is in his hand. The Romans are here termed God's fan, as in verse 10th they are called his are, and in chapter xxii. 7, they are called his troops or armies. 'His floor.' Does not this mean the land of Judea, which has long been, as it were, the threshing floor of the Lord? God says he will now, by his winnowing fan, (viz. the Romans,) thoroughly cleanse his floor." The Dr. continues his explanation in the same manner. The wheat, those who believe in Christ, and were taken into the garner, or place of safety; which was in Palla, in Celosyria, whither the Christians were actually sent, previously to the destruction of Jerusalem, that they might escape the fury of the Romans. The chaff, the rebellious Jews, who were destroyed without mercy.*

"Again, the kingdom or heaven is like unto a net, that was cast into the sea, and gathered of every kind; which, when it was full, they drew to shore, and set down, and gathered the good into vessels, but cast the bad away. So shall it be at the end of the world: the angels shall come forth, and sever the wicked from among the just, and shall cast them into the furnace of fire; there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth." Matt. xiii. 47-50.

"Does this portion of Scripture represent all as enjoying the same state of salvation in the future world? Now this is so plain, that it cannot be possible any should misunderstand it. The time referred to, is the end of the world. But Universalists have found out a way to avoid this; and to support a bad cause, have told us that aion means age. The angels shall come,' &c., has been considered to mean the Romans. But they were not properly angels, but wicked The Jews were conquered by these wicked men. How absurd then to consider the ungodly Romans as angels. By the end of the world' is meant, not the end of the Jewish, but the Gospel

men.

Dr. Clark's Com. on the passage,

dispensation. Aion is never used to designate the end of the Jewish economy. It means, when the phrase 'end of the world' occurs, end of this state of probation. It is not possible for Jesus Christ to explain this plainer than he has done, to support future punishment."

In these remarks, the gentleman has committed a whole chapter of errors, which must be set right before we can explain the passage, to his understanding at least.

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1st. He is struck with horror at the idea that the "angels," in the text, means the Romans, for they were ungodly men. But has he yet to learn that the word angel" signifies not a nature, but an office? It means a messenger, a minister, or agent, without regard to the qualities of good or bad. And has he yet to learn that the word angels, in the Scriptures, frequently means ungodly men, or that it means those whom God employs as his agents or messengers, to execute his judgments? See Rev. xv. 8; xvi. 1. Also Romans xiii. 4: "For he is a minister of God, a revenger to execute wrath upon him that doeth evil." Minister and angel are synonymous. The Romans were the ministers, angels, or agents of God, to execute wrath upon the Jews. There is no more impropriety in calling bad men angels, than there is in calling good men angels.*

2d. He declares that "aion is never used to designate the end of the Jewish economy."

*For remarks on the word angel, see the learned Blondel's Apology, a work which was written at the request of the Westminster Assembly. And I might refer the gentleman to his own " Confession of Faith," p. 349, Phil. ed., 1841.

And in this he is wrong, for it is frequently used in the New Testament to designate the end of the Jewish economy. See Heb. ix. 26: "But now once in the end of the world hath he [Christ] appeared, to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself." That the phrase "end of the world," in this passage, means the end of the Jewish economy, even our opposer will confess. And yet this is the same word in the Greek text, which he says never means the end of the Jewish state. The same word is used in the same sense in 1 Cor. x. 11: แ Upon whom the ends of the world are come, ton aionon." This word is also used to denote the end of the Jewish state, in Matt. xxiv. 3; where the disciples asked the Saviour, "What shall be the signs of thy coming, and the end of the world, tou aionos." After giving them the signs they sought, he adds, "Verily I say unto you, this generation shall not pass till all these things be fulfilled." The phrase that is rendered end of the world in the text, in Thompson's translation of the Bible is rendered "the conclusion of the age." This is also Wakefield's translation; and the text is rendered in the same manner by Pearce and Hammond. The very learned Dr. Gerard quotes and approves Locke's definition of aion. He says it means "the interval between the jubilees; herce aiones, and sometimes aion, the whole duration of the Mosaic dispensation."* Dr. Macknight also defines the word sometimes, "The Mosaic dispensation."+

*Inst. Bib. Crit. p. 356.

† Macknight on Romans xvi. 25, note 3; and 1 Cor. x. 11, note 3,

If the Rev. gentleman requires more evidence to convince him that he committed an egregious error, in saying that aion never designates the end of the Jewish age, I shall abandon the task of instructing him, or his curtained advisers in this matter, until they obtain new heads at least.

Dr. Clark's explanation of the whole text is very just. He refers the whole "to the Jewish state, and that when Christ should come to judge and destroy them by the Roman power, the genuine followers of Christ only should escape, and the rest be overwhelmed with the general destruction."

There are but two objections which I can imagine the gentleman will attempt to raise against this explanation. 1st. He reads of "outer darkness;" but who would ever imagine 66 outer darkness" to mean the inner prison of a hell, which, according to the gentleman's creed, is eternally blazing bright with the hot fires of brimstone? And this is outer darkness! to the foot of all bad spellers, sir.

Go

2d. He reads of "wailing and gnashing of teeth," which he will of course contend means something in the future world. O, yes; bodiless spirits will gnash their teeth, undoubtedly. His idea of spirits will go very well with his notions of heaven, which he has, as you well remember, defined by a word that means a barn.

CHAPTER VIII.

Universalism the offspring of depravity.-Names of many distinguished Universalists.-Parable of the Rich Man and Lazarus.-Explanation of the "five brethren."

"This system [Universalism] is the offspring of depravity; it perfectly corresponds with the depraved nature of man."

Was it his depravity that made the immortal Dr. Sherlock, Bishop of London, a believer of this doctrine?* Was it depravity that made the great and excellent Whiston, the successor of Sir Isaac Newton in the Professorship at Cambridge, an advocate of this doctrine ? Was it depravity that made Archbishop Tillotson a Universalist? Was it depravity that made our own Washington patronize this doctrine, and bestow his first favors upon its advocates? Was it depravity that made a Rush, a Franklin,|| a Priestley, a Johnson, a Burnet, a Cheyne, a Steed, a Howard the philanthropist, believers in this doctrine? Was it depravity that

* Dr. Sherlock's Use of Proph. p. 229.

† Dr. Whiston's "Hell torments considered."

Against the clamor and jealousy of all the orthodox in the country, Gen. Washington appointed John Murray chaplain to his army, (which Murray declined,) and showed him many other attentions, which proved plainly his reverence for the doctrine which that de spised man of God proclaimed.

Dr. Franklin's letter to Whitfield.