sons form of the force of the same arguments, and, instead of cherishing a positive feeling, that he is right, he is much more disposed to bear in mind the possibility of his being under those common influences by which we impose upon ourselves respecting the conclusiveness of our own reasonings, and to attend with thankfulness to any one who may do him the favor to correct any mistake into which he may have fallen. To the friends who encouraged him to proceed with this work, by honoring him with their names as subscribers to it, as soon as they heard it was projected, the author returns his thanks; and the ardent testimony of approbation which he has received from some of them, since its publication, has excited the hope, that he has not written wholly in vain, and that these pages may perhaps be the means of speaking peace to the perturbed mind, and of solacing the sorrows of the mourner, when the hand which penned them is motionless, and the heart which dictated them shall have ceased to beat with human emotion. Sect. I. Of the Proof of the Government of God, SECT. 2. Of the Manner in which the Divine Government is ad- Sect. 3. Of the Design of the Divine Government, and of the Proof, INTRODUCTION.Of the kind of evidence which is necessary to es- tablish the Doctrine of the Ultimate Purity and Happi- Of the evidence in favor of the Final Restoration of all Mankind to Of the Argument in favor of the Doctrine of Universal Restoration, derived from the Perfections of God. Sect. 1. Of the Goodness of God, SECT. 2. Of the Evil of Defect, and of Natural and Moral Evil, 64 Sect. 3. Of the Evils of the Social State, and especially of the Evils which are alleged to result from the principle of Popu- SECT. 4. Of the Design of God in the Creation, and of what is really meant when it is said that he created the World for his Sect. 5. Of the Universality of the Divine Benevolence, Sect. 6. Of the Impossibility of frustrating the Design of the Deity, 133 CHAPTER II. Of the Argument in favor of the Doctrine of Universal Restoration, from the Nature of Man, 141 CHAPTER III. Of the Argument in favor of the Doctrine of Universal Restoration, from the Nature and Object of Punishment, and of the 153 Part Third. Of the Objections which are urged against the Doctrine of Universal Restoration, whether derived from those passages of 172 . CHAPTER I. 173 177 191 195 . 201 Of Endless Misery, the Righteous, aud the Punishment of the Wicked, Sect. 3. Of the Argument in favor of Endless Misery, derived from the phrase, Unquenchable Fire, Sect. 4. Of the Argument in favor of Endless Misery, founded on the case of Judas, Sect. 5. Of the Argument in favor of Endless Misery, derived from the Language which is used concerning the Sin against the Holy Ghost, Sect. 6. Of the Argument in favor of Endless Misery, deduced from the Parable of the Great Gulph, Sect. 7. Of the Opinion, that there will be no successive Duration in a Future State, 204 209 211 CHAPTER II. 214 Of the Arguments conceived to favor the Doctrine of Endless Mise ry, which are not founded on the express Declarations of Scripture. the Divine Justice, with an Examination of the Reason ings of Dr. Edwards on this Subject, Sect. 3. Of the Argument in favor of Endless Misery, founded on the Divine Sovereignty, 217 236 CHAPTER III, Of the Doctrine of Limited Punishment, terminated by Destruction, 241 Part Fourth. Of the Scriptural Evidence in favor of the Doctrine of the Final Restoration of all Mankind to Purity and Happiness, 252 CHAPTER I. Of the Passages of Scripture which imply that all Mankind will be ultimately restored to Purity and Happiness, 255 CHAPTER II, of the Passages of Scripture which appear expressly to affirm that all Mankind will be ultimately restored to Purity and Happiness, APPENDIX, . 267 285 ILLUSTRATIONS, & C. Part First. OF THE DIVINE GOVERNMENT. SECTION I. OF THE PROOF OF THE GOVERNMENT OF GOD. In endeavoring to account for the existence of the world, we find it impossible to resist the conclusion, that it is the production of a Being of almighty power and of perfect goodness. It is evident that it did not create itself, for creation necessarily supposes a pre-existing intelligence. It is evident that the creatures on its surface did not give being to themselves, for they do not comprehend the mode of their own existence. They must therefore derive their origin from some Being who understood their nature, and who endowed them with the faculties they possess. The simplest ideas we seem capable of forming of this Being are, that he is intelligent, and that he is uncaused. Intelligent he must be, for there are in his works proofs of exquisite and amazing skill; and, if there be any thing of which we may be certain, it is, that, wherever there is contrivance, there must have been a Contriver, and that an adaption of means to an end cannot possibly exist without the operation of a Being who perceived and designed the end, and fitted the means to accomplish it. That the Great First Cause of all things must be himself uncaused, is also a truth which we are obliged to admit; for, if we imagine that the immediate Creator of the world derives his existence and power from some supe |