18. Luke 2. 10, 11. And the angel said unto them : fear not, for behold I bring you glad tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people; for unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord.

1. It is one thing to bring good tidings of great joy to a man, and it is another thing for him to accept them. Twelve men are sentenced to the penitentiary for life; but after a few years the governor pardons them. A messenger is dispatched to bear the good news to the unhappy convicts. The prison doors fly open, and he proclaims in their ears, as did the angel: Behold I bring you good tidings of great joy which shall be to you twelve; for the governor has this day signed your pardon, and you now have the privilege of being released from your confinement! Six of them gladly receive his word, obey the call and come out of the prison: but the other six are wholly indifferent about the matter, and contend that the governor is so good and so benevolent he would not see them die there, but that he will finally come and carry them out; and hence it is no difference whether they go out or not! They consequently keep putting the matter off until they die; and thus they never enjoy the benefit of the glad tidings which were brought to them from the governor. So the apostles were sent forth to bear good tidings of great joy to all people. It was also foretold by the prophet and quoted by Paul: "How beautiful are the feet of them that preach the gospel of peace; and bring glad tidings of good things." [Rom. 10. 15.] But who ever heard of the apostles telling men that these good tidings of great joy which they preached would benefit them without their being accepted? Invariably wherever they went they proclaimed this gospel upon the conditions that man would accept and obey it. But no such good tidings as Univercalists preach were ever proclaimed to sinners by any apostle or evangelist of the Lord.

66

66

2. But are Universalists certain that the phrase all people means the whole human family? Dare they risk their salvation upon it? We will see: And the Lord shall scatter thee among all people. [Deu. 28. 64.] Does all people here signify the entire race of Adam? If so, who were these Jews that were to be scattered among them?— Again: The Jews gathered themselves together in their cities, throughout all the provinces of the King Ahasuerus, to lay hand on such as sought their hurt; and no man could withstand them, for the fear of them fell upon all people." [Est. 9. 2.] Did the fear of the Jews fall upon the whole human family, when a thousandth part of them was not in existence? Thus we may have a thousand probabilities that Universalism is not true where there is one in its favor. Once more: 66 'And for the majesty that he gave him, all people, nations and languages trembled and feared before him.” [Dan. 5. 19.] Did the entire race of Adam fear and tremble before Nebuchadnezzar? Did Universalists fear and tremble before him? If

not, then they might be no part of all people; and therefore might not be embraced in their Universal Salvation!

19. John 1. 29. Behold the Lamb of God that taketh

the sin of the world.

away

1. This text comes far short of proving Universalism. If Christ should take away but one man's sins, it would be the sin of the world, as it would not be the sin of the church nor of any thing else. He does not say, behold the Lamb of God that taketh away all the sins of the world! This would make the matter quite different. Sins are taken away only by forgiveness; and as forgiveness of sins was preached by the apostles to all nations invariably and only upon the condition of submitting to the gospel, it follows that those who will not submit to the gospel, but persist in their rebellion against God until they die in their sins will never be forgiven; and consequently the sins of such individuals Christ will never take away. Christ has plainly taught that some men's sins will not be forgiven. "If ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your heavenly father forgive your trespasses." [Math. 6. 15.] Some men live all their lives with bitter enmity in their hearts toward their fellow men, and die without forgiving them! If the Saviour's words are to be believed, such characters will not be forgiven; and consequently Christ will not take away their sins.

2. But Universalists admit enough, by quoting this text, to condemn their theory. They must necessarily admit that "the world" means the whole human family; for unless it mean this, why talk about its proving Universalism? Having thus learned the signification of “the world,” we will read another text with a similar application. "The times of this ignorance God winked at, but now commands all men every where to repent, because he hath appointed a day, in the which he will judge the world," i. e. the whole human family. This judgment was to be sometime in the future: "will judge," not has judged is judging and will judge the world! But the world-the whole human family—will be judged at some future period, which cannot be till the resurrection of the dead, when the entire posterity of Adam shall stand before the judgment seat of Christ.

20. John 4. 42. that

We have heard him ourselves, and know that this is indeed the Christ, the Saviour of

the world. 1 John 4. 14. We have seen and do testify, that the Father sent the Son to be the Saviour of the world.

1. Universalists quote these texts, and then ask with confidence: Can Christ be the Saviour of the world, and the world not be saved? We answer yes, and we think we can make Universalists admit it. Christ was the Saviour of the world 1800 years ago, for the text

speaks of him thus in the present tense. Yet the world was not then saved. He has been the Saviour of the world ever since, and there has never been a time when the world was saved; and upon the same principle, he may be the Saviour of the world till the day of doom, and the world not be saved. If Christ can be the Saviour of the world at one time and the world not saved, it will require better logic then Universalists possess to prove that he may not be the Saviour of the world at any other time, and yet the world remain unsaved. If the fact that Christ is the Saviour of the world will ever save the world, why will it not do the work at once and have done with it?

2. Universalists admit that none are now saved, notwithstanding Christ is now the Saviour of the world, only such as submit to his government; and as "Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, to-day, and forever," [Heb. 13. 8.] it follows that none will ever be saved only on this principle. And as in eternity faith is swallowed up in sight and obedience to the commands of the gospel cannot be attended to, it follows that they cannot be saved there. I am aware that some Universalists contend that the commands which are not obeyed here, will be obeyed in the future state of being. This however is impossible. Will the wicked be permitted to attend to the ordinances in that world? Will they "meet together on the first day of the week" in eternity, and "exhort one another and so much the more as they see the day approaching? Will they "feed the hungry and clothe the naked" in eternity?! Will they "visit the fatherless and the widows" in eternity?!! And finally; will they "work while it is called to-day" in eternity?!! Does the apostle refer to eternity, when he says "now is the accepted time and now is the day of salvation?"

3. "The Father sent the Son to be the Saviour of the world." Universalists ask: Will not Christ do the work for which he was sent? We ask in return: Was not Christ sent to make all men love one another in this life? Yes. Do they love one another? No. Christ came to cause many things to be done that are not done, nor ever will be to all eternity. For instance: he came to make men love their wives; yet some men do not love their wives till they go into eternity: and they cannot love them there, for that relation will no more be known,-" they will neither marry nor be given in marriage; " hence it will never be done at all. Again we read: "For the Son of man is come to seek and save that which was lost." [Luke 19. 10.] Did Christ come to save men with respect to eternity, or only with respect to time? If with respect to time only: then those passages which speak of Christ as the Saviour of the world, will not apply to eternity, and consequently have nothing to do with Universalism, for all know that the world is not saved in time.

But if he came to save men with respect to eternity; then they were lost with respect to eternity, for he came to seek and to save

that which was lost.—And as they were eternally lost without Christ's coming to save them, then it must have been on account of their sins; and if men can act here in time so as to lose themselves in eternity, then upon the same principle if they are saved in eternity, it must be by their conduct in this life.

4. As Christ came the first time to save men from their sins, they must be saved here in this life, or remain lost, for he will come the second time to judge the world, not to save it. The Father will not send his Son twice upon the same errand, be assured; and those who put off being saved from their sins till the Lord comes to raise the dead and judge the world, will find themselves too late, unless it so turns out that Christ comes twice for the same thing, which is scarcely probable.

5. As regards those passages which speak of Christ as the Saviour of the world: we have them all explained by another text: "For God sent not his son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved." [John 3. 17.] The word " "might" explains the whole matter. This we understand to be the sense, in which Christ is the Saviour of the world.-Christ has made an atonement and ordained a system of salvation by which the world may be saved, if they will. The word might, shows that men have an opportunity to be saved, and that they may be if they choose; and also that they may be damned if they prefer it. The word might is frequently used in this sense.-The Saviour says: "For judgment am I come into this world, that they which see not might see, and that they which see might be made blind." [John 9. 39.]

This will suffice to show the candid reader that men may be saved if they choose, and in this sense only is Christ the Saviour of the world.

21. John 6. 39. And this is the Father's will that sent me, that of all which he hath given me, I should lose nothing, but should raise it up at the last day.

Before this can be made to favor Universalism, two things must be proved: 1. That it is not in the power of man to frustrate the will of God; And 2. That the whole human family are given to Christ in the sense here intended. Neither of these can be proved.

1. The will of God is not always done. Proof: "This is the will of God even your sanctification, that ye should abstain from fornication;-that no man go beyond and defraud his brother in any matter.” [1 Thess. 4. 3-6.] Is the will of God always done in these respects? Again: “Pray without ceasing, and in every thing give thanks ; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you." [1 Thess. 5. 17, 18.] Dare Universalists read this text and say the will of God is always done? The reason why the will of God is not always done is because it partly belongs to man to do, and he does just as he feels disposed about his part of it. The Saviour says: "Not every one

66

that sayeth unto me Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven." [Math. 7. 21.] "Whosoever shall do the will of my Father which is in heaven, the same is my brother, and sister, and mother." [Math. 12. 50.] "The world passeth away, and the lusts thereof; but he that doeth the will of God, abideth forever.” [1 Jo. 2. 17.] "For so is the will of God, that with well doing, ye may put to silence the ignorance of foolish men." [1 Pet. 2. 15.] "Now we know that God heareth not sinners; but if any man be a worshiper of God, and doeth his will; him he heareth." [John 9. 31.] The Saviour says to Jerusalem: "How often would I have gathered thy children together, as a hen doth gather her brood under her wings; and ye would not." [Luke 13. 34.] From these texts we discover, that as far as concerns the happiness of man the will of God is conditional, and depends upon human conduct for its accomplishment.

2. Are the whole human family given to Christ in the sense of this text? We think not. Who is it that is given to Christ, whom he will raise up at the last day? The context will decide: “And this is the will of him that sent me, that every one which seeth the Son, and believeth on him, may have everlasting life, and I will raise him up at the last day." [Verse 40.] Thus the text has reference to those who are given to Christ in a spiritual sense, who are believers, and not of the world. Proof: "I pray not for the world, but for them which thou hast given me." [John 17. 9.] Thus we learn that believers are the ones who are given to Christ in a spiritual sense, and he will raise such up at the last day if they hold out faithful in doing the will of God. (See also examination of Math. 1. 21.)

But Universalism is against itself in two respects, in its application of this text. 1. It is admitted that lose refers to eternity, and means an endless separation from God. This must be its meaning negatively, for Universalists quote it to disprove that doctrine! It cannot mean the destruction of Jerusalem, for then Universalists would be building up with one hand and tearing down with the other, as they acknowledge that many were lost at that siege. Hence it must necessarily refer to the future state.-Now is it not a little singular that the Saviour should keep talking about men being eternally lost; and that it was the will of the father that none should be thus eternally lost; while in the next verse he tells them that in order that the will of God may stand, and that they may escape being thus lost, they must believe on the Son; and promises to raise such up to himself at the last day?—Is it not singular, I ask, that the Saviour should thus talk about the possibility of men being eternally lost, as Universalists have to admit he did, and yet that such an idea as final condemnation never entered the mind of God, and that no sinner was ever in any danger of such a thing since the foundation of the world? But as they thus admit the word lose to