"thee round, and keep thee in on every side, and shall lay "thee even with the ground, and thy children within thee; ❝and they shall not leave in thee one stone upon another ; *because thou knewest not the time of thy visitation.” Seek ye the Lord while he may be found, call ye upon "him while he is near.” “For this shall every one that is "godly, pray unto thee in a time when thou mayest be found. Surely in the floods of great waters they shall not come “nigh unto him:” “Then shall they call upon me, but I "will not answer; they shall seek me early, but they shall 66 not find me-" 4. There is a time when those who walk in the darkness of depravity, and harden their hearts, and blind their eyes, and refuse to seek the Lord, or call upon his name, shall, like barren trees, be cut down, and cast into the fire, and thus deprived forever of that mercy which they here despised. "Then said he unto the dresser of his vineyard, behold! these "three years I come seeking fruit on this fig-tree, and finding none: cut it down; why cumbereth it the ground ?” “And 66 now also, the axe is laid unto the root of the trees; therefore "every tree which bringeth not forth good fruit, is hewn "down, and cast into the fire." And there we are plainly told they shall lie, and never be able to rise again. If the "tree fall toward the south or toward the north; in the place "where the tree falleth, there it shall be." "There are the “workers of iniquity fallen: they are cast down, and shall "not be able to rise." "Because I have called, and ye refus"ed; I have stretched out my hand, and no man regarded; "but ye have set at nought all my counsel, and would none of "my reproof: I also will laugh at your calamity: I will "mock when your fear cometh: When your fear cometh as "desolation, and your destruction cometh as a whirlwind; " when distress and anguish cometh upon you: Then shall "they call upon me, but I will not answer; they shall seek "me early, but they shall not find me: for that they hated "knowledge, and did not choose the fear of the Lord: They "would none of my counsel: they despised all my reproof: "Therefore shall they eat of the fruit of their own way, and "be filled with their own devices: For the turning away of "the simple shall slay them, and the prosperity of fools shall "destroy them." We need hardly mention that Paul calls this, being "punished with everlasting destruction." Thus a Isa. xlix. 8. 2 Cor. vi. 2. Luke xix. 41–44. Isa. lv. 6. Ps. xxxii. 6. Prov, i. 28. b Luke xiii. 7. Matt. iii. 10. Eccles.xi. 3. Ps. 36. 12.¡Prov, i. 21—32. 2 Thess. i. 9 shall stubborn unbelievers have judgment without mer су. II. Having shewn that the eternal punishment of the wicked is fairly inferred from scriptural limitations of divine mercy to those who embrace this mercy by faith, (a doctrine which has, in one shape or another occupied our time from the commencement of this debate,) much has, of course been anticipated, in proof that the scriptural plan of salvation infers the eternal punishment of incorrigible offenders. God has shewn plainly the channel through which exclusively his salvation is conveyed to lost sinners. It is through the love of God, the mediation of Christ, the operations of his Spirit, the dispensations of his Providence, the revelation of his will, and a corresponding subjugation of our will to his. All who are saved, must, according to the scriptures, be saved in this way. That there are some sinners who are not saved in this way, and must, of course, be eternally lost, may be concisely shewn by an induction of particulars. 1. The love of God. From what was said above, of God's milder attributes, such as his goodness, love, mercy, and grace, it appears, that there are some whose day of light and grace, of visitation and salvation, shall be succeeded by darkness and despair, banishment and everlasting destruction. It was proved that they should have judgment without mercy, and divine wrath instead of love. Before Rebecca's children were yet born, or had done good or evil, God said "Jacob have I loved, but Esau have I hated." a Their lives corresponded with their respective destinies: and there is not an iota of evidence that God's love shall ever be withdrawn from pious Jacob, or his hatred removed from wicked Esau. "What shall we say then? Is there unrighteousness with "God? God forbid. For he saith to Moses, I will have "mercy on whom I will have mercy, and I will have com"passion on whom I will have compassion." There are thousands who are so much engaged in making laws for their Creator, and passing judgment upon his actions, that they fall short of that repentance to which his goodness might otherwise lead them. "Despisest thou the riches of his "goodness and forbearance and long suffering; not knowing "that the goodness of God leadeth thee to repentance? but "after thy hardness, and impenitent heart, treasurest up "unto thyself, wrath against the day of wrath, and revela a Rom. 9; 10-15. "tion of the righteous judgment of God, who will render to every man according to his deeds."a 66 2. The mediation of Christ. In what was said of Christ's offices, under the 8th, 9th, and 10th Universalist arguments, it was proved that although he was the light of the world, there were some who loved darkness rather than light, and who should be cast into the blackness of darkness forever, -that although he was the universal sovereign, some of his subjects would continue rebellious, and should be slain before him ;-and that although he was a successful High Priest for Jews and Gentiles, without respect of persons, it was only for those among them who feared God and wrought righteousness, only for those whom the Father had given him. For the lost part of mankind he refuses to pray. Nay, he prays against Judas, and his spiritual children who have since canonized that Arch Traitor. "Add iniquity unto "their iniquity, and let them not come into thy righteousness. "Let them be blotted out of the book of the living, and not be "written with the righteous.” "Set thou a wicked man 68 over him, and let Satan stand at his right hand. When he "shall be judged, let him be condemned, and let his prayer "become sin." "Let there be none to extend mercy unto "him; neither let there be any to favour his fatherless chil"dren." "Let this be the reward of mine adversaries from "the Lord, and of them that speak evil against my soul." These are the words of the Spirit of Christ, and these are the scriptures which were fulfilled, when the son of perdition went to his own place. ↳ 3. The operations of the Holy Spirit. "If ye live after "the flesh, ye shall die: but if ye, through the Spirit do mor"tify the deeds of the body, ye shall live. For as many as "are led by the Spirit of God, they are the Sons of God." "Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none "of his." "Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, " he cannot enter into the kingdom of God." But there are some concerning whom God has said, "My Spirit shall not "always strive with man." "But they rebelled and vexed "his Holy Spirit: Therefore he was turned to be their ene"my, and he fought against them." "Whosoever speaketh "against the Holy Ghost, it shall not be forgiven him, "neither in this world, neither in the world to come."c a Rom. 2; 4-11. b John 17; 12. Acts 1; 16-20, 25. Ps. 69; 27, 28, 109: 6-20. Rom. viii. 13. 14. 9. John iii. 5. Gen, vi. 3. Isa. Ixiii. 10. Matta xii. 32. 66 66 4. The dispensations of Providence. "All things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are "the called according to his purpose." In the reception of sanctified mercies and sanctified afflictions, they grow in knowledge, grace. and usefulness. That it is not so with the wicked, is attested by those who have seen them in prosperity and adversity. "I was envious at the foolish, when "I saw the prosperity of the wicked. For there are no "bands in their death; but their strength is firm. They "are not in trouble as other men: neither are they plagued "like other men. Therefore pride compasseth them about as a charm ; violence covereth them as a garment. Their "eyes stand out with fatness; they have more than heart "could wish. They are corrupt, and speak wickedly concerning oppression; they speak loftily. They set their "mouth against the heavens, and their tongue walketh "through the earth." "They shall fret themselves, and curse "their King and their God, and look upward." "And men "were scorched with great heat, and blasphemed the name "of God, which hath power over these plagues and they 66 repented not to give him glory. And the fifth angel "poured out his vial upon the the seat of the beast; and his kingdom was full of darkness; and they gnawed their tongues for pain; and blasphemed the God of Heaven be"cause of their pains and their sores, and repented not of "their deeds."b 66 66 5. The revelation of the will of God. "This is life eter"nal; that they night know thee the only true God, and "Jesus Christ whom thou has sent." "By his knowledge "[by the knowledge of him,] shall my righteous servant "justify many." "The law of the Lord is perfect, convert"ing the soul: the testimony of the Lord is sure, making "wise the simple: the statutes of the Lord are right, rejoicing the heart: the commandment of the Lord is pure, en"lightening the eyes." "Wherewithal shall a young man "cleanse his way? By taking heed thereto, according to "thy word."" From a child, thou hast known the Holy "Scriptures, which are able to make thee wise unto salva❝tion, through faith which is in Christ Jesus. All scrip"ture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for "doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in "righteousness: that the man of God may be perfect, tho❝roughly furnished unto all good works." "Behold the days Rom. viii. 28. Ps. lxxiii. 3-9. Isa. viii. 21. Rev. xvi. 9-11. 66 "come, saith the Lord God, that I will send a famine in "the land; not a famine of bread, nor a thirst for water, "but of hearing the words of the Lord: and they shall wan"der from sea to sea, and from the north even to the east, they shall run to and fro, to seek the word of the Lord, “and shall not find it.” “And the word of the Lord was "precious in those days; there was no open vision." "Where there is no vision the people perish; but he that "keepeth the law, happy is he "a These authorities shew that in the salvation of sinners, the scriptures are an im-· portant and necessary means, of which many are left destitute in divine sovereignty, and without which, divine justice permits many to perish. 6. The subjection of the heart to the law of Christ. "Kiss "the Son, lest he be angry, and ye perish from the way, "when his wrath is kindled but a little." "Except ye re pent, ye shall all likewise perish." "Except a man be "born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God." "He that "believeth not is condemned already”—shall be condemned at the day of judgment;-and "shall go away into everlasting punishment." In relation to this subject we might quote all that the Scriptures say of the necessity of regeneration, repentance, and faith; justification, adoption and sanctification. Yet how many are there, who, instead of receiving Christ's yoke which is easy, and his burthen which is light, have "sent a message after him, saying, we will not "have this man to reign over us!" how many still retain that temper "which is not subject to the law of God neither "indeed can be!" Concerning every such character, the Judge has declared that he "will appoint him his portion " among unbelievers."b 66 : It will be observed that the above six particulars all converge in the cross of Christ. "Neither is there salvation in "any other for there is none other name under heaven "given among men, whereby we must be saved." The love of God sent a Saviour, who willingly undertook the mediatorial work. The Spirit and Providence and word of God present and convey a Saviour; and, blessed be God, the hearts of his people, through grace, receive a Saviour. That there are many who forever reject this salvation, cannot rea a John xvii. 3. Isa. liii. 11. Ps. xix. 7. 8. 11. ix. 9. 2 Tim. iii. 15-17. Amos viii. 11. 12. 1 Sam. iii. 1. Prov. xxix. 18. b Ps. ii. 12. Luke xiii. S. Rom. viii. 7. Luke xii. 46. c Aets iv. 12. John iii. S. 18. Matt. xxv. 41. 46. Luke xix. 14. |