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PREFACE.

THE DESTINY OF MANKIND,-a theme supremely vast, immensely important, and universally interesting,—is the subject upon which this humble messenger would fain pretend to impart an additional measure of instruction, hope, and consolation, to those who aspire to the blessed realms of immortality. Yet it claims to be no unerring guide, or oracle of truth, concerning so lofty a theme. Its message is but second-hand, and therefore may often fail to speak the words of wisdom. It hath itself been taught by another, but that, a teacher from whom it is impossible that any learner shall go away unenriched,-even THE SACRED BOOK OF GOD. If thou would'st therefore know still more, dear reader, and yet more surely, concerning this propitious subject, go to, thyself, with the assurance that this source of knowledge is not so easily exhausted of its treasures, and study of that which is able to teach the wisest of the wise.

This is another of those books which have originated in the necessities of private convenience; in the compilation of which, before half completed, the subject grew more and more fertile, attendant with a corresponding augmentation of pleasure and profit, until the usefulness which it afforded to its progenitor, induced the desire and purpose of placing its conceived advantages in the possession of others.

The Scriptural Argument for Universal Salvation,—that

sentiment which is engaging the affections, the zeal, and becoming the fondest theme, of so many philanthropic souls, -is confessedly, the most important and the most formidable department of our defence. And it is by this, chiefly, and most effectually, that we must expect to conquer. Believers in the opposite doctrines, who have been carefully taught from earliest infancy, to love and reverence the Holy Scriptures, cannot have their prejudices and misgivings against the truth of an Impartial God of Salvation, entirely dissipated, until they are shown how thoroughly that doctrine is sustained in THE BIBLE, and how utterly insufficient is the evidence which is drawn from THE BIBLE to establish so contrary a gospel as Endless Misery. With such believers, the most eloquent and logical appeals to the mind and conscience, are of no avail in comparison with a pointed and palpable testimony drawn from that Book, which is highest in their affections, and the standard of their reason. book or other writing in favor of Universal Salvation, is greatly more apt to receive a hearing from the candid of our opposers, if it be plentifully fortified with Scripture.

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This consideration was one inducement to the preparation of a work like the present, which is designed to exhibit in a peculiar and especial manner, a connected series of the REASONS FOR OUR HOPE, that may be perspicuously drawn from the Scriptures. Many other incomparable treatises on the distinguishing doctrine of our Faith, have been published, which are built up, body and soul, upon the Bible. Yet we have a confidence, that a succinct, separate, and full presentation of the purely Scriptural grounds of our doctrine, is an essential work; that the arrangement of this book will

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not be found to cover entirely pre-occupied ground; and that some such classification as is herein adopted, is calculated to bring together a greater phalanx of solid proof, and in a more complete and forcible manner, than the promiscuous way in which the Scriptural Evidences of Universalism are most generally exhibited.

With regard to the opinions on points of doctrine minor to the main question, which this work avows, we cannot affirm that the whole Denomination, or even the majority, is always represented. Universalists, like other Protestant persuasions, have well defined the principles upon which they must agree, in contradistinction to those upon which they may differ. FREE-AGENCY is the chief of variable questions, in all systems of divinity; and with respect to this, we have had much occasion in the course of our book, to declare convictions of the Calvinistic order, which probably agrees with the largest half of our denominational mind, on this perplexing subject; for it is well known that there are Calvinistic and Arminian Universalists, as well as Calvinistic and Arminian Endless Miserians, though that nominal distinction is not usually recognized. The former have always the strongest mass of Scripture at their command; the latter are most distinguished for their superior skill in the department of philosophical reasonings and metaphysics. If the former are the most lucid, definite, matter-of-fact, Scriptural, and vehement advocates of Universalism, and entertain the most practical views of religion,-the latter are perhaps the most learned, profound, speculative, and spiritual. With the latter body. of Universalists, the Unitarian Denomination, as far as the dogma of Eternal Evil is discarded, is identical. And

this fact impresses us with a strong presentiment, that at no very distant period in the future, these two large and assimilating branches of Christendom will be joined in one, but respectively recognised as CALVINISTIC and ARMINIAN UNIVERSALISTS. And we take this occasion to remark, that although all Universalists possess a bias more or less fixed, for either the Calvinistic or the Arminian plan for Universal Salvation to be accomplished, and although that doctrine is equally tenable and consistent from either class of principles; yet it is so utterly beyond the stretch of human wisdom to determine where the truth ends and the error begins, in each, to define the true connection and dependence of what is truth in both,-that it is impossible to find a Calvinistic Universalist who will not often unconsciously speak the native tongue of Arminianism; or an Arminian Universalist who will not necessarily, upon occasion, give utterance to sentiments that more appropriately belong to Calvinism. And this is just as true of Orthodox Calvinists and Arminians, as Universalist.

Let no one, for literary criticism, open this book, that is of so unclassical a kind, that has for its object so different a thing than the gratification of taste,-even the elevation of the mortal conceptions and affections concerning realities divine. Let it be read in search for gems of truth, not for gems of thought, and we have a trust that the reader may be not altogether disappointed in the pursuit. Pass indulgently over mere errors of word, and seek to detect errors of principle. Remember that the Bible, and not belles-lettres is our theme; and then make the maxims and deductions of that precious Volume the criterion by which to pass sen

tence upon it; but not the conventional delicacies of prosodaic science.

The Poetical Selections with which each chapter of our book is accompanied, though they were mainly inserted for the purpose of relieving the monotony of Scripture extracts, we value not as the least considerable in importance of this work's contents. While they are not all truly poetical, nor always well adapted to the subjects with which we have associated them, yet we are sure that the most of them are of such a character, and especially those which have been derived from the Parnassian wealth of BAILEY'S 'FESTUS,' confessedly the grandest poetical production of our age,we are sure that our readers will prize the possession of these extracts more than volumes of expository prose, of which species of matter it was one design of these selections to take place. It will be observed that we have quoted none but which express the high sentiments of Universalism, and from but few authors who have been interested in nominal Universalism. The variety and eminence of these authors, together with the character of the citations, well illustrate the following remark of Mr. SAWYER :"The genius of all true poetry is essentially congenial with Universalism. The spirit of poetry is the spirit of beauty and love, caught by the poet's eye in every thing. He sees a Divine hand every where; he traces a Father's love in all the ways of Providence. And it is one

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of the conditions of a lofty poetical mind, that it beholds so much wisdom and goodness in all God's works and ways. as to feel a divine confidence in it."*

The chief proposition with which we have begun this

*Rev. T. J. SAWYER'S 'Endless Punishment,' p. 59--60.

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