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being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes ye were healed.". Here we are taught the innocency and righteousness of Christ, and that he voluntarily took upon himself the sins and follies of the children of men, suffering for them in their place; so that by his stripes we are healed. These passages clearly teach the substitutionary sufferings of Christ and their divine and healing efficacy. We read in chapter iii. 18. "For Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God." He suffered not for himself, for he was holy and separate from sinners; but for the sins of men— yea, for the unjust, that he might thereby bring them to God. Language can not more emphatically and adequately express the vicarious sufferings of Christ and the merit of his blood, than the above passages of Scriptures. We need not quote any more Scripture to defend and fortify the doctrine of the vicarious sufferings of Christ; and to show that instead of its being "all wrong," "absurd," "and an abomination in the sight of God," it is one of the most glorious, benevolent, and profoundly wise doctrines of the Bible. That it is an essential feature in the great and salutary scheme of God.

3. Universalism teaches, that men are not saved from sin and brought to heaven by the sufferings, blood and death of Christ; but that all this is effected by simply believing the truth-that the " sufferings of Christ were in consequence of sin," but not for sin and to condemn sin in the flesh." But what says the Bible? Does the truth save men from sin independently of Christ? or is salvation attributable to the blood and death of Christ? Paul teaches his Hebrew brethren the following doctrine, which would seem in open conflict with Universalism. Heb. ix. 24-26. "For Christ is not entered into the holy places made with hands, which are the figure of the true; but into heaven

itself, now to appear in the presence of God for us; nor yet that he should offer himself often, as the high Priest entereth into the holy place every year with blood of others; for then must he often have suffered since the foundation of the world; but now once in the end of the world hath he appeared, to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself." Then it was not by the truth alone, but by the sacrifice of Christ, that sin was and is still put away. Nor could God as well forgive sin prior to and independently of the blood of Christ as he can since. Christ died, that God might forgive sin.

"And ye know that he was manifested to take away our sins; and in him is no sin." 1 John iii. 5. If sins could have been remitted without Christ, and by simply believing the truth, then sins might have been taken away without the manifestation of the Son of God; for the prophets and apostles might have revealed and taught the truth as efficiently and clearly through the inspiration of God as Christ did. But Christ did that which no human person could effect-made an atonement by the sacrifice of himself, in order to take away sin. 1 John i. 7. "The blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth from all sin." This is the doctrine of the Bible, but not of Universalism; for that teaches that the blood of Christ is no more sacred, precious and valuable than the blood of the prophets, apostles, and of martyred saints; men are saved and cleansed from sin by simply believing the truth. It is true, that TRUTH is mighty and efficient, but all its efficacy and power is wholly derived from the atoning sacrifice of Christ. The law and truth of God could never save and reconcile fallen and sinful beings, without the efficacy of the precious blood of Christ. So thought the apostle Paul when he said, "Be it known unto you therefore, men and brethren, that through this man is preached unto you

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the forgiveness of sins: and by him all that believe are justified from all things, from which ye could not be justified by the law of Moses." Acts xiii. 38, 39. “Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is no other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved." Acts iv. 12. Salvation from sin and entrance into heaven cannot come from any other source than from Christ. It cannot be effected by any other means than the blood and the merit of his atoning sufferings. God cannot forgive sin upon any other consideration than the infinite sacrifice of Christ, and declare his righteousness before the Universe. Christ sublimely taught the world the infinite value and importance of his mission when he said, "I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no man cometh unto the Father but by me. John xiv. 6. That is the only way to reach heaven, all the assertions and philosophy of men to the contrary notwithstanding. We are saved by grace, and pardoned by the merit of the Savior's sacrifice. So testified the prophets, Christ and the inspired apostles, in despite of false teachers who should arise in the last times and "bring in damnable heresies, even denying the Lord that bought them, and bring upon themselves swift destruction. And many shall follow their pernicious ways; by reason of whom the way of truth shall be evil spoken of. And through covetousness shall they with feigned words make merchandise of you; whose judgment now of a long time lingereth not and their damnation slumbereth not." 2 Peter ii. 1-3. Since Universalists virtually, and many verbally deny the Lord that bought them with his own "precious blood," the reader may judge how appropriate the language of Peter is. in application to them.

Universalists are forced either to assume and defend the position, that man has not forfeited the favor of God and his claim to heaven by his sins, consequently that he does

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not stand in need of being redeemed by the blood of Christ, and that the sufferings of Christ were endured as a reformer, and in attestation of truth; or else he must admit the fallen and lost condition of man, that God's favor and heaven were forfeited by sin, and that Christ came to redeem him from the curse of the law, and cleanse him by his blood from all sin. The former is Universalism and infidelity, while the latter alone accords with the doctrines of the Bible, and is sound orthodoxy.

In the discussion of this subject, the reader must be sensibly impressed, that the difference between the atonement of Christ as taught in the Bible, and the doctrine of Universalism on this momentous and solemn question, is as great as the distance between heaven and hell. Either one or the other must be false; for they are opposites, and cannot both be true. And since the Bible proclaims the will of God on this subject, and lays a sure and trust-worthy foundation against the day to come; Universalism must be false, dishonoring to God and unworthy of confidence, and unsafe to rely upon for present peace and our future wellbeing. We ask every reader-will you, dare you, commit yourself to the guidance of such leaders and teachers who reject the precious doctrine of atoning mercies, and "deny the Lord who bought them?" Beware, lest your carelessness and folly prove your ruin and everlasting overthrow! Dig deep and build your hope on Christ, the only foundation, then you shall stand secure and bid defiance to the winds, the tempests, the rains and the flood. The frowning billows may try your stability and foam in tumultuous rage at your feet, yet you shall stand unmoved on the Rock.. May the precious influence of the atonement of Christ cleanse you from all sin and build you up in the most holy faith of the gospel, and finally make you partners of the throne of God, crown your head, and place in your hand the unfading palm of endless victory!

CHAPTER VII.

REPENTANCE, FAITH AND REGENERATION.

"But there be some that trouble you, and would the gospel of Christ." Gal. i. 7.

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No sooner had Paul planted a christian church in Galatia, given them sound and wholesome instruction and anticipated to witness their spiritual prosperity, than certain Judaizing teachers assailed the gospel instructions which those brethren had imbibed, with shrewdness and violence, in order to unsettle their minds and turn them away from the simplicity of the gospel of Christ. They were injurious to the welfare of this church, and materially troubled the people of God, residing in that place. In addition to all this, their movements created many anxieties and perplexing cares to the Apostle himself. His mind was filled with agony and racking distress, lest the brethren should be ⚫ seduced from the gospel of God, and make shipwreck of their faith.

The Scriptures clearly and imperatively teach repentance, faith and regeneration, as christian virtues, and as indispensably necessary to secure deliverance from sin, the forgiving mercy of God, and everlasting life; but of late years men have risen up who teach with much stress and dogmatism, that all the world have erred and misconceived the teachings of the Bible on these subjects, and that God has now been pleased to pour light upon the dark world, through their efficient agency. The preachers of the doc

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