and the benignity of the heart which embraces it. Neither justice nor charity can exist, unless this distinction be constantly kept up; and it is because it is so seldom made, that justice and charity are, among theologians, scarcely any thing but a name. The author would particularly solicit the attention of his readers, and especially of those who may be believers in the doctrine of Limited Punishment terminated by Destruction, to that part of the work in which this subject is discussed. He has there endeavored to meet fairly and fully, all the arguments, as far as he has been able to learn them, which are urged in support of this hypothesis. Feeling, as he does, a thorough persuasion that each is satisfactorily answered, and that, on the other hand, difficulties are stated against the doctrine, which are insuperable, he cannot but think that the reasoning which appears to his own mind so forcible, may possibly make some impression on that of the candid and patient inquirer. He is well aware, however, of the different estimate which different persons form of the force of the same arguments, and instead of cherishing a positive feeling that he is right, he is much more disposed to bear in mind the possibility of his being under those common influences by which we impose upon ourselves respecting the conclusiveness of our own reasonings, and to attend with thankfulness to any one who may do him the favor to correct any mistake into which he may have fallen. To the friends who encouraged him to proceed with this work, by honoring him with their names as subscribers to it, as soon as they heard it was projected, the author returns his thanks; and the ardent testimony of approbation which he has received from some of them, since its publication, has excited the hope, that he has not written wholly in vain, and that these pages may, perhaps, be the means of speaking peace to the perturbed mind, and of solacing the sorrows of the mourner, when the hand which penned them is motionless, and the heart which dictated them shall have ceased to beat with human emotion. CONTENTS. Sec. 3. Of the Design of the Divine Government, and of Introduction. Of the kind of Evidence which is necessary to establish the Doctrine of the Ultimate Purity and Of the Evidence in favor of the Final Restoration of all Sec. 4. Of the Design of God in the Creation, and of what Of the Argument in favor of the Doctrine of Universal Of the Objections which are urged against the Doctrine of Universal Restoration, whether derived from those Passages of Scripture, or from those reasonings which are supposed to prove the Doctrine of Endless Mi- sery, or from those which are conceived to favor the Sec. 3. Of the Argument in favor of Endless Misery, de- rived from the phrase Unquenchable Fire........ 314 Sec. 4. Of the Argument in favor of Endless Misery, Sec. 5. Of the Argument in favor of Endless Misery, de- rived from the language which is used concerning the Sin against the Holy Ghost Sec. 6. Of the Argument in favor of Endless Misery, de- duced from the Parable of the Great Gulph.... 335 Of the Arguments conceived to favor the Doctrine of End- less Misery, which are not founded on the express declarations of Scripture..... Sec. 1. Of the Infinite Evil of Sin Sec. 2. Of the Argument in favor of Endless Misery, founded on the Divine Justice, with an Examina- |