us.

Finally, when Christ ascended to heaven he sent the holy spirit, to convict, sanctify, comfort, and direct (see John xvi. 7, 8. Eph. i. 17, 18. I. Cor. vi. 11. John xiv. 16, 26: Rom. vii. 14.) Thus he not only made it consistent with the principles of the divine government, by his atonement and intercession for man to be saved on certain conditions, but provided efficient means, by giving his spirit, to accomplish the work. What remains is, 3d, To consider the conditions of salvation. We have seen above that the way of salvation is opened, and all the means on God's part provided without any conditions to be performed by us. We shall now see, that in order to be brought into the actual possession of the benefits provided for us in relation to our actual sins we must comply with the terms upon which they are suspended. And these are repentence towards God and faith towards our Lord Jesus Christ.

Repentance is a Godly sorrow for sin which produces amendment. Godly sorrow.' saith the apostle, worketh repentance unto salvation not to be repented of.' Justifying and regenerating faith, is receiving Christ as he is offered in the gospel, as-our wisdom, righteousness, sanctification, and redemption. What relation repentance and farth have to salvation will be seen in the following passages. Repent and be baptized for the remission of sins.? Repent and be converted,' &c. • He that believeth shall be saved.' With the heart man believeth unto righteousness and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. By grace are ve saved through faith.' What must I do to be saved? believe in the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved.' (see Acts ii. 38-iii. 19. Mark xvi. 16. Rom. x, 10, Eph. ii, 8. Acts xvi. 30. 31.)

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On these passages we observe 1. Salvation is the benefit proposed. 2. Repentance and faith are the conditions on which this benefit is proposed. 3. According to the order established in these passages, (and many others) the conditions are antecedent to the possession of the benefit. 4. The natural and necessary consequence is that if these conditions are not fulfilled by us we cannot be saved. He that believeth not shall be damned.'

We have now briefly stated our views of the plan of salvation; and referred to a few of the scriptures, on the different points, upon which they are founded. We firm

ly believe our views to correspond with the general tenor of scripture. But if objections shall be made to them, we shall give such objections due consideration. And if any of the points above stated shall be shown to be contrary to the record of God. we will most heartily give them up.We ought, on both sides. to have no other intention in this enquiry but to elicit truth. May this be our object, and may our labor be crowned with success.

No. III.In which the universalist arguments drawn from the will of God-general atonement-and the general terms often used in relation to the subjects of salvation, are

CONSIDERED.

In this number we shall conclude our observations upon the article with which we commenced, and in as brief a manner as possible.

The writer comes in the second place to search into the extent of this salvation." And proceeds "First then we will observe that the will of God concerning sinners must be done; and as St. Paul informs us, that this is to have all men to be saved and to come unto the knowledge of the truth; all men must be saved from their sins." The gentleman's error in this argument consists intaking the will of God, in this place, in an absolute sense, as implying an irresistible fatality: whereas what the apostle intends by it, can be nothing else than God's disposition to save sinners, and to make them happy, in a way consistent with their free agency.

the

That his argument is indeed false will be obvious on the slightest examination. "The will of God," he says, "concerning sinners must be done." Well, it is will of God" that they should not sin: therefore, according to our writer's logic there is no such thing in the universe as sin! If the minor proposition, which says that it is the will of God that his creatures should not sin, be supposed false, we are then driven to the conclusion that God hath forbidden what is according to his will, yea that sin of every kind is according to the will of the infinitely holy and righteous Jehovah! So we are forced, from the

principle laid down, to the strange conclusion, either 1st, that there is no sin in the universe--that all actions are alike good-and thus to level all moral distinctions at once; or 2nd, that sin, that accursed thing which the Lord hateth is according to his will!-and that though according to his will, he has still forbidden it! So this favorite argument of the Universalists, as it goes to prove what is manifestly false, or absurd, must itself be false! We believe that it is the will of God that all should be saved, conditionally. But we do not believe that God will violate the nature of man in order to save him!

Again, he adds, "Those who are included in this purpose Jesus came to save." "He gave himself a ransom for all." &c. That Jesus gave himself a ransom for the whole world, we do not doubt. He hath restored all mankind to a salvable state. And those who are not in a situation to understand the import of the conditions of salvation, or capable of performing them shall be saved unconditionally. And all those who are in a situation to understand, &c. may be saved if they will. They have a gracious day, and the gracious privilege of being saved.*

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*Ou this ground," says Dr. Strong," the scriptures represent sinners failure of salvation to be their own fault. There is no difficulty in the way of their salvation now remaining, but the opposedness of their own hearts to such a salvation as is offered. They do not choose a holy Saviour, law and gospel, and a holy kingdom.

"It is in this sense that CHRIST gave himself a ransom for all-that he will have, or commands, all men to be saved-that he is the Saviour of the world that the world through him may be saved that he is the propitiation for the sins of the whole world— and that he came not to judge but to save the world. It is in this sense that a door of mercy is really opened for all mankind. When we say that a door of mercy is opened, it doth not imply that all will enter. It only means that they may be saved, if they choose such a salvation as is offered; and that all difficulty, foreign to the moral state of their own hearts is removed. If they choose and their love be right, they may be saved; but if CHRIST had not obeyed and suffered, even though their choice and love had become right, they could not have been saved from misery, without a public injury.

"It is this which is meant, by all sinners being brought into a state of trial and probation. Every thing is removed out

Hence the gospel announces "whosoever will, let him come and partake of the waters of life freely." But that Christ hath come to ave❞ all men unconditionally. is, in our view of the subject, palpably contrary to the scrip tures. Some we are told, (2 Peter ii. 1.) would "bring in damnable heresies even denying the Lord that bought them and bring upon themselves swift destruction." So far was the inspired writer from supposing that Christ having bought them' would shield them from destruction' while they should reject him and his salvation.

The whole merit of this question appears to us to turn upon this point, is the salvation which Christ has provided, for those who have passed the line of accountability, conditional, or is it not? Here we join issue with our opponents, and appeal to the law and to the testimony. To this infallible standard of truth we invite them to bring this question for a final decision.

This writer finally attempts to support his theory by scripture. We shall now briefly enquire into the meaning of the passages which he has brought forward and see whether they afford him any support.

"The glory of the Lord shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together, Isa. xl. 5." This passage is a prediction of the glorious display of the divine perfections in the person and offices of Christ, and the success of the gospel among the gentiles. But it no more implies that all men will finally be saved than the words of Peter (Ac. ii. 16, 17.) "I will pour out of my spirit upon all flesh" proves that all men, were actually saved on the day of pentecost, when he represents this prophecy as being fulfilled.

of the way, but their own personal unholiness; and when all foreign objections are removed, God places their salvation of destruction upon their own temper and choice. Before the provision of a Saviour, there was a necessary opposition between the best good of the universe and the forgiveness of any sinner. The wisdom of God in the gospel hath provided such means as reconcile the forgiveness of every penitent, with the best good of his kingdom and the glory of his own name; and no cause but the sinner's own perverse heart can frustrate the application." (Strong's strictures upon Dr. Huntington's Book. entitled Calvinism Improved-See Eternal Misery reconciled with the infinite benevolence of God, P. P. 224 225.)

Again, he produces, "All flesh shall come to worship before me, Isa. lxvi, 23." This must be considered as an interesting prediction of the general return of the heathen nations from idolatry to the worship of the true God: but that it does not prove universal salvation is evident from the next verse," And they shall go forth, and look upon the carcasses of the men that have transgressed against me; for their worm shall not die, neither shall their fire be quenched; and they shall be an abhoring unto all flesh.' Our Lord refers to this passage (Mark ix. 43. 48.) and three times in succession applies the words, "where their worm dieth not and their fire is not quenched," to the punishment of hell." From the whole it ap pears that at the time of the fulfilment of the words of the prophet, upon which the universalists so much rely, some will not be saved: unless indeed, they can be saved and "be cast into hell, into the fire that never shall be quenched," at one and the same time!

Again he quotes, "All flesh shall see the salvation of God, Luke iii. 6." These words are a quotation of Isa, xl. 5. and the same explanation which we have given that passage should be given this.

He finally gives us two passages from the psalms as follow: “All the ends of the world shall remember and turn unto the Lord, "Ps. xxii, 27. "All nations whom thou hast made shall come & worship before thee, O Lord, Ps. 86, 9." Upon these passages we observe as upon the former, that they have already in some degree had their accomplishment in the calling of the gentiles. And upon the whole of them we may remark that they shall more eminently be fulfilled in the general conversion of the nations, which is yet to take place.

But the general terms "All flesh-All nations" &c. are not to be taken in an absolute sense, for every partic ular person of all the nations of the earth. Such phrases are often to be taken in a limited sense in the scriptures. Thus (Luke ii, 1.)" there went out a decree that all the world should be taxed," means the Roman empire. in (Mat. iii. 5, 6.) Jerusalem and all Judea and all the region round about," means great multitudes of all classes. And the pharisees said the world is gone after him," (John xii. 19.) but they could only mean a great multitude. These universal terms, we see are often so limit