the government is concerned, the criminals would be entitled to their liberty. And if, after having all its demands against the prisoners entirely cancelled, the government still persisted in imprisoning and punishing them, it would become guilty of the most shameless cruelty!! This last act is precisely what modern Evangelism charges upon God's Justice--that it has had its demands all fulfilled, to the very letter in Christ; and yet obtains double satisfaction on millions of sinners, by tormenting them forever!!

My friend says the distinguished writers among the Universalists are Materialists-and that Materialism comes unavoidably from their writings. This is a naked assertion, in support of which he cannot show any reliable proof. I think I am as well acquainted with the distinguished authors among Universalists, as my opponent. Their writings generally are as far removed from Materialism, as those of any other class in Christendom. And there is as little of Materialism prevailing in our ranks, as among any sect in the land.

He complains that I charge him with teaching that we can earn heaven! Well, is not this true in fact, however much my brother may dislike the sound in words? Has he not contended throughout, that man's salvation hereafter, depends upon the performance of certain works here? Has he not quoted passage after passage of scripture, to prove this doctrine? Did he not give the language of some groaning professor, who said "What a miserable pack we christians are, enduring persecution and misery in this life, if there is no reward hereafter?" How, then, can I misrepresent him in his views on this subject? The truth is, our Methodist friends are in a perfect fog in this matter. They are saved by grace, and not saved by grace-they are saved by works, and not saved by works!!

He speaks of an individual who said he would give up Universalism and become a praying man! If he should give up Univer salism, he would give up his honesty, his benevolence, his love to his fellow-beings, and to his Creator-he would give up a life of integrity and usefulness, and neglect the prayers enjoined in the New Testament. I acknowledge he might abandon all this, and still become, in the modern sense of the word, "a praying man!!" The world has witnessed many such changes !-[ Time expired.

[MR. HOLMES' NINTH REPLY.]

Messrs. Moderators:-Much has been said by Mr. Austin on the subject of the divine will. The pertinacity with which he clings to his argument on this subject, is no proof that he regards it his strong point-that if this position be left in a doubtful state, his cause must, if it exist at all, flutter between life and death.

ON UNIVERSAL SALVATION.

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I have already dwelt on this point at large, and it certainly cannot be necessary that I should repeat what I have said. I will therefore only give it a passing notice, by calling your attention to the main features in my argument. Mr. Austin sets up the doctrine here, that God's will is absolute. By this he means that it does not depend upon conditions, or contingencies involved in the agency of man-that God's will takes place-must and will be effected in the salvation of all men, regardless of all conditions and contingencies: that is, that man's final salvation depends solely and entirely upon the absolute, independent and unchangeable sovereignty of God, irrespective of human agency or human conduct. The mere statement of a proposition of this kind, would seem to be sufficient to place it under the interdict of common sense. That anything farther should be required by intelligent minds, might be matter of surprise, had not all occasion of surprise been removed by the most strange and fantastic notions already presented and advocated in this debate. The gentleman seems perfectly blind and reckless in regard to the consequences such a proposition draws after it. Only grant him the ultimatum for which he contends, and he is perfectly indifferent as to the process by which it is secured.

1. Mr. Austin's notion of an absolute will of determination, destroys the moral character of God's government as to final results; and if his government be not moral in its final results, it cannot be in its intermediate steps; this, then, would annihilate moral government entirely.

2. It robs man of his moral and responsible character. He cannot be a moral being, who is not held responsible for the final results of his conduct.

3. By taking away man's moral character, my friend also robs him of his power of moral happiness. Moral responsibility and the power of moral happiness, are inseparably associated. Without the former, though a being might possess physical enjoyment, he could not be a proper subject of moral happiness. If the gentleman thinks he has, by his process of reasoning, annihilated hell, let him also understand he has annihilated heaven.

4. The notion of absolute will, is not supported by the philological argument, nor do the examples furnished by scripture present any proof that the original "Thelei" is used in this sense, in regard to the ultimate destiny of men.

5. It is directly contrary to the plainest teachings of the Bible. We can know nothing of God's will, except as revealed to us. If God has any will other than his revealed will, I have yet to learn what it is, and how known. God's will must harmonize with his promises, and all his promises are connected with conditions, either expressed or implied. It is the clearly revealed will of God, that the holy and obedient should be saved, and that the wicked and unbelieving should be damned and no sophis

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try or metaphysical refinements can explain it away. When God would raise up a peculiar people, he chose Abram as the instrument, through whom to effect his purpose. But had Abram refused to leave his country and kindred, he would have forfeited the honor which God proposed to put upon him, and another would have taken his place; just as Saul was rejected from being King over Israel, and the throne delivered to David. Does my friend think Saul would have been rejected, if he had been obedient-or that Abram would have been retained and blessed, as the father of many nations, if he had been disobedient? Or does he suppose the obedience of the one, and the disobedience of the other, were alike the effects of God's absolute will? If this latter be his conclusion, the subject is loaded with still greater difficulty, since, not only is the scripture contradicted, but the character of God presented in an hypocritical and tyrannical light-as punishing Saul, and commending and rewarding Abraham, for the results of his own absolute will. The sophistry and perversion running through all my friend's reasoning, is in supposing God will carry out conditional purposes and designs, whether the conditions are met or

not.

6. This notion of absolute will, makes God the efficient and only author of all sin. The gentleman can no more avoid this conclusion, than he can make a new world.

7. Finally, it disproves the great object at which he aims, viz. the final holiness and happiness of all men. If God's will be absolute, it is utterly impossible to prove that all men will be saved -since it does not now exclude sin and misery from the universe. As sin and misery are now consistent with God's will of absolute determination, it follows, for all the gentleman can show to the contrary, they may always continue so. I trust the foregoing is sufficient, and that I shall not be obliged to recur to the subject again.

The 16th Argument of Mr. Austin, is drawn from the fact that all men are prayed for. Here my friend contended a long while for what no one disputes-that it has been, and is, the general practice of Christians to pray for all men. But did he ever hear an intelligent Christian pray that God would act in contradiction to the established principles of his government? Prayer is efficacacious in procuring spiritual influence to effect human salvation; but no intelligent Christian expects this influence conferred, except in harmony with the laws of mind, the constitution and relations of man-and the plan of salvation; no one expects, or prays, that God would make all men holy and happy, simply because he has sufficient physical power to control their wills, and huddle them all into heaven. But, how should a Universalist pray for all men ? Let us see: "Lord, though the world was never lost, and never

be-though no man ever did forfeit his final salvation, and could, if he should try-yet we pray thee to save all men with

an everlasting salvation; and though we do not believe that anything Christ has done, or can do, will ever effect the final state of men, or make their final happiness any more sure than it would have been if Christ had never visited our world, yet we beseech thee to answer this our prayer, for Christ's sake. Amen." When I last ceased speaking, I was engaged in quoting and commenting on the scripture proofs of Universalism. And here I will make a proposition to Mr. Austin. If he will produce one clear passage from God's word, which assures us that salvation in a future state is, in no sense, suspended on conditions, or the agency of man, I promise to give up the point, and suspend the discussion. He knows there is no such language in the Bible; hence, the position he holds, so far as scripture is concerned, is mere assumption. The last text I named, as claimed by Universalists, was taken from Isaiah liii. 11th.- "He shall see of the travail of his soul, and be satisfied." Our explanation of this is, that God, who is bound by his holiness and justice as well as his character of governor, to respect and sustain his own law, saw the travail of his (Christ's) soul, and was satisfied;-the moral value of the atonement of Christ, was sufficient to vindicate the law, and allow the exercise of divine clemency towards the sinner.

It is said in this chapter, that Christ "shall bear our iniquities," and that "by his stripes we are healed." Mr. Austin attempts to avoid the force of this language as proof of a vicarious atonement, by referring to the fact, that he bore our infirmities." This is true, but the manner in which he did it, is abundantly explained. By his miraculous power, he cured the diseases of the sick and infirm. It is nowhere said that he "bore our sicknesses and infirmities" in "his own body," or that "we are healed" in this respect," by his stripes," both which are said in regard to his atonement, and the nature and efficacy of his sufferings for us as sinners. Isaiah xlv. 22-25.-" Look unto me and be ye saved, all the ends of the earth; for I am God, and there is none else. I have sworn by myself, the word is gone out of my mouth in righteousness, and shall not return, that unto me every knee shall bow, and every tongue shall swear. Surely shall one say, in the Lord have I righteousness and strength; even to him shall men come; and all that are incensed against him shall be ashamed." On this I remark,

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First-Dr. Clarke understands this paragraph to embrace a prediction of the general spread of the gospel among the nations of the earth, which we know to be predicted in the Bible in various places. The word of God has gone forth, that the gospel shall be preached in all the world. Surely shall one say, in the Lord have I righteousness and strength," he regards as the words of Cyrus, acknowledging God as the author of his successes. But if we suppose the whole passage to refer to the future and final state of men in another world, it is difficult to see how it can be

pressed into the service of Universalism, since the language employed requires us to make a marked distinction between the righteous and wicked. This seems plain from the following facts: 1. It is the "seed of Israel" who are to be justified and glory in the Lord. This language is never employed to designate all mankind; its most extensive signification would embrace only the literal Jews and spiritual Israelites, who became so by faith. 2. It is said all those who are incensed against him, shall be ashamed." These are presented in direct contrast to the seed of Israel, who are to be justified, and glory in the Lord. 3. In Rom. xiv. 11th, St. Paul uses this passage to illustrate the proceedings of the day of judgment, when every man "must give account of himself to God" when the righteous shall glory in the Lord, and those who are "incensed against him, shall be ashamed." Thus, you see, so far from establishing Universalism, this paragraph teaches a doctrine directly the reverse of it.

Psalm ii. 8-" Ask of me, and I shall give thee the heathen for thine inheritance, and the uttermost parts of the earth for thy possession." This is a prediction of the general spread of the gospel in the earth, in view of which the "Kings and Judges of the earth are exhorted to "be wise," and submit to its claims, and are admonished that a refusal will incur divine displeasure" lest ye perish from the way, when his wrath is kindled but a little."— (verse 12.) No Universalism here. Eph. i. 9.-" Having made known unto us the mystery of his will, according to his good pleasure which he hath purposed in himself; that in the dispensation of the fullness of times, he might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven and which are on earth; even in him, in whom also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestinated according to the purpose of him who worketh all things things after the counsel of his own will."

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The "mystery of God's will," in this paragraph, is the purpose of God to make the Gentiles partakers of gospel blessings, on a footing of equality with the Jews. This was hidden from the Jews, until revealed through Christ. "The fullness of times," is the proper period for developing this benevolent design of heaven. To gather together in one, all things in Christ," relates to the actual execution of this purpose of God through Jesus Christ, who broke down the middle wall of partition, and offered salvation to Jew and Gentile, on the same terms. To predestinate, and “ work all things after the counsel of his own will," is to form a purpose of general benevolence respecting his subjects, and execute that purpose in accordance with the principles of his government, and the agency of man. In this way, the Apostle and those to whom he was writing, had "obtained inheritance in Christ," being chosen to salvation" through sanctification of the Spirit, and belief of the truth." For "whom God did foreknow, (as believing the

, and being sanctified by the Spirit,) them he did predestinate to