it will say, that all these passages may possibly mean to threaten nothing more than temporary punishment in this life; and because it deems this possible or probable, it will, if we may judge from its past conduct, with palpable and schoolboy inconsistency go on exultingly, as though it had proved its own side of the question: just as the ostrich feels itself safe from its pursuers, though it has concealed only its head. But is a thing to be believed merely because it is possible, or because some visionary thinks it probable? Suppose, in order to meet palpable absurdity with palpable absurdity, we should say, it is possible the moon may be made of green cheese. Is this any reason why we should believe it to be so made? Would you call this good logic? Such a thing may possibly be true, therefore I believe it to be true. Hume, and the German Pantheists, Atheists, sceptics, and visionaries of every description, have always thought their own views and interpretations probable. Does this prove they are so ?

But the argument from possibilities upon which Universalism chiefly rests, we shall notice presently: and of all the interpretations which it gives to the numerous scripture passages we shall adduce in these remarks, we assert unhesitatingly and peremptorily-it is impossible they should be true. 1st Because it is impossible that our preceding arguments should be answered; and if not answered, our interpretation must be the true one. 2d. Because it is a fact, proved by the writings of both Jews and Christians, that they universally understood the passages we quote, in the sense we attach to them; and we have already proved, that upon a point of such magnitude it was impossible they should err, and misunderstand the Scriptures. And lastly, Because, if they did err and misunderstand, it was impossible that our Saviour, the Apostles, and all the other inspired teachers, should not only deliberately suffer them to remain in this error, but should speak in such a way as to teach them this error, and confirm them in it. For they used the very language which both Jews and Gentiles used, when teaching the doctrine of future punishment; and it necessarily follows, therefore, that the Saviour, Apostles, and inspired teachers

intended to teach this doctrine. It is impossible, therefore, that this doctrine should be false it is impossible that our interpretation of Scripture passages relating to this subject, should be erroneous and impossible that the Universalist doctrine should be true.

2dly. Pardon, salvation, and eternal life, are promised on condition of repentance; and those who do not repent are threatened with endless ruin. Thus God addresses the Israelites :-Repent, and turn yourselves from all your transgressions; so iniquity shall not be your ruin. In the same style the Saviour addressed the Jews:--Except ye repent, ye shall all perish. Thus also the Apostles preached :-Repent, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out.1 And St. Paul declares in his speech before Agrippa: that God sent him to the Gentiles to open their eyes, and to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan unto God, in order that they might receive forgiveness of sins, and an inheritance among those who are sanctified through faith in Christ. And he declares further, that for this very purpose, he taught both Jews and Gentiles, that they must repent and turn to God, and do works meet for repentance. St. Peter also says, that God is long-suffering towards sinners, because he is not willing that any should perish; but that all should come to repentance: and St. Paul declares, that the impenitent treasure up to themselves wrath against the day of wrath -that day when God shall judge the secrets of men according to the Gospel. If these things be so, how can those who die impenitent possibly be saved hereafter?

3dly. Pardon, salvation, and eternal life, are promised on condition of our being converted or turned from the love and practice of sin, to the love and practice of holiness: while on the other hand, Scripture declares, that those who are not converted, shall die, not the first, but the second death; and therefore be shut out of the kingdom of heaven. Hear its words:-Except ye be converted, ye shall not enter the kingdom of heaven. This people's heart is waxed gross, and their eyes have they closed; lest they should be converted, and their sins should be forgiven them. Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts; and let him return unto the Lord, and he will have mercy upon him; and abundantly pardon. If thou warn the wicked, and he turn not from his wickedness, he shall die in his iniquity: and when a righteous man doth turn from his righteousness, and committeth iniquity, he shall die in his sins, and his righteousness shall not be remembered. But if thou warn the righteous, and he doth not sin, he shall surely live. Again-if a man be just, and do that which is lawful and right, he shall surely live; if not, he shall surely die. The soul that sinneth, it shall die. But if the wicked turn from all his sins, he shall surely live; he shall not die, he shall save his soul alive. As I live, I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked, saith the Lord; wherefore, turn yourselves and live ye-Turn ye from your evil ways, for why will ye die, O house of Israel?

Here God declares that he cannot pardon, or have mercy upon sinners, unless they turn or are converted. How then can they be saved without conversion? Here God declares that all the ungodly shall die. This cannot mean that they shall die a natural death, because the righteous as well as the wicked must die this death. Nor can it mean that they shall die spiritually, for being wicked, they are already spiritually dead; and the punishment here threatened is something future-they shall die, sometime hereafter. Besides, this death of the wicked is put in contrast with the life of the righteous; and as the life of the righteous necessarily means eternal life and happiness in another world, death must necessarily mean the reverse of this, viz. eternal death. What else then can death mean, but that future punishment which takes place after the dissolution of soul and body-which the Apostle calls the second death, a death that comes after the first death-which he says, consists in being cast into the lake

• Matt. xviii. 3; xiii. 15; Mark iv. 12; Isa. lv. 7.
4 Rev. ii. xx. xxi. xxii.

1

which burneth with fire and brimstone-and by which the Jews, in our Saviour's time, always understood endless future punishment. In fine, as God here speaks of individuals, and declares that the soul of the sinner shall die, and the soul of the righteous shall be saved alive, what can it possibly mean, but eternal life and salvation in the one case, and eternal death and damnation in the other?

4thly. Eternal salvation is promised on condition of obedience to God's commandments; while the disobedient are threatened with exclusion from heaven and happiness. Hear the Scripture proof of this: - Cursed is every one that continueth not in all things, written in the book of the law, to do them. Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven, but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven. If thou wilt enter into life, keep the commandments. Not the hearers of the law, but the doers of the law, shall be justified before God. Blessed are they that do his commandments, that they may have a right to the tree of life. If a man keep my sayings, he shall never see death. Christ is the author of eternal salvation unto all them that obey him. When the Lord Jesus shall come to be glorified in his saints, and admired in all them that believe, he shall be revealed from heaven with his mighty angels, to take vengeance with flaming fire, on them that know not God, and obey not the Gospel. If then, the righteous scarcely be saved, where shall the sinner and the ungodly appear? And if the preceding declarations be true, what becomes of the doctrine of the Universalist?

5thly. Heaven and eternal happiness are promised on condition of holiness, while the ungodly are cut off from all hope beyond the grave. Hear the Scripture proof of this also :Follow after holiness, without which no man shall see the. Lord. When ye were the servants of sin, what fruit had ye in those things of which ye are now ashamed? for the end of those things is death. But now, being made free from sin,

and become servants to God, ye have your fruit unto holiness; and the end, everlasting life. For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Be not deceived; God is not mocked :-whatsoever.. a man soweth, that shall he also reap. For he that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption; but he that soweth to the Spirit, shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting. If ye live after the flesh, ye shall die: but if ye through the Spirit. do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live. The wicked is driven away in his wickedness: but the righteous hath hope in his death.s Now if none can see God without holiness-if the end of sin is death, and the end of holiness everlasting life -and none but the righteous have hope in death, is not the doctrine of the Universalist unscriptural and false?

It appears then from the preceding passages, that eternal life and happiness are promised upon the conditions of our believing, repenting of our sins, turning to God with all our hearts, obeying his commandments, and leading a holy lifeand it appears further, that those who do not perform these conditions, have no hope beyond the grave; but are cut off from the heavenly inheritance-the wrath of God abideth upon them--and they incur eternal death. But the Universalist doctrine contradicts all this. For it denies that there are any conditions of salvation; and declares that all shall be saved and enjoy eternal life, whether they believe, repent, obey, and are holy, or not. Universalism then does directly contradict the Scriptures; and it is therefore impossible that it should be true-it must necessarily be false.

The following miscellaneous passages and remarks will render the preceding reasoning still more unanswerably conclusive.

Our Saviour, speaking of Judas, declares, that it would have been better for him if he had never been born. If this is true, Universalism is false. For if all men are to be for

& Heb. xii. 14; Rom. vi. 20; Gal. vi. 7; Rom. viii. 13; Prov. xiv. 32. Mark xiv. 21.