ed by their connections, (and this is often the case with those passages on which the universalists principally rely,) that to take them strictly would lead to the most glaring absurdities, and make the scriptures contradict themselves!

We have passed through the article which we took upon us to review, and are not conscious to have done the writer the least injustice. We have endeavored to bring to light the fallacy of his reasoning, and his erroneous applications of scripture. And what we have said, if it is not sufficient to cause doubts, with respect to the truth of the theory here opposed, in the minds of those who are open to conviction, will at least suggest the necessity of a thorough examination of the subject. We are aware that this article contains but a small part of what is alleged in support of the doctrine of Universal salvation. But it appears to contain a fair specimen of the whole; and as much as could be urged in so small a compass. If the candid reader will now consent to follow us (and it is for his benefit that we write) we will in our next, give him a specimen of the scriptural arguments by which our views are supported. We do sincerely believe in the future punishment of the finally impenitent, and that, that punishment will be endless; and we will most freely give our reasons for this belief.

No. IV.—Direct Evidence in favor of Eternal Punishment»

We shall proceed as was proposed in our last to adduce proof in favor of the doctrine of the final misery of the wicked; and we allege in support of this doctrine.*

"1. All those passages of scripture which describe the future states of men in contrast.

"Men of the world who have their portion in this life; I shall be satisfied when I awake in thy likeness.—The

*In our arrangement we follow Mr. Fuller in his 5th letter to Mr. Vidler-we also retain most of his arguments, omiting such as do not appear to us entirely conclusive, and adding others which we consider important. (See Fuller's Works, Vol. II, pp. 265, 375.)

hope of the righteous shall be gladness; but the expectations of the wicked shall perish. The wicked is driven away in his wickedness; but the righteous hath hope in his death. 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.-He will gather his wheat into the garner; and will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire.-Wide is the gate and broad is the way that leadeth to destruction and many there be who go in thereat; because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way that leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.-Not every one that sayeth unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my father who is in heaven.-Many shall come from the east and from the west, and shall sit down with Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, in the kingdom of heaven; but the children of the kingdom shall be cast out into outer darkness; there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.-. Gather ye first the tares and bind them in bundles to burn them; but gather the wheat into my barn. The son of man shall send forth his angels, and they shall gather out of his kingdom all things that offend, and them which do iniquity; and shall cast them into a furnace of fire; there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth. Then shall the righteous shine forth as the sun, in the kingdom of their father.--And gathered the good into vessels but cast the bad away. So shall it be in the end of the world; The angels shall come forth and sever the wicked from among the just, and shall cast them into the furnace of fire; there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth.--Well done, good and faithful servant; enter thou into the joy of thy Lord. But cast ye the unprofitable servant into outer darkness; there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.-Then shall the king say unto them on his right hand, come, ye blessed of my father inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world; then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, depart from me, ye cursed into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels.And these shall go away into everlasting punishment; but the righteous into life eternal.-He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned. Blessed are ye when men shall hate you for the son of man's sake, rejoice ye in that day, and leap

for joy; for, behold, your reward is great in heaven.But wo unto you that are rich! for ye have received your consolation.God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son that whosoever believeth on him should not perish, but have everlasting life.--All that are in their graves shall come forth; they that have done good unto the resurrection of life, and they that have done evil unto the resurrection of damnation.--Be not deceived; God is not mocked; for 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.-That which beareth thorns and briars is rejected, and is nigh unto cursing, whose end is to be burned: But beloved we are persuaded better things of you, and things that accompany salvation. To them, who, by patient continuance in well doing, seek for glory and honor and immortality, eternal life; but unto them that are contentious, and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness, indignation and wrath, tribulation and anguish, upon every soul of man that doeth evil, of the Jew first, and also of the Gentile. For we must all appear before the judgement seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things done in his body according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad."✶

"I consider these passages as designed to express the final states of men, and if they be, it is the same thing, as their being designed to express the doctrine of endless punishment; for if the descriptions here given of the portion of the wicked, denote their final state, there is no possibility of another state succeeding it," and if their final state be a miserable one, their misery must be endLess! "That the above passages do express the final states of men, may appear from the following considerations.

1. The state of the righteous, (which is all along opposed to that of the wicked,) is allowed to be final; and if

*Ps. xvii. 14, 15. Prov. x, 28. xiv, 32. Dan. xii, 2. Mat. iii, 12. vii, 13, 14, 21. viii, 11, 12. xiii, 30, 40-—43. 47-50 xxiv. 46–51. xxv, 23, 30, 34, 41, 46. Mark xvi. 16. Luke vi. 23, 24, John iii. 16. v. 29 Gal. vi, 7, 8. Heb. vi. 8, 9. Rom, i. 6-10. 2. Cor. v. 10,

the other were not the same, it would not have been in such a variety of forms, contrasted with it; for it would not be a contrast.

2. All these passages are totally silent, as to any other state following that of destruction, damnation, &c. If the punishment threatened to ungodly men had been only a purgation or temporary correction, we might have expected that something like this would have been intimated when their future state is described; but nothing like it occurs in any of the foregoing passages or in any oth

er.

"3. The phraseology of the greater part of them, is inconsistent with any other state following that which they describe. On the supposition of salvation being appointed as the ultimate portion of those who die in their sins, they have not their portion in this life; but will, equally with those who die in the Lord, behold his face in righteousness, and be satisfied with his likeness. Their expectation shall not perish; but shall issue like that of the righteous in gladness; and though driven away in their wickedness, yet they have hope in their death, and that hope shall be realized. The broad way doth not lead to destruction, but merely to a temporary correction, the end of which is everlasting life. The chaff will not be burned, but be turned into wheat, and gathered into the garner. The cursed as well as the blessed shall inherit the kingdom of God; which was also prepared for them from the foundation of the world. There may be a wo against the wicked, that they shall be kept from their consolation a long time, but not that they have received it. Those who in the present life believe not in Christ shall not perish, but have everlasting life. This life on the system here opposed is improperly represented as the seed time, and the life to come as the harvest, inasmuch as the wicked reap all their harvest in this life; or may sow the seeds of heavenly bliss in hell! and though he may reap corruption as the fruit of his present doings, yet that corruption will not be the opposite of everlasting life seeing it will issue in it. And though they bear briars & thorns, yet their end is not to be burned but to obtain salvation!" Finally, though the contentious, &c. may have tribulation, and wrath, and anguish, yet this would not be correctly opposed to eternal life, and they too shall be

rewarded with eternal life as well as those who patiently continue in well doing!!!-But we pass to add,

"II. Those passages which speak of the duration of future punishment by the terms everlasting, eternal, forever, and forever & ever.

"Some shall awake to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt. It is better for thee to enter into life halt, or maimed, than having two hands or two feet, to be cast into everlasting fire.- Depart ye cursed into everlasting fire.-And these shall go away into everlasting punishment.-Who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of his power. He that shall blaspheme against the Holy Ghost is in danger of (or subject to) eternal damnation. The inhabitants of Sodom and Gomorrah are set forth for an example, suffering the vengeance of eternal fire.-These are wells without water, clouds that are carried about with a tempest, to whom the mist of darkness is reserved forever.-Wandering stars to whom is reserved the blackness of darkness forever. If any man worship the beast, or his image, and receive his mark in his forehead, or in his hand, the same shall drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is poured out without mixture into the cup of his indignation; and he shall be tormented with fire and brimstone, in the presence of the holy angels & in the presence of the Lamb; & the smoke of their torment ascendeth up forever and ever, and they have no rest day nor night.-And they said, alleluia! and her smoke rose up forever and ever. And the devil that deceived them was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone where the beast & the false prophet are ; & shall be tormented day & night forever and ever.*

"As to the term (avonios) rendered everlasting, or eternal, which you consider as proving nothing, on account of its ambiguity, there is a rule of interpretation, which I have long understood to be used on other subjects, by all good critics, and which I consider as preferable to This rule is, that every term be taken in its proper sense, except there be something in the sub

yours.

*Dan. xii, 2. Mat. xviii, 8.-xxv, 41, 46. 2 Thes. i, 9, Mk. ii, 29. Jude 7, 2 Pet, ii, 17. Jude 13. Rev. xiv, 10.-11, xix.-iii, xx, 10.