Brief observations on the doctrine of universal salvation, as lately promulgated at New-Haven. By Jonathan Edwards, Pastor of a church in New-Haven. ; [Eight lines of Scripture texts]

BRIEF OBSERVATIONS, &c.

IT is proposed in these few pages—to give some ac|count of the doctrine of universal salvation, as late|ly proclaimed in this city—to consider the principal arguments by which it is attempted to be support|ed—to mention some passages of scripture which are inconsistent with it—and to point out some of the consequences which will follow from it.

I. The doctrine is, that all mankind, without exception but none of the devils, will be saved; that this universal salvation will take place imme|diately after the general judgment, so that after that time, there will be no punishment of any in|dividual of the human race; that this deliverance from future punishment is obtained in the way of the most strict justice; that Christ having paid the whole debt, for all mankind, it is not consistent with justice, that any man should be punished for sin, in his own person; that the sinners of the old world however, were kept in hell from the flood till the crucifixion of Christ, and that during the three days, that Christ's body lay in the Grave,

his spirit went and preached the gospel to them, and delivered them from further punishment; that perhaps those who die in impenitence and and unbelief, may, till the final judgment, be in the same state, in which the sinners of the old world were, before the death of Christ.

II. I am to consider the principal arguments by which this system is attempted to be supported.

It is argued partly, from the divine goodness and compassion, but chiefly from several passages of scripture. The arguments from divine good|ness, equally prove that all devils, as that all men, will be saved. If a God of infinite goodness and compassion cannot inflict endless punishment on a fallen man, how can he inflict the same on a fall|en angel? True goodness and compassion do not act with partial biasses and attachments, but see the happiness of every intelligent being, whose happiness is consistent with the good of the system. To say, there is no atonement made for the fallen angels, gives no satisfaction. For why did not in|finite goodness provide an atonement for them, as well as for mankind? If it be said, that the per|dition of devils is not inconsistent with goodness, because it is not opposed to the good of the system in general, but necessary to it: I answer, in the same way the eternal perdition of ungodly men, may be reconciled with goodness.—The argument from the divine goodness is also wholly inconsistent with the well known dispensations of providence towards mankind in this world. The argument

hath been stated thus;

Can you, an affection|ate parent, take your own child, and cast it into a glowing oven?—No—But hath not God as much goodness and tenderness as you? How then can you suppose, that he will cast any of his children, into the lake of fire and brimstone, and confine them there forever.

—On this argu|ment I observe,

1. That it equally militates against the eternal punishment of any of the fallen angels, as any of fallen men: for they are the children of God by creation, as truly as men. It is however true, that though we cannot bear to cast our children into glowing ovens, yet God can and does, first neglect the means necessary for the salvation of some of his children, and then cast them into the the of fire and brimstone.

2. That it also proves, (so far as it proves any thing) that God cannot afflict and destroy mankind, as we all know he does, in this world. Permit me in my turn, to use this argument:—

Can you an affectionate parent, throw down your child from eminences, so as to brake his bones, mangle his flesh, and dislocate his neck? Or can you plunge him into a raging sea, and leave him to the mercy of the waves? Can you cast him to be devour|ed by lions or tygers? Can you voluntarily bring on him the tortures of convulsions, of the cho|lick or of the stone? Can you set your house on fire, and in it consume your wife, your chil|dren and whole family together?—I know, you

cannot think of doing any of these. But hath not God as much goodness and tenderness as you? How then can you suppose that he will ever treat any of his children in this manner?

—Yet in fact he doth all those things to his chil|dren: The instances are very common.—This shows the absurdity of all such arguments, as that stated above; which however are the most popular, and with many, the most convincing ar|guments employed to prove universal salvation. It is mere trifling to argue against future punishment, on principles which cannot be reconciled with God's common providence: and to assert boldly that God cannot do what we all see and know, that he in fact doth.

The principal texts of scripture, produced in support of this doctrine, are these which follow.

I. Cor. 15.22.

As in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive.

From these words it is argued, that as all mankind died in Adam, so all mankind will live eternally in and through Christ.—In this chapter, the Apostle is discoursing of the resurrection of Christ's people, the whole body of his followers, Verse 23.

But every man in his own order, Christ the first fruits, afterward they that are Christ's, at his co|ming.

These words immediately follow those now under consideration, and plainly shew the sense of the Apostle in the 22d. verse to be, that all Christ's, all his disciples, or his followers shall be made alive in him. But who those are whom the

Apostle calls Christ's, or his people, his followers, is not determined in this text. It is however abun|dantly determined by the whole New Testament, that they are the penitent and believing, and they only. As all who were in Adam, or were repre|sented by him, died in him; so all who are in Christ, or are represented by him, shall live in him. But it is denied, that all men are in Christ, and are represented by him, as their spiritual head, nor is this asserted in this text. The whole that is assert|ed in it is, that all who are in Christ, shall live by him, as all who were in Adam, died in conse|quence of his Fall.

But in aid of the construction of the text afore|said, which I oppose, it is said, "that the head of every man is Christ;" which is supposed to mean, that every man is in Christ, and is represented by him. The words are in I. Cor. 11.3. "The head of every man is Christ, and the head of the woman is the man, and the head of Christ is God." I grant that, as in the work of redemp|tion, the character and office of God the father is superior to the Son; and as in the family oecono|my, the husband is superior to his wife in honour and authority: so Christ is exalted in authority and dominion over all mankind. In this sense too, he is the head of the devils, as he is "made head over all things to the church," and "all things are put under his feet, he only excepted, who put all things under him." But that he is so the head of all men, that all will be saved by him, does not appear.

But it is pleaded, that "Christ died for all;" that he is "the Saviour of all men;"—that he is "the Saviour of the world,"—"and a pro|pitiation for the sins of the whole world"—"that he gave himself a ransom for all"—"and that he tasted death for every man."—Doubtless these expressions are strictly true, as Christ has made an atonement, or laid a foundetion in his death and sufferings, for the salvation of all mankind: so that salvation is offered to all:—ALL without exception are invited to accept it. But what if some obstinately refuse to accept it?—Will they still inherit this salvation?—This is not asserted in any one of those texts now referred to: Yet it should be asserted, to make them at all to the pur|pose of universal salvation. All that is asserted, is, that Christ has made atonement or provision for the salvation of all men. But this no more proves that all men will in fact be saved, than if a prince should make a feast sufficient to entertain all the inhabitants of a city, this proves, that all those in|habitants will actually partake of the feast. Not|withstanding this provision, a great part may re|fuse to comply with the royal invitation, and thus exclude themselves—Yet it is true that there was a feast made for all.—In like manner the provi|sion made by Christ is abundantly sufficient for all; yet some exclude themselves by their unbelief.— In this sense Christ gave himself a ransom for all, and tasted death for every man: and this sense of these passages is plainly given by the scripture it|self,

particularly in John iii. 16. "God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son," not that all mankind might be saved by him, but "that whoever believeth in him, should not perish, but have everlasting life."

It is further pleaded, that God "will have all men to be saved,"—that he hath "no pleasure in the death of the wicked,"—and that he is "not willing that any should perish." The death or perdition of the wicked is not in itself a desirable object; in this view God doth not, nor can take pleasure in it: he cannot delight in the punishment and destruction of his creatures sim|ply considered. Yet he may inflict on them pu|nishment and destruction, when they are necessary to vindicate his character, to support his law, to restrain others from sin, and to promote the good of the whole.—The texts now under consideration are to be taken in the same sense with Lam. iii. 33. "He doth not afflict willingly, nor grieve the chil|dren of men." And Hos. xi. 8. "How shall I give thee up, Ephraim? How shall I deliver thee, Israel? How shall I make thee as Admah? How shall I set thee as Zeboim? Mine heart is turned within me; my repentings are kindled together." —A most benevolent parent may find it necessary to chastise, and even to disinherit a child. Yet he never does it, as we say, of choice; but with great reluctance. It is true, all things considered, he may choose to do it. Still, in itself, it is very disa|greeable and painful to him.

Jer. xxxi. 34. "They shall all know me from the least of them, to the greatest of them," hath been introduced as an argument of universal sal|vation, because, to know God is life eternal. But those words of Jeremiah refer not to the state of things after the general judgment, but to the mil|lenial state, and are equivalent to Isai. xi. 9. "For the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the Lord, as the waters cover the sea;" and to Hab. ii. 14.—But it is not pretended, that uni|versal salvation will be effected on this earth, or before the general judgment, which is to be in the air, not on this globe. It is granted that in the general resurrection, some will come forth to the resurrection of damnation. Therefore universal salvation will not take place before that period.

A further argument hath been drawn from Rev. v. 13. "Every creature which is in heaven, and on earth, and under the earth, and such as are in the sea, and all that are in them, heard I, saying, bless|ing, and honour," &c. It is said that these words show, that all men will finally unite in hymns of praise to God and the Lamb and therefore will be saved. But this text says nothing particularly of all men: it speaks of all creature▪ rational and ir|rational, animate and inanimate, and represents them as joining with the angels, the four beasts, and elders, in a hymn of praise, and is an instance of the figure called prosopopaeia, similar to that in Psal. xix. 1. and in Psal. cxlviii. 1—11. It is therefore nothing to the purpose of the salvation

of all men.—Besides; this text as much implies the salvation of all devils, as of all men, and so if it prove any thing, proves too much for those by whom it is quoted in the present question.

Phil. ii. 10. "That at the name of Jesus, eve|ry knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things on earth, and things under the earth, and that eve|ry tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord," &c. Is supposed to imply the salvation of all men. But this is a mere declaration of Christ's exaltation, and of the subjection of all things to him, and is tantamount to those texts before quoted, which declare, that he is made head over all things to the church; and that all things are put under his feet. But these passages do not imply, that all men will voluntarily submit to him. See also Rom. xiv.9—13.

From "the restitution of all things," mention|ed in Acts iii. 21. it hath been argued, that all men will be restored to the favour of God. On this I observe,

That these words might well have been render|ed, The completion or comsummation of all things, and are so rendered and interpreted by some of the best commentators.—If they be taken strictly ac|cording to the present translation, they will prove that all devils are to be restored to the divine fa|vour, as well as all men. Therefore they prove too much for those with whom I am at present con|cerned.—But the original puts this text entirely out of the present question. Without insisting on a different rendering of the word translated restitu|tion,

the sense according to the original is this* 1.1; the times of the restitution of all those things which God hath spoken by the mouth of all his prophets. So that if the restoration of all men be a doctrine taught by the prophets, this text declares, that the time will come, when such a restoration will be effected. Otherwise it says nothing concerning it. —This text is sometimes introduced in this man|ner; "The restitution of all things is declared by all the prophets from the foundation of the world:" Which is a perversion of the text, and shows either great dishonesty, or great inattention to the original.

These are the principal scriptures on which the doctrine of universal salvation, as lately published among us, is supposed to be founded, and whether they be a sufficient foundation, I now appeal to every candid man, who is but tolerably acquainted with the scriptures.

III. I am to mention some passages of scripture which appear to be irreconcileable with the salva|tion of all men.

Matt. xxv. 31—46. especially v. 41. "Depart ye cursed into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels." It is pretended that the goats on the left hand, in this passage, are the devils; that the sheep on the right, are all mankind, and that the devils are condemned to everlasting fire, because they restrained men from acts of charity.—Why then is it not said, Depart,

ye cursed, &c. not because I was an hungred, and ye gave me no meat; but because I was an hun|gred and ye restrained others from giving me meat? —And why was it not said, Depart, ye cursed, into everlasting fire prepared for you? not, for the devil and his angels, implying, that they were dif|ferent persons from those to whom the Judge was speaking.—But the 32d. v. puts this matter out of all dispute, "Before him shall be gathered all na|tions; and he shall separate them one from another, as a shepherd divideth his sheep from the goats." What is the antecedent of them? not surely the devils, for they are not mentioned in the context. It is the nations; and to say that them refers to any other antecedent, is a violation of all the rules of grammatical construction.—But to such shifts as these, the advocates for universal salvation are re|duced, to reconcile their doctrine with the scrip|tures! Surely that doctrine must be very foreign from the scriptures, which can be no better recon|ciled with them, than universal salvation can with this passage in the 25th of Matthew.

Rev. xiv. 11. "And the smoke of their tor|ment ascendeth up forever and ever: and they have no rest day nor night, who worship the beast and his image."—If the beast mean what is com|monly understood by it, Rome heathen and papal, the worshippers are not merely the devils, but some men are comprehended in the number.—If the beast mean the devil himself, still some men are comprehended in the number of his worshippers.

See I. Cor. x. 20. Thus on every supposition, this text declares that some men will be tormented for|ever and ever.

Isai. lxvi. 24. "They shall go forth and look upon the carcases of the men, that have transgressed against me; for their worm dieth not, and their fire is not quenched."—These were not devils; they are ex|pressly called men, and were cloathed with carcases, or bodies, which is not true of the devils.

Phil. iii. 18, 19. "The enemies of the cross of Christ, whose end is destruction, whose God is their belly."—The end or last state of these persons is destruction, not salvation; and they cannot be the devils, because they have no bellies.

II. Thess. i. 8, 9. "In flaming fire, taking ven|gance on them that know not God, and that obey not the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ, who shall be punished with everlasting destruction."—The de|vils, however they are obliged to obey the law, are not obliged to obey the gospel and to believe in Christ. Therefore this passage means men and not devils.

II. Cor. xi. 15. "Whose end shall be according to their works."—The persons spoken of are false-apostles, evil-workers, v. 13. and in v. 22. are decla|red to be Hebrews, Israelites, the seed of Abraham. Therefore they could not be devils. But their end is said to be according to their works, as false-apostles and evil-workers; which end must doubt|less be an evil one, not the good end of salvation.

II. Pet. iii. 7. "The heavens and the earth —are—reserved unto fire—and perdition of ungodly men."—Men not devils.

Luke xvi. 22, 23. "The rich man—in hell— lift up his eyes being in torments."—This was a rich man, not a rich devil; v. 19. Anthropos; and he was confined in hell by an impassible gulf, v. 26.

I. Cor. i. 18. "The preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness: but to us which are saved, it is the power of God." These that perish are those to whom the gospel is foolishness, and such the apostle declares the Jews and Greeks to be, v. 23.

Heb. x. 38. "We are not of them who draw back unto perdition, but of them that believe to the saving of the soul." Some then do draw back unto perdition, i. e. from a professed faith, as is manifest from the verse preceeding, "The just shall live by faith, but if any man draw back," i. e. from the faith, or the profession of it; "my soul hath do pleasure in him." But the fallen angels do not draw back from the faith, or the profession of it; because they never pretended to have re|ceived it. Therefore the persons who draw back unto perdition, are men and not devils.

Luke xiii. 25—29. We are here informed of some who shall be shut out of heaven, and shall in vain seek admission. But who are these? Not the devils surely, because Christ addresses them in the second person, "and ye begin to stand with|out;" "I know you not, whence you are, all ye workers of iniquity;" which shows that they were the men with whom he was then in conversation.— How is this reconcileable with the salvation of all men?

Dan. xii. 2. "And many of them that sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlast|ing life, and some to shame and everlasting con|tempt." This is spoken of those who sleep in the dust of the earth, who cannot be the devils, but men. Some of these are to awake to everlasting contempt.

These are only a few of the many sacred passages which might be adduced on this occasion.—And can we suppose that a God of infinite goodness, de|lights to vex and worry mankind with groundless fears? Or that a God of inviolable truth will de|nounce threatnings, which he never means to ex|ecute? Would not such a construction of the threatnings, weaken the credibility of all the promises of the gospel too? If God doth not declare what is about to be in one case, how know we that he does in another?

Besides the supposition that devils only are in|tended in some of the threatnings, the advocates for universal salvation, whom I oppose, have seve|ral other evasions. According to them, in some instances in which death is threatened to sinners, no more is intended than that they shall die as sin|ners, i. e. shall repent and forsake their sins.—In others, they shall die, be damned, &c. as they shall be condemned in their own consciences, and shall ex|pect and fear eternal death.—In others, it is only declared, that they should die in Christ, as in this text, "The soul that sinneth it shall die."

On the first mode of evasion, I observe, that re|pentence is no death of men, or of the soul; on

the other hand, it is a resurrection to spiritual life, the proper life of man. Again; that repentance is no token of divine displeasure, but is a sure to|ken of divine favour; Acts. xi. 18. "They glo|rified God, saying, Then hath God also to the Gentiles granted repentance unto life." It cannot therefore be made the subject of a threatning; but whenever it is predicted, is promised as a blessing. Again; it cannot be said, that in this sense, the worm of the wicked shall not die; that their smoke shall ascend forever and ever; that they are fixed in torment by an impassable gulf; that they shall be punished with everlasting destruction; that they shall seek admission into heaven, but seek in vain.

On the second mode of evasion, That sinners shall be damned in their own consciences and die in ex|pectation, I observe, that by the same rule of con|struction, we have no warrant to suppose, that the promises of the gospel, mean any more than that some men will be confident of their good estate, or favour with God, and so pronounce a sentence of justification on themselves, in the expectation or strong hope of eternal life. If it be said,

that they that do evil shall come forth to the resur|rection of damnation,

only as they shall pro|nounce a sentence of condemnation on themselves, and shall expect and fear eternal damnation; I will say,

that they that do good shall come forth to the resurrection of life,

only as they shall, in a confidence of the divine favour, pro|nounce

sentence of justification on themselves, and shall expect and hope for eternal life, yet shall never enjoy it, any more than the wicked shall suffer eternal punishment. If "he that be|lieveth not, shall be damned," mean only, that he shall be condemned in his own mind; then, "he that believeth, shall be saved," means only, that he shall be saved in his own mind or expectation. Besides, according to this sense of the threatnings, how can the wicked be said to be the subjects of the never dying worm? or to be in a place of tor|ment from which they can never escape? or to be punished with those torments the smoke of which shall ascend forever and ever? Surely, according to the doctrine which I oppose, they will not for|ever and ever expect punishment: nor can they be supposed to be the subjects, forever and ever, of any other self-condemnation, than that which is impli|ed in true repentence, which is consistent with per|fect and eternal happiness, and therefore cannot be made the matter of threatning.

On the last mode of evasion, That sinners shall die in Christ only, I observe, That it is applicable only to those texts, which were written before the death of Christ, not to any which were written af|ter that event and are expressed in the future tense; as these, II. Thess. i. 9. "Shall be punished with an everlasting destruction," &c. Phil. iii. 19. "Whose end is destruction." II. Cor. xi. 15. "Whose end shall be according their works."—Again; dying in

Christ, i. e. that Christ should die for a sinner, is no proper subject of threatning, as it is the greatest blessing ever granted to a fallen world; as well might we be threatened with the inheritance of heaven.—Again; that this threatning, if it be so called, might as well have been denounced on the righteous, as on the wicked; it being granted on all hands, that Christ died for the penitent and be|lieving.—Once more; that if these words, "the soul that sinneth it shall die," mean that such a soul should die in Christ, as Christ should die in its stead, and the soul personally should not die: with as much authority will I say, that these words, "He is just, he shall surely live," mean only that he shall live in Christ, as Christ shall live in his stead, but the man personally shall not live at all.

Thus these men, while they attempt to reduce or annihilate the threatnings of scripture, equally annihilate the promises, and entirely overthrow that very universal salvation, for which they so earnestly plead.

There is still another mode of evading the texts of scripture, which assert a future punishment; this is by supposing that the sins of men are to be separated from the men themselves, and to be sent to hell, while the men who committed those sins are to be taken to heaven. Thus the chaff in Matt. iii. 12. Luke iii. 17. is said to mean the sins of mankind: these sins are to be separated from the wheat, which is the men themselves, and to be burnt up with unquenchable fire. The carcases of the

men, who have transgressed against God, in Isai. lxvi. 24. are said to be the sins of those transgres|sors.—On this, I observe,

1. That it is difficult to conceive how this in|terpretation can be reconciled with most of those texts quoted above, or with others which may be quoted; as Phil. iii. 18, 19. Those whose end is destruction, are said to be the enemies of the cross of Christ, whose God is their belly. Sins are in|deed acts of enmity, but not enemies, nor have they any bellies to be their Gods.—Those who, accor|ding to II. Thess. i. 8, 9. are to be punished with everlasting destruction, are not lifeless actions, but persons (oitines, in the masculine gender) who know not God, and obey not the gospel. But sins are capable of neither knowledge nor obedience. In II. Cor. xi. 15. False apostles and evil workers, who were Hebrews, Israelites, the seed of Abra|ham, are said to come to an end according to their works. But sins are neither false nor true apostles, neither good nor evil workers, are neither Israelites, Hebrews, nor the seed of Abraham; nor can they perform any works, according to which their end shall be. II. Pet. iii. 7. speaks of the perdition not of sins, but men. Surely the Jews and Greeks to whom the gospel was foolishness, and who there|fore perished, were not sins▪ but sinners. And what an absurdity to say, that the sins of men draw back from the gospel faith unto perdition, according to Heb. x. 39

2. It is equally difficult to reconcile the idea of sin's suffering, or being tormented, with common

sense. How can the sins of transgressors be eaten by worms, or burnt with fire, while the transgres|sors themselves are in heaven? How can an act of murder, or fornication, or blasphemy, be torment|ed forever and ever in fire and brimstone, while the authors of those actions are in perfect bliss? If such punishments are feasible, and answer the end of punishment, why are they not adopted by human legislators? Why is not felony hanged, or cropt and branded, and the felons suffered to go free?— But the absurdity sufficiently appears: it would be altogether as good sense to talk of punishing the north-west wind, or tormenting the sound of a trumpet.

3. With regard to that text in Isai. lxvi. 24. it seems to be very unluckily chosen to prove, that sins are to be tormented, but the sinners saved. I will undertake to prove from the same text, with much more plausibility, that the sins of mankind are all to be saved, and to be happy in heaven for|ever, while all men without exception are to be sent to eternal torments in hell.—For the words im|mediately preceding are, "All flesh shall come to worship before me, saith the Lord." As the pro|phet had been just speaking of the new heavens and new earth, these words, I suppose on all hands are allowed to be descriptive of the heavenly state. Therefore all flesh shall be admitted into the hea|venly state. But flesh in scripture very commonly signifies the sin or wickedness of men. Therefore all the sins of all men, will be taken to heaven.

But the worm of those who have transgressed against God shall never die, and their fire shall never be quenched. Now all men without exception have transgressed against God. Therefore all men with|out exception, shall suffer eternal torments in hell, while their sins shall enjoy eternal peace and hap|piness in heaven.—Thus we see to what conclusions we are led, by taking no greater liberty with the scriptures, than those take with whom I am now concerned.

IV. I am to point out some of the consequences which will follow from this system.

1. It follows from this system, that the confine|ment of the sinners of the old world in the prison of hell, till the death of Christ, and the similar treatment of those who die in impenitence and un|belief, is a direct violation of justice, and can no more be reconciled with it, than the eternal punish|ment of a great part of mankind. The reason why it is supposed to be inconsistent with justice, that any men should be eternally punished, is, that Christ as the substitute of all mankind, hath taken the whole punishment of sin on himself, and hath paid for all men the whole debt. Therefore pay|ment being made by the substitute, it is unjust to exact payment of any sinner in his own person.

This would be to exact double payment.—On the same principle I argue, that if Christ has so paid the whole debt for all men, that it is unjust to in|flict the whole punishment of sin on the person of any sinner, it is also unjust to inflict on the person

of any sinner a part of the punishment; as this would be so far to exact double payment of the debt: and to exact double payment for a part of a debt is as real injustice, though not so great a de|gree of it, as to exact double payment for the whole. —Therefore justice was entirely violated, in con|fining the sinners of the old world, in the prison of hell, for more than two thousand years.

2. It follows from this system, that the divine justice is violated also by all the tokens of divine wrath or displeasure, which are ever inflicted on men, in this life. That there have been many tokens of divine wrath inflicted on men, in this life, cannot be denied, to be sure, by those who believe the divine authority of the scriptures: such was the destruction of the old world, of Sodom and Gomarrah, of the Canaanites, of Pharaoh and his army in the Red-Sea, of Jerusalem by Nebuchad|nezzar, and afterwards by the Romans, when wrath came upon them to the uttermost; the death of Nadab and Abihu, of Hophni and Phi|nehas, of Ananias and Sapphira, &c. &c. These are plain instances of punishment of sin inflicted by God; but how can these, on the system which I oppose, be reconciled with divine jusstice, any more than the everlasting punishment of sin? If these punishments were just, it follows that Christ has not so paid the whole debt, but that it is con|sistent with justice that sinners should be punished in their own persons: and therefore the argument in favour of universal salvation, drawn from the

consideration of Christ's having paid the whole debt, entirely falls to the ground.

I may also mention the calamities to which all mankind are liable, and which they constantly suf|fer; the sickness, pains and sorrows, the vexations and disappointments, which await us all; the pangs of child-birth, the agonies of death, &c. To say that these are the necessary consequences of sin and could not have been prevented by the Deity, is an affront to reason and an impeachment of the divine Omnipotence. It was in the power of Om|nipotence, to have constituted things in such a manner, that child-bearing and death should have been without the least pain, or that we should all have been translated without tasting death.—With equal ease could God have prevented every other temporal calamity.—To say that these calamities are mere parental chastisements designed for our good, and therefore not punishments or tokens of divine displeasure, is contradictory. For no good parent ever chastised a child, but for some fault, at which he was displeased.

What then are all these calamities of life and agonies of death, but so many tokens of God's dis|pleasure at sin? But such tokens of God's dis|pleasure can never be reconciled with justice, on the supposition that Christ so paid the whole debt of punishment for all mankind, that justice will not allow, that they be punished in their own per|sons. And if justice will allow that men be pun|ished in their own persons, it is a matter of grace,

sovereign grace, that any of mankind are saved; and if any, who and how many.

3. It follows from this system, that we have an absolute and immediate right, on the footing of justice, to the inheritance of heaven and all its blessedness, and that we are injured by the Deity, in being kept out of it for a day or an hour. Christ has purchased heaven for us, equally as an escape from hell. But to be kept out of a glorious inheritance, to which we have an entire and abso|lute right on the sooting of justice, and at the same time, to be detained a state of imprisonment, as is in the case with a great part of mankind (Zach. ix. 12.) or in such a state that even the best of men groan being burdened, and are in bondage, (Rom. viii. 23. and II. Cor. v. 2,—5. and Heb. ii. 14, 15.) is not merely to be injured, but to suffer an injury which is great and oppressive.—If, to avoid this conse|quence, it should be said, that doubtless Christ in the covenant between him and the father, consented that his redeemed should be kept out of the possession of heaven for a season; this would be to open a door at which certain guests, very unwelcome to the advocates for universal salvation, may easily enter. For in this concession it is granted, that the purchase of Christ is not absolute and unconditional, but limited with stipulations and conditions. Hence at once arises this question; What are the stipula|tions and conditions, on which an inheritance of the blessings of Christ's purchase is to be obtained? Is not that purchase so limited, that none can en|joy

the saving blessings of it, who die in impeni|tence and unbelief. Doubtless he who had a right to consent, that all men should for a season be kept from the enjoyment of the blessings pur|chased by Christ, had a right to consent that some men should be kept from them forever. And if, this being the case, no injury is done those who are excluded from those blessings for a season, neither is any injury done those who are finally excluded: because the conditions of the purchase in either case are fulfilled. It remains therefore to be shewn, what are, and what are not, the conditions of en|joying the blessings purchased by Christ; and the argument from the absolute purchase, whether of escape from hell, or of the possession of heaven en|tirely falls to the ground.

4. It follows from this system, that we have a right on the footing of justice, to immediate com|plete sanctification, and are constantly injured so long as we are kept in a state of depravity or imper|fection. Perfection in holiness is a part of the pur|chase of Christ. (Heb. xii. 23. and Rev. xxi. 27.) But the foundation of the argument, that we cannot consistently with justice, suffer the penalty of the law, is, that we have a right on the footing of justice, to whatever Christ has purchased for us. Therefore we have a right to immediate and complete sanctifica|tion.—If here too it should be said, that Christ has consented, that we should be kept out of this privilege for a while; I answer, as under the preceding article, that with as much reason, I

may say, he has consented that some should re|main without it for ever.

5. It follows from this system, that we are under no obligation to obey the divine law.—Christ has equally obeyed the law for us, as he has suffered the penalty. He has equally paid the debt of obe|dience, as the debt of punishment. Now if, since Christ has paid the debt of punishment, to exact punishment of men personally, be to exact double payment of the debt; then, since Christ has paid the debt of obedience, to exact obedience of men personally, is to exact double payment of the debt of obedience; which is unjust, tyrannical and oppressive, and can never consist with the divine rectitude and perfection. It fol|lows therefore that we are under no obligation to obey the divine law in any particular, whether as it respects God or men.—We are under no obliga|tion to love the Lord our God with all our heart, to observe his Sabbath, his ordinances of public or private worship, or to comply with any precept of the first table. Equally free are we from obliga|tion to love our neighbour as ourselves, to speak the truth, to practise justice, fidelity, humanity, charity, temperance, sobriety, or any other vir|tue.—And where there is no law, there is no transgression.—Therefore, according to this sys|tem, we are not capable of committing sin; and though we should fall into profaneness, perjury, blasphemy; though we should practise injustice, fraud, theft, malice, revenge, murder, they would

be no sin, but would be as perfectly innocent, as those which are esteemed the most amiable virtues.

6. It follows from this system, that grace is in a great measure excluded from the plan or salva|tion published in the gospel. In the late exhibi|tion of universal salvation in this place, the preacher himself declared, "that however some hoped to be saved by free grace, he expected to be saved in the way of strict justice." This declaration is perfectly consistent with his general system, and necessarily implied in it. For if we have a right on the footing of justice, to deliverance from hell, and admission to heaven, we doubtless have the same right to conversion, pardon, justification, the teachings and assistance of the spirit, in short, to every blessing which Christ has purchased.—If so, where is the grace in communicating these blessings? Manifestly there is no grace in the communication of any of them. They are due to us, and, according to the system which I am op|posing, in communicating them, God does but discharge his debts. But is not this grating to the ear of every christian? It most directly contradicts the whole gospel, the language of which is, "By grace are ye saved"—"Being justified freely by his grace"—"in whom we have—forgiveness according to the riches of his grace," &c. &c. &c.

7. It follows from this doctrine, that there is no foundation for thanksgiving or praise, on ac|count of any of the forementioned blessings of conversion, pardon, justification, victory over the world, over our lusts, over satan, or final and

eternal glory. We are not obliged to thank any man for giving us our dues: nor are we any more obligated to render thanks to God if he only give us our dues. Therefore all that is said in the Psalms, or any other parts of scripture, in the way of praise or gratitude, on account of these blessings, is with|out reason or foundation, and the inspired writers herein show their great ignorance of the truth.

8. It follows from this doctrine, that there is no foundation for prayer. To pray is to ask a fa|vour. But all spiritual blessings being purchased for us by Christ, we have a right to them on the footing of justice, and therefore may properly de|mand them; and to pray for them, is to act out of character. For the same reason, there is no propriety in praying for temporal blessings, if they are purchased by Christ, as they are generally al|lowed to be.—Again, as we are under no obli|gation to obey the divine law, and are incapable of sin, we are of course, in our own persons, per|fectly innocent, and being innocent, we deserve none of of the calamities to which we are liable in the world, which are tokens of God's displeasure. We may therefore demand exemption from them. As to those calamities, which are tokens of the di|vine complacency or approbation, if any such there be, surely no man in his senses would pray to be preserved or delivered from them.—From this in|duction of particulars, it appears, that there is no|thing in the universe, whether good or evil, whether of a temporal or a spiritual nature, which accord|ing to this system, can with propriety be made the subject of prayer.

9. This doctrine takes off all restraints on wick|edness, arising either from a sense of sin or moral evil, or from the prospect of punishment in the future state. Because the doctrine not only asserts, that there is to be no future punishment, but as I have already shewn, implies that men are not un|der moral obligation and consequently are incapa|ble of sin. There is therefore no reason why men should avoid any actions, either through fear of fu|ture punishment, or through fear of contracting the guilt and turpitude of sin.—Nay, this doctrine greatly diminishes, if it do not entirely annihilate the the force of civil punishments. The greatest and last of them is death. But if death be a sure tran|sition to complete and eternal happiness, what is there in it terrible? The mere pains of death by the hands of the executioner, are so momentary and all sensibility is so soon past, that they cannot justly excite any great terror. Thus this doctrine cuts the sinews of all civil government, and throws off almost every restraint by which mankind, in the present depraved state, are kept in tolerable or|der.

Having now finished what I proposed on this subject, I leave it with the candid reader to deter|mine, whether I have done justice to those sacred texts, which I suppose to have been perverted to support the doctrine of universal salvation; whe|ther of the many texts which seem to declare a fu|ture punishment, the few which I have found room to insert in these observations, do sufficiently

establish it; whether the remarks, which I have made on the several modes of evading the force of those and similar texts, be pertinent; whether the consequences, which I have mentioned, do not ne|cessarily follow from the doctrine which I oppose; and finally, whether, if the consequences are absurd and even shocking, the doctrine itself from which they follow, is not so too.

I hope and pray, that the promulgation of uni|versal salvation in this city, may be the means of happily exciting the attention of the citizens, to the important subject of a future state in general, and of future punishment in particular; that they may enquire for themselves, make the scriptures the foundation of their faith, imitate the example of the noble Bereans in searching the scriptures daily, with respect to this subject; and that in the issue they may be established on "The foundation of God, which standeth sure, having this seal, The Lord knoweth them that are his."

Notes

• * 1.1

  Pantoon oon elaleesen.