Universalists. 1. It cannot mean the natural death of the body; for that, the righteous have to suffer as well as the wicked:-neither can the wicked avoid it by turning from their wicked ways, which is the case with the death here referred to. 2. It cannot signify a moral death, or death in sin, for this reason: The wicked whom the Lord addressed were then dead in trespasses and in sins; and still they had not died the death here spoken of; for he

says: "Turn ye, turn ye, from your evil ways, for why

will you die?" in the future, (mark that!) not why are you dead? or why do you remain dead? which would have been the case, had he spoken of a moral death. Hence there is no other logical ground to take than that it has direct reference to an eternal death beyond the grave.

4. But says one, if this death does refer to the future state, no one need fear it; for God declares he has no pleasure in it. But we will prove that the pleasure of the Lord is, and has been frustrated in many instances. And permit me to remark, that as God has no pleasure in the death of the wicked, either his pleasure is frustrated, or else the text does not refer to any death to be inflicted in this present state of existence. This no man can get over, nor under, nor around. If the latter, then they will die this death in some other state of existence; for the text positively declares, that they shall die, unless they turn from their evil ways. Here Universalism is compelled to hang upon one or the other horn of an inflexible dilemma, either of which will goar it to death. But the Lord declares to the Jews: "I have no PLEASURE in you, saith the Lord of hosts; neither will I accept an offering at your hands." [Mal. 1. 10.] Here the Jews were contrary to the pleasure of God, and ergo his pleasure was frustrated. Again: "For thou art not a God, that hast PLEASURE in wickedness." [Ps. 5. 4.] As God has no PLEASURE in wickedness, it follows that every sin a man commits, he frustrates the PLEASURE of God.— "Without faith it is impossible to PLEASE God." [Heb. 11. 6.] "Howbeit, with many of them God was not well PLEASED.' [1. Cor. 10. 5.] "But to do good, and to

communicate, forget not; for with such sacrifices God is well PLEASED." [Heb. 13. 16.] "The Lord taketh PLEASURE in them that FEAR him." [Ps. 147. 11.] "If any man draw back, my soul shall have no PLEASURE in him." [Heb. 10. 38.] These passages show that God has pleasure in some things, and some persons, and has no pleasure in others: which proves that things are frequently contrary to his pleasure: and from this it follows that the wicked may, and actually will die the second, and eternal death, unless they return from their evil ways, although God has no pleasure in it.

13.

Mal. 2. 10. Have we not all one father? hath not one God created us?

1. Upon this text Universalists base their argument of Universal paternity;-that God is the father of the whole human family; and consequently that all will be saved.

1 admit the premises:-that God is the father of the whole human family in the sense of this text, i. e. because he has created them; but I deny the conclusion.God is just as much now the father of all mankind, as he ever will be, and yet all are not now saved. God has always been the father of mankind in this sense; and yet sin and misery have always existed. If the fact that God is our father, will eventually destroy sin and misery, why did not that fact prevent its existence altogether? If God is the father of all, and will permit, and even foreordain his dear children to be sinful and miserable three score and ten years, as Universalists contend, what good reason can be assigned why he may not continue the same paternal regard over them to all eternity?— The very fact that God is immutable, proves that he will do it; and thus we have Universalism against itself by taking the above position.

2. But God is the father of the whole brute creation in the same sense that he is the father of all mankind; that is by creation. Will all the animal tribes be made holy and happy in heaven? According to the doctrine

of Universal paternity they will. But it is said the paternal character of God is confined to the intelligent creation, for he is called: "The God of the spirits of all flesh." [Num. 27. 16.] But are not beasts as well as men, embraced in the phrase, all flesh? Let us read: "And all flesh died that moved upon the earth, both of fowl, and of cattle, and of beast, and of every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth." [Gen. 7. 21.] Paul testifies the same thing: "All flesh is not the same flesh: but there is one kind of flesh of men, another of beasts, another of fishes, and another of birds." [1. Cor. 15. 39.] So, if the phrase all flesh proves the salvation of all mankind, it proves the salvation of every beast, fowl, fish and creeping thing! But, says the reader, "he is the God of the SPIRITS of all flesh." Have beasts spirits? Hear Solomon: "Who knoweth the spirit of man that goeth upward, and the spirit of the beast that goeth downward to the earth." [Ec. 3. 21.]

3. Our being the children of God by nature secures only the blessings of Providence: but there are blessings of a higher order, the spiritual blessings, which are to be enjoyed through the sufferings, death and mediation of the Saviour; and in order to this, we must become the children of God in a higher and more elevated sense than nature, by adoption into the family of God. In this sense a man has to be more than born of the flesh, to be constituted a child. He must be born again-" born of water, and of the spirit," [John 3. 5.] in order to "receive the spirit of adoption by which we cry Abba, Father." [Rom. 8. 15.] Hence says Paul: "They which are the children of the flesh, these are not the children of God." [Rom. 9. 8.] But in order to become the children of God in this more exalted sense, he informs us that we must submit to the government of Christ. "For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the SONS of God." [Rom. 8. 14.] "We are all the children of God BY FAITH in Christ Jesus; for as many of you as have been baptized into Christ, have put on Christ." [Gal. 3, 26, 27.] "Do all things without murmurings

and disputings, that you may be blameless and harmless, the SONS OF GOD." [Phil. 2. 14, 15.] "Wherefore come out from amongst them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing, and I will receive you, and will be a father unto you, and you shall be my SONS and DAUGHTERS, saith the Lord Almighty." [2 Cor. 6. 17, 18.] "For whosoever shall do the will of my father which is in heaven, the same is my brother and sister, and mother," [Math. 12. 50.] and consequently are the children of God. "He that overcometh shall inherit all things, and I will be his God, and he shall be MY SON." [Rev. 21. 7.] From the above scriptures we draw the conclusion, that none can sustain towards God the spiritual relation of children, without previously submitting to the terms of reconciliation.

4. But all men are not the children of God in a spiritual sense; for some are the children of the devil; and as God and the devil are put in contrast in the scriptures: hence those who are the children of the devil cannot be the children of God. Jesus positively declares: "Ye cannot serve God and mammon," (Math. 6. 24,) and for this reason, they are diametrically opposed; and for the same reason, no man can be a child of God, and a child of the devil, at the same time. This proposition is clearly sustained by the word of God. "Jesus said unto them: if God were your FATHER, ye would love me,-ye are of your FATHER THE DEVIL, and the lusts of your father ye will do." (John 8. 42, 44.) "The field is the world: the good seed are the children of the KINGDOM; but the tares are the children of the WICKED ONE." (Math. 13. 38.)"O full of all subtilty, and all mischief; thou child of the DEVIL; thou enemy of all righteousness." (Acts 13. 10.) "In this the children of GoD are manifested, and the children of the DEVIL: whosoever doeth not righteousness is not of God." (1 John 3. 10.) From this it can be seen with half an eye, that those who are the children of God, cannot be the children of the devil; no more can those who are the children of the devil, be the children of God, at one and the same time. Impossible. But who, or

what this devil is, we shall hereafter show. One thing at a time, is our motto in all cases.

5. But upon this subject we conclude we have said nearly enough for the present. How Universalists can build their hypothetical dogma of universal salvation upon this proof-text, is more than I can decipher. The fact that men are now the children of God, as Universalists contend, and are now sinful and miserable, as they have to admit, is an insurmountable barrier, (and will forever be) in the way of Universalism. They are now sinful, from one of two considerations: either God cannot, or will not save them. Take the first, and say he cannot; and it follows that he never can; for infinite power cannot be increased. But choose the second, and say he will not; and it follows that he never will, for he is "without variableness or shadow of turning." [James 1. 17.]

14. Math. 1.21. And she shall bring forth

a son, and thou shalt call his name Jesus, for he shall save his people from their sins.

Before this text can be made to favor Universalism, two things must be proved: 1. That his people, here signifies the whole human family; and, 2. that shall is used unconditionally; or that there is not a condition implied, as in the promise to Abraham. Neither of these can be done by any man now living.

1. Christ possesses men in three senses; first: in the sense of dominion or power, which he has a right to exercise over them. This extends to all, and to this apply the following scriptures: "Ask of me and I shall give thee the heathen for thine inheritance, and the uttermost parts of the earth for thy possession." [Ps. 2. 8.] "As thou hast given him power over all flesh." [John 17. 2.] "The father loveth the son, and hath given all things into his hands." (John 3. 35.) "His dominion shall be from sea even to sea, and from the rivers even to the ends of the earth.". (Zech. 9. 10.) "And Jesus