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Download PDF - Free Methodist Church

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BESTORATIONISM.13'rDoes it seem at all credible, that afterJesus has ceased to be Mediator andbecome Judge, and has actually passedjudgment upon the condemned, that he•wUl undo his judgment, and becomeMediator again ? No, reason and truthcast down the imagination.The whole tenor and spirit of theScriptures are against this doctrine. Allthrough them we hear a rush, and ring,and hurried trampings as of swift feet,and flutterings of speeding wings; andthe burden of it all is, "Make haste !""Bequick!" ""Watch!" "Whatsoeverthy hand findeth to do, do it with thymight." "Why ? because the mediationof Christ avails only in this life. Theday of salvation flees. "The end ofaU.things is at hand;" the end of theday of grace ; the end of the most vitalof all things; that which includesall to the fallen sons of Adam, the onething needful; the end of probation—more important to the transgressor than- the end of this material universe. " Beye also ready;" for the atonementreaches not for sinners beyond death.The river which runs down Calvary,runs only this side the grave. Hewho steps from the purple flood into thegrave, will step from the grave intoHeaven, and only he. " "Walk whUeye have the light." "Why? becausethere is a world without the light; wherethe true light, which lighteneth everyman that cometh into the world—thatis, into this world—will never come;•where he wfll never shed one beam ofgrace on salvation or glory. "Walk inthis light while ye have it; for if yourefuse, the time is coming when it wiUcease shining for yon forever.The mighty angel set one foot uponthe sea, and the other upon the earth,•and lifted up his hand to heaven iindsware by him who liveth forever andever, that there should be time no longer.""What time is meant ? Not mereduration, for that will continue unceasingly.He evidently means time relatingto this world ;• that this temporaldispensation shall be no longer; all connectedwith it shall p-ass away—themost important concerns belonging toit. "What is the most important ? Salvatiopthrough Christ. "Why is timeaUotted the sinner? Because he isworthy to Uye ? No; but that he mayemploy it to secure redemption. Thisis the grand object of time; and if herefuses or even neglects to improve this,the period is certainly approaching whentime wiU be to him no longer—when aUopportunity shaU have passed with timeforever.. The time meant is signifiedin these words, " Behold, now is the acceptedtime; behold, now is the day ofsalvation," or time for salvation; now,while the lamp of life holds out to burn."When this time has gone, salvation hasgone—GONE—GONE FOEEVEE IThe argument stands thus: Salvationcomes throngh faith in the atonement.The atonement ceases for thesinner with the termination of life, andwith tho Judgment; therefore it wUl beimpossible for the sinner to exercisefaith in the Atonement after death andthe Judgment; therefore, salvation forhim is impossible at any period afterthose events.If Eestorationism is true, what meanthe following Scriptures ? Matt. x. 22—"Bui he that endureth unto the endshall be saved." This plainly meansunto the end of life, or of earthly existence.The evident impUcation is,that he who endureth not unto the endshall not be saved; but Eestorationismsays he shall be sometime in etemity.Matt, xviii. 3—""Verily I say untoyou, except ye be converted and becomeas little ohUdren, ye shaU not enterinto the Kingdom of heaven."—"Whatever meanings may be includedin the phrase, "Kingdom of heaven,"it would be absurd for any to deny thatone meaning of it in this place, is thefina|l and eternal abode of the redeemed.This Scripture declares, by most certainimplication, that the unconverted shaUnot enter this abode; but Eestorationismdeclares they shall sometime in eternity.John ui. 3—"Jesus answered andsaid unto him, "Verily, verily I say untothee, Except a man be bom again, hecannot see the Kingdom of God."Eestorationism says he can.But

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