to their works." Rev. xx. 11. 12. "The Lord Jesus Christ-shall judge the quick and dead at his appearing and his kingdom." 2 Tim. 4. 1. Observe--Jerusalem

was taken and destroyed by TITUS A. D. 70. St. John wrote the Apocalypse A. D. 96;—so that in the verse quoted from that book, he cannot possibly refer to the destruction of Jerusalem; and yet his description of the day of Judgment is in perfect harmony with that of Daniel's and Our Lord's.

The doctrine, under condemnation, subverts also the Scripture doctrine of future punishment. The Judgment will decide upon the characters of men in order to decide upon their future and everlasting state. This, at least, is the view the Scriptures give of this solemn subject. "We must all appear before the Judgment 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." But if men receive all their punishment in this life, there can be no punishment hereafter. But we have already shown from the Scriptures that there is a future punishment; and thus the Universalist system is brought into direct collision with the oracles of God, and must therefore be essentially erroneous. For further proof that the wicked are to be punished hereafter and eternally, we refer our readers to the sixth Chapter passim, and to the subsequent pages of this work.

The doctrine that men receive all their punishment in this life, is false as it destroys the powerful motive to personal godliness drawn from a fear of the future consequences of transmission, thereby giving the most effectual countenance to the practice of sin, and is therefore necessarily destructive to the souls of those who submit to its deception.

The necessity of personal godliness in this life in order to personal declaration in a future state of being, cannot well be denied by those who believe in the authenti

city of Divine Revelation. "Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, that ye should obey it in the lusts thereof. Neither yield ye your members as instruments of unrighteousness unto sin but yield yourselves unto God, as those that are alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness unto God, "For the wages of sin is death," Rom. vi. 12. 13, 23. "If ye live after the flesh, ye shall die; but if ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live." Ib. viii. 13. The practice of sin and the practice of godliness are in direct opposition to each other; and any doctrine which sanctions the practice of vice, is opposed to the purity of the Gospel-precepts and to the entire system of Christianity.

Now, in religious matters, men are greatly influenced by their fears. A dread even of a future limited punishment is calculated, in some measure, to restrain men from present vicious indulgences; but how much more powerful to restrain from the commission of sin and urge to the attainment of a principle of genuine piety and practice of godliness, is the motive derived from the certainty of a future punishment eternal in its duration. Even civil laws are said to derive their force from this doctrine. Montesquieu, author of the Spirit of Laws,' says that the idea of a place of future rewards, necessarily imports that of a place or state of future punishments; and that where the people hope for the one, other, civil laws have no force." fear, as a motive to serve God, the Scriptures evidently appeal. "Fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell." Unless it were necessary this principle would not be appealed to by the Sacred Writers. But on the Universalist scheme there is no ground for fear; all idea of future suffering is annihilated; the whole penalty of the law is now sus

without fearing the To the principle of

tained; men may live as they think proper,and die in their sins, yet certain happiness is immediately and eternally theirs; God cannot and will not make them miserable. Who does not perceive that such a doctrine opens upon men the flood gates of vice, dispenses with the necessity of personal godliness, and grants them an indulgence to sin as ample as their desires. All the powerful motives to an obedient life, derived from the certainty of a future state of punishment, are, at one blow, destroyed; and men are left to indulge their sinful propensities with the only check, that they will suffer here, perhaps, some temporary afflictions of body, or, at most, some remorse of conscience; motives these, which are rendered nugatory by the consideration known to the guilty, that affliction of body may be greatly relieved, if not removed, and uneasiness of conscience assuaged by numerous palliatives. A person, therefore, who really believes this doctrine, and discredits that of a future punishable state, is prepared to commit any crime, however heinous, to the perpetration of which he may be tempted, by the wickedness of his own heart or by the instigation of the Devil, for all restraint, as regards future consequences, is gonel; and if there be honorable or virtuous individuals, in the train of Universalism, they are virtuous and honorable, on other principles than those of Universalism.

But it may be asked, will not "gratitude and love -the pleasure of doing right and the remorse of doing wrong," be sufficient motives to engage obedience and prevent transgression"?-The affirmative of this question we are aware is strongly asserted by the Universalists. But "try the experiment in regard to human government. Let it be proclaimed throughout the community, and among all classes of rogues and villains, that there are no courts of justice, no prisons, no places or instruments of justice; what, suppose you, would be the effect? would the pleasure of doing right engage

obedience to the laws, or secure that peace and good order of society? Would the inconveniences of remorse prevent swindling and theft, robbery and murders, and convert all the outcasts of society into honest and good men? Why then talk of gratitude and love, of the present pleasures of virtue, and sufferings of vice, as sufficient to secure obedience under the divine government?—If a system of human legislation, without rewards and punishments would be altogether inefficacious and nugatory, why would not the same be true of the divine government?”

In appealing to the motives of love and gratitude, the Universalists seem to forget that men are naturally depraved, prone to that which is evil, delighting in forbidden and criminal pleasures. "God is not in all their thoughts;" that is, to love and reverence Him; or if they think of Him, it is only to ask, "What is the Almighty that we should serve Him? and what profit should we have, if we pray unto Him?" and to say, "depart from us; for we desire not the knowledge of thy ways." Job.'xxi. 14. 15. Were men holy, the motives of love and gratitude would be applicable; but it does not appear that these alone are sufficient. We find the Inspired Writers urging the "people of God" themselves to a discharge of duty by an appeal to their fears. "Be not highminded but fear." Rom. xi. "Let us fear lest a promise being left us of entering into his rest, any of you should seem to come short of it." Heb. iv. 1. "Pass the time of your sojourneying here in fear." I Pet. i. 17. It is true the principle here inculcated is not slavish or tormenting; but it is "godly fear," a holy jealousy, which certainly implies a deep concern to please God, that they may be accounted worthy to escape the second death, and secure a portion in the heavenly inheritance.

20.

But, taking men as they are naturally, we might, in nine instances out of ten, as well whistle to the wind to change its direction, and sing to the moon to increase her

"what

light, as to expect to "turn them from the power of Satan unto God" by an appeal to their love and gratitude alone. They are not accessible by these motives; their fears must be operated upon; their danger pointed out; the wrath of God, as well as his love exhibited; and by their exposure to" everlasting destruction", as well as by the love of Christ, they must be urged to "flee from the wrath to come."-From the effects produced, we have reason to believe that such was the course observed by the Apostles. Hence under their preaching the people were "pricked to the heart”—a “ Felix trembled”—from apprehensions of his danger the Jailer fell prostrate at the Apostles' feet—and the common enquiry then was, must we do to be saved?" Effects these, which, to us convincingly show, that the supposed Gospel of the Universalists, is not the same as the real Gospel of Jesus Christ and his Apostles. Was it ever known that such resulls followed the preaching of any Modern Universalist divine? Under such preaching, as assures persons, that they may walk in the sight of their own eyes, and follow the imaginations of their own hearts-that there is no future punishment, no hell of torment,-that they receive all their punishment here, and have nothing hereafter to dread, but the gate of death will be the gate of heaven,—were sinners ever pricked to the heart, did they ever tremble under a sense of their sins and danger, and exclaim what must we do to be saved?-Impossible! Yes, the very idea of such a state of mind is scouted at by Modern Universalists; and, indeed, there is no reason for it on their system. They preach, then, "another Gospel," than that delivered by our Lord and his Apostles. The latter preached the doctrines of a future judgment—a future hell—a state of endless torments,-and used them to alarm the consciences, excite the fears, and influence the conduct,of men. But the Modern Universalists decry a future judgment -a future hell, a state of endless torment, and assert in