donable sinners, will, nevertheless, be ransomed from the grave, cleansed from all their crimes, and enter into the joy of their Lord; who can doubt the eventual salvation of the universal whole ?*

6

Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do.' As if the suffering Son of God' had said, "They know me not-they believe not in me -on me hast thou laid their iniquities.' This intercession of our Saviour included, therefore, in reality, the whole world. All we like sheep have gone astray and thou hast laid on him the iniquities of us all. If ye had known me, ye would have known my Father also.'

This is life eternal, to know thee, the only living and true God, and Jesus Christ whom thou hast sent.' • He that believeth on the Son, hath everlasting life.'

6

It follows, that although our Lord truly said of his countrymen, They know not what they do ;' yet, again to adopt his language, they had no cloak for their sin;' that their crime was neither more nor less than unbelief. For what was their ignorance of the character of their Saviour, but that unbelief, in which all are involved, which comprehends all sin, and in which God hath included all, that he might have mercy upon all."

Forasmuch, therefore, as unbelief is a sufficient reason for the forgiveness of the Jews; it is also a sufficient reason for the pardon and salvation of the whole human race. For thy name's sake, O Lord, pardon mine iniquity; for it is great.'

*The universal whole is an expression perhaps redundant; but certainly not to be censured by those who limit the whole to a small part.

There is no room for presuming, that had the Israelites been free from that ignorance, which their Intercessor pleaded in their behalf, they could have crucified him; and that consequently it is possible to sin beyond final pardon. For St. Paul informs us, that none of the princes of the world knew the hidden wisdom of God: for had they known it, they would not have crucified the Lord of Glory.'

THE MAIN OBJECTIONS REFUTED.

OBJECTION I.

"Future punishments are strictly eternal."

ANSWER.

1. In the Old Testament, the words everlasting, and for ever, frequently signify only limited duration.

God has laid the foundations of the earth, that it should not be removed for ever.' But we are informed, nevertheless, that these foundations shall perish.' Psalm civ. 5. Heb. i. 10. 11.-The everlasting mountains were scattered, the perpetual hills did bow.' Habak. iii. 6. Thou shalt bore his ear, and he shall serve him for ever.' Ex. xxi. 6.-The covenant made with Abraham is called an everlasting covenant; but that covenant, it is agreed on all hands, has long since expired.—I went down' (says Jonah) to the bottom of the mountains: the earth with her bars was about me for ever.' The reader will please to recollect, that these bars were about Jonah, for three days, and three nights.

2. The original words, describing the duration of future misery, and which our translators have interpreted,everlasting punishment-eternal fireeverlasting destruction-for ever-and-for ever and ever; might, with at least equal justice, have been rendered, aionion punishment, that is, punishment for ages-aionion fire-aionion destruction-for ages-for ages of ages.

Of this, the reader might satisfy himself, merely by turning to Matt. xxv. 41. Luke i. 33. Jude 7. Rev. xiv. 11. in the Greek Testament; and then recurring to a Greek lexicon, for the meaning of the words. In the course of the reply to the present objection, we shall, however, have recourse to a more infallible method. It may be noticed, incidentally, that in Mark ix. 43. 45, we have the words, into the fire that shall NEVER be quenched; instead of which the Latin translation has the words, in ignem illum inextinctum,' or into the fire that shall NOT be quenched.' The reader will hardly need to be reminded, that there may be a great difference between what will not be done, and what will never be done.

But you are an advocate, perhaps, of eternal damnation. You have learned, or at least have been told, that in Matt. xv. 46. the same word [aionion] is used to denote both the duration of future happiness, and the duration of future sufferings; and that consequently both must be endless. We would therefore inquire: Are we not told by St. Paul, (1. Cor. xv. 22.) As in Adam all die, so in Christ shall all be made alive?' And if you conclude, (as you ought, upon your own principles,) that the word all is to be taken in the same sense in both parts of this passage, because the original word [pantes] is the same;

6

do you not confute yourself? do you not confess that all will be made alive in Christ? But

3. Whoever can prove, beyond doubt, that the happiness of any part of mankind will be eternal, must equally prove, at the same time, that the misery of the condemned will not be eternal.

For it must be granted by all, that the duration of the happiness of the righteous is no where in the Bible compared with the duration of God.

St. Paul declares, indeed, in very strong terms, his persuasion that no creature, either present or to come, will be able to separate the righteous from the love of God: but he does not affirm that the uncreated Creator is not able; or that ages of ages hence, he will not actually produce a separation. Our Saviour has also said, I give unto them eternal life, and they shall never perish, neither shall any pluck them out of my hand. My father which gave them me is greater than all and none is able to pluck them out of my Father's hand.' But do you believe in the infinite torments of nine-tenths of the human race? If so, we will favour you with the following comment; which perfectly squares with your creed.

:

:

Comment. I give unto them eternal life.' This eternal life may last as long as the eternal sleep of Jonah in the whale's belly but so great and glorious is the vindictive justice of God,' we cannot expect it will last longer. And besides, according to orthodoxy, all eternity means not more than a tenth part of all eternity. My Father is greater than all.' This means, 6 my Father is greater than the Devil;' for all means a part. And none is able to pluck them out of my Father's hand.' As if Christ had said, The

6

6