Year: 1878

- H.


the Reformed Episcopal Church.
Philadelphia Bulletin


During the past winter Bishop
Nicholson has delivered at the
chapel of the Second Reformed
Episcopol Church series Of very
instructive and critical lectures on
the Epistle of Paul to the Oolos-
slams. In the concluding discourse
upon that book he took occasion
incidentally to reply to the general
discussion of the doctrines lately
advanced in regard to hell as a
place of eternal punishment. We
quote from the stenographic report
Of the lecture his remarks upon this
subject:


"But in connection with this
third lesson Of the epi,otle there is
another thought of very great i'm
portance, and of some definite bear
ing to-day-the perfectness of the
Savior's mediatorship, insomuch
that the believer, solely by virtue
of Him, is at once and completely
delivered from condemnation, made
the child of God and the heir of
heaven.


"Now, if that be the true gospel
Of Christ, then the notion which is
now so much talked about, of res.
toration out of hell, is utterly
groundless, and without the slight
est foundatian. For, look you, if
the soul, after suffering for indef-
mite years the penalty due its sins
is thereafter released because that
soul has suffered the penalty irhict-
ed, then that soul will get to heaven
by virtue Of its own sufferings, not
at all by virtue of Christ.


4" But it is said land l call your
special attention to this, for it is
very insidious) that the glory of
the redemption of Christ is not en-
tirely shut out of this doc
trine Of restoration, because
it is by virtue of his redemption
that the soul is enabled to get out
Of its punishment after suffering
just so long. If it were not for the
work of Christ, they say, then it
would have togo on and suffer end
lessly; but because of the sulFeringS
Of Christ it is cut short.


+" We reply that does not help the
matter, for in that case there is a
joint ground Of salvation with
Christ. The Joint ground In that
case is that the soul has actually
suffered part Of its punishment,
and therefore it is delivered. Now
the doctrine Of this epistle is that
nothing can come at all TO supple
ment the work of Christ. The Sin
ner who comes to him now and
trusts in him is at once and COM
pletely saTedj pardpRed Of all his
sins, every one; perfectly accepted,
clothed with even Gods righteous.
ness, instantly; and if he die the
very next instant, he goes straight
to heaven, aal il there eYel as
Christ. And it has all been done
simply by Christ. For there is per.
fection of merit in his work for us.
But, IL thp other view be true, that
after suffering indefinitely the pen.
atty, then because Christ died the
sopl is allowed to have its punish
ment cut short, why, seeing that it
has suffered part Of its punish
ment, and therefore is let loose, its
0Yn sufferings have become a joint
ground With Christ; and it would
never be true Of that soul when 1t
gets to heaven that it was Gin
Christ having been filled full" it
would be a falsehool,


How much better it is that we
act submissiyely and like children;
and though we cannot understand
certain things in Gods government
and administration, yet to say we
relegatc all those difficulties to that
eternal period when, it may be, our
eyes will be enlightened and we
shall see. We arc perfectly willing
TO trust God for this and other