"That he might GIVE Eternal Life to all that the Father had given him,'---viz: 'All Flesh.'---John xvii. 2. To do the Will of God.'---John iv. 38, viz: 'To LOSE NOTHING of All the Father had given him,' ['All Things.'] ---John vi. 38. 'To be a Covenant of THE PEOPLE, for a light of the Gentiles, [unbelievers,]---To bring out the Prisoners from the Prison,--To proclaim Deliverance to the Captives.'---Isa. xlii. 7; lxi. 1; Luke iv. 18. To Perform the Mercy Promised to our Fathers.'---Luke i. 72. 'To guide our feet into the way of Peace.'---Luke i. 79. Another object of the Redeemer's mission, was, to reveal and be a witness of, the great truths relating to the character and purposes of God. To this end was I born,' said he, 'and for this cause came I into the world, that I might bear witness to the truth.'---John xviii. 37. He did not come to create any new truths. The office of a witness is not to make truth, but to testify to what is already true. Thus, we cannot suppose, for example, that he came to make it true of God that He loved the world,' His 'enemies,' and was good, merciful, and kind, 'to the unthankful and the evil,'--or to accomplish anything by which it would be true that God were the Father and Friend of any of His creatures. These were actual, eternal truths before they were revealed, and whether they were revealed or not; if they had not been, the testimony of Christ could not have made them so. But of these divine and glorious truths men were pitifully ignorant, and were 'without hope and without God in the world.' They were almost wholly unlearned even of the existence of a Supreme Spirit, and there was no blessed filial confidence in the goodness and protecting care of a heavenly Parent. Man was the creature of fear and superstition, and was moved to deeds of shocking desperation, in hopes of propitiating the imagined terrors, and of buying the favor, of his gods. But Messias came a witness 'faithful and true,' to exhibit the resplendent truths of the kingdom, 'as they were in the beginning, are now, and ever shall be, world without end.' "He revealed to a wondering world the character of God as the Friend and Father, who fed the fowls of the air, decked the lillies of the field, and watched the falling sparrow, and who would more abundantly take care of the children of men, the noblest works of his hand. He also brought life and immortality to light, and bore his testimony to the resurrection of the dead, and to prove his. witnessing true, he descended into the grave, rose from its power, and ascending on high, received gifts for men, 'yea, for the rebellious also.' Thus he 'came to bear witness to the truth, and because these truths are destined to prevail over all opposition, and save man universally, in prospect and fruition, therefore is he, 'the Saviour of the World.* "Hail to the Lord's Anointed, He comes with succour speedy, Oe'r every foe victorious, He on his throne shall rest, All blessing and all-blest."--MONTGOMERY. COMPLETION OF THE ARGUMENT. Has God invested the Saviour with Sufficient Power and Means to effect a Triumphant Accomplishment of these Glorious Objects? ANSWER. 'Which of you, intending to build a tower, sitteth not down first and counteth the cost, whether he have sufficient to Finish it? Lest haply, after he hath laid the foundation, and is NOT ABLE to Finish it, all that behold it begin to mock * Williamson's Exposition of Universalism, p. 17. G him, saying, This Man began to build, AND WAS NOT ABLE TO FINISH ---Luke xxiv. 28--30. 'The Father hath not given the Spirit by measure unto him.'---John i. 53. 'The Father hath committed all judgment to the Son.'--John v. 22. 'Thou hast given him Power over All Flesh.'---John xvii. 2. 'All Power is given unto me in Heaven and in Earth.' Mat. xxviii. 18. The Father loveth the Son, and hath given all things into his hands.'---John iii. 35. 'God hath set him FAR ABOVE all Principality and Power, and Might, and Dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this world, but in that which is to come.'Eph. i. 21. He is the Head of All Principality and Power.'---Col. ii. 20. 'Christ, THE POWER of God, and THE WISDOM of God.'--1 Cor. i. 24. 'Jesus knew All Men,' he knew what was IN Man.'-John ii. 24, 25. 'Him that is Glorious in apparel, travelling in the Greatness of his Strength, MIGHTY TO SAVE ---Is. lxiii. 1. They shall not Prevail against thee, for I am with thee, saith the Lord.'---Jer. i. 19. 'Behold the Lamb of God that TAKETH away the Sin of the world ---John i. 29. 'He will Finish the work, and cut it short in Righteousness.'---Rom. ix. 28. The works WERE finished, from the foundation of the world.'---Heb. iv. 3. 'He shall have put down All rule, and All authority and Power, for he must reign till he hath put All Enemies under his feet,---till All Things are Subdued unto him, that God may be All in All.'---1 Cor. xv. 24--28. What though the Ransom'd may refuse, His gracious messengers abuse. YET STILL HE CAME TO SAVE. In his great day he'll rend the vail, PROPOSITION TENTH. The DEATH OF CHRIST was for the Sins,---for the Redemption and Eternal Blessedness of All Mankind. PROOFS. 'Jesus was made a little lower than the angels, that he, by the Grace of God, should taste death for EVERY MAN.' --Heb. ii. 9. 'I am the Living Bread, [said Jesus,] which came down from heaven; and the bread that I will give is my flesh, which I will Give for the Life of THE WORLD.'---John vi. 51. "The Mediator between God and Man gave himself a Ransom for ALL.'—1 Tim. ii. 6. 'If ANY MAN sin, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the Righteous. And he is the Propitia tion for our sins, and not for ours, only, BUT ALSO FOR THE SINS OF THE WHOLE WORLD.'---1 John ii. 1, 2. 'ALL we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned EVERY ONE to his own way; and the Lord hath laid upon him THE INIQUITY of us ALL.'---Isa. liii. 5, 6. 'He spared not His own Son, but delivered him up for Us ALL.'---Rom. viii. 32. One Died for ALL.'---1 Cor. v. 14. "UNIVERSAL SAVIOUR, Thou Nought shall in thy mount destroy, Angels shall be fill'd with joy,— When, according to thy word, COMPLETION OF THE ARGUMENT. Shall the Sacrifice, and Sufferings, Sorrows, Prayers, Ministry, and Teachings of Christ, prove Ineffectual for the Salvation of Millions of the Race? ANSWER. 'He shall see of the travail of his soul, and BE SATISFIED. ---Isa. liii. 11. The Universal Ransom shall be Testified in Due Time.' ---1 Tim. ii. 6. 'I have Overcome THE WORLD.'---John xvi. 33. 'Greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world.'--1 Jn. iv 4. 'Jesus, the Author and Finisher of our Faith.'---Heb. xii. 2. St. Paul seems not to have entertained any doubt of the complete universal victory and triumph of his Master, as he spake of the sure redemption of all for whom Christ died, with all confidence: 'Which is the earnest of our inheritance, [wrote he to the Ephesian Christians,] until the Redemption of THE PURCHASED POSSESSION.'---Eph. i. 14. The Creation shall be Delivered.'---Rom. viii. 20. All shall be made alive through Christ that have died through Adam.--1 Cor. xv. 22. 'He shall Prevail against his Enemies.'---Isa. xlii. 13. 'I WILL draw All Men unto me.'---John xii. 32. 'The Bread of Life cometh down from heaven, and Giveth Life to THE WORLD.---John vi. 33. |