Page images
PDF
EPUB

in what acts of providence or grace does it show itself? Who are they that have attained this mercy? And how does the fact of one's being pardoned affect his condition? Wherein consists the blessedness of the man, whose sin is forgiven and whose iniquity is covered? Does it affect his mind or body, his reputation or estate? If it affects his mind, pray tell me how does the absence of pardon, if attended by no consequences beyond the grave, and if death is sure soon to serve in the stead of pardon, seriously disturb the peace of the mind?— I ask again—If all God's mercy is displayed in this world, and the pardon of sin displays all its blessedness here, in what facts does that blessedness consist? Is it credible that the gospel should say so much about pardon, and forgiveness, and so little of it should be found in actual existence? The pages of evan- . gelical prophecy, and of gospel history and gospel exhortation, are made to glow with descriptions and illustrations of a system of salvation, contrived to declare the righteousness of God in the forgiveness of sins that are past. A vicarious sufferer, a divinely furnished, and divine victim, stands forth bowing between the blows of heaven and earth-the bleeding lamb of God that takes away the sins of the world, introducing a great salvation, a mysteriously splendid system of mercy, the masterpiece of all God's works, into which the angels desire to look. And now is it credible that this broad and lofty plan of mercy, works no results but what are seen in any advantages which the righteous enjoy over the wicked in this world?

But perhaps after all, the Universalists will choose to be understood as making the salvation of man in the world to come, the result of mercy. Many of the proof texts on which they place much reliance in support of their notion of a heaven for all, are such as speak of mercy-such as these-His mercy endureth forever,-His tender mercies are over all his works. Here is an assumption that universal salvation is equivalent to universal mercy. But pray tell me, if man was never exposed to eternal death, if he never was under condemnation of a law

which threatened eternal death, what is there of mercy in saving him from such a death?

Either way then, I am warranted to conclude that Universalism makes no adequate use of God's mercy, and to set in array against the system all that is said in the gospel, about the forgiveness of sin and the provisions for it.

Again, Universalism annihilates all conditions, connected with securing eternal life. Assuming that the state of men in the future life, is not at all affected by the conduct in this life, -that there is no judgment beyond the grave, it reduces to solemn trifling all those parts of Scripture, which directly or by implication, make the performance of certain conditions needful to the salvation of the soul. To rehearse all the passages which make the enjoyment of eternal life depend on certain conditions, would be to repeat no small part of the Bible. I will select a few out of the many. Mark 16: 16. He that believeth and is baptized, shall be saved, and he that believeth not shall be damned. Here salvation is offered on condition of believing! and that not a salvation from Jerusalem's destruction, for it was a condition to be proclaimed to all the world. Go ye into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature. He that believeth [in all the world] shall be saved, &c. Rom. 10: 9. If thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe with thy heart that God raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness. John 3:36. He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life, and he that believeth not on the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God abideth on him. Now if the unbelieving are equally safe with the believing, what is the meaning of all this? Rev. 2: 11. He that overcometh shall not be hurt of the second death,-implying that those that do not overcome shall be hurt of the second death. Rev. 2: 7. To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the tree of life, which is in the midst of the paradise of God,-meaning if it means any thing, that he that does not overcome shall not eat of the tree of life. Rev. 2: 17. To him that overcometh

will I give to eat of the hidden manna. Heb. 3: 14. For we are made partakers with Christ if we hold fast the beginning of our confidence steadfast unto the end. These passages imply a reward of perseverance bestowed at the end of life, and of course do not consist with the notion that the Christian has all his reward, and the impenitent all his loss and sufferings'in this life.

To this same point are all those passages which speak of heaven, eternal life, &c. as the reward of holiness. Matt. 5: 12. Rejoice and be exceeding glad, for great is your reward in heaven, for so persecuted they the prophets which were before you. If the condition in heaven is not affected by the conduct in this life, why speak of a reward in heaven? there can be no such thing. Luke 6: 23. Rejoice ye in that day and leap for joy; for behold your reward is great in heaven. I Peter 4: 13. But rejoice, inasmuch as ye are made partakers of Christ's sufferings, that when his glory shall be revealed, ye may be glad also with exceeding joy. In the following also, the fact of rewards and punishments beyond the grave is clearly implied. Matt. 10: 32. Whosoever therefore shall confess me before men, him will I also confess before my Father which is in heaBut whosoever shall deny me before men, him will I also deny before my father which is in heaven. Mark 8: 38. Whosoever therefore shall be ashamed of me, and of my words in this adulterous and sinful generation, of him shall the Son of Man be ashamed, when he cometh in the glory of his Father, with the holy angels. Here is a contrast between that generation and the time when Christ should come in his glory, showing that the time when the shame should settle on Christ's enemies, was after that generation had passed away.

ven.

To the same point essentially, are those passages which speak of the difficulty of obtaining salvation, and the danger of losing it. Matt. 7: 13. Enter ye in at the strait gate, for wide is the gate, and broad is the way that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat. Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, that leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it. Here are two ways described, the one

leading to life, and the other to destruction. But the Universalist tells us that life here means spiritual, and not eternal life; and death means the suffering which sin brings along with it in this life. But it happens that this strait gate, which can mean nothing but the difficulties of a holy life, is that which leadeth unto life. And the broad and easy way of the sinner is that which leadeth unto destruction, and not the destruction itself. Matt. 7: 21. Not every one that saith Lord, Lord, shalł enter into the kingdom of heaven, but he that doeth the will of my father which is in heaven. Many will say unto me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name, and in thy name have cast out devils, and in thy name done many wonderful works? And then I will profess unto them, I never knew you-Depart from me ye that work iniquity. It seems then, there will be many that will not enter the kingdom of heaven,—many who after great attainments, and great achievements in religious life, will be addressed by a— “Depart from me." But suppose the phrase, kingdom of God, is here used in the sense of spiritual life, as the Universalist will tell us. Then we have hypocrites earnestly desiring to be christians indeed, but forbidden to come to the desired privilege. And we have them saying, as Luke gives the story,—Lord, Lord, open unto us. Open what? The kingdom, the privilege of being real christians. But when were hypocrites so earnest to come to spiritual life, and when did the Lord refuse to admit them, on the ground that they had been workers of iniquity? Luke 13: 23. Then said one unto him, Lord are there few that be saved? And he said unto them, Strive to enter in at the strait gate,-For many I say unto you will seek to enter in and shall not be able. That salvation or admission to heaven, is the end towards which the strait gate leads, is seen in the fact that the remark is made, in answer to the question-Are there few that be saved? The man did not ask whether few became Christ's followers, for he had no need to ask it, but are there few that be saved? And he is told that many will seek salvation, and shall not find it. 1 Peter 4: 18. And if the righteous scarcely be saved, where shall

the ungodly and the sinner appear? Here, both the difficulty of obtaining salvation, and the fact that the ungodly and the sinner do not obtain it are set forth.

Equally in face of the Universalist hypothesis, are those passages which speak of holy life, as of laying up treasure in heaven. Matt. 6: 19. Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon the earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal.. But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt. Matt. 19: 21, Go and sell that thou hast and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven. Luke 12: 33. Sell that ye have and give alms; provide yourselves bags which wax not old, a treasure in the heavens that faileth not. Luke 16: 9. And I say unto you, make to yourselves friends of the mammon of unrighteousness, that when ye fail they may receive you into everlasting habitations. 1 Tim. 6: 19. Laying up in store a good foundation against the time to come, that they may lay hold on eternal life. Heb. 10: 34. For ye had compassion on my bonds, and took joyfully the spoiling of your goods, knowing in yourselves, that ye have in heaven a better and an enduring substance. Cast not away therefore your confidence, which hath great recompence of reward. 1 Peter 1:3, Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which according to his abundant mercy, hath begotten us again unto a lively hope, by the resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance incorruptible, and undefiled, and that fadeth not away, reserved in heaven for you, who are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation. And verse 7—That the trial of your faith being much more precious than gold which perisheth, may be found unto praise and honor and` glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ. Chap. 5: 4. And when the Chief Shepherd shall appear, ye shall receive a crown of glory that fadeth not away. That in these passages a holy life is represented as tending to secure a good treasure or a crown in the heavenly world, I think admits of no question. All this amount of evidence then, goes against the doctrine of

« PreviousContinue »