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136 THE EARNEST CHEISTIAN.REBTOEATIONISM.BY EEV. T. S. LA HUE.01d-style| Universalism,—the sum ofwMch is, "Mortal, do as you pleasehere: you need not fear any everlastingmisery hereafter,"—old-style Universalism,we say, ha-ving been girdled bythe two-edged ax, and withered as toits original stem that aU enter a placeof blessedness simultaneously with thedecease of the body, has, with the shiftingfacUityi of its old husbandman theDevU, throiwn out three new shoots inthese latter days. One of these iscaUed Eestorationism, another SpirituaUsm,and another Annihilationism.Let us take a look at Eestorationism.It teaches that the ungodly will be consignedto a place of punishment afterdeath, where they wUl suffer accordingto the deefls done in the body. Andthis suffering may continue for ages;but in no case wUl be eternal. Wecannot subscribe to this doctrine, forthe foUowing reasons:—First—Salvation is secured throughiaith in our only Lord and Saviour, JesusChrist.' Eom. ui. 24, 2.5—"Beingjustified freely by his grace through theredemption that is in Christ Jesus:whoin God hath set forth, to be a propitiation,through faith in his blood, todeclare his righteousness for the remissionof sins that are past, through theforbearance of God." Acts xvi. 30, 31,—" "What must I do to be saved ? Andthey said, BeUeve on the Lord JesusChrist, and (thou shalt be saved, and thyhouse." Actsiv. 12—" Neither is theresalvation in any other; for there is noneother name under heaven given amongmen, whereby we must be saved."But Eestorationism virtuaUy teachesthat salvation for the sinner who hasbeen incorrigible in this life, is not securedthrongh faith in Christ, but througha discipline of suffering beyond thegrave; not through the mediation ofthe Son of God, but the mediation ofthe torments of heU; therefore, " Christis " not " the end of the law for righteousnessto. every one that believeth "—Eomans x. 4—but purgatory is.—If it be said" that the purpose of thissuffering, is to discipline the subjects ofit into casting themselves on Christ byfaith—the same as providential dispensationsof suffering arrest the sinner inthis world, and lead him to a renunciationof self and of sin, and to relianceon.Christ; if this ground is assumed,we answer, that the virtue of the atonementfor sinners ceases with death andthe Judgment. "Witness 1 Cor. xv.24-28—"Then cometh the end, whenhe shaU have delivered up the kingdomto God, even the Father." "Whatking,dom ? It must mean his own especialKingdom, embracing from the time ofthe promise given in Eden, that "theseed of the woman should bruise theserpent's head," until the Eesnrrectionand time of the Eestitution; His mediatorialkmgdom, the kingdom of grace.And with the resignation' of this, thekingdom of redemption through faithjcomes to an end; the mediatorial seeptre is no longer held out for suing penitents to touch.In the Judgment Day, the Son of Mai•does not appear-as Mediator. He siiupon the throne of His glory, and sa;unto them on His left hand, "Depifrom me, ye cursed.'' Oh ! . fearfjwords! and spoken too by thosewhich once quivered on Calvary^. " ifepart.Ye have refused, ye have seinaught my counsel, and would none ofmy reproof. I will also laugh at yonrcalamity. Depart. See the lowifury of insulted purity and justi*Depart; meet it aU; I no longer dtandbetween you and the gathering gtormof the wrath of the Lamb." ' TheWRATH of the La,mb.'"—that means mediation,intercession, turned into judgment.No more for sinners the Iiambsl-ain; but the Lamb who, will hisstrong horn, shall cast down and piercethrough his enemies; for "the Lambshall overcome them ; for he is Lc rd oflords and King of kings."—Eev. xvii14. "There remaineth ho more sacrificefor sins, but a certain fearful lookingfor of judgnient and fiery indign ationwhich shall devour the adversaries."