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that though they be cast into the pit of destruction, yet it shall not prove bottomless; and, that though they have to encounter devouring fire, yet they shall not dwell with everlasting burnings.

Therefore, your doctrine is anti-scriptural. But, if your doctrine be anti-scriptural, it is of that nature which tends to deceive the souls of men; and you will not be able to look them in the face another day, and still less HIM who hath charged you to be pure from the blood of all men.

The first three positions contain the argument, and the last the inference.

I should think, "the world," or rather the reader, did not need to be informed, what argument there was in this string of suppositions; if he did, however, I have attempted, at your request, to give him that information.

With respect to building on "unfounded assumptions," for which I am accused of "betraying my ignorance of the subject I have written against," (No. II. p. 45.) you have given us two instances, which I shall briefly examine.

First I had asked, What doctrine, besides that of Universal Salvation, will you find in the Bible, which affords encouragement to a sinner going on still in his trespasses; and which furnishes ground for hope and joy, even supposing him to persevere in sin till death? What principle is it that is here assumed? Why, (you answer,) that the doctrine of Universal Salvation does afford encouragement to a sinner going on still in his trespasses, and does furnish ground for hope and joy, even supposing him to persevere in sin till death. And is this indeed a question? I took it for a self-evident truth, and sopposed you must and would have acknowledged it. Whether you will, or not, however, I appeal to the common sense of the reader, whether any position can be more self evident than the following: If the scriptures teach that all men shall be finally saved, every sinner, whatever be his vicious courses, is encouraged to expect eternal life: and, though he should persist in sin till death, is warranted to hope and rejoice, in the prospect of all being well with him at last. For any man to deny this position, is to deny what is self evident, and there can be no farther reasoning with him. To allege, in answer, That it VOL. II.

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will be always ill with the wicked while he continues so, is trifling: for, if the sinner be taught to believe, that at some future period beyond this life, he shall be delivered both from sin and punishment; whether the former branch of this deliverance afford him joy, or not, the latter must.

The same question, you say, might be asked, concerning the doctrine of election. It might; but I should readily answer, No sinner, while going on in his trespasses, is warranted to consider himself as elected to salvation: therefore, that doctrine affords no ground of hope and joy to persons of this description. Can you say the same of the doctrine of Universal Salvation? If there were the same ground for an ungodly sinner to conclude himself elected, as your doctrine affords for his concluding that he shall be eternally saved, the cases would be parallel; and both these doctrines would be alike subject to the charge of comforting those whom God would not have comforted: but, as this is not true of election, your notion is still solitary, and your difficulty remains where it was. All the encomiums which you pass upon the Universal scheme, (No. II. pp. 41–44.) furnish not a single example of any other divine truth, which gives encouragement to a sinner, while in his sins, to believe, that in the end it shall be well with him. The question, therefore, still returns upon you, What doctrine, BESIDES that of Universal Salvation, will you find in the Bible, which affords encouragement to a sinner going on still in his trespasses, and which furnishes ground for hope and joy, even supposing him to persevere in them till death?

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I do not say, "let the world judge," whether this question proceeded on any unfounded assumption, and whether it be equally applicable to election as to Universal Salvation; because I imagine, it will be but a very small part of the world that will examine our productions but I am willing to make my appeal to the intelligent and impartial reader. And with respect to you, Sir, the task which you have set youself is before you; either, to "confess it to be true," that your doctrine gives encouragement, hope, and joy to wicked men; or to "expose the falsehood of this supposition more fully."

In the second place, you charge me with "taking it for granted, that your views invalidate the divine threatenings towards sinners; and intimate, that there is no "reason" in what I say, but upon the supposition of your denying "all future punishment." (No. II. p. 45.) That I never supposed you to deny all future punishment, I have already proved; and that any thing which I advanced required such a supposition, you have not, hitherto, made appear. As to your invalidating the divine threatenings, so far as the doctrine of Universal Salvation appears, to me, to operate in that way, so far, I must, of necessity believe that you do but, whatever may be my belief, the question is, Have I built any conclusion upon it as an acknowledged truth? If so, how came I to entreat you to consider whether it was not so? Is it usual to entreat an opponent to consider, whether that which we take for granted as an acknowledged truth, be true? Undoubtedly, I suggested this idea to you, as being my judgment; which, however, I did not desire to impose upon you, any farther than as it was supported by evidence ; and therefore, at the same time, intimated what was the ground of that judgment; namely, the near resemblance between your labours, and to those of the deceiver of mankind. If you cannot perceive this resemblance, I cannot help it. Other people can, and will. He persuaded his auditors, that though they should transgress, yet the evil they had dreaded would not come upon them: they believed, and were not afraid to transgress. You persuade your auditors, that, though they should die in their sins, yet the evil will not be so great as they had been used to apprehend: God hath not said, Ye shall die eternally; and he means that you shall all come where Jesus is. If they believe, must they not be less afraid of transgression, than before?

And now, Sir, Who is "ignorant ?" and who has been employed in "raising a dust to hide the truth ?" are questions which I leave you to resolve. It is enough for me, If I have proved your charges to be unfounded; for, if this be accomplished, your work still returns upon your hands; as it will follow, that, notwithstanding all your challenges, and calling out for more to be written, you have not yet answered the first Letter.

Yours, &c.

A. F.

LETTER V.

EVIDENCES OF ENDLESS PUNISHMENT.

Sir,

You seem to wish to persuade your readers, that the grounds on which I rest my belief of the doctrine of endless punishment, are very slender. The truth is, I have not, at present, attempted to state those grounds. Considering myself as not engaged in a formal controversy, I only introduced a few passages; and to several of them you have, hitherto, made no reply. The principal grounds on which I rest my belief of the doctrine you oppose, are as follow:

I. All those passages of scripture which describe the future states of men in contrast.

"Men of the world, who have their portion in this life: I shall be satisfied when I awake in thy likeness. The hope of the righteous shall be gladness: but the expectation of the wicked shall perish. The wicked is driven away in his wickedness: but the righteous hath hope in his death. And many of them that sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake; some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt. He will gather his wheat into the garner, and will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire. Wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be who go in thereat; because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, that leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it. Not every one that saith, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father who is in heaven. Many shall come from the east and west, and shal} sit down with Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, in the kingdom of heaven; but the children of the kingdom shall be cast out into outer darkness: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth. Gather

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