_First._ To force the Bible to agree with the Atheist, in theory, that
a man’s conduct in this life, no matter what it may be, can not destroy
his happiness in another life.
_Second._ That there shall be no reward in another world, for virtue,
righteousness and obedience rendered to God in this life.
_Third._ That there shall be no punishments in the world to come, for
disobedience, corruption, and crime, committed in this life.
_Fourth._ That the death of Christ amounts to nothing, as the
consequences of sin all follow now, and fall upon man just as they did
before he died.
_Fifth._ That repentance amounts to nothing, as the punishment of sin
is simply the natural result of a violation of a natural law, and must
follow its violation whether you repent or not.
_Sixth._ That there is no pardon of sin—that as you put your hand
in the fire, the burn must follow—as you spend your money, you must
become poor—as you dissipate, your physical energies must be impaired;
so, as you sin, in all cases the penalty must follow.
_Seventh._ All this being conceded, the grace of God is at an end.
There is no such an attribute as mercy in the government of Jehovah.
_Eighth._ No love of God is manifested either in the life or death of
Jesus, nor has his death produced any change in the world.
No wonder that infidels hail this theory with joyfulness, flock around
the Universalian preacher, and call him “brother.” His operations are
fatal to the Bible, to the mission and divine authority of the Lord
Jesus, and better calculated to turn the whole subject of religion into
ridicule, than any open infidelity ever advocated in the world. By this
kind of circumlocution, the Bible is now sought to be subverted, and
its influence upon the world destroyed. But all men of discernment can
see, that this is only a scheme to pull down and destroy—that it has
no efficacy to save, to make good, or improve mankind—that it can do
no good, in any event, to one soul of our race, either in this world or
the world to come. It is only an instrument, one of the most effectual
instruments of unbelief, in destroying all good, all virtue, and all
piety.