, 1879-06-22

| -r;s'ss W SEE II IL u Goo's purpose that th
Should 60 on forever. And, while ::
! una !, that, much that is unrevealct
IN = the Scripture, and many passage
taat are full Of difficulty, find some clear lgh
pn 1ule question. i lind it written that Chris
ana understand sin to be the DEVILS work.
mud 1t written that Christ has come, indeed, K
destroy the Devil himself, for it is said (Aeb ii.
| ~ that He took our flesh md blood through
aeatn' to destroy him that had the power o1
qeath, that Is the Deyil.' find it written thai
! God Is going TO make an end Of sins (Dan.
*, ~. find that God, Ia reference to sin, is D
consuming fire, sooner or later overcoming and
making an end of everything that violates His
r1ehteous and wise law, either in the material,
tnat tho chat will be burucd up with the fire
unqncnchab]e (,iatt., ill, Ley. find 1t writ,
Ten that the last enemy that shalt be destroyed
IS death-(l. Cor. xv., 5-36)-that the day is
more curse-lRev.. xxi, 4, and xii, 3}-that
oeath and hell, the very instruments Of punitive
Justice, are to be themselves east into the aEc OF
hre- find it written that the time Is coming:
Taen there Is to te restitution OF all things
find it written that Christ shall reign till all
things are subdued under Him-that sthe end
shalt not come till all things are put under His
feet II. Corinthians, xy., 24-2S) l find it
written that it pleased the Father, having made
peace BY the blood of the Cross, by Christ to
io earth Or Heaven. I find it written that in the
dlspensation of tic fullncss Of time God will
gather in one all things in Christ, both which
are IN Heaven and earth and under the earth.
and that at the name Of Jesus every knee shall
bow aud every tongue confess that Jesus Christ
is Lord Of all ~ the glory OF the Father. l
hnd u written (Eph., IT,, 1O) that He that de-
scented Is the same also that assembled far above
al prtnctpalties and Dowers that He might fill
nll things. ilnd 1t written in l. Cor, xv., 2S)
elbAH .l4
dued under Him, when the Son also Himself
shall be subject to Him, who did put all
things under Him, TINT God might be ali in all'
l. atn aware that all these passages can be intcr-
preteo to mean death that they can be chaiucd
TO the very wheels OF the Westminster dogma, and
be dragged after it to pcrdition. But I sec in
such Scriptures the promise OF better thngs-l
see in such Scriptures the dawning Of larger
nope. l see In such Scriptures the pledge that
neither the rebellion Of man or devil Wi1l stand
forever against the sovereignty, the love, and
the omnipotence Of God-that the universe
which He created will not be polluted as now
with the corruption OF sin and scandalized by
the rebellion OF sinful creatures against His
righteous and loving law, but will set, redeemed
and purified. roll I'D into the heavenly light.
believe that, in some vide and profound sense,
the whole creation which now groans, being In
travail, shall in Gods good time, aud in way
not Jet perhaps revealed to us, be delivered
from Aa bondage OF corruption und brought
God. from. viii, 10-21)".
MI. Macraess answer 10 the second question
involved his views as TO the doctrine of Il ter
tain aud awful retribution awaiting the impeui-
tent hereafter" On these points he WAS equal
ly frank. q l believe,'' le said, that without
repentance no sin can escape its punishment
and in proportion to its Nervousness the punish
1nent will be more severe. God is Just, mud will
Judge every man according to bis works. Some
Will be beaten NTH many stripes and some with
Etr1rAR c 3hn o.>f
ment We can'oulF judge OF it from the express
sions loften iguratiye e1pressfons) used in
Scripture, and from our experience aud obscrya-
ton here We sec what fearful bodily suffering
o1ten results from an evil life. We know some |
[h,ng o. o. the ssngs Ct eonsSeneeshe fearful
ton: the loss Of the higher life; the sinking |
ever lower when sin is persisted in. The end Of |
Ill this, cd out, is death. There is 10 hope
10 sin; 1t is violation OF the everlasting laws of
health, and happiness, and lite; and sin, when |
It Is finished, brIngeta forth DEATH He that
5oweth to the flesh shall of the flesh reap cor
ruoton; but he that soweth to the Spirit shall !
of the Spirit reap life eyerlasting' {Gal., Vi, 81
All this I believe; but the Teaching OF the |
Standards, which, in dealing With the future
and awful retrioution awaiting the impenitent
hereafter,' sets forth this state as q state of ]
1t is needless to follow Mr.. Macrae further in
;he r1ews by which he seeks to explode the
: Everlasting bonfire ~ theory. The end of the
shole matter is that the minister Of Gourock
fas denounced is full-hedgcd herctic
ind suspended from his duties. What further
teps may DC taken will not be known until the !
committee meet aEatn next mouth. In the
Meantime his suspension has been announced to
lis congregation, whose sympathies,. it may be
emarked, are understood to be altogether with
ldr. Macsae.