cause God is love-is infinite in goodness-he has not, never had, and never can have, a law to inflict eternal pnnishment for sin. This necessity against such a law is founded in his nature-the attribute of goodness-which is essential to his being. Now, if this be so, it always was SO. God was essentially good before the atonement was provided, as perfectly and unchangeably so as since; and man was never liable to eternal death, and was never saved from it; for we cannot be saved from that to which we are not, and cannot, be liable. Then there is no salvation in it, no mercy, no deliverance. The atonement was unnecessary, and is out of the question. The happiness of all in heaven is made sure and necessary by the nature and being of God; and all the terms of the gospel can have no place in the mighty scheme. Is this gospel salvation? Be not deceived with vain words.

But we should add, that this principle excludes death, as a punishment for sin, altogether. If, because God has no pleasure in the death of a sinner, his goodness will therefore prevent it, then it cannot be suffered in any sense. He did not say, "I have no pleasure" in the eternal death, but, simply, "in the death of the wicked." The argument, then, does not apply to the duration of the punishment, but to the punishment of death altogether. And what is the difference? He who is eternally love and goodness, is such at all times, and every point of time. And if the existence of goodness will eternally prevent suffering for sin, it must also at all points of time. All suffering, then, arising from moral delinquency, is demonstration that the theis a delusion. Nor will anything be gained by assuming that such suffering is in no sense a penalty for sin; for that would be to make God a capricious, vindictive, cruel being indeed. It hence appears most conclusively that this fundamental argument, which is made the very basis of Universalism, excludes the gospel and salvation by Christ altogether. There is no place for Christ or salvation in it. Natural religion teaches that God is good, and Deism concedes it. What more does this? Let none be deceived by it. "How shall we escape, if we neglect so great salvation?" We have proved that eternal life is the gift of God, through Jesus Christ our Lord: it cannot then be a necessary consequence of the being and attri

ory

butes of God. We have proved too that it is conditionally bestowed: it cannot then be certain and inevitable. "Let God be true, and every man "who contradicts him "a liar."

5. I shall be told, perhaps, that I misrepresent the preaching of Universalists; that they dwell much upon the love of Christ, and discourse sweetly and charmingly of the glorious privilege of salvation through him. This is admitted; and it is therefore the more important to warn sinners against the delusion. Though they profess to preach Christ and salvation, it is still evident that both are excluded from their theory, so that eternal life depends in no sense upon either. To what purpose is it that they entertain their hearers by reciting from the Scriptures such declarations as these: "God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son;" "Herein is love, not that we loved him, but that he loved us, and gave himself for us ;" "The love of Christ constraineth us, because we thus judge, if one died for all, then were all dead; and that he died for all;" "He was a propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world ?" It places them indeed before their hearers as Christian teachers. But connected with their theory, these very interesting truths are rendered useless; and therefore the preaching of them is but a sad specimen of solemn mockery. It is admitted, that if man is exposed to eternal death as a penalty for his sins, no subject can be of more importance to him than salvation through Christ. And the love of Christ in giving his life to make such salvation possible, is sufficient to excite the deepest feelings of his heart. But admit that he never was so exposed-that the goodness of God rendered it impossible that he ever should be, and what has Christ done to save him? In what sense is he a Saviour, or is there any salvation in the plan? What is all the gospel says about the love of Christ in dying for sinners, or ministers rehearsing it, but the exhibition of a fictitious tragedy-a religious cheat? This universal salvation is in fact no salvation at all. And the teaching of it as gospel is a delusion and a snare. Let all who would escape the death it denies, turn away from it, lest it prove their ruin. Salvation cannot be the necessary result of the goodness of God, as an attribute of his nature, and depend in any sense on the atonement of our Lord Jesus

Christ, on any conditions held forth in the gospel. It is a plain contradiction. The goodness of God, and the love of Christ, appear in the most glorious light in the gospel plan, in providing a merciful deliverance for man from that eternal death to which sin has made him liable. And all must see, that if sin would subject the transgressor to endless punishment under the law of works, so as to make the atonement necessary, it may since the atonement has been provided; and those who neglect its benefits are accordingly obnoxious to this awful penalty.

That this system excludes salvation by Christ altogether, its advocates, with all their show of preaching Christ and his gospel, most deliberately maintain. They claim it "as one of their peculiar doctrines, that no man can, by any possibility, escape a just punishment for his sins;" "neither forgiveness," they say explicitly, "nor atonement, nor repentance, nor anything else, can step in between the sinner and the penalty of the violated law." A horrid gospel this! It acknowledges the law, and its just penalty; sin, and a just punishment. And then it affirms that there is no hope for transgressors! All the law demands, God will inflict to the uttermost ! There is no reprieve, no salvation from it! The atonement is of no avail! Repentance is fruitless! Faith has no object! There is no compassion, no complacency, no mercy, to be moved by supplication! Despair broods over the repenting sinner, at the throne of grace! And his Judge sternly dooms him to suffer all he can, consistently with his own perfections, inflict as a punishment for his sins! Is there nothing vindictive or cruel in this? Is this the gospel of mercy, and pardon, and salvation? this glad tidings of great joy to all people? There is not an element of salvation in it, nor a principle in harmony with the gospel. It excludes Christ, and mercy, and salvation, from the moral government of God, and represents him as an unrelenting tyrant, deaf to the entreaties of the contrite, and stern in inflicting upon them the whole penalty of his law! And for this he claims that we shall praise his goodness and mercy! What a sad perversion of terms ! What is damnation more than to suffer all the penalty of the law? And does not this doom all to suffer it to the uttermost? What is it, then, but universal damnation? This is its nature; and,

to be true to the import of terms, this should be its name. Let all who would escape eternal death, through the salvation which is in Christ Jesus, shun this delusion, and every other subterfuge like it; and seek that pardon and mercy which are offered to them in the gospel.

In conclusion, are any concerned for their souls, and anxiously inquiring what they must do to be saved? We earnestly entreat them to examine seriously and with prayer the doctrine of our text. It presents every man with a view of his own condition, as a sinner under the curse of the law. The penalty of that law is eternal death. Hopeless indeed would be the condition of all, were it true that "neither forgiveness, nor atonement, nor repentance, nor anything else," could interpose "between the sinner and the penalty of the violated law." But, thanks be to God, it is not true. Here is the great salvation, full of mercy and truth. By its provisions, pardon, and mercy, and eternal life, are offered to all! What a remedy! What an exhibition of the goodness of God and the love of Christ! Yet, under this dispensation of mercy, God deals with us as with moral agents. He bestows mercy and eternal life only on those who seek them according to the terms of the gospel, through faith in Christ. There is no other way. You cannot escape in neglect of this.

Let all who have never given their hearts to God, know assuredly that they will be judged according to this gospel; and, if they neglect it, they can never enjoy everlasting life. "He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life; and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God abideth on him." Yes, abideth on him, and will for ever and ever. "I call heaven and earth to record, that I have set before you life and death." Choose life. Choose it now. Fly to the refuge which is in Christ Jesus, lest sudden destruction come upon you, and ye shall not escape.

SERMON XVII.

The Conservative Power of Christianity.

BY REV. A. M. OSBON,

OF THE NEW-YORK CONFERENCE.

"Ye are the salt of the earth."-Matt. v, 13.

THE well-known qualities of the substance from which the metaphor in the text is taken furnish a just and striking illustration of the nature and effects of revealed religion. I say revealed religion; for although the preserving quality is here attributed to persons, it will be obvious that it is only by a figure of rhetoric that Christians, as persons, are called "the salt of the earth," or "the light of the world.”

There were, however, important reasons for this metonymical use of language in reference to the great doctrines unfolded in this part of our Lord's discourse. In the first place it served to point out to the people the chosen agency of the world's renovation. The persons

addressed were the body of the disciples, who, being united together by a common faith, constituted the church. The church, then, is the visible medium of divine grace and truth-the reflector of the moral image of God in the world. In this reside the conservant principles of human virtue and felicity.

In the second place it was intended to deeply impress upon the heart of the church the almost infinite obligations which rested upon her to labor to spread the saving influences of this religion among men. "Ye are the salt of the earth." See what trusts are reposed in you-what interesting and momentous consequences are depending upon your zeal and fidelity. "If the salt shall lose its savor, wherewith shall it be salted ?" If you, my chosen ministers and laborers, shall prove recreant to your duty, what will become of the world? Go forth, then, among the dying and wretched sons of Adam, and spread the influence of the gospel of life. Go and cry in the ears of the world,