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christians, is just as clear, as that they can declare, that “in God there is all righteousness and strength," and yet remain unblessed, yea, incensed against God. That when Paul says that "no man can say that Jesus is the Lord but by the Holy Ghost," he cannot possibly mean, that no man has the physical ability to say so; but rather, that no one who anathematizes Christ can be a christian, nor will any one subject himself to the guidance and control of Christ unless he is influenced to do so by the Spirit of God. We think that we have sufficiently shown, that the passages above quoted, instead of proving the reconciliation of the entire rational world to God, prove that many shall fall before Christ as conquered foes, and that in their malice and rage against God, they shall be ashamed and confounded; while alone the "seed of Israel," the true servants and faithful children of light shall be justified and rejoice in Christ.

Acts iii. 21. "Whom the heaven must receive until the times of restitution of all things, which God hath spo- ken by the mouth of all his holy prophets since the world began." It is a little singular, that at one time Universalists deny that the Old Testament has any reference to the future world, but declare that all its instructions, promises and threatenings are confined to this life; and then at another time they quote from the same book in order to prove their peculiar doctrine. O, consistency, thou art a jewel! The passage above quoted refers to all the prophets, and repeats just what they wrote, so that, if their writings have no reference to the future world, Universalists cannot possibly prove the reconciliation of the whole rational world to God by the above passage.

What restitution did the prophets speak of? Answer this and the passage is explained. Let Peter expound his own declaration. The times referred to is the gospel dis

pensation, from the days of Christ unto the end of the world. During this time God should pour out his blessings, and send times of refreshing, therefore the people should receive the instructions of the Lord and repent. One peculiar feature in the restitution of all things is what was spoken of by Moses, that the Lord should raise up a great prophet unto whom the people should listen, and it should come to pass, that every soul who would not obey the instructions of that prophet (viz. Christ,) should be destroyed from among the people. The disobedient be destroyed in the times of this restitution of all things-the teaching of the prophets is rather fatal to Universalism. All the prophets, says Peter, from the days of Samuel unto the end of the succession, have reiterated the same truths. This same apostle declares that the promise is particularly to the Jew, he had the privilege to partake of all the blessings of the covenant made with Abraham, and that Christ, the great Prophet, had come first to the Jewish nation, preaching repentance, and whoever should obey his instructions, should be blessed with a remission of sins and escape destruction. These were the times of refreshing and of restitution spoken of by the holy prophets. If the labors and times of John, the Baptist, could be spoken of as the restitution of all things; with how much more propriety could the labors and times of Christ, of the apostles, and of all succeeding ages to the end of the world, be called the "times of restitution of all things." It was said of John, spoken of in the character of Elias, that “Elias truly shall first come, and restore all things." Matth. xvii. 11. "Restore," and "restitution" are translations of the same original word. Now, if John the Baptist reconciled all the rational world to God, then there was nothing more for Christ to do. If this was not done under the ministry of the forerunner of Christ, nor had to be so of necessity in view of

christians, is just as clear, as that they can declare, that "in God there is all righteousness and strength," and yet remain unblessed, yea, incensed against God. That when Paul says that " no man can say that Jesus is the Lord but by the Holy Ghost," he cannot possibly mean, that no man has the physical ability to say so; but rather, that no one who anathematizes Christ can be a christian, nor will any one subject himself to the guidance and control of Christ unless he is influenced to do so by the Spirit of God. We think that we have sufficiently shown, that the passages above quoted, instead of proving the reconciliation of the entire rational world to God, prove that many shall fall before Christ as conquered foes, and that in their malice and rage against God, they shall be ashamed and confounded; while alone the "seed of Israel," the true servants and faithful children of light shall be justified and rejoice in Christ.

Acts iii. 21. "Whom the heaven must receive until the times of restitution of all things, which God hath spo- ken by the mouth of all his holy prophets since the world began." It is a little singular, that at one time Universalists deny that the Old Testament has any reference to the future world, but declare that all its instructions, promises and threatenings are confined to this life; and then at another time they quote from the same book in order to prove their peculiar doctrine. O, consistency, thou art a jewel! The passage above quoted refers to all the prophets, and repeats just what they wrote, so that, if their writings have no reference to the future world, Universalists cannot possibly prove the reconciliation of the whole rational world to God by the above passage.

What restitution did the prophets speak of? Answer this and the passage is explained. Let Peter expound his own declaration. The times referred to is the gospel dis

up a

pensation, from the days of Christ unto the end of the world. During this time God should pour out his blessings, and send times of refreshing, therefore the people should receive the instructions of the Lord and repent. One peculiar feature in the restitution of all things is what was spoken of by Moses, that the Lord should raise great prophet unto whom the people should listen, and it should come to pass, that every soul who would not obey the instructions of that prophet (viz. Christ,) should be destroyed from among the people. The disobedient be destroyed in the times of this restitution of all things-the teaching of the prophets is rather fatal to Universalism. All the prophets, says Peter, from the days of Samuel unto the end of the succession, have reiterated the same truths. This same apostle declares that the promise is particularly to the Jew, he had the privilege to partake of all the blessings of the covenant made with Abraham, and that Christ, the great Prophet, had come first to the Jewish nation, preaching repentance, and whoever should obey his instructions, should be blessed with a remission of sins and escape destruction. These were the times of refreshing and of restitution spoken of by the holy prophets. If the labors and times of John, the Baptist, could be spoken of as the restitution of all things; with how much more propriety could the labors and times of Christ, of the apostles, and of all succeeding ages to the end of the world, be called the "times of restitution of all things." It was said of John, spoken of in the character of Elias, that "Elias truly shall first come, and restore all things.” Matth. xvii. 11. “Restore," and "restitution" are translations of the same original word. Now, if John the Baptist reconciled all the ra tional world to God, then there was nothing more for Christ to do. If this was not done under the ministry of the forerunner of Christ, nor had to be so of necessity in view of

what Christ said of him; then neither will there be an inevitable necessity that our whole race should be saved in view of what all the prophets declared. Do you ask, why such terms are there employed in the Scriptures as those of the text? We reply, that the provisions of grace. and the instructions of Christ are adapted to this end, and this would have been the effect, if all would avail themselves of that grace and comply with his divine teaching. But the Jews, many of them at least, would not hear that prophet, nor turn from their iniquity, therefore they were destroyed, and not restored to the favor of God. So it has been and so it will be unto the end of time-during the times of restitution. Then if the doctrine of universal salvation is Scriptural, it must be found in other passages, which have not yet been examined.

4. Universalists say, that it is certain, that all men will be saved in view of the promises. We have seen that it is not certain from the will, purposes and oath of God, therefore let us now see, whether this result is warranted as infallibly certain, from the promises which the Lord has recorded on the page of Holy Writ.

The promise on which the greatest reliance is placed, may be found in God's covenant with Abraham. Gen. xxviii. 14. "In thee and in thy seed shall all the families of the earth be blessed," vide also. Gen. xii. 1—3. xviii. 18. xxii. 18. all these passages record the same promise. Now, what do Universalists understand by this promise and what blessings does it contain? Let Mr. Grosh of Utica answer for the whole fraternity, in his criticism on this promise. He says, "The blessing in Christ, means then, a salvation from sin, or justification, regeneration, and finally, an immortal salvation in the resurrection." Should we interpret the passages of the Bible, speaking of the wrath and curse of God with such amplification, as this

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