I give unto them eternal life. They shall never perish,
)ieAther xhall any pluck them out of my hands.' — John x. 28.
'My Father which gave them tne is Greater than All ;
and JVo«e is able to pluck out of vnj Father s hands.' — John
X. 29. Is it not folly to suppose that God, who is the Crea-
tor, and consequently the Owner, of all the universe, can
ever lose anything ? or to believe that He, beside Whom
there is no God else, is not the Sovereign Possessor of mil-
lions of His created intelligences, who have been snatched
116 REASONS FOR OUR HOPE.
from His power and paternal care by the Kinfj Monster of
Iniquity and VV^oe, and nerer can be reclaimed ?
'lie shall LOSE NOTHING of ALL, which the Father
hath given him.' — John vi. 39.
He shall give eternal life to the 'All Flesh' which the Fa-
ther hath given him. — John xvii. 2.
'ALL, that the Father uiveih me, SHALL COME TO
ME.'— John vi. 37.
'I will draw ALL MENumto me.'— John xii. 32.
"Praise him whose reign of truth and grace
Shall evermore increase,
Till every soul of all the race,
Shall own him Prince of Peace.
When finish'd is ins plan of Love,
All sin and ill shall cease.
And every tonjjue. in heav'n above.
Shall own him Prince of Peace."
PROPOSITION TWELFTH.
In vieto of the Eventual Samtijication of All Mankind,
the Gospel regards the common DISTINCTIONS be-
tween Man and Man, to be Abolished.
PROOFS.
'The Common Salvation.' — Jude 3. In the same versp
the author of this epistle calls this doctrine, 'T/te Faith
which was once delivered to the Saints.^
'Ye who were sometimes far off are wade nigh by the
blood of Christ ; for he is our Peace, [the Mediator of Uni-
versal Reconciliation,^ who hath broken down the middle
wall of partition between us.' — Eph. ii. 13, 14.
'God hath showed me that I should not call ANY
MAN Common or Unclean.' — Acts x. 28.
'Who maketh thee to differ from Another ? and what hast
thou that thou did'st not also receive? and if thou did'st
RECEIVE it, why dnst thou glory as if thou had'st not Re-
ceived it V — 1 Cor. iv. 7.
'God hath made of one blood all nations that dwell on
REASONS FOR OUR HOPE.
117
all the face of the earth,' — and all are His offspring, — Acts
xvii. 26, 29.
'The Scripture hath concluded All under Sin.' — G.il.iii.
22. 'God hath concluded All in Unbelief.* — Rom. xi. 32.
'Behold, All TniNOs are clean unto you.' — Luke xi. 41.
'Every Creature of God is good.' — 1 Ti/n. iv. 4. Let it be
noticed that these passages are all radically at variance with
the doctrine of total depravity.
'And Peter saw Heaven opened, and a vessel descending
unto him like unto a great sheet, knit together at the four
corners, and let down to the earth ; whereon were All Matt-
ner of four-footed Beasts of the earth, and wild-fowls, and
creeping things, and fowls of the air, \clean and unclean
leasts 'OF THE earth' observe, — yea, 'all manner' of them,
— representing all kinds of sinners, all forms and degrees
of unbelief, — and mark, these loere let doivn from Heaven.]
And there came a Voice to him, — Rise, Peter, kill and eat.
But Peter said, Not so, Lord; for I have never eaten any-
thing that is common or unclean. And the Voice spake
unto him again the second time, — What God hath Cleans-
ed, THAT CALL NOT THOU CoMMON. This was done three
times. AND ALL WERE DRAWN UP AGAIN
INTO HEAVEN.'— Acts xi, 7-10.
•There is neither Greek nor Jew, circumcision nor uncir-
cumcision, barbarian, Scythian, bond nor free, male nor fe-
male, but are All O'NE in Christ -^fesus..' — Gal.iii; Col. iii.
'Having abolished in his flesh the enmity [the grounds
of the jealousy and selfishness which have obtained in the
world, teaching free grace and a common destiny for all na-
tions and kindreds, as well as their common beginning and
common heavenly care,] even the law of commandments
and ordinances, [which recognised such human distinctions,
and God a Respector of Persons and Nations,] for to make
IN himself, of Twain, ONE NEWMAN, [of which Christ
himself is the Head,] so making Peace; and that he might
Reconcile hoth [Jews and Heathen, i. e. in the scriptural
sense. Believers and Unbelievers, the Righteous and the Un-
righteous, these two grand divisions of mankind,] unto God
in ONE BODY, by the cross, havingslain the enmity ihere-
7
118 KEASONS I-OR OUil HOPE,
by, and came and preached [alilcej to ihem which were
afar off, and to llieiii which were iiigh. For lhroiif,Hi him
we have both acces.s by one Spirit, unto the same Father.
Novv, therefore, Ye are no more strangers and foreigners,
but Fellow-Citizens with the Saints of tlie Household of
God, and are built upon tlic fouiidaiion of the Apoblles and
Prophets, Jesus Christ himself beinir the chief Corner-Stone;
in whom All the Buildiiiir, fitly framed together, ['Every
Man in his own order '^ growetli unto an Holy Temple in
the Lord.'— E ph. ii. 12-22.
'There are Many Members, yet but One Body j and the
Eye cannot say unto the Hand, I have no need of thee ;'
nor again the Head lo the Feet, / have no need of thee'
Nay, MUCH more, those Members of THE BODY which
we think to be least honorable, upon them are bestowed
moke abundant honor ; and our uncomely parts have more
aJ)undant comeliness. For our comely Parts have NO
NEED, ['they which be whole need not a Physician, but
they which are sick.'] But God hath tempered THE BODY
together, ['He hath given ever}'' one a body as it pleaseth
Him,'] having given more abundant H(-nuk to that part
WHICH LACKED.' — 1 Cor. xii. 20-24.
'These which say, Stand by thyself, come not near me,
for I am holier than Ihou, are a smoke in ]\iy nose, a 'Ire
that burnetii all the day, saith the Lord.' — Isa. Ixv. 5.
" As flame ascends, —
As bodies lo their proper centre move, —
As the pois'd ocean to iti' attractive moon
Obedient swells, nnd every winding stream
Devolves its ."earcliing wr.ters to the main ;
So, Jill things vhich have life, aspire to God, —
Thk Sun of I^eing, boundless, unimpair'd,
Centre of JlllSouls ! Nor does the voire
Of faithful Nature cease to prompt tlicir steps
Ariwhl ; nor is the care of Heaven withheld.
From i^ranliiiir to the task 'pro]iorlion''d weans ;
That, in their slaiions, jf// may persevere
To climb fli' ascent f)f beins?, and approach,
Forever nearer to the Life Divine." — Akenside.
REASONS FOR OUR HOPE. 119
PROPOSITION THIRTEENTH.
The Human Famihj is not divisible into two Great Classes,
The Righteous, and the. Wicked, for ALL MEN ARE
SINNERS, so that if Salvation and Damnation are
of Works, one or the other will be Universal, — we
prove the Former.
PROOFS.
'There is NO MAN that sinneth not.' — 1 Kings vii. 46.
'Both Jews and Gentiles, [the whole race,] they are ALL
under Sin ; as it is written. There is NONE righteous, no,
NOT ONE.'— Rom. iii. IL
'Whatsoever the Law saith, it saith to them who are un-
der the Law ; that Every Mouth may be stopped, and ALL
THE WORLD may become Guilty before God.' — Rom.
iii. 15.
'There is NONE good, but One, that is God.'— Mat.
xix. 17 ; Mark x. IS'; Luke xviii. 19.
'In Thy sight shall NO MAN LIVING be justified.'—
Ps. cxliii." 2.
'If we say we have JVo Sin, we deceive ourselves, and
are not in the truth.' — 1 John i. 8. •
'We are ALL as an unclean thing, and all onr righteous-
nesses are as filthy rags. And we ALL do fade as a leaf,
and Our iniquities like the wind have taken Us away.' —
Isa. Ixiv. 6.
'Tliere is NONE that doeth {eiitirehfl good. The Lord
looked down from heaven upon the Children of Men, to see
if there were ANY that did understand and seek God. —
They are ALL gone aside, they are ALL TOGETHER
become filthy. There is NONE that doeth good. No,
NOT ONE!'— Ps. xiv. 1-3.
'ALL have Sinned, and come short of the Glory of God.'
— Rom. iii. 22. But were they to be eternally contiriued
in unrighteousness and suffering, or a Part of them, would
they thus come up to the Glory of God ?
120
RKASONh FOR OUR HOPE.
Now when a man ruthlessly asserts that Endless suffer-
ing' is the Penahy wliich God lias written in connection with
His Law as the reward of every transgression, (which is a
daring, a sacreligious, a wicked declaration,) he at the sanne
lime, by a palpable inference, avows the appalling sentiment
of Z7rtircr5«/ Endless Woe. Unquestionably, if that penalty
is the imperative demand of God's [we cannot say Justice,]
Implacability and Wrath, thai is the direct, the only conclus-
ion. For, as we have amply seen, so far from any human
creature being good enough for heaven, all are sinful, and
were the premise of the Ivfmite Penalty true, the whole
universal familv of mankind have incurred that dreadful
doom. And with the abundant Bible testimony to the 'In-
evitahleness of Divine Punishments, which arises, assur-
ing us so solemnly that 'God will ey no means clear the
Guilty,' that He never shifts the due responsibity of
Guilt, but fixes 'the righteousness of the righteous upon
HIM, and the wickedness of the wicked upon him,' one must
be blind not to see that this awful idea is plainly involved
in that presumptuous proposition. But we need not here
exhibit but one argument to demonstrate the falsity of the
principle of the Infinite Penalty, and that is to show that the
Scriptures derive precisely the opposite conclusion from the
fact of man's universal sinfulness, from the one which that
unfounded principle involves.
COMPLETIOfI OF THE ARGUMENT.
Shall the Universal Sinfvlness of Man result in Universal
or Partial Fmdless Misery, or in Co-Extensive Re-
demption and Holiness ?
ANSWER.
'As in Adam ALL DIE, [the spiritual mortality which
came upon him in the day of his disobedience,] even so, in
Christ, shall ALL be made Alive.' — 1 Cor. xv. 22.
'ALL were dead, and he died for ALL.' — 2 Cor. v. 14.
'By the offence of one, judgnient came upon ALL MEN
to condemnation ; even so, h\ \he righteousness of one, the
free gift came upon ALL MEN to justification of life.' —
RomT V. 18.
REASONS FOR OUR HOPE. 121
'ALL we like sheep have gone astray ; we are turned
EVERY ONE to his own way ; and 'the Lord hath lain
upon him ihc iniquity of us ALL, and by his stripes we are
healed.' — Isa. liii. 6.
'God hath concluded ALL in unbelief, that he viight ham
Mercy upon ALL.' — Rom. xi. 32.
'The Scripture hath concluded ALL under Sin, - - and
there is neither Male nor Female but are all in Christ Je-
sus, and Heirs of The Promise.' — Gal. iii. 21, 25.
'ALL have sinned, and come short of the glory of God, —
BEING JUSTIFIED FREELY BY HlS GrACE, THROUGH THE RE-
DEMPTION THAT IS IN Christ Jesus.' — Rom. iii. 22.
'Therefore, by the deeds of the laio, shall NO FLESH
be justified in His sight, [because all have broken the law;]
for by the law is the knowledge of Sin. But now, the
righteousness of God without the law is manifested, being
witnessed [prophesied of] by the law and the Prophets, even
the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ
UNTO ALL, and upon all them that believe ; for there
IS NO difference. For All have sinned,' &c. — Rom. iii. 20.
•'He comes to exclianae all sin for holiness.
And death for immortality, man's soul
For God's own Spirit, — all ill for all ;Erood.
All men have sinned, — and as Jor Jill he died,
All shall be Saved. 0, not a single soul
Less than the countless ALL, can satisfy
The infinite triumph which to him helongs.
Who ministered and suffered !" — Festus.
PROPOSITION FOURTEENTH.
The Eternal Happiness of Mankind is predicated in the
Scriptures zipon the Effectual, Impartial GRACE of
God, because Salvation is not of Merit.
PROOFS.
'I DO NOT FRUSTRATE THE GRACE OF GOD.' — St. PaUL.
'We believe that through the Grace of our Lord and
Saviour Jesus Christ, We shall be Saved.' — Acts xv. 11.
'The Law was given by Moses, but by Jesus Christ came
Grace and Truth.' — John i. 17.
122 HGA?ONS FOR OUU HOPE.
*B\' [eicTivd], pnn'inX election? ox hy belief 1 or by good
tforks?\ Gkace are Ye Saved, through Failh, and that, not
of Yo7ir selves, it is the gift of God, not of works, lest any
man should boast.'— Eph. ii. 7.
'The kindness and love of God our Saviour toward Man
appeared, not by xoorks of right consness which we have done,
BUT ACCORDING TO His Mekcy [Grace,'] He saved us, by the
washino- of regeneration, and renewing of the Koly Spirit,
which He shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our
Saviour, that, being justified by His Grace, we should be
Heirs, according to the Hope of Eternal Life. '—Tit. iii.4-8.
'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 now is made manifest, by the
appearing of Jesus Christ our Saviour, u-ho hath Abolished
Death, and brought LiiE and Immortality to light through
the Gospel.'— 2 Tim. i. S--10.
'It is NOT of him that willeth, nor of him that runneth, but
of God that sheweth Mercy, [Grace].' — Rom. ix. 16.
'Even as David also describeth the blessedness of a man
to whom God imputeih [bestoweth] righteousness without
WORKS.' — Rom. iv. 16.
'If rii;hteousness came ^y [obedience to] the La.w, then
Christ is Dead in Vain,' [for millions, perhaps might re-
main sinful during their whole existence.]— Gal. ii. 21.
'If BY Grace, then it is no more ofivorhs ; but if it be of
works, then it is no more Grace.'— Rom. xi. 6.
'Our Father hath loved us, and given unto us Everlasting
Consolation and Good Hope through Grace.' — 2 Thes. ii.16.
'According to His abundant Grace, He hath begotten u»
unto a Living Hope.' — 1 Pet. i. 3.
"Praise to the Goodness of the Lord,
Who rules His People by His Word,
And there reveals a Plan of Grace,
Encircling Ail the Human Race."
REASONS FOR OUR tlOPK. 123
COMPI-ETION OF THE ARGUMENT.
S'lall the Grace of God prove Effectual and Siijjic'unt for
tht Salvation of All ^ or shall it be Partially Bestowed ?
ANSWER.
'Ye Knew the Grace of God in truth.' — Paul.
'The Grace of God bringeth Salvation to ALL MEN.'
— Titus ii. IL
'By the Grack of God, he tasted death for EVERY
MAN.'— Heb. ii. 9.
'Where Sin abounded, Grace didm^ich more abound.' —
Rom. V. 20. (xi. 32.
'That He might have Mercy (Grace) upon ALL.' — Rom.
'^4s Sin hath reigned unto death, Even so might Grace
reign through righteousness unto eternal life, by Jesus
Christ our Lord.'— Rom. v. 21.
'All have sinned and come short of the glory of God, but
are just ifed Freely by His Grace.'— Rom. iii. 24.
'Where is boasting then ? It is excluded. By what
law ? Ofjoorks? NAY, but by the law of faith. There-
fore we conclude that a man is just'iied by faith ivithoiit the
deeds of the laic. Is He the God of the Jews only, and not
the God of the Gentiles ? [Is He a Respector of Nations,
anymore than o{ Persojis?^ Yes, He is the Lord of the
Gentiles also : Seeing it is one God which shall judge the
Circumcision by faith, and the LTncircumcision through
faith.'— Rom. iii. 20--30.
'God is able to make All Grace abound toward You, that
Ye shall have All Sufficiency in All Things.'' — 2 Cor. ix. 8.
The New and Better Covenant of God's Universal Grace,
is called emphatically, 'The Gospel of the Grace of God,'
in contradistinction from all empty, Partialistic, narrow,
faith-and-work systems of human devisings ; while, at the
same time, it does not weaken but strengthen the force of
the great truth, which itself, as well as all nature, reason,
experience, and even pagan philosophy, teaches, that good
124 REASONS FOR OUR HOPE.
works are necessary and indispcnsahle to the happiness and
salvation of (his life, even without rcfcrcnre to the existence
of a future one. This doctrine of the Divine Grace, docs
not prochiim impunity or pardon to the transtrrcssor, but
simply teaches that, separate from the iuecjualiiies of lime,
and beyond and independent of \.\\o doini^s of this life, and
the dispensation of Rewards and Punishments, there comes
a period when the Reign of Love shall have overcome and
over-abounded the whole extent of Evil, and transformed
the universal mass of soul into its own beautiful likeness. —
Is it not evident that if the Grace of God is sufficient for the
resurrection of one dead soul to the divine life, especially
the very 'chief that it is also adequate to the regeneration
of any indefinite numljer, and even ot all that arc created?
It is indeed almost marvellous that men should limit the
extent and nature of the Grace of God, in the lace of so
much testimony as is contained in the New Testament to
its amplitude and gloriousness. So many expressions like
these, 'the Manifold Grace of God,' 'the Exceeding Grace of
God,' 'the JibvndanV and 'the Exceeding Abundant Grace
ofo7ir Lord Jesus Christ' 'the Riches,' 'the Exceeding Rich-
es,' and 'the Unseairhable Riches of His Grace,' the Grace
by which we 2i\e 'Freely justified,' and which superabounds
the blight of Sin, &c., such expressions, I say, so frequently
occurring,oughl to make us believe and think more worthily
of the ^ivine character and Purposes.
"When Inimbly I rerall.
The lokens of His favour,
And see in him of All,
The Fallirr, Friend, and Saviour, —
I feel that He,
Whose love to me.
Thus far halh not abated.
Will never let.
His Grace fororet,
A soul His Pow'r created.
Thus in the siilly niijiit.
Ere slumber's chain liaih hound me.
Remembrance brings the lij.'ht.
Of Love Divine around me." — Rev, A. C. Thomas.
EEASONS FOR OUR HOrE. 125
PROPOSITION FIFTEENTH.
The Redemption and Blessedness of Man is not the Fruit of
his oion Earnijig, and not dii-ectly dependent upon the.
Works of this Life, but is a Free, Tmpurchasallc, and
Impartial GIFT, of the God of Salvation.
PROOFS.
"■Thou hast thought that the Gift of God may be Purchased.'' — Act?.
'Thus saith the Lord, Ye have sold jonrse\vesforna?ighf,
and Ye shall be Redeemed without money.' — Isa. lii. 3.
'Ho ! Every One that thirsteth. Co?ne Ye to the Waters,
A>"D HE THAT HATH NO MoNEY : Coms Ye, buy and eat, —
yea. Come buy wine and milk, without bioney and with-
out PRICE.' — Isa. Iv. 1.
'The GIFT [not 'Offer'] of God, is Eternal Life, through
Jesus Christ our Lord.' — Rom. vi. 23.
'This is the Record, that God hath GIVEN to us Eternal
Life through His Son.' — 1 John v. IL
'Him hath God exalted with His right hand to be a Prince
aud a Saviour, for to ['offer'?] GIVE Repentance to Israel,
and Remission of Sins.' — Acts v. 31.
'No man can come unto Me, [said the Redeemer,] ex-
cept it were GIVEN him of My Father.'— -John vi. 65.
'A man can receive nothing, except it be GIVEN him
from heaven.'— John iii. 27.
'A Neiv Heart and One Way also will I GIVE You.'—
Ezek. xxxvi. 26; xi. 19; Jer. xxxii. 39; xxiv. 7.
"The world is all-siifficient for itself.
And hell and heav'n are not //i' equivalents
Of earth's iniquities and righteousness."
The Folly of Hoping J^or Salvation from any but God.
'Truly, in vain is Salvation hoped for from the hills, or
from the multitude of mountains : Truly, in the Lord God
is the Salvation of Israel.' — Jer. iii. 23.
'Consider the work of God : for who [but Himself,] can
H
126 REASONS FOR OUR HOPE.
make that straight, which He hath made crooked ?' — Eccl.
vii. 13.
'Cease ye from man, whose breath is in his nostrils, for
wherefore is he to be accounted of?' — Isa. ii. 22.
'Cursed be the man that trusteth in man, and maketh
flesh his arm, and whose heart [confidence] departeth from
tlie Lord ; - - - but. Blessed is the man that trusteth in the
Lord.' — Jer. xvii. 5, 7.
COMPLETION OF THE ARGUMENT.
Is this Glorious Gift a Universal or Partial Onel or shall
Any be Eternally Excluded from its Participation ?
ANSWER.
'Christ, the Bread of Life, cometh down from heaven;
and [•ofrereth,on conditions'?] GIVETH Life unto The
World.' — John vi. 33.
'The Bread that I will GIVE is my flesh, which I WILL
GIVE for the Life of The World.'— John vi. 51.
'Thou hast criven him power over All Flesh, that he
should GIVE Eternal Life to as many as Thou hast given
him.'— John xvii. 2.
'That the Gentiles should be Fellow-Heirs of the same
Body, and Partakers of His Promise in Christ, by the Gos-
pel, according to THE GIFT of the Grace of God.'—
Eph. iii. 7.
^Not only as the Ofl'ence, So is THE FREE GIFT.-
For if through the offence of one, Many | Mankind] be dead,
MUCH more, the Grace of Gorf, and THE GIFT by Grace,
hath abounded unto Many,' [Mankind.]— Rom. v. 15.
'And 7iot as it was by one that sinned .vo [merely] is THE
GIFT. For the judgment was by one [offence, only,] to
condemnation ; but THE FgEE GIFT is of Many, [the
Mass, Multitude of ] Offences, unto justification.' — v. 16.
'For, if by one man's disobedience, Death [universal]
reigned by one, much more they, [the universally dead,]
receiving ABUNDANCE of Grace, and of THE GIFT
of Righteousness, shall reign in Life by one,' (Christ Je-
sus.) — Rom. v. 17.
REASONS FOR OUR HOPE. JQ7
'Therefore, As, by the offence of one, judgment came upon
All Men, to Condemnation : Even So, by the Righteous^
ness of One, THE FREE GIFT LlCr=CAME UPON ALL
MEN, unto Justification of Life.'— Rom. v. 18.
'God GAVE tiiem, [the Unbelieving,] the like GIFT as
He did unto us who believed.''— Acts xvii. 17.
'If ye do [the Lord doelh] good to them which do good to
you, [Him, o?ilij,] what reward [glory] have ye, [hath He?]
for sinners also do even the same. And if ye lend to them
ofivhomyehope to Receive., [only,] what thank have Ye?
for Sinners also lend to sinners, ii;he?i they Receive as much
again.' — Luke vi. 33, 34.
'What man is there, whom, if his son ask bread, he will
Give a stone? Or if he ask a fish, will Give him a serpent?
\i men, then, being evil, know how to Give Good Gifts unto
their children, how much more shall our Father which is in
heaven, [who is Good,^ GIVE Good Things to them that
ask Him.' — Mat. vii. 9--11. 'And our heavenly Father
[unlike human parents,] knoweth what things we have
need of before we ask him.'— vi. 8.
'God GIVETH [to the elect only ?] to All Men liberally,
and upbraideth not,' [that we cannot earn His Gifts.]--Jas.i.5.
When Jesus commissioned his Disciples to commence
the great work of preaching the Glad News of his Salva-
tion to every people and every creature, giving them power
to heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, and cast
out devils, {ihe physical in the Scriptures is figurative also
of the spiritnal;) he commanded them, 'Freely ye have
received, FREELY GIVE !'-Mat. x. 1, 8.
*No man can come unto me, except the Father which
sent me draio him; - - And it is written in the Prophets,
They ALL shall be taught of God.' — John vi. 44, 45.
'If they which are of the law, [the obedient, only,] be
Heirs, Faith [the word Trust is a much nearer approxima-
tion to the sense of the original here, and in many other
places of Paul's epistles, especially when he writes of The
Promise,] is made void, and the Promise made of none
effect. - - Therefore it is of Trust, that it might be by Grace,
128 REASONS FOR OUR HOPE.
to the end that the Promise might he sure to all the Seed,
['all families,' ami 'kindreds,'] not to that only which is of
the law, but to that also which is of the trvM of Abraham,
which is the Father of us ALL.' — Rom. \v. 14-16.
'Thanks be to God for His UNSPEAKABLE GIFT !'
— 2Cor. ix. 15.
And as man is led to view the broad river of the Lord's
universal Grace and boundless Mercy, fertilizing the wide
earth, whether in its operations for present good, or in the
inspiration of hope for the future, or of its healing and sanc-
tifying power ; with the steady eye of faith, contemplating
the mighty gloriousness of the fathomless gift towards which
the myriad streams of Almighty Grace are tending, his fer-
vent prayer and ours shall be,
"Roll on, thou mighty river,
Forever and the same,
From God, th' Impartial Giver,
Thy healing waters came.
Where'er earth's wanderer roameth,
Thou life to him shall give.
For where the river cometh,
Lo ! every thing shall live.
The well-springs of Salvation,
Shall swell its blissful tide.
Till all of every nation,
In Jesus shall abide.
When at the throne eternal,
A ransom'd world shall bend.
And, crown'd with peace supernal,
Adore th' Almighty Friend !"
Rev. T. J. Greenwood.
REASONS FOR OUR HOPE. 129
PROPOSITION SIXTEENTH.
The Church Universal, which is the Possession and Body
of Christ, according to Prop. XL, shall be Eventually
SANCTIFIED e?i^ UNITED to Him, in Eteriial
Peace and Reco?iciliation.
PROOFS.
♦Christ loved the Church, and gave himself for it, [he
"LOVED THE WORLD," "GAVE HIMSELF A RansOM FOR All."
If his 'Church' does not comprise the sinful and unbelieving
of mankind, why should he have given himself a sacrifice
for it?] that he might sanctify and cleanse it, [of what
should he cleanse his Church, if it only comprise the pure
and holy ?] with the ivashing of water by the word ; that he
might PRESENT IT TO HIMSELF A Glorious Chukch, 7iot hav-
ing spot ?ior lorhikle, nor any such thing ; but that it should
be Holy and without blemish. - - For no man ever yet hated
his oumfiesh, [so, 'the Lord abhorreth nothing which His
hands have made,' and Jesus loveth his enemies,] but nour-
isheth and cherisheth it, even as the Lord his Church. For '
\ve# are members of his BODY, of his flesh aud of his
bones, [every soul is a necessary member of the everlasting:
church, in some sphere or other, — read 1 Cor. xii.] For
this cause, (as it is written concerning marriage in general,)
* There are about a hundred passages in the 'vritings of Paul, where
he tlius familiarly speaks in tiie name of the wliole race and universal
Family to which lie belongs, using the terms We, Us, Our, Ye, &.c.
as a Representative of the broad Fraternity of his kind, which onr Oppo-
■ing Christians are accustomed to cramp and narrow down in their inter-
pretations, to the pent-up, ungracious measure of human selfishness, and
anti-christian illiberality. This is often done at gieat expense to subject,
appositeness, and common sense, and without regard lo context, the
whole tenor and design of tlie Gosjiel, and the plainest principles of rea-
son. Would that these, however, were the only expressions in which
the mind of the Aposile comprehended and addressed all the children of
•the one God and Father of All,' which have lo suffer the abuse of such
shrivelled expositions. What better treatment do those plain, universal
terras, <All,' 'All Men,' 'All Things,' &c. which are quite as nu-
merous as the former class, experience at their hands 1
iSO REASONS FOR OUR HOPE.
shall a man leave his father and mother and be joined
unio his wife, and they two shall be one flesh. This is a
great Mystery '• hut I speak concerning Christ and the
Church:— E\^h. V. 25--32.
'I will betroth thee unto me forever; yea, I will betroth
thee unto me in Righteousness, and in judgment, and in
loving-kindness, and in mercies. I will even betroth thee
unto me in faithfulness ; and thou shall know [this implies
that they did not before know] the Lord, - - I will have
mercy upon her that had not obtained mercy, and I will
SAY TO Them which were NOT My People, Thou ART
My People ; aiid They shall say. Thou art our God.' —
Hos. ii. 19--23.
'For as a young man marrieth a Virgin, so shall thy sons
marry thee ; and as the Bridegroom rejoiceth over the
Bride, so shall thy God Rejoice over thee.'—Isa. Ixii. 5.
♦For thy Maker is thy Husband ; the Lord of hosts is his
name : and thy Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel, the God
OF THE Whole Earth shall he be called.'— Isa. Ixiv. 5.
'Turn ! O backsliding Children, saith the Lord ; for I am
Married unto You .''— Jer. iii. 14.
••Glorious hopes and ineffable imagininjfs crowd our lioiy theme ;
Feur hath liecn alauffhter'd at the portal, and Doubt driven back
to Darkness.
For Christ hath died, and we in him ; by faith his all is ours,
Cross and crown, and love and life, and we shall reign in him.
Yea, there is a fitness and a beauty in ascribing immortality to
mind,
That its energies and lofty aspirations may have scope for indefi-
nite expansion.
To learn all things is privilege of reason, and that with a growing'
capability ;
But in this liTe of toil and sin, we scarce attain to alphabets."
"The Will of God is love ;
But Love hath promised Life, and therefore shall we live.
So long as He is God, we sliall be His creatures."
Proverbial Philosophy.
Concerning tlie siihjert of iliis Chaplpr, tlier° i.« an interesting, scriptu-
ral, riiriixis ireali.-f l>y UiP relfbrateil Rf.li.v, entilleil, '■Union ; the Con-
tanguinity and Affinity between Christ and his Church,' in which the doctrine
ia ijfaiiiifiilly developed, and strongly suptainnd. This is the work which
was chiefly inslrnmental in the conversion of Murrai. There is a cheap
12 1-2 cent American Edition of it.
REASONS FOR OUR HOPE. 131
PROPOSITION SEVENTEENTH.
The Intelligent Spirits of All Flesh shall Ultimately
SERVE and ADORE their Maker and Redeemer.
PROOFS,
'All His Works shall Praise Him.' — Ps. cxlv. 10. 'Let
Every Thing that hath Breath, [the true translation is here,
— Eoery Thing that hath Breath shall] Praise the Lord.'
— Ps. cl. 6.
^ All the Ends of the World shall Remember and Turn
unto the Lord ; and All the Kindreds of the Nations
shall Worship before Him.' — Ps. xxii. 27.
'All Natioxs whom Thou hast Made shall come and
Worship before Thee,0 Lord, and shall Glorify Thy name.',
— Ps. Ixxxvi. 9.
'O, Thou that hearest prayer, unto Thee shall All
Flesh come.' — Ps. Ixxxv. 2.
^All the Earth shall Worship Thee, and shall Sing unto
Thee; they shall Sing unto Thy name.' — Ps. Ixvi. 4.
'All they that go down to the Dust shall Bow before
Him.'— Ps. xxii. 29.
'■All Kings shall fall down before him, (Messiah ;) All
Nations shall Serve him ; - - Men shall be Blessed in
him; All Nations shall call him Blessed.' — Ps. Ixxii. 11,19.
'AH the Kings of the Earth shall Praise Thee, O Lord,
when they hear the words of Thy mouth.' — Ps. cxxxviii. 4.
'And there was given unto him Dominion, Glory, and a
Kingdom, [that kingdom, be it remembered, is a spiritual
kingdom, — it is 'not of this ioorld.,'''\ that All People, Na-
tions, AND Languages should Serve him.' — Dan. vii. 14.
'The Kingdom of the Most High is an Everlasting King-
dom, and All Dominions shall Serve and Obey Him.' — Dan.
V;iii. 27.
'God hath highly exalted him, and hath given him a
name which is above every name, that at the name of Jesus
132 REASONS FOR OUR HOPE.
Every Knke should Bow, of Things in Heaven, and
Things i?i Earth, and of Things Undpr the Earth, and that
EviiiiY ToNfiUE should Confess, that Jcsns is Lord, to the
Glory of God, the Father.'— Phil. ii. 9--11.
'1 am the Lord, and there is None else ! I have Sworn
by Myself, the word hath gone out of My mouth in Righ-
teousness, and shall not return : That unto Me, Every
Knee shall Bow, and Every Tongue shall swear, In the
Lord have I Ri ghteousness aiid Strength .'' — Isa. xlv. 23, 24.
'As I Live, saith the Lord, Every Knee shall Bow to Me,
and Every Tongue shall confess to God.' — Rom. xiv. IL
'My House [the Gospel Kingdom] shall be called a House
of Prayer for All People.' — Isa. Ivi. 7.
'I will make the place of My feet Glorious. The Sons
of them that afflicted thee shall also come bendinfr unto thee.
['Zion'] and All they that Despised thee shall Bow them-
selves clown at the soles of thy feet.' — Isa. Ix. 14.
'The Lord God will cause Righteousness and Praise to
spring forth before All the Nations.' — Isa. Ixi. IL
'The Wrath of Man shall Praise Him.'— Ps. Ixxxvi. 10.
'Satan shall Worship the Lord ITS God, and Him only
shall it Servo.' — Mat. iii. 10.
'God shall Bless us, and All the Ends of the Earth shall
Fear Him.' — 'Let All the People, [rather, All People smma^
Praise Thee, O God.'— Ps. Ixvii. 7, 3, and 5.
'Who shall not Fear Thee, O God, and Glorify Thy
name ? [^ whole vast Universe of Thy Creatures, eternally.
answers Orthodox-dom.] All Nations shall come and
Worship before Thee,' adds the Revelator. — Rev. xv. 4.
'And then shall Every Man have Praise of God.' — 1 Cor.
iv. 5.
*I beheld, and lo ! a Great Multitude, which No Man
could number, of (properly rendered, even) 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, Salva-
tion unto our God which sittcth upon the Throne, and unto
the Lamb,' &c. to end of Chapter. — Rev. vii. 9. Good
REASONS FOR OUR HOPE. 133
Critics agree with us in referring the prophetical language
of this chapter to the period of the Restoration, 'in the Dis-
pensation of the Fulness of Times.'
'Then will I Turn to the People a pure language, that
they may ALL call upon the name of the Lord, and Serve
Him with one consent.' — Zeph. iii. 9.
'And Every Creature xohicli is in Heaven, and on the
Earth, and Under the Earth, and Such as are in the Sea,
AND ALL THAT ARE IN THEM, heard I saying, Blessing, and
Honor, and Glory, and Power, be unto Him that sitteth upon
the Throne, and unto the Lamb, forever and ever !' — Rev.
V. 13.
'O, Praise the Lord, All ye Nations ; Praise Him All ye
People. For His Merciful Kindness is great toward us, and
the Truth of the Lord endureth forever ! Praise Ye the
Lord.'— 117th Psalm.
'Bless the Lord, All His Works, in All places of His
Dominion ! Bless the Lord, O my soul !' — Ps. ciii. 22.
"And thus, on the Grand and final Consummation, when,
every will shall be subdued to the Will of Good to All, our
Jesus will take in hand the resigned cordage of our hearts.
He will tune them as so many instruments, and will touch
them with the finger of his own divine feelings. Then
shall the Wisdom, and the Might, and the Goodness of our
God, become the wisdom, might, and goodness of All His
intelligent creatures. The happiness of each shall multiply
and overflow, in the wishes and participation of the happi-
ness of All. The Universe shall begin to resound with the
song of congratulation, and All Voices shall break forth in
an eternal hallelujah of praise transcending praise, and glory
transcending glory to God and the Lamb ! There shall be
no lapse thenceforward, no falling away forever! But God
in Christ, and Christ in his Redeemed, shall be a Will and
a Wisdom, and an unction, and a Righteousness, and a
Goodness and* a Graciousness, and a glory rising on glory,
and a blessing rising on blessedness, through an ever begin-
ning to a never-ending eternity !" — Brooke's '■Fool of Qual-
ty,' a work strongly Recommended by Dr. Adam Clarke.
8
134 REASONS FOR OUR HOPE.
"Round as we jjnze on llio worka of creation.
Wisdom and Goodness in all things we see;
But brighter by far in Tliy Plan of Salvation,
Sliirieih the Grace thai proceedelh from Thee !
Forward we look, and tlie brightneHS of j/lory,
Dawnelh resplendent from mansions above,
Riinsom'd from sorrow eich soul shall adore Thee,
Fili'd with the Iruils of Unsearchable Love !
Darkness and doubting forever aboiish'd,
Sighing and sorrow forever shall cea^e ;
The powers of evil subdii'd and demolish'd,
Siiali make universal the Kmgdom o( Peace !
Thou ol Salvation tlie Author and Giver,
Oft shall rementbrance Thy mercies recall,
Landed and hallow'd forever and ever.
Be the Creator and Saviour of All !"
Itev. Abkl C. Thomas
PROPOSITION EIGHTEENTH.
Every Alienated and Re.heUious Child nf the Lord's Family,
shall be SUBDUED and RECONCILED to Him
through Christ.
PROOFS.
'Then cometh the End, Avhen he shall hnve Put down
All rule, and All authority and poiocr.' — 1 Cor. xv. 24.
'For he must reign till he hath Put All Enemies under
his feet.' — 25.
'He hath Put All Things under his feet.' — 27.
'He, which did Put All Things under him,' — 27.
'All Things shall be Subdued unto him,' — 28.
'Him that Put All Things under him.' — 28.
'God shall be ALL IN ALL.'— 28.
'All Things are of God, who hath Reconciled Us to Him-
self by Jesus Christ, and hath given Us the ministry of
Reconciliation, to wit: that God was in Christ Reconciling
{Himself unto the World?) THE WORLD unto Himself.'
—2 Cor, V, 18, 19.
'According to the working whereby He is able to Subdue
All Things unto Himself.' — Phil. iii. 21.
REASONS FOR OUR HOPE. 135
'For it pleased the Father that in Christ should All Ful-
ness dwell ; - - and to Reconcile All Things to himself,
whether Things on Earth, or Things in Heaven.' — Col. i.
20. The terna 'All Things^ occurs Jive times in immediate
connection with this passage, and no 'Orthodox' Expositor
ever pretends, or has ever ventured to contract the todcer-
sality of that phrase in either of those instances. But the
instant they light upon this 20th verse, like the two or three
thousand years leap they are accustomed to make in the
xxivth of Matthew, the identical language is metamorphosed
into altogether a different meaning ! O, Consistency !
'God hath set him at His own right hand, in heavenly
places, (ax above All principality, and power, and might, and
dominion, (except Lucifer's think you ?) and Every Name
that is named, not only in this world, but in that which is
to come ; and hath Put All Things under his feet, and
gave himself to be the Head over All Things, to the Church,-
which is his Body, (see Prop. XI.) the Fulness of Him that
FILLETH ALL IN ALL.'— Eph. i. 18--24.
'Unto him, ['Shiloh,' the Messias,] shall the Gathering
of THE People be.' — Gen. xlix. 10.
'Jesus Christ, after he had offered one Sacrifice for Sins,
forever sat down at the Right Hand of God, from thence
expecting till his Enemies be made his footstool.' — Heb. x.
12, 13.
'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.' — Heb. ii. 8. Physi-
cally, and governmentally, All Things are., already, in sub-
jection to Christ; for 'The Father hath delivered all things'
and committed all judgment, into his hands, and given him
all power in heaven and in earth.' But the great, universal
Spiritual Subjection which is contemplated in the Gospel
through his glorious reign in that heavenly Kingdom of
Zion which 'ruleth over All,' and which 'cometh not by ob-
servation,' 'toe see Not Yet.'
'The casting away of Israel, shall be the Reconciling of
THE WORLD.'— Rom. xi. 15.
136 REASONS FOR OUR HOPE.
'When we were Enemies, we were Reconciled to God
by the Death of His Son.' — Rom. v. 10.
'We joy in God, through our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom
We have now received the Atonement,' [the Reco7icilialion.)
Notice that it is Us who are to receive the atonement or re-
conciliation., for We are the unreconciled party, and not our
Maker, because He is of one mind and unchangeable, and
therefore was He ^zeue?- unreconciled. Did He send the
Saviour in order that He mi^ht love the world ? No ; for
'He so loved the world, that He sent His only-begotten Son.'
How contrary this to the teaching of the Methodist and
Episcopal Articles : "Christ truly suffered, was crucified,
dead, and buried, to Reconcile His Father to Us," &c.
Calmet says, respecting the word Atonement, "We have
evidently lost the true import of this word, by our present
manner of pronouncing it. When it was customary to
pronounce the word one as own, in the time of our transla-
tors, the word atonement was resolvable into parts, at-one-
MENT, or the means of being at one, i. e. reconciled, in fel-
lowship." The word occurs but once in the English N. T.
its original being always elsewhere properly rendered Re-
conciliation.
'He will send forth judgment unto {endless damnation?)
VICTORY !'— Mat. xii. 20.
'I have Overcome the World.' — John xvi. 33.
'Behold, All they that were incensed against thee shall
be ashamed, (see also Isa. xlv. 25,) and confounded ; they
shall be as nothing, (in their deep humility.) They that
strive with thee shall be melted. Thou shalt seek them,
and shall not find them, (as such,) even them thatcontended
with thee.'— isa. xli. 11, 12.
'Through the Greatness of thy Power shall Thine Ene-
mies Submit themselves unto Thee ; they shall Sing unto
Thy Name.'— Ps. Ixvi. 3, 4.
'The Lord of Hosts shall Defend His (elect) People, and
they shall devour and Subdue the Enemies.' — Zech. ix. 15.
'The Lord said unto my Lord, Sit thou on my right hand,
till I make thine Enemies thy footstool. The Lord shall
send the rod of thy strength out of Zion ; Rule thou in the
REASONS FOR OUR HOPE. 137
rnidst of thine Enemies. Thy People shall be Willing,
(who were not willing before,) in the Day of thy Pmver.^ —
Ps. ex. 1--3.
'The Lord shall go forth like a Mighty Man ; he shall
stir up jealousy like a man of war ; he shall Prevail against
his Enemies.' — Isa. xlii. 13.
'O, clap your hands, All Ye People ; Shout unto God
with the Voice of Triumph ! For the Lord Most High is
terrible ; He is a Great King over All the Earth. He shall
Subdue the People under us, and the Nations under our
feet. - - Sing praises unto God, sing praises ! Sing praises
unto our People, sing praises, For God is the King of All
the Earth ! Sing Ye praises with understanding. God
reigneth over the Heathen ! He sitteth upon the Throne of
His holiness!' — Ps. xlvii. 1--8; See also, xcvii. 1—7.
'And I heard, as it were, the Voice of a Great Blultitude,
and as the Voice of Many Waters, and as the Voice of
Miijhty Thunderings, saying. Alleluia! for the Lord God
OMNIPOTENT Reigneth .''—Rev. xix. 6.
Wide o'er the world a King shall reign,
And righteousness and Peace maintain.
His gracious sceptre he shall wield,
Till every foe in love shall yield ;
The conquests of His truth shall show.
What an Almighty arm can do.
The alienated and betray'd,
Re-born and willing subjects made, —
The myriad hosts in heav'n shall meet,
The Family of our Race complete.
133 REASONS FOR OUR HOPE.
PROPOSITION NINETEENTH.
Christ shall contiime to Reign vpo7i the Jvdgment Throne
oj His Kingdom, until All shall be KEDEEMED
FROM SIN, and Saved in Righteousness.
'As for [die nature and olijert of] His Juucmkkts, Ihey have not Knottm
them.' — I'bHling exivii. 20.
'Why dost thou judge thy brother? or why dost thou set
at nought, (value at nothing,) thy brother? For we shall
ALL stand before the judgment-seat of Christ, [without
partiality, to be redeemed from error and sin, and re-created
in knowledge and righteousness.] For, as it is written,
Every Knee shall bow to Me, and Every Mo^ith confess,'' — ►
Rom.xiv. 11, that 'in the Lord have they righteousness
and strength.' — Isa. xlv. 24.
'He hath appointed a Day, [a Period,] in which He will
Judge THE WORLD in Righteousness, by that Man
whom He hath ordained, whereof He hath given Assur-
ance UNTO ALL MEN.' — Acts xvii.31.
'Now is the Judgment of this World, {commenced ;'\ now
shall the Prince of this world [Evil] be cast out. And I, if
I be lifted up from the Earth, will draw ALL MEN unto
me.'— John xii. 31, 32.
'The Father hath committed All Judgment to the Son,
that ALL MEN should honor the Son.'— John v. 22.
'The Lord shall have washed away the filth of the daugh-
ter of Zion, and shall have Purged the filth of Jerusalem by
the spirit o/" Judgment, and the spirit of burning.' — Isa.iv.4.
'When thy Judgments are in the Earth, the Inhabitants
of the World will learn righteousness.' — Isa. xxvi. 9.
'In Mercy shall the Throne be established ; and he shall
sit upon it in Truth in the sanctuary of David, Jtidging,
seeking Judgment, and hasting Righteousness.' — Is. xvi. 5.
'O, Sing unto the Lord a New Song ; for He hath done
marvellous things ! His right hand and His holy arm hath
gotten Him the Victory ! The Lord hath made known
His Salvation; His Righteousness hath He openly showed
REASONS FOR OUR HOPE. l^if
in the sight of the Heathen. He hath remembered His
Mercy and His Truth towards the house of Israel. All the
Ends of the Earth have see7i the Salvation of oxlt God ! —
Make a joyful noise unto the Lord, All the Earth ! Make
a loud noise, and Rejoice, and sing Praises! Sing unto the
Lord with the harp ; with the harp and the voice of a
psalm. With trumpets and sound of cornet, make a joyful
noise before the Lord, the King ! Let the sea roar, and the
fulness therof; the World, and they that dwell therein!
Let the fioods clap their hands ; let the hills be Joyful to-
gether before the Lord ! For He cometh to Judge the Earth ;
with Righteousness shall He Judge The World, and tlU
People with Equity.'' — 98th Psalm.
'Behold he cometh with clouds, and Every Eye shall
see him, and they even which pierced him : and All the
Kindreds of the Earth shaW grieve (in bitterness for their
sins,) because of him. Eve7i so ; Amen.'— Rev. i. 7.
'Thou shall sigh, [in deep humiliation and repentance,]
for t|ie Tidings, because it cometh ; and Every Heart shall
melt, and All Hands shall be feeble, and Every Spirit shall
faint, and All Knees shall be weak as water. Behold it
cometh, and shall be brought to pass, saith the Lord God.'—
Ezek. xxi. 7.
'The Creation itself also shall be Delivered from the
Bondage of Corruption, into the glorious liberty of the
Children of God.'— Rom. viii. 21.
'Though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be white as
snow; though they be red, like crimson, they shall be as
wool.'— Isa. i. 18. For the Lord came to save the very
^chief of Sinners, and 'to Put Away Sin,' entirely.
'He shall baptise You with the Holy Spirit, and with [the
dross-consuming] Fire; whose Fan is in His hand, and He
will thoroughly Purge His floor, and Gather His wheat into
His garner ; but he will hum wp the chaff with unquencha-
ble fire.' — Mat. iii. 11, 12. 'For the Son of Blan came not
to destroy mens' lives, but to Save them.'
'Sin shall not have Dominion over You, for we are under
Grace.' — Rom. vi. 14.
'Thou hast forgiven \taken away] the Iniquity of the Peo-
140 REASONS FOR OUR HOPE.
pie, thou hast covered all their Sin ; Thou hast taken away
all thy wrath.'— Ps. Ixxxv. 2.
'I, even I, am He that blotteth out thy transgresrions for
mine own sake, ami will not remember thysins.' — Is.xliii.25.
All the Kindreds of the Earth shall be Blessed, by being
hinted away Every One from his iniquities. — Acts iii. 26.
'Him that Quickencth All Things.' — 1 Tim. vi. 13.
Paul expected that Every Man shall be presented Perfect
in Christ Jesus through the Gospel. — Col. i. 28.
'Thy Salvation which Thou hast prepared before the
face of All People.'— Lvike ii. 31.
'The crooked shall be made straight, and the rough ways
smooth, and All Flesh shall see the Salvation of our God.'
—Luke iii. 6.
'Other sheep I have, which are not of this, (the elect be-
lievers') Fold. Them also must I bring, and They shall
hear my voice ; and there shall be ONE FOLD, AND
ONE SHEPHERD.'-Johnx. 16.
'This is the Covenant I will make with them after those
days, saith the Lord ; I will Put My laws into their hearts,
and in their minds I will Write them, and their Sins and
Iniquities ivill I Remember no more.' — Heb. x. 16, 17.
'It pleased the Father that in him should all fulness dwell,
to reconcile All Things to himself, and in the body of his
flesh to present You ('that were sometimes Alienated, and
Enemies in your minds by wicked works,') holy, and un-
blamable, and unreprovable in His sight. ''—-Co], i. 19, 21.
'The fall of Israel shall be the Riches of THE WORLD.'
—Rom. xi. 12.
'We trust in the Living God as the Saviour of ALL
MEN, especially of those that believe.' — 1 Tim. iv^ 10.
'Christ, THE Saviour of the World.' — John iv. 42.
'Our Father who art in heaven, - - Deliver Us from Evil.'
Mat. vi. 13.
"Each of the Pow'rs of the Grace Divine,
Hath had its dispensation, — hath it now ;
The Father by His Prophets, and the Son
In his own days, by his own deeds, — and now,
The Spirit, by the ministry of Christ; [see 2 Cor. 3. 8. &c.]
And thus, by Law, by Gospel, and by Grace,
The scheme of God's Salvation is complete.
REASONS FOR OUR HOPE. 141
Salvation then is threefold in God's Plan,
So under one or otlier, All may come :
By Will of God alone, — by F'uiih in Christ,
And by Repentance, or Good Works, or Grace."
Bailey.
We have an extract to insert here from a discourse by
Wesley, on Gen. iii. 15, which is strongly confirmative both
of our argument, and of that good man's leaning to Univer-
salism : "Can the Creator despise the work of His own
hands ? Surely, that is impossible. Hath He not, then,
provided a Remedy for all these Evils? Yes, verily He
hath! And vl sufficient [efTectua!] remedy, every iray ade-
quate to the Disease, He hath fullilled His word ; He hath
given 'the Seed of the woman to Bruise the serpent's head.''
Here is a remedy for all our guilt ; 'he bore all our sins in
his body on the tree ;' and 'if any man sin, we have an
Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the Righteous.' —
Behold, then, both the Justice and Mercy of God ! His
Justice in punishing sin, and His Mercy in providing a Lni-
versal Remedy, for Unirersal Evil. In appointing the
second Adam to die for all who had died in the first, so that,
'As in Adam all died, so in Christall should be made alive ;'
that 'as by one man's oflTence, judgment came upon all to
condemnation, so by the righteousness of one, the free gift
might come upon all unto justification of life.' And it should
be particularly observed, that, 'where sin abounded, grace
does much more abound. For 'not as the condemnation so
is the free gift;' but we may gain even infinitely more than
we have lost."
'♦Time there hath been when only God was All,
And it shall be again. The hour is nam'd
When seraph, cherub, anuel, saint, man, fiend,
Made pure, and unbelievably uplift
Above their present state,— drawn up to God,
Like dew into the air, — shall All be heav'n ;
All souls shall be in God, and sliall be God,
And nothing but God be." — FEdxus.
I
liiZ REASONb FOR OUR HOPE.
PROPOSITION TWENTIETH.
Salvation is Especially for SINNEKS, a7id not for the Un-
sinfid, if there be such, for they would not Require
llcdeniption ; but the farthest Estranged from holiness,
most Need Salcation, and will as surely Obtain it.
PROOFS.
'They that be whole need not a Physician, but they that
are sick. But go Ye, [ye who despise and limit the gra-
ciousness of the Lord,] and learn what thatmeaneth, — licUl
Aa?;e Mercy, c?ifZ NOT Sacrifice; fori am not come to
call the Righteous ['there is none righteous,'] eut SIN-
NERS to Repentance.'— Mat. ix. 12, 13 ; Mark ii ; Luke v.
'This is n faithful saying, and worthy o{ All acceptation
that Jesus Clirist came into the world to Save SINNERS,'
even 'the chief— \ Tim. i. 15.
'The Needy shall not always be forgotten ; the expecta-
tion of THE Poor shall not perish forever.' — Ps. ix. 16.
'I will Seek that lohich 2vas Lost, and Bring again that
which was driven away, and will bind up ihal which was
broken, and will strengthen that which was Sick.'' — Ezek.
xxxiv. 16.
'Thou, O God, hast prepared Thy Goodness for the
Poor.'— Ps. Ixviii. 10.
'The Son of Man is come to Save [not the already saved,
not those who should save themselves, — these are the posi-
tions of Partialism ; but] that avhicii was Lost.'— Luke
xix. 10.
'When the Pharisee saw it, he spake to himself, -- She
is a Sinner. And Jesus answering, said unto him, Simon,
1 have somewhat to say unto thee.— And he saith. Master,
say on. — There was a certain creditor which had two debt-
(»rs : the one ovved_/?fe himdred pence, and the other fifty.
And when they had nothing to pay, he frankly /or^azjc them
BOTH. Tell me therefore which of them will lovehim most ?
Simon answered, I suppose that he to whom he forgave
REASOKS FOR OUR HOPE. 143
most. — And he said unto him, Thou hast rightly judged.
- - - To whom little is forgiven, the same loveth little.'—
Luke vii. 39-47.
'When they came that were hived about the eleventh
hour, the}' received every man a penny. But when the
first came, they supposed that they should have received
more. But they likewise received every man a penny.—
And when they had received it, they murmured against the
Good man of the house, saying, These last have wrought
but one hour, and thou hast made them equal unto us,
which have borne the burden and heat of the day.— But he
answered one of them and said. Friend I do thee no wrong ;
did'st thou not agree with me for a penny? Take that
thine is, and go thy way; I will give unto this last, eve7i as
unto thee. Is it not lawful for me to do what I tvill with
mine ownl Is thine eye evil because I am Good? So the
Last shall be [as the] First, and the First [as the] Last,' fok
Many [the Mass, Mankind,] are Called, but Few, [the
Elect, as a pledge of the rest, and not for their exclusive or
more ample fruition,] are Chosen.' — Mat. xx. 9--16.
'He shall Judge the Poor of the People, He shall Save
the Children of the Needy; -- the Souls of the Needy
He shall save ; He shall redeem their soul from [an endless
hell ?] deceit and violence.'— Ps. Ixxii. 4, 13, 14.
'He will regard the prayer of the Destitute,' — Ps. cii. 2.
'Though the Lord be High, yet He hath respect unto the
lowly. ^ — Ps. cxxxviii. 6.
'Wo unto them that decree unrighteous Decrees, [does
it not seem that this was especially fore-spoken against the
framefs and abettors of the 'Westminster Catechism ?'] and
that write Grievousness which they have prescribed. To
turn aside the Needy from judgment, and to take away the
right from the Poor of the People, that the afflicted may be
their prey.' — Is. x. 1,2.
••Whil'st far and wide Thy scatler'd sheep,
Great Shepherd ! in the desert stray.
Thy love by some is tliought to sleep,
Unheedful of the wanderer's way.
144 REASONS FOR OUR nOI'E,
But Truth declares, they phall be found.
Wherever now they daikly roam,
Tliy voice sliall throujjh the desert sound.
And summon every wanderer home.
Upon the darker ways of sin,
Irrsload olTerror't sword and flame,
Sliali Love descend, for love can win.
Far more than terror can reclaim.
And tliHy shall lirrn their wand'rinjj feet.
By (iracc redeem'd, by Love controil'd.
Till Al! at last in Eden meet.
One, happy. Universal Fold."
PROPOSITION TWENTY-FIRST.
The Salvation through Christ shall be CO-EXTENSIVE
ivith the Co7ide??matio7i introduced by Adam.
PROOFS.
'AS, by the Offence of one, judgment came upon All
Men to Condemnation ; EVEN SO, by the Righteousness
of one, tJie Free Gift came upon All Men to Justification
of Life.'— Rom. v. IS. Rom. iii. 23-27, to same efTect.
'AS Sin hath reigned unto Death, EVEN SO might
Grace reign, through Righteousness, unto Eternal Life.'—
Rom. V. 2L
'AS in Adam All Die. EVEN SO, through Christ, shall
All be made Alive:— \ Cor. xv. 22.
'AS the Gentiles in times past have not believed, yet have
now obtained Mercy through their unbelief ; EVEN SO,
have the Jews also now not believed, that through the Gen-
tiles' Mercy they ALSO may obtain Mercy. For God
hath concluded them ALL [both Jews and Gentile^,} in
Unbelief that He might have Mercy upon ALL. — O, the
depth of the Riches !— Rom. xi. 30-33.
'AS we have borne the image of the Earthy, we shall
ALSO bear the image of the Heavc7ily:—\ Cor. xv. 49.
'AS by one man's Disobedience Mankind\\. 12, 18, &c.]
'were made Sinners, SO, by the Obedience of one, Mankind
shall be made Righteous:-- -'Rom. v. 19.
REASONS FOR OUR HOPE. 145
^WHEKE sin abounded, Grace did [even] MUCH MORE
abound.' — Rom. v. 20. Listen to this passage of truthful
criticism, and the invohintary burst of fervent rapture which
fell, almost unconsciously, it must have been, from the pen
of the learned Adam Clarke, in his comments on Rom. v :
*It,' [the Grace of the Gospel,] he says, "restores All to life
at the resurrection, and over and above that, has provided a
gracious dispensation for /he pardon of their sins ; for re-
ducing them to obedience ; for guarding them against temp-
tations ; supplying them with strength and comfort ; and
for advancing them to eteryial life. The Grace of the Gos-
pel extend'i to All Men, with respect to the surphisage [i. e.
the '■much more,^] in which it exlends. far bcT/ond the conse-
quences of Adam's transgression.— As extensively, as deeply,
as Universally, as Sin hath reigned, subjected the whole
earth and all its inhabitants unto death, temporal of the body,
and spiritual of the soul ; even so, as extensively, as deep-
ly, as Universally might Grace reign, &c. Thus, 'he adds,
'we find here that the Salvation from sin, is as Extensive as
the guilt and contamination of Sin. Death is conquered !
Hell disappointed .' The Devil confo7inded ! and Sin to-
tally DESTaoYEO ! Amen ! Hallelujah ! The Lord God
Om?iipotent Reigneth •'"
'The times of the Restitution of All Things, which
God hath spoken by the mouth of All His holy Prophets
since the world began.'— Acts iii. 21. 'Every valley shall
be exalted, every mountain and hill shall be made low, and
the crooked ?\\d\\\)e m?L(\.e straight, and the rough places,
smooth. And the Glory of the Lord shall be revealed, and
All Flesh shall see it together.'— Isa. xl. 4, 5-
"Thine for a gpace are they, —
Yet shalt thou yield thy treasures up at last.
Thy giites shall yet give way,
Thy bolts shall fall, — inexorable Past !
All that of good and fair.
Has gone into thy womb from earliest time.
Shall ihen conne back to wear,
The glory and the beauty of its prime-
146 REASONS FOR OUR HOPE.
They have not perish'd — no !
Kind words, remember'd voices, onrc so Bweet,
Smiles radiant lon<r aiio,
And features, the great soul's apparent seat ; —
All shall come buck, — each lie
Of pure allection shall he knit again ;
Alone shall Evil die.
And Sorrow dwell a prisoner in thy reign !"
William Cullen Brtant.
Mr. Sawyer remarks on the above stanza?,— "Could lan-
guage express more beautifully the doctrine of Universalism ?
All is to be restored but Evil, which alone is to die, and
have no resurrection ; and Sorrow itself is to remain a pris-
oner forever in the empiie of the Past."
PROPOSITION TWENTY-SECOND.
The God of Abraham shall Eedeevi and Glorify All THE
CHILDREN OF ISRAEL.'
PROOFS.
"The First shall be last, and the Last, first."— CnRiar.
'What, are we then better than the Jews? No, in no
wise ; for we have before proved, both Jews and Gentiles,
they are a/Z under Sin. - - ALL have sinned and comeshorr
of the glory oi God, being justified Freely by His Grace.
- - Wh'ereis boasting then ? It is Excluded.'— Rom. iii.
'Hath God [hopelessly] cast away His People ? - - God
hath 7iot. cast awav His'Peoplc, whom He forelmeiv," and
(ore-ordained to fall.— Rom. xi. 1,2. 'I say then, have
they stumbled that they should [ullorly] fall? God forbid.'
— ver. 11. 'What shall the Receiving of them be but life
from the dead?'— ver. 15. 'God is able to grafT them in
again. For if the Gentiles wert cut out of the olive tree
which is wild by nature, and were graffed contrary to na-
ture into a good olive tree ; how much more shall the chil-
dren of Israel, which be the natural branches, be grafTed
again into their own olive-tree? - - And so ALL ISRAEL
SHALL BE SAVED. --For this is My Covenant unto
REASONS FOR OUR HOPK. 147
ihem saith the Lord, that. I shall take awaxj their Sins. • -
touching the election, these are beloved for the fathers' sake.
- - so, throug-h the Gentiles' mercy, these also shall obtain
mercy.' — vers. 24--31.
'That he might Reconcile both [Jews and Gentiles] in
ONE BODY by the cross.'— Eph. ii. 16.
'The Sin of Israel shall be Destroyed.''— ¥Lo?,cdi x. 8.
'The Iniquity of Israel shall be soiig-ht for, and there shall
be None ; and the Sins of Judah, and they shall not he found.''
Jer. 1. 20.
'In the Lord shall All the Seed of Israel be justified and
shall fflory. - Israel shall be Saved in the Lord with an
Everlasting Salvation ; Ye shall not be ashamed nor con-
founded world \^duration^^ imthout e/ic?.'— Isa. xlv. 15, 17.
'Let Israel hope in the Lord, for with the Lord there is
Mercy, and with Him there is Plenteous Redemption. —
And He shall Redeem Israel from all his Iniquities.' — Ps.
cxxx. 7, 8. 'Let Israel hope in the Lord, from henceforth
and forever.' — cxxxi. 3.
Let it be borne in mind that we have here collected
some of the proofs, of the spiritual Redemption only, of the
house of Israel, and not those which refer to the future, glo-
rious, earthly, National Restoration of that degenerated
people, to which event the Scriptural prophecies bear abun-
dant, minute, and luminous testimony. But it is our settled
opinion, an opinion for which there may be raised the strong-
est argument, and which has also many abettors, that the
glorious exaltation and moral emancipation of the rest of
the nations of the earth is greatly dependent upon, and
nearly co-temporary with, the promised spiritual aggrandise-
ment of the Jewish people ; and that the ultimate universal
blessedness bears the same relation to the period of the
earthly triumph of the kingdom of peace, and that these
events are, in fact, in the light of revelation, nearly synony
mous in era and character. *
"Call thy God thy Father, and yet not thine alone,
For thou art but one of Many, the Brotherhood is of All :
Remember His hii'h estate, that He dvvelleth Kin^ of Heaven
So shall thy thonght.s be humbled, nor love be nnmix'd with
reverence :
148 REASONS FOR OUR nOPE.
Pray for that blessed time wlien Good shall triumph over Eyil,
And one Universal Temple shall echo the perfections of Jehovah.'
Proverbial Philonoiihy,
PROPOSITION TWENTY-THIRD.
Salvation is Prepared for the Souls of All the Nations of
THE GENTILES, thai is, for All People besides the
Jeivs, and All Generations of them, both Heathen and
Civilized.
PROOFS.
'And He said, It is a light thing, [comparatively,] that
thou [Messias] should'st be My Servant to raise up the
tribes of Jacob, [only,] and to restore the preserved o{ Israel,
[merely.] I will also give thee for a Light to the Gentiles,
that thou may'st be My Salvation unto the End of the
Earth.' — Isa. xlix. 6,
'Remember ye not the former things, neither consider the
things of Old. Behold I will do a New thing ; now it
shall spring forth, shall ye not know it? I will even make
a way in the Wilderness, and Rivers in the Desert. The
beast of the field shall know Me, the dragons and the oicls,
[the very vilest of men.] Because I give Waters in the
Wilderness, and Rivers in the Desert, to give Drink to My
People, My chosen. This People [also] have I formed for
Myself; they [even] shall shew forth My Praise.' — Isa.
xliii. 1S--2L
'The Fall of the Jews is the Riches of the World, and the
diminishing of them the Riches of the Gentiles.'— 'The cast-
ing away of them is the Rccoiiciling of the H^orZf^.'— 'Blind-
ness in part hath happened to Israel, until the Fubiess of the
Gentiles he Come m.'"-'For of Him, and through Him,
and TO Him are All Things.'— Rom. xi. 12, 15, 25, 36.
The Gospel is, that God shall Justify the Heathen, and
"through Christ, Bless even All the Nations and the Kin-
dreds of the Earth, by redeeming their souls from iniquity.
—Gal. iii. 8 : Acts ii"i. 25.
'I will set My Glory among the Heathen, and ALL THE
HEATHEN shall sec My Judgment which I have execu-
REASONS FOR OUR HOPE.
149
ted, and My hand which I have laid upon them. So Israel,
[also,] shall Know that I am the Lord, from thenceforward.'
— Ezek. xxxix. 21, 22.
'Art not Thou God in heaven? And Rulest 1 hou
not over All the kingdoms of the Heathen ? and in Thy
hand is there not Power and Might, so there is None able to
wWistand Thee ?' — 2 Chron. xx. 6.
♦'What though th' embattl'd legions
Of earth and sin combine ?
His pow'r throuatiout all regions.
In conqu'ring I^ove shall shine ;
Till every isle and nation.
And every tribe and tongue,
Receive the great salvation.
And join the ransoni'd throng.
Gird on thy sword victorious,
Inimannel, Prin«:e of Peace !
Thy triumph shall le glorious,
Ere yet the battle cease."
PROPOSITION TWENTY-FOURTH.
The Lord shall Ultimately Redeem THIS WORLD from
the Dominion of Evil, ivhich is a Pledge of His Ability
and Purpose to Redeem All the sinful Sozils that enter
THE Future World also, so that All His Creation, the
Physical and Spiritual, shall be Universally Glorified.
PROOFS.
'And it shall come to pass in the Last Days, that the
mountain of the Lord's house shall he established in the tops
of the mountains, and shall be exalted above the hills. And
All Nations shall flow unto it; and rnany people shall go
and say, Come ye, and let us go up to the mountain of the
Lord, to the House of the God of Jacob ; and He will teach
us of His ways, and we will walk in His paths, for out of
Zion shall go forth the Law, and the word of the Lord
from [the New] Jerusalem. And He shall Judge among
the Nations, and shall rebuke many people. And they
shall beat their swords into ploughshares, and their spears
9
150 REASONS FOR OUR HOPE.
into praning-hnoks ; nation shall not lift up sword against
nation, neillier shall they learn war any more.' — Is. ii. 2—5.
'The wolf also shall dwell with the lamb, and the leop-
ard shall lie down with the kid, and the calf, and young lion,
and the falling together ; and a little child shall lead them.
And the cow and the bear shall feed, tlieir young shall lie
down together ; and the lion shall eat straw like the ox ;
and the suckling child play about the nest of the asp, and
the weaned child shall put his hand upon the cocatrice's den.
They shall not hurl nor destroy in All My holy mountain ;
for the Earth shall be full of the Knowledge of the Lord,
as the waters cover the sea.' — Isa. xi. 6-10.
'Tlie People shall weary themselves of their very vanity,
and the Earth shall he filled with the Knowledge of the
Glory of the Lord, as the waters cover the sea.' — Hab. ii. 14.
'And the stone that smote the image became a great
mountain, and filled the Whole Earth.' — Dan. ii. 35.
'And it shall be in that day that Living Waters shall go
out from Jerusalem : half of them toward the former sea,
and half of them toward the hinder sea; in summer and in
winter shall it be. And the Lord shall reign over All the
Earth ; in that day shall there be One Lord, and His name
One.' — Zech. xiv. 7, 9.
'Lift up thine eyes round about and behold ! All these
gather themselves together, and come to thee, [New Jerusa-
lem.] As I live, saith the Lord, thou shalt surely clothe
thee with them All, as with an ornament, and bind them
on thee as a Bride doclh. For thy Waste and thy Desolate
Places, and the land of thy destruction, shall even now be
too narrow by reason of the inhabitants, and they that swal-
lowed thee up sl)all be far away. They shall say in thine
ear. The place is too straight for me ; give place that I may
dwell,' &c. — Isa. xlix. 18 to the end of chapter.
'Sing, Barren, thou that did'st not bear ; break forth
into singing, and cry aloud, thou that did'st not travail. —
For more were the children of the Desolate, than the chil-
dren of the Married Wife, saith the Lord. Enlarge the
place of thy tent, and let them stretch forth the curtains of
thy habitations. Spare not, lengthen thy cords, and strength-
REASONS FOR OUR HOPE. 151
en thy stakes. For thou shalt break forth on the right
hand and on the left ; and thy seed shall inherit the Gen-
tiles, and cause the Desolate Cities to be inhabited,' &c.
&c. — Isa. liv. 1~3.
•'And the seventh angel sounded ; and there were great
voices in heaven, saying. The kingdoms of this world have
become the kingdoms of our Lord and of His Christ, and
He shall Eeign forever and ever.' — Rev. x. 15.
'And I saw a New Heaven and a New Earth ; for the
li^t heaven and the first Earth are passed away. And
there was no more sea. And I, John, saw the holy city
coming down from God out of heaven. And I heard a
great Voice out of heaven, saving, Behold, the tabernacle of
God is with Men, and He will dwell with them, and they
shall be His People, and God Himself shall be with them
and be their God. And God shall wipe away all tears from
their eyes ; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow
nor crying, neither shall there be a7iy more pain ; for the
former things are passed aivay. And he that sat on the
throne said. Behold I make All Things New.' — Rev. xxi.
" Thus heav'nward all things tend, for all was onre
Perfect, and All at length must be Reslor'd.
So God hath wisely Purpos'd, who would else.
In His dishonor'd works Himself endure
Dishonor, and be wrong'd without redress." — Cowper.
PROPOSITION TWENTY-FIFTH.
The Dominion of TEMPTATION a7id SIN shall Finally
be Ouercome, — hiiquity shall be Exhausted, Destroyed,
Put Away beyond the Sphere of Man forever.
PROOFS.
■Shall the Throne of Iniquity have Fellowship with Thee, that frameth Ei-U
by LawI'— Ps. xciv 20.
'Now once in the end of the Age hath he appeared to
PUT AWAY SIN through the Sacrifice of himself.'—
Heb. ix. 26. 'He entered in once into the Holy Place, hav-
ing obtained Eternal Redemption,' — ver. 12, for ' The People,'
Ie2 REASONS FOR OUR HOPE.
even for 'All the People,' from their 'Error*,' — vers. 7, 19.
'Behold the Lamb of God, which TAJCETH AWAY
THE SIN OF THE WORLD.'— John i. 29.
It was foretold that Messias should give Reconciliation
for INIQUITY, FINISH TRANSGRESSION, and
MAKE AN END OF SINS, and Bring in Everlasting
Righteousness. — Dan. ix. 24.
'He gave himself for Us that he might Redeem Us from
All Iniquity.' — Titus ii. 14. 'He took on him the Seed
of Abraham, that he might make Reconciliation for Ae
Sins of The People.'— Heb. ii. 17.
'The earnest expectation of THE CREATION waiteth
for the Manifestation of the sons of God.' — Rom. viii. 19.
'THE CREATION itself SHALL be Delivered from
THE Bondage of Corruption.' — Rom. viii. 21.
'The Whole Creation groaneth and travaileth in pain
loo;e\.\\er until now, [only,] - - For we are Saved, hy Hope.'
— Rom. viii. 22.
'We ourselves, who have the First-Fruits of the Spirit,
[the elect,] groan within ourselves, loaiting for the Adoption,
even the Redemption of our BODY.' — Rom. viii. 23.
"Hark ! a glad voice cheers this groaning world ! The
Creation shall be Delivered! The great drama which has
been performing upon the vast theatre of existence shall
come to a close ; we shall All be taken behind the scene.
Every mouth shall be stopped, then shall we
" Justify llie ways of God to Man."
Behold, I Make All Things New ! shall thunder from the
throne of the Great Eternal. The Creation of God shall
again rise, good and fair as on the morn Avhen the sons of
God shouted for joy. The effects of the Curse shall no more
be felt or seen. The Temple of the Universe shall again
be filled with happiness, as in the days of innocence, and
through all the mighty Dome shall the Triumphant shout
resound, 'Death, with" all his train, is swallowed up in Vic-
tory ! Thanks be to God who giveth us the victory, through
our Lord Jesus Christ.' " — Summerfield's Orations.
'Yet a little while, and the Wicked shall not be ; yea,
REASONS FOR OUR HOPE.
153
thou shall diligently consider his place, and it shall not be.'
— Ps. xxxvii. 10.
'Thou puttest away all the wicked, [the wickedness,^ of the
earth like dross; therefore I love Thy testimonies.' — Ps.
cxix. 119.
'He will have covipassion upon Us ; He will Subdue our
Iniquities : Thou wilt cast all their Sitis into the depths of
the sea. Thou wilt perform the Mercy which Thou hast
Promised to our Fathers from the days of Old.' — Micah vii.
'Break Thou the power of the wicked and the evil ; seek
out his wickedness /i7^ Thou find none.'' — Ps. x. 15, 16.
'Where Sin abounded, Grace did much more abound.'
'The Lord shall Judge His People ; - - O let the Wick-
edness of the wicked come to an end, but establish the good.'
— Ps. vii. S. 9.
'Let the Sinners be consumed out of the earth, and let the
wicked be no more.' — Ps. civ. 25. 'As the whirlwind pas-
seth, so is the wicked [wicked7uss] no more ; but the righ-
teous [righteous7iess] is an everlasting foundation.' — Prov.
x. 35. Good is the onl)'- solid, permanent, indestructible,
eternal principle in the universe.
'Until the Law, [only,] Sin was in the world ; but Sin i?
not imputed where there is no law,' [but in the Gospel is
reckoned to be abolished.] — Rom. v. 13. 'Sin shall not
have Dominion over you, for we are not under law, but un-
der Grace.' — vi. 14.
Death shall be destroyed and swallowed up in victory.
And 'the sting of Death is Sin. O, Death, where is thy
sting ?^ [Lost and swallowed up forever, in the destruction
of the last grim enemy !] 1 Cor, xv. 26, 55, 57.
"Nought eternal is
But tliat whicli is of God. All pain and woe
Are therefore finite. Ciin the robber steal
From God ? [All souls are His, and Himderiv'd,
And thus are good, and Gooil alone is endless.
Bui Evil, having birth from second causes,
Created things, gross matter, and their laws,
Is not (rom all eternity with God,
But hath a recent origin, and thus
Hath not an endless, but a casual being.
And must expire where its reign began.]
154 REASONS FOR OUR HOPE.
How wretched liunian goodness, then, and Sin,
How despicable, to the soul assut'd ;
Since boili are temporal, limited ; the one
By Hirn destroy'd who can alone unmake
That He haili made ; the other perfected,
United, Deified, in the Eternal Good."
Destruclion of'-Hhe Devil."
' U God, how long shall the Adversary reproach ! SShall the Enemy blasphcmt
Thy Name Fokevkr 1' — Ptahii Ixxiv. 10.
'I will put enmity between thee [the tempting principle,
personified as a serpent, which the apostles speak of as
a principle which is apt to live and reign within^ and have
dominion over us, — the internal impulses of our evil pas-
sions, warring against, and enticing the soul,] and the Wo-
man, and between thy seed, [sin, misery, error, death,] and
her Seed, [Emanuel.] It shall bruise, [crush, desstroy,]
THY HEAD.' — Gen. iii. 15.
'Now shall the Prince of this World he cast out, and I
will draw All Men unto me.' — John xii. 31, 32.
'Christ likewise took part of flesh and blood ; that through
death, he might destroy him that hath the power of death,
that is, the Devil,' (rather adversary, the opposing power or
influence, the spirit of Evil.'') — Heb. ii. 14.
'For this purpose was the Son of Cod manifested, that
he might Destroy the works of the Devil,' (the Evil.) —
Partialists, holding to the existence of a mighty, indepen-
dent, Antagonist Deittj, maintain that these 'works of the
Devil,' which the meek and gracious Jesus is commission-
ed to Desire?/, are ^/iesoz/Z^ of ^Ae ?/7icAr(^, of whom, not the
Good, but the Evil God is the author and Father. Yet we
read that 'he will have Mercy, and 7iot Sacrifice,'' that 'he
came not to Destroy mens' lives, (or souls, ^psuchas,') btxt to
Save them.' And this destruction of the works of the Evil
is the way he will accomplish the Salvation of 'the World.'
If 'the works of the devil,' mean human si7ifid souls, then
this passage does not teach endless misery, but Annihila-
tion ; which is a doctrine 'orthodoxy' repudiates, as too mild
a view of Vindictive Justice, altogether. Was there ever a
scheme involvirig such 'a bundle of contradictions?'
REASONS FOR OUR HOPE. 155
'Then shall that Wicked be revealed, whom the Lord
shall Consume with the spirit of his mouth, and Destroy
with the brightness of his coming.' — 1 Thess. ii. 8.
'Shall the prey be taken from the mighty ? or the lawful
captive delivered ? Thus sailh the Lord, Even the captives
of the mighty, (those who are taken captive by the spirit of
temptation, see 2 Tim. ii. 26, Rom. vii. 23,) shall be taken
away, and the prey of the terrible [shall be) Delivered. For
I will contend with him that contendeth with thee, and I
will Save thy children. And I will feed them that oppress
thee with their own jiesh, and they shall be drunken with
their own blood, (they shall be surfeited of their own sinful-
ness,) as with sweet wine. And All Flesh shall know
that I, the Lord, am thy Saviour, and thy Redeemer, the
Mighty One of Jacob.'— Isa. xlix. 24-26.
" Righteousness shall he as Universal as unrighteous-
ness is now ! Although the whole creation now groaneth
together, under the man of sin, our comfort is, it ivill not
always groan. God will arise and maintain His own cause,
and the Whole Creation shall be Delivered from Moral and
natural corruption. Sin, and Pain shall be no more, &c.
The Whole Race of Mankind shall know, and love, and
serve the Lord, and reign with Him forever and ever !"
"While His creatures travail together in pain, He knoweth
all their pain, and is bringing them nearer and nearer to the
birth, which shall be accomplished in its season. He seeth
the earnest expectation wherewith the whole creation waiteth
for that final manifestation of the sons of God ; in which
they shall be delivered (not by annihilation, ^^^mi^kAdXion is
not deliverance,) from the present 'bondage of corruption
into the glorious liberty of the children of God.' Nothing
can be more express. Away with vulgar prejudices, and
let the plain word of God take place. 'They shall be Deliv-
ered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty
of the children of God.' " — John Wesley.
"Ev'n that which Mischief meant most harm.
Shall, in the happy trial, prove most Glory ;
But Evil on itself shall back recoil,
And mix no more with goodness, and, at last,
Gather like soum, and settle to itself,
156
RKASONS FOR OUR HOPE.
Self-fed. and self-consum'd ; — if this fail,
The pill.ir'd Hrinanient ja roUennoss,
And earth's biise built on stubble !" — Milton.
PROPOSITION TWENTY-SIXTH.
SORROW and SUFFERING shall also be Annihilated.
PROOFS.
Wilt thou disregard the Consolations which God furnishes 1 — Job.
'The Ransomed of the Lord, ['He gave himself a Ran-
som for ALL,'j shall return, and come to Zion loith songs
and Everlasting Joy upon their heads ; they shall obtain
Joy and Gladness, and Sorrow and Sighing shall flee away.^
— Isa. XXXV. 10
'And the Lord God shall loipe away tears from off All
Faces.' — Isa. xxv. 8.
'I have satisfied the weary soul, and replenished Every
sorroioful Soul.' — Jer. xxxi. 25.
'And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes, and
there shall be no more Sorroio nor Crying, neither shall
THERE BE ANY MORE PAIN.' Rev. xxi. 4.
'And the leaves of the Tree of Life shall be for the
healing of the Nations ; and there shall be no more
Curse.' — Rev. xxii. 2, 3.
'Violence shall no more be heard in thy land, wasting nor
destruction within thy borders ; but thou shalt call thy walls,
Salvation, and thy gates, Praise. The sun shall be no
more thy light by day; neither for brightness shall the
moon give light unto thee ; but the Lord shall be unto
thee an Everlasting Light, and thy God, thy Glory. Thy
Sun shall no more go down ; neither shall thy moon with-
draw itself. For the Lord shall be thine Everlasting Light,
and the days of thy Mourning shall be ended. Thy Peo-
ple also shall ALL be Righteous, - - that I may be Glo-
rified !"— Isa. Ix. 18.
"Yet, bear up awhile.
And what thy bounded view, (which only sees
A little part.) deem'd evil, is no more ;
The storms of wintry Time will quickly pass.
And one unbounded spring encircle All." — Thompson.
REASONS FOR OUR HOPE. 157
PROPOSITION TWENTY-SEVENTH.
Universal Knowledge and Truth shall finalhj Prevail, and
IGNORANCE and ERROR he eradicated from All
Intelligent So7ds.
"Sii'.ill all tlefects of mind, anil fallacies
Of feeling, be inimorial V
'And in this mountain shall the Lord of hosts make unto
All People, a Feast of fat things, a Feast of wine on the
lees ; of fat things//^// of viarroio, of wines on the lees loell
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 Natio>!S. He will swallow
up Death in Victory: and the Lord God will wipe away
Tears from oft^ All Faces ; and the Rrhui,e of His Peojde
shall He take aivay from off All the Earth : for the mouth
of the Lord hath spoken it. And it shall be said in that
day, Lo, this is our God ; we have waited for Him and He
will Save us. This is the Lord ; we have waited for Him;
we will be Glad, and Rejoice in His Salvation.' — Isa. xxv.
6-9.
'God, our Saviour, will have All Men to be Saved, and
come laito the Knowledge of the Truth.'' — 1 Tim. ii. 4.
'And All thy children shall be Taught of the Lord, and
great shall be the Peace of thy children.' — Isa. liv. 13. 'It
is written in the Prophets, They ALL shall be taught of
God.' — John vi. 45.
'They shall teach no more Every Man his neighbor, and
Every Man his brother, saying, Know the Lord, for (I will
write My law in their hearts, and) ALL shall K7ioio Me,
from the least of them even unto the Greatest of them,
saith the Lord.' — Jer. xxxi ; Heb. viii.
'Till we ALL come in the Unity of the Faith, and of
J
15S KEASONS FOR OUR HOPE.
the Knowledge of the Son of God. unto A Perfect Man,
[ihit all Mankind shall become as One, Great, Ferfecl Man,]
unto tlie Pleasure of the Stature of the Fulness ofChkist,
- - IVoai whom the whole BODY, fitly joined together.
[Christ being 'the Head,'] and compacted by thai which
every joint supplielh, working in the measure of Every
Part, makelh increase of the Body unto the Edifying of
itself in Love.' — Eph. iv. 13-16.
'I am the Light of The World.' — John viii. 12. 'Ye
shall Know the Truth, and the Truth shall make you
Free,' [from 'Sin,' v. 34.]— viii, 32.
'The Kingdom of Heaven is like unto leaven which a
woman took, and hid in three measures of meal, till the
whole ivas Leacened.'' — Mat. xiii. 33 ; Luke xiii. 31.
'That he might give Eternal Life to as many as Thou
hast given him ; ('All Flesh,' 'All Things,') and this is Life
Eternal, to Knoiv Thee, the only true God, and Jesus Christ
whom Thou hast sent.' — John xvii. 2, 3.
'I will give them an heart to Know Me, saith the Lord.'
Jer. xxiv. 7. 'Therefore My People shall Know My
name.'' — Isa, lii. 6.
"Thou who did'st come to bring,
On thy redeeming wing,
Healing and sight ;
Health to the sick in mind,
Sight to the inly blind,
O, now, to All Mankind,
•Let there be light !' " A. C. T.
REASONS FOR OUR HOPE. 159
PROPOSITION TWENTY-EIGHTH.
PEATH, tvhichis the Scripl2ire term for Moral and Natu-
ral Corruption, shall be iioalloived np of Deijic Life,
and Incorruptibility .
PROOFS.
'Death, the Last Enemy, sliall be Destroyed.' — 1 Cor. xv.
•26. 'For as in Adam All Die, even so in Christ shall All
be WADE Alive.' — 22.
'Death is swallowed up in Victory !' — 1 Cor. xv. 54.
'And the Lord of hosts will swallow up Death in Vic-
tory !' — Isa. xxv. 8.
'He hath Abolished Death, and brought LIFE, and Im-
mortality to light through the Gospel.'— 2 Tim. i. 10.
•That he might Destroy Death, and him that halh the
power of Death, that is the Devil,' [the Evil, for 'the sling
of Death is Sin.') — Heb. ii. 14.
'I will Redeem them from Death. O, Death, I will be
thy Plagues !' — Hos. xiii. 14.
'And there shall be no more Death.' — Rev. xxi. 4.
'Who shall Deliver us from the body of this Death?'
For 'sin reigns in our mortal bodies,' — Rom. vi. 12 ; viii.
1 1, but not in our immortal, for this is to be a glorious body.
Answer : Christ ; who 'gave himself for us that he might
Dtdive'r us from this present evil world.'' — Gal. i. 4. Is it
likely that he will thence carry us to some world that is in-
finitely more corrupt and miserable than the present?
'This corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mor-
tal must put on immortality.' — 1 Cor. xv. 52, 'The Crea-
tion shall be Delivered from the Bondage of Corruption.''
In justification of the sense we attach to the words 'Death,*
and 'Life,' as they are used in these passages which speak
ot the destruction of the former, in the triumph of the latter,
we present the following passages to show that the frequent
Scripture usage of these words is in favor of their interpre-
tation here to relate io spiritual, and noi physical mortality :
\QQ REASONS FOR OUR HOPE.
•To be carnally minded, is death ; but to be spiritually min-
ded is life and peace.'— Roin. ii. 6. 'We hace passed from
death unto life ; he that loveth not his brother abideth in
death.'— 1 John iii. 14. 'If a man keep my saying he shall
nccer see death,'— John viii. 51. 'She that liveth in plea-
svire is dead while she liveth,'—! Tim. v. 6. 'The receiv-
ing of the Jews shall be as life from the dead. '—Rom. xi. 15.
'Awake thou that sleepest, and arise from the dead, and
Christ shall give thee light.'— Eph. v. 14. 'Yield your-
selves unto God as those that are alive from the dead.'—
Rom. vi. 13. 'You hath he quickened, who were dead in
trespasses and sins.' - - 'When we loere dead in sins, hath
quickened us together with Christ, and hath raised us up
logethcr.'— Eph. ii. 1, 5. 'Being dead in your sins and the
uncircnmcision of your flesh, hath he Quickened together
with him, having forgiven you all trespasses.'— -Col. ii. 13.
'The hour is coming and now is, when the dead shall hear
the^oice of the. Sou of God, and they that hear shall live.'
John v. 25. 'Let the dead bury their dead.'— Mat. viii. 22.
'I was alive without the law once ; but when - - sin revived,
1 died.'— B.o\n. vii..9. 'If thou wilt enter into life, keep the
commandments.'— Mat. xix. 17. -He that believeth on him
that sent me, hath everlasting life, - - and is passed from
death unto life.'— John v. 24. 'Narrow is the way which
leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.'— Mat. vii.
14. 'In the way of righteousness is life ; in the pathway
thereof there is no death.'— Vxov. xii. 28. See also Ezek.
xviii. and xxxvii. Sec. Now these passages are with us,
conclusive to the point, that when the Bible affirms the final
destruction of Death, it contemplates the glorious universal
resurrection from the moral death Avhich 'has passed upon
all men to condemnation,' through that which fell upon Ad-
am in the day of transgression ; that it announces the utter
extinction of all that is at enmity with our spiritual nature,
and the ultimate regeneration of all souls from the death
which sin entails upon them, to the divine life of holiness
and glory.
"He has died to slay Death ; he has risen again to bring
Mankind from under the empire of Hades. AU this he hasr
REASONS FOR OUR HOPE. 161
done through his mere unmerited mercy; and eternal thanks
are due to God for this unspeakable Gift. He has given
us the Victory over Sin, Satan, Death, the grave, and Hell."
— Dr. Adam Clarlte.
•'When destroying Dealh shall die,
Hush'd be every rising si^jh.
Tears be wjp'd from every eye,
Never more to fall ;
Then shall praises fill the sky.
And songs unto the Lord Most High, —
The Universal Host shall cry,
'God is All in All !' "
PROPOSITION TWENTY-NINTH.
HELL, whatever it he, shall also Ultimately Deliver up All
that were u?ider its Power, and be Destroyed.
PROOFS.
1st. That there is Redemption from 'Hell.'
'The Lord killeth, and maketh alive ; He bringeth down
to Sheol, [Hell,] and eringeth up.' — 1 Sam. ii. 6.
'1 will Ransom them from the Power of SheoW — Hosea
xiii. 14.
'And Hades [Hell,] Delivered up the dead which were in
it. '—Rev. XX. 13.
'Great is Thy Mercy towards me, and Thou hast Deliv
ered my soul from the lowest Hell.' — Ps. Ixxxvi. 13.
'Out of the belly of Hell cried I, - - I went down to the
bottoms of the mountains, and the earth with her bars was
about me /orezjer ; [that is, three days ;] yet Thou hast
brought up my life from corruption, O Lord, my God.' —
Jonah ii. 2, 6.
'Like sheep are they laid in Sheol, - - but God will Re-
deem my soul from the Power of Sheol, [hell,] for He shall
receive me.' — Ps. xlix. 14, 15.
'I, [the Psalmist,] am counted with them that go down
into Sheol.' — Ps Ixxxviii. 4. 'The sorrows of Hell com-
passed me about.' — 2 Sam. xxii. 6 ; Ps. xviii. 5. 'The
162 REASONS FOR OUR HOPE.
pains of Hell gat hold on me.' — Ps. cxvi. 3. Yet who be-
lieves in the endless perdition of 'the sweet singer of Israel?*
'Thou wilt not leave my sonl in Hell.^ — Ps. xvi. 10.
'Your cov^enant with Death shall be disannulled, and your
agreement with Hell shall not stand.' — Isa. xxviii. 18.
'In Hell he lifted up his eyes, being in torment,' and there
was no water to cool his tongue. — Luke xvi. 23. 'As for
thee also, [Messiah,] by the Blood of thy Covenant, I have
sent forth thy prisoners out of the Pit, wherein is no wa-
ter.' — Zech. ix. 1-5.
Christ suffered in his ftesh for the unjust, and went and
preached the Gospel to them that were dead, spirits in Pri-
son that were sometimes disobedient, that he might bring us
to God, — that their spirits might live according to God. — 1
Pet. iii. 18-22 and iv. 6. For he hath 'the keys of Hades,^
— Rev. i. 18. And the gates of Hades shall not Prevail
against his Church,'' — Mat. xvi. 18, because it is to embrace
'All Families,' and 'Kindreds.'
After his resurrection, Jesus explicitly declared, 'I have
not yet ascended unto my Father.' — John xx. 17. And Pe-
ter said, 'David is not [yet] ascended into the heavens.' —
Acts ii. 34. Jesus was 'our Forerunner into the Holy
Place,' the '■First- Fruits,^ and '■First-Born of Every Crea-
ture.' Where were the spirits of the before-departed, then,
and his own glorified spirit, before his ascension to the
mansions of his Father ? They were in the Middle World,
Sheol, 'Paradise,^ the Lower Heaven. Jesus died that he
might go and take possession of the dead, of whom he had
become Lord as well as of the living, — Rom. xiv. 9. —
Thence, 'He ascended up on high, leading Captivity captive,
['freeing the prisoners,'] and received gifts for Men, yea, for
the Rebellious also.' — Ps. Ixviii. 18 ; Eph. iv. 8.
The souls of all meri, in fact, must pass the experiences
of the Middle State, in order to reach the higher heaven
where their 'naked' spirits are to be 'clothed upon with their
house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens.' — 2
Cor. V. 1—4. Is this doubted ? Are we not told that 'Sheol
- - gathereth unto him All Nations, and heapeth unto him
Alt People r — Hab. ii. 5. That the Lord 'brings us to
REASONS FOR OUR HOPE. 163
<leaih, and to a House that is appointed for All LiviiigV —
Job XXX. 33. A.\i(\ ' SheoV is that 'House.'' — Job xvii. 13.
'Whatman thatliveth,' asks David, 'that shall not see death,
and that shall deliver his soul from the hand of SheolV —
Ps. Ixxxix, 48. David himself expected to go there, as we
have seen, and here is another proof : 'O Lord, Thou hast
stayed my soul from Skeol ; Thou hast kept me alive, that
I should not [yet] go down to the Pit.' — Ps. xxx. 3. And
this he calls, 'the loay of All the Earth.' — 1 Kings ii. 2.
The good, venerable Hezekiah, also, said that in the cutting
ofTof his days he should go to the gales of Sheol, and be-
hold man no more with the inhabitants of this world. — Isa.
xxxviii. 10. 11. We read of Abraham having died and be-
ing 'gathered to his people,' — Gen. xxv. 8; and Isaac also,
and Jacob, the same, — xxxv. 29, xlix. 29, 33. Also, Ishma-
el, Moses, Aaron, and others, are said to have been 'gather-
ed to their people,' and 'their Fathers. ' Even 'aivhole Ge-
neration' and 'another Generation after them,' were likewise
■■Gathered unto their Fathers.' — Judg. ii. 10. And where
were the Fathers gathered ? Here are three passages of the
■divine record to answer this question : 'I [Father Jacob]
will go down into Sheol, unto my son.' — Gen. xxxvii. 35;
'Ye shall bring down my gray hairs with sorrow to Sheol.'
— Gen. xlii. 38; 'Tiiey shall bring down the gray hairs of
Thy servant, our father, with sorrow to Sheol.— x\iv. 31.
Nobody ever doubts that all these ancient worthies have
been raised from Sheol to a higher and more perfect sphere.
Yet it is imagined, still, that only the wicked go there, and
that it is a place of terrible, penal, endless sufferings. But
such is not the Sheol oPthe Bible. The wicked, of course,
•descend to Sheol with all the rest of mankind. But they
are TURNED, driven, impelled prematurebj, (the Hebrew has
this force.) by their sins, out of this life into the next. We
certainly have no idea that all who depart this life entering
upon Sheol, are equally happy, and 'shall bear the ('glorious')
image of the heavenly,' equilly soon, for no two individuals
leave this world in precisely the same moral condition.
Among the remedial powers which a wise and merciful Pro-
vidence has there seen fit to appoint, there may exist both a
164 REASONS FOR OUR HOPE.
Paradise, and a sphere of wholesome, disciplinary incarcera-
tion. Still, wc believe it to be on the whole, an advanced,
a hiirher and more congenial state of being- than the present,
where all, (for none go out from this ignorant, imperfect life
prepared to sit down with the exalted angels,) are gradually
elevated 'from glory to glory,' and are changed as the dark-
ness is transformed into light in the sun's bright beams, by
the spirit of Christ, 'into the same image.' We do not believe
the after state to be one of aggravated sufferings, much less
of useless, wanton, merciless tortures, because it is not a
region of temptation and iniquity, which alone are the pay-
masters of such wages. Sinning hath its birthplace, and
must have its death-place, in flesh and blood. 'He that is
dead is f?'ced from sin ;' 'he that hath suffered in the flesh
hath ceased from sin ;' 'the spirit is willing, but the flesh is
weak ;' 'the flesh lusteth against the spirit ;' it is 'with the
flesh we serve the law of sin.' And we know that 'flesh
and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God.' But who
will say that the work of Christ's redemption is finished at
death, which merely releases us from a weak and sinful
body, 'the source of passions and the seat of lust ?' Who
will say that the many and the heinous sins of this mortal
life do not entail upon our vital and moral natures any con-
segue/ices whatever, not even those of remorse, from which
we shall require salvation in the succeeding state? Nay ;
there is a prostration of the holier energies of the divine prin-
ciple within us, occasioned by our contact with the evils of
earth, very properly denominated 'death' in the oracles of
truth, which shnli in the after-state, require the quickening
power of the Spirit for its resurrection, that the last vestige
of 'mortality shall be swallowed up of life.' Our sins have
not merely to be taken aioay, but in the dispensation of For-
giveness and Sanctification, they are also to be Hotted 07it,
that they shall be remembered no more, so that we shall be
raised to such a state of spiritual health and blessednes-? as
if we harl never sinned. Besides, the work of raising the
human spirit to the glory of the celestial, is twofold. Be-
yond the triumphs of ?-erZe??t;5^/o?i, commences the operations
of the spirit of sanctifying wisdom, that leads us up from the
REASONS FOR OUR HOrE. 16f5
condition of mere innoccncij, to that of angelic knowledge,
and an ever-advancing progres-; towards the glory of 'the
Head of All Things.' And the consideration that three-
fifths of the human species that are born, as it is estimated,
are taken away in infancy, wholly undeveloped in the ca-
pacities of their intelligent or moral natures, is another ar-
gument that the Paternal Wisdom has appointed suitable
and ample provision in the immediate post-mortem life, for
the sustenance, well-being, and growth of so immense a
host of intelligences, and for their ultimate attainment of the
immortal sphere. May there not be a peculiar meaning in
the following passages which has not been generally observ-
ed ? 'Unto the Angels hath He not put in subjection the
world to come?'— Heb. ii. 5. 'Are the Angels not all Minister-
ing Spirits, sent out to minister to them who shall be heirs
of salvation ?' — Heb. i. 14. 'Do ye not know that the Saints
shall judge the world ?'— 1 Cor. vi. 2. 'Thus saith the word
of the Lord, not by might, nor by power, [not by coercion,']
but by My Spirit, [which is Omnipotent Love,] shall ye
Prevail.'— Zech. iv. 6.
Away then with the notion of any after state of unmiti-
gated or hopeless pains for the immortal spirit of man ! —
'The dust shall return to the earth as it was, and the spirit
shall return unto God that gave it.' And the Scriptures as-
sure us of the presence of the Infinite Love in S/zeoZ,— Ps.
rxxxix. 8; Amos ix. 2. We are told that 'the day of man's
death is better than his birth, — Ec. vii. 1 ; that 'no man di-
eth to himself, but 2mto the Lord,'' and that, in fact, 'to be
absent from the body is to be present with the Lord.' She-
oZ then is 7iot a miserable world, else, ngain, Job would not
hf\ve prayed to go there, as he did, — 'O that Thou would'st
hide me in Sheol.'' — Job xiv. 13. Job believed that, 'There,
[in Sheol,] the wicked cease from troubling, and the weary
are at rest. There the Prisoners rest together, and hear
not the voice of the oppressor. The small and great are
there, .[see Isa. xiv. 9, 10; Ezek. xxxi. 14-18.] and the
servant is free from his master.' — Job iii. 17—18. 'Do not
All go unto one PlaceV asked Solomon,— Eccl. vi. 6. 'AH
10
■166 REASONS FOR OUR HOPE.
go unto one place.' — EccL iii. 20. Neither can we believe
with Rev. Mr. Balfour and others, that Sheol is an uncon-
scious Slate. In addition to the evidence against this which
many of our former proofs contain, we name the following:
'Swallow them up alive, as Sheol, and whole, as those that
go down to the Pit.' — Prov. i. 12. 'And the earth open her
mouth and swallow thetn, and they go down quick [living]
into S/«eoZ.'— Numb. xvi. 30. The language of Solomon,
Ec. ix. 10, 'there is no work, nor device, nor knowledge in
Sheol whither thou goest,' is not to be interpreted so as to
contradict his own teaching in many other places, and re-
peated declarations of Jesus, and the apostles. Some of the
best critics are agreed in understanding this passage to be a
precept, simply, against procrastination, against putting off
'what our hands find to do,' enforced by the consideration
that death places our earthly work and devices beyond our
power of completion, because it changes our sphere of being,
and all our knowledge and habits. Taken ever so literally,
however, this passage does not disprove Sheol to be a place
of co7iscious being.
We think the prophecies of the Old Testament have a
good deal to do with the scenes and beings of the Middle
World, which has several other scriptural names beside She-
ol. Various terms expressive of the idea of sub-terranean,
(we would only refer to Rev. v. 13, Phil. ii. 10, Col. ii. 20,
and Eph. iv. 8,) also that frequent, mystic term Sea, and
others even, which, without a more extensive opening of the
subject we should not care to name, we have a strong pre-
possession to consider as evidencing the doctrine of The
Three Worlds. Yet we do not of course attach an undue
importance to these opinions, and have only introduced them
because we believed them to afford an additional argument
for Universal Reconciliation. The Scriptures are always
plainest upon those doctrines which are most essential, and
we freely acknowledge that if the Bible reveals anything at
all upon the subject of an Intermediate State, we as -yet see
but as 'through a glass, darkly.' Undoubtedly, we shall all
know a great deal more about the future state, when we
come to get there.
REASONS FOR OUR HOPE. 1G7
"For birth, and life, and death, and that strange stale.
Before the naked soul hath found its home, —
All tend to perfect happiness, and iiij;e.
The restless wheels of beinj; on their way.
Whose flashing spokes, instinct with infinite life,
Bicker and burn to gain One destin'd Gaol."
Shelley.
2d. That 'Hell' shall ultimately be Abolished.
*0, SriEOL, I will be thy Destruction !'—Hosea xiii. 14.
'O, Halks, where is thy Victory?—! Cor. xv. 56. If St.
Paul had believed Hades to be an immense and eternal world
of dreadful sufferings, which the Lord had built and fitted
for the everlasting abode of His sinful offspring,— is it not
surpassingly marvellous that, in all his nuirierous writings,
which, indeed, constitute one-third of the New Testament,
he should never have but once named it, and even in that sol-
itary instance, that he should have alluded to it in a burst of
rapturous exultation at its being swallowed up in a glorious
victory ? And yet he affirmed that he 'failed not to declare
the whole counsel of God.'
'And Death and Hades were cast into the lake of fire.
This is the second death.'— Rev. XX. 14. 'And the Last
Enemy shall be Destroyed, Death. Death is swallowed up
in Victory !'
" Evil away for aye !
In the beginning, ere God bade things be.
Or ever He begat the worlds on space.
He knew of it, and fix'd the eternal laws,
For its continual good-evolving power.
And ultimate exhaustion, perfect, final,
And issue into Universal Joy."
"It suits not the eternal laws of Good,
That Evil be immortal." * "Sin is burn'd.
In hell to asi.es with the dust of Death." — Festus.
16S REASONS FOR OUR IIOI'E.
PROPOSITION THIRTIETH.
The Lord has the same solicitude for the Happiness and Sal-
vation of His Offsprin<^, and the same Poiocr over All
Hearts, in the Future Life as in the Present.
PROOFS. '
'Neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities,
nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come., nor
height, nor depth, nor anj'' other creature, {Diabalos is not
excepted,) shall be able to Separate Us from the Love
OF God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.'— Rom. viii. 38.
'Can a woman forget her suckling child, that she should
not have compassioji upon the son of her womb? Yea, she
MAY forget. Yet I will not Forget THEE.'--Isa. xlix. 15.
'If a man die, shall he live again ? All the days of my
appointed time will I wait till my change (death) come.
Thou shalt Call, and I loill answer Thee. Thou wilt have
A Desire to the Work of Thv hands.'— Job xiv. 14, 15.
'His Mercy endurelh forever.' — Ps. cxxxvi. 'His Truth,'
and 'His Faithfulness,' 'endurelh to All generations.' — P.s.
cxvii. 2 ; Ixxxix. 1.
'The Lord is not willing that any should Perish, hnithat
All should come to 'Repentance.'' — 1 Pet. iii. 9. And '•He is
the sabie yesterday, to-day, and Forever.' — Heb. xiii. 8.
'The Lord is very Pitiful, and of Tender Mercy,^—Jas.
v. 11, 'Full of Compassion, Gracious, Long-SufTering,' &c.
Ps. Ixxxvi. 15. And He is a God that 'changeth not.'
'He maketh His sun to shine on the evil and the good,'
*He is slow to anger,' 'rejoiceth more over the single stray
sheep which he sought and found, than over all that went
not astray,' watcheth even the sparrow's fall which is sold
for a farthing, much more taking care of man. His last and
most perfect work. But He is moreover, 'toithout variable'
ness, neither the SHADOW of turning.'— i as. i. 17.
REASONS FOR OUR HOPE. 169
''The defect in most minds, which leads to doubt and un-
belief in regard to a final reign of universal holiness and
peace, is in being too hasty, too limited, in estimating the
Zme which God has allotted Himself for the accomplishment
of His will and His purposes. Jehovah has at His com-
mand the e?itire dicratio/i of Eternity, for the completion of
His designs. Yet from this absolutely limitless duration,
it is singularly supposed, He confines himself to about
threescore years and ten, (which is but a moment in com-
parison with eternity,) to work out all those purposes to-
wards each man, which fix his everlasting destiny. It is
imagined that He selects this brief, introductory period of
human existence, when man is in the greatest imperfection,
when he is involved in ignorance and blindness, subject to
the passions and infirmities of the body, and surrounded by
alluring temptations, — to accomplish all He intends to do,
towards bringing His offspring in conformity to the require-
ments of His government. If, during these brief years, and
amid all these imperfections, God succeeds in working out
His Will upon the children of men, — if He succeeds in re-
novating a soul, and to make it fit, in this life, for the abodes
of blessedness above, it is well. But if His efforts are not
successful, — if that soul is not made meet for the society of
angels, when this fleeting space of time has elapsed — then
God abandons the work, and ceases all exertion to reform
and elevate it, and allows it to fall into utter and endless
ruin. His power, wisdom, resources, and love in behalf of
that fallen child, are all exhausted, Sin, Misery, and Death
are triumphant — a human soul, the offspring of God, the
redeemed of Christ, is endlessly miserable, and hell shouts,
Victory ! Not only is it supposed, that, at the close of
man's short life on earth, the Creator desists from all farther
attempts to reform His creatures, but that He immediately
changes His whole policy toward them, and places them
where it is made impossible to repent — where they shall not
even have the poor privilege of becoming better, however
much they might desire to do so. Death is supposed to cut
short all the efforts of God, and Christ, and Angels for the
170 RKASONS FOR OUR HOPE.
elevation of mankind, and the character of every human
being, exactly as it then is, becomes stereotyped for eternity!
"Singular infatuation ! unaccountable presumption ! tiiat
would fain crowd all the works and triumphs of the Infinite
Wisdom and Love into the narrow circle of seventy years I
that would dream of exhausting the vast energies and resour-
ces of Omuipolence, in ihe speck of time allotted to man be-
low ! That the Scriptures give no countenance to these
limitations of time and means, which men fasten upon the
Salvation of God, must be well known to every reader of the
holy word. The Bible declares it to be His Will that All
Men should be saved and come unto the knowledge of the
truth, and moreover, that He worketh all things after the
counsel of His own Will. That His will to bring all men
to salvation and truth, is but very partially accomplished in
the present world, is evident to the senses of every man.
But should this fact be considered as invalidating the plain
declarations of the Scriptures — or bring into discredit the
integrity of God, involved as it is in His pledged word — or
as an evidence that His will is frustrated in this important
matter? It should not, and it will not, in the mind of the
enlightened believer in God. It only enlarges his compre-
hension of the sphere of Deity's operations, and brings him
unavoidably into the belief, that whatever portion of God's
Will is not accomplished in this life, will be completed in
the world to come. Not that His will has been frustrated
here, and must be remedied hereafter— for the Scripturrs do
not say that God wills all men to be saved in thislife, — but
that, in the great cycle of the Creator's providence, the time
for the perfect accomplishment of His will is noi to be ex-
pected in this brief period of human life below, but should
be looked for 'in the dispensation of the fulness of times.'
* # "What consistent reason can be assigned why
a will so holy and lovely as that which designs the extinc-
tion of all sin and evil, and the sanctification and happiness
of the entire family of man, should not be carried on to an
entire fulfilment in the life to come? Are the souls of sin-
ners more precious here than they will be hereafter? Is it
anv more desirable that the wicked should repent and tura
REASONS FOR OUR HOPE. 171
to God here, than it will be hereafter? * If it manifests
great goodness and mercy in God and in Christ to be inter-
ested in the sinner's welfare here, will not the same Good-
ness and Mercy inspire a similar interest in the life to come ?
Can time or place change principles, or alter the purposes of
infinite love and compassion ? I:^ not Jehovah irnmntable
and unchangeable in His perfections ? If God is Love to-
day, will He not be Love to-morrow and forever ? If His
love leads Him to shower constant blessings upon all man-
kind in this life, will it not be as prolific, as impartial, and as
incessant in the dispensations of its benignity throtighout
eternity?"^
«>GOD IS LOVE."
"If but these words ihut Book tontain'd
On «liich«our every Impe is built,
'Twould he enoiij.'h, ihougli we had drain'd
The very dreus of grief nnd guilt.
LovK will not harm,— Love v\ill not pause.
In doing jjood to luiglit that's dear,
Till Nature doth rexert^e her laws,
And thwart high Heaven in its career."
Julia H. Scott.
PROPOSITION THIRTY-FIRST.
The Work of Salvaiion shall Continue to Go on as long as
there is an XJnreconciled Subject of Christ's Kingdom
remaining, and as long as Sin shall Exist.
'He that is our God is the God of Salvation.'
PROOFS.
'This Man, because he continueth ever, bath an wti-
changeable Priesthood. Wherefore he is able to Save them
to the Uttermost who come unto God by him, ['he will draw
All Men unto him,' ^ All are given unto me, and shall coins
to me.'] Seeing, he Ever Liveth to Make Intercession for
them.' — Heb. vii. 25. 'And if any man sin, he hath an Ad-
vocate,' &C.--1 John ii. 1, 2.
'Austin oi the Attrihutes, p. 210-213. This is one of the most e6ti>
mable of ail the numerous publications of our Denomination.
172 REASONS FOR OUR HOPE.
'The Lord hath sworn, and will not repent, Thou art a
Priest FOREVER, after the order of r>lelchisedek.' — Ps. ex. 4,
Heb. vii. 21.
'The Lord is Good ; His jMercy is Everlasting- ; and His
Faithfulness endureth to All Generations.' — Ps. c. 5.
'The heavens shall vanish away like smoke, and the earth
shall wax old like a garment, and they that dwell therein
shall die in like manner. But My Salvation shall be
Forever, and Mij Righteousiiess shall not be Abolished.^ —
Isa. li. 6. 'His Righteousness endureth Forever.' — Ps.
cxi. 3.
'The Doctrine of the Resurrection of the Dead, and of
Eternal Judgment.' — Heb. vi. 2. 'The Lord is our Judge,
He will save us.' — Isa. xxxiii. 22. ^All Nations shall come
and Worship before Thee, for Thy Judgments are made
ma7iifest .'—TR.ev . xv. 4.
'I have said, Mercy shall be built up Forever; My
Faithfulness shalt thou establish in the Heavens.'— Ps.
lxxxiv.2. 'Thy Faithfulness is 2i7ito All Generations.^—
Ps. cxix. 90.
'The moth shall eat them up like a o-arment, and the worm
shall eat them like wool ; but My Righteousness shall be
FOREVER, My Salvation from Generation to Generation.'
— Isa. li. S.
'The mountains may depart and the hills be removed, but
My Kindness shall not depart from thee, neither shall the
Covenant of My Peace be removed, saith the Lord that hath
Mercy on thee.' — Isa.liv. 10. 'He sent Redemption unto
His People ; He commanded His Covenant Forever.' — Ps.
cxi. 9.
'Unto us a Son is given, and the Government shall be up-
on his shoulder; - - of the Increase of his Government and
Peace, there shall be no end.'— Isa. ix. 6, 7.
'And the gates of it, [Zion,] shall not be shut at all by day,
and there shall be no night there.'— Rev. xxi. 25. 'Whoso-
ever ^^^ZZ, let him take the Water of Life freely.' — xxii. 17.
"Through the ten thousand times ten thousand grades
Of blessedness, above the world's and Man's
Ability to feel or to conceive,
REASONS FOR OUR HOPE. 173
The soul may pass, and yet know nought of heav'n.
More than a ilim and niiniature reflection,
Of its most bright infinity ; for God
Makes to each spirit ils peculiar heav'n ;
And yet is heav'n a bright reality,
As this, or any of yon worlds ; a state
Where all is iovelmess, and power, and love ;
Where all sublimest qualities of mind,
Not infinite, are limited alone,
By the surrounding God-hood, — and where nought
But what producelh glory and delight
To creature and Creator is ; where all
Enjoy entire dominion o'er themselves,
Acts, feelings, thoughts, conditions, qualities.
Spirit, and soul, and mind, — All under God." — Festus.
PROPOSITION THIRTY-SECOND.
There is to be a RESURRECTION in the Future, Spir-
itual World, from Physical and Moral Death to the
Divine Likeness of Christ, for the Spirits of All Flesh.
PROOFS.
'Ye do err, not knowing the Scriptures, nor the Pozver of
God; for, in the Resurrectiox, - - - they are as the An-
gels OF God in Heaven.' — Mat. xxii. 29—30.
'Do ye not therefore err, because ye know not tbe Scrip-
tures, neither the Power of God ? For, tvheti they shall
Rise from the Dead, they - - are as the Angels which are
IN Heaven.' — Mark xii. 24, 25.
^As we have borne the image of the Earthy, [Adam,] we
SHALL ALSO BEAR THE IMAGE OF THE HeAVENLY, [Christ.] 1
Cor. XV. 49. One is just as true as the other. As surely as
we have been born into the earth, so surely shall we be also
born anew into heaven. As true as we have been created
in the likeness of the first-born of earth, So truly shall we
also be re-created into the image of the first-born of heaven.
Who can resist the force of so express a testimony ? Have
not All borne the image of the earthy ? Have not All Souls
been born into this world ? And the great Universal Neto
Birth of the Resurrection is to glorify all these, that is, of
course, every human creature, with the heavenly, angelic,
image.
K
174 REASONS FOR OUR HOPE,
'As in Adam ALL die, even so, m Christ shall ALL
BE MADE ALIVE.' — 1 Cor. XV. 22. Fiom what kind of death
does the Apostle here contemplate the Resurrection of All ?
Evidently, that which came upon the soul of Adam in the
«?«!/ of his disobedience, and not physical death, merely. We
have no evidence that God first created the dust of Adam
immortal, so that his earthly body would never have return-
ed to the dust from whence it came if he had not sinned,—
there is proof to the contrary. Therefore naturally, all
mankind may not be said to die in Adam, because mortal
death is the inevitable, involuntary 'debt of nature,' which
every man must suffer if he is born, whether Adam had ex-
isted or not. But the Scriptures suppose that all men have
inherited from Adam the spiritual mortality which came
upon him at the fall, and thus accordingly say, 'm Adam
All die.' And the purpose of the Resurrection is that the
deathly condition of our spirits shall be abolished, and quick-
ened and made alive in Christ. 'And if any man be in
Christ, he is become a New Creature.'
'How are the dead Raised up, and with what lody do
they come ? - - That which thou sowest, tho2i sowest not
that body which shall be. - - 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, [literally, 'an animal,'] body,
IT IS Raised a Spiritual Body.' — 1 Cor. xv. 35, 37, 43, 44.
It is the Father's Will, that of All Flesh and All Things,
which He hath given unto His Son, he should Raise all up
at the last day, and Lose Nothing. — John vi. 39, &c.
'He hath given Assurance unto All Men, in that He hath
Raised up Jesus from the Dead.' — Acts xvii. 3L
'God is not the God of the dead, [for there are no dead,]
but of the living : for ALL live unto Him.' — Mat. xxii. 30.
'No Man Dieth to Himself; for whether we live, we
live unto the Lord, and whether toe Die, we Die unto the
Lord ; whether we live, therefore, or Die, we are the
Lord's. For to this end Christ both died, rose, and revived,
that he might be Lord both of the Dead and the
Living.' — Rom. xiv. 7-9.
"^ur Lord Jesus Christ Died for Us, [Mankind,] that
REASONS FOR OUR HOPE. 175
whether we wake or sleep, ive should LIVE together with
him:— I Thess. v. 10.
'It doth not [yet] appear what we shall be ; but we know
that when he shall appear, [at the time of our resurrection
to life and immortality,] we shall be like him, for we shall
see him as he is: — 1 John iii. 2. 'The Glory of the Lord
shall be revealed, Q.nA All Flesh shall see it together.' —
Isa. xl. 5.
'We look for the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ, who
shall change our vile body, that it may be Fashioned like
UNTO His Glorious Bodv ; according to the Working where-
by he is [thus] able to Subdue All Things U7ito himself: —
Phil. iii. 21. 'We shall ALL be Changed. - - The Dead
shall be Raised incorruptible, a7id we shall be Changed*
that is, as above, 'fashioned in the likeness of Christ's glo-
rious body,' in 'the image of the heaoenly: &c. — 1 Cor. xv.
52, 49.
'Corruption cannot inherit Incorruption.' — 1 Cor. xv.
'The dust shall return unto the earth as it was, and the
Spirit shall return unto God who gave it.' — Ec. xii. 7.
'For OF Him, and through Him, and TO Him are All
Things.' — Rom. xi. 36.
' Unto God, the Lord, belong the issues of Death. And
he shall wound the head of His enemies, [the seed of the
serpent, — see Gen. iii. 15,] and the scalp of such an enemy
as goeth on still in trespassing,' [till 'the last enemy, death,
shall be destroyed.'] — Ps. Ixviii. 20, 21.
Those that are alive from the dead, yield themselves
UNTO THE Lord. — Rom. vi. 13. 'Weep ye not for the
DEAD, [therefore,] neither bemoan him.' — Jer. xxii. 10.
'Because I live, [said Jesus,] Ye shall live also.' — John
xiv. 29. 'He tasted death for Every Man: ''the'whole world:
And 'we shall be Saved, by his life.' — Rom. vi. 10. And
he 'was made after the Power of an endless life.' — Heb.
vii. 23.
'Christ is the first-born of Every Creature.' — Col. i. 15.
'They which shall be accounted worthy [of all the anima-
ted species of the Lord's creation,] to obtain that world and
the Resurrection from the Dead, cannot die any more ; for
176 REASONS FOR OUR HOPE.
THEY ARE EQUAL UNTO THE Angels ; and are the children of
God, [by adoption, also, as they were previously by creation,'\
BEING THE CHILDREN OF THE RESURRECTION.' Luke XX.
34-36.
'That THE Dead [i. e. all the dead, — none are excepted,]
are Raised, even Moses showed at the bush, when he calleth
the Lord, the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, [because
these Fathers had died.] For He is not a God of the dead,
but of THE Living ; [consequently, those Patriarchs must
have been Raised, and living ; notice, Christ said, 'the dead
are raised ;' the Bible does not teach a Future, Universal,
Simultaneous Resurrection, any more than it teaches a
Physical, Terrestrial one. 'But every man in his own or-
der,' is advanced to the heavenly sphere.] For All live
UNTO Him.' — Luke xx. 37, 38.
'This I confess unto tbee, [said the Apostolic Preacher,]
that after the way which they call Heresy, so worship I the
God of my Fathers, believing all things which are written
in the Law and in the Prophets, and have HOPE, [both
expectation and desire,] toward God, which they themselves
dXso allow, [Partialists admit the resurrection of the sinful
to immortality, but it is a revivification to endless miseries,
and they cannot therefore hope for it as we, who contend
with Jesus that 'the children of the Resurrection are as the
angels of heaven,'] that there shall be a Resurrection of the
Dead, both of the Just, and of the Unjust.' — Actsx.xiv. 15.
"The soul's inherilanoe,
Its birthplace vind its deathplace, is ofearth ;
Until God maketh earth and soul anew,
The one like heav'n, the other like Himself.
So shall the New Creation come at once ;
Sin, the dead branch upon the Tree of Life,
Shall be cut ofl' forever ; and All Souls,
Concluded in God's boundless amnesty."
"Step by step, and throne by throne we rise,
Continually towards the Infinite,
And ever nearer, — never near, — to God." — Festus.
Two passages will probably occur to the mind of the
reader in reflecting upon the Scripture teachings concerning
REASONS FOR OUR HOPE. 177
ihe Resurrection, which may at first present some little diffi-
culty. We are compelled, however, to notice them but very
briefly. The book and periodical publications of our per-
suasion, abound with searching and irrefutable expositions
of them. We shall notice them conjointly.
'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.' — Dan. xii. 2,
'The hour is coming in 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, [condem-
nation, --"^xevioxxs. verses.] — John v. 28, 29.
For sake of brevity, we shall only make several general
remarks, Avhich we have not space to illustrate.™(l) Ifthese
two passages refer to the Immortal Resurrection, they posi-
tively, palpably contradict the explicit teaching of sixteen
passages we have above cited, which the objector will not
dispute DO relate to the heavenly Resurrection ; and it is
the business of the objector to reconcile the Scriptures, as
much as ours. But should the express declarations of six-
teen texts, be forced to yield to the doubtful meaning of two ?
—(2) It is entirely assumed that these passages have any-
thing to do with i\ie future life, and that, in direct defiance
of the contexts in both instances ; the time of the first being
fixed at a period of some great national (not uriiversal) trou-
ble, on the earth, (verse 1,) which Christ, in his prophecy
of the demolition of Jerusalem, quoting DanieVs language,
applied to that event, (see Mat. xxiv. 15, 21 ;) and the
other passage is also declared by Jesus himself to refer to
that present time, (verse 25,) and explained by him, too, in
the same connection, v. 24: that believing on him was
life and the deliverance from condemnation, or damnation.
— (3) The immortal Resurrection is never once spoken of
in the Scriptures as a resurrection from the graves, or from
the dust of the earth, but as a resurrection from the dead ;—
it is not spoken of as a resurrection to this earthly life, and
physical body, but as a resuscitation to Hhe heavenly'' life,
with 'a spiritual body.'' — (4) The Resurrection to immortal-
178 REASONS FOR OUR HOPE.
ity is a Universal Resurrection ; but the awaking of those
that slept, was only for 'many,' not all 'of them ;' it was
only for those who were 'in the graves,^ and not for all that
die in Adam, and hear the iviage of the earthy.— {5) The
passages are understood by an examination of the phraseol-
ogy, both of them being found to comprise proverbial ex-
pressions, common and peculiar to the times in which they
were employed ; such expressions as 'bowed down to the
dust' to 'eat' and to 'lick the dust,' to be as 'dust and ashes'
were well understood to signify a degraded, vile, humiliated
condition ; and thus the propriety of the usage of such forms
of speech as arising, aivaking, being lifted up, shaking one's
self 'from the dust,' &c. References might be abundantly
multiplied to this point had we space. In illustration of the
proverbial usage of the term sleep, as denoting 'a state of
national and spiritual sloth, stupidity, and death,' and for
a number of instances where an awaking from such a state
is spoken of, see Isa. xxix. 10 ; li. 17 ; 1 Cor. xv. 34 : Eph.
V. 14. The proverbial expression in John v. 28, 29, is
being 'in graves,' synonymous with 'the dead,' of verse 25;
and it would seem that nothing else whatever is necessary
for the perfect elucidation of those words than Ezek. xxxvii.
11-14, and the list of passages we quoted on page 160. —
(6) Have not the Jewish people been suffering their 'ever-
lasting shame and contempt' for the last eighteen centuries ?
Is not the prophecy fulfilled, that they should become a re-
proach and by-word among all nations, and have no rest for
the soles of their feet ? When the 'orthodox' commentators
come to this passage in Jeremiah, 'I will bring an ever-
lasting REPROACH upon you, and A perpetual {everlasting)
SHAME,' they never pretend to refer that language to eternity.
On this subject the Bible is clear ; 'The Reproach of My
people shall be taken away,' and 'the Shame of her youth
shall he forgotten.'
REASONS FOR OUR HOPE. 179
PROPOSITION THIRTY-THIRD.
TAe PUNISHMENTS of God are never Retaliative Injlic-
tions, nor Aggravated, Merciless, or Useless, but are
the Necessary, Salutary Chastisements of an infinitely
Wise and Good Parent, and therefore do not tend to
Perpetuate, but to Correct the Wickedness of Man.
PROOFS.
^Tkou thoughtest that I was altogether such an one as thyself,^ — Ps. 1. 21.
'Wherefore should a living man complain, a man, for the
Punishment of his sins ?' 'For the Lord will not cast off
forever ; but though he cause grief, yet will He have Compas-
sion, according to the Multitude of His Mercies. For He
doth not afflict willingly, {wantonly,'] nor grieve the children
of men.' — Lam. iii. 39^ 31--33. Even the punishments of
the Lord are tokens of His unfailing Goodness, because they
are so wisely administered as to contribute to our Avelfare.
Wherefore then should we complain of the just chastisement
of our sins, seeing that the very sorest of God's Punishments
are not without compassion, and shall finally turn to our
benefit ? But were His Punishment [Revenge'] to be endless,
having sufiering alone for its object and end, should we not
then have just cause to complain, of the infinite cruelty and
injustice of our Tormenter ?
'Ye have forgotten the exhortation which speaketh unto
you as unto children ; [yes, they have sadly neglected to
think of the Paternal character of God :] My Son, despise
not the chastening of the Lord, nor faint when thou art re-
buked of Him: for whom the Lord loveth. He chasteneth,
and scourgeth every son whom He receiveth. If ye suflTer
chastening, [Punishment ,— same word in the Greek,] God
dealeth with you as with sons, [not as a severe, unrelenting
tyrant ;] for where is there a son whom his father chasten-
eth not ? For if ye be without Chastisement, whereof [in-
deed] All are partakers, then must ye be bastards, and not
sons ; [they must be the offspring of some other Being, for
our God punishes all His children : but this cannot be, for
ITOf REASONS FOR OUR HOPE.
'there is [only] one God and Fatlicr of All.'] Furlhermore,
we have WaA fathers of our flesh who Corrected us, and we
gave them reverence : shall we not much rather be in sub-
jection to THE Father of Spirits, [a more tender and eter-
nal relation,] and live? For they, verily, for a few days,
Chastened us after their oion pleasure ; but He, for our
Profit, that we might be Partakers of His Holiness. —
Now no Chastening-, /or the present, seemeth to be joyous,
but grievous. Nevertheless, afterward, [aye, there is an
Afterward to the Punishments of the Merciful God,] — Af-
terward, it yieldeth the Peaceable fruits of Righteous-
ness, unto them which are exercised thereby.' — Heb. vii.
5-11.
^^e\\o\i\, happy is the man whom God Correcteth, [Pun-
isheth ;] therefore, despise not thou the Chasteniiig of the
Almighty. For He maketh sore, and hindeth up. He wound-
eth, and His hands make whole.'' — Job v. 17, 18.
'■Before I was afflicted, I went astray ; but noxo have I
kept Thy word.' — Ps. cxix. 67. 'Though He slay mo, yet
will I trust in Him.' — Job xiii. 15 ; Ps. cxviii. 18.
'My son, despise not the Chastening of the Lord, neither
be weary of His Correction. For whom the Lord loveth,
He Correcteth, even as a father the son, in whom He de-
lighleth.'— Prov- iii. 11, 12.
'I will cause you to pass under the rod, and bring you into
the bond of the Covenant.' — Ezek. xx. 37.
'Thou shalt consider in thine heart that, as a man Chas-
teneth his son, SO the Lord thy God Chasteneth thee.' —
Deut. viii. 5.
'I will Punish the World for their evil, and the Wicked
for their iniquity ; and I will cause the arrogancy of the
pround to cease, and lay loio the haughtiness of the Terrible.
I will unake a rnan more Precious than fine gold ; even a
man, than the golden ivedge of Ophir.^ — Isa. xiii. 11, 12.
'The Lord shall smite Egypt ; He shall smite, and heal
IT. And they shall return even unto the Lord, and He
shall be entreated of them, and shall heal them.' — Isa. xix.
22.
'Lord, in trouble they have visited Thee ; they poured
REASONS FOR OUR HOPE. 181
out a prayer %iolien Thy Chastening ivas upo7i them,.' — Isa.
xxvi. 16.
'Can thy heart endure, and can thy hands be strong, in the
days that I will deal with thee ? I the Lord have spoken
it and will do it. I will scatter thee among the heathen,
and disperse thee in the countries, a?id loill Consume thy
filthiness out af thee.' — Ezek. xxii. 14, 15.
He shall separate the nations one from another, as a shep-
herd divideth his sheep from the goats ; — and these shall
go away into lasting chastisement, but the justified, into
life eternal, [i. e. as Jesus himself defined it, (John xvii. 3,)
the knowledge of God and of Jesus Christ whom He sent ;
the gospel kingdom, commenced at the destruction of the
Jewish, in the end of that age.] — Mat. xxv. 39, 46. See
several parts of context, and xxi. 43, xvi. 28, and xxiv. 34.
'Thou hast Chastised me, and I was chastised, as a bul-
lock unaccustomed to the yoke. Tiirn Thou me, and I
shall be turned ; for Thou art the Lord my God. Surely,
after that, I was turned, I repented, and after that [here
again the blessed '■afterward'' of God's punishments is spoken
of,] after that I loas instructed.' — Jer. xxxi. IS.
'Trust ye not in a friend, put ye not confidence in a
guide. - - Therefore look unto the Lord ; I will wait for the
God of my salvation ; my God will hear me. Rejoice not
against me, O mine enemy; when I fall, I shall arise ; when
I sit in darkness, the Lord shall be a Light untome. I will
bear the indignation of the Lord, because I have sinned
against him ; until Heplead my cause, and execute judgment
for me ; He ivill bring me forth to the light, and I shall be-
hold His Righteousness.' — Micah vii. 5-9.
'I know, Lord, that Thy judgments are right, and that
Thou in Faithfulness hast afflicted me.' — Ps. cxix ; xciv.
'If his children forsake My law, and walk not in My
judgments ; if they break My statutes, and keep not My
Commandments, then will I [rack their helpless spirits with
the endless sorrows and tortures of the Eternal Dungeon
which is prepared for the banishment of their souls, — De-
mons of woe and darkness shall be their only friends forev-
11
REASONb FOR OUR HOPE.
er, and — horrible! No!] then will I visit their transgres-
sions with the rod, and their ini(juities with stripes. Never-
theless, My Loving-Kindness I will not utterly take from
thejn, nor suffer My Faithfulness to fail. My Covenant I
will not break, nor alter the thing that is gone out of My
lips.'— Ps. Ixxxix. 30--34.
'Though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,
I will fear no evil ; for Thou art with me. Thy rod and
thy staff shall comfort me.' — Ps. xxiii. 4.
'Surely it is meet to be said unto God, I have borne Chas-
tisement, I will not offend any more.' — Job xxxiv. 31.
'The face of the Lord is against them that do evil, to cut
off the remembrance of them from the earth. They cry, and
the Lord heareth ayid Delivereth them out of all their trou-
bles.' — Ps. xxiv. 16, 17,
'Behold, they shall come forth unto you, and ye shall
see their way and their doings ; and ye shall be comforted
concerning the evil that I have brought upon Jerusalem,
even concerning all that I have brought upon it. And they
shall comfort you when you see their ways and their doings,
And ye shall know that I have not done without cause, all
that I have done, saith the Lord.' — Ezek. xiv. 22, 23.
'I will be his father, and he shall be My son ; if He com-
mit iniquity, I will Chasten him with the rod of men, and
with the stripes of the children of men. [God's Punish-
ments, like many things else in the economy of His govern-
ment are wrought by secondary means, and not by direct in-
terposition.] But My Mercy shall not depart away from
him.'— 2 Sam. vii. 14, 15.
'He that Chastiseth the heathen, shall He not Correct T
— Ps. xciv. 10.
'I have wounded him with the wound of an enemy, with
the Chastisement of a Cruel one, for the multitude of thine
iniquity ; because thy sins were increased. Why criest
thou now for thine affliction? is thy sorrow incurable for
the multitude of thine iniquity? - - I will therefore Restore
health unto thee, and I will heal thee of thy ivounds, saith
the Lord.' — Jer. xxx. 14--17.
'Deliver him unto Satan for the destruction of the flesh,
that his spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus.' —
REASONS FOR OUR HOPE. 1S3
1 Cor. V. 5. 'I have delivered Hymeneus and Alexander
unto Satan, that they may learn not to blaspheme.'' — 1 Tim.
i. 20.
^Sufficient to such a man is this punishment ; so that con-
trariw^ise, ye ought to forgive him.' — 2 Cor. ii. 6. 'Every
transgression and disobedience received a just Recompense
of reward.' — Heb. ii. 2. 'The Punishment of thine iniquity
is accomplished, daughter of Zion.' — Lam. iv. 22. These
passages prove that the Bible recognizes the divine Justice
to be entirely satisfied not only with limited punishment in-
stead of endless, but with earthly, instead of hellish.
'Man is Chastened, also, with pain upon his bed, and the
multitude of his bones with strong pains. - - Lo I all these
things worketh God oftentimes with man, to bring back his
soul from the pit, to be enlightened with the light of the
Living.^ — Job xxxiii. 19, 29.
'I will not make a full end of thee, but correct thee in
measure ; yet will I not leave thee wholly unpunished.' —
Jer. xlvi. 28; xxx. 2.
'When Thou with rebuke dost correct man for his iniq-
uity. Thou makest his pride to consume away like a moth.*
— Ps. xxxix. 11.
« GO AND SIN NO MORE."
"Deal gently with tlie Erring !
Ye know not of the pow'r
With which the dark temptation came
In some unguarded hour.
Ye may not know how earnestly.
He struggled, or how well,
Until the hour of weakness came.
And sadly thus he fell.
Think kindly of the Erring !
O, do not thou forget.
However darkly stain'd by sin,
He is thy Brother yet.
Eleir of the self-same heritage.
Child of the self-same God,
He halh but stumbled in the path.
Thou hast in weakness trod.
184 heasons ?or our hope.
Speak mildly to the Erring !
For is it not enough,
That innocence and peace liave gone,
Without thy censure rough ?
It sure must be a weary lot,
That sin-crush'd heart to bear,
And they who share a happier fate,
Their chidings well may spare.
0, kindly help the Erring !
Thou yet may'st lead him back,
With gracious words and tones of love,
From misery's thorny track.
Forget not thou hast often sinn'd,
And sinful yet must be, —
Deal gently with the erring one.
As God hath dealt with thee !"
Miss H. J. Woodman.
Divine Punishment for all transgression is certain, — it is not by any
means or power whatever to be avoided,
'He that doeth wrong shall receive for the wrong which
he hath done.' — Col. iii. 25.
'God will BY NO MEANS cleat the Guilty.' — Ex. xxxiv. 6.
'He will NOT AT ALL acquit the wicked.' — Nah. i. 5.
'Though hand join in hand, the wicked shall not be Un-
punished.' — Prov. xi. 21.
'Whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap.' —
Gal. vi. 7.
'God will bring every work into judgment, with every
secret thing, whether it be good, or whether it be evil.' —
Eccl. xii. i4.
Carrying all retribution into the future state, orthodoxy
greatly discountenances this proposition. It teaches, not
that every individual shall be both equitably rewarded and
punished for his good and evil works, but that all the re-
wards shall be exclusively inherited by one division of man-
kind, and that all the retribution is for the remainder, only.
Now, who does not know that, as much as the Scriptures
have to say about the Forgiveness, the Remission, the Non
Remembrance, the Pardon, the Taking Away, of Sm, of In-
iquity, of Transgression,— it is altogether silent, from begin-
REASONS FOR OXJR HOPE. 185
ning to end, of any such thing as remission o{ Pumshment.
It speaks of the forgiveness, and blotting-out, and redemp-
tion from sins, after the execution of judgment, (as will be
shown under Prop. XXXVII,) and the redemption from the
source of Punishment and misery is a far different, and a
far more merciful and necessary thing, than the deliverance
from the just and sdlxxidiTY punishment, which our sins incur.
"Say, does llie wretch whom human laws release,
'Scape Heaven's high wrath, and pass his days in peace ?
No legislature ot* the earth below,
E'er Iram'd a punishment that match'd his woe,
Who bears along, where'er he bends his way,
His own condemning witness night and day."
Gifford's Juvenal.
Divine Piinishinpnt is always executed upon the head of the trans-
gressor, and never upon anollier's, by way of zmpw^afiow or Sub-
stitution.
'Every one shall die for his own iniquity ; whoso eateth
the sour grape [of sin,] his teeth shall be set on edge.' —
The ill effects of the unwholesome sour grape is confined
to that individual alone who eats; and thus it is with sin.
And it is observable that those ill effects ^oz<7 from the in-
dulgence Visits natural consequences ; and those not '\x\. eter-
nity, but 'presently. Jer. xxxi. 30.
'Yet say ye, Doth not the son bear the iniquity of the fa-
ther ?' — Ezek. xviii. 19. 'He shall not die for the iniquity
of the father ?'— v. 17. '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 righteous-
ness of the righteous shall be upon him, and the wickedness
of the wicked shall be upon him.' — verse 20.
'Say ye to the righteous that it shall be well with them ;
for they shall eat the reward of their doings. Wo unto the
wicked! it shall be ill with Am; for the reward of Az'^AaW*
shall be given him.'' — Isa. iii. 10, 11.
'He that jiistijieth the loicked, and He that condemneth the
Just, even they both are an abomination to the Lord.' —
Prov. xviii. 15. The doctrine of the Vicarious Atonement
of Christ does both of these. It justifies the wicked by sav-
186 REASONS FOR OUR HOPE.
incr from just punishment, and condemns the Just in heaping
the aggregate amount of suffering due to the whole guilty-
race, as it pretends, upon the person of the Innocent Jesus.
"Wh;it nothing earthlv gives nor can destroy,
The soul's calm sunshine and the heartlelt joy,
Is Virtue's prize ; — a belter would you fix ?
Then give humility a coach and six !"
"Know then this truth, enough for man to know,
Virtue alone is happiness below." — Pope.
DiviiiP Punishments are immediate, — speediiy overtaking the rommis-
sion of sin, and groun'reg^ o«< q/"<ran*-greAA!o?i, naturally, aa all eflecls
follow their causes.
'In thk day that thou eatest thereof, thou shall surely die.'
— Gen. ii. 17. The serpent said, 'Ye shall not surely die.'
Partialism teaches, There is a means to clear the Guilty, a
way of escape ; if ve sin ye shall not surely die, for the death
is not in the day thou eatest, but in eternity, and may there-
fore be readily dodged. Who then preaches the serpent's
doctrine? By thus 'putting far aivay the evil day,' do they
not most seriously and effectually 'strengthen the hand of the
wicked that he should not return from his evil way V
'The WAGES, [Dr. Clarke and others interpret, the daily
pay] of sin is death.'— Rom. vi. 23.
'The way of the transgressor is hard.'— Prov. xiii. 15.
'The way of the wicked the Lord turneth upside down.'—
Ps. cxlvi. 9. 'The way of the wicked is as darkness.' —
Prov. iv. 19. 'Let the way of the wicked be dark and
slippery.' — Ps. xxxv. 5. 'Thorns and snares are in the way
of the froward.'— Prov. xxii. 5. 'Destruction and misery
are in their ways.'— Rom. iii. 16. But 'the rough ways
shall be made smooth, and All Flesh shall see the Salvation
of God.'— Luke iii. 6. But 'The ways of wisdom are ways
of pleasantness, and all her paths are peace. '•--Prov. iii, 17.
•There is no peace to the wicked.' — Isa. xlviii. 22. —
♦They are like the troubled sea, when it cannot rest, whose
waters cast up mire and dirt.' — Isa. Ivii. 20.
'All his days the wicked man is tormented with pain^
- - a fearful sound is in hisears.^ — Job xv. 21.
REASONS FOR OUR HOPE. 187
'Can a man take Jire in his bosom and his clothes be not
burned? Can one go upon hot coals and his feet not be
burned ?'— Prov. vi. 27, 28. For 'wickedness burneth like
fire.' — Isa. ix. 5.
How well did the Wise Man express the legitimate ten-
dency of the contrary doctrine, when he wrote, 'Because
sentence against an evil work is [erroneously suj^osed to
be] NOT EXECUTED SPEEDILY, therefore the heart of the sons
of men \s fully set in them to do evil.' — Ec. viii. 11.
The most eminent writers on criminal jurisprudence have
admitted and demonstrated the superior efficacy of penalties
that are inevitably and quickly atvarded, to inspire restraint,
over those that may be delayed for an indefinite period, and
which supply ineans of escape. They have contended also
that it is the certaintvJ infinitely more than the severity
of Punishment, whieh induces the most effectual restriction
upon crime.
"The burning oath which quivered on the lip,
Starts back, and sears, and blisters up the tongue ;
Confusion ransacks the abandon'd heart,
Quells the bold blood, and o'er the vaulted brow
Slips the white woman hand."
Divine Punishment appertains to the flesh, to the body, and to
THIS WORLD.
'If a man soweth to the flesh, he shall of the flesh reap
corruption.' — Gal. vi. 7. What would we think of a farmer
who expected to reap in the far-distant and contrary climes
of the Indies, the grain that he sowed in Ohio ?
'The Son of Man shall come in the glory of his Father
with his angels ; and then shall he reward every man ac-
cording to his works. Verily, I say unto you there be some
standing here, who shall not taste of death, till they
see the Son of Man Coming in his Kingdom.^— Mai. xvi. 28.
It is in body that a man receives according to that he hath
done, whether it be good or bad. — 2 Cor. v. 10. Believers
of future punishment for the sins of this life, are inconsis-
tent in acknowledging as many of them do, that this life only
is the dispensation of rewards, and that heaven is therefore
18S REASONS FOR OUR HOPE.
not a reward for the virtues of this world, but a Free Gift.
Either endless happiness is a Reward, and endless misery
a Piinishment., for the actions of time, and there is no such
thing as reward and punishment in iJiis life; or, if virtue
and crime entail upon man happiness and misery respectively
here, then the future life is not a dispensation of rewards
and punishments, and if there be a state of exaltation for the
soul in the next world, it is not purchasable at all as a re-
ward, but an unmerited, and therefore Universal, Gift, of
the Divine Beneficence. Universalists are always free to
admit tliat punishment will exist as long as sin ; for it is
a maxim with them, that all sin itself is misery. But, for the
most convincing reasons, they as strenuously insist that
when sin ceases, Punishment also ceases. See on this point
Ezek. xviii. 21-29. And while they agree with the Proph-
et, that •(j;^?";/?^'/?/ ?5 7?o< j9?<ro'C6^ till we die, — Isa. xxii. 14,
they also maintain that 'Ae that hath suffered in the flesh
hath CEASED FROM SIN,'— 1 Pet. iv. 1, and therefore cannot
countenance the doctrine of future punishment until they
are convinced that the spirit is travelling to a region of like
templalions and imperfections with those of this world.—
The disposition, capacity, motives, means, and permission
of the unencumbered soul for siiming in the strange life
upon which it emerges from this, is the only rational ground
whatever for the belief of {u\.uxe penal unhappiness, a ground
which we have a great confidence, cannot be derived from
the Scriptures, but is opposed by them. (It is sufficient
to mention here only the viith of Romans.) And were even
that position to be sustained, it would afford not tjie slight-
est support to endless misery, in the light of such an amount
of evidence as we have already exhibited, to prove the ulti-
mate annihilation of sin, pain, sorrow, ignorance, error, the
devil, death, and hell, the universal triumph and prevalence
of good, the complete victory which Christ shall achieve,
and the thorough accomplishment of the Divine Pleasure
and Purposes, which the might of Jehovah is working out,
'The wicked and the sinner are recompensed in the
earth.'' -Prov. xi. 31.
'Verily, He is a God that judgeth in the earth.'' — Ps.
KEASONS FOR OUR HOPE. 189
Iviii. 11. 'His judgments are in all the earth.'— \ C\ixox\.
xvi. 14; Ps. cv. 7. 'He exerciseth lovinij-kindness, jwrfo--
meiit, and righteousness in the earth.'— jer. ix. 24. See
also John ix. 39; Jer. xxiii. 5; xxxiii. 15, &c.
The Bible records about a hundred instances of divine
punishments executed in the earth, and is filled with threat-
enings of every kind of earthly evils, as the reward of trans-
gression ; but in no single instance does it ever denounce
the penalty of suffering upon the soul, in the immortal
world, for the commission of any sin, or for the disobedience
of any law or commandment that is therein declared.
" 'But sometimes Virtue st;irves. while Vice is fed.'
What then ? Is the reward of Virtue bread}
That, Vice may merit, 'lis liie price of toil ;
The ivnave deserves it if he tills the soil.
Health and possessions e'en the ro(;iie may have.
If prudence and some virtues he shall save ;
The pious may be weak and indolent, —
Then shall they claim that plenty must be sent ?"
"Fortune her ^nfts may variously dispose,
And these be happy call'd, unhappy those ;
But Heaven's just balance eq7/,al will appear,
While those are plac'd in hope, and these in fear." — Pope.
Divine Punishments are always Just, — equitably proportionate to oflences.
'Unto Thee, Lord beJongeth Morcv: for Thou render-
est to every man according to his ivork.'—Fs. Ixii. 12.
'Give them according to their deeds, and according to the
wickedness of their endeavors, (moZ?re5;) give them after
the work of their hands ; render to them their desert.' — Ps
xxviii. 4.
^According to their deeds, accordingly He will repay.' —
Isa. lix. IS. 'Shall not He render to every man according
to his ivork ?'—Frov. xxiv. 12. 'Who will render to every
man according to his deeds.' — Rom. ii. 6; 2 Cor. v. 10.
'That servant which kneio his lord's will, and prepared
not himself, neither did according to his will, shall be beaten
with 7nany stripes. But he that knew not, and did things
worthy of stripes, shall be beaten with/ew stripes. For unto
whomsoever ??z?^c/^ is given, of him shall be much required.'
—Luke xiii. 47, 48.
L
190 REASONS FOR OUR HOPE.
This is another characteristic of the Universalian views
on the subject of Cod's Punishnicnts, wliich is picvliar to
them. That the doctrine of endless woe is incon>isleut with
this principle of the due apportionment of rewaids and pun-
ishments, is very evident, a'.id indeed, repudiates it in sevc'
ral ways, as we will show. According to that doctrine, an
individual suffers the same eternal doom who dies in one
sin, as he who has committed a vnilion. The curse is alike
an endless curse, upon the young man or woman, and upon
the adult. It is tlie sane where the temptation was great,
and the mind iveali, and motive good, and ihe sin apparently
jmtfwhle, and where all these circumstances were directly
the reverse. The same for the pilferint,^ of an apple, or for
an irreverent word, as for a;)a?rzd(^e. The same where
the man has hecn reared under circumstances altogether
favorable to the cultivation of his moral nature, and where
another is necessarily wicked from being born and bred in
the midst of misery and crim.e. One person is a pious, ex-
emplary, industrious, honest, and amiable man for half a
century, and then his appetite is treacherous, overcomes
him,— his life is cut ofTduring a midnight revel at the bowl,
and his spirit is plunged into an abyss of infinitely gnaler,
and endless suffering. Another is a reckless, depraved, and
desperate being, a complete slave to all tlie evil passions,
who, after a Icng career of undiminished criminality, goes
to the anxious seals, gets convei ted, dies, and goes to heav-
en. Here are two sisters, twins, dying together in each
other's arms upon the same couch ; one has done just a suf-
ficient number of good works in her life-time lo entitle her
to immortal joys ; the other lias performed one less, and
must therefore descend to hopeless perdition. One child
who has just attained 'the line of acccvnt ability,'' dies in
some act of wilful wrong, and sinks to hell ; another child,
who is a day younger is a participant of the same deed, and
is killed through it, at the same instant, but rii-es to heaven.
A dies find is saved, having committed 9999 sins, and per-
formed 10000 deeds of righteousness ; escaping all the end-
less misery due for his sins. B die?, having sinned ICCOO
times and performed 6999 good works ; but B is eternally
REASONS FOR OUR HOPE. 191
dam7ied hr his sins, a.nd also eternall}' deprived of all re-
ward for his 9999 acts of goodness! Strange, that such
oblique and unworthy notions of Divine Justice, should ever
obtain credence among sensible men and reverent Chris-
tians !
♦Can tliey who covet this world's worthiest goods,
Wealth, honor, power, knowledge, rank, or au^ht.
Merit eternal torme/il (or i/ie sins,
Whercwiih are link'd the world's prosperity.
And Inniian jrlory,' — {Festiis.) [ihings allow'd of Heav'n ?
Iri thut a doom wdicb ilio All-Just shall judije
Meet for the spirit ot inimorial Man,
And only eqwil \o the transient wrongs
That clayey bfjiii;s, in an evil \<orld,
Involunialely broii;L.'hi, in blindness do ?
Say nouL'ht of what the human soul may claim
Of naiiira/ compassion from iis (iod,
Throuijii His divine, indissoluble ties.
Of M.iKer. Father, Friend, Preserver, God ; —
S.iy nought of luiman weakness, evil's sirenuth, —
Of ilie wise purposes of Heaven with III, —
Thai sin and misery ^o harid in hand.
And servinc; sin, man only harms himself,
And not Jshovah ; — take not into account
The sacntice propiiial of the Son,
For all the gmlt of man ;— consider not
The might ol God and wisdom, adrqiiale
To s ive the most sin fallen of the race ,
And a'we them ani»el-spiriis ;- set a?ide
Tlie nobler glory that redomids to Him
From triumphs of His li»ve and holiness,
Tlian from the arm of drwad Omnipotence
Employ'd to « reak revenge, to curse and crush
The works of iis o.vn skill, and huild a ihrone
Of endless sin and woe; — waive all of these.
And let the precept harsh, of looiii for tooth,
And ill for ill, punctiliously exact.
Measure vvith rigid hamj the desert woes
That the most criminated soul hath narn'd
Which God hath ever fishionM, — an<i then say,
If endle.-s. ertf//ess, God-enduhing pains.
Continued still unsparing when the earth.
And moon, and planet-orbs, and sun.
Anil system hosts unto the infinite depths
Where very Omnipiesence fades away,
Sh ill all have moulder'd to their piimal chaos
From worn-out wcaiiness of being ; — say,
192 REASONS FOR OUR HOPE.
If such a recompence would not disniatch
Tlie fair award of justice, as the High,
The Infinite, All-Universal God
Is frreater than tliyself, or as thy life
Is briefer than Eteriiiiy ?]
Divine Puiiisl'.nienis sire for human sake, and not for ihe juirpoee of
pacifying anv iniiigiiiary sathJartioH which the Broken Lew is Kuppoerd
to demand, — hecanse lite fvils of men aie only mlf-iiijnrioits, tliey
cannot, work out any harm to Di-ity, or to ilie things of Heaven.
'Do they provoke Me lo anger ? .saith the Lord ; do they
not [rather provoke] themselves, to the confusion of ^Aeir ozow
faces?'— Jer. vii. 19.
'Can a man be profitable unto God, as he that is wise
may be profitable unto himselfi Is it any pleasure [benefit]
10 the Almighty that thou art righteous ? or is it ^-am to him
, that thou maJcest thy ways perfect ? Will he rcproVe thee
/br FEAR of thee?'— Joh xxii. 2--4.
'If thou sinnest dost thou zVy'wre Hm .? or if thy trans-
(Tressions be multiplied, what hurt dost thou unto Him ? If
thou be righteous, what givest Thou Him? or what receiv-
eth He at thine hand ? Thy toickechiess may harm only a
man, as thou art, and thy righteousness profit only the son
of man.'— ioh xxxv. 6--8.
'Thou art my Lord, my goodness extendeth not to Thee,
but to the saints that are in the earth, and to the excellent.'
-~Ps. xvi. 2, 3.
•' Say, in pursuit of profit or delight.
Who risk the most, that take wrong means or right ?
Or Vice, or Virtue, whether blest or curst.
Which meets contempt, and which compassion first ?
Count all th' advantage prosp'rous Vice attains,
'Tis but what Virtue flies from and disdains ;
And grant the had what happiness they would,
One they shall want, the consciousness of good.
O, blind to truth, and God's whole scheme below.
Who fancy bliss to vice, to virtue, woe.
Who sees and follows that great scheme the best,
Best knows the blessing, and will most be blest ;
But fools the good the most unhappy call.
For ills or accidents which be for all," — Essay on Man.
REASONS FOR OUR HOPE. Wo
The Iniquities of Man, tlirongh the Misery vvlicli they entail upon him,
are so ordered by tlie care and wisdom of Providence, tUat they shall
in some measure, work out their own cure.
^ Thine own loicJcedness shall correct thee, and thy
backslidings shall reprove thee; know therefore, [by grievous
experience,] and see, that it is an evil thing and a bitter,
that thou hast forsaken the Lord thy God, and that My
fear is not in thee, saith the Lord God of hosts.' — Jr. ii. 19.
'1 will feed them ivith their ownjlesh, and they shall be
drunken with their own blood, [ihey shall be surfeited and
intoxicated with their own filthiness,] as with sweet wine;
and All Flesh shall know that I the Lord am thy Saviour
and thy Redeemer, the Mighty One of Jacob.' — Isa. xlix. 26.
'Behold, is it not of the Lord, that the People shall labor
in the very fire, and that the People shall weary themselves
for very vanity? For the Earth shall be filled with the
Knowledge of the Glory of the Lord, as the waters cover
the sea.'— Hab. ii. 13, 14.
'Then shall ye remember your own evil ways, and your
doings that were not good, and shall loathe yourselves in
your own sight for your iniquities and your abominations.
- - Thus saith the Lord God, in that day I shall have Clean-
sed you from all your iniquities.' — Ezek. xxxvi. 31—33.
'Then thou shalt remember thy ways, and be ashamed,
- - that thou may'st remember and be confounded, and never
open thy mouth any more because of thy shame, when I
am pacified toward thee for all that thou hast done, saith the
Lord.' — Ezek. xvi. 61-63.
The parable of the Prodigal Son, (xvth Luke,) affords a
beautiful and striking illustration of this principle.
•'Crime, misery, and evil are in earth,
Falseheod, mistake, and lust. But )f the soul.
In the eternal world shall yet be taint,
The Spirit sliall provide effec'ual cure.
Some eminent in virtue shall start up,
Ev'n for the succour of perversest souls :
The truths of their pure lips, that never die,
Shall bind the scorpion Evil with a wreath
Of everlasting flame.
Until the monster sting itself to death !"— Shellet.
194 REASONS FOR OUR HOPE.
PROPOSITION THIRTY-FOURTH.
The Transitory Existence of EVIL was Fore-Known and
Fore- Appointed of the Lord, and thus is not an Irreme-
diable or Almighty Principle, hut is eritirely Subject
to Infinite Potver and Wisdom, and loas Ordained jor
the ultimate atta/cnment of a more superlative degree of
Universal Glory.
1st. Tli;it the Evil Principle is a Divine Agent.
"Happy the man who sees a Goil ernploy'd,
III 111! the good and ill that checkers life ;
Resolving all events wiiit their efltjcts,
And niar>ifold icsnils, into the will
And arbitration wise of the Supreme." — Cowper.
PROOFS.
'Behold I have created the smith that hloweth the coals
in the fire, and that bringeth forth the instrument for his
work: and I hate Created the Waster to Destroy.^ — Isa.
liv. 16.
'I am the Lord, and there is none else ! I form the Light,
and Create Darkness; I make Peace, [Good,'] and Create
Evil. I, the Lord, do all these things.' — Isa. xlv. 6, 7.
'Shall we receive Goo^ at the hand of the Lord, and shall
we not receive Evil?' — Job ii. 13.
'Shall there be Evil in a city and ^/^c Lordhviih not done
it?' — Amos iii. 6.
'The Lord hath Created even the Wicked for the day of
Evil.' — Prov. xvi. 4. 'God, in Avhose hand is our breath,
and WHOSE are all our ways.'' — Dan. v. 23. For, '/?i Him
we live, and biove, and have our being.' — Acts xvii. 23.
'Affliction cometh not forth from the dust, neither doth
Trouble spring out of the ground.' — Job v. 6. 'The Lord
gave, and the Lord hath taken away ; blessed be the name
of the Lord.'— Job i. 22. Yet all the sore afflictions Avhich
it was the misfortune of this good man to suffer, are in other
places, ascribed to a personification called Satan, (i. 6—12;
ii. 1--8; xxiii. 14, &c.) Granting the actual existence of a
REASONS FOR OUR HOPE. 195
spiritual beins^ or bsings who are messengers of evil doing,
it must be admitted, if its believer acknowledges the Sove-
reignty of God and Good, that such beings are as much de-
penieiit and suborcUnile creatures as we are, and are there-
fore ordained by Him, for wise and benign purposes, although
they cause temptation, sinning, delusion, and suffering, and
can do nothing except by permission and commission. See
1 Sam. xix. 9 ; Judges ix. 23.
'The law entered that the offence might abound.' — Rom.
V. 20. The Creation wns made subject to vanity; - - - God
hath subjected i\\Q Creation to the Bondage of Corruption. —
Rom. viii. 22. The spirit of man is sown in Dishonour. —
1 Cor. XV. 51.
'[ find then,' says Paul, 'a law ['in the flesh,'] that when
I woulil do good, [that is, when he would obey the natural
impulses of the souU\ evil is present with me. For I delight
in the law of God after the [promptings of] the inner man,
[the soul.'\ But I see another law, in my tnembers, warring
against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity
to THE LAW OF SIN, which is in my members. [The apostle
here represents sinning to be a natural, fixed law of this
weak, mortal boJy.] Who shall deliver me, (exclaims he,)
from the body of this death ? God, I thank, through Jesus
Christ our Lord. So, then, loith theinind, I serve the law
of Go 1 ; hwiioiththefiesh, the Law of Sin.' — Rom. vii.
21 --25.
'When Jesus dipped the sop, he gave it to Judas Iscariot,
after v.'hich Satan [the temptation] entered into him.' — .John
xiii. 26. 'None of thein is lost [from his apnstleship] but
the son of perdition, that the Script ztr es viight be Fulfilled.'
— xvii. S. 'Those things which God had shmvn by the
mouth of all His Prophets, that Christ should suffer. He
hath so Fufilled.' — Acts iii. IS. 'Him being delivered by
THE Determinate Counsel and Foreknoivledge of God,
ye have taken, and by wicked hands have crucified and
slain.' — Acts ii. 23. 'Against thy holy child Jesus, whom
Thou hast anointed, both Herod and Pontius Pilate, with
the Gentiles and the People of Israel, were gathered together
196 REASONS FOR OUR HOPE.
for to do lokatsoever Thy hand and Thy Counsel befork
Determined to bj: done.' — iv. 28.
'The Lord had appointed to defeat the good counsel of
Ahiihopcl, \o the intent that the Lord might bring evil upon
Absalom.'— 2 Sam. xvii. 14.
'And I heard the voice of the Lord, saying, - - Malire 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 hearts, and be
converted and healed.' — Isa. vi. 8—10. Is not this a plain
evidence that the unbelief of the Jews is in accordance with
the most wise Purpose of the Lord ? Do yon not recollect
that, 'As many as were ordained to eternal life [only,] be-
lieved ?'— Acts xiii. 48; see Rom. viii. 29, 30; ix. 18.
'And the Lord said unto Moses, Go in unto Pharaoh, for
I have hardened his heart, and the heart of his servants, [this
is a proof against unlimited freeAvill,] that I might show these
signs before him.' — Exod. x. 1. 'He turned their heart to
hate His people, to deal subtly with His servants.' — Ps.
cv. 25.
'And the Lord said, Thou shalt entice him, and thou
shalt also prevail ; go out and do even so. Now therefore,
behold, the Lord hath put a lying spirit in the mouth of
these thy prophets, and the Lord hath spoken evil against
thee.'-- 2 Chron. xviii. 21, 22.
"Ciin imperfection from Perfection rome ?
Can God make ouiilit less perfect ihan Himself? —
Tliere are in all thinirs but iliese three proportions.
The grr.ater, equal, less. God could not make
A God above Himself, nor Equal vviili —
And ilms is He necessitaiely Highest.
So, if He make, it must be lesser minds.
Little and less, from angels down to men.
Whose natures are imperfect, as His Own
Must be All PiM-fe';!. These tsvo slates are not
Except as whole unto its parts, opposed ;
And Evil is itself ?(0 ill, unless
Creation be. Is God then Evil's author ?
Only as evil conies from imperfection.
And imperfection from the tiiinirs He halh made.
And wiiat He hath made, from His will to make." — Bailey.
REASONS FOR OUR HOPE, 197
2.1. That God overiiiles all Evil in Good.
"We only know tlial God's best Purposes,
Are olien wionij;rit tlirouuli Jrciide^t. means, and sinful.
la thunder evil, and ihe de^v divine ?
Does viilue lie in sunshine, sin in storm ?
Is not each natural, needful, wisest, best ?
How know we what is evil from wliat good ?" — Festtts.
'The sufferings of this present world are not worthy to be
compared, ['are nought m comparison with'] the Glory that
SHALL be revealed in us.'— Rom. viii. IS.
'For our light affliction which is for a moment, icorheth
for 7is a far more exceeding eternal weight of Glory.' — 2
Cor. iv. 17.
'Thus saith the Lord, as I have brought all this great Evil
upon this people, so will I bring upon them all the Good
that I have Promised" them.' — Jer. xxxii. 42. 'I kill, and 1
7nake alive ; I wound, and I heal.''— Dent, xxxii. 39.
'Weeping may endure for a night, but Joy cometh in the
morning.'~Ps. xxx. 6.
'It is good for me that I have been afflicted, that I might
learn Thy Stattifes.^ — Ps. cxix. 71.
'The Lord hath torn, and He will heal us; He hath
smitten, and Fie will bind us up.'— Hos. vi. 1. 'He maketh
sore, and bindeth up; He v/oundeth, and His hands make
whole.' — Job V. IS. 'The Lord killeth, and maketh alive;
He bringath down to hell, and bringeth up. The Lord ma-
keth poor, and maketh rich ; He bringeth low, and lifteth
up.'— 1 Sam. ii. 6,7. 'Though He slay me, yet will I trust
in Him.' — Job xiii. 15.
'It shall come to pass, that like as I have watched over
them to pluck up, and to break through, and to throw down,
and to destroy, and to afflict, so will I watch over them to
build and to plant, saith the Lord.' — Jer. xxxi. 2S.
'But, where Sin abounded, Grace did much more abound.
That as Si« hath reigned unto death, even so might grace
reign through righteousness unto eternal life.'— Rom. v. 21.
'Ye thought evil against me, [said Joseph to his wicked
brethren,] but God meant it unto good.'— Gen. xl. 20.
'Surely, the wrath of man shaU praise \^Glorify'\ Thee,
12
198 REASONS FOR OUR HOPE.
and the remainder of wralh shah Thou restrain. '—Ps. Ixvi.
10. 'Then saiih Je.siis unto Satan, [the spirit of temptation,]
Get thee hence ; for it is written, ihou shaU worship, \glo-
rify] the Lord THY God, and Him only shah thou serve*
—Mat. iii. 10.
'For a small moment have I Forsaken thee, but ivith
Great Mercies will I gather thee ; in a little wrath I hid My
iajze ^o\ a moment ; but with everlasting kindness will I
have Mercy on thee, sailh thy Redeemer. '---Isa. liv. 7,8.
'The casting away of the Jews is the Reconciling of the
World:— ^om. xi. "11--15. Through the disbelief of the
Jews the kingdom of God was rnme to the Election, (the
rest being blinded,) that the whole body of both Jews and
Gentiles should thereby ultimately obtain salvation.— 11th
of Romans.
The conditions of Joseph, Job, and others were finally
much exalted through their mhfortunes, and it is through
the Sufcrings of Christ, aud consequently also, through the
cr2OTC.9"attondin<i- those sufferings, that the Glory of salvation
to 'All Flesh,'~and 'All Kindreds,' of 'the Whole World,'
shall follow.— I Pet. i. 11, iii. 18, &c.
'God is faithful, and will not suffer you to be tempted
above that ye are able ; but will with the temptation, also
provide a way of release, that ye may be able to bear it.'—
1 Cor. X. 13.'
' Trihdation loorketh patieiice, and patience, experience,
and experience, hope. '---Rom. v. 3.
'Our unrifihtcousness comvicndcth the righteousness of
God. - - The Truth of God hath more abounded through my
lie,' (misbelief.)— Rom. iii. 5, 7.
♦•Evil is to God, what lightning is to light ;
Lijliining slays one thing. Liyiit inukes a// things live ;
Bear iheii thy nef^essary ills with grace ;
No positive estate or principle
Is evil,— debtor wholly for it? heing
And nipasiiie to defect, — dcf«ct to good.
Whit God direct Iv makes must e'er be good.
And what is ffood, in whole, or put. He loves
And ninst ; tlie others arc but ofl'-siioots. ///
/.< liniitcrl. What pow'r eoidd form a scheme
Of universal evil, or eternal ?"— Bailey.
KEASONS FOR OUR HOPE. 199
OBJECTION.
'What shall we say, then 1 Sliall we continue in sin that Grace may
alioiind 1 — Shall we sin because we are not under law, but under
Grace V— Rom. vi. 1, 15.
ANSWER.
'We be slanderously reported, and some [even] affirm that
we say, Let us do evil, that good 7/iay come : whose con-
demnation is just.' — iii. 8. 'Whereas we preach, warning
every man, and teaching every man in all wisdom,'— Col. ii.
28, 'Even as our beloved brother Paul also hath written unto
you, according to the wisdom given unto him,' -2 Pet. iii.
15, 'Know ye not, that to whomsoever ye yield yourt-elves
servants to obey, his servavts ye are whom ye do obey ? —
whether of Sin, unto Deaths or of Obedience, unto Right-
eous7iess? — When ye were servants of Sin, ye were free
from Righteousness. What [good] fruit had ye then, in
those things whereof ye are now ashamed ? for the end
[effect] thereof was death. But now, being made free from
Sin, and become servants of God, ye haze your fruit unto
holiness, and the end thereof, everlasting life. [For, 'he that
believelh on Him, hath everlasting life, — is parsed from
death unto life, — receives the end of his faith, even the
salvation of his soul.' — John iii. 36, v. 24, 1 Pet. i. 9.] —
But, the wages [pay] of Sin, is leath ; but the gift of God
is eternal life, through Jesus Christ our Lord.' — Rom. vi.
16, 21--23.
'Aftirming constantly also, that they which believe in [the
impartial goodness of] God, ought to be careful to maintain
good works ; for these things, [and these only,} are good
and profitable unto men.' — Titus iii. 8 ; that 'the Grace
of God that bringeth Salvation to All Men which hath ap-
peared, teacheth us to live soberly, righteously, and godly
in this present world.'— ii. 11 ; that 'we ought to love God,
[not in fear of His 'terrors,' and in order to pacify Him, and
gain His favor and reward, but] because He first loved us. ^ —
1 John iv. 19 ; that 'having such great and precious Prom-
ises, we should cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the
flesh, perfecting holiness in the fear of the Lord,' — 2 Cor. vii.
1; that we should 'increase and abound in love toward one
200 REASONS FOU OUR HOPE.
another and towards All Men,' because God is a 'Father,' —
1 Thess. iii. 12, 13 ; that 'IN keeping the Commandments
there is great reward,' — Ps. xix. 11.
'I have been young', (said David,) and now am old ; yet
have I not seen the righteous forsaken, or his seed begging
bread.'— Ps. xxxvii. 25. But, 'it loitheretk, the paths o(
all that forget God.' — Job vii. 28.
"My times are in Thy hand ! most precious thought !
This will I wear as Memory's briiihtest gem :
All things are Thine, and workin^i for my good ;
Nor would I wish to alter, if I could,
One cloud, one sunbeam of my earthly day." — Hemans.
PROPOSITION THIRTY-FIFTH.
Lniversal Redemption is the Result of Infinite
GOODNESS.
EVIDENCES.
'The Lord is Good.' — Ezra iii. 11 ; Nahum i. 7, &c.
His Goodness is Great.
'They delighted themselves in Thy Great Goodness.' —
Neh. ix. 25. 'Oh, how Great is Thy Goodness.' — Ps. xxi.
19. 'They shall abundantly utter the memory of Thy
Great Goodness, and shall sing of Thy Righteousness.' —
Ps. cxlv. 7. 'I will mention the loving-kindnesses of the
Lord, and the praises of the Lord, accordinaf to all that the
Lord hath bestowed on us, and the Great Goodness toward
the house of Israel which He hath bestowed on them, ac-
cording to His Mercies, according to the multitude of His
lovino--kindnesses. For He said, Surely they are My Peo-
ple, children ; children that will err no more : so He was
their Saviour.' — Isa. Ixiii. 7, 8. 'How Great is His Good-
ness ! how great His beauty !' — Zech. ix. 17.
ABUNDANT.
'The Lord God, Merciful and Gracious, Long-suffering,
and Abundant in Goodness and Truth, keeping Mercy for
thousands, Forgiving iniquity,' &c. — Ex. xxxiv. 6.
REASONS FOR OUR HOPE. 201
PROLIFIC.
'Thou crownest the year with Thy Goodness, and Thy
paths drop fatness. They drop upon the pastures of the
Wilderness, and the little hills rejoice on every side. The
pastures are clothed with flocks; the valleys also are cover-
ed, over with corn ; they shout for joy, and sing.' — Ps. Ixv.
11—13. 'Thou openest Thy hand, and they are Jilled w'ith
Good.' — Ps. civ. 28. 'The Earth is Jnll of the Goodness
of the Lord.' — Ps. xxxiii. 5. 'Despiscst thou the Riches of
His Goodness, and Forbearance, and Long-suffering?' —
Rom. ii. 4. Beneficent Deity ! how long will the people of
Christendom continue to iiniit and undervalue the inex-
haustible treasures of Thy Goodness!
'• 'Tis thus, that by creating to and from
Eternity, and rnultrplying ever
His own One Being through the Universe,
He doth eternize happiness, and make
Good infinite, by making All in Hirn.
There is but one great Riglit and Good, — and III
And Wrong are but the shades, not substances.
JVotking can be Anlagonisl to God.^' — Festus.
PARENTAL.
'If a son shall ask bread, of any one of you that is a father,
will he give him a stone ? or if he ask a fish, will he for a
fish give him a serpent ? or if he shall ask an egg, will he
ofTer him a scorpion V — Luke xi. 11, 12. 'If ye, then, being
evil, know how to give Good gifts unto youi- children, koto
muck more shall your Father which is in Heaven, give
Good gifts to them that ask Him ?' — Mat. vii. 11. 'Your
Heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these
things,' (food, and raiment, and the Holy Spirit,) — Mat vi.
32, 'even before ye ask Him.' — verse 8.
IMPARTIAL AND UNIVERSAL.
'The Lord is Good unto All, and His tender mercies
are over All His Works.' — Ps. cxlv. 9. 'He giveth to
All, life, breath, and all things,' — Acts xvii. 25. 'He giv-
eth to All Men, liberally.' — James i. 5. 'He causeth His
sun to rise upon the Evil and upon the Good, and sendeth
His rain upon the Just and upon the Unjust.' — Mat. v. 45.
'Love ye your Enemies, and do Good, - - and ye shall be
202 REASONS FOR OUR HOPE.
the children of the Highest ; for He is Kind to the Unthank-
ful and the Evil.' — Luke v. 35. 'The profit of the earth i»
for All.' — Eccl. v. 9.
UNENDING.
'The Goodness of the Loril endureth Continually.'- -Fs.
lii. 1. 'Surely, Goodness and Mercy shall follow me all the
days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the Lord
forever.' — Ps. xxiii. 6.
UN.MIXED AND UNCHANGEABLE.
•Out of the month of the Most High proceedeth not Evil
and Good.' — L:im. iii. 3S. 'Doth a fountain send forth at
the sinii placj swicl w.iter and bitter? Can the (ij,^-lree
bear olive-berries? or a lounlain yield both salt water and
fresh ?'—Jas, iii. 11, 12. 'Even so, every Good Tree brino;-
eth forth Good fruit ; - - a GooJ tree cannot bring forth Evil
fruit.— Mat. vii. 18. 'This, then, is the message which we
have heard of Him, -.ind declare unto you, that God is Light,
ani in Htm is ?io Darkness at all.'' — Jas. i. 5. 'I am th»?
Lord, / Change not.'— Mai. iii. 10.
SUPREME.
'Why callest thou me Good ? There is 7wne Good, but
One, that is God.'— Mat. xix. 17; Luke xviii. 19.
CONSTITUTKS HIS GLORY.
'And Moses said, I beseech Thee show me Thy Glor7j.
And the Lord said, I will make all My Goodness to pass
before thee, and I will proclaim the name of the Lord liefore
thee; and I will be Gracious to -whom /7(!^Z/ be Gracious,' —
[even 'unto All,' for 'is it not lawful for Me to do what J
luill with Mine own ? is thine eye evil because I am Good .?']
— Exod. XXX iii. IS, 19.
PRODUCTIVE OF CONTRITION.
They despise the Riohes of His Goodness, 'not knowing
that^/te Goodness of Godleadeththee to Repentance.'— Worn.
ii. 4. 'It shall be to me a name of Joy, a Praise, aid an
Honor, before All the Nations of the Earth, which shal; hear
all the Good that I do unto them ; and they shall fear and
tremble for all the Goodness, and all the Prosperity that I
procure unto if.'— Jer. xxxiii. 9. 'Therefore shall thej:
REASONS FOR OUR HOPE. 203
come and sing in the height of Zion, and shall flow together
to THE Goodness of the Lord; and their souls shall be
as a watered garden ; and ihey shall not sorrow any more
at all.'— Jer. xxxi. 12. 'They shall fear the Lord, and His
Goodiicss, in the Latter Days.' — Hos. iii, 5.
CONCLUSION.
'My People shall be satisfied with My Goodness, saith
the Lord.'— Jer. xxxi. 14.
'Good and Upright is ihe Lord ; therefore, He will
teach Sinners in the jcay. '—Fs. xxv. 8.
'0, taste and see that ihe Lord is Good ; blessed is the
man that trusteth in Him.'— Ps. xxxiv. 8.
'0 that Men would Praise the Lord for His Goodness,
and for His vvonderiul works to the Children of Men ! For
He satisfieth the longing soul, and ^illeth the hungry soul
with Goodness. Such as sit in darkness, and in the shadow
of death, being bound in affliction and iron. Because they
rebelled against the words of God, and contemned the coun-
sel of the Most High, therefore He brought down their heart
with la\)or ; they fell down, and there was none to help.
Then thfcy cried unio the Lord in their trcuble, and He
Saved them out of their distresses. He brought them
out of Darkness, and the shadow of death, and break their
bands in sunder.— 0, that Men would Praise the Lord for
His Gooilness, and for His wonderful works to the children
of men !'— Ps. cviuh.
'Praise Ye the Lord ! O, give thanks unto the Lord, for
He is Good : for His Mercy enuureth Forever.'— Ps. cvi. 1.
"0, let thy soul
Reinember, what tli« Will of Heav'n ordains,
I.H ever Good for Ail ; and if for All,
Then good for thee." * » *
* * * "Behold the ways
Of Heaven's eternal destiny to Man, —
Forever just, benevolent, and kind !" — Akenside.
204 REASONS FOR OUR HOPE.
PROPOSITION THIRTY-SIXTH.
Universal Happiness is the Ultimate Effect of ike Infinite
MERCY.
EVIDENCES.
'The Lord is Merciful.'-— Jonah iv. 2 ; Joel ii. 15, &c.
His Mercy is Great.
'Lot us fall now into the hands of the Lord ; for His Mer-
cy is very Great ; but let me not fall into the hands of man.*
— 1 Chron. xxi. 13 ; 2 Sam. xxiv. 14. 'And Moses prayed
unto the Lord, - - Pardon, I beseech Thee, the iniquity of
this People, according to the Greatness of Thy Mercy.' —
Numb. xiv. 19. 'For a small moment have I forsaken thee,
but with Great Mercies will I gather thee. In a little wrath
I hid My face from thee for a moment ; but with everlasting
Kindness will I have Mercy upon thee, saith the Lord, thy
Redeemer.' — Isa. liv. 7, 8. 'We do not present our suppli-
cations before Thee for our own righteousness, but for Thy
Great Mercies.'— Dan. ix. 48. 'Thy Mercy is Great, unto
the heavens, and Thy Truth unto the clouds-' — Ps. Ivii. 10.
MULTITUDINOUS.
'Nevertheless, He regarded their affliction when He heard
their cry, and He remembered for them His Covenant, ac-
cording to the Multitude of His Mercies.'— Ts. cvi. 45. '0
God, in the Multitude of Thy Mercies, hear me, in the
truth of Thy Salvation.'— Ps. "ixix. 13. 'Though He cause
grief, yet will He have Compassion, according to the Multi-
tude of His Mercies.'—Ldim. iii. 32. 'They remembered
not the Multitude of Thy Mercies, but even provoked Him ;
nevertheless, He saved them for His name's sake, that He
might make His Mighty Power to be known.'— Ps. cvi. 7, 8.
'As for me, I will come" into Thy house in the Multitude of
Thy Mercy.'— Ps. v. 7.
PLENTEOUS.
'The Lord is Merciful and Gracious, slow to anger, and
Plenteous in Mercy. He will not always chide, neither
vill He Keep anger Forever.'— Ps. ciii. 8. 'Thou, Lord,
REASONS FOR OUR HOPE. 205
art Good, and ready to forgive, and Plenteous in Mercy to
all tliem that call upon Thee.' — Ps. Ixxxvi. 5. 'With the
Lord there is Merc7j, and with Him there is Plenteous
Redemption.' — cxxx. 7.
RICH AND MANIFOLD.
'God, who is Rich in Mercy.' — Eph. ii. 4. 'They had
wrought great provocations, yet Thou, in Thy Manifold
Mercies, f'orsookest them not in the Wilderness.' — Neh. ix.
19. 'According to Thy Manifold Mercy, Thou savedst
them.' — 27. 'Minister thy gifts one to another, as good
stewards of the Ma?iifold Grace [Mercy] of God.' — 1 Pet.
iv. 10. 'The Exceeding Riches of His Grace, [Mercy,] in
His Kindness toward us, through Jesus Christ.' — Eph. ii. 7.
FULL, ABUNDANT. UNIVERSAL.
'The earth, Lord, is Full of Thy Mercy.' — Ps. cxix. 64.
'According to His Abundant Mercy, He hath begotten Us
unto a lively Hope.' — 1 Pet. i. 3. 'The wisdom that is from
above is Full of Mercy.' — .Tas. iii. 17. 'According to His
Mercy He saved us, which He shed on us Abundaiithj,
through Jesus Christ our Saviour.' — Titus iii. 6. 'Let him
return unto the Lord, and He will have Mercy upon him ;
anil to our God, for He will Abundantly Pardon.' — Is. Iv. 7.
'The Grace [Mercy] of our Lord was exceeding Abundant.'
1 Tim. i. 14. 'His tender Mercies are over j^Z/Hzi' Works.'
— Ps. cxlv. 9. 'That He might have Mercy upon AW —
Rom. xi. 32. 'The Grace [MercTj] of God bringelh Salva-
tion to All Men.' — Titus ii. 11.
LOFTY.
'Thy Mercy is great unto the Heavens, and Thy Faith-
fulness reacheth unto the clouds.' — Ps. xxxvi. 5; cviii. 4.
GOOD AND SURE.
'Because Thy Mercy is Good, deliver Thou me.' — Ps.
cix. 21. . 'I will make an Everlasting Covenant with thee,
even the Sure Mercies of [Messias, the seed of] David.'—
Isa. Iv. 3; Acts xiii. 34.
TENDER.
'The Lord is very Pitiful, and of Tender Mercy.^— 3ns. v.
11. '0 Lord, Thy loving-kindness is good; turn unto me
M
206 RKASONS FOR OUR HOPE.
according to the Multitude of Thy Tender Mercies.''— Vs.
Ixix. 16. 'Wilhliold not Thou Thy tender mercies from ine,
Lord ; let Thy loving-kindnesses and Thy truth continu-
ally preserve me.'— .\1. ll. 'Will the Lord cast off forever ?
and will He be favorable no more? Is His Mercy clean
gone forever ? or hath he in anger shut up His tender Mer-
cies? And I said, This is my infirmity !'—lxxvii. 7-10.
'Great are Thy Tender Mercies, O Lord.'— cxix. 456. 'Let
Thy tender mercies come unto me that I may live.' — 77.
'Let Thy tender mercies speedily prevent [quicken] us, for
we are brought very low. Help us, O God of our Salva-
tion, for the Glory of Thy name, and deliver us, and Purge
away our sins for Thy name's sake ; wherefore should the
heathen say. Where is their God?'— Ixxix. 8-10. 'Bless
the Lord, my soul, and forget not all His benefits : who
Forgivelh all thine iniquities, who Healeth all thy diseases,
who redeemeth thy life from destruction, who crowneth thee
with loving-kindness and Tender Mercies.'— cm. 2—4.
ETERNAL.
'Thy tender Mercies, and Thy loving-kindnesses have
ever been of Old.''— Ps. xxv. 6. 'The Lord is Good ; His
Mercy is Everlasting ; and His Truth endureth to All Gen-
erations.' — c. 5. 'The Lord will perfect that which con-
cerneth me : Thy Mercy, O Lord, endtircth Forever; Thou
forsakest not the works of Thine own hands.'— cxxxviii. 8.
'His Compassions fail not. '—ham. iii. 22. '0, give thanks
unto the Lord, for He is Good ; for His Mercy endureth
Forever.' — Ps. cxviii. L 'The voice of joy, and the voice
of gladness; the voice of the bridegroom, and the voice of
the' bride ; and the voice of them that shall say, Praise the
Lord of Hosts. For the Lord is Good : for His Mercy en-
dureth Forever.'— lev. xxxiii. IL 'I will sing of the Mer-
cies of the Lord Forever, and make known Thy Faithful-
ness to All Generations; for I have said, Mercy shall be
Built up Forever ; Thy Faithfulness Thou shalt establish
in the heavens.'— Ps. Ixxxix. 2. 'The throne of God in the
heavens is Forever ;' 'in Mercy shall Thy throne be estab-
lished.'— Lam. V. 19 ; Isa. xvi. 5. 'And they sung together
by course, praising and giving thanks unto the Lord ; be-
REASONS FOR OUR HOPE. 207
cause He is Good, for His Mercy endureth Forever.'— Ezra
iii. 11. Also 136th Psalm, and elsewhere.
REFORMATORY.
'By Mercy and Truth Iniquity is Purged.' — Prov. xvi. 6.
CONCLUSION.
'He shall deliver the Neerhj when he crieth ; the poor also,
and him that hath no helper. He shall spare the Poor and
Needy, and shall save the souls o^the Needy ; He shall Re-
deem their soul from deceit and violence, and precious shall
be their blood in His sight.'— -Ps. Ixxii. 12--14.
'Sing, heavens, and be joyful, earth, and break forth
into singing, O mountains ! for the Lord hath comforted His
People, and will have Mercy on His afflicted.' — Isa. xlix, 13,
'I will have Mercy upon those that had not obtained Mer-
cy. '—Hos. ii. 22, &c.
'Then said the Lord unto Jonah, Thou hast had pity on
the gourd, for which thou hast ?io; labored, neither mad'st it
grow, Avhich come up in a night, and perished in a night:
And should not I have Mercy upon Ninevah, that great city,
wherein are more than six-score thousand persons, that can-
not discern between their right hand and their left, and also
much cattle ?'— Jonah iv. 10, 11.
'I will have Mercy, and not Sacrifice.' — Mat. ix. 13; Hos.
vi. 6. 'I came not to Destroy, but to Save.'
'I trust in the Mercy of God forever and ever. I will
praise Thee forever because thou hast done it.' — Ps. Hi. 8.
'I have trusted in Thy Mercy; my heart shall rejoice in
Thy Salvation.'— Ps. xiii. 8.
'The Lord talceth pleasure in them that fear Him, in those
that Hope in His Mercy.' — Ps. cxlvii. 11. 'Behold, the
eye of the Lord is upon them that Hope in His Mercy.' —
Ps. xxxiii. 18.
'He retaineth not His anger forever, because He delight-
ETH IN Mercy.' — Micah vii. 18. 'I am the Lord, which
exerciseth judgment, loving-kindness, and righteousness, for
in these things /Delight, saith the Lord.' — Jer. ix. 24. Is
it reasonable, now, to believe that the Lord will forever de-
prive Himself of the exercise of that which affords Him
208 REASONS FOR OUR HOPE.
Delight ? Yet such is the doctrine of that faith which
teaches that all the achievements and efForts of Divine Mer-
cy, are limited lo this weak, hand-breadlh existence.
'Let Israel Hope in the Lord ; for with the Lord there is
Mercy, and with Him there is Plknteous Rkdebiption. And
He shall Redeem Israel from all his iniquities.'— cxxx. 7, 8.
'He hath concluded All in Unbelief, that He might have
Meraj upon All.'— Rom. xi. 32. 'That as Sin hath reigned
unto death, even so might Grace [Mercy] reign, through
righteousness, unto eternal life, by Jesus Christ our Lord.'
—Rom. v. 2L
"Art tliou sui'e.
That Mercy, which forever must endure,
Extends no longer (o the sons of men,
Than ihe short life of threescore years and len ?
Is such God's Hivor towards His creature man ?
His wrath eternal, and His love a span ?"
PROPOSITION THIRTY-SEVENTH.
Jjniversal Holiness is the Work of the Infinite JUSTICE.
EVIDENCES.
Ye who turn Jijdgmknt to wormwood :iiid gall, and the fruit of Ricirr-
eousiiess into Sittcrnens. — Amos v. 7; vi. 12.
'God is Just,' — Deut. xxxii. 4 ; 'Righteous,' — Rev. xvi.
4; 'Equitable.' — Ps. xcviii. 9. 'A Just weight and bal-
ance are the Lord's.' — Prov. xvi. 4. 'A false Balance is an
aboinination to the Lord ; but a Jtist balance is His de-
light.' — xi. 11.
'Shall mortal man be more just than God ? shall a man be
?no?-e pure than his Maker?' — Job iv. 17. 'Shall not the
Judge of all the earth do right?' — Gen. xviii. 25. 'Will
the Lord cast off forever ?' 'Will He reserve anger forever V
'Wilt Thou forsake the work of Thine own hands ?'
'Far be it from God that He should do wickedly; from
the Almighty that He should commit iniquity. Yea, surely,
God will not do wickedly, neither will the Almighty per-
vert judgment.'' — Job xxxiv. 10--12. 'He Avill not lay upon
man more than right, that he should enter into judgment
REASONS FOR OUR HOPE. 209
with Him.' — verse 23. 'Thie Lord will not cast off forever.'
*He will not keep anger forever.' 'Yea, a woman may for-
get to have compassion upon the son of her womb, but I
will not forget thee.' 'I will nex^er leave thee nor forsake
thee.'
'To turn aside the Right of a man from before the face
of the Most High, to subvert a man in his cause, the Lord
approveth not.' — Lam. iii. 36. 'The Almighty is excellent
in Judgment, and in 'plenty of Justice ; He will not [cruelly]
afflict.' — Job xxxvii. 23. 'He will do Justice to the Afflicted
and Needy.' — Ps. Ixxxvi. 3.
'If thou seest the oppressor of the Poor, and the violent
perverting of judgment and Justice, [among men,'\ marvel
not ; but He that is Higher than the Highest regardcth.' —
Ec. V. a
"A worm hath ricrhts,
A kintj cannot despoil him of, nor anuht ;
Yet wroiiHS are lliin<;s neccfsitale, like wants,
And oft are well permitled to best ends.
A double error sometimes sets us right." — Festus.
His Judgments are True, Righteous, Right, Upright.
'He hath prepared His throne for Judgment, and He shall
Judge the World hi Righteousness ; He shall ininister Judg-
ment to the People in Uprightness. The Lord will be a
Refuge for the Oppressed, a Refuse in times of trouble.' —
Ps. ix. 7-9.
'The Judgments of the Lord are Tj-jie, and Righteous al-
together. More to be desired are they than gold, yea, than
much fine gold. Sweeter, also, than honey or the honey-
comb. Moreover, by them is thy servant warned,' [restrain-
ed.]— Ps. xix. 9-11.
'0, worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness! fear be-
fore Him, All the Earth. Say among the Heathen., The
Lord reigneth ! The World also shall be established that
it shall not be moved. He shall Judge the People Righ-
teously. Let the heavens Rejoice, and let the earth be glad,
let the sea roar, and the fulness thereof. Let the field be
joyful, and all that is therein ; then shall all the trees of the
210 REASONS FOR OUR HOPE,
wood rejoice before the Lord. For He cometh, for He com-
eth to Judge the Earth ; He shall Judge the world with
righteousness, and The People with His truth.' — Ps. xcvi.
9--13.
'Lord God Almighty, true and righteous are Thy Judg-
ments.' — Rev. xvi. 7.
'I shall praise Thee when I shall have learned Thy righ-
teous Judgments.' — Ps. cxix. 7, 62. 'I know, O Lord, that
Thy Judgments are Right, that Thou in faithjulness hast
afflicted me.' — verse 75. 'Righteous art Thou, O Lord,
and Ujjright are Thy Judgments.' — verse 137.
His Justice is Merciful, and leads to Forgiveness.
'Unto thee, O Lord, belongest Mercy, for Thou rcndercst
to every man according to his work.' — Ps. Ixii. 12.
'The Lord God is Merciful and Gracious, long-suffering,
and abundant in Goodness and Truth, keeping Mercy for
thousands, Forgiving iniquity, transgression, and sin, and
that will EY NO means clear the Guilty.' — Ex. xxxiv. 6, 7.
'Thou wast a God that Forgavest them, though Thou
tookesl Vengeance of their inventions.' — Ps. xcix. 8.
'Comfort ye, comfort ye My people, saith your God. —
Speak ye comfortably to Jerusalem, and cry unto her, that
her warfare is accomplished, her iniquity is Pardoned: for
she hath received of the Lord's hand double for all her sins.'
— Isa. xl. 1, 2.
'I will recompense their iniquity and their sin, doiille.—
Therefore, behold, I will cause them to Know, I tvill cause
them to Knoio My hand and my might, and they shall know
that My name is The Lord.' — Jer. xvi. 18, 21.
'God shall bring every work into Judgment, with cA-ery
secret thing.' — Ec. xii. 14. Yet the Promise is, 'I will
Cleanse them from all their iniquity, whereby they have
sinned against me ; and I will Pardon all their iniquities,
whereby they have sinned, and whereby they have trans-
gressed against me.' — Jer. xxxiii. 8.
^ Siijficioit to him is this Punishment, so that ye ought
contrariwise to Forgive him.'' — 2 Cor. ii. 7.
'The Lord is of Great Mercy, Forgiving iniquity and
REASONS FOR OUR HOPE.
211
transgression, but by no means clearing the guilty.' —
Numb. xiv. IS.
'A Just God, AND a Savioicr.'—Isa.. xlv. 21. 'He is
Just, to Forgive our si/is.' — 1 John i. 9. 'A Just God,'
and yet 'the Justifier of the ungodly.^ — Rom. iv. 5, Gal. iii-
8, &c.
"When Time and Death o'ercome the ills of man.
Shall God, who is all Love, reverse, reserve,
In cruel fires, ages hence, those crimes?
^And crown the acme of all ill with vvoea
Unending, for an instantaneous wrong ?
Shall that be Justice ? Il were more than Vengeance '.
Yet such the Deity men fable, such
The Hell whereto they damn themselves." — Festxjs.
His Justice is an Attribute of Salvation.
'Justice and Judgment are the habitation of Thy throne.
(For) Mercy ancl Truth shall go before Thy face. Blessed
is the People that know the joyful sound ; they shall walk,
O Lord, in the light of Thy countenance.' — Ps. Ixxxix. 14.
'When Thy Judgments are in the earth, the inhabitants
of the world toill learn Righteousness. Let favour be shown
to the wicked, will he not learn righteousness ? In the
land of y/^r/o-A^/icss will he deal unjustly ? for will he not
behold the majesty of the Lord ? Lord, when Thy hand is
lifted up, loill they not see ? They shall see, and be asham-
ed for their malice toward the people ; yea, the fire of Thine
enemies shall devour [melt, renovate,] them. Lord, Thou
wilt ordain Peace for us, because Thou hast also wrought
all our works in us.' — Isa. xxvi. 9-12.
'■Judgment will I lay to the line, and Jiighteousness to the
plummet, and the hail shall sivecp away the refuge of lies,
and the waters [of purification] shall overflow the hiding-
places. And your covenant with death shall be disannadled^
and your acfreement with hell shall not stand.^ — Isa. xxviii.
17, 18.
'Zion shall be Redeemed loith Judgment, and her con-
verts with Righteousness.' — Isa. i. 27.
'Rejoice greatly, daughter of Zion ; shout, O daughter
Sl^ REASONS FOR OUR HOPE.
of Jerusalem ! Behold, thy King- cometh unto thee ; He is
Just, and having Salvation.^ — Zech. ix. 9.
'The Lord shtrU have washed away the filth of the daugh-
ter of Zion, and shall have Purged the filth of the blood of
Jerusalem, by the spirit of Judgment, and the spirit of burn-
ing.' — Isa. iv. 4.
'It is not in inan that walkcth to direct his steps. O
Lord, correct me, bnt ivith judgment, not in anger, [not vm-
dictively,] lest Thou bring me to nothing.' — Jer. x. 2^ 24.
The Jews themselves shall overcome when the^ are
Judged.' — Rom. iii. 4. 'When we are judged, we are chas-
tened of the Lord.' — 1 Cor. xi. 32.
'Therefore I will Judge you, O house of Israel, everyone
according to his ways saith the Lord God, - - and make you
a new heart and a nev/ spirit.' — Ezek. xviii. 30, 3L
'He shall Judge Thy people with righteousness, and Thy
Poor with judoment; the mountains shall bring Peace to
the People.'— Ps. Ixxii. 2, 3.
'I have put My Spirit upon him, he shall bring forth
Judgment to the Gentiles ; — he shnll bring forth Judgment
unto truth. — To open the blind eyes,' &c. — Isa. xlii. 1, 3.
'He shall send forth Judgment unto Victory, and in his
name shall the Gentiles trust.'— Mat. xii. 18.
'Therefore will the Lord wait, that He may be Gracious
unto you, and therefore will He be exalted, because He will
have Mercy upon you. For the Lord is a God of Judg-
ment.'— Isa. XXX. 18.
'A Law shall proceed from Me, and I will make My
Judgment to rest for a light of the People. My righteous-
ness is near, My Salcation has gone forth, and Mine arm
shall Judge the People.' — Isa. li. 4, 5.
'I have slain them by the words of My mouth ; and My
Judgments mxe as theUght that goeth forth. For I desired
Mercy, and not Sacrifice.'— Hos. vi. 5, 6.
'They shall see the Glory of the Lord, and the Excellency
of our God. Strengthen ye the weak hands, and confirm
the feeble knees. Say to them that are of a fearful heart,
Be strong, fear not! behold your God will come with Ven-
geance, even God with a Recompense: He will come and
REASONS FOR OUR HOPE. 213
Save You. Then the eyes o( \he blind shall be opened,
and the ears of the c?ea/ shall be unstopped. Then shall the
la7?ie vian leap as an hart, and the tongue of the dumb shall
sing'.'— Isa. xxxv. 2-6.
'My soul breaketh, for the longing it hath for Thy Judg-
ments.' — Ps. cxix. 20. 'Thy Judgments are Good.'' — 39.
'QMZc^e?i me according to Thy Judgments.' — 149. 'Let
Thy Judgments help me.' — 175.
MARVELLOUS, "WISE, AND IMMEASURABLE.
'Thy Judgments are far above, out of sight.'— Ps. x. 5.
•No man can find out the work that God maketh from the
beginning to the end.'— Ec. iii. 11. 'Yea, further ; though
a wise man think to know it, yet shall he not be able to
find it.'— viii. 17. 'Can'st thou by searching find out God?
can'st thou find out the Almighty unto perfection 1 He is
higher than Heaven, what can'st thou do ? deeper than She-
ol, what can'st thou know ?'— Job xi. 7, 8.
'Thy Righteousness is \\Vq ihe great moimtaijis ; Thy
Judgments are a great deep. Lord, Thou preserves!
man and beast. How excellent is Thy loving-kindness,
God! therefore the children of men put their trust under
the shadow of Thy wings. They shall be abundantly satis-
fied with the fatness of Thy House ; and Thou shalt make
ihem drink of the River of Thy pleasure.'— Ps. xxxvi. 6-8.
'Our God will abundantly pardon. For My thoughts are
not your thoughts, neither are your [selfish, evil] ways, My
ways, saith the Lord. For as the heavens are higher than
the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways, and My
thoughts than your thoughts.'— Isa. Iv. '7--9. 'O Lord, how
Great are Thy works! Thy thoughts are very Deep.'— Ps.
xcii. 5.
'O the depth of the Riches, both of the Wisdom and
Knowledge of God ! how unsearchable are His Judgments,
and His ways past finding out! For who hath known the
mind of the Lord ? or who hath been His counsellor? Or
who \\a\h first friven to Him, and it shall be recompensed to
him again? For OF HIM, and through him, and TO
13
214 EEASONS FOR OUR HOPE.
HIM are All Things, to Whom be Glory forever !'— Rom.
xi. 33-30.,
CONCLUSION.
It is tliroiigli the Justice unci JuDGMKNT of God that the Redeitiption
of Munkind will be Accoiupli.shcd ; the Great Spiritual Day of
Judgment was conimcnrcd at the Abrogation of the Mosaic. Econo-
my, uiien the throne of David yielded to the Kingdom of IMossias,—
who shall Ileigr. and carry Forward the work of Judgmknt, until
all enemies are Subdued, and God becomes All in All.
'And Jesus said, For Judgment I am come into this
World, that they which see not, might see.'— John ix. 39,
'Now is the Julgment of this World; noiv shall the Prince
of this word be cast out. And I, if I be lifted up from the
Earth, will draw All Men unto me.'— xii. 81. 32. 'For
the time is come that Judgment must begin at the house of
God.'— 1 Pet. iv. 17.
'He hath appointed a Day, ['beloved, be not ignorant of
this one thing, that one day is with the Lord as a thousand
years, or a thousand years ^s one day.'] in which He will
Judge tlie World in Righteoiisness, by that man whom He
hath ordained ; whereby He hath given Assurance [of re-
demption] unto All Men, in that He hath raised him from
the dead.'— Acts xvii. 30, 31.
'The extortioner is at an end, the spoiler ccaseth, the op-
pressors are consumed out of the land. And in Mercy shall
the Throne be established ; and he shall sit upon it in truth
in the tabernacles of David, Judging, seeking Judgment,
AND HASTING RIGHTEOUSNESS.' Isa. Xvi. 4, 5.
'The Lord shall Judge the People ; - - Oh, let the Wick-
edness of the wicked come to an end.'' — Ps. ix. 8, 9.
'The Lord is our Judge, the Lord is our Lawgiver, the
Lord is our King: He will Save Us. - - And the inhabi-
tants shall not say I am sick ; the People that dwell therein
shall be Forgiven their Iniquity.'— Isa. xxxiii. 22, 24.
'My Determination is to Gather the Nations, that I may
aGSemble the kingdoins, to pour upon them Mine indigna-
tion, even all My fierce anger : for All the Earth shall be
devoured with the fire of My jealousy . For then will I turn
REASONS FOR OUR HOPE. 213
to The People a pure language, that they may All call upon
the Name of the Lord to Serve Him ivith one consent.'—
Zeph. iii. S, 9.
'Behold, the Lord will come with Fire, and with His
chariots like a whirlwind, to render His anger with fury,
and His rebuke with flames of ^Jre. For hy fire and by
sword will the Lord plead with All Flesh, and the slain of
the Lord shall be many. - - For I know their w^orks and
their thoughts. But it shall come that I ivill Gather All
Nations and Tongues, and they shall come and see My
Glory.'-Isa. Ixvi. 15-18.
'Art Thou not from Everlasting, my God, my Holy One?
We shall not die. O Lord, Tho\i hast ordained them for
Judgment ; and, Mighty God, Thou hast established
them for Correction. Thou art of purer eyes than to be-
hold [actual, eternal] Evil, and can'st not look [with recon-
ciliation] upon Iniquity.' — Hab, i. 12, 13.
'Out of Zion, the perfection of beauty, God hath shined.
Our God shall come, and shall not keep silence : a fire shall
devour before Him, and it shall he very tempestuous round
about Him. He shall call to the heavens from above, and
to the earth, that He may Judge His People. - - I will Re-
prove the wicked, and set their evils in order before their
eyes.'— Ps. 1.2-4,21,
'Arise, O God, let not man prevail ; let the heathen he
Judged in Thv sight.'— Ps. ix. 19.
'According to Thy Name, O God, so is Thy Prnise unto
the End of tlie Earth. Thy right hand is full of Eighteous-
ness. Let Zion Rejoice and be Glad because of Thy Judg-
ments.' — Ps. xlviii. 10, 11.
'Behold, the Lord cometh with ten thousands of his saints,
to execute Judgment upon All, and to convince all that are
ungodly among them of all their ungodly deeds, and of all
the hard speeches which ungodly sinners have spoken
against him.'— Jude 14, 15. ^'Behold, he cometh with
clouds ; and Every Eye shall see him, and they even which
pierced him; and All the Kindreds of the Earlh shall wail,
[lament, in penitence,] because of him. '--Rev. i. 7. 'The
righteous shall see it and Rejoice, and All Iniquity shall
216 REASONS FOR OUR HOPE.
Stop her moiitk. Whoso is wise, and will observe these
things, even they shall undersland the loving kindness of
the Lord.'— Ps. cvii. 42, 43.
'God shallJudge the righteous and the wicked; for there
is a time for every Purpose and for every work.'— Ec. iii.
17. And 'for this Purpose was the Son of God manifested,
that he might destroy the works of the devil,' and 'be the
Saviour of the World.'
'We shall All stand before the Judgment seat of Christ.
For it is written. As I live, saith the Lord, Every Knee
shall Bow to Me, and Every Tongue shall confess to God.'
—Rom. xiv. 10, 11. See Isa. xlv. 24.
'The Lord executeth Judgment and Righteousness for
All that are Oppressed.' — Ps. ciii. 6. 'The Lord God, which
executeth Judgment for the Oppressed.' — cxlvi. 7.
'The Creation was made subject to Vanity not willing-
ly, [without assent of its own,] by reason of Him who hath
Subjected the same.' [But will the Lord justly redeem it
from the dominion and slavery ot Evil, so as to render the
whole creation of mankind finally, a blessing, and not a
curse? Let the rest of this passage answer:] 'He hath
subjected the same in [or with] hope : Because the Crea-
tion shall aZsr? be delivered from the Bondage of Corrup-
tion, into the Glorious Liberty of the Children of God.' —
Rom. viii. 20, 21.
'Great and Marvellous are Thy works. Lord God Almigh-
ty ! Just and true are Thv ways. Thou King- of Saints I
Who shall not fear Thee, Lord and Glorify Thy Name ?
For Thou only art Holy : for All Nniiom shall come and
Worship before Thee, for Thy Judgments are made man-
ifest.' — Rev. XV. 3, 4.
'The Great Redeemer, and llm blest Elect,
And all the anijels, wiih God's love endow'd.
Assume their seats of Judgment ; (Zion's hill,
The holy monnlnin, City of our God
Within the v;ii!, the throne,) and then commence
The work of RpcI;imation. With the love
That God the Father hath to them and All,
Thev reitrn invii^ihle o'er all the world.
In God-like skill of government, and bring
REASONS FOR OUR HOPE. 217
In slow progression to the human mind
Tlie liglit ofheavenly truth and wisdom new,
To elevate, perfect, jind bless the race.
And ;is the sons of earlh and time secede
III r]uii;k succession from the. huniiin scene,
JiidiTrnenl applies iis crucihie of mercy,
And tinislies, at length, its jjlorious work ;
And so with All, till All shall be forgiven.'
PROPOSITION THIRTY-EIGHTH.
Universal Perfection is the Aim of the Infinite WISDOM-
EVIDENCES.
'God is Wise.' — 1 Tim. i. 17, &c.
His Wisdom is Universal and Infinite.
'His Understanding is Infinite.''— Vs. cxlvii. 5. 'God
Knowetli All Things.''— \ John iii. 20. '■All Things are
naked and open unto the eyes of Him with whom we have
todo.'— Heb. iv. 13. 'There is no searching of His Un-
derstanding.' — Isa. xl. 28.
TJie Works of Divine Wisdom are Manifold, Glorious,
AND Perfect.
'O Lord, how Manifold are Thy works; in Wisdom hast
Tho2i made them ^/Z.'— Ps. civ. 24. 'His work is Perfect.
— Deut. xxxii. 4. 'Dost thou know the balancings of the
clouds, or the wondrous works of Him which is Perfect in
Knowledge V — Job xxxvii. 16. God created the light, and
the expanse of elements, and the celestial systems, and the
vegetable, and animal kingdoms, 'and saw thiit they were
Good.'' [The creation of a vast universe of endless torments
for legions of demons and myriads of human spirits, the
inspired historian forgot to record!] 'And God created man,
in His own image, male and female.— And God saw every
thing that He had made, and behold it was Very Good.'— •
Gen. i. 27, 31. 'The Wisdom that is from above, is first
Pure, then Peaceable, Gentle, easy to be entreated, full op
mercy, and good fruits, and loithout Partiality.^ — James
218 REASONS FOR OUR HOPE.
iii. 17, (But the wisdom from beneath, is 'Deviush.' — 15.)
•0, the depth of the Ei;hes, both of the Wisdom and
Knowledge of God !' — Rom. xi. 33.
The Wisdom of God is Dktermin ATE, Foroseeiiig ami Ordaining the
Great Purpose and Result of (Creation from llie Beginning, Appoint-
ing will) infallilile certainly, all the Means, and (lie most perfect
Means, for its final entire aceoinplishm-al, and snfftciently providing
for all possible Coniingonuies.
'I am God, and there is none else ! I am God, and there
is none like Me ! Declaring the End from the Beginning,
and from Ancient times, the things that are not yet done,
saying, My Counsel shall stand, and I will do All My Plea-
sure ! Calling a ravenous bird from the east, and a man
from a far country, (as means) that executeth My Counsels.
Yea, I have spolcen it, I will also bring it to pass ! I have
Purposed \i, I will also do it! [And here following is De-
clared this Ancient Purpose :] Hearken imto Me, ye stout-
[stubborn, perverse, stony] hearted, that be Far from Righ-
teousness ! lBnmcr-!>iEA^ My righteous7iess ; it shall not
be far off ; and My Salvation shall not tarry.'' — Isa. xlvi.
9—13. (Proposition II is necessary to be read in connection
with this for the whole of the Scriptural argument concern-
ing the Divine Purpose for Universal Salvation.)
'Times are not hidden from the Almighty.' — .Tob xxiv. 1.
'New things do I Declare ; before they spring forth I tell
them.' — Isa. xlii. 9.
*I have Declared the former things from the Beginning,
and they went forth out of My mouth, and I showed them.'
Isa. xlviii. 3.
'Known unto God are All His Works, from the Begin-
ning of the World.' — Acts xv. 18.
'He hath Determined the times before Appointed, and the
Bounds of our habitation,' [existence.] — Acts xvii. 17.
'Against Thy holy child Jesus whom Thou hast anointed,
both Herod and Pontius Pilate, with the Gentiles and the
People of Israel were gathered together, /o?- to do whatsoever
Thy hand and Thy Counsel before Determined to be done.'
— Acts iv. 27, 28. 'Him being delivered by the Determi-
nate CoiTNsEL AND Fore-Knowledge OF GoD, ye have tak-
REASONS FOR OUR HOPE. 219
en, and by wicked hands have crucified and slain.' — Acts ii.
23. Here we see that the Scriptures themselves do recog-
nize the fact, that the tv/o fundamental doctrines of our Re-
ligion and philosophy, viz : the entire Sovereignty of God,
and the moral Accountability of man, are both true, and con-
sequently in some manner mutually consistent. These prin-
ciples in connection, involve a problem which is deemed very
difficult of solution, if not absolutely inexplicable; so that
many have preferred to abandon one or the other of those
hypotheses, in despair of their reconciliation. Yet it is plain
that the Bible no more explicitly declares that the cruciiixion
of Jesus was 'by wicked hands,'' than it asserts the whole
chain and measure of our Saviour's sufferings, and their
manifold wicked causes, to have been 'according to the De-
terminate Counsel and Foreknowledge of God.' The scheme
of Calvinism has ever been insufficient to explain the con-
nection and dependence of these doctrines. And it is only
that system of Christian Philosophy which defines the true
relation between the permission of evil, and of human sinful
ness, sufferings, and eart-lily experiences, loith the high and
eternal interests of man, that is competent to settle the ques-
tion with any degree of satisfaction. Acknowledge the
fact that human iniquities, and therefore also the punish-
ments which follow in their course, are both ordained of
heavenly Wisdom, (the one as the cause of the other,) for
the higher good of 'those that are exercised therebj',' and
you are at once in possession of the golden key that unlocks
the sacred mystery,
♦'If plagues or earthquakes break not Heaven's design,
Then doth a Borgia or a Cataline ?
Who knows but He whose hand the lightning forms,
Wlio heaves old ocean, and who wings the storms, —
Pours fierce ambition in a Caesar's mind,
And turns young Ammon loose to scourge mankind ?
Account for moral as for natural things :
God's Wisdom good from seeming evil brings.
Why charge we Him in those, m these acquit .'
In both, to reason right, is to submit.
Better for us, perhaps it might appear.
Were there all harmony, all virtue here ;
That never air or ocean felt the wind ;
That never passion discompos'd the mind.
220 REASONS FOR OUK HOPE.
But nature lives by elemential strife.
And p:issions are the elements of life.
Ttie {general order since the whole began.
Is kepi in nature, and is Uopl in man." — Pope.
The Wisdom of Gnrl \g Suprkme, r.oniprt bending, and infinilelv trans-
ceiniiriiT liie unilcil knowled<<e and powers of all created beings ; —
Mighty, having inliniie Resources at its command ; and Effec-
tual, foi the peift-el consninin;ilion of all His glorious Devisings,
6iip<r-diiecting even the ways of man to contiibnie lo the mysterioUB
woiking-out of His Purposes.
'Go 1, THE ONLY WisE.'— Rev. xvi. 27 ; 1 Tim. i. 27.—
'The foolishness of God is wiser than men.' — 1 Cor. i. 25.
•Even the angels are charged whh folly in His sight.' — Job
iv. 28. 'The wisdom of this world is Foolishness with God ;
and it is written, He taketh the wise in their own craftiness.'
— 1 Cor. iii. 9. 'All nations before Him are as nothing;
and they are counted to Him If^ss than nothing, and vanity.'
— Isa. xl. 17.
'God is Might!/ in strength and Wisdom.' — Job xxxvi. o.
•Wisdom and Might are God's.' — Dan. ii. 20. 'He is Wise
in heart, and Mighty in strength.' — Job. ix. 4. 'The Lord
of hosts is Wonderful in Cotmsel, and Excellent in Work-
ing.' — Isa. xxviii. 29. 'He is Great in Counsel, and Migh-
ty in Work.' — Jer. xxxii. 17.
♦The Counsel of the Lord Standeth Forever; the thoughts
of His heart ^o All Generations.' — Ps. xxxiii. 11. 'What-
soever God doeth, it shall he forever ; nothing can be put
to it, nor anything taken from it.' — Ec. iii. 14. 'Thy
Counsels of Old, are Faithful and True.' — Isa. xxv. 1.
•*The IM3IUTAB1L1TY of His Counsel.' — Heb. vi. 17. 'The
works zf/-ere Finished, [that is, with Him who 'seeth those
things that be not, as though they were'] from the founda-
tion of the world.'— Heb. iv. 3. 'He hath done all things
f^eZZ.'— Markvii. 37.
'There is no Wisdom, nor Understanding, nor Counsel
against the Lord.' — Prov. xxi. 30. 'There are many de-
vices in a man's heart, nevertheless, the Counsel of the Lord,
THAT SHALL STAND.' — Pfov. xix. 21. 'A man's heart devis-
eth his way, but the Lord directeth his steps.' — Prov. xvi.
19. For 'the way of man is not in himself.' — Jer. x. 23.
REASONS FOR OUR HOPE. 221
*Yea, let them take counsel together, [let vien endeavor
to baffle My Purposes:] Who haih Declared this from An-
cient Time? Who hath told it IVoai that titne ? Have not
I, the Lord? and who is God but Me, — a Just God and a
Saviour? There is 7ione besides Me. Look unto Me and
be Ye Saved, All the Ends of the Earth ! for I am God,
atid there is none else I I have Sion7-7i by Myself the uord
is gone out of My rnoiLth in Righteousness, and shall not Re-
turn : That unto Me, Eve.' y Knee shall Boiv, Every
Tongue shall Swear, surely shall say. In the Lord have I
righteousness and strength. Even to Him shall men come ;
and All that are incensed against [unreconciled to] Him,
shall be ashamed, [subdued.] In the Lord shall All the
Seed of Israel [^ee Kom. iv. 16,] be justified and shall glory.'
— Isa. xlv. 21--24.
"If we cannot conclude from the Power, Knowledge, and
Goodness of God, that the viost nolle, God-like end, the
highest good, shall finally be eflvcted under the Divine ad-
ministration, from what premises can we infer any conclu-
sion at all ? Erroneous as human reason is. it is impossible
to mistake here. Do?s it not then become us to be still, un-
der a sense that God is God! especially when we consider
that with Him there is neid)er variaijleness nor shadow of
turning? So that He will remain forever the same Omnis-
cient, Omnipotent, and infinitely Good Being, and to all
eternity exert Himself to do tJie Best things.''''
"He can do all His Pleasure; He knows how to do it,
and His Pleasure is, to do the Greatest Good. Must not
the consequence follow, then ? When ice are desirous to do
anything, and have a clear perception of the kind and quan-
tity of means necessary for the best accomplishment of our
object, a skilful foresight of every possible contingency, and
sufficient strength and fortitude to prosecute the work, re-
move every obstacle, and surmount ev^ry difficuliy in the
way, is it possible that after all our object should be utterly
defeated? Certainly not. And shall we suppose that the
designs of God will fail, whose Knowledge and Power .^i .
unlimited, and before whom nothing is a difficulty, nothing
N
2!^ REASONS FOR OUR HOPE.
an impediment, nothing- any discouragement ? By
nieans,"— (-Key. Nathaniel Niles, A. M.)
'•Submit ; in tliis or any other sphere.
Secure »o be as blest as thou can''st bear :
Safe in tlie hand of th' All-Disposing Pow'r,
Or ill the natal, or the mortal hour ;
All nature is but art, unknown to thee.
All chanre, direction, which thou can'at not see ;
All discord, harmony, not understood,
All partial evil, — univemal good.
In spite of pride, in erring reason's spite,
This truth is clear, — Whatever is, is right."
"Here then we rest ; the Universal Gause
Acts to One End, but acts by various laws."— Vove.
PROPOSITION THIRTY-NINTH.
Universal Reconciliation is the Fruit of God's Infinity
POWER.
EVIDENCES.
'¥e do err, not knowing the Scriptures nor the Power of God.'
'Is anything too hard for the Lord ?' — Gen. xviii. 14. 'Is
the Spirit of the Lord straitened ?' — Mic. ii. 7. 'Behold, I
am the Lord God, the God of All Flesh ; Is there anything
too hard for Me.' — Jer. xxxii. 27. 'Is Mine hand shortened
that it cannot Redeem ?' — Isa. 1. 2.
'Thou hast made the heavens and the earth by Thy Great
Poiver, and stretched-out Arm ; and behold. There is Noth-
ing too hard for Thee. Thou showest loving kindness unto
thousands.' — Jer. xxxii. 17.
'Behold, the Lord's hand is not shortened i/^af it canrwt
Save.' — Isa. lix. 1. 'There is no restraint to the Lord,
to Save by Many or by Few.' — 1 Sam. xiv. 6.
'With God, all things are Possible.'— Mark x. 27. 'The
weakness of God is Stronger than Men.' — 1 Cor. i. 25.
He is 'Almighty.' — Ex. vi. 3. ' The Lord God Almighty.'
— Gen. xvii. 1. 'The Lord God Omnipotent.' — Rev. xix. 6.
'His name is, The Great, the Mighty God, Jehovah of
J»;©atis ; Great in Counsel, and Mighty in work.' — Jer. xxxii.
REASONS FOR OUR HOPE. 223
19. 'There shall be nothing impossible with God.' — Luke
1. 27. 'I know that Thou can'st do everything.'' — Job xlii. 2.
'Lord, it is nothing with Thee to lielp, whether with
Many, or with them that have nopower [to help theinsebcs.J
Help us, O Lord, our God, for we rest on Thee. - - Thou
art God, let not Man prevail against Thee.' — 1 Chron. xiv.
11.
'In Thy hand is there not Power and Might, so that
NONE is able to withstand Thee?'— 2 Chron. xx. 6.
'Through the Greatness of Thy Power shall Thine ene-
mies submit themselves unto Thee.' — Ps. Ixiii. 6, 'Thy
People SHALL BE WILLING in the Day of Thy Power.' — ex. 3.
His Power is a 'Glorious' Power. — Col. i. 11, and Ex.
XV. 6. 'He is Able to Perform what He hath Promised,'
— Rom. iv. 21. 'Able to keep us from fallino-, and to pre-
sent ws, faultless before the presence of His Glory, with ex-
ceeding joy.' — Jude 24. 'Able to make All Grace abound
towards us.' — 1 Cor. ix. 8. 'Able to do exceeding abun-
dantly, above all we can ask or think.'' — Eph. iii. 20. 'Able
to Save to the Uttermost.' — Fleo. vii. 25. 'Able even to
Subdue All Things unto Himself.' — Phil. iii. 21.
•They have no Knowledge, - - that pray unto a God that
CANNOT Save.' — Isa. xlv. 20.
When it was asked of Jesus, Wlio then can be Sated, if
it were harder for a rich man t.o enter into the Kingdom of
heaven, than for a cable to pass through the eye of a nee-
dle, his answer was, ''WitJb men, this is impossible; but
WITH GoD, All things are possible.' — Mat. xix. 26. 'The
things that are impossible with men, are possible with God.'
— Luke xviii. 27.
'He saitli. By the Strength of My arm have I done it, and
by My Wisdom, for I am wise. And I have removed the
bounds of the People, and have grasped the treasures of
them, and I have humbled the Inhabitants like a Valiant
man. And My hand hath found as a nest the riches of the
people; and as one gatherelh eggs that are ]eh,have 1 Ga-
thered All the Earth. And there was none that moved
the wing, or opened the mouth, or peeped. Should the axe
224 REASONS FOR OUR HOPE.
raise itself against him thai heweth therewith? or should
the saw magnify itself against him that hanclleth it? As if
the rod should shake ilself against them that lift it up ; a$ if
the staff should lift up itself as though it luere not wood.^ —
Isa. X. 13--15.
'Trust Ye in the Lord ; for in the Lord Jehovah is Ever-
lasting Strength !' — Isa. xxvi. 4.
'Of what avail then, are the doubts and fears, the cold
speculations, and timid conclusions of the skeptical, in rela-
tion to the interesting subject before us ? Of none at all.
Men who doubt and reason thus, do in their own hearts,
make the work of conversion a mere business of moral sua-
sion by force of reasoning and argument. They overlook
the Omnipotence of that Spirit whose office it is lo bow the
stubborn will, and soften the hearts of the unbelieving. —
What! are not all things possible with God ? Can He not
make the people willing in the day of His Power? Cannot
He, who works in men 'according lo the working of His
mighty Power which He wrought in Christ when He raised
him from the dead,' can He not make the deaf to hear, the
blind to see, and restore the dead to life ? Has He not Pro-
mised to do it ? Has he not often repeated the assurances
that He will do it ? Has he not done it in numberless in-
stances ? Is anything too hard for God ? Are not All
Hearts in his hand, and can he not turn them whithersoever
He will, even as the rivers of water are turned ? Can any
resist God's Will ? ^ * And how can they abide
in unbelief, when, according to the Promise of God, of
which He will never repent, they shall have a neiv heart
and a right spirit s.ifG.n to them ? The supposition calls in
question the Veracity of God. To doubt on this subject is
to question His Power and Truth, the reality of the Chris-
tian religion, and the Omnipotence of the Holy Spirit! Be-
lievers in the Scriptures are not permitted lo doubt. The
thing is CERTAIN. The Decree has gone forth, stamped
with Heaven's own seal I Jehovah hath Sworn by Himself,
that Every Knee shall yet boio to Jesus, and Every Tongue
confess that He is Lord .'"—(Prof. Stuart, of Andover.)
REASONS FOR OUR HOPE. 225
"Mightier far
Than strength of nerve or sinew, or the sway
Of rnai,'ic, potent over sun and stars, —
Is Love.' — Wordsworth.
*'EviI and Good are God's rii,'ht hand and left."
"Oil, He halh trimnpird over all the woild.
In iniircy,— over Death, and Earth, and He!!, —
All God hath made are Sav'd, — Heav'n is complete."
Festus.
PROPOSITION FORTIETH.
The OMNIPRESENCE nf Dei/ y affords Proof of Final
Jjniversal Holiness.
EVIDENCES.
*Am I a God at hand, and not a God afar off? Can any
hide himself in secret places, that I shall not see hiiTi ? Do
not \fill heaven and earth ? saith the Lord.' — Jer. xxiii.
23, 24. 'He filleth All m All.'— Eph. i. 23. 'He is
not far from Every One of us ; For, in Him we live, and
MOVE, AND have OUR BEING.' ActS xvii. 28.
'The High and Lofty One who inhabiteth Eternity,
whose name is Holy.' — It^a. Ivii. 15. 'Times are not hid-
den from the Almighty.' — Job xxiv. \. 'All things are na-
ked and open unto the eyes of Him.' — Heb. iv. 13.
"With God Time is not ; unto Him all is
Present Eternity. Worlds, beinijs, years,
With all their natures, po'.vers, and evenls.
The hounds whereof He fashions and ordnins.
Unfold themselves like flowers. Time must not be
Contrasted with eternity ; 'tis not
A second of the Everlasting Year."
'God is Love.' — 1 John iv. 10. 'God is a Spirit.' — John
iv. 24. 'Where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is Liberty.'
2 Cor. iii. 17. 'Whither shall I go from Thy Spirit ? or
whither shall I flee from Thy Presence? If I ascend up
into heaven, Thou art there ; if I make my bed in Sheol,
[Hell,] behold, Thou art there, - - even there shall Thy
hand, [the Parent-Spirit of Love and Liberty,] lead me, and
Thy right hand Guide me.' — Ps. cxxxix. 7-10.
ggg REASONS FOR OUR HOPE.
'Hell and Destruction are before the Lord.' — Prov. xv. 11.
'Hell is naked before Him, and Destruction hath no covering-,'
Job xxvi. 6. 'Though they dig into Hell, thence shall
Mine hand take them.' — Amos ix. 2. Herein we discover
that the Presence of the Father-Spirit is manifest also in
Sheoh and that His mighty hand shall redeem even those
who dig into its power.
'Shall the throne of Iniquity have [everlasting] Fellow-
ship with Thee ?'—Ps. xciv. 20. 'Evil shall NOT Dwell
with Thee; the Foolish shall rio^ stand [endure] in Thy
siffht.' — V, 4, 5. 'Thou art of purer eyes than to behold
Evil,' [that 13, absolute, total, final Evil.] Hab. i. 12.
'Verily, Thou art a God that Mdcst Thyself, O God of
Israel, the Saviour.'— Isa. xlv. 15. For He is 'The Invisi-
ble God.'— Col. i. 15. 'O Lord, wilt Thou hide Thyself
Forever?' Ps. Ixxxix. 46. 'I hid My face /or a moment,
but with everlasting Kindness will I have Mercy on thee.'
Isa. liv. 8. 'Neither will I hide My face any more from
them.' — Ezek. xxxix. 29. 'The Glory of the Lord shall be
revealed, and All Flesh shall See it together.'— Isa. xl. 5.
'In Thv Pres3nce is Fulness of Joy.' — Ps. xvi. 11. 'I shall
Praise "Him, for His Presence is Salvation.' — xlii. 5.
'•Where God tlotli vital breathe, there rriHsl be joy !
When e'en at last the solemn honr shall come,
And wing my mystic way to future worlds,
I ciieerfiri will obey ; there with new pow'rs
Will risinsj numbers sinor. I cannot go,
Where Universal love snilesr.ot aronnd,
Siisiuininir all vein orhs and all ihoir suns,
From seenainiT Evil slill educing Good,
And belter thence afjdin, and better still,
In infinite proi;ression But I lose
Myself in Him, the Light InelTable."— Thompson.
REASONS FOR OUR HOPE. 227
PROPOSITION FORTY-FIRST.
Universal Salvation is the Final Consequence of God's In-
finite TRUTH.
[This Attribute we consider as comprehending Four several importanit
Qualities of llie Divine Nature, upon each of which is founded a
distinct Scriptural argument for Universal Redemption.]
I. THE FAITHFULNESS
Of God it Scripturally Evident of the Ultimate Reconciliatien of
Alt.
'Take ye no thought [anxiety] for your life, what ye shall
eat, or what ye shall drink, nor yet for your body what ye
shall put on. Is not your life more [precious in the estima-
tion of your Father] than 7neat, and the body than raiment?
Behold the fowls of the air ; they sow not, neither do they
reap, nor gather into barns. Yet your heavenly Father
feedeth them. [And] are ye not much better than they ?
- • Wherefore if God so clothe the field, &c. shall He not
MUCH MORE regard You 1 ye of little faith !' — Mat. vi.
25-30.
'Are not two sparrows sold for a farthingl and not [even]
one OF THESE, shall fall to the ground without your Father.
But the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear ye
not therefore ; Ye are of more value than many sparrows.''
—Mat. X. 29-31.
'His Truth shall be thy shield and buckler.' — Ps. xci. 4.
'He shall Judge the world with Righteousness, and the Peo-
ple with His Truth.' — Ps. xcvi. 13.
'What if some did not believe ? Shall their unbelief
make the Faith \the Faithfulness^ ot God of none effect ?
God forbid! Yea, let God be True, and every man a liar.'
[that is, God will be Trite, — true to the eternal ties of His
Creatorial and Paternal relationship to Mankind, and faith-
ful to the Fulfilment of His Pleasure and Promise, — though
every man were an Unbeliever.] — Rom. iii. 3, 4.
A woman may forget her suckling child, and lose her
228 REASONS FOR OUR HOPE,
compassion for the son of her womb, yet God will not For-
get His. — Isa. xlix. 14. 'His Comp-.issions fail not.' —
Lam. iii. 22. 'I will never leave thee nor Forsake thee.' —
Heb. xiii. 5. David prayed, 'Forsake not the Works of
Thiiie oion hands.' — Ps. cxxxviii. 8. 'I the Lord will not
Forsake them.' — Isa. xli. 17. 'For the Lord thy God is a
Merciful God; He will not Forsake thee, neither destroy
thee, nor Forget the Covenant [Promise] unto thy lathers
which He Sware unto them.' — Deut. iv. 31.
'His Truth and Faithfulness endureth to All Genera-
tions.' — Ps. c. 5; cxix. 90. 'He keepeth Truth forever.' —
cxlvi, 6.
'The Lord upholdeth ^ZZ that fall, and raiseth up All
that are bowed down. The eyes of All wait upon Thee,
and Thou givestthem their meat in due season.' — Ps. cxlv.
14, 15. 'Let All Flesh, [or, 'AH Flesh shall,'] bless His
holy name forevermore.' — 21.
"Himself the Magnet of the Universe,
Round Whom all spirits tremble, and towards Whom
Ail tend." — Bailey.
II. the impartiality
Of God Indicates the Truth of Universal Redemption.
'There is no Eespect of persons with God.' — Rom. ii. 11.
'Of a truth,' said Peter, -I perceive that God is no Respecter
of Persons.' — Acts x. 34. 'God doth not Respect any per-
son ; yet doth He devise means, that His Banished be not
[utterly] expelled from Him.' — 2 Sam. iv. 14.
'There is no Respect of persons with the Lord our God,
twr taking of gifts,' [i. e. purchasing of favors.]— 2 Chron.
xix. 7. 'God regardelh not persons, 7ior taketh reward'
[He blesses impartially, and therefore/reeZ?/.] — Dent- x. 17.
'He respecteth not " {exclusively l\ any that are wise of
heart.'— Job xxxvii. 24. 'Sendeth rain and sunshine upon
«Ae eyz7as well as the good, upon the just, no more than
upon the unjust: 'Is Kind to the Unthankful and the Evil:
Is 'without Partiality.'
God has impartially concluded the whole human race in
sin, error and unbelief, (Prop. XIII,)— with equal impar-
REASONS FOR OUR HOPE. 229
tiality did Jesus suffer for All, (Prop, XI,) and with the
same impartiality shall the Grace, Gift, and Redemption of
God, ultiir>ately be realized to All, (Prop. XIV, XV, &c.)
Jesus reprimanded the bigoted Pharisees for their selfish-
ness of heart, and partialiem of faidi, because they wished
to close the kingdom of heaven wliich was for All, that oth-
ers should not go in. — Mat. xxiii. 13.
The Lord is not a respector o^ Persons, (Eph. vi. 9, &c.)
He is not a respector of Nations, (Isa. xlix. 6, Rom. xi., &c.)
He is not a respector of Times, — so, if this life be a state
where reigns the impartial love and goodness of God, and
the freedom of salvation for man, so also is the next ; if He
has the Ability, Desire, and Mercy to exterminate sin ulti-
mately from this xoorld, and bring in universal, everlasting,
righteousness and peace, so has He also' for the other loorld.
— Heb. xiii. 8 ; Rom. viii. 38 ; Eph. i. 21 ; Rev. v. 13, &c.
III. THE VERACITY
Of God is Pledged for Universal Blessedness.
'It is impossible for God to lie.' — Heb. vi. IS. 'The
Covenant which God made Avith our Fathers, saying unto
Abraham, In thy seed [Christ] shall All the Kindreds of the
Earth be Blessed, — in turning away every one from his in-
iquities.'— Acts iii. 25, 26. 'My Covenant, saith the Lord,
I will not break, nor alter the thing that has gone out of My
lips.'— Ps. Ixxxix. 34.
'I will Ransom them from the power of Hell, [Sheol ;]
I will Redeem them from 'Death ! Death, I will be thy
plagues; Hell, [Sheol,] I will be thy destruction ! Re-
pentance shall be hid from Mine eyes.' — Hos. xiii. 14. 'The
Strength of Israel will not lie, nor repent ; for He is not a
man that He should repent.' — 1 Sam. xv. 29.
'Hath He said, and shall He not do it? or hath He spo-
ken, and shall He not make it good ?' — Numb, xxiii. 19. 'I
will not keep anger forever.' — Jer. iii. 12. 'I will not Con-
tend forever.' — Isa. Ivii. 16.
See for a fuller exhibition of this argument, all the chap-
14
S3d REASONS FOR OUR HOPE.
ters concerning the Promise, and Oath, contained in Prop-
ositions IV, V, VI.
•'VVIiy should I make a man my trust ?
Princes must die and turn to dust, ■
Viiin is the help of flosh and blood:
Their breath departs, (heir pomp and pow'r,
And thoughts all vanish in an hour ;
Nor can they make their promise good.
Happy the man whose hopes rely
On Israel's God who made the sky,
And earth and seas with all their train ;
Whose Truth forever shall endure,
And glory to all souls socure.
For none shall find His Promise vain.
IV. THE UNCHANGEABILITY
Of God furnishes Reasons for the truth of The Great Salvation,
'I am the Lord, I change not ; therefore 5^6 sons of Jacob
are not consumed.' — Mai. iii. 6. 'The Lord is good and
tenderly merciful to all His 7Vorks.' Then no creature will
ever cease to be the object of His solicitude and care.
'Every good gift, and every perfect gift is from above, and
Cometh down from the Father of lights, ivith tokom is no
Variableness, neither shadow of Tur7iiTtg.' — Jas. i. 17. —
'God clothes even the grass.decks even the lillies of the field,
marks every sparrow's fall, but much more takes care of
men, aye, even of every hair of their head, because they
are of much more value than those.' Consequently His
watchfulness over them shall exist throughout the immor-
tality of their existence.
'God is Perfect, and therefore loves the world, even His
enemies, and not merely those who love Him,' But 'He is
the same yesterday, to-day, and Forever.^ — Heb. xiii. 8.
He is 'The God and Father of AIL' And it is written,
'Thou art the same, and Thy years shall have no end.' —
Job V. 19. Thus, God will be eternally 'Our Father.'
'He is of ONE MIND, and none can turn Him.'— Job xxiii.
13. 'He Punishes for our profit;' 'doth not afflict willing-
ly ;' 'is very pitiful ;' 'of tender mercy ;' 'knoweth our
frame, and remembereth that we are but dust ;' 'knoweth
UEASONS FOR OUR HOPE. 231
what we have need of, and giveth us not stone for bread.'
These facts plainly show that the future condition of man S
not that of utter, hopeless, meiciless, endless abandonment to
fein and suffering.
'When the wicked turneth away from his wickedness
that he hath committed, and doeth that which is lawful atid
right, he shall save his soul alive ; because he covsidereth,
and turneth aivaij from all his transgressions, he shall sure-
ly live, he shall not die.'— Ezek. xviii. 27, 28. 'Whosoevet
will, let him take the water of life freely.' — Rev. xxii. 17.
Whatever be the nature or degree of man's independence
of will and agency from those of the Being in whom He
lives and moves forever, we have not a particle of evideniie
that such self-agency on the part of man will ever be taken
from him, and destroyed. Now if the Lord be eternally the
same, as we have proved, eternally merciful, eternally good,
eternally Parental in the government of His immortal chil-
dren, and eternally aWealso to subdue, reform, and sanctify,
we see at once, that supposing we enter the future world
with all the facilities of evil-doing we possess in this, that the
notion of this infant life being the exclusive probationary
state in all eternity, (of which Revelation is silent as the
grave,) must be altogether erroneous. It is plain then, that
to prove endless punishment, you must prove also endless,
incessant, entire criminality ; for to suppose that God en-
tirely puts it out of the power of the wicked to continue in,
and eternally repeat or multiply their crimes, and yet that
He perpetuates endless sufferings upon them, is incredible ;
for harmless, innocent souls could not possibly deserve
such torments. But while the whole Bible contains not one
single clause in proof of i/^e co-E^cr/rZ/z/ of Satan, wicked-
ness, hell, error, or ignorance, with God, Heaven, Holiness,
and Knowledge, it clearly reveals in a hundred several pla-
ces, the final detraction of the former, in the universal tri-
umph and prevalence of the latter. Besides, it is to be ob-
served, that in all the passages, without a single exception,
(though they only number a dozen, or thereabouts,) where
the doom of endless woe is pretended to be taught, the pun-
ishment threatened is always for deeds of the fl'n.h, or unbe-
232 REASONS FOR OUR HOPE.
lief, in this world. Neither is there the least particle of
proof to be drawn from the Scriptures, that any liberty of
will possessed by the creature shall finally and eternally
prevail against the Supreme Will of the Creator, and the
Purposes of its Goodnt-ss and Wisdom. There is enough,
on the contrary, to convince us, that whatever is apparently
cross-wise of the way between man and Maker, is after all
concomitant of the Mighty Plan ; that Free Agency itself,
as much of it as there exists, is but a link of the complicated
chain of means, that is to result in bringing man to 'come to
himself,'' (Luke xv. 17,) and thus ultimately, also, that 'All
Nations lohom God has viade shall coi\rE and worship before
Him, and Glorify His 7ia?ne.' — Ps. Ixxxix. 9. See also Ps.
xxii. 27 ; Ixv. 2; John vi. 37 ; xii. 32; Ps. ex. 3, &c.
PROPOSITION FORTY-SECOND.
Universal Righteousness will be the Final Issue of God's
Infinite HOLINESS.
EVIDENCES.
'Who is like unto Thee, Glorious in Holiness ?' — Exod.
XV. 11. 'Ye SHALL BE HOLY, /or 7 ^/^e Lord yotir God am
Holy.' — Lev. xi. 44. 'It is I, the Lord, which sanctify 3^ou.'
— XX. 7.
'If the first-fruit be holy, the lump is also holy.'— Rom.
xi. 16. '0, sing unto the Lord a new song ; for He hath
done marvellous things ; His right hand, and His holy
ARM hath gotten Him the Victory. The Lord hath made
known His Salvation'.'— Ps. xcviii. 1-3.
'Thou only art Holy, O Lord : for All Nations shall
come and worship before Thee.'---B.ev. xv. 4.
"We cannot see, [said Wesley,] that there is anything in
it either odious or terrible, anything that is calculated to ex-
cite either hatred or fear, in any reasonable creature. —
What reasonable objection can you have to the lovino the
Lord your God with all your heart ? Then, ifit would not
hurt you, or lessen your happiness either in this world or
the world to come, why should you be afraid if all men
REASONS FOR OUR HOPE. 233
were to give Him their whole heart ? Is such an event one
that is to he feared ? Is it a proper object of hatred ? Or
is it the most amiable thing under the sini? Is it not rather
desirable in the highest degree ? Is there amjthing more
lovely, more to be desired by every child of man ? Why
then should you be averse to Universal Holiness ? Why
should you enteriain any prejudice against this, or look upon
it with apprehension ? Can you conceive anything more
excellent and desirable than this? Set prejudice aside, and
surely you will desire to see it universally diffused."
"And All shall he alike like liini, yet All
Unlike eacli oilier and 1 liemselvps. The Eiirili
Shall viinish from the thoiijihis oCihot^e she bore,
As have ihe idols of the olden lime
From mens' hearts of the present. All delight
And all desire shall be wiiii heavenly thinjis.
And the new nature God beslov.ed on man."
. PROPOSITION FORTY-THIRD.
The Glorification of All the Souls of Men, will be the Final
Achievement of Infinite LOVE.
"When creatures stray
Farthest from Thee, then warnifst towards them beams
Thy Love, — ev'n as yon sun iieaen.s hfuliesi on
The earth, when distant most." — Bailey.
EVIDENCES.
'We have known and bdieved the Love which God hath
to us. God is LOVE.' — 1 John iv. 16.
'Love thinkethno Evil.' — 1 Cor. .xiii. 5. 'Love tcorketh
no III.' — Rom. xiii. 10. 'Love is the bond of Perfectness '
—Col. iii. 14.
'Love is the Fulfilling of the Law.' — Rom. xiii. 10.
It is the Promise of the Lord, that He will put His holy
LAW into every heiirt, and write it into every mind, that All
shall Know Him, from the least even to the greatest. — Jer.
xxxi. Heb. x. &c. The Redeemer canie to Fulfil the Law
of the Lord, and testified that heaven and eaith should soon-
2|^ REASONS FOR OUR HOPE. ,
er pass away, than thai one jot or tillle of the Laio should
FQ,il. — Mat. V ; Luke xvi.
The Lord is'ihe God of Love and Peace' — 2 Cor. iii. 11.
'Who shall separate us from the Love of Christ? - -
Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or
nakedness, or sword? - - Nay, in all these things we are
more than conquerors through him that loved us. For I am
persuaded that neither life, nor death, nor angels, nor prin-
cipalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come,
shall be able to Separate us from the Love of God, which is
in Christ Jesus our Lord.' — Rom. viii. 35-39.
'The Love of Christ passetii all knowledge.' — Ephes.
iii. 19 ; Phil. iv. 7. It is greater than we are capable of
realizing or desiring, — it surpasses all we can comprehend
of the extent of evil, all that we can imagine of the great
necessities of humanity. 'Many waters cannot quench
his Love, neither can the floods drown it.' — Cant. viii. 7.
'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; by Grace areye saved.'
— Eph. ii. 3-5.
'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.'
— Zeph. iii. 17. 'The King of Israel, even the Lord, is in
the midst of thee ; thou shall not see Evil any more.' — v. 15.
'Yea, I have loved thee with an Everlasting Love ; there-
fore with loving-kindness have I drawn thee.'— Jer. xxxi.
3. 'In His Love and in His Pity He redeemed His People,
and hare them, and carried them all the days of Old.' — Isa.
Ixiii. 9.
"The Love of God,
The New Religion, universal, perfect, —
Worthy Christ's mission. And his great command.
His all-sufficing precept, — was't not Love ?
And to love God, we must His creatures love.
To love His creatures, both ourselves and Him.
Thus love is all that's fair, and good, and heav'nly."
(Bailey' i Ftstiu.)
REASONS FOR OUR HOPE. 235
"There is a golden chord of sympathy,
Fix'd in the harp of every human soul ;
Which by the breath of Kindness when 'tis swept,
Wakes angel melodies in savnjje hearts,
Inflicts sore chastisements for treasur'd wrongs,
And melts the ice of hate to streams of love ; —
J\''or aught but Kindness that fine chord can touch."
Rev. D. K. Lee.
PROPOSITION FORTY-FOURTH.
As the Universal CREATOR, God will be the Redeemer of
All.
EVIDENCES.
'All Things were created by Him. and FOR Him.' —
Col. i. 16. 'God hath created All Things for Himself.' —
Prov. xvi. 4. 'For of Him, and through Him, and TO
HIM are All Things, to Whom be glory forever.' — Rom.
xi. 36.
'Thou art worthy, Lord, to receive Glory, and Honor,
and Power, for Thou hast created All Things, and /or Thy
Pleasure they are, and were Created. '—-Rev. iv. 11.
'Every one that is called by My name, I have Created
him for Glory. I have Formed him, yea, I have Made him''
— Isa. xliii. 7.
'Ask of Me things to come concerning My sons ; and cpn-
cerning the Work of My hands, command ye Me. I have
made the Earth, and created Man upon it. - - I have RA^s-
ED him up for righteousness, and Iwill direct all his ways.''
-.-Isa. xlv. 9-13.
'I will make a Man more precious than fine gold ; even,
a man than the golden ivedge of Ophir.'—lsa.. xiii. 12.
'Thy People also shall be All righteous, - - the Work or
My hands, that I may be Glorified.' — Isa. Ix. 21.
'We are fearfully and wonderfully made.' — Ps. cxxjp;?.
14. 'He hath made His wonderful works to be rememb^B-
ED.'— Ps. cxi. 4. 'The Lord shall Rejoice in His wob^.'
—civ. 31.
'For [^ven] every beast of the field is Mine, and the c^a^
upon a thtflqs^nd ijiU^ ; I knfm fIkU the foi/ok of the m)M»~
256 REASONS FOR OUR HOPE.
tains; and the wild beasts are Mine.'— Ps, 1. 10, 11. 'Not
even a sparrow can fall wiihonl the Father.' 'Jesus Knew
All Men, and what was in Man.'
'The rich and the poor meet together ; the Lord is the
Maker of them All.'— Prov. xxii 2. 'Him that regardeth
not the rich more than the poor, for they are All the Work
of His hands.' — Job xxxiv. 19.
'In the day that God created Man, in the likeness of God
made He him. Thon hast made him a little loioer than
the angels, [but 'in the resurrection,' said our Saviour, 'they
shall be EQUAL to the angels,'] and hast crowned him with
glory and honour. Thon mad'st him to have dominion over
the works of Thy hands; Thou hast put all things under
his feet.' — Ps. viii. 5-7. 'Wherefore, hast Thou made all
men, [or even any vian,] in vain ?' — Ixxxix. 47. 'Nay,
much more those members of the Body which seem to be
more feeble, ake necessary.'— 1 Cor. xii. 22. 'O Lord,
Forsake not the TForAvy of Thine own hands.'— Vs. cxxxviii.
8. The Bible teaches that God created man in His oivn
image; that is. He has endowed the human soul with a
minialure transcript of His own infinite qualities, of good-
ness, love, pity, justice, intelliircnce, &c. It is often boldly
asserted without proof, that Man hns utterly lost the divine
likeness. A pas.-age however in the Epistle of James, (iii.
9,) entirely annihilates this assumption. Speaking of the
toiigue, he says, 'Therewith bless we the Father, and there-
with curse we Men, which are made after the similituee of
God.' This was 4000 years after 'the fall,' and no one
will pretend that we have lost it since.
'Thine hands have made me, and fashioned me round
about, (and the inspiration of the Almighty hath given me
understanding;) yet, dost Thou destroy me, [with everlas-
ting torture .?] "Remember, I beseech Thee, that Thou
hast made me as the clay, and wilt Thou bring me to noth-
ingness ? [or to what is infinitely more terrific,— ew<f/eM suf-
fering^ .?] - - Thou hast clothed me wfth skin and flesh,
and ha>t fenced me with bones and sinews ; Thou hast
granted me life and favor, and Thy visitation hath preserv-
ed my spirit, and these things hast Thou hid in Thine heart V
—Job X. 8-13.
REASONS FOR OUR HOPE. 237
'He hath made every thing beautiful in his time.' — Ec.
}ii. 11. 'He hath done all things well.' — Mark vii. 3 7
'God, that made the world and all things therein, seeing
that He is Lord of heaven and earth, - - giveth to All, life,
and breath, and all things, and hath made of one blood All
Nations for to dwell on all the face of the earth : and hath
Determined the times before Appointed, and the bounds of
their habitation, that they should seek the Lord,' &;c- —
Acts xvii. 24--27.
'It is He that hath made Us, and not we ourselves.' — Ps.
c. 5. He is 'the God of the Spirits of All Flesh.' —
Numb. xvi. 22. 'The dust shall return to the earth as it
was, but the spirit shall return unto God who gave it.' —
Eccl. xii. 7.
'O house of Israel, cannot I do with yon, as this Potter ?
sailh the Lord. Behold, as the clay is in the Potter's hand,
so are ye in Mine hand, saith the Lord.' — Jer. xviii. 6.
'Thy hands have made me and fashioned me : give me
understanding that I may learn Thy Commandments,' — Ps.
cxix. 73.
'Behold, I Make All Things New !' — Rev. xxi. 5.
"Presumptuous man ! tlie reason would'st thou find.
Why torm'd so weak, so little, and so blind ?
First, if thou canst, the harder reason guess,
Wh}' formed no weaker, blinder, and no less ?
Ask of thy mother Earth why oaks are made,
Taller and stronger than the weeds they shade ?
Or ask of yonder argent fields above,
Why Jove's satellites are less than Jove ? —
Of system's possible, if 'tis confess'd
That Wisdom infinite has form'd the best.
Where all musi full, or not coherent be,
And all that rises, rise in due degree, —
Then in creation's scale of life 'lis plain,
There must be sovieivherc, svch a rank as Man ;
And all the question, (wrangle e'er so long,)
Is only this, if God has plac'd him wrong ?"
"But say not Man's imperfect, Heav'n in fault,
Say rather, Man's as perfect as he ought ;
His knowledge measur'd to his state and place.
His time a moment here, a point his space." — Pope.
••We WERE made to be sav'd, — We are of God,"
238 REASONS FOR OUR HOPE.
PROPOSITION FORTY-FIFTH.
As the U?iiyer5«Z FATHER, the Lord is the Friend, and
will also he the Saviour of All.
EVIDENCES,
'One God, the Father of All.' — Eph. iv. 6. 'To u?,
there is but one God, the Father, ofiohom are All Things,
AND we in Him.' — 1 Cor viii. 6.
'Have we not All One Father ? Hath not One God
Created us V — Mai. ii. 10. 'We have One Father, even
God.' — John viii. 41. 'One is your Master, and All Ye
are Brethren.^ Thus strongly, in connection with the sen-
tence 'the whole Family in heaven and inearth,'— Eph.
iii. 15, do we establish the doctrines of the Universal Pa-
ternity of God, and the One Brotherhood of His Creatures.
'Even some of the heathen poets have truly said. We are
also His Offspring, [Off-sprung.] Then w^e are [all] the
Off- Sprung of God.'— Acts. xvii. 27-29. 'Go to my Breth-
ren, [Jesus taught that we are all neighbors and brethren,—
Mat. vii. 3; Luke xvii. 3 ; x. 27-37 ; Rom. xiv. 10; 1
John iii. 10-21, &c.] and say unto them, that I ascend unto
my Father and Your Father, and to my God and Your
God:— John xx. 17.
"What though his erring feet,
Have stumbled in the way.
And in some thoughtless hour,
He has been led astray ?
The great Creator's seal,
Upon his brow is set,
And fallen though he be.
He is thy Brother yet." — Bufford.
He is 'the Father of Spirits.' — Heb. xii. 9. 'Behold,
All Souls are Mine, saith the Lord.' — Ezek. xviii. 4. —
'None is able to pluck them out of my Father's hands.'
'0 Lord, Thou art our Father ; we are the clay, and
Thou our Potter; and we are All the Work of Thy hands.'
— Isa. Ixiv. 8. 'Doubtless Thou art our Father, though
REASONS FOR OUR HOPE.
Abraham be ignorant of us, and Israel acknowledge us not.
Thou, O Lord, art our Father, our Redeemer.' — Isa. Ixiii.
16.
'Thou art my God, my Father, the Rock of my Salva-
tion.' — Ps. Ixxxix. 26,
'Thou hast been my help ; leave me not, neither Forsake
me, O God of my Salvation. When my father and my
mother forsake me, the Lord will take me up.' — Ps. xxvii.
9, 10. 'A woman »zay forget her suckling child, — yet,' &c.
'A Father of the fatherless, and a Judge of the widows,
is God in His holy habitation.' — Ps. Ixviii. 5.
'As a man chasleneth his son, so the Lord thy God chas'
teneth thee.'' — Deut. viii. 5; Prov. iii. 11, 'Like as a Fa-
ther pitieth his children, so the Lord pitieth them that fear
him. For He k7ioweth our frame, He remember eth that we
are dust,'' — Ps. ciii. 14.
'Your Heavenly Father knoweth xohat things ye have
Need of — Mat. vi. 8. 'If ye, then, being evil, know how
to give good gifts unto yotcr children, how much more shall
your Father ivhich is i?i Heaven.'— huke xi. 13,
'It shall come to pass, in the place where it was said unto
them, Ye are 7iot My People, there it shall be said unto
them, ' Ye are the Sons of the Living God. The children
of Judah and the children of Israel shall be gathered together,
and appoint themselves One Head.' — Hos, i. 10. ^The
Creation shall be delivered from the Bondage of Corruption,
into the glorious liberty of the [adopted, sanctified,'] chil-
dren OF God.' — Rom. viii. 21.
'A son honoureth his father, and a servant his master. If
I, then, be a Father, [ayid be eternally disobeyed and con-
temned of My Children,'] where is Mine Honour? saith the
Lord of hosts.' — Mai. i. 6.
"Nor He content
Witli one exertion of creative power
His Goodness to reveal, — thro' every age,
Thro' every moment of the tract of time,
His Parent-hand with ever new increase,
Of happiness and virtue, hath adorned
The vast terrestrial frame. His Father-love
From the mute shell-fish gasping on the shore,
240 REASONS FOR OUR HOPE.
From men lo angele, to celestial mind?,
Forever leads the Generiitions on
To hii^her scene.i of being ; wliiie supplied
Frnrii day to day with His enlivening breath,
Inferior orders in succession rise.
To Jill the void telou:.'" — Akekside.
PROPOSITION FORTY-SIXTH.
As the Universal GOVERNOR * God loill Ultimately
Triumph over All Evil.
"Thy thoughts
Are far above the star dust of the worlds,
Yet o'er the meanest atom reign 'st Thou
Omnipotent, as o'er the Universe !" — Festus,
EVIDENCES.
'Thine, Lord, is the Greatness, and the Power, and
the Glory, and the Victory, and the Majesty: for All that
is in the heaven and in the earth is Thine. Thine is the
Kingdom, O Lord, and Thou art exalted as Head above All.
Both riches and honour come of Thee, and Thou Reignest
over All ; and in Thine hand is Power and Might, and in
Thine hand it is to make Great, and to give Strength unto
All.'— 1 Chron. xxix. 11, 12.
'The God of heaven shall set up a Kingdom, which shall
never be destroyed ; and the Kingdom shall not be left to
other people, but it shall break in pieces and Consume All
these kingdoms, and it shall stand forever.'— Dan ii. 44.
'The Lord hath prepared His throne in the heavens. His
Kingdom Ruleth over All. - - Bless the Lord, All His
Works, in All places of His Domi7iio7i.'—7s. ciii. 19, 22.
'The Kingdom of the Most High is an Everlasting King-
dom, and All Domi7iions shall Serve and Obey Him.^— Dan.
vii. 27.
The argument of this Proposition is continiioiis of that general puhject,
The Government and Finnl Triumph of Chrjst''s Kingdom, which is embra-
ced in Prn|)..sitions XVIII., XIX., and XXXVII. The inquiring read-
er by referring to tlie words Kingdom, Throne, Reign, Rule,
JoDGMENT, &c., in Cruden's Concordance, will find quite a number of
interesting passages relating to this important theme of Revelation, which
we have not room to give place to.
REASONS FOR OUR HOPE. j_241
'Behold, a King shall Reign in Righteousness, and prin-
ces shall Rule in Judgment. A Man [Christ] shall be as
a Hiding-Piace from the wind, and a Covert from the tem-
pest ; as Rivers of Water in a Dry plaqe, as the shadow of
a Great Rock in a weary land. - - The heart of the rash
shall unierstami Knowledge, and the tongue of the stam-
merer shall be ready to speak plainly. '—Isa. xxxii. 1--4.
'Behold, a King shall Reign and prosper, and shall exe-
cute Judgment and Justice in the Earth. In his days shall
Judah be Saved, and Israel shall dwell safely ; and this is
the name whereby he shall be called. The Lord OUR
RighteoitsJiess.'--'ier. xxiii. 5, 6. 'For AS SIN hath Reign-
ed unto death, even so shall Grace REIGN", through
Righteousness, unto eternal life, by Jesus Christ our Lord.'
'By the Righteousness of One, the Free Gift came upon
All Men unto Justification of Life.'— Rom. v. 21, 18.
'Out of thee shall he come forth unto Me, that is to be
Ruler in Israel ; whose goings forth have been from of Old,
from Everlasting. - - And he shall stand and feed the peo-
ple in the Strength of the Lord, in the Majesty of the name
of the Lord his God ; and they shall abide ; for noio shall
he be Great unto the Ends of the Earth. And this Man
shall be our Peace.' — Micah v. 2--5.
'Of the increase of his Government and Peace there shall
be no end, upon the throne of David, and upon his King-
dom to order it, and to establish it with Judgment and with
Justice from henceforth even forever. The Zeal of the
Lord of hosts will Perform this.'— Isa. ix. 7.
'He shall build the Temple of the Lord ; and He shall
bear the Glory, and sit and Rule upon his Throne ; and he
shall be a Priest upon hi? Throne ; and the Counsel of
Peace shall be between them both. - - And they that are
FAR OFF shall come and build in the Temple of the Lord.' —
Zech. vi. 13-15. 'Christ, the Head of All Things,' 'of
Every Man,' and 'the chief Corner-Stone,— in whom All
the Building, fitly framed together, groweth unto a Holy
Temple in the Lord.' — Eph. ii. 21.
'Let us come near together to Judgment. Who raised
up the Righteous Man from the East, [Messiah,] gave the
242 REASONS FOR OUR HOPE.
Nations unto him, and made him Rule over kings ? Who
hath wrought and done it, calling the Generations from the
Beginning ? I, the Lord, the First, and with the Last ; I
am He. - - even the Ends of the Earth saw it, drew near,
and came.' — Isa. xli. 1—5.
'The Lord Reigneth, He is clothed with Majesty ; the
Lord is clothed with strength, and hath girded himself; tfie
World also is established, that it cannot be moved. Thy
Throne is established of Old, &;c., Thy testimonies are very
ftire.' — Ps. xciii.
'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.' — Ps. xxii. 29, 30.
'All Thy Works shall Praise Thee, O Lord, and Thy
saints shall Bless Thee. They shall speak of the Glory of
Thy Kingdom, and talk of Thy Power ; to make known to
the sons of men His mighty Acts, and the Glorious Majesty
of His Kingdom. Thy Kingdom is an Everlasting King-
dom, and Thy Dominion extendeth over All Generations.
- - Let All Flesh Bless His holy Name forever and ever.'
— Ps. cxlv. 11--2L 'Thy Kingdom Come.' — Mat. vi. 13.
'Then comelh the End, when he shall have delivered up
the Kingdom to God, even the Father ; when he shall have
put down All rule, and All authority and Power. For he
must Reign, till he hath put All Enemies under his feet.—
The Last Enemy shall be Destroyed, Death. For He hath
put All Things under his feet. (But when He saith All
Things are put under him, it is obvious that He is excepted
which did put All Things under him.) And when All
Things shall be Subdued unto him, then shall the Son also
himself be subject unto Him that did put All Things under
him, THAT God may be All in All.' — 1 Cor. xv. 24-28.
'0 Lord God of Israel, Thou art the God, even Thou
alone, of All the Kingdoms of the Earth ; Thou hast made
heaven and earth.' — 2 Kings xix. 15.
'O Lord God of our Fathers, art not Thou God in heaven ?
and Rulest not Thou over All the Kingdoms of the Hea-
REASONS FOR OUR HOPE. 243
then ? And hi Thy hand is there not Power and Might,
so that None is able to withstand Thee ?' — 2 Chron. xx. 6.
'Come ye near unto Me, hear ye this ! I have not spo-
ken in secret from the beginning ; from the time that it was
there, am I. Thus saith the Lord, thy Redeemer, the Holy-
One of Israel, lam the Lord thy God, lohich Teachcth thee
to Profit, which leadeth thee by the way that thou should'st
go.^ — Isa. xlviii. 16, 17.
'Thou shalt fear thy God ; for I am the Lord your God.
Wherefore, Ye shall do My Statutes, and Keep My Judg-
ments, and Do them-'—hev. xxv. 17, 18.
'I will not execute the fierceness of Mine anger, I will not
return to destroy Ephraim: for I am God, and not Man,
the Holy One in the midst of Thee.'— Hos. xi. 9'
'God is Great, and Desplseth not Any.'' — Job xxxvi. 5.
'0 Lord God of hosts, who is a Strong Lord like unto
Thee ? or to Thy Faithfulness round about Thee? Thou
Rulest the Raging Seas j when the waves thereof rise, Thou
stillest them. - • Thou confoundest Thine Enemies with a
Strong arm. The heavens are Thine, the earth also is
Thine ; the World, and the Fulness thereof, Thou hast
founded them,'— Ps Ixxxix, 8--11.
'The Lord is our Judge, — Lawgiver, — King: [therefore]
He will Save Us.^ — Isa. xxxiii. 22.
'I am the Lord, that is MY name ; and My Glory will I
not give to Another.^ — Isa. xlii. 8.
"Ere wit oblique had broke that steady light,
Man like his Maker, saw that all was right,
* * »
And own'd a Father, when he own'd a God.
Love all the faith and all ih' allesiance then.
For nature knew no risrht divine in men.
No dread had they of God, but understood,
A Sovereign Being, but a Sovereign Good."
"To Hitn no high, no low, no great, no small.
He fills. He bounds, connects, and equals All." — Pope.
244 REASONS FOR OUR HOPE.
PROPOSITION FORTY-SEVENTH.
Through the Redeemer Jesus, All Men have an Interest
in, and shall Finally obtain Saloation from the Lord,
throu<rh His Relations of PHYSICIAN, REFINER,
and PURIFIER to the Souls of His Creatures.
I. Promises which Respect the Lord in the Office of
Physician.
'la tlicre no balm in Gileud ? Is there no Physician there ^ Why
tlien is not tlie health of the lianghier of My people Recovered V — Jer.
viii. 22.
'The Lord hath laid upon him the iniquity of us ALL,
and by his sinpesiveare Healed.' — Isa. liii. 5.
'He hath torn, and He icill heal us ; He hath smitten,
and He will bind tcs wp.'' — Hos. vi. 1.
'And the leaves of the Tree [of Life,] were for the Heal-
ing OF THE Nations. And there shall be no more curse.'
— Rev. xxi. 2, 3.
'O my soul, the Lord Forgiveth all thine iniquities, a.nd
Healeth All thy Diseases' — Ps. ciii. 2, 3.
'Jesus went about preaching the Gospel of the Kingdom,
Healing all manner of Sickness, and all manner of Dis-
eases.' — Mat. X. 1 ; iv. 23. ^ Every Sickness, and Every
Disease.' — ix. 35. 'Great multitudes followed him, and he
Healed them All.' — xii. 25. He did not stop to inquire
whether they had been '■converted,' but finding the diseased
and the afflicted, removed their sufferings without reward
or distinction. Neither did he avoid any on account of the
protractedness or malignancy of their diseases, but minister-
ed to all according to their needs, and consequently with
more power to those who needed most. And is not Sin the
disease of the sold, — sorroio of the spirit, — error of the
mind ? Are not All Men more or less in need of a Physi-
cian for the great catalogue of spiritual evils ? Is not Jesus
the Great, the God-commissioned Physician of Souls? Is
not his compassion deeper in proportion to the fearfulness
of the evil, and his skill and power superior to the worst
REASONS FOR OUR HOPE. 245
evils and all the evils in the universe ? Was not the shed-
ding of his blood for aZZ sin ? Then can we remain sinful
forever, or is he a respector of persons ? Are not his nu-
merous and marvellous acts of physical healing while on
earth, typical of his mighty power over our souls, and over
sin, to destroy it, in the next world ? and of his impartiality
also, in its exercise?
'For the iniquity of his covetousness was I wroth and
Smote him ; - - I have seen his ways, aiid I wiH Heal him.
I will lead him also, and restore Comforts unto him, and to
his mourners. I create the fruit of the lips ; Peace, Peace
to him that is Afar-Off, and to him that is Near, saith the
Lord. And I will Heal him.^ — Isa. Ivii. 17-19.
'/ laill Heal their backsliding, I will love them freely ; for
Mine anger is turned away.' — Hos, xiv. 4.
'I will Restore health unto thee, and I will Heal thee of
thy wounds, saith the Lord, because they called thee Out-
cast.' — Jer. XXX. 17.
'Behold, I will bring it Health and Cure, and Iioill Cure
them, and will reveal unto them the Abundance of Peace
and Truth, - - and I will Cleanse them from All their Iniq-
uity, whereby thejr have sinned against Me.' — Jer. xxviii.
6-9.
'The inhabitant shall not say, I am Sick; the people that
dwell therein shall be Forgiven their Iniquity.' — Isa. xxxiii.
24.
'■Heal me, O Lord, and I shall be healed; Save me, and
I shall be saved, for Thou art my Praise.' — Jer. xvii. 14.
II. Promises concerning the Lord as Refiner.
'Every One shall be Salted [Purified] ivith Fire.' — Mark
ix. 49. 'Our God is a Consuming Fire.' — Heb. xii. 29,
'I will turn My hand upon thee, and purely Purge away
thy Dross, and take away all thy tin.' — Isa. i. 25.
'But who may abide the Day of his Coming? and who
shall stand when he Appeareth? For he is like a Refi-
ner's Fire, and like Fuller's Soap. And he shall sit, as
15
246 REASONS FOR OUR HOPE.
a Refiner and Ptirifier of Silver, and he shall Purify the
Sons of Levi, and Purge them as gold and silver.' — Mai.
iii. 2, 3.
'Every Man's work shall be made manifest ; for the Day
shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by Fire : and
the Fire shall Try Every Mail's work, of what sort it is.
If any man's work shall abide, which he hath built thereup-
on, he shall receive a reward. If any man's work shall be
burned, he*|hall sufier loss : but he himself shall be Sa-
ved, yet so as by fire.' — 1 Cor. iii. 13—15.
The term Fire is highly and poetically emblematical of
the power and tendency of God's providential afflictions, to
humble, subdue, and melt the stubborn and disobedient.
Both Fire and Salt are well-known, and very effective Pu-
rifiers, refining, preserving, and cleansing those things
which are able to endure them. The former especially, is
the great agent by which all metals are separated from their
dross, and prepared for the use for which they were design-
ed. And let it be well observed, that the tire only con-
sumes the dross, and brings out the ^oZ^ pure and unharmed
from its ordeal. Now, man, in this lower life, is created
a compound of spirit and earth, as the ore in the mine is
created of the precious gold, and the cumbrous, worthless
dross. The spirit, which is of God, and partakes of His
nature, has still at the germ the preciousness of its Maker's
image, however completely its celestial value and hidden
capabilities may be obscured by its rough and cumbersome
envelopment of earthiness, — as the treasure which the bulky
rock conceals is not ot itself the less valuable for its con-
glomeration with the base elements in which it is imbedded.
And as the precious metal is designed for uses higher than
its primary condition, and must first pass the fiery crucible
of the refiner, so also is the spirit of man designed for nobler
purposes than this life supplies; and the vicissitudinous ex-
periences which God ordains for all, is the furnace through
which all the 'wood, hay, stubble,' and 'chaflT' shall be 'burnt
up,' of which 'He shall leave them neither root nor branch,'
until finally the whole kindred creation shall come forth
REASONS FOR OUR HOPE. 247
from the resistless, 'unquenchable' conflagration of the Spi-
rit of God, 'as silver purified seven limes.'
'Every thing that may abide the Fire, ye shall make go
through the fire, and it shall he Clean. Nevertheless, it
shall be Purified with the water of separation ; and all that
abideth not the Fire, ye shall make go through Water.' —
Numb. XXX. 23.
'Take away the dross from the silver, and there shall
come forth a vessel for the finer. Take away_ Wickedness
from before the King, and His Throne shall be established
in Righteousness.' — Prov. xxv. 4, 5.
'And I will bring the third part through the Fire, and will
Refine them as silver is Refined, and will Try them as
gold is Tried : then shall they Call on My name, and I will
hear them. I will say. It is My people, and they shall say,
The Lord is my God.' — Zech. xiii. 9.
'Behold, I have Refined thee, but not as silver; I have
chosen thee in the Furnace of Affliction. For Mine own
sake, for Mine ovvn sake, will I do it. For how should My
Name be polluted ? And I will not give My Glory to an-
other.' — Isa. xlviii. 10, 11.
'Righteousness and Judgment are the habitation of His
Throne ; a Fire goeth before Him, ayid Burneth His en-
emies ro7ind about. His lightnings enlightened the
World. - - The heavens declare His Righteousness, and
All the People see His Glory.' — Ps. xcvii. 2-6.
'I will even make the pile for fire great. Heap on wood,
kindle the fire, consume the flesh and spice it well, and let
the bones be burned. Then set it empty upon the coals
thereof, that the brass of it may be hot, and may burn, and
that the filthiness of it may be molten in it, that the sctim of
it may be Consumed ; - -and thou shalt be Purged from thy
Filthiness when I have caused My Fury to rest upon thee.'
— Ezek. xxiv. 10-13.
'They shall lift up their voice, they shall sing for the Maj-
esty of the Lord, they shall cry aloud from the Sea. —
Wherefore, Glorify ye the Lord in the Fires.' — Isa. xxiv. 15.
'Behold,! go forward, but He is not there; and back-
248 REASONS FOR OUR HOPE.
ward, yet I cannot perceive Him ; on the left hand where
He doth work, but I cannot behold Him ; and on the right
hand also He hideth himself that I cannot see him. But
He knowelh the way ihat I take ; lohen He hath Tried me,
I shall come forth as gold.' — Job xxiii. 8--10.
'We have heard a voice of trembling, of fear, and not of
Peace. Ask ye now, and see whether a man doth travail
with child ? wherefore do I see every man with his hands
on his loins, as a woman in travail, and All Faces turned to
paleness ? Alas ! for that day is great, so that none is like
it ; it is even the time of Jacob's trouble. But he shall be
Saved out of it.'' — Jer. xxx. 5-7.
'He Ruleth by His Power forever ; His eyes behold the
Nations ; the Rebellious shall be not able to exert them-
selves. - - For thou, O God hast proved us ; thou hast tried
us as silver is tried. Thou broughtest us into the net;
Thou laidest affliction upon our loins. - - We went through
Fire and through Water, but Thou broughtest us out into
a wealth?/ Place.' — Ps. Ixvi. 7--12.
'Fear not ; for I have Redeemed thee. I have called thee
by thy name, thou art Mine. When thou passest through
the "Waters, I will be with thee ; and through the Rivers,
they shall not overflow thee. When thou icalkest through
the Fire, thou shah not be burned, neither shall the flame
kindle upon thee. For I am the Lord thy God, the Holy
One of Israel, thy Saviour.' — Isa. xliii. 1--3.
"Then shall ihey meet tlie Father, and remain
In the eternal presence ,- God in Christ
Shall ble=s All Spirits overflowinaly.
Then shall tiiey render back to Ilim the love
Wliicli 13 His own, none el.-e is worthy Him,
The world were poor in thanks, tho' every soul.
Were to do nought bill breathe them, every blade
Of grass, and every atomie of earth.
To utter it like dew. His ways aie plain,
Only in His own light. And this great day
Unveils all natures, laws, and miracles.
Tlie world's incomprehensible no more.
But all is plain as new-born starry spheres." — Festus.
REASONS FOR OUR HOPE. 249
III. Promises concerning the Lord as Purifier.
'Unto Thee shall All Flesh Come. Iniquities prevail
against me ; hut as for our transgressions, Thou shalt
Purge them away.'' — Ps. Ixv. 2,3.
'Though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be white as
SNOW ; though they be rtd like Crimsoji, they shall be as
WOOL.'— Isa. i. IS.
'When he had by himself P«r^ei our Sins, he sat down
on the right hand of the Majesty on high.' — Heb. i. 3.
'Him that loved us, and Washed us from our Sins in his
own blood.'— Rev. i. 5.
'The blood of Jesus Christ His Son, Cleanscth us from
All Sin:— I John i. 7.
'The Avrath of God is revealed from heaven against All
TJnrighteousness and Ungodliness of men.' — Rom. i. 18.
The object of the Lord's Punishments upon the wicked, is
the destruction of their Sins, their 'unrighteousness and
ungodliness,' and not the injury of their souls.
'Hath He smitten him, as He smote those that smote him ?
or is he slain according to the slaughter of them that are-
saved by Him ? In measure when Thou sendest it forth.
Thou wilt be careful with it. He stayeth His rough
wind in the Day of His east wind. By this, therefore, .shall
the Iniquity of Jacob be Purged; and this is all the fruit
[of the whirlwinds of God's Punishments,] to take aioay
his Sins.' — Isa. xxix. 7-9.
"Redeeming Spirit, behold,
A world by sin destroy'd !
Creatinu; Spirit, as of old, —
Move o'er the formless void !
Give Thou the word, the healing; sound,
Shall quell the deadly strife.
And all the earth like Eden crown'd,
Shall rear the tree of life.
If rang the morning stars for joy,
When nature rose to view.
What strains will angel harps employ,
When Thou dost All renew !"
250 REASONS FOR OUR HOPE.
PROPOSITION FORTY-EIGHTH.
The Ultimate Redemption of All Mankind, is Desigfiated
by the Type of' The First- Fruits,'' which points to those
who are chosen in this world through Faith to Eternal
Life, THE ELECT, as the Earnest and Pledge of
the Filial Ingatheritig of All Things in Christ.
EVIDENCES.
'The Feast of the Harvest, the First-Fruits of thy labors
which thou hast sown in thy field ; and the Feast of In-
gathering, which is in the End of the Year, when thou hast
Gathered in (the Residue of) thy labors out of thy field.' —
Ex. xxii. 16. 'Thou shalt observe the Feast of weeks, of
the First-fruits of wheat harvest, and the Feast of Ingath-
ering at the Year's End.'' — Ex. xxxiv. 22. Also xxiiid
Leviticus, 10-20, and Deut. xviii. 4, 5.
'If the First-Fruit be holy, the Lump is also Holy ; if
the Root be holy, so also are the branches.'' — Rom. xi. 16.
'The Kingdom of God is like leaven which a woman took
and hid in three measures of meal, till the Whole was
leavened.' — Luke xiii. 21. 'A Utile leaven leaveneth the
Whole hump.'' — Gal. v. 9. [Please read here the 2d chap-
ter of Leviticus.] 'Now also the axe is laid unto the Root
of the Trees.' — Mat. iii. 10; Luke iii. 9. 'Thou bearest
not the Root,\i\x\. the Root thee.' — Rom. xi. 18. 'I [Christ]
am the Root of David.' — Rev. xxii. 16. [See Parable of
the Mustard-Tree. — Mark iv. 31, &c.] 'Thou preparedst
room before it, and didst cause it to take deep root, and it
Filled the land ; the hills were covered with the shadow of
It, and the boughs thereof were like the goodly cedars.—
She sent out her boughs into the Sea, and her branches un-
to the River.'— Ps. Ixxx. 9-14. Isa. xl. 10 ; liii. 2.
'We, \theElect^ \v\\\q\i\\?i\(i, the First-Fruits of the Spir-
it, groan within ourselves, waiting for the Adoption, to wit,
the Redemption of OUR BODY, ['the Creation,' the Body
REASONS FOR OUR HOPE. 251
of Mankind, of which Christ is 'the Head.'] Rom. viii. 19.
'Simeon hath declared how God at the first did visit the
Gentiles, to take out a People for His Name, - - to Build
again the ruins thereof, that the Residue of Men might
seek after the Lord.' — Acts xv. 14—16.
'God hath quickened us together with Christ, — by Grace
are ye saved, — and hath raised us up together, and made tis
sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus,— That in
the ages to come He might show the Exceeding Riches
of His Grace, through His kindness toward us by Jesus
Christ.'— Eph. ii. 4-7.
'Who is the Saviour of All Men, but especially of those
that believe,' {the elect.]— I Tim. iv. 10.
'AH the Kindreds of the Earth shall be Blessed. But
7into You first, God having raised up his Son Jesus, sent
him to bless you.'' — Acts iii. 25, 26.
'All Things are of God, who hath reconciled its to Him-
self, and hath given us the ministry of reconciliation, to wit,
that God was in Christ Reconciling the world unto Him-
self.'— 2 Cor. V. 18, 19. Col i. 20-22, to same purport.
'Of His own Will begat He us through the word of truth.
that We shouldhea kind o/First-Fruits of His Creatures,'
[or. Creation.] — Jas. i. 18.
'I [Paul] obtained Mercy, that in me First, Jesus Christ
might show forth all long-suffering, - - for a Pattern to them
which should hereafter believe on him, to life everlasting.'
—1 Tim. i. 16.
'But what saith the answer of God unto him?— I have
reserved to Myself seven-thousand Men, who have wo^ bow-
ed the knee to Baal.— Even so, then, at this present time,
there is a Kemnant according to the Election of Grace ;
and if by Grace, then it is no more of works.' — Rom. xi.
4-6.
'So the Election hath obtained it, but the Rest were blind-
ed. — But have they stumbled that they should \irretrieva'
bly] fall? God forbid.'— Rom. xi. 7, 11.
'By the Son of God ive have received Grace and apostle-
ship, /or obedience to the Faith among All Nations, for his
name.' — Rom. i. 5.
252 KEASONS FOR OUR HOPE.
'When THE First came, ihey supposed that they should
receive more : but they likewise received Every Man, a
penny. And when they received it, they murmured against
the Good Man of the House.— But He answered, — 1 will
give unto the Last even as unto thee. Is it not rightful
for Me to what I will with Mine own ? Is thine eye evil
because I am Good ? So the last shall be [like] the First,
and the First [\i\ic] ihe last; for Many, [the Many, the
Mass, Mankind, — Gr.j are Called, Izit Few Chosen.'' —
Mat. XX. 10--16. xxii. 14.
'There shall be a handful of corn in the earth upon the
top of the mountains; the Fruit thereof shall shake like
Lebanon ;— Men shall be Blessed in him ; All Natio7is
shall call him Blessed.'— Ps. Ixxii. 16, 17.
'We [the elect] have access into this Grace wherein we
stand, and Rejoice in Hope of the [Complete] Glory of God.'
—Rom. V. 2. See 1S--21 ; iii. 23, 24.
'in whom ye also trusted after that ye heard the word of
truth, the Gospel of your Salvation ; in whom also after ye
believed, ye were sealed with the Holy Spirit of Promise ;
which is the Earnest [the token, the pledge,] of our Inheri-
tance, until the Redemption o/tiie Purchased PoSbEssioN,'
[namely, Every Man of the Whole World, Heb. ii. 9 ; 1
John ii." 2.]— Eph. i. 4--14.
'He shall cause them that come out of Jacob to take root.
Israel shall blossom and bud, and fill the face of the World
ivithfruit.'—lsa. xxvii. 6.
'Them who are the Called, according to His Purpose.
For whom He did foreknow, He also did Predestinate to be
conformed to the image of His Son, [for their own exclusive
salvation 1] that he might Ic the Fikst-Born among the
Many Brethren,' [the Great Mankind-Brotherhood.] -Rom.
viii. 28, 29.
'These, [the 144,000 elect,] were Redeemed from among
men, being the First-Fruits unto God and to the Lamb,
and in their mouth was found no guile ; for they are with-
out fault before the throne of God. And I saAV another an-
gel [messenger] fly in the midst ot heaven ['the Christian
Church,'] having the Everlasting Glad Tidings, to preach un-
REASONS FOR OUR HOPE. 253
to them thai dwell on the earth, AND to Every Nahon,
and Kindred, and To?i.gii.e, and People, [whether on this
earlh, or departed from it, — whether those that existed in
the present, past, or future,] sayings with a mi<;hly voice, —
Fear God, and give Glury to Him : for the hour of His
Judgment is come : and worship Him that made heaven,
and earth, and the sea, and the fountains of waters.' — Rev.
xiv. 4--7.
'Now is Christ risen from the dead, and become the
First-Fruits of them that slept,' [viz. 'All,'— 22d verse.]
—1 Cor. XV. 20.
'Every man in his own order ;^hrist the First-Fruits,
afterward they that are Christ's, [viz. 'All,'— John xvii. 10.]
at his coming. Then the end, when All shall be Sub-
dued unto him, and the Last Enemy, death, shall be Des-
troyed.' — 1 Cor. XV. 23-28. We understand from this pas-
sage, that the final resurrection of all men in Christ, is a
progressioe and indiridual work after death, and identical
with that of reconciling the Worldr--AU Things to him-
self. It seems plain to us that the power of the resurrection
is not fully wrought upon any soul until it has attained the"
angelic, the heavenly, the Christ-like image, — which is
but gradually assumed, — not until the soul has become
subject unto Christ, until it become his characteristically,
can it be visibly sensible of his 'coming,'— not until it be-
comes 'like him,' can it 'see him at his appearing,'— it must
be 'AS HE IS,' before his glory can be 'revealed.' All shall at
last indeed be raised in Christ, — All shall be subdued unto
him ; but this is neither an instantaneous nor a simultaneoxiz
act, but a protracted and progressive one, which the Great
Judgment of the Kingdom is even now carrying onward.
'He saith unto Pharaoh, Even for this same Purpose have
I raised thee up, that I might show My power in thee, and
that My name might be declared throughout All the Earth.'
—Rom. ix. 17.
'The Lord thy God hath chosen thee [the Jews] to be a
Special People unto himself, above all people that are upon
the face of the earth. Yet the Lord did not set His love
upon yout nor Choose you, because ye were more in num-
P
254 REASONS FOR OUH HOPE.
ber than any people; for ye were the fewest of All people:
But b3cause the Lord loved you, [but not to their own ex-
clusive glory, ]and because He loould keep the Oath which He
had Sworn unto ijonr fathers,'' [that through the Promised
Seed, All the nations and families of the earth shall be
blessed.] Deut. vii. 6--8.
The .lews were chosen from among all the nations of the
jarth, as the first-fruits of All the Nations of men. The
Apostles and Disciples were elected as the first-fruits of the
Church. The Church is for the good of the icorld at large.
The Elect believers are an cnsample of the final unity of
faith with the non-elect. ff\\Q ultimate regeneration of this
world is a pledge and testunony to the eventual glorification
oi All the future world. And finally, the election of the
Only-Begotten and Exalted Son of God was for the eternal
Redemption and Blessedi.ess oi All His hitelli gent Creation.
fCol. i. 15. 4-c.)
"How litilc they God's counsels comprehend, —
The Universal Parent, Guardian, Friend :
Who, forminiT by degrees to bliss. Mankind,
This globe our sportive nvrsery assign'd.
Scarce any ill to human life belongs.
But what our follies cause, or mutual wrongs ;
Or if Slime stripes from Providence we feel.
He strikes with pity, and but wounds to hea!."— Jjenyns.
PROPOSITION FORTY-NINTH.
The Highest MORAL PRECEPTS of Christianity are
not only Radically at loar with the Partialist views of
Divine Justice, hut are also the very Bases of the XJni-
versalist Philosophy, and irresistibly Evident of its Doc-
trines.
ILLUSTRATIONS.
'■Love your Enemies.'' — Mat. v. 45. Now we will not be-
lieve that God has ever communicated a moral command to
His creatures, inculcating a difl^erent principle, much less a
directly contrary one, to the spirit by which He himself is
ever actuated, in the administration of His government.—
REASONS FOR OUR HOPE. 255
Were not eternal Goodness and Love immutable and un-
mixed attributes of His own niUure, ibeii would those prin-
ciples never be necessary or profitable to man, neither could
such principles in the form of universal precepts, ever issue
from His sovereign throne. The lofty standard and perfec-
tion of Goodness, must exist with God alone ; and the pood-
ness which His precepts involve must be of the same nature
with His own. Consequently, goodness in man is the same
in kind with that of God, though infinitely dillerent in de-
gree, and any actual abuse of the immutable principles of
good would be a wrong in Him as well as in man. In fact,,
that only is evil which is contrary to God's own character ;
and we cannot reasonably believe that He would ever pro-
nounce a particular command good, and its disobedience evil,.
while the principle had no foundation in His own Being.
If this reasoning be just, as we think must be apparent to
every reflecting mind, we are prepared to comprehend the
force of that first Divine precept we have mentioned, 'Love
your enemies,' in its inconsistency with the doctrine ofVin-
dictive Justice, and harmony with that of JMerciful Justice,
when the precept is considered as one that reigns over and
sways the counsels of Him from whom it emanated. It
seems very obvious, that if the deep, eternal, unchangeable
love of God really embraces those even who seem ^ to be-
the enemies of Flis name and holiness, — there is no room,
whatever for the awful idea of His having prepared a great
world of unabating miseries for their souls, in the after life t
But if God loves his enemies, it is manifest that, however
deeply He may contemn their sins. He is still the tender,
solicitous Parent of their spirits, who with ample means at
His command for the total abolishment of their enmity, will
not ceasa the intensity of His Spirit's striving, until they
shall come trembling with humility, and melted with filial,
confiding, reciprocal tenderness, at His feet.
We might introduce here several Scriptural proofs to the
conclusion at which we above arrived, that the spirit of
God's dealing with mankind is ever consonant with the
spirit of the moral commands whic/li He has dictated as the
great governing principles between man and man. In con-
256 KEASONb FOR OUR HOPE.
nec.tion with the divine injunction, 'Love your enemies, &c.*
Jesus added, 'Thai ye nnay be the children of, |a Greek id-
ioniic periphrasis for that ye may be like,] your Father which
is in lieaven ; for He makelh His sun to rise upon the evil
and upon the good,' &c. And when he said, *lf ye love
them which love you, [merely,] what do ye more than pub-
licans ?' he enforced the lesson of his question by giving' his
hearers lo understand that the Father's love was not circum-
scribed by lines of distinction, in these words : 'Be ?/e there-
fore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is
perfect.' The apostle likewise con)manded, that we should
be imitators of God as dear children. — (Eph. v. 1.) Jesua,
was 'the munifestation of the Father's glory, and the express
image of His person ;' and the example of Jesus as a pat-
tern is frequently exhil)ited in the Epistles. Folli Christ
and St. Paul have condemned the judging of those who dis-
regTird their own precepts. Mat vii. 3 ; Rom. ii. 1, &:c,
'■Bless them that crime you.'' — Mat, v, 45. 'Cursing for
cursing' can constitute no legitimate part of the Christian's
Creed, any more than it can of his practice. Will God in-
deed ultimately confer the blessing of Hrs ancient Promise
upon those even who take His holy name in vain, or blas-
phenie it? Assuredly He will ; for it is promised even in
the precept of His word we have just cited. Witness also
the glorioles exemplification of this precept in Jesus' blessing'
i]pon those who cursed and crucified him r 'Father forgive
them, for they know not what they do.' — Luke xxiii. 34.
'Do pood to them that liateyou.' — Luke vi. 27. So does
not the Lord hate those w!io hate Him, but is 'kind to the
unthankful and the evil.' His Goodness indeed is so much
greater than all our ingratitude, that He will not only des-
troy all our hate and past unmindfulness, but will change
them to endless love and holiness.
'Pray for thcvi which despitefvlly use you.' — Luke vi. 28.
If we, as brethren, should be anxious and pray for the wel-
fare of our persecutors, how much more shall God, as Crea-
tor and Father, be solifitous of, and act for, the enlisjhten-
ment and salvation of the erroneous and the uncharitable ?
^ If thine enemy he hungry , give him bread to eat ; and if
REASONS FOR OUR HOPK. 257
he be thirsty give him water to drink.'' — Rom. xii. 20; —
Prov. XXV. 21. It is not the disposition of God either to
<rontirra on His own part the estrangement and enmity of
His creatures, or to j3e?-j9ei!7/rt;e it ; but on the contrary, to
abolish it, and to reconcile the alienated to Himself. And
this He accomplishes by ministering- with more liberal hard
to the greater 7iecessities of those who are more 'out of the
way.' He conquers not as human conquerors do, by vio-
lent means and vindictive, but to gain the love and homasre,
as well as the trophy, of His captives. This is the noble
nature of God's Vengeance. Whether He smite, or whether
He bless, His enemies, it is to reclaim. 'Tis thus that He
'heaps coals of fire upon their heads.'
'■Not rendering evil for evil, but contrariwise blessing."
— 1 Pet. iii. 9. God is not a retaliative and vengeful Being,
that He will increase the evils of His universe by redoublinof
those of His creatures, in the unsparing exaction of ill for ill ;
much less will He retort infinite and endless evil for finite
and momentary. But the dealings of God are exactly ^con-
trariwise ;' He renders not only good for evil, but infinite
goodness for all our evils.
''If ye lend to those only of ivhom ye hope to receive, ivhat
do ye more than sinners?' — Luke vi. 84. The Grace of
God which bringeth salvation is not merely for those who
may do anything for the Lord in retnrnfor it, — it is 'not of
works,' — but it is a free Gift unto All men ; for God giveth
not merely to those from whotn He receiveth as much again.
'■Forgive thy brother that sinnest against the not 7intil
SEVEN times, but until seventy tiivies seven.' — Mat. xviii.
22. This precept proves that the Divine Mercy is unlimi-
ted to persons, or times, or to the heinousness or number of
sins, and agrees with that tenching of Jesus, — Mat. xii. 31,
T(which, when rendered into English with regard to the pro-
verbial Greek idiom which the passatre contains, reads thus :)
'^All manner of Sin and blasphemy shall be Forgiven unto
men ; though the blasphemy against the Holy Spirit shall
scarcely he forgiven unto men.'
'■Be not overcome of evil, but Overcome evil with Good.'' —
Bom. xii. 14. But, will God, who is All-wise and mighty,
REASOiNS FOR OUR HOPE.
be eternally overcome to a dreadfully vast extent, by any
Deific Spirit of Evil, and a mighty empire of everlasting
sin and sutierings ? No. He is 'Greater than All.' He
can overcome ail evil with His Goodness, which is infinite
and associated with Omnipotence, while evil is finite and
subordinate.
''If a man he overtaken in a fault, ye lohich are spiritutd
Restore such an one in the spirit of meekness.^ — Gal. vi. 1.
And yet there are those who believe that the Creator and
Parent of men, who is able to save to the uttermost, is of
so contrary a spirit to that of this injunction, that instead of
mercifully Restoring to holiness, those who become entan-
gled in the meshes of this world, — involves ihem in the tor-
ments of a region of inextri -able iniquity and despair.
'Bless, and curse not.'' — Rom. xii. 14. Such a precept
could never have been given by inspiration of God, if it were
His purpose to abandon and curse with endless woes myr-
iads of His sinful creatures. Our God is not a God of
Damnation, but of Salvation.
''If ye have respect to persons, ye commit sin, and are con-
victed by the law as transgressors.^ — James, ii. 9. There
is not an evidence in all the world, nor in all the Scripturea
that the Lord is so Partial a Being as He is represented by
the Calvistic dogma of Election and Reprobation, and the
Armininian one of Particular Regeneration.
'Recompense to no inan evil for evil.'' — Rom. xii. 17.
And yet, will Jehovah expiate the evils of time by their end-
less perp-Huilv, and almost infinite aggrandizement?
'L?^ not Mercy and Truth forsake thee ; bind them upon
the tahlet of thine heart.'' — Prov. iii. 3. If the Mercy and
Faithfulness of God are impartial and unchangeable. He
can never forsake the works of His own hands.
'Avenge not yourselves.'' — Rom. xii. 19. God is not a
man, that He should require the ignoble species of 'satisfac-
tion,' for human disobedience, which is even unseemly in
the earthly monarch, and which is more fitting for the ca-
pricious tyrant or pugnacious bully !
'Rejoice not lohen thine enemy falleth, and let not thy
heart be s:lad when he stumblelh.'' — Prov. xxiv. 17. This
REASONS FOR OUR HOPE.
259
passage for one might convince us that God never could be
reconciled to the endless, permanent establishment of evil
and suffering ; and that the eloquent descriptions which Dr.
Edwards and various other divines have given, of the great
exaltation of the bliss of the saints in heaven, and of the
glory of God, at the magnificent woes of the damned, are
Avildly imaginative and impious.
' Smj not, I loill do so unto him as he hath done to me.' —
Prov. xxiv. 29. 'Grievous words stir up anger,' so does
grievous, savage revenge, not turn away wrath and enmity,
but only aggravates the malice, and widens the breach of
separation. Surely, the disposition of the Father towardf.
His creatures is infinitely difierent from that which says, —
*I will do so to him as he hath done to me.'
In like manner, we may take the following passages as
inferential proofs of the impartial love, and unceasing uni-
versal goodness of God : 'Be patient [forbearing,] toicards
All Men.'— I Thess. v. 14. 'Be gentle unto All Men.'—
2 Tim. ii. 14. ' The Lord make you increase and abound
in love toward one another, and toivard All Men.' — 1 Thess,
iii. 12. 'Honor All Men. Love the Brotherhood.' — 1 Pel
ii. 17.
"God loves from wliole to parts, but human soul,
Must rise from individual to the whole.
Self-love first serves the virtuous mind to wake.
As the small pebble stirs the peaceiul lake, —
The centre mov'd a circle straight succeeds.
Another still, and still another speeds :
Friend, parent, neighbor, first it will embrace.
His country next, and next all human race.
Wide and more wide th' o'erflowings of the mind,
Till it all creatures br)unds, of every kind ;
Earth smiles around with boundless beai.ly blest,
And heav'n beholds its image in his breast.
Learn, from the union of the rising whole.
The first, last purpose ot the human soul ;
And know where faith, law, morals all began, —
All end in love of God, and love of man."— Pope.
260 EEASONS FOB OUR HOPE.
PROPOSITION FIFTIETH.
Wp. have seen that the Scripticres indirectly repudiate the
idea of the Eternal Sinfulness and Misery of Millions
of the Human Family, in a thousand different ways ;
We shrno also that the Scriptures contain language
that LITERALLY CONTRADICTS that Sentiment, the Pur-
port of lohich must be exactly reversed to agree vnth it.
CORROBORATION.
'Will the Lord Cast off Forever ? Will He be favorable
no more? Is His Mercy utterly sfone forever? Doth Hi$
Promise fail forevermore ? Hath God forgotten to be Gra-
cious ? or hath He in anirer shut up His tender mercies ?' —
Ps. Ixvii. 7, 8.
'Wilt Thou be ang-ry with us Forever? Wilt Thou draw
out Thine anger to All Generations? Wilt Thou not Re-
vive us again, that Thy People may Rejoice in Thee?' —
Ps. Ixxxv. 4-7.
'Will He reserve [prolong] anger forever V — Jer. iii. 5.
'Wilt not Thou, O God, who hast cast us off, — wilt not
Thou give us help from trouble?' — Ps. cviii. 11.
'^Wliat hath the Lord answered? What hath the Lord spoken?'' — Jer. xxiii. 35.
'The Lord loill not Cast off forever ! But though He
cause grief, yet will He have compassion according to the
multitude of His tender merries ; for He doth not afflict
ivillina:ly, nor grieve the children of men.' — Lam. iii. 31-33.
'I am Merciful, saith the Lord, and I will not keep An-
ger forever.' — Jer. iii. 12.
'The Lord is Merciful and Gracious, slow to Anger, and
Plenteous in Mercy. He will 7iot always chide, neither
will He keep Anger forever.' — Ps. ciii. 8, 9. 'My Spirit
shall not always strive with man.' — Gen. vi. 3.
'I will not Contend forever, neither will I be always
Wroth : for the spirit should Aiil before Me, and the souls
which I have made.' — Isa. Ivii. 16.
REASONS FOR OUR HOPE. 261
•His Anger endureth but a moment ; in His favor is life.
Weeping may endure for a night, but joy corneth in the
morning.' — Ps. xxx, 5.
'Who is a God like unto Thee, that -Pardoneth iniquity,
and passelh by the transgression of the remnant of His her-
itage ? He retaiaeth not His J.«o'e?*yb?-eye?', because He
delighteth in Mercy.' — Micah vii. 18.
'The Lord ivill 7iot Cast oft" His People, neither will He
forsake His inheritance.' — Ps. xciv. 14.
'Thus saith the Lord, If heaven above can be measured,
and the foundation of the earth searched out beneath, then
will I Cast Oft' the seed of Israel for all the evil they have
done, sailh the Lord.' — Jer. xxxi. 37.
'■His Mercy endureth Forever.^ This sentence occurs in
our Scriptures no less than Forty-Two times. It is as pal-
pable a contradiction of the doctrine of Endless Wrath, and
Salvation only in this World, as human language can ex-
press in the same compass.
"O, would mankind but miike fair Trull) their guide,
And force the helm from prejudice and pride ;
Were once these maxims fix'd, — God is our Friend,
Virtue our Good, and Happiness our End, —
Hovv soon would reason o'er the world prevail.
And error, fraud, and superstition fail !
None would hereafter then, with groundless fear.
Describe th' Almighty cruel and severe,
Predestinating some without pretence
To heaven, — the rest to hell, without offence ;
InHictinw endless pains for transient crimes,
And fav'rin<j sects or nations, men, or limes ;
Or deem it merit to believe or leach
What reason contradicts or must impeach ;
Or think Salvation for ene clti-ts desi<.'n'd.
And Heaven too narrow to contain Mankind !
No more would brutal ra^ie disiuib our peace.
But envy, hatred, war and discord "ease ;
Our own and others' good eacli hour employ,
And all things smile with universal joy :
Fair Virtue then with pure Religion join'd.
Would reijulale and bless the human mind.
And Man be, wiial his Maker hath desian'd."
Soame Jenyns,-- quoltd by Zimmerman.
16
REASONS FOR OUR HOPE.
THE UNIVERSALIST CREED.
Written by St. Paul, the Apostle, a Minister of the Gos-
pel of the RecoJiciliation of All Things. (Eph. iv. 4--6.)
(Art. I.) 'There is ONE BODY,'— [The Body of Christ,
who is 'the Head of Every Man,' 'the Heir of
All Things,' — Mankind is this Body, of wliom
Jesus is the Head. Read Eph. iv. 12, 13, 15,
16; i. 22, 23; ii. 16; iii. 6; v. 23 ; Col. i.
17--19, 24; ii. 17, 19 ; 1 Cor. xiiih; x. 17;
Rom. viii. 23 ; xii. 5. Isa. xxvi. 9.]
(Art. n.) ^And ONE SPIRIT,'— [The Holy Spirit of Grace
which shall redeem and sanctify All Men. See
Jas. ii. 26 ; Rom. iii. 23, 24; 'iv. 16 ; v. 18--
21; Eph. ii. 7 ; Tit. ii. 11 ; Heb. ii. 9, fee]
(Art. HI.) 'Even as there is but ONE HOPE in our Call-
ing;' — [The 'blessed Hope' of the Resurrec-
tion of All Men, even o^'the unjust,'' to 'glory,'
'power,' 'spirituality,' and 'Christ,' in tlie image
of 'the heavenly,' and 'equal to the angels,' —
Acts xxiv. 15 ; Rom. viii. 20 ; 1 Cor. xv ; Col.
i. 23; Phil. iii. 21, &c. &c.
(Art. IV.) 'ONE LORD,'— [.Tosus Christ, the Owner and
Saviour of All. Rom xiv. 9, and 20 parallels ;
1 Tim. ii. 6, 2 Cor. v. 19, and 50 parallels.
(Art. V.) 'ONE FAITH,'— [The glorious Faith of Abra-
ham for the ultimate blessedness of 'All Kin-
dreds.' Acts iii. 21-26 ; Gal. iii. 8, 28, 29 ;
Rom. iv. 13, &c. &:c.]
(Art. VI.) 'A7id ONE BAPTISM,'— [A universal baptism
with the 'Spirit of Judgment, and the Spirit of
♦ Burning,' — the Holy Spirit of Regeneration. —
Mark ix. 39; Mat. iii. 11 ; Luke iii. 16 ; Heb.
xii. 29 ; 1 Cor. iii. 15 ; John xii. 31, 32, etc.
REASONS FOR OUR HOPE. 263
(Art. VII.) 'ONE GOD,'— [the Governor, Sustainer, and
Sovereign Universal, whose counsel is irnn)uta-
ble, whose Will is irresistible, and whose Pur-
poses are infallible. Heb, vi. 17 ; Rom. ix. 19 ;
Eph. 1. 9-11, etc.
(Art. VIII.) ^And [ONE] FATHER of All, icho is Above
All, and through All, and in you All,' — [who
punishes 'for our profit,' 'knoweth what we
have need of,' and 'to Whom are All Things.'
Heb. xii. 7--10 ; Rom. xi. 36, &c.
"True Re!if:ion,
Is always mild, beneficent, .nnil humble :
Acts not tiie Tvrnnt, plants not Faith in blood,
Nor bears destruction on her ciiaiiot wlieels ;
But sloops to polish, succour, and redress,
And builds lier giandeur on the public good."
A TABLE
Of the Scriptural Expressions of Universality, with Refer-
ences to the Places in ivhich they afford the Birfxt, and
Inferential Proofs of Universal Ecdcwption.
I. All. Rom. xi.32; 1 Tim. ii. 6; John vi. 39; 1
Cor. XV. 22 ; Heb. ii. 8 ; 2 Pet. iii. 9 ; Ps. cxlv. 9 ; Mai.
ii. 10 J John vi. 37; Eph. iv. 13; John xvii. 10 : Rom.
iv. 16; Acts xvii. 25 ; Rom. ix. 5; Ps. cxlv. 14, 15; John
vi. 45; Isa. liii.6; Rom. viii. 82; 1 Cor. v. 14, 15; Rom.
xiv. 10 ; Zeph. iii. 9 ; Gal. iv. 26 ; I Cor. iii. 22 ; John
xvii. 21 ; Luke xx.38; Rom. ,iii. 22; 1 Cor. xv. gS ; Mat.
V. 18; Isa. xlvi. 10; Mat. xxviii. 18; Eph. iv. 6.
IL All Men. 1 Tim. ii. 1 ; John xii. 32; Rom. v. 18 ;
Titus ii. 11 ; 1 Tim. iv. 10 ; Ps. Ixiv. 9 ; John v. 23 ; Acts
xvii. 31 ; Jas. i. 5 ; 1 Tiin. ii. 4.
III. All Things. I Cor. xv. 28; Rev. iv. 11 ; John iii.
35 ; Rom. xi. 36 ; Mat. xi. 27 ; Heb. i. 2 ; 2 Cor. v. 18 ;
264 REASONS FOR OUR HOPE.
Phil. iii. 21 ; Heb. ii. 8; John xvi. 15 ; xiii. 3 ; 1 Tim. vi.
13; Luke x. 22 ; Rev. xxi. .5; Heb. ii. 10; Eph. iv. 10;
ICor. xiii. 7; Eph. i. 10, 11 ; Acts iii. 21 ; Prov.xvi.4;
1 Cor. iii. 21, 23 ; xv. 27 : Col. i. 20 : i. 16.
IV. All People. Luke ii. 10; Isa. xxv. 6; Luke ii.
31 ; Isa. xxv. 7 ; Ps. xcvii. 6 ; Isa. Ivi. 7, Heb. ix 19.
V. All Nations. Gal. iii. 8; Ps. Ixxxii. 8; Ixxii. 11,
17;lxvii. 2; Jer. iii. 17 ; Rom. xvi. 26 ; Isa. Iii. 10 ; ii.
2; xxv. 7; Hag. ii. 7; Rev. xv. 4; Rom. i. 5 ; Mat.
xxviii. 19; Markxi. 17; Luke xxiv. 47, Isa. Ixi. 11, xliii.
9, Iii. JO.
VI. All Flesh. John xvii. 2; Ps. Ixv. 2; Luke iii. 6 ;
Isa. xl. 5 ; xlix. 26 ; Numb, xxvii. 16.
VII. All Generations. Ps. cxix. 90; c. 5; cxlvi. 10;
Isa. xli. 4, Ps. Ixxxix. 3. 4. &c.
VIIL All in All. 1 Cor. xv. 28; Col. iii. 11 ; Eph.
i. 23 ; 1 Cor. xii 6.
IX. All the Earth. Isa. x. 14 ; Numb. xiv. 21 ; Ps.
Ixvi. 4 ; Zech. xiv. 9.
X. All the World. Col. i. 6; Mark xvi. 15; Rom. iii.
19.
XI. All His Works. Ps. cxlv. 9 ; civ. 31 ; cxi. 4; cxlv.
10, cii:. 19--22.
XII. All Faces. Isa. xxv. 8.
XIII. All the Nations of the Earth. Gen. xviii. 18;
xxii. 18 : xxvi. 4; Jer. xxxiii. 9.
XIV. All the Families of the Earth. Gen. xii. 3 ;
xxviii. 14.
XV. All the Kindreds qf the Earth. Acts iii. 25.
XVI. All THE Ends of the Earth. Isa. xiv. 22; Iii.
10 ; xlix. 6; Acts xiii. 47 ; Ps. Ixv. 5; Ixvii. 7; xcviii. 3.
XVII. All the Ends of the World. Ps. xx. 27.
XVIII. All Nations whom God has Made. Ps. Ixxxvi.
9.
XIX. All that go down to the Dust. Ps. xxii. 29.
Eccl. xii. 7, Ps. Ixviii. 20.
KELSONS FOR OUR HOrE. 26.5
XX. All, from the Least to the Greatest, Jer.
xxxi. 34; Heb. viii. 11.
XXI. All THE Kindreds OF THE Nations. Ps. xxji. 27.
XXII. All that are Afar Off, — the Far and tiii-;
Near. Acts ii. 39; Isa. Ivii. 19 ; Eph. ii. 13; Zech. vi.
15 ; Isa. xliii. 6, <^c.
XXIIT. All THE Inhabitants of the Earth. Ps. xwiii.
14, 15, Dan. iv. 35.
XXIV. All Nations, People, and Languages. Don.
Tii. 14,
XXV. All Nations-, and Kindreds, and People, and
Tongues. Rev. xiv. 6, vii. 9.
XXVI. All Things in Heaven and in Earth. Eph.
i. 10.
XXVII. All Rule, Authority, and Pcweks, Princi-
palities, KlNGDOBIS, AND DOMINIONS. 1 CoV. XV. 24 ; Col.
i. 16; ii. 10; Eph. i. 21; Rev. xi. 15: Dan. \ii.27; Col.
ii. 15, 4'C.
XXVIII. All that have Sinned. Rom. iii. 23, 24 ; v.
20, 21 : 1 John iii. 5 : Titus ii. 14 : Dan. ix. 24 : 1 John
iii. 8, Gen. iii. 15, Heb. ix. 26, ii. 14, 1 Cor. xv, 54, Hos.
xiii. 14, 2 Tim. i, 10, &c,
XXIX. The People. Heb. ii. 17 ; Gen. xlix. 10 ; Isa,
xlii, 6; Heb. xiii. 12; v. 3 ; Ps. xcvi. 9, 13; Hab. ii. 13,
XXX. The Creation. Rom. viii. 19-22.
XXXI. The Earth. Hab. ii. 14; Isa. xi. 9 ; Ps. Ixxxii.
8, &c.
XXXII. The Nations. Rev. xxii. 2 ; Zeph. iii. 8 ; ha.
V. 26; xi. 12; Ps. xxii. 28.
XXXIII. The World. John iv. 42; xii. 47; iii. 17 ;
i. 29; vi. 33; viii. 12; 1 Cor. iii. 22; vi. 2; John xvii.
21, 23; Isa. xxvii. 6 ; Gal. i. 4; 1 John iv. 14: Isa. xiii.
11 : Acts xvii. 31 : John xvi. 33 ; vi. 51 : 1 John v. 4, 5:
Ps. xcviii. 9: ix. 8 : Rom. iv. 13; Rom, iii. 6: 2 Cor.
V, 19 : Rom. xi. 12: Ps. xcvi. 13; John iii. 16 ; Rom. xi.
15 : Ps. xcvii. 4.
266 REASONS FOR OUR HOPE.
XXXIV. The Whole World. 1 John ii. 2.
XXXV. The Whole Earth. Isa. liv. 5, Micah iv. 13,
Dan. ii. 35.
XXXVI. The Dead and the Living. Rom. xiv, 9.
XXX VIT. The Just and the Unjust. Acts xxiv. 15,
Mat. V. 45
XXXVIil, The Whole Family in Heaven and in Earth.
Eph. iii. 14, 15.
XXXIX, The Uttermost Parts of the Earth. Ps,
ii. 8,
XL. The Whole. Mat. xiii. 33, Luke xiii. 21. The
Lump, the Mass, Rom. xi. 16, Gal. v. 9.
XLI, Every One, Isa. xliii. 7, Acts iii. 26, Mark ix. 49.
Isa, liii. 6.
XLII. Every Man, Heb. ii. 9, Col. i. 28, 1 Cor. xi. 3,
iv. 5, Rom. iii. 3,4, Lukexvi. 16, John vi. 45, 1 Cor. iii. 13.
XLIII. Every Creature. Mark xvi. 15, Col. i. 15.
XLIV, Every Knee. Isa. xlv.23, Rom. xiv. IL
XLV, Every Tongue. Isa. xiv. 23, Rom. xiv. 11, Phil.
ii, 14.
XLVI. Every Man that Cometh into the World. —
John i. 9.
XLVI I. Every Knee of Things in Heaven, Earth,
AND Under the Earth. Phil. ii. 10.
XLVIII. Every Creature unler Heaven. CoI. i. 23.
XLIX. Every Creature in Heaven, on Earth, Under
the Earth, in the Sea, and All that are in Them. —
Rev. V. 13.
L. His Creatures. Jas. i. 18.
LI. His People. Luke i. 68, 77, Mat. i. 21, Isa. xxv.
8, Ps. ci. 9, 4-c.
LII. My People. Isa. Hi. 6, liii. 8, Jer. xxxi. 14,83,34.
LIII. Thy People. Isa. Ix. 21, Ps. ex. 3, Ixxii. 2,
Ixxxv. 2.
REASONS FOE OUR HOPE. 267
LIV, Any Man. J John ii. 1, Heb. xii. 15, Eph. ii, 9,
I Cor, iii. 15.
LV. The Children of the Resurrection. Luke xx.
36, Mat. xxii, 30, Mark xii. 25, Cor. xv. 43.
LVI. That bear the image oe the Earthy, i Cor.
XV. 49.
LVII. Jews and Gentiles. Rom. xi, 1 Cor, xii, l3,
Rom, iii. 9.
LVIII. Male and Female, Gal. iii. 28, 29. Believ-
ers and Disbelievers, John x. 16, 2 Tim. ii. 13, Rom. iii.
3,4, 1 John V, 10, 11, Rom, xi. 32.
LIX. Men, the Many, (i. e.) Mankind, Luke ii. 14,
Heb. ix. 28, ii. 10, Rom, xii. 5, v. i5, 19, Mat. xx, 16, <^c,
LX. Full, Fulness, All Fulness, Plenteous, Com-
plete, &c. Col. i. 19, Rom. xi, i2, 25, Eph. iii, 8, Col.
ii, lO, Mat, ix. 37,38, 1 Cor. x. 26, James iii. 17, Ps. Ixxii,
7, 2Cor, iv, 15, Titus iii. 6, 2Pet. i, 11, John x, 10,—
Ps. cxxx. 7, ciii, 8, Ixxxvi. 15, cxlv. 8, cxi. 4.
"How charmingly sounds, I "With joy we record,
The word of the Lord, | The tiulh and the grace.
Where witness abounds, I Of Jesus our Lord,
That Man is Restor'd. | To all of our race.
How rich our possession, I Enjoyinjgr his Spirit,
In glory shall be, | The spirit of Love,
From sin and pollution, I Mankind shall inherit.
Forever set free ! | His blessing above.
The Record is true,
And witness is giv'n
Our hearts to imbue.
With graces of heaven.
may our devotion
In purity grow.
And every emotion
In gratitude flow."
{Thomas* Hymns of Zion.)
REASONS FOR OUK HOPE.
NKGATIVE
Universal Expressions, where they occttr in Evidence of
Universal Salvation.
J. NO MAN. Rom, xiv. 7, John vi. 44.
II. NOT ANY MAN. Acts x. 28.
IIL NOT ANY. 2 Pet, iii. 9, Ezek, xviii. 23.
IV. NONE. 2 Chron, xx. 6, Roin. xiv. 7, Dan. iv-Sf).
V. NOT ONE. Mat. xviii, 14,
VI. NOTHING. John vi. 12, 39, Heb. ii. 8.
VII. NEITHER Greek nor Jeiv, NEITHER Circum-
cision, nor Uncirct/mcision, Bond nor Free, Barbarian,
Scythian, Male nor Female, — Gal. iii, 23, Col. iii, 11, Rom.
X. 12.
VIII. NO Respect of Per so?is. 2 Chron. xx, 7, Acts x,
34, Eph. vi. 9.
IX. NO. Ezek, xviii. 33, xxxiii. 11.
X. NOT. Lam, iii. 3i, Mic, vii. 18, Luke ix. 56,
Jer. iii. 12, Isa. Ivii. 16, dj-c.
"Nothing is lost in nature, — so, no soul,
Tlioiioli buried in tlie centre of .ill sin.
Is lost to God ; ev'n there it works His will,
And burns to piiriiv. The weakest things
Arc to be niadi; examples of His Might, —
The most defective, of His Love and Grace,
Whene'er He Ihinkelb well. Oh! everything
To me seems good, or tendencing to good ;
The whole is beautiful ! and I can see
Noiiuht absolutely wrong in mnn or nature, —
As (rom His hands it comes who fashions all,
With (qualities in germ that shall unfold
All holy as his word. The world is but
A Revel-ition. His Spirit breathes upon us
Before our births, — as o'er the formless void
He mov'd at first, — and we are all inspir'd
With His Spirit. All things are God, or of God." — FestuB.
REASONS FOR OUR HOPE. 269
The Folloioing List of References also, comprise Proofs of
the Salvation of Several general Classes, luhose i?e-
demption, {en Masse.) is commonly Denied.
The Heathen, — All the Heathen. Ps. ii. S ; xlvii. 8 ;
xciv. 10 ; xcvi. 10; cxi. 6 ; Gal. iii. 8; Ezek. xxxvii. 28;
xxxix. 7, 21 ; Joel iii. 11, 12, 21, &c.
Enemies, — All Enemies. 1 Cor. xv. 25 ; Ps. Ixvi. 3;
Isa. xlii. 13; Gen. xxii. 17; Rom. v. 10; Heb. x. 13;
Ps. ex. 1.
Sinners. Ps. xxv. 8; Mat. ix. 13; 1 Tim. i. 15; Mark
ii. 17 ; Luke V. 32 ; vii. 34 ; Kom. v. 8 : Ps. li. 13.
The Ungodly. Rom. v. 6; iv. 5. The Unholy. Lev.
xix. 2.
The Unjust. 1 Pet. iii. 18; Acts xxiv. 15.
The Wicked. Ps. vii. 9; x. 15; Jer. xxx. 22-24: Isa,
xiii. 11, 12; Eccl. iii. 16, 17; Ezek. xxxiii. IL
The Lost. Ezek. xxxiv. 16 ; Mat. xviii. 11 ; Luke xix.
10 ; XV. 4, 6, 24 ; John vi. 12, 39.
They which toere not God's People. Hos. ii. 23 ; John
X, 16; Jer. xxiv. 7; xxxii. 38--40; Ezek. xxxvi. 25-27;
Zech. xiii. 9 ; Rom. ix. 25, 26.
All Israel. Rom. xi. 26 ; Jer. xxxi. 1 ; Isa. xlv. 25.
The Rebellious, the Haughty, the Stubborn-Hearted, ^e.
Ps. Ixviii. 18; cvii. 11 -14; Isa. ii. 11, 17; Isa. xlvi. 10-
12 ; xlv. 24, &c.
The Needy, the Blind, the Sick, the Destitute, ^c. Isa.
xlii. 16; Ps. Ixxii. 14, 15; cii. 6; cxlv. 14; ix. 18; Mat
ix. 12 ; vi. 8, 32 ; Jer. xxxi. 25, &c.
"All things in nature are proportionate :
Is man alone in an imperfect etate ?
Doth He not all things wisely regulate ?
Q
270 REASONS FOR OTIR HOPE.
Tlie spirits of the lost of whom we sing,
Have perish'd not ; they have but taken wing.
Changing an earthly for a lieav'niy spring.
So is all nature perfect. Harmony
Pervades the whole, by His All-wise decree ;
With whom are those to vast infinity,
We misname dead." — Longfellow.
A CHAPTER OF BIBLE STATISTICS.
t ' CONCERNING 'HELL.'
' The Gospel of St. John, and the three Epistles of John,
which are always acknowledged to be the most spiritual and
divine writings of the New Testament, do not contain
the word Hell, not any other which is pretended to be its
equivalent.
The Gospel of Mark contains the word heU but once,
and then the original is Valley of Hinnom.
St. Luke's Gospel contains the .word hell but once, (save
two instances of exact parallelism with Matthew,) where
it6ccurs in a figurative story , a parable. Besides, the orig-
inal is there, hades, — the place where Jacob and the Fathers
all went after death, — the place where Job prayed to go, —
tile place where the Psalmist expected to go, and from which
he repeatedly prophesied his redemption, — the place to
which Jesus himself descended after his crucifixion, — where
the spirit of Jonah also was detained for three days, — where
me Spirit of the Lord is said even also to exist, — of which
Jesus has the keys, and beyond which he has declared that
his everlasting kingdom and ever-increasing Church shall
mierfijow, — the place which the Prophet saith, 'gathereth to
itself all nations and people,' — from whence the hand of God
shall '■take' those who dig into its power, — the place which
He has declared that our agreement with '■shall not stand,''
to which the sacred testimony says that the Lord 'bringeth
down, and bringeth up,^ — from which God has promised to
ransom mankind, and to be its destruction, — and in refer-
REASONS FOR OUR HOPE. 271
ence to the period when all things should he subdued unto,
and made alive in, Christ, when all corruption shall put on
incorruption, Paul exclaimed, 'O Hell^xohere is thy victory V
The Gospel according to Matthew, contains the word
hell in eight places, being twice as many times as it occurs
in all the other Gospels together, where the original is six
times Valley of Hinnom, (in three of which it is addressed
to the disciples,) and twice hades, of which the Bible repeat-
edly teaches the destruction.
The Book of Acts, which comprises a sketch of the Apos-
tles' ministry for thirty years, never records the use of the
word hell but once, and in that instance it is used in ref-
ence to Christ.
The Epistle to the Romans, the great battle-ground of
the chief contested principles of Theology, contains not one.
syllable respecting a Bell.
The First Book of Corinthians contains one of the nu-
merous instances of the disguised translation of Hades, —
which, had they been uniformly rendered, would have ef-
fectually prevented the doctrine o{ an eternal world of sniffer-
ing and sin from ever having been fastened upon the Bible.
The Second of Corinthians is silent as the valley of the
shadow of death, respecting such a place.
The Epistle to the Galatians knows nothing about the
Christian [Pagan] hell.
The Epistle to the Ephesians contains not a sentence
concerning "the everlasting universe of death."
Neither Phillipians, nor Colossians, contain the word hell..
The two Thessalonians are also wholly destitute of that
word.
The two Epistles to Timothy, the Letters to Titus and
Philemon, and the Epistle of Jude, neither affords a word of
testimony about a hell.
The thirteen chapters of Hebrews are as free from the
word hell, as a table of logarithms I
St. James once made use of the Greek term for Valley of
Hinnom, by way of illustration of the filthy tongne,
which is rendered hell in the common translation.
The First of Peter does not contain the word.
272 REASONS FOR OUR HOPE.
In the Second of Peter the heathen Tartarus is once al-
luded to, — translated ^hell.''
Out of the four instances in which Hades, rendered 'hell,'
occurs in the Apocalypse, there is no intimation in connec-
tion with either that it is a region or condition oi sufferings^
much less of eternal torture, for millions of the human
Family, by the almighty ingenuity of 'the Father of Spirits.'
As to the Old Testament, it indeed, in the Hebrew much
more abounds with the term for 'hell,' than the New ; yet
what is fatal to the modern English acceptation of this word,
is, that it is so varioushi translated, — the words pit, grave,
death, ^-c, alternately representing it in our version, while
a fair, uniform tran.-lation would at once exhibit the incon-
sistency of the popular notions respecting this word.
Not a single instance where the word hell is found in the
Scriptures, is it ever associated with any adjective having
the sense, or that is ever supposed to have the sense, of in-
termifiable duration.
There is not a word spoken in the Scriptures about the
Creation of a Hell. If such a world existed, should w^e not
expect to find some mention of a place of so vast importance,
in the general account of the Creation by Moses ? Ought
il not at least to have been named as an exception to the
works which were pronounced ^very good?'
Not a Scriptural instance can be produced of any individ-
ual ever expressing a fear of going after death to such a
place as hell is described to be ; nor of any instance where
an apprehension was entertained that others might go, or
had gone, to such an awful region of misery ; neither is
there a solitary shadow of evidence that Jesus came to save
mankind from such a place. The Scriptures, in the state-
ment of its precepts, are not accustomed to affix, hell! hell !
the promiscuous, unvarying, reward of disobedience, — as is
the fashion of 'Orthodoxy.'
From the bold and incessant denunciation of hell and
perdition, which is common to the modern pulpit, we should
naturally expect to find abundant warrant for it in the Scrip-
tures. Yet the whole Bible contains not the word hell so
many times as an ordinary orthodox sermon !
REASONS FOR OUR HOPE. 273
THE PAUCITY AND WEAKNESS OF THE
ASSUMED SCRIPTURAL GROUNDS OF
ENDLESS MISERY.
From ihe force of education and deeply rooted habits of
thinking, the confidence of the believers in the awful dogma
of endless woe, that it is one of the plainest and most abun-
dantly testified doctrines of the Bible, is sometimes remark-
able. So fixed is the assurance of this, in general, that
no thought or pains is bestowed on searching out and defi-
ning with precision the Scriptural grounds on which to es-
tablish succinctly this tremendous article of the self-styled
Evangelism, the validity of which is so much taken for
granted. This being the case, even the most common Scrip-
ture threatenings and prophecies of Punishment for sin and
unbelief, — temporal, national, consequentia],mentaI, spiritual,
and negative, in which we all believe, and which we enforce
and reiterate in our sermons, our exhortations, and our wri-
tings, the same as others, (though we hope in general with
better understanding and efl^ect,) are hastily seized upon
and thrown out at every occasion as proofs against the final
holiness and happiness of all men.
In much misunderstanding of our doctrine, the impression
seems to have settled itself upon them, that because we de-
ny endless punishment, we therefore cannot hold to a???/ pun-
ishment. Having themselves adopted one extreme, they
accuse us of having fallen into the other. They seem to
think, and so they unjustly misrepresent us, that we believe
in no change for the wicked before they are received into
heaven, — in no disciplinary, purifying, or regenerating pro-
cess by which we are to he fitted for the heavenly state ; —
but that all men whatsoever are already travelling upon the
direct, swift, broad road to endless bliss, — no matter whether
holiness, or not ; that all will reach it immediately at death,
or at some period in the future, all at once. Death, and not
Christ and the Resurrection, is represented to be our Sa-
viour and usherer into the high condition of the glorioi^ an-
274 REASONS FOR OUR HOPE.
gels, and no condUions are to be fulfilled, either on the part
of Creator or creature, in order to be accomplished the
Restoration of all the lost to eternal life on high. Enough,
we trust is said, in various parts of this book, to convince
any reader that such representations of 'the Gospel of the
Grace of God' as these, are very wide of the truih, — unfair
and mistaken altogether. What better however may we
expect from those who will not examine our doctrine for
themselves, — who are determined to be deaf and blind to ail
our claims ? Whoever desires to know what Uuiversalism
is not, let him go hearken to the spleen of its enemies.
With such views of our faith, it is not at all to be won-
dered at that there should be betrayed so much near-sighted-
ness in the management of Bible arguments against the doc-
trine of the Restitution of All Things. But when they are
driven to perceive that there is an alternative between uneu'
diiig, revengeful punishment, and none at all, and that con-
sequently, all that numerous class of texts which relate to
.special and general punishments, do not in the least affect,
but perfectly harmonize with, the system of Universalism,
the resources for proof-texts for endless misery, are dwindled
down to but a very 'precious few,' Not with the assurance
and effrontery of former days do the advocates of this unrea-
sonable doctrine take violent hold of every promiscuous pas-
sage of Scripture that happens to contain such Vv'ords as
perdition, judgment, perish. fire, wrath, darkness, death, dam-
nation, or co7idemnation, c^c, and lift them up as positive
and plain proofs of the future, e^e?-W(zZ suffering of the sinful,
and contradictions of uni\;ersal redemption. Now, the on-
ly class of passages which are quoted with the least degree
of reliance for the eternity of punishment, are a strange few,
casual passages in which some of those equivocal words,
forever,' and the like, happen to be associated v/ith figures
which imply desolation and destruction. It is not our de-
sign to give expositions of these passages ; but to institute
a brief contrast between the strength, variety, and plainness
of the Scriptural evidences of Universalism on the one hand,
and the paucity, indirectness, and ambiguity of the pretend-
ed proofs of endless woe being the penalty of sin, on the
EEASONS FOR OUR HOPE. 276
Other. We shall commence with Genesis, and make the
comparison of the two classes of passages that are drawn
from each book, respectively.
So terrible a thing as eternal sin and misery, if it were
the truth of God, and a knowledge of it to man so efficient
a restraint upon sin, and so indispensable to his salvation,wfe
should rightfully expect would have been the very first thing
after the existence of Deity, that should be revealed to him.
If such were the doom which God had deliberately deter-
mined from the beginning of His work to impose upon the
disobedience of His commands, was it Justice in Him not
to have apprised the first parents of this fact when He expo*-
sed to them the temptation of Eden, and gave His first mor-
al command ? But did He do so ? No. He indeed gave
them a warning of the consequence of disobedience, but it
was not that of endless banishment and misery after death,
— as wide indeed from this as the nadir from the zenitjb-
Can a doctrine be true which lacks a mark of evidence
so absolutely indispensable ? Yet this is but one of a mil-
lion ! Were this the truth of heaven, it would be traced in
fiery characters upon every constellation of the heavens,
and through every age of the world, — everlasting woe to
the sinner ! Every voice of nature, and every echo of hu-
man action would utter, — everlasting ivoe to the siiiner !
Every page of revelation would join with the universal res-
onance of nature in proclaiming, — everlasting woe to the
sinner ! If such were a truth of Heaven, it would be the
most important truth of the universe, because the most in-
finitely terrific; and its Author would indeed be more fear-
ful than that truth itself, if He failed to inspire every ac-
countable creature of His hands, both with a knowledge and
realization of its terror !
No mighty objections like these can be urged against the
doctrine of the world's eventual perfection. It presents it-
self with every requisite mark and credential of genuineness,
which all truth is wont to bear. It gathers its immutable
principles from the treasure-house of Reason, points to a
thousand] illustrations and confirmations of its truths in the
ternple of Nature, and exhibits with superlative triumph its
276 REASONS FOR OUR ROPE.
thoroiifrh attestation by the concise and precious words of
Holy Writ.
The prophecy and promise of the destruction of sin is
recorded in immediate conjunction with the narration of the
tjery^r^^ act of disobedience, — on the second page of the
Bible ! Indeed, there is a proof of Uni verbalism on the very
first page, wherein we are instructed tliat Man was created
in the image of his Maker, that he was the crowning excel-
lence of the creation, (for until man, the work was not pro-
nounced very good,) and that to him was given the dominion
of all the animated tribes. Surely, that the wise Creator
has shapen the spirit of man in His own likeness, and made
all other things for him, is an evidence that He designs
him, not for sTn infinitely worse, but for a far more glorious
destiny than the beasts that perish. And the wisdom of the
Almighty that was manifested in the several department? of
the Creation as they were brought into being, — and His
omnipotence, in saying. 'Let there be light !' (etc.) and there
was lisfht, (etc.) is proof of the ample ability of God to over-
rule all things after the counsel of His own good pleasure.
But where occurs the earliest show of proof for the pre-
tended Bible doctrine of ejidless hell damnation ? In the
first chapter of the Bible ? In the first book? Is there any
intimation of it to be found before the aged event of the del-
tio-e ? Or was it afterwards revealed to the patriarchs, and
imparted to the Lawgiver of Israel ?
Not a sentence can be produced from the one hundred
and eighty-seven long chapters of the Pentateuch, which
bears the slightest resemblance to the peculiar language of
endless torments. On the contrary, the original Promise
to the first parents, which assured them of the final extin-
guishment of evil, was subsequently renewed to the patriar-
chal Fathers, in six remarkable instances, and in language
which still more luminously testified to the final reign of
holiness and blessedness, under the Messias, for all the hu-
man family. Then, the other books of Moses, Exodus, Le-
viticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy, contain many beauti-
ful attestations of the Goodness, Mercy, Faithfulness,
Impartiality, and Paternality of God, which breathe a
REASONS FOR OUR HOPE. 277
kindred spirit to that of the Better Covenant. We collect
twenty passages from the Five Books of Moses, which are
not only at variance with endless misery, but o)ili/ consis-
tent with Universalism.^
The nine Historical Books, between Moses and Job, it is
true, are not expected to furnish many doctrinal proofs of
any kind; yet, w'hile these writings contain quite a number
of passages, {eight or ten,) which peculiarly belong to Uni-
versalism.only one single brief sentence can be gathered from
these voluminous records, to bring to the support of the aw-
ful creed we are refuting, — and this is the earliest text in
the Bible of this kind which can possibly be ferretted out !
*\Ve do not doubt that Moses, and David, and tlie Propliels, and even
Soloimin, not only knew tliat man is possessed of an unfi>inK npiiit, the
seat of MIb, reaiion, and the affections, but that ihey also rejoiced in the
confident anticipation of a fiilure existence, whose ultimate condition
would be glorious and holy. To us, it seems singular that this should
ever lie seriously questioned by Universalists, as it seems to be, occasion-
ally, in opposition to many evidences of its truih. We must have little
confidence in the veracity of Jesus, to deny that Moses believeil in the
future stale, when Jesus so plaii ly declared that even he taught the res-
urrection of the dead, *at the hush,' when he said that God was the Lord
of Abrahiini, Isaac, and Jacob, because he signified that these Fathers
were then livinj; unto God, in possession of the rest and blessedness
which they had been promised. If Moses was the author of the Hook o(
Genesis, which few dispute, is it reasonable to suppose that he knew
nothing abtut the human soul, who so iniiny times employed the Hebrew
term for soul, o" life, as another thing than the fleshy bcdy ? Coidd he
have deliberately written and passed over the Promise of a Saviour that
should destroy liie cause of temptation, and the several renewals of ihie
Promise to tlie Fathers, of a Seed who should bring in univer.-:il blessed-
ness, — which Promise is so fieqnently referred to in the Gospil dajs, and
understood of the spiritual redemption by Christ,— could Muses have written
these, and yet have been ignorant that there is a hrnvcn, a happy and glo-
rious land away beyond the Jordan of the Valley of l)(ath 1 We are lon-
straiiied to answer, i\'o/ it is impossible that he should have believed
that in every respect, 'man hath no pre-eminence above a brast.' (Jl all
the authors of the Old Teslampnt, in short, there ate no sufficient reasons
to sui)p()se th.it any doubted a future existence, except Job, who was wav-
ering upon the subject, yet could not lelinquish Ihehnpe. As to the Psalm-
ist, we verily suppose tliat he cherished as buoyant a hope i>f iinmortaliiv,
and as lively an anticipation of the ultimate spiritual subjection of all
things to God, as the Apostle Paul, or ourselves.
17
278 REASONS FOR OUR HOPE.
(1 Chron. xxviii. 9:) 'If thou, [Solomon,] forsake him, he
will cast thee off forever.' This, let it be observed, is an in-
dividual injunction, from a father to a son, and not a gene-
ral universal principle, draum from the attributes of God,
like those in Lam. iii., Jer, iii., Ps. ciii., &c., which we
have frequently noticed, — 'The Lord will not cast off forev-
er, - - because of the 'rmdtitude of His tender Mercies, for
He doth not afflict willingly,' ^c : 'I am Merciful, saith the
Lord, and [therefore] will not keep Anger forever :' 'The
Lord is plenteous in Mercy, and He [therefore] will not aZ-
t6-ay.s chide, neither keep Anger /orewr ;' 'His Mercy ew^
dureth forever,' — 'His Compassions fail not,' — [therefore,]
'The Lord will not cast of His people.' Thus, in order to
reconcile that objective passage with all these, and a thou-
sand-and-one others of similar import, we are obliged to con-
sider it as one of the numerous instances in which the
\ioxdi forever, denotes only the lifetime ; and this explana-
tion makes the sense of the passage plain.
Though we do not pretend to find any distinct enuncia-
tion of universal redemption in the Book of Job, yet we
can show that it contains many principles that are subver-
sive of the scheme of irrascible and insatiable Justice, and
many which well illustrate Universalism. In this book,
however, the defender of endless woe finds his second proof
text of that darling doctrine. (Job xx. 7 :) 'He [the wicked]
shall perish ybr ever, like his own dung.'
The next strong proof of the sentiment of eternal tor-
ments, is found in the Psalms of David, (ix, 5,) — btit it is
the only one having the slightest resemblance of that doc-
trine in the tvhole Book of Psalms : 'Thou hast destroyed
the wicked, Thou hast put out their name for ever and ever.'
Now, out of the nearly 200 passages from this most divine
portion of the Old Testament Scriptures, which are quoted
in this book, as 'direct, illustrative, or collateral evidences'
of universal redemption, we might select at least twenty,
solid, strong, reliable proofs of our distinguishing tenet, be-
sides twice that number against endless misery.
The Writings of the Wise Man furnish one or txoo proofs
of the salvation of all men, and a considerable number of
REASONS FOR OUR HOPE. 279
collateral ones, besides a large number of precepts and prin-
ciples which are at war with the spirit and sentiment of
endless woe. Yet, there is one single verse in the Book of
Proverbs, (xxix. 1,) which is frequently cited as a positive
proof of interminable sufferings for the wicked : 'He that
being often reproved, hardeneth his neck, shall suddenly be
destroyed, and that without remedy.'
Twelve plain and forcible proofs of universal restoration,
we point out in the Prophecies of Isaiah, — against but o?ie
pretencive proof of an everlasting hell : 'Who among us
shall dwell with the devouring fire ? who among its shall
dwell with everlasting burnings ? He that walketh right-
eously, and speaketh uprightly.' — Isa. xxxiii. 14, 15.
Eternal Misery pretends to no proof hom the Prophecies
or the Lamentations of Jeremiah, — Universal Redemption
lays claim to Four.
Three strong proofs for 'the Great Salvation' are drawn
from the Book of Ezekiel, — but not a single text in this
Prophet is relied upon to prove the Eternity of Punishment.
Universalism claims Four important testimonies from the
Book of Daniel,— while Endless-Torture-ism pretends_ to
only one, viz : 'Some shall awake to shame and everlasting
contempt.' — xii. 2.
The whole of the Twelve Lesser Prophets afford not the
smallest scrap of language in the shape of never-ending mis-
ery and sm, — not one ! Yet therein, the doctrine of 'The
Restitution of All Things,' is 'spoken of,' several times. —
Eight of these Twelve, — Hosea, Joel, Micah,_ Hab-
bakkuk, Zephaniah, Haggai, Zechariah, and Malachi, have
written abundant confirmation of this glorious Faith.
We rely upon Eight different passages in the Gospel of
St. Matthew, as proofs of the final salvation of the world.
The Doctrine of Eternal Misery exhibits Four sentences in
this Gospel as evidence in its favour : 'unquenchable fire,'
— iii. 12 ; 'sin that hath not forgiveness,' — xii. 32; 'everlas-
ting fire,' — XXV. 41 ; and 'everlasting punishment,' — 46.*
♦Endless Misery is a doctrine ol such a character as not to admit of its
l)eing merely inferred from passages which do not have the appearance of
2S0 REASONS FOR OUR HOPE-
We have Fo?(r Universalist proof-texts in the Gospel by
Mark, — to set against the two phrases — 'in clanger of eter-
nal damnation.' — iii. 29; and, 'fire that never shall be
quenched,' — ix. 45.
Fifteen plain proofs of the world's salvation we exhibit in
the Gospel according to St. Luke. The endlessness of re-
tribution is thought to be sustained in that part of the Parable
of the Rich Man and Lazarus where it is written, — 'neither
can they pass lo us that would come from hence.' — xvi. 26.
The expression 'fire unquenchable,' occurs, ch. iii. 17.
In the Gospel of St. John, not a shadow of proof can be
pretended to be gleaned for the sentiment of eternal sin and
wretchedness, — not a sentence that resembles that horrid
idea, not even by parallellism with Matthew, — as Mark
and Luke. On the contrary, the truth that Christ is 'the
Saviour of THE World,' is reiterated in much variety of
phraseology in Twenty-0/ie distinct places,
The Acts of the Apostles is as barren of the dogma^ of
Irremediable Evil and Endless Wrath, as it is of the doctrine
of Transmigration of souls! Eight of the explicit proofs
of Universal Salvation are v.-ritten in the Book of Acts.
We come to the Works of Paul, — the Epistle to the Ro-
mans, of which every chapter illustrates Universalism, and
which comprises Eighteen unequivocal proofs of its leading
doctrine; — the Two Corinthians, comprising Fourlcen ; —
Galatians, comprising T/ir^'e; Ephesians, SezJtw; Phillip-
pians. Two; Colossians. Six; Thessalonians, One; the
Two Timothies, Five; Titus, One; and Hebrews, Nine.
f\cU\\\\\y asserting n, — as UnivcrpaliFm is jll^'tIy su'ceptiljle of. Endless
Misery flows tiiilinally from no single rational principle, nor set of princi-
ples. " It RlanHs ont alone and lonely, di.-jnined from all that is riglil, nat-
ural, reasonablp, pliilosopliieal, good ; contrary lo all experience, con-
Bcioiisness, an I eslal)lisl ed irnlli. Universalism, being as far as possible
(lie opposite of all these, admits of a hnndred various and forcible argu-
ments from many Scriptural data l)esid<<s those which directly recognize
the conchisiiin. " This observation is made in view of there being some
four or five passages in which the eternity of puni'^hment is sometimes
supposed to be taught inferentirilUj . We mention Mat. x. 28, xxvi. 24,
John viii. 21, and Rom. vi. 23. It is oidy those passages, however, con-
taining the words ^for ever,'' fyc, in connection with punishment or judg-
ment, which are .iny thing Wkc plausible evidences of endless tormenla.
REASONS FOR OUR HOPE. 281
Yet it is pretended that St. Paul believed and inculcated the
doctrine of a Vengeful, Implacable, Merciless, and Partial
God, who shall cruelly perpetuate His erring offspring in
the terrible fires of endless sinning, ignorance, pain, and
despair! The grounds for such an opinion ought to be
strong and abundant as the trees of an oaken forest ! But
what are they ? Forsooth! Astonishment! That a doc-
trine of such tremendous moment should ever gain so power-
ful a sway and fastening upon the Christian Cliurch, that
can discover but oni? resembling passage in all tlie writings
of St. Paul ! This is confessedly the case, and is beyond
the cunning of theologian to dispute. That passage is the
following, — the true sense of which is clearly manifest,
when a very cursory attention is given to the context, and
when the frequent Scripture usage of the phrases to he cast
from the Lord's presence, and ^everlasting,'' is understood:
— 'Who shall be Punished, [chasti.'ed, corrected, — Gr.}
with everlasting destruction from the Presence of flie Lord,
and the glory of his Power.' — 2 Thess. i. 9.
The Epistle of James contains one proof of universal rec-
onciliation, but is not pretended to afford a word of evidence
for endless misery.
The Epistles of Peter give two or three strong evidences
of Universalism, — yet they furnish but one trivial express-
ion that may possibly be conceived to teach endless misery,
viz : '77iist of darkness for ever,'' — 2. Pet. ii. 17.
What shall we say of the Epistles of John ? Should we
expect to find any thing there about Eternal Woe and Evil?
Sooner a denial of future state ! Why, the Three Epistles
of John are nothing but piire Universalism !
Three verses in Jude, (6, 7, 13,) who commences his E-
pistle with the declaration that 'the Common Salvation' is
Hhe Faith -which teas once delivered to the Saints,'' arc fre-
quently quoted to prove the directly opposite doctrine !
Notwithstanding the florid strength of that only proof-pas-
sage of endless misery that is found in the Book of Revela-
tions, (used twice, — xiv. 11, xx. 10,) 'the smoke of their tor-
ment ascendeth up for ever and etcr,' — it is much more than
282 REASONS FOR OUR HOPE.
cancelled by its Six or Seven equally expressive and ex-
plicit prophecies of universal blessedness.'^'
We have thus surveyed the immense disparity of the Bi-
ble grounds of Eternal Misery, with those of Universal Sal-
vation. The proportion in favor of the latter is not less
than TWENTY TO ONE ! We ask if it is not a strong primie
facie evidence of the truth of any cause, that it produces in
its behalf so many more credible witiiesscs than the opposite.
If the witnesses of the minor side are urged to be equally
credible with those of the major, may \ve not inquire wheth-
er their testimony may not be mistaken? Thus with the
assumed Bible witnesses for eternal misery ; they are credi-
We,and therefore deserve to be heard, though they maybe hon-
estly misimder stood, as a witness in court may be honestly
mistaken. And we ask, is it not natural and right to pre-
sume in favor of that part upon which so vast a majority of
the witnesses rally ?
A doctrine, indeed, of the immeasurable magnitude of
that of endless torments, would not be adequately suppor-
ted, if the adduced revealed proofs of it were as numerous
only as those of an opposite doctrine, like Universalism,
were the latter of as much or more literal explicitness as
the former. A sentiment so infinitely opposed to reason
and conscience, so awfully revolting, and utterly incredi-
ble as that of Eternal Suffering, ought certainly to come
with an infinitely greater number of attestations, than an-
other sentiment altogether at agreement with nature and
consciousness. And here is another reason for inferring
naturally, that these few enigmatical passages which are
cited in behalf of endless misery, may be seriously mis-
conceived and misapplied.
Yet, again, of these fifteen or twenty texts which are
commonly specified as proofs of a heaven-enduring hell,
how many are confidently relied upon, and made use of
*VVe pliould have been glad, had it been possible, to have given the ref-
erence.f to the proof-textp of each Book, of whicii we have merely Ptated
the number. They are introduced however, for the moBt part, in the body
(if our work, cited at length. A comparison of the relative strength of lan-
guage, directness , and il)UabiUty to objections, between the Universalian
and the objective proofs, would be even more advantageous to our argu-
ment than the numerical comparison.
REASONS FOR OUR HOPE. 283
for this purpose, by the more intelligent, and the learned
defenders of orthodoxy ? Not one half of them. After
all, it seems as if this impossible and mischievous article
of the creed, exists more in name than in reality, even on
the most authoritative seats from which it is spoken. The
various eminent commentators of the popular school, have
one by one rooted up the venerable fastenings, until there
is not one but they themselves have shivered and loosened
to its foundations. We do not say that any one of these
distinguished scholars have 'explained away' and abandon-
ed the whole ; but that, among some dozen or twenty of
the most brilliant luminaries of the Church, the total in-
sufficiency of every one of these passages to sustain the
scheme oi eternal vengeance, has been repeatedly shown.
But, whatever degree of conviction these few passages
we have exhibited, carry to the mind, of the truth of end-
less punishment and sinfulness ; are the almost innume-
rable scriptures which contradict and disagree with such
an interpretation of them, to be wholly disregarded ? Is
it no part of the business of the endless-miserian, acknow-
ledging the Scriptures to be of divine and supreme author-
ity, to reconcile apparently conflicting passages ? It is
certainly as palpable to him as to us, that endless torture
is as incompatible with universal and never-changing Mer-
cy, as it is possible for any two opposing propositions to
be. No one will deny that the latter is taught in the
Scriptures with tenfold more plainness and plenitude than
the former. Why are the oft and variously asserted aa:-
io?«5 of the Bible, supplanted and trampled upon by an
overweening devotion to a few parabolic, mystic, poetic, id-
iomic, proverbial, and localic sentences ?
Be impressed, reader, with the overwhelmning strength
of the Scriptural foundations of Universalism. Examine
and study for yourself, and mark how the evidences accu-
mulate upon you, growing up heaven high, — 'Pelion upon
Ossa.' Mark the unbroken, the steadily strength
ening and brightening chain of testimony from the creation
to the patriarchs, from the patriarchs to the kings and
2S4 REASONS FOR OUR HOPE.
the prophets, from thence to the Messias and the apostles.
Survey the golden links which comprise the glorious
bond l)eiween tlie desecration of the tree of life at the
befriiitiing, and its restoration at the end, re-estahlished
and effectual 'for thi Healing of the Nations,'' — when Jesus
shall have drawn all unto him without distinction, (conip.
Rev. xxii. 17, with John vi. 37,) when he shall have
crushed the serpent's head, when "there shall he no more
curse' nor 'pain,'' and ' God Himself shall dwell with [or, in]
Me?i: being 'ALL IN ALL !'
What perceptible loss would we sustain to have as many
of our proofs stricken out from the Bible as the dogma
of unceasing sin and torments is rested upon ? Indeed
we should scarcely miss them. Let us ask, on the
other hand, where would the doctrine of endless misery
be without the Hebraic Gospels of Matthew and Mark,
— or, if only the Epistles of Paul constituted the New
Testament? On the contrary, what would the doctrine
of Universalism be affected, were those two Go.spels
taken away, or all the Gospels? Annihilate the Proph-
ets, and we have abundance of Universalism in the Psalms,
— or vice versa. Annihilate either of the Testaments, and
the other will furnish ample justification of its princi-
ples. Obliterate all the Scriptures save Paid, — aye, save
the Epistle to Romans, and the temple of Universalism
is still immutable! 'Their rock is not as our rock, even
our enemies themselves being the judges.'
REASONS FOR OUR HOPE. 286
SCRIPTURAL DEMONSTRATION
of the Variability of the Scriptural Words, Forever. Ever'
lasting, &c.
The three English terms Forever, Everlasting, and
Eternal, are interchangeably translated from the same
words in the original of the Scriptures, and are therefore
exactly synonymous in meaning; so that whatever pertains
to either of them, pertains also to them all.
There are but two words in all the original text of the
Scriptures, from which those three terms are rendered,
— and these two indeed are one, — being mutual, identi-
cal equivalents of the Greek and Hebrew, — Aion and
its derivatives of the Greek, and Olim of the Hebrew,
The true import of the words olim and aion, when their
meaning is not fixed by any associate noun, — as they
stand alone, independent of connection, — is simply, as nearly
as they can be represented in English, lasting, endurant,
continuant^ abiding, long, {old and ancient when applied
io\\ie past,) — the noun form, duration-, continuance, age, — the
adverbial, ever, always. The etymology of those terms,
designates this, and these English words we have named
may be proved to be as exact correspondencies to the origi-
nal, as almost any words of one language, especially of
the indefinite character of these, may be represented by in
another.
These words then, imply a period of existence or duration
which is variable, which the words of themselves do not fix,
which is always to be determined by the nouns which
they qualify.
There are scores of such indefinite words in all langua-
R
285 REASONS FOR OUR HOPE. ,
o-es ; — such as the English great, heavy, high, valuable, dis-
tant, Sf'C, whose special ineaning is always dependent upon
the nouns wiili which they stand connected. Think of the
infinite difference of magnitude which a single term sug-
^Te^ls when we contrast successively, a great apple, a great
house, a great mountain, the great Satiirn, a great man,
and THE Great God ! Trinity steeple is high ; yet when
we speak u^ the height of Andes, do we imply that Andes
and Trinity arc o{ equal height? or when we call the hea-
vens high, (!•■) we imagine them to be no loftier than the
Andes ? Reflect then upon the infinite disparity of dnra-
uon iu'iplied, between an everlasting Priesthood, and the
Everlasting Jehovah I between 'fadless genealogies,'' (1
Tim. i. 4,) and the 'endless life' of Christ, — (Heb. vii. 16.)
The translators of our authorized version, being perfectly
sensible of this anibiQuity of sense involved in nlhnand aion,
have manifested the fact, by a frequent rendering of them
into English words of corresponding indefiniteness.
In tiventy-Jir.e several places, the identical original word
which is relied upon to prove theeternity of punishment, — is
translated old, and of old. To have translated olim, etc. by
eternal Qind, eternitii, in these places, which they should have
done, if, as many in eagerness to maintain endless misery
insist, the word invariably means eternity, — would be pal-
pable impropriety and foolishness.
Six times in the English Bible is this word translated
ancient : and this is six more proofs of its variability. It
is also translated /o?i^, four times ; world, three times in
the Old Testamant, and thirty times in the New ; alway{s,
five places ; never, thirteen places; any, three places; las-
ting, once; peipetual, nmeleen ; co?itiniiance, once; 07it-
castfi, once'; ever, five times ; and age[s, five times.
Every one of these instances is a proof of the doubtful-
ness of signification that attends this word which is some-
times so confidently relied upon to establish theeternity of
torments. The force of this is not to be evaded. If olim
and aion necessarily involve the idea of endless duration,
we nrotest ag;iinst its dozen, various, equivocal renderings,
nn.' 'x.'Js'^ '\\'\'^- oTie uniform word cxjTessive of that sense,
REASONS FOR OUR HOPE.
be substituted throughout the Scriptures, wherever ilie orio--
inals occur. Clearly, if they are invai-iable, as the objec-
tion declares, our version is brim full of false translations of
this kind, and'oiir requisition is perfectly reasonable. If
this is true, and the Scriptures consistent, sureJy the objec-
tor can have no fears for the result.
But no one would by uny means consent to this, for to dp
it would bring- out thc^se words eternal and et.erniirj so fre-
quently, that its changeallc7i€ss wonld imnicdialely be ap-
parent, and all confidence in the irutli of endless ni'isery des-
troyed, while it is only based upon so fickle a word.
-The eiKJiossness of Dei'y, and of finure happiness, while
we of course acknowledge them to be taught where olam
nnd /i?o« are joined to them : yet, unlike endless misery,
they do not rest on these alone. Several other terms, such
as Immortal, Incorruptible, Vnfaditig, Undying, Endless,
Far-more-than-Eternal, Without -End. (|'r., are superadded
to assure us of the eteriiil}'' of licavcn.
Again, — although our translators have designated ly diif-
■erent ivords, the dislinctinn of nuMning which aion &cc.
evince when they are applied to 'things seen and temporal,'
and the Being and Attributes of God, in many places ; yet
there are a large number of instances remaining in which
the translation of those words where they stand plainly
connected with earthly matters, is given in the Eno-lish
terms evi.rlasling, and forever ; words which do not readily
convey to us the sense of limited duration ; yet, the connec-
tions of which clearly demand that interpretation.
We find the word forever connected in the Scriptures,
once with cast of, twice with darhiess, twice with torinent •
we fuid the word everlasting as^ociited with burnings, cori-
tempt, fires punishmmt, destruction, and chains, once each ;
and the word eternal, joined once \\\\.\\ fire, once with con-
demnation. These are the grounds of endless misery ; upon
these three words, occurring in such connection but thus
few times, is based the bloody, the diabolical Aibric of End-
less Iniquity and Torment. We deny that intern; inable
duration is intended in either of these instances of the use
of the words o/m, tS-c, and s:ive the following -pjisot,< •
288 REASONS FOR OUR HOPE.
While all the scope and contexts of the above passages
make them definitely to apply to this natural world, to men
or nations in the flesh, to earthly scenes, — no warrant on
the contrary can be shown for carrying their application to
the spiritual, future world.
We prove from more than fifty plain passages of the Bi-
ble, that God's Punishments are not retalialive, but adminis-
tered with mercy, and remedial. This disproves endless
punishment, and is an irresistible reason for choosing the
limited interpretation of those passages.
We prove from a very large class of scriptures that God
wills and has purposed to reclaim his whole creation out of
the bondage of evil, through his Son Jesus Christ who died
for All, ca!ne to save the world, to put an end to the devil
and all his -works, to reconcile all things to God, and who
cannot fail of the object of his mission. This being true,
it IS obvious that the endless signification cannot be admitted
of, with those passages.
Aaain — if that same word which is translated eveWos^m^
ar\A forever in those passages may properly be rendered las-
tin<r, ever, etc., in a hundred other places, as we have seen ;
then with the same propriety may it be translated by one of
these limited terms, in those few places which are pointed
out as proofs of endless misery.
As we before remarked, the English Bible as it is, furnish-
es a sufficient number of pretexts for the limitation of the
words everlasting, &c., without the necessity ofgoingtothe
original in search of more. We refer to the everlasting pos-
session of Gen. xvii. 8, and xlviii. 4 ; which possession we
very well know, has ceased for ages. We refer to the ever-
lasting hills of Gen. xlix. 26, and the everlasting moun-
taim and hills o{ Yi^h. \n.%. yet the face of the whole
earth is constantly wearing away, upheaving, changing, so
that it requires but a hundred centuries to bring every emi-
nence to the bottom of the ocean, and the ocean's depths into
fertile continents. We refer to the everlasting priesthood
of Exod. xl. 15, aud Numb, xxv. 13; yet when we turn to
Heb. vii, 12-18, ix. 10, &c., we find that this was all abol-
ished and disannulled in Jesus Christ. We refer to the
phrases everlasting arms, and everlasting doors, (Deuu
REASONS FOR OUR HOPE. 289
xxxiii. 27, and Ps. xxiv. 7,) and ask whether things of this
nature can be endless as the life of the Everlasting? We
refer to the everlasting covenant of Gen, ix. 16, xvii. 7, &c.,
and demand whether that is like eternal with that which is
spoken of in Heb, xiii. 20, &c. ?
In like manner, with the synonymous vfoxA forever, we
refer to the following array of passages in which the objec-
tor himself must concede that limited, but indefinite and va-
rious periods of duration are signified, — three days, forty
days, seven years, lifetime, generation, existence of the priest-
hood, of the country, of the nation^ k,c. Gen. xiii. 15; xliii.
9; xliv. 32; Exod. xiv. 13; xxi. 6; xxvii. 21; xxviii. 43;
xxix. 9, 23; XXX. 21; xxxi. 16, 17; Lev. vi. 6, 18-20;
vii. 34. 36; X. 9, J5; xvi. 21; xxiii. 41 ; xxv. 30, 46 ;
Numb. X. 8; xv. 15; xviii. 19; xix. 10 ; Deut. xv. 17;
xviii. 5; xxviii. 46 ; Josh. iv. 7 ; xiv. 9 ; 1 Sam. i. 22 ;
xxvii. 12 ; 1 Kings xii, 7 ; 2 Kings v. 27, 2 Chron. x. 7 ;
Isa. xxxiv. 10 ; Jonah ii. 6 ; Luke i. 55; Philemon 15, and
a considerable number of others.
When we speak of Eternity, we designate a period of
duration so infinite and incalculable, that we conceive of it
as having neither beginning nor end, that it admits of nei-
ther a Beforehand, nor an Afterward, neither of being halv-
ed or doubled, of being increased or diminished, divided
or pluralised. Yet it is not a less incontestible fact than a
curious one, that the very word of the Greek upon which
the belief of endless misery is founded, is many times in
the Scriptures spoken of as having every one of these vari-
ous characteristics of ordinary Time. We would have this
point well observed, for it is an irrefutable and simple de-
monstration of the frequent usage of olam, aion, etc. in oth-
er senses beside that with which they are invested when
applied to God. Once allow that the words we are consid-
ering are invariable in their signification of endlessness,
and you open the most prolific source of absurdities that can
be contrived. Translate these words uniformly with the
eternity sense, and we shall have an abundance of the most
incongruous phrases for our pains, such as eternity of eter-
nities, — all the days of eternity even unto the end, — eternity
290 REASONS FOR OUR HOPE.
GTirf FURTHER, — foT clemity and eternity, etc. We will
point out the references to ihc principal places where the
form of the ivords thus evince the limited signification.
We will first notice that duplicated form, as in the Eng-
lish, /or ewer and ever. This is considered an evidence
of the natural insufficiency of that original word in itself to
express endless duration, inasmuch as, if the word once
written signi^es eternity, being written again in addition the
two tog-ether do not make orif; eternitT/, but two eternities,
which is an anomalous absurdity; while \f ola?n [ever,] im-
plies but a limited period, all the doubling of it that may
be done, never can make it amount to Eternity. So, the
arofument for endless torture founded upon the passage that
contains the phrase 'day and 7iig//t, forever and kvek,' an-
nihilates iiseli hy proving too ?nuch ; it proves that God
will torment 'the beast and false prophet' during two eterni-
ties,— that is, just to/ce as long as He Himself shall live!
If it be objected that the word is thus duplicated for sake
of emphasis; we reply, this is true ; but it is the limited,
not the injinite senss, which thus requires and admits of ex-
pansion by means of emphalical appendages ; and we refer
to Isa. XXX. 8, Jer, vii. 7, and xxv. 5, wherein the objec-
tor will readily concede that earthly time is spoken of, for
confirmation that the phrase /ore?;er and ever is sometimes
employed in a limited sense.
Three times in the Hebrew of the Old Testament occurs
the sentence, \forever and beyond it. Though there is no
such thing as an afterward to Eternity, yet we see, that the
same/orcfer during which 'the beast and false prophet'
were tormented, does admit of an afterward. And this co-
incides well with Heb. xii. 11.
One instance of this, yet a more remarkable one still, is
found in the New Testament, 2 Cor. iv. 17, — the phrase,
•far more exceeding Aionon.''
Four times the New Testament speaks of the Beginning
ofAiori; Luke i. 70, Acts iii. 21, Rom. xvi. 25, Eph. iii.
9. Then this word is of finite signification, for Eternity
is withou. beginning. Another collateral argument for the
fact of this word's variableness, which we will suggest here.
SEASONS FOR OUR HOPE. 291
is< that it is frequently applied to God, who comprehends
all the past eternity as well as \.\\q future ; though when it
is applied to the glory of salvittion, it can concern only the
future. If it be said that the bliss of creature iinmortaliiy is
derived from God, and so may likewise be said to be eternal
in the ^rea^er sense ; then we answer that this affords a
strong reason that misery and sin are not eternal, — they
have not, like righteousness and glory, an eternal root in
God.
Moreover,ihere is a period three times referred to,'BEF0RE'
the Beginning of Aion. 1 Cor. ii. 7 ; 2 Tim. i. 9 ; Titus
i. 2. How would these passages sound, translated, 'before
Eternity began ?
Six times occurs the phrase 'the End of Aion ;' the very
word which quulifips the 'fire' and 'punishment' into which
*the nations' which were eeparatetl to the left hand, 'went
away.' Yet this word constitutes the sole authority for the
monstrous sentiment of endless woe ! The references to the
places where the above phrase is used, are the following:
Mat. xiii. 39, 40, 49; xxiv. 3; xxviii. 20; Heb. ix. 26,
' The Ends of Aion,' — 1 Cor. x. 11, is another form of ex-
pression which proves the inconstancy of that word to its
€ternal sense.
The proper eternity, as we have said, does not admit of
the plural ; yet the eternity which aio7i, etc., frequently de-
signates, does admit of the plural form, as is shown in Col.
i. 26, Eph. ii. 7, and others.
We find quite a number of passages, of which the follow-
ing are a few, wherein the expression '//t?s,' and 'this pres-
ent Aion' occurs, — a form which plainly confines its signifi-
cation to time. Mark iv. 19, Luke xvi. 8, Rom. xii. 2,
2 Cor iv. 4.
Also, an 'Aion to come' is several times alluded to. in con-
tradistinction to a present or former Aion. Mat, xii. 32, Mark
X. 30, Eph, i, 21, Heb. vi, 5. 'Aions to come,' — Eph. ii. 7.
Thus plentiful, various, and plain, is the Scriptural war-
rant for our limitation of this word to indpfinite time, in the
few instances where it is applied to national and individual
punishment. All must acknowledge that the doctrine of
292 REASONS FOR OUR HOPE.
endless misery is but very miserably sustained, indeed,
while it rests upon such a chamelion-like word, to say
nothing of the great fewness of places in the Divine word,
in which even that is written where retribution is the theme.
We should like to see the Scriptural terms on which Uni-
versalism is built, thus fairly taken out of our hands, as
it seems so easy for us to do, with reference to the grounds
of endless misery.
A long chapter might be made of extracts from a large
number of the best biblical critics, in confirmation of the
fact we have above stated with regard to the word sometimes
rendered everlasting, &c., viz: that it is the connection that
fixes the signification of the word, and not the word that
governs the connection. Our limits however prohibit such
a collation.
The instance in Mat. xxv. 46, where this same word that
is applied to the punishment of 'the cursed,' is also affixed
to the 'life' of the justified, is relied upon with more confi-
dence than all the rest of the Bible, as a most irrefragible
demonstration of endless misery. We ofTer the following
short reasons for denying that endless punishment is taught
in this passage :
1. Many parts of the context are radically inconsistent
with any future-state application of the chapter. It is man-
ifestly a prophecy spoken to his disciples by our Saviour, re-
lating to the approaching destruction of the Jewish civil and
religious kingdom, and of the establishment of a spiritual
one among the Gentiles, in its stead. The punishment spo-
ken of therefore, was a national one.
2. The word translated 'punishment,' always denotes, and
is often rendered, chastisement, correction, penal reforma-
tion. Endless chastisement, or punishment, is a contardic-
tion in terms. And this agrees with Eomans xith, which
plainly teaches that the 'everlasting contempt,' the 'perpetu-
al reproach,' and the 'everlasting destruction from the pres-
ence of the Lord,'' of the Jews, shall come to a joyful end.
3. Twenty passages of Scripture might be produced to
show that ^eternal life'' may be entered upon in this world.
It is a life of such Divine vitality, that once commenced oii
REASONS FOR OUR HOPE. 293
earth, it never perishes. This is why aioiiion may properly
be applied to a punishment inflicted in the earth, and a bles-
sedness commenced in the earth.
4. The Scriptures furnisli three other instances where
the term 'aion' or the like is twice used in the same connec-
tion — once with reference to what is necessarily endless, and
once respecting things necessarily finite in duration. 'The
everlasting mounlains were scattered, the everlasting hillg
did bow. His ways are everlasting.' — Hab. iii. 6. 'Kepi
secret sincR the everlasting age began ; - - according to the
commandment of the Everlasting God.' — Rom. xvi. 25,
26. 'In hope of eternal life, which God, that cannot lie,
promised befnrp th.p pternal age began.' Titus i. 2.
We close this article by staling one more proof of the
finite signiHcation n{ forever, everlasting, etc., when applied
to punishment. All the ancient Church-Fathers who ad-
vocated unirersal redemption, frequently used the Greek
phrase for everlasting 'punishmeyit, in their writings, by
which they intended a limited, but protracted, disciplinary
punishment, — not endless, Deific retaliation.
18
.'8W EEASONS FOR OUR HOPE.
A COMPARATIVE VIEW
Of the Chief Differences between the Three Distinctive The-
ological Systems which Divide the Christian Church,
'I ofTer thee three things: choose thee one of theni.' — 2 Satn. xxiv. 12.
I. The Design of God in His Creation.
CALVINISM.
I. God created the universe in order that He might won-
drously exemplify the Jjlory of His infinite Majesty, Sove-
reignty, Power, and Wisdom. A sublime, universal and
eternal exhibition of the Glory of His being and attributes,
was the special End to be attained by the creation.
II. God will not be dishonoured, but glorified, by the en-
trance, providences, and endless existence of what we call
Evil, as well as bv His dispensations and the everlasting
reign of Good.
III. The utmost acme of the Divine Glory will be trium-
phantly realized,
ARMINI*ANISM.
I. Rational, moral, and sentient beings were created by
the Lord for the purpose chiefly, of manifesting His Good-
ness and Holiness, in conferring and multiplying the glory
of His own beatitude and excellency, to as great an extent
as He conveniently and consistently could.
II. Evil is altogether the opposite of God's nature, and
His purposes, so that He can derive no true glory from its
eternal existence, but only from what is holy and good.
III. God shall derive from His Creation as great a
degree of glory as the combination of His attributes shall be
able to achieve; but Lucifer, also, the usurped Arch-Deity
cf Evil, must secure from the creation as great a degree of
glory, as the fearful might of His Power shall be able to se-
cure to Him.
llEASONS FOR OUR HOPE. 295
UNIVEBSALISM.
I. Gt»d did not create the universe in order to augment, or
merely to display the glory of His own nature and attri-
butes ; for He required nothing to increase His own perfect,
self-derived felicity and glory. Infinite Benevolence, and
not self-honour, was the instigator of the Sovereign Spirit
to the work of creation, of which the intelligent was to be
the primary, the highest object or His goodness and skill.
The great purpose then, of the Divine Being, in the creation
of the universe, was the propagation of His own gloiious
rtalure and powers upon beings filled to receive them, dur-
ing an interminable existence of constant advancement.
n. God is Supreme, and Evil, therefore, finite and sub^
ordinate. Evil shall not prevail to alter, coiitroul, or defeat
the purposes of the Most High. To the Omniscient Eye
there can be no absolute confusion in all the elements of
being, — no such thing as unmixed, total evil, much less in-
finite and eternal. Under the universal sway of limitless
wisdom, all things are working together in a magnificent,
invisible harmony, to the accomplishment of the one, origi-
nal purpose. Thus, the transient but medialive existence of
evil will also illustrate the glory of the Eternal Wisdom,
because it shall be consummated by the universal and ever-
lasting prevalence of Good.
HI. All that the infinite Wisdom could devise, all that
the infinite Goodness and Love could conceive, for the end-
less diffusion of happiness and knowledge, the infinite Pow-
er is amply able to execute,
U. The Nature of Evil.
CALVINISM.
The existence of Evil is to the Almighty no unforeseen,
or calamitous development of the creation, which shall for-
ever interfere with, impede, or frustrate. His original de-
sires and intentions. Nothing can transpire in all the uni-
verse, without the Divine agency, much less con-rr-.-y to
His determinate will and pleasure. Evil, then, was pre-
destined to exist, and is an inseparable portion of the eler-
296 REASONS FOR OTTR HOPE.
nal purpose. It is an instrument of God's inscrutable Wis-
dom over which His Omnipotence possesses the most illim-
itable controul, and has no power of itself, nor in conjunction
with any limited power, to overstep the bounds of the ever-
lasting Decree.
ARMINIANISM.
God foresaw in the beginning of creation that the exis-
tence of evil, and of evil beings, would be absolutely una-
voidnhle if He created, and that the blight and dpsniation
which they must inevitably occasion, would be utterly irre-
inediuble and uiiouiiHullablt; tu a fearfully cnlamitona extent,
and during the ever-flowing ages of eternity. But
the greatness of His Wisdom was exercised to devise
the best possible consummation of things which His Power
was sufficient to carry out; and perceiving that He was able
to secure in the end, allowing for all possible contingency,
a greater amount of good than evil, of happiness than mise-
ry, in the aggregate, He chose rather to create^ than to de-
prive millions of immortal intelligences of the glory of end-
less beatitude, — though it were necessarily at the expense of
eternal woe and sinfulness to myriads of the brethren of the
saved. Deity, then, is neither to be called, the direct or in-
direct Author of Evil, nor of the terrific doom to which so
vast a proportion of His offspring shall be consigned ; be-
cause His grace and power are in thislife, as much as is de-
served, active in endeavouring to win to repentance as many
of the sinful as they can.
UNIVERSALISM.
God himself is the Only Perfect. It were a contradiction
in terms to suppose that He could produce a universe of in-
telligent beings, as high, infinite, perfect, and unliable to err
as Himself. Everything however is created with a perfec-
tion which is harmoniously adapted to its rank and capacity
in the scale of being, though all must lack the infinite mea-
sure of excellency, which must be His alone. Evil is not a
positive, not a created thing, but a negative principle, a ne-
cessary one, the effect of imperfection. Whether the Power
of God was sufficient to usher at once into being at the be-
REASONS FOR OUR HOPE. 297
ginning, by a single effort of Omnipotence, the whole uni-
verse exalted to the almost infinite degree of perfectness
which He was able to evolve from the progressive system,
is not a question for speculation. We cannot doubt that
there is with Deity a choice of alternatives, and that the in-
finite wisdom never can fail in the selection of the best, —
This attribute of the Divinity has dictated the establishment
of rank, action, and progress, rather than equality and im-
passable maturity, as the best means of realizing the great
purpose of creation, and who can believe that the system
which is thus instituted, will not accomplish the end in view
so well ?
But evil, being of after origination, and not any thing
that is by necessity irradicable or eternal, must have an
end, and would not have been permitted an existence un-
less it were a mean for the attainment of higher good than
could otherwise have been realized. It is opposed to the
nature of God, and in itself to the happiness of His crea-
tures, and having no eternal root or basis in Him, it is but an
extraneous, excrescent thing, and must in the end be utterly
done away. This life is but the initial condition of the hu-
man spirit, and therefore its most imperfect one. The little
spark of its Maker's nature with which it is here entrusted,
is a leaven which shall purge the whole mass of its impu-
rities, — a inextinguishable light, which must kindle to ce-
lestial lustre, and leave not a crevice of darkness unillumed.
The very evils and darkness we deplore are ordained to be
instrumental in awakening the energies of the immortal
race. The appointed experiences of every man shall ele-
vate his nature by degrees, cause him continually to out-
grow some portion of his imperfection, that nobler power*
shall be assumed.
Evil, then, is a means, a secondary cause, and not a pri-
mary principle, which can ever settle itself upon the immor-
tal soul, as an end. It has a mission to perform, a Divine
mission, which shall fully result in its appointed object.—
Its time in comparison with eternity is so short that when its
dusky clouds shall be forever swallowed up of the Sun of
Righteousness, its very memory shall be blotted out. It is
293 REASONS FOR OUR HOPE.
no actual portion of the great structure of the unlrerse, but
only a piece of llie apparatus which is necessary for its pro-
tracted construction, it is not a pnrt of the stupendous tem-
ple itself, hut only the scaffold ; cumbersome, unseemly, and
even dangerous — marring the grandeur of the lofty columns,
and imposing arches, and the harmony of its beautiful pro-
portions, and impairing also its usefulness, for a season ;^-
but filially, the scalfold's use is irrequisite, one by one its un-
shapely shafts are put away, though each was indispensa-
ble until then, leaving not a vestige of its deformity behind,
— and the magnificent work stands out in living gorgeous-
ness and perfection, an everlasting glory to its architect.
III. Foreknowledge mid Foreordiiiation.
CALVINISM.
God not only knows, but determines also the endless des-
tiny of each soul of man as He creates it. Even to all eter-
nity indeed, God foreknew and predetermined that one part
of the human family should be wicked and miserable forev-
er, and the other part righteous and happy ; the character
and destiny of every human soul was appointed eternal ages
ago.
ARMINIANISM,
It is allowed that God foreknew that sin would exist in
the world if He should create it. But creatures being free
and independent of will, all human actions he cannot exactly
and fully comprehend. Therefore men are not brought
into beino- directly into heaven, but first into this world, — a
state of trial and probatioii for all human souls. [Yet the
Arminian forgets that three-fifths of the race die in infancy.
Why are they taken to heaven without the peril of 'Proba-
tion?' for no probation in the future life is admitted to exist.
Or why does not God mercifully cut oiXall in infancy rather
than expose them to the danger of endless burning by rear-
ino- them up in a world which is under the power of Satan?
Or why is not our reason taken from us, that we may at
lea.-=* be granted the safety which is thus secured to idiots ?
And It f.'io IS !t state of trial, on which hangs our eternal
REASONS FOR OUR HOPE. 299
misery or glory, why is not the same term of it, and the
same favourable circumstances, impartially granted to All?
Lastly, why read we nought of the doctrine of 'Probation'
in the Scriptures ?] Eighty thousand immortal human spi-
rits are born into this world every day. It is horrible
to suppose that God knows the fate of every soul as He cre-
ates it. It is impossible that the Lord and Father of spirits
should create intelligent beings knoving, and on purpose
that they shall, dwell with tormenting fiends inhell forever!
UNIVERSALISM.
At the birth of every soul, and even in the ancient times
of eternity, it was infallibly known to God, and purposed,
that not all the evils which it and all should undergo, both
the wilful and necessary, should result in final and total
misery, but rather in their more glorious, eternal blessed-
ness.
IV. The Nature of Man.
CALVINISM.
The first man was created perfect ; but all the rest of
mankind, through his fall, (which was a part of the original
Decree, and not an impinging accident,) are made totally
depraved, possessing no particle of excellency, but on the
contrary, wholly and continually averse to all good, and
thoroughly inclined to all evil. Regeneration, then, is ex-
clusively the performance of Divine Grace, in which the.
creature, except as the agent, has no part.
ARMINIANISM.
All the souls of men, through the unfortunate but inaver-
tible fall of Adam, are necessarily constituted totally depra-
ved ; so that every infant soul, as it comes into being here,
is utterly destitute of any inherent good, but a total mass of
corruption, incapable of doing good, and entirely prone to
sin. [If man is by nature incapable of holiness, and entire-
ty prone to iniquity, then he is not a 'free agent,' — equally
competent to choose and perform righteousness as sin. Thus
the two mam pillars of Arminianism, total depravity and
300 REASONS FOR OUR HOPE.
free agency, are arrayed in direct, contradictory opposition
to each other. Again, if we are totally depraved, and thus
of ourselves impotent to do righteously, what can we do
to accomplish the mighty task of salvation ? Yet it is the
chief distinguishing principle of Arminianism, that it is the
creature's own fault, and not the Creator's, if it is not saved-
Hence, also, total depravity, and man's sufficiency to gain
salvation, are directly hostile doctrines.]
UNIVERSALISM.
The spirits of men are not created perfect, nor even holy
and good, but merely innocent ; a negative condition, as to
the moral nature, as ignorance to the intellectual. These
two natures are imparted to the soul in germino, and the
design of existence is to develope, strengthen, and expand
their hidden powers, whose capabilities are only circum-
scribed by the extent of universal nature, and God's own
infinity of perfections. There are no positively evil facul-
ties inborn in the human mind, and all our sins are commit-
ted through the perversion of powers that are designed for,
and only in harmony with, good. It is through the agency
of exterior things and outward circumstances, that all men
have fewer or greater tendencies to evil, and by which the
character in this life is chiefly formed. Circumstances
must sometimes inevitably control the man, though at other
times the man may have power to controul the circumstan-
ces. But the characters of all must inevitably receive evil
impressions from these influences to a greater or less extent,
80 that every individual in this world, is inseparably both
good and sinful. None are entirely sinful, none are per-
fectly good. Thus, the human family is not literally divisi-
ble into the two great, far-estranged classesof men,of whom
we are wont to speak, — sinners and saints, good and evil.
•There is none good, but one, that is God ;' 'all have sinned.'
V. Evil, with respect to God's Purposes.
CALVINISM.
All the ways of man, all the workings of nature, and all
the providences of heaven, are harmoniously together work-
REASONS FOR OUR HOPE. 301
ing out the complete accomplishment of God's original and
immutable Purposes.
ARMINIANISM.
The sins of mankind are all in opposition to the good
pleasure and plans of God.— Being obliged to create all
men since the unlucky fall of Adam, totally depraved, also
largely defeats the good accomplishment of His will. — Pla-
cing the souls He creates, who are already wholly prone to
evil, in a world full of evil and temptations, and within the
fatal power of Satan ; this likewise magnifies the chances
against salvation, and consequently baffles His Purposes. —
The penally He has affixed to unforgiven sin, endless tor-
ments, forever nullifies the intentions of His creation. — The
ceasing of the Spirit's efibrts to save, and especially the
irrevocable abandonment of the sinner at death, when the
divine compassion and goodness which had been exercised
in this life in its behalf must be converted into eternal ven-
g-eance, — thus, also, does 'Justice' compel Him to destroy
the purposes of His Goodness and Love I
UNiVEKSALlSM.
The Wisdom and Might of God are such, that He is able
lo overrule all evil in good, to make the transient existence
of sin, and all things, tributary to the triumphant consum-
mation of His everlasting Purposes.
VI. The Criterion of Salvation,
CALVINISM.
Man being incapable of himself of doing any good, much
less of achieving by his own efforts, a redemption from his
innate corruption, but infinitely less still, inadequate to gain
the realms of immortal joy, — the means of salvation are
wholly independent of himself, or of aught which he can do ;
and entirely depend upon the favorable or unfavorable plea-
sure of God, — upon his eternal, unalterable Decree of indi-
vidual election or reprobation — upon His predestined gra-
eiousness or curse. Heaven, then, is not granted to the
R
302 REASONS FOR OUR HOPE.
elect as a reioard, because they cannot earn the unsearcha-
ble riches of the eternal mansions, any more than the repro-
bate ; but is an undeserved and impurchasable gifl of God'a
[partial] munificence.
ARMINIANISM.
No man, without the Spirit's aid, is sufficient of himself
to take the least step towards his salvation, because he is
totally corrupt, depraved. Salvation, therefore, is wrought
for the human soul, not by itself, but by the Spirit of the
Grace of God. [This is again contradictory to the free-agen-
cy principles, that we have always the power to choose the
good as well as the evil, — that we are always able either to
resist or to receive the Spirit of God, — that it lies altogether
with ourselves whether we. shall remain depraved or be
'born again,' — whether we shall have the faith, or remain
unbelievers, — whether we shall be saved, or damned !]
UNIVERSALISBI.
Salvation is commenced even in this life, when men for-
sake the evil of their doings, and turn unto the service of the
Lord. The salvation of this life, in contradistinction to that
complete redemption and spiritual glorification which en-
sues in the future, is the covenant of faith and works, and
these, — -faith and luorks, — are the conditions and criterions
of the salvation of this present world. But the Salvation of
the immortal state, which involves the eternal pleasure and
purpose of God for the final holiness of all souls, concerns
the Covenant of Grace, and more radicjilly depends for
its fulfilment upon the Divine Power.
VII. The Nnmberofthe Saved, and Certainty of Salvation.
CALVINISM.
The salvation of the Elect, whose number is so 'certain
and definite that it can neither be increased or diminished,'
is infallibly certain as the Purpose is unchangeable, and the
might of God omnipotent to perform it. The number of the
damned, also, and the certainty of their perdition, is, in the
omniscient counsels of heaven, equally well determined.
REASONS FOR OUR HOPE. 303
ARMINIANISM.
The salvation o^ allioho save /hemselves, is perhaps pretty
certain, that is, as long as they choose to stay sar.ed ; for
there has been backsliding from heaven, and it is possible
there may be again, as we have no evidence but tlial tlie
created will is as independe nl of God's as ever, and as com-
petent therefore to resist His commands. But all who are
regenerated in this world, (and these constitute ten thousand
to one in the human family,) are hopelessly lost forever, be-
cause there is no repentance, ciiange, or redemption after
death.
UNIVEKSALISM.
All men experience the conditional salvation of the pres-
ent life whom God intends. These are the elect, the 'spe-
cially saved.' the 'the 'first fruits unto God and the Lamb,'
the sure earnest of the salvation of 'every nation, and kin-
dred, and people and tongue.'
VIII. The Nature of Salvation.
CALVINISM.
Salvation is the redemption of the lost from the Wrath
of God ; — rather, as the elect were never truly lost, nor lia-
ble to that Wrath, as the non-elect, their only salvation is
from the totally depraved condition in which God first cre-
ates them as well as others.
ARMINIANISM.
The salvation of the saints consists in their being unde-
servedly delivered from the influence, dominion, and eternal
torture of Satan and his angels; and in being miraculously
'born again' from their natural total depravity.
UNIVERSALTSM.
Christ came to deliver us, — all souls, — from, the sphere o!
temptation and sin ; the appetite, capability, and motives
for sinning; the darkness and tyranny of ignorance, error,
fear, and mortal passions; and from the consequent anguish,
suffering, sorrow, and spiritual death, which those evils en«
304 REASONS FOR OUR HOPE.
tail upon us ; but not from any earned or necessary pmiish-
ment, nor from any fabled universe of monstrous, endless
woe in the future, and bug-bear fiends of torture.
^ IX. Nature of Divine Punishment.
CALVINISM.
As man emanates from the hand of his Creator, since Ad-
am, in a complete and absolute state of depravity, God does
not unreasonably require him to reform himself, which is
an impossibility ; and because he naturally and necessarily
pursues the evil course which Is the law of his nature and
the path of his fa.e, God does not unjustly hold him amena-
ble to penal chastisement, neither for his doings, which are
necessitate, nor for his evil nature, which is hereditary,
and which no independent self-energies could have procur-
ed, any more than they could abolish. Therefore, the fu-
ture endless sufferings, which it is His sovereign Pleasure
to inflict upon the reprobate, is not strictly punishment, but
is in order to vindicate the honor and royalty of heaven, to
exemplify the dignity of His holy Law, and to demonstrate
to the saints, 'the glory of His Vindictive Justice.'
ARMINIAKISM.
The infinite torments to which God must abandon the in-
corrigible of His offspring at death, is (1st,) in consequenee
of their just deserts, — for every sin, great or small, any num-
ber, many or few, of all men, believers and unbelievers,
rightly merit His everlasting curse; (2d,) in o-der to dis-
play his infinite hatjed of sin, [sinners ;] and (3d_,) that the
saints and angels that are saved, may be restrained from
falling from their glorified condition.
UNIVERSALISM.
The punitive administrations of Divine Justice are never
revengent, — not the infliction of evil for evil's sake, not re-
taliative ; neither are they unfust, but ever graciously and
wisely proportionate to circumstances and usefulness ; nor
are they much less cruel, but always tempered with mercy,
and terminated in forgiveness. They are inavertible, not
REASONS FOR OTJR HOPE, 305
to be escaped either by 'anxious-seats,' or by jijroa:?/. They
are speedy ^ overtaking or growing out of the sin, as surely
and as immed'alely as the consequence follows the cause.
They are parental, and salutary, having in view the humil-
iation, reformation, and higher good of the sufferers. And
because the sinfulness of man is only injurious to himself,
and not to God, we do not believe that He scrvxpulously
hordes up in the book of His remembrance, every evil oc-
currence of human life, for the purpose of wreaking out
eternal, cruel, and useless revenge upon them, and repro-
duce those evils infinitely magnified in degree, in the fu-
ture life, when time and death shall have in a great mea-
sure consumed and rectified them. It is worthier of God to
believe that He is less concerned for the punctilious exac-
tion of the e^^e for eye, and tooth for tooth, than He is to
bring his children out of the furnace of sin and [misery into
which they have fallen.
X. Extent and Duration of God^s Love.
CALVINISM.
Both here and hereafter, eternally the same, God loves,
and wulUove, and be gracious and merciful to, only the cho-
sen election of His favour.
ARMINIANISM,
Being th'^ Creator and Father, and rightful Owner of all
the souls of men, God makes them at birth, and until they
reach 'the line of accountability,' just as they are, and loves
alike as far as He makes them, — though afterwards only
more or less, according as we live unto Him, or become the
property of Satan. In other words, as often as we change,
so often does the mind of the Lord towards us also change
from pleasure to displeasure, from love to hatred, or the con-
trary. Still, by the ministry of His Spirit he endeavours
to expurgate as much of the total depravity that He has be-
stowed upon us, as he can, and to reconcile Himself, and
pacify His wrath toward as many as possible, in this life,
[only;] but the in.stant death severs the immortal nature
306 REASONS FOR OUR HOPE.
from its clayey vehicle, His love, pity, mercy and goodness
towards all but the favoured saved, are exhausted and put
out forever.
UNIVERSALISM.
The Father of the spirits of All Flesh, is the Benefactor,
Preserver, and Friend of All, now and Torever. He is im-
partially, unchangeably good, inflicts, or suffers to be produ-
ced no useless ill, and will continue to be the Kedeemer of
the sons of men as long as there remains a rebellious soul
in the universe.
XI. The Object and Result of Christ^s Mission.
CALVINISM.
Jesus Christ came into the world to seek, minister to, to
pray, suffer, and die for, only those whom the Father loves.
Every soul to whom the eternal love of God extends, and
for whom Jesus Christ was offered a sacrifice, will inevita-
bly be saved.
ARMINIANISM.
The Son of Man came into the world to placate the terri-
ble Justice and Wrath of — Himself, for he is God, — to suf-
fer in his own innocent person, the universal, endless dam-
nation which the guilt of Mankind merited, and thus [un-
justly] redeem the race from the due punishment of its ini-
quity, — to Ojfer repentance iiiul salvation to all.
Nations and generations and myriads of the immortal off-
spring of God, and for whom Christ most amply atoned,
shall suffer in body and soul the horrors of eternal misery.
TJNIVERSALISM.
The Saviour of the world came to be the propitiation for
the sin- of every mortal being — to make an atonement for
all evil — to reconcile all souls to their Maker.
The Divine Wisdon) lins appointed the most infallible
means in connection with the nli^sion of Jesus for the ulti-
mate willing obedience of every subject of his kingdom.
REASONS FOR OUR HOPE.
XII. Extent of Divine Poioer over the Moral Creation.
CALVINISM.
All the devastations of evil, all impurity, suffering, death
and hell, are entirely remediable, convertible into good, and
cou d be instantaneously restored, would it as much exem-
plify His glory, at the flat of Omnipotent Jehovah.
ARMINIANISM.
^ Evil is infinite, and therefore irremediable, for the Lord
himself is no more than Infinite. There must necessarily
be an endless hell as well as an endless heaven. If the re-
ward of the righteous is an eternal one, the punishment of
sinners is also eternal. The kingdom of the Mighty Adver-
sary having once gained a foothold in the universe, must
necessarily be as immutable as God's own throne.
UNIVERSALISBI.
God has appointed the most wise and best possible means
for the accomplishment of a perfectly glorious end ; so that
it is equally impious to w^ish that He would at once annihi-
late imperfection, as to suppose that He cannot or will not
ultimately do so.
XIII. The Proportion letiveen the Power and Goodness
of God.
CALVINISM.
God is infinitely Able to redeem and glorify all intelligent
beings, but Will not.
ARMINIANISM.
The Lord would be ivi/ling to save all the creatures of
His hands, if He cozdd, — or were it not inconsistent with
the awful demands of Ju-tice.
UNIVERSALISM.
The Moral Power of God is ci-extensive with His Phys-
tCfflZ Power ; and His Goodness, and Mercy, and Love, and
Wisdom, are all commensurate with His Power.
308 REASONS FOR OUR HOPE.
XIV. The Destiny of Infants, Idiots, the Heathen, and
Moral Non-Professors.
CALVINISM.
Elect infants will be saved, but not the non-elect. All
the millions of the heathen, past, living, and to come, who
are not elected and justified through the Gospel, must be
swept away in one vast avalanche, to the hideous caverns
of endless woe. Neither is there the slightest possibility
of salvation for any in Christian lands, who do not profess
and support religion, though their lives may be in ordinary
respects never so praiseworthy and exemplary.
ARMINIANISM.
All infants and children that have not crossed the line of
accoimtability , dying, are immediately received into heav-
en, (without the process of regeneration from their inborn
depravity, and without development of the spiritual or in-
tellectual nature, — for there is no change after death.) All
idiots, except those who were once rational, but sinners, and
those among the heathen who are not predominately sinful,
will also be saved. But of all who live within the light of
Christendom, who have not been 'convicted, converted, and
sanctified,' however amiable and excellent may be their mere-
ly moral character, there is no hope.
UNIVERSALISM.
Infant spirits have no other evils to be saved from than
those of a negative kind, for which there is no doubt that
the heavenly Father has ordained most ample provision.
It is impossible that idiots, or the heathen, or the irreligious
and the unbelieving, shall have all their imperfections, and
superstitions, and unholiness, and darkness of mind, fasten-
ed and perpetuated upon them forever.
XV, Which of the Divine Attributes are Illimitable ?
CALVINISM.
Poiver, Wisdom, and JJnchangeability , are the infinite
attributes which consistently belong to the Deity of Calvin-
ism ; because this system does not admit of an independent
REASONS FOR OtJR HOPE. 309
and antagonist principle of Evil in the universe, whose
mighty workings are operating against, and shall defeat,
the great, eternal purposes of the Omnipotent. But these
tremendous attributes being employed in the production of
permanent, eternal evils. Goodness, Love and Holiness are
but partial and limited, and Mercy and Justice nothing, be-
cause both the salvation of the elect, and the damnation of
the balance, are the results of 'heaven's high Will,'
ARMINIANISM.
The Goodness oi i\ie Lord is finite, because it only ex-
tends to the brief and evanescent lifetime, with all the mil-
lions of the lost. The Meraj of the Lord is narrow and
partial, because it works for the salvation of but a few of the
great family of the Needy, and because it has no compassion
for the suffering myriads of the damned. The Power of
the Lord is limited, because there is a rival God of Evil,
by whose machinations the will and purposes of the better
God shall be vanquished forever. Justice is injustice, ca-
priciousness, mercilessness, vindictiveness, and cruelty, be-
cause it damns the soul for what it expressly endowed it
with, total depravity ; because it inflicts upon the Innocent
the suffering due to the Guilty ; because it damns the ex-
piated guilty over again in their own persons ; because it
frees the saved from all the perdition due to their sins, and
denies the sinful of all reward for their §oodi deeds ; because
its inflictions are so infinitely disproporlional to its rewards,
and to offences; because they are useless, without benefit
to the sufferers, to God, or to the saved ; because they are
the retaliation of evil for evil — yea. endless for momentary ;
because the demands of this attribute are opposed to those
of all the others. Wisdom is also limited, because it cannot
devise means to accomplish half the pleasure of Goodness
and Mercy, but has rather schemed to defeat it. And Love
is also partial and transient, can only subdue part of its en-
emies, and shall be endlessly excluded from the mass of hu-
man intelligences. The Deity of Arminianism possesses
not one infinite attribute.
19
310 REASONS FOR OUR HOPE.
UNIVERSALISM.
God is infinitely Sovereign, — nothing in the universe is
independent of His sustaining and governing power, noth-
ing ab olutely counter to His eternal purposes.
God is infinitely Good, — all souls shall eternally share
the riches of His Kindness and Benevolence.
God is infinitely Merciful, — permits or produces House-
less, entice evil, and his Compassion eternally lives for all
His works.
God is infinitely Just, — evil shall not prevail, but shall
be universally overcome with Right-eousness.
God is infinitely Wise, — unbounded skill and endless re*
sources are at His command, for the perfect consummation
of his purposes,
God is infinite in Knowlecge, — no event in the wide
eternity of His being was ever concealed from His notice.
God is infinite in Power, — will eternally perform all His
good pleasure.
God is infinitely Holy, — all the universe shall be freed
from impurity, and conformed to His own nature.
God is infinitely Impartial, — He will make every thing
perfectly excellent in its crder.
The Love of God is infinite, — embraces all the sinful
race, and will not cease its renovating operations, until all
souls shall be moulded into its likeness.
The Faithfulness of God is infinite, — never can He
abandon, or cease to love, any creature of His workmanship.
The Unchangeability of God is infinite, — nothing can
influence, surprise, or disconcert Him; and His Love is aa
univrrsal and invariable in eternity as in time,
God is eternally Omnipresent, — there is no place in the
universe where any can get beyond the power of His Love
and protection.
XVL Conclusions.
The Calvinist acknowledges that Universalism is vastly
preferable to Arminianism, which is so manifestly full of
REASONS FOR OUR HOPE. Slj
impossible absurdities and contradictions, and so dishonour-
able to the Dignity, the Power and Wis 'om of God. Yel
he thinks it to be^ar safer to believe in reprobation, end-
less torments, total depravity, &c., than in a Universal Father
of infinite Goodness, Equity, and Love,— ah, he shudders
at the pitiful apprehension, tha* th's doctrine of Universal
Grace, is 'too good to be true.'
The Arminian grants that Universalism is altogether
more rational, and more worthy of the Divine Goodness and
excelle-cy than Calvinism ; yet be is afraid that 'he
ihdil heWeveih. x\oi [in devils and hells] :\ia\\ be damned,' —
that a view of -the Grace of God, which bringelh Salvation
to All Men,' has no such tendency as 'teaching us to deny
ungodliness, and to live soberly and righteously.'
The Universalist admits that the system of Calvin pos-
sesses an essential merit which does not belong to Armin-
ianism, that of being uniformly consistent wiih itself; and
that if endless misery were true, it were impossible for it to
be brought about on any other principle than that which
Calvinism defines, namely, the absolute Will of God. But
he insists, that while both systems comprise many of the
essential truths of the Gospel, md faithfully confess the
transcendent excellency of all its moral precepts, — that the
admission of the doctrine of endless misery involves both
into many sacreligious errors, — errors that are highly derog'
atory to the character of God, and utterly inconsistent with
the example of Christ, and the teachings of Revelation,
and positively injurious to the moral and religious culture
of man, — sentiments that have been fastened upon our gos-
pel in the midnight ages of the Church, that were not en-
tertained by the earlier, and the most learned Fathers, —
that were introduced by venomous-minded, bulrherous-spir-
ited converts from Paganism, — established by the terrors of
ecclesiastical tyranny, — perpetuated by tradition, ignorance,
and rivers of blood, — and now sanctified and venerated
through hereditary adherence. But with regard to Univer-
salism, nothing more excellent and desirable can possibly
312
REASONS FOR OUR HOPE.
be conceived of, nothing can be so resplendent of the glorj'
of God, so beautifully illustrative of the character of our
Lord and Master, — so worthy of the name of Christianity.
Yet if there be anything better, under the sacred banner
of religious faith, that can be shown, — anything more per-
fect, more soul-exalting, more God-like, let the celestial
standard be unfurled, — and 0, how speedily and joyfully
we will gather around the ramparts of its diviner glory !
REASONS FOR OUR HOPE. 313
"I've search'd the Sacred Volume through,
Its truth divine to learn,
And oh, enrapturing to my view,
What glories I discern !
Farewell to doubling fears and pains,
Tliose tyrants of the mind ;
The truth has burst their galling chains,
They can no longer bind.
I'll trust the Promise of Thy word.
Till that triumphant hour,
When Every Creature shall be heard.
Praising th' Almighty Pow'r.
When the Ransom'd, Universal throng,
To praise the Great I AM,
Shall join their voices in the song,
01 Moses and the Lamb.
Then let its persecuting foes.
This precious Faith revile.
Securely still will 1 repose.
In my Redeemer's smile.
My anxious soul in peace shall rest
On this transporting theme.
For all our kindreds shall be blest.
With life and joy supreme."
Rev. L. C. Browns.
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