in the places which he has examined? For our part we confess, we perceive no force at all in all that he has said: upon this point: The argument from these passages, as yet stands uneffected.

We shall next proceed to consider what the Editor has said upon the authorities which we produced to shew the meaning and extent of the terms everlasting, eternal, &c. (See this work pp. 30-32.)

He says: "The statements of these learned Doctors serve only to establish what the learned well know, that these words sometimes express an endless and sometimes a limited duration." [P. 170.] This is a gross misrepres sentation of what is expressed in the quotations in question, at least as to two of them. These authors do not say what these terms "sometimes express:"but what is their "proper grammatical sense." This Dr. Clarke says is continued being:" and Mr. Fuller, "always being." What is the proper and literal sense of these terms is the question:-and to this we shall closely adhere. That they are sometimes used in a limited sense, we do not deny; but this is nothing to the point. Let him show that this is the case in those passages which speak of fu ture punishment:-until he does this, he begs the ques tion;-and is himself building upon a sandy foundation"! He has indeed made an effort to establish this point, but with what success we have just seen.

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He continues: "Endless misery finds no support from these words; they are qualifying terms and the extent of their signification is entirely governed by the things which they qualify." [Ibid.] What is this but saying that "they are qualifying terms," and yet they do not qualify the subjects to which they are applied, but the subjects qualify them? In this case we should suppose that the words to which they are applied would be the qualifying terms." An old rule in grammar, is, that an adjective is a word added to a substantive, to express its quality:"-but according to the Universalist Interpreters, this rule should now be reversed, and should be: a substantive is a word added to an adjective to express its quality! What work these Linguists make, to establish their notions! In or der to invalidate the evidence with which they are met, from the scriptures, they torture to death, both the rules of language and common sense!!!

K

The editor is also much mistaken in relation to the passage which we quoted from Dr. Huntington. He says, in this, the Doctor" gives what was once his opinion upon these words-before his eyes were opened," &c. and in this way he accounts for the absurdity so visible in the extract." [Ibid.] But this extract is taken from Calvanism Improved-a vindication of the doctrine of universalism: and was indeed his opinion when an universalist, as any one must know who has the smallest acquaintance with his system. There would be absurdity visible in the extract," if the Doctor held to universal salvation upon the principle of every man's receiving the whole of his punishment, as does the editor:-but instead of this, he asserts this doctrine upon the ground of Christ's suffering the whole of the sinner's punishment, as his substitute. He says: This doctrine of saving universal grace is perfectly consistent with the most plain and positive declarations of the word of God, that the pains of hell shall be endless; and that the wicked shall go away into everlasting punishment, in all the boundless extent of these words, and many others that convey the same idea of the endless punishment of sinners, and that in the plainest possible manner of expression. In their surety, Vicar, or substitute, i. e. in Christ the head of every man' they go away into everlasting punishment in a true and gospel sense." [See Calvinism Improved pp. 164-165.] We do not intend to attempt a refutation of the Doctor's scheme; but have judged it necessary so far to give a view of it, as to show that what is expressed in the extract above alluded to, is perfectly consistent with his scheme of universal salvation: And that his, is indeed what we presented it for:-the testimony of an uni versalist: the editor to the contrary notwithstanding! But the editor thinks that the extract in question, "Shows how weak the arguments in support of endloss misery are, when predicated upon the strength of these terms," for he should think that even God himself could choose language to express interminable punishment much plainer than it is by the original words translated forever, signi

*This scheme is ably refuted by Dr. Strong in the 3d part of his book entitled, "The doctrine of Eternal Misery reconciled with the Infinite Benevolence of God."

fying an age, a long period, or interminable duration." [Ibid.] The Doctor says in this extract that the "bible says that sinners shall be damned to interminable punishment, as plain as language can express, or any man, or even God himself can speak," and expresses great astonishment that some who believe that all mankind shall in the end be saved, will trifle with a few words, and most of all with the original word and its derivatives transla ted forever, &c. and says that all the learned know that this word in the Greek signifies an age, a long period, or interminable duration." Now it is plain that he predicates the assertion that "the bible" asserts" that sinners shall be damned to interminable punishment." & his charge of trifling against some of the universalists, upon the signification of the original word and its der ivatives translated forever, &c. This word he says "signifies an age, a long period, or interminable duration.“ From the whole of this. we can come to no other conclusion than that he supposed this "word and its derivatives," literally and properly to signify" interminable duration,”—though they might be used figuratively and improperly, for an age" or a long period." We cannot make good sense of what this author says in any other way, and in this way of understanding him, he displays no weakness in the argument drawn from the strength of the terms:-but did he indeed display weakness, it would lie in the author's manner of stating the argument, & not in the argument itself.

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Dr. Huntington held to universal Salvation; but he did not arrive at his conclusions in the ordinary way:he admitted the infinite evil of sin;--the proper force and meaning of all the Divine threatenings & the "boundless extent of the terms used in relation to future punishment. But he believed the sinner would be eternally damned in his substitute, and not in person.

Dr. H's. system does not differ materially from what is called the Rellian System, from John and James Relly, of England. This system is exhibited in a Book entitled Relley's Union."* It is said that this system is

*The main principles of this book are overturned by Dr. Ed wards in a few pages, in the Appendix to his book against Dr. Chauncey.

held by Mr. Mitchell of New York:* It is however se verely reprobated by Mr. Kneeland. Much as the schemes of these mighty champions of Universalism are at variance; when the doctrine of eternal punishment is to be contested, they move in unison.

No. VIII.The argument from the strength of the terms, RESUMED.

In this number we shall give the argument which is deduced from the strength of the terms used in relation to future punishment something more at length. And we propose to observe the following order:

I. To give additional authorities for the proper and literal meaning of the words rendered everlasting, &c. II. Show the sense in which these words are used by the sacred Writers. & III. That the particular construction in which they are used in relation to punishment, is never used for limited duration.

I, We are to give some additional authorities to show that the proper and literal meaning of the terms in question, is duration absolutely endless.

Athanasius,

By the ancient Latin writers, the word aion is translated ævum and æternitas: and aronios, æternus. "This word (aion) is translated by Sully and others, sæculum, ætas, annus, and æternitas. Jerome, Hillary, and Ambrose, render aionios, æternus. Chrysostom speaking of the punishment which is qualified by aion says, that it is a punishment from which they escape not.' And Theopholact, that it is not to be remitted either here or elsewhere, but to be endured both here and elsewhere. Cyprian renders it æternus. His language is, guilty of an eternal sin never to be blotted out.' 999

LEIGH'S CRITIRA SACRA.

*See Tract No 1, published by the New York Universalist Book Society

†See Kneeland's Lectures pp. 108-110. A Note.

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"In the Vulgate Latin version, the word aion is al· most constantly rendered æternus. So it is likewise by the early Christian Fathers. Jerome, in his Commentary on Mat. xxv. 41, uses the following language: Let the prudent reader attend to the fact, that the punishments are eternal, and the life perpetual, that he may thus escape the danger of ruin? Tertulian, in his apology against the heathen, in allusion to the same passage says, that the righteous shall enter upon the retribution of eter nal life, and the wicked shall go into fire equally perpetual and durable. Irenæus, that the fire is eternal which my Father has prepared for the devil and his angels.' Again he quotes the text Mat. xxv, 41. thus: Depart ye cursed into eternal fire, which my Father has prepared for the devil and his angels,' and then adds this comment: • Because intimating that eternal fire was not prepared principally for man, but for him who seduced him and caused him to sin.' And again: punishment not only temporal but eternal.' Chrysostom in his Latin works, homily xvi. speaking on Mat. xxv. 41. uses this language: Go' he says ye cursed into eternal fire.'"

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THE CHRISTIAN ADVOCATE.

(A magazine published in Philadelphia,) Vol. III. pp. 156. 157. An able article signed A. C.

In the Lexicons these words are translated thus: aion, Ærum, æternitas, sœculum; quasi (as if) aci on always being, or existing, HEDERICUS.. Aion ærum, mundus, sæculum: q. e. (which is).aei SCHREVELIUS. Aionios is æternus, sempeternus, perennis. HEDERICUS. Eternus. SCHREVELIUS.

on.

The Latin words above are defined in English as follows: Erum, Eternity, an age. Eternitas, Eternity, Duration without beginning or end. Saeculum an age, the life of men, the world. Mundus, the world, the universe. Eternus 1. Eternal. 2. Continual. 3. Of long continuance. Sempiternus, Endless, perpetual, continual, everlasting. Perennis. 1, That continueth all the year round. 2. Lasting durable. 4. Never failing, 5. Constant, steady, steadfast, 6. perpetual, incessant, continual, uninterrupted. 7. Eternal, endless, everlasting.

AINSWORTH.