Future Retribution. By Rev. George S. Mott [pp. 532-554]

Future Retribution.
corresponding texts, and we believe there is more need to have
them expounded publicly, with an eye to universal salvation,
than with reference to the contested theological dogmas clustering about them. Without pausing to give explanations of
these texts, which are familiar to the readers of this Review,
and which can be found in commentaries, we call attention to
the general fact, that these texts occur almost without exception in the Epistles, where inspiration is discoursing about the
glories of redemption, the blessedness of the righteous, and the
precious promises encouraging men to repentance. In no instance are they found where the punishment of sin is spoken
of, or the condition of the ungodly hereafter.
And further, by exaggerating or misapplying sugch words and
phrases we can prove the universal damnation of the human
race. "If any man have not the spirit of Christ he is none
of his." Rom. viii. 9. But the Scriptures declare that the world
hateth Christ, Jno. vii. 7: that the world cannot receive the
Spirit of truth," because it seeth him not neither knoweth him,"
Jno. xiv. 17: the world is condemned, 1 Cor. xi. 32. So in
the use of the word all. "Behold the Lord cometh with ten
thousand of his saints to execute judgment upon all." Jude 14
and 15. "He is a holy God, He is a jealous God, He will not
forgive your transgressions nor your sills." Joshua xxxiv. 19.
These quotations show how unsafe is the attempt to frame a
doctrine from isolated passages of the Bible. Regard must be
paid to the topic considered. That must cast light upon terms
.and phrases. Scripture must be compared with Scripture. And
doing this we discover no intimation that rejecters of the Gosipel shall secure the benefits of the Gospel; but, on the contrary, it is positively stated they shall not be saved, they shall
;not enter into rest, they shall not see God, there remaineth no
,nore sacrifice for sin. Prof. Shedd well remarks in his excellent work on Homiletics, "It is an error to study the Bible
without generalizing its teachings, and acquiring some conception of it as a whole. Single, unconnected texts are oftentimes
dangerous half-truths or positive untruths. Nothing but the
power and impression of isolated passages of Scripture keeps
'Universalism in existence. The moment that that denomination shall begin to understand and interpret the contents of the
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[OCTOBEIZ,