all　mankind　will　finally　be　saved。　Many　regard　the　threatenings　of　the　Bible
  as　designed　merely　to　frighten　men　into　obedience；　and　not　to　be　literally
  fulfilled。　Thus　the　sinner　can　live　in　selfish　pleasure；　disregarding　the
  requirements　of　God；　and　yet　expect　to　be　finally　received　into　His　favor。
  Such　a　doctrine；　presuming　upon　God's　mercy；　but　ignoring　His　justice；
  pleases　the　carnal　heart　and　emboldens　the　wicked　in　their　iniquity。
  To　show　how　believers　in　universal　salvation　wrest　the　Scriptures　to　sustain
  their　soul…destroying　dogmas；　it　is　needful　only　to　cite　their　own
  utterances。　At　the　funeral　of　an　irreligious　young　man；　who　had　been　killed
  instantly　by　an　accident；　a　Universalist　minister　selected　as　his　text　the
  Scripture　statement　concerning　David：　〃He　was　comforted　concerning　Amnon；
  seeing　he　was　dead。〃　2　Samuel　13：39。
  〃I　am　frequently　asked；〃　said　the　speaker；　〃what　will　be　the　fate　of　those
  who　leave　the　world　in　sin；　die；　perhaps；　in　a　state　of　inebriation；　die
  with　the　scarlet　stains　of　crime　unwashed　from　their　robes；　or　die　as　this
  young　man　died；　having　never　made　a　profession　or　enjoyed　an　experience　of
  religion。　We　are　content　with　the　Scriptures；　their　answer　shall　solve　the
  awful　problem。　Amnon　was　exceedingly　sinful；　he　was　unrepentant；　he　was　made
  drunk；　and　while　drunk　was　killed。　David　was　a　prophet　of　God；　he　must　have
  known　whether　it　would　be　ill　or　well　for　Amnon　in　the　world　to　come。　What
  were　the　expressions　of　his　heart？
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  ‘The　soul　of　King　David　longed　to　go　forth　unto　Absalom：　for　he　was
  comforted　concerning　Amnon；　seeing　he　was　dead。'　Verse　39。
  〃And　what　is　the　inference　to　be　deduced　from　this　language？　Is　it　not　that
  endless　suffering　formed　no　part　of　his　religious　belief？　So　we　conceive；
  and　here　we　discover　a　triumphant　argument　in　support　of　the　more　pleasing；
  more　enlightened；　more　benevolent　hypothesis　of　ultimate　universal　purity
  and　peace。　He　was　comforted；　seeing　his　son　was　dead。　And　why　so？　Because　by
  the　eye　of　prophecy　he　could　look　forward　into　the　glorious　future　and　see
  that　son　far　removed　from　all　temptations；　released　from　the　bondage　and
  purified　from　the　corruptions　of　sin；　and　after　being　made　sufficiently　holy
  and　enlightened；　admitted　to　the　assembly　of　ascended　and　rejoicing　spirits。
  His　only　comfort　was　that；　in　being　removed　from　the　present　state　of　sin
  and　suffering；　his　beloved　son　had　gone　where　the　loftiest　breathings　of　the
  Holy　Spirit　would　be　shed　upon　his　darkened　soul；　where　his　mind　would　be
  unfolded　to　the　wisdom　of　heaven　and　the　sweet　raptures　of　immortal　love；
  and　thus　prepared　with　a　sanctified　nature　to　enjoy　the　rest　and　society　of
  the　heavenly　inheritance。
  〃In　these　thoughts　we　would　be　understood　to　believe　that　the　salvation　of
  heaven　depends　upon　nothing　which　we　can　do　in　this　life；　neither　upon　a
  present　change　of　heart；　nor　upon　present　belief；　or　a　present　profession　of
  religion。〃
  Thus　does　the　professed　minister　of　Christ　reiterate　the　falsehood　uttered
  by　the　serpent　in　Eden：　〃Ye　shall　not　surely　die。〃　〃In　the　day　ye　eat
  thereof；　then　your　eyes　shall　be　opened；　and　ye　shall　be　as　gods。〃　He
  declares　that　the　vilest　of　sinnersthe　murderer；　the　thief；　and　the
  adultererwill　after　death　be　prepared　to　enter　into　immortal　bliss。
  And　from　what　does　this　perverter　of　the　Scriptures　draw　his　conclusions？
  From　a　single　sentence　expressing　David's　submission　to　the　dispensation　of
  Providence。　His
  539
  soul　〃longed　to　go　forth　unto　Absalom；　for　he　was　comforted　concerning
  Amnon；　seeing　he　was　dead。〃　The　poignancy　of　his　grief　having　been　softened
  by　time；　his　thoughts　turned　from　the　dead　to　the　living　son；　self…banished
  through　fear　of　the　just　punishment　of　his　crime。　And　this　is　the　evidence
  that　the　incestuous；　drunken　Amnon　was　at　death　immediately　transported　to
  the　abodes　of　bliss；　there　to　be　purified　and　prepared　for　the　companionship
  of　sinless　angels！　A　pleasing　fable　indeed；　well　suited　to　gratify　the
  carnal　heart！　This　is　Satan's　own　doctrine；　and　it　does　his　work
  effectually。　Should　we　be　surprised　that；　with　such　instruction；　wickedness
  abounds？
  The　course　pursued　by　this　one　false　teacher　illustrates　that　of　many
  others。　A　few　words　of　Scripture　are　separated　from　the　context；　which　would
  in　many　cases　show　their　meaning　to　be　exactly　opposite　to　the
  interpretation　put　upon　them；　and　such　disjointed　passages　are　perverted　and
  used　in　proof　of　doctrines　that　have　no　foundation　in　the　word　of　God。　The
  testimony　cited　as　evidence　that　the　drunken　Amnon　is　in　heaven　is　a　mere
  inference　directly　contradicted　by　the　plain　and　positive　statement　of　the
  Scriptures　that　no　drunkard　shall　inherit　the　kingdom　of　God。　1　Corinthians
  6：10。　It　is　thus　that　doubters；　unbelievers；　and　skeptics　turn　the　truth
  into　a　lie。　And　multitudes　have　been　deceived　by　their　sophistry　and　rocked
  to　sleep　in　the　cradle　of　carnal　security。
  If　it　were　true　that　the　souls　of　all　men　passed　directly　to　heaven　at　the
  hour　of　dissolution；　then　we　might　well　covet　death　rather　than　life。　Many
  have　been　led　by　this　belief　to　put　an　end　to　their　existence。　When
  overwhelmed　with　trouble；　perplexity；　and　disappointment；　it　seems　an　easy
  thing　to　break　the　brittle　thread　of　life　and　soar　away　into　the　bliss　of
  the　eternal　world。
  God　has　given　in　His　word　decisive　evidence　that　He　will　punish　the
  transgressors　of　His　law。　Those　who　flatter
  540
  themselves　that　He　is　too　merciful　to　execute　justice　upon　the　sinner；　have
  only　to　look　to　the　cross　of　Calvary。　The　death　of　the　spotless　Son　of　God
  testifies　that　〃the　wages　of　sin　is　death；〃　that　every　violation　of　God's
  law　must　receive　its　just　retribution。　Christ　the　sinless　became　sin　for
  man。　He　bore　the　guilt　of　transgression；　and　the　hiding　of　His　Father's
  face；　until　His　heart　was　broken　and　His　life　crushed　out。　All　this
  sacrifice　was　made　that　sinners　might　be　redeemed。　In　no　other　way　could　man
  be　freed　from　the　penalty　of　sin。　And　every　soul　that　refuses　to　become　a
  partaker　of　the　atonement　provided　at　such　a　cost　must　bear　in　his　own
  person　the　guilt　and　punishment　of　transgression。
  Let　us　consider　what　the　Bible　teaches　further　concerning　the　ungodly　and
  unrepentant；　whom　the　Universalist　places　in　heaven　as　holy；　happy　angels。
  〃I　will　give　unto　him　that　is　athirst　of　the　fountain　of　the　water　of　life
  freely。〃　Revelation　21：6。　This　promise　is　only　to　those　that　thirst。　None
  but　those　who　feel　their　need　of　the　water　of　life；　and　seek　it　at　the　loss
  of　all　things　else；　will　be　supplied。　〃He　that　overcometh　shall　inherit　all
  things；　and　I　will　be　his　God；　and　he　shall　be　My　son。〃　Verse　7。　Here；　also；
  conditions　are　specified。　In　order　to　inherit　all　things；　we　must　resist　and
  overcome　sin。
  The　Lord　declares　by　the　prophet　Isaiah：　〃Say　ye　to　the　righteous；　that　it
  shall　be　well　with　him。〃　〃Woe　unto　the　wicked！　it　shall　be　ill　with　him：　for
  the　reward　of　his　hands　shall　be　given　him。〃　Isaiah　3：10；　11。　〃Though　a
  sinner　do　evil　an　hundred　times；〃　says　the　wise　man；　〃and　his　days　be
  prolonged；　yet　surely　I　know　that　it　shall　be　well　with　them　that　fear　God；
  which　fear　before　Him：　but　it　shall　not　be　well　with　the　wicked。〃
  Ecclesiastes　8：12；　13。　And　Paul　testifies　that　the　sinner　is　treasuring　up
  unto　himself　〃wrath　against　the　day　of　wrath　and　revelation　of　the　righteous
  judgment　of　God；　who　will　render　to　every　man　according　to　his　deeds；〃
  〃tribulation　and　anguish　upon　every　soul　of　man　that　doeth　evil。〃　Romans
  2：5；　6；9。
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  〃No　fornicator；　nor　unclean　person；　nor　covetous　man；　who　is　an　idolater；
  hath　any　inheritance　in　the　kingdom　of　Christ　and　God。〃　Ephesians　5：5；
  A。R。V。　〃Follow　peace　with　all　men；　and　holiness；　without　which　no　man　shall
  see　the　Lord。〃　Hebrews　12：14。　〃Blessed　are　they　that　do　His　commandments；
  that　they　may　have　right　to　the　tree　of　life；　and　may　enter　in　through　the
  gates　into　the　city。　For　without　are　dogs；　and　sorcerers；　and　whoremongers；
  and　murderers；　and　idolaters；　and　whosoever　loveth　and　maketh　a　lie。〃
  Revelation　22：14；　15。
  God　has　given　to　men　a　declaration　of　His　character　and　of　His　method　of
  dealing　with　sin。　〃The　Lord　God；　merciful　and　gracious；　long…suffering　and
  abundant　in　goodness　and　truth；　keeping　mercy　for　thousands；　forgiving
  iniquity　and　transgression　and　sin；　and　that　will　by　no　means　clear　the
  guilty。〃　Exodus　34：6；　7。　〃All　the　wicked　will　He　destroy。〃　〃The
  transgressors　shall　be　destroyed　together：　the　end　of　the　wicked　shall　be
  cut　off。〃　Psalms　145：20；　37：38。　The　power　and　authority　of　the　divine
  government　will　be　employed　to　put　down　rebellion；　yet　all　the
  manifestations　of　retributive　justice　will　be　perfectly　consistent　with　the
  character　of　God　as　a　merciful；　long…suffering；　benevolent　being。
  God　does　not　force　the　will　or　judgment　of　any。　He　takes　no　pleasure　in　a
  slavish　obedience。　He　desires　that　the　creatures　of　His　hands　shall　love　Him
  because　He　is　worthy　of　love。　He　would　have　them　obey　Him　because　they　have
  an　intelligent　appreciation　of　His　wisdom；　justice