the light God has given them, where is the peculiar hardship of their condition? How can it be unjust to punish them for the sins they choose to commit? God does no more than this, as the inspired Paul teaches us. "For," says he, "the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hold the truth in unrighteousness. Because that which may be known of God is manifest in them; for God hath showed it unto them. For the invisible things of Him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead, so that they are without excuse." Rom. i: 18-21. If, then, as the apostle declares, they are without excuse, where is the injustice and cruelty of punishing them for their sins? In the following chapter, the apostle teaches us that all will be judged by the light they have: "For as many as have sinned without law"that is, without the revealed law of God-"shall perish without law: and as many as have sinned in the law, shall be judged by the law," &c. The heathen are liable to punishment, therefore, only for sinning against the light they have. Where, then, is the injustice?

But let us examine the passage in the Confession of Faith, read by the gentleman: "Although the light of nature, and the works of creation and Providence, do so far manifest the goodness, wisdom and power of God, as to leave men inexcusable, yet they are not sufficient to give that knowledge of God, and of his will, which is necessary unto salvation; therefore it pleased the Lord, at sundry times, and in divers manners, to reveal himself, and to declare that his will unto his church," &c.—Ch. 1. The men who are here declared inexcusable, are not the heathen, as the gentleman would have us believe, but all men. Inasmuch as the light of nature was not sufficient to save them, God was pleased to reveal to them his will. If the heathen are now destitute of this revelation, how came they into this condition? Paul shall answer: "And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind," Rom. i. 28.

Was God unjust in thus giving them up to their own hearts' lusts?

But the argument of the gentleman depends upon the assumption that all the heathen must be saved.* I call upon him to prove, from the Scriptures, that this is true. When he does so, I shall be prepared to attend to his argument.

It will not do, he says, for me to disprove his doctrine by proving the truth of the opposite doctrine, because it would follow that the Bible teaches contradictory doctrines: and thus men would be made infidels. By no means: it would follow only, that Mr. Pingree has misinterpreted the Bible. He is not so powerful a logician as to convince any one, that the Scriptures teach contradictory doctrines. Should I prove, clearly, that the Scriptures teach the doctrine for which I contend, I am persuaded no one would disbelieve their inspiration, even though I should not particularly answer all his arguments.

In reply to his request that I would select a few_passages in proof of the doctrine of future punishment, I can only say, that I shall probably adduce a goodly number of them; and I am perfectly willing that he should sustain his views by as many as he can find. I have no request to make of him. He is perfectly welcome to pursue any course he may prefer.

I inquired whether Mr. Pingree believes, that holiness can result from the exertion of mere physical power upon the body. He says, the passages in 1 Cor. xv. relate to something more than physical power. Will he inform us what more there is in the resurrection of the body from the grave, than the exertion of physical power? I can see nothing more in it. But, said he, "look here!" And I was looking, with both my eyes, to see the whole mystery solved; and the astounding proposition he announced, was, that the body, at the resurrection, will be made incorruptible! And with an air of triumph, he asked-will God put a corrupt soul into an incorruptible body? Let us read 1 Cor. xv. 50, 53: “Now this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God;

neither doth corruption inherit incorruption. Behold 1 show you a mystery. We, [who, but Christians whom he addresses?] we shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, &c. For this corruptible must put on incorrup tion, and this mortal must put on immortality." What does the apostle say, shall put on incorruption? The body of flesh and blood, which now is subject to sickness and death. It shall become a spiritual, immortal body. The question, then, amounts to this: Will God put a sinful soul into an immortal body? Why, I suppose he will. Why should he not? Since men here employ the members of their body in sinning, there is reason why hereafter soul and body should suffer together.

But, as I have already proved, the apostle is not speaking, in this chapter, of the resurrection of those who die in sin. He first proves the resurrection of Christ from the dead. He then says, "As in Adam all die, so in Christ shall all be made alive." But to prevent any mistake, he immediately adds-"But every one in his own order; Christ the first fruits; afterward they that are Christ's at his coming." Then he says, "we shall be changed." Who? They that are Christ's at his coming, not they who die in their sins. But suppose I admit, for argument's sake, that the apostle here speaks of all the dead, the question still returns-how can the resurrection of the body make the soul holy?

The exclamation-"O grave where is thy victory?" must relate, not to the wicked who die in their sins, but (as the context clearly proves) to the righteous-those who are Christ's at his coming. And they only are Christ's, as he himself declares, (Rom. viii. 9,) who have the Spirit of Christ.

The gentleman referred to two passages of Scripture, to prove that all men are Christ's. One is "The Father Yes--and we

hath committed all things to his hands." are also taught that Christ is "the head over all things to the church," Eph. i. 22. All authority is given him in heaven and in earth; and this authority he now exercises for the protection and for the ultimate salvation and

glory of his church. But, does this prove that all menthose who die in sin-are Christ's, in any sense that secures salvation?

The second passage-"I will give thee the heathen for thine inheritance," &c., is simply a prediction concerning the future extension of Christ's kingdom amongst all the nations of the earth. Can Mr. Pingree produce a single passage of Scripture which teaches that God gave to his Son, for his inheritance, those who die in their sins? He cannot. These scriptures, then, do not prove that all men will be Christ's at his coming; and, consequently, they cannot prove that all will be raised from the dead holy and happy. None, as I have before proved, can attain to that blessed resurrection, but those who "fall asleep in Christ.”

The last verse in the 15th chapter proves all that I have said on this subject. "Wherefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, unmovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labor is not in vain in the Lord." Inasmuch, says Paul, as you have in prospect this glorious resurrection, be steadfast, and abound in the work of the Lord; for your work is not in vain. But according to the doctrine of Mr. Pingree, their labor was in vain; for he says, all will be well, whether men abound in the work of the Lord or not. According to his doctrine, they would as certainly get to heaven without abounding in the Lord's work, as by so doing. Paul, however, exhorted Christians to persevere in well doing, that they might attain to the resurrection of the just-assuring them that they labored not in vain in the Lord. Thus we have shown, conclusively, that he was speaking of the resurrection of the righteous only.

But, says the gentleman, there was a time when none were Christ's. Yes-and those who continue in that state, cannot attain to "the resurrection of the just." But all who, in this life, repent and believe in Christ, have the promise of eternal life.

The passage in John v., my friend relate to the resurrection of the body.

suggests, does not

Indeed, if I un

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derstood him correctly, he denied the doctrine of the resurrection! But look at the language of our Saviour: Verily I say unto you, the hour is coming when they that are in their graves shall hear the voice of the Son of God," &c. If this does not mean those that are literally dead and buried, what in the name of reason does it mean? How is it possible that language could be more clear and explicit? The very strongest expressions language can afford, are employed-"They that are in their graves shall hear his voice, and shall come forth; they that have done good, to the resurrection of life; and they that have done evil, to the resurrection of damnation." I must wait for further light from the gentleman on this passage. In the mean time I will offer my first direct argument against Universalism, viz:

1. The NOVELTY of the doctrine. In investigating the claims of Universalism to our confidence, we are surprised to learn its exceedingly modern origin. The Bible, it is admitted, is a plain book, at least on all important points of faith. It is designed to make known the will of God, not to the learned only, but to all classes of men; and on fundamental points of doctrine, it is easily understood. This will not be disputed. Is it credible, then, that the great truth it was designed to teach, lay concealed from all its readers, for eighteen hundred years?—that during that long period, not a human being learned from the Scriptures, the very truth, which, above all others, the Saviour and the inspired writers designed to teach! There are indeed minor points of faith, in regard to which the teaching of the Scriptures is less clear, and about which good men may honestly differ. But it will not be denied, that the great truth the Gospel was designed to teach, should be presented with great clearness. Yet, wonderful as it may appear, until the year 1818, no human being, so far as I can learn, saw in the Scriptures Universalism, as defended by Mr. Pingree; and in that memorable year, as already remarked, the discovery was made by a single individual! True, in the early ages of Christianity, there were a few who got a distant glimpse of the