But when there dawns
upon our faith the prospect of the whole human race being yet redeemed,
what a world of gladness this world becomes!
When such considerations as these have their due effect upon us,
objections to the discussion of this great question will have less
weight. We shall rejoice instead, if the larger view carries our inmost
and most sacred convictions. Our appeal is to the Scriptures, and to
the precious gifts of reason, and of human feeling, no less
divinely given.
We accord the supreme authority to Scripture; but there is also an
appeal to reason. Even here some find differences of opinion. Some will
reason from the nature of sin, and what is its desert. Others will
reason from the character of God, and the end of divine government.
Others, again, will claim that self interest so warps our judgment in
the case, that our finding is almost sure to be partial. Still others
will claim that the whole matter is too high for us, and refrain from
entering upon it, or else take what they judge to be the plain meaning
of Scripture, or fall back on the view that has prevailed.
I reverently think, that reason has a legitimate field here. Of course
reason ought to be exercised with great caution on such a subject; and
we ought ever to hold ourselves ready to revise our opinions, to be in
harmony with the advancing light of Scripture.
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