Reasons for Our Hope

BT.
837
.W56
cop. 2

Entered according to Act of Congress, in the Year 1846,

BY J. VICTOR WILSON, In the Clerk's Office of the District Court of Massachusetts.

CO N T E N TS.

PREFACE,

- -

9 INTRODUCTION,—(composed in Scripture language,) 13_26

ARGUMENTS FROM THE DIVINE DISPOSITION. Proposition I. Universal Salvation the DESIRE of God.

It is the DESIRE, also, of all good men, of Christ, and of the Angels. This Desire shall be universally realized. Free Agency Objection answered,

27-41 Prop. II. Universal Salvation is the PURPOSE of God.

This Purpose shall be fully accomplished. Objection answered,

- - 41-55 Prop. III. Universal Salvation the WILL of God. The

Divine Will shall prevail. Objection answered, 55–65 Prop. IV. Universal Salvation the PROMISE of God.

This Promise shall be completely fulfilled. Conditionality

Objection answered, . · · 65-75 Prop. V. The Apostles recognized this PROMISE OF THE

PATRIARCHAL COVENANT, as one of the main pillars of Gospel Faith. Objection answered,

76–86 Prop. VI. God has Sworn an OATH, in confirmation of His Promise. This Oath shall surely be performed, .

87-89 Pron. VII. God has issued a COMMAND for Universal

Salvation. All the Commandments of God certain of ultimate obedience, Argument for Universal Salvation from the Law of God. Objection answered, 90_100 Piron. VIII. Universal Salvation the PLEASURE of God.

The Divine Pleasure shall be fully consummated. Objection answered,

101-106

FROM THE OFFICES OF CHRIST, AND NATURE OF THE GOSPEL.

Prop. IX. Universal Salvation was THE OBJECT OF

Christ's MissION. His Object cannot fail, 106-110

Prop. X, The Death of Christ was for Universal Salva-

tion. His atonement will be effectual for the Redemption

of All,

. . . . . 111-113

Peop. XI. All Mankind the Body and POSSESSION of

Christ. He shall retain, preserve, and redeem, all his

purchased Possession, . . 113-116

Prop. XII. Mankind a Universal BROTHERHOOD, who are

all, without Distinction, included in the scheme of Re-

demption,

- 116-118

Prop. XIII. All Men are Sinners. Salvation shall be

co-extensive with Sinfulness, .

119-121

Prop. XIV. Eternal Blessedness is not of works, but of

the impartial Grace of God, The Grace of God shall

effectually accomplish Universal Salvation, 121–124

Prop. XV. Salvation not the Reward of superior merit,

but the Gift of God. It is a Free, Universal Gift, and

not an offer, merely, but a Gift that shall be realized by

All,
- . .

125-128

Prop. XVI. The Church of Christ shall eventually be-

come Universal, - - - 129_131

Prop. XVII. All shall ultimately SERVE AND ADORE the

Lord,

131-134

Prop. XVIII. All shall finally be Subdued and Reconcil-

ed to God, through Christ, . . 134-137

Prop, XIX.' Christ shall Reign until All shall come to

REPENTANCE and Salvation from Sin,

138–141

Prop. XX. All who Need to be delivered from the thral.

dom of Evil, shall be Saved, - - 142–144

Prop. XXI. As many as have fallen through Adam, shall

be Restored by Christ, • . 144-146

Prop. XXII. All the Jews shall inherit Salvation, 147

Prop. XXIII. All the generations of the GENTILES shall

come to the knowledge of the Truth, • 148

Prop. XXIV. All the MATERIAL Creation shall eventually

be glorified, which is typical of the universal purification

of the SPIRITUAL, : •

149–151

FROM THE EXTINCTION OF ALL EVILS.

Prop. XXV. SIN shall finally be destroyed. The Dev.

IL,—Temptation, shall be annihilated, 151-156

Prop. XXVI. Sorrow and Pain shall be put away, 156

Prop. XXVII. IGNORANCE and ERROR shall be turned into

Universal Truth and Knowledge, - 157-158

Prop. XXVIII. Death, natural and moral, shall be swal.

lowed up of spiritual Life and Immortality, 159—161

Prop. XXIX. Hell shall be overcome and abolished.
Conjectures concerning Hades as an Intermediate State.

• 161–167
FROM THE TRIUMPH OF GOOD OVER EVIL.

Prop. XXX. The Lord is as solicitous for the Salvation of

His creatures AFTER DEATH, as before, . 168–171

Prop. XXXI. The work of Salvation shall continue to go

on, as long as Sin shall exist,

171–173

Prop. XXXII. The RESURRECTION shall glorify the whole

human family, every man in his own order, in the like-

ness of Christ and the Angels, . 173–178

Prop. XXXIII. Divine Punishments are Parental, merciful,

REFORMATORY, They are sure. They are never meted
by proxy to other than the transgressor. They are speed-
ily awarded, Appertain to the place and time where sin
is. Are justly proportional to offences. Are for human

sake, because our sinning cannot injure God. Are sub-

duing, melting, reconciling,—not retaliative, cruel, or

useless,

179—193

Prop. XXXIV. Evil was ordained by Divine Wisdom to

exist for a season, as a means for the attainment of high-

er good. God overrules all evil for good. Objection

stated and answered in language of Scripture, 194–200

FROM THE DIVINE ATTRIBUTES.

Prop. XXXV. Universal Redemption the fruit of God's

infinite GOODNESS, .

- 200-203

Prop. XXXVI. Universal Redemption the result of infi-

nite Mercy,

- 204-208

Prop. XXXVII. Universal Redemption the Consequence
of infinite Justice. Argument for the same, comprised
in a numerous class of Scriptures concerning the Great,
Spiritual, Messianic DAY OF JUDGMENT, established at
the commencement of Christ's Kingdom ; in which he
shall continue to reign and rule, until All shall be Sub-

dued unto him,

- 208–217

Prop. XXXVIII. Universal Redemption the aim of infinite

WISDOM. -

- 217—222

Prop. XXXIX. Universal Redemption the effect of infi-

nite Power,

- 222-225

Prop. XL. Universal Redemption follows from the OM-

NIPRESENCE of God,

- 225-226

Prop. XLI. Universal Redemption deduced from the in-