excluded, confuted and wholly fet aside. I would next observe, "this bowing" belongs to the constitution of the kingdom of Christ in this world', as truly and fully as any other text in the book of God. This cannot be denied: confequently, it must and will have its accomplishment in his difpenfation of the kingdom in this world, or in the fettlement of it at the end of the world. For then every thing appertaining to his kingdom will be fulfilled," and the mistery of God will be finished." This cuts off and excludes their conftruction, intirely. To make the matter more plain, I obferve further; the text hath a fpecial reference to two grand, remarkable periods, in which it will have a literal and eminent fulfilment. The first period is in the difpenfation of this kingdom in this world; in the ingathering of all nations, even "the fullness of Jews and Gentiles" into it: "When the kingdoms of this world" by cordial fubjection, shall literally "become the kingdoms of our Lord and of his Christ," Rev. 11. 15. The call to "the ends of the earth, to look to him and be faved," hath a pointed reference to this period: it will be fo extenfively effectual, as that it may literally and with greatest propriety be faid "that every knee doth bow to him, and every tongue doth fwear" fealty and obedience to him and fhall openly profefs "in the Lord have I righteousness and ftrength," v. 24. and an innumerable multitude no doubt will be faved. "In the Lord fhall all the feed of Ifrael be juftified, and fhall glory," v. 25. The other period, is the day of judgment, at the final fettlement of the great affairs of his kingdom. This we fee Paul exprefsly witneffeth. Then all and every one, willing or unwilling muft bow, to his authority and fentence as fupreme Lord and Judge. The unwilling and difobedient muft bow. under the fentence and weight of his wrath. The fcripture very clearly gives us the key of this conftruction; but never once extends it beyond the day of judgment. In this way the text gives us important inftruction and encouragement to bow in a cordial fubjection to Chrift in this world, that we may be faved. And inforces the duty with a folemn admonition and warning, that in cafe we neglect it, we muft bow to his authority, power and sentence, and abide the tremendous, and eternal confequence. But in their conftruction, the defigned inftruction and admonition for

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the good of the world, is loft. For this and many other reafons we muft of neceffity, reject it. Let the queftion be put, Where is this bowing in the future ftate, required? where as a term of falvation? where is there any promife made to it? there is none in the revelations of God: it is unknown in it. It is not that bowing by faith, that is the gofpel term of life; that is for this world to fave us from the wrath to come" and not those who are in that state of mifery. Gofpel faith, effentially differs from that bowing to divine authority they fet up, in all refpects. It differs as to ftate, fubjects, worlds, and effects. Faith is for this ftate, that for the future: the subjects of the one, are subjects of mercy, under a difpenfation of mercy: the other "veffels of wrath, fitted for deftruction, in a ftate of perdition :"--the one in this, the other in the world to come and as different in effect. Faith brings glory to God, to his Son, to his authority and grace: it" purifies the heart from dead works to ferve the living God" in this world: "it overcomes the world,"&c. but their bowing in the future ftate cannot poffibly answer the grand purpofes of faith, in this world. It brings no glory to God and his promifes; doth no honor to Chrift and his gofpel; brings no fecurity to piety, to vertue and holiness, and to the intereft of the kingdom of God, in this world. It doth not establish the law, nor the requifitions of the gofpel, but makes both void. It cannot overcome the world, for it commences after the earth is perifhed; and there is no world to overcome, in the gofpel fenfe. Therefore, this bowing can overcome nothing, but the whole gospel conftitution, with its infinitely important connexions, to which it is directly appofed. For the plain language of it is,---God gives up to his enemies, his infinite authority and government as exercised in this world: he makes the great facrifice of the honor of it; and of all the requifitions of law and gofpel in this ftate; and cancels all the threatnings and curfes of his facred book; then they bow and take falvation. The fuppofition is big with blafphemy and difhonor, horror and ruin. 'Tis defolation to the character, authority and government of the infinite Jehovah: and it announces abfolute ruin to the whole moral creation.. For, this great facrifice once made, no foundation is left for the confidence, hope and happiness of creatures, to reft upon. This future bowing

is a doctrine of infinite reproach & mifchief, every way. What more ruinous to perifhing finners? while it promifeth them redemption, it lulls them afleep in a state of condemnation and wrath while it promises them liberty and falvation, it rivets the chains of bondage, corruption and mifery upon them; with a vain delufive expectation of a future bowing to effect it. It cafts the higheft reproach upon the eternal judgment, by teaching, it will not be final to mankind; nor any manifeftation of retributive, vindictive juftice, against the objects of justice, &c. It is highly reproachful to the infinite majefty, truth and justice of God. When to alarm a loft, ftupid world to their duty and fafety, he hath fo oft proclaimed it his prerogative and glory

Vengeance is mine, and I will recompenfe it :" Yet when the great day of vengeance is come; this doctrine teacheth, no vindictive wrath will be executed upon his enemies; no retributive juftice will be rendered to veffels of wrath fitted for destruction ;--it is all "difcipline" in earth and hell, But difcipline cannot be retribution; no more than light and dark, nefs, black and white, can be the fame. It is highly reproachful to the Saviour, teaching that he executes the office, and fettles all the great affairs of his kingdom, as Judge; before he has finifhed his work as a Saviour: After which we are told,

there is a great deal to be done," &c. It doth indeed pretend to honor the grace of God and merit of the Saviour: but it cafts infinite reproach on both, as infufficient to fave in this world, thofe who are to be fayed, thereby infufficient, to fave them but by their perfonally enduring the future torment to make them a willing people. It is moft highly reproachful to the kingdom of Chrift, with all the glorious apparatus of inftitutions, means, privileges and advantages of it, accompanied with all the exertions of God and men to fave men in this world. This doctrine teacheth, it all unneceffary; the whole might be fpared. This bowing, it feems, will fave them as furely, effectually, and more extenfively. In a word, it levels the gofpel and the divine religion taught in it, with the fuperftitions of this world, and with no religion at all in point of neceffity in this world, to final falvation. This bowing,it seems, will fupply the want of the gofpel, and of all religion and vertue in this world, and fave all that need falvation, without it.

Who

Who now doth not fee, that this doctrine in the natural operation of it, is an outlet to all vertue and good; and an inlet to all wickedness to deluge the earth? and that it is most subverfive of the good and happiness of mankind, in time and eternity? It is as fatal to the fouls of men, as the doctrine of juftification by the law and by works, fo ftrongly refuted and reprobated by St. Paul; and far more mifchievous to the interefts of fociety and welfare of men, in this world. Surely it is high time it was banifhed Chriftendom, and out of the world; and let all the people, including all the univerfalifts fay, amen, to it.

We pafs on to the 5th general propofition, viz. The doctrine of the future punishment we maintain in oppofition to their's was fully believed by the Jewish and Chriftian church, and by their infpired teachers.

Our opponents, in tracing the antiquity of their doctrine to Clemens and Origin, tacitly conceed it was unprofeffed in the church of God until that period. Till then, the church of God, Jewish and Chriftian, were in the undisturbed profeffion of the common doctrine of the future punishment, we maintain. We have pofitive evidence in the teftimony of Philo and Jofephus, two approved Jewifh authors, who lived very near the time of our Saviour and his apoftles, that the Jews (the fadducees who denied any future ftate, excepted) believed and maintained the future punishment to be perpetual and eternal.* We know it is the neceffary refult of the profeffed articles of their faith, viz. that "God is the rewarder of them that diligently feek him," and "the avenger of the disobedient." They believed the refurrection of the juft and unjust; the future judgment, and a future ftate of retribution to the one and the other, and that devils and wicked men would never inherit the mount Zion of God in heaven: and confequently, to be confiftent, they muft believe their punishment to be as lasting, as their existence and immortality.

Again, when our Lord addreffes fuch an home application of his doctrine to the fcribes and pharifees, with repeated woes against them for their hypocrify and wickedness, with an "how

can

The teftimony of thefe writers hath been repeatedly cited by the learned, as Dr. Prideau, Dr. Whitby, and lately particularly recited by Dr. Gordon in his doctrine of universal falvation examined, pag. 8z. to which the reader is referred.

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can ye efcape the damnation of hell?" "ye fhall receive greater damnation," &c. Mar. 23. 13,14,33,&c. it is morally certain, from their carping difpofition and their particular concern in fuch an application, that they would have excepted against his doctrine, could they have found any poffible room for it. Therefore, their profound filence upon this head, is a clear, tacit confeffion and strong witness his general doctrine with all its everlasting terrors, was agreeable to their public faith, how much foever they difliked the pointed application.

Further, it is well known the Jews maintained, that finners of the Gentiles living and dying in idolatry, without the knowledge of the true God, would be utterly and finally loft, to falvation and hope. And in this fenfe, familiar to the Jews and difciples, our Lord fpeaks of Judas as "loft :" ftiles him " the fon of perdition," denoting him an heir of and configned to perdition, as before noted. Paul taught, and the chriftian church believed, this fame doctrine with the Jews; that " Idolaters fhall not inherit the kingdom of God," I Cor. 6. 9. that idolatrous gentiles, continuing in that ftate, are "without God" and "hope" of his falvation, Eph. 2. 12. that unbelievers under the gospel are in the fame fenfe "left": "but if our gospel be hid, it is hid to them that are lost :† in whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them that believe not," 2 Cor. 4. 3,4. that Paul had no hope of the falvation of any, but those who entertained the gospel faith in this world, is evident, from his great anxiety for the Jews that they might "believe and be faved:"

+ To evade the force of all this, it is faid, 66 yet the Son of Man came to feek and to fave them who were loft." "He came, not to call the righteous, but finners to repentance," fee fome deductions from the fyftem of revelation, p. 18. and what then? The inference defigned is, "that all that our Saviour and his apoftles represent as loft, and all the impenitent fhall be faved." Never worfe logic and divinity. Our Saviour has taught us the way in which only he will fave them who were loft. "He that believeth fhall be faved, but he that believeth not fhall be damned." He not only calls finners to repentance, but inforces the duty with certain perdition to the impenitent. "Except ye repent, ye fhall all likewife perish." Now will he in the day of judgment, or in any future period, gainfay this doctrine, which he taught on earth? and fay to the finally impenitent and unbelieving, "ye fhall not perish and be damned, but fhall be faved? Will any but a thoro' placed infidel affirm it? and yet if he doth not fo gainfay it, they are forever loft, and cannot be saved; and the defigned inference is deftroyed.