necessary to produce reformation, will be imposed; for he who endeavours to correct an evil, will accomplish his object as speedily and with as little loss of happiness as possible.

If all punishment be corrective, it follows that as much as is necessary to eradicate sin will be inflicted. This to the sinner is a most alarming consideration. God cannot inflict infinite misery upon a finite being, but we know not to how great an extent, within the limit of finiteness, it may be just and right and necessary to impose it. Of all the truths which can occupy the attention of human beings, this certainly is the most momentous. If there be certainty in religion, or truth in God, he who in the present state neglects the improvement of his privileges, indulges evil habits, lives in sin, and dies in impenitence, must in a future world endure an anguish, of which at present he can form no adequate conception. It is reasonable to believe that this must be the case; for the bitter consciousness of self-degradation, and the horror of deep remorse, must be felt, and we require to know no more to be assured that the sensation must be intolerable. Such is the dictate of reason the declarations of scripture confirm it. They describe the punishment of obstinate and unrepentant guilt as a fearful looking for of wrath, treasured up against the day of wrath. It is a worm that dieth not; it is a fire that

is not quenched. It is the worm of remorse, preying with incessant avidity upon an awakened conscience; it is the fire of tumultuous passions, which cannot be quenched till it has consumed the evil of the heart which has indulged them. Though justice and judgment are the habitation of thy throne, thou art terrible, O Lord, in thy chastisements, for terrible is the evil with which thou art at war, and which it is the design of thy benevolent chastisements to eradicate. "Let, then, the wicked man forsake his ways, and the unrighteous man his thoughts, and let him turn unto the Lord, who will have mercy upon him, and unto our God, who will abundantly pardon him."

I

Part Third.

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 MISERY, OR FROM THOSE WHICH ARE CONCEIVED TO FAVOR THE DOCTRINE OF LIMITED PUNISHMENT, TERMINATED BY DESTRUCTION.

HAVING considered those arguments in favor of the opinion that purity and happiness will ultimately and universally prevail, which appear to be in a great measure independent of the testimony of Revelation, it would now be proper to examine the evidence which the Scriptures afford in support of it. But as many objections to this doctrine, commonly deemed insuperable, are derived from the language of scripture, it is necessary to consider, in the first place, the validity of the testimony which it thus seems to bear against it; otherwise the evidence which it really affords in its favor, will not have its just weight upon the mind.

The chief objections to the doctrine of Universal Restoration are derived from two sources: from certain passages of scripture, and from certain reasonings which are supposed to prove the doctrine of Endless Misery; and from certain expressions which are conceived to favor the doctrine of Limited Punishment, terminated by Destruction. It will be proper to consider each separately.

CHAPTER I.

OF ENDLESS MISERY.

THE doctrine of Endless Misery teaches, that, with the exception of the first man, God brings the whole human race into existence with an innate propensity to evil: that, to counteract this fatal tendency, in favor of a few individuals termed the elect, he specially interposes, †

* "The sinfulness of that estate whereinto man fell, consisteth in the guilt of Adam's first sing the want of that righteousness wherein he was created, and the corruption of his nature, whereby he is utterly indisposed, disabled and made opposite unto all that is spiritually good, and wholly inclined to all evil, and that continually."-Assembly's Larger Catechism, "Quest. XXV.

+ "By the decree of God for the manifestation of his glory, some men are predestinated unto everlasting life, and others fore-ordained to everlasting death. Those of mankind that are predestinated unto life, God, before the foundation of the world was laid, according to his eternal and immutable purpose, and the secret counsel and good pleasure of his will, hath chosen in Christ, unto everlasting glory, out of his mere free grace and love, without any foresight of faith or good works, or any other thing in the creature as conditions or causes moving him there> unto, and all to the praise of his glorious grace."Confession