not believe on Christ in this world, is to condemn millions of poor heathen for not believing on one whom they have never heard! Will God sweep all those myriads of human souls down to perdition for not believing on Christ, when they never heard his name? Are they to be endlessly punished for not believing on the Savior, when they never had an opportunity to accept him? God, our heavenly Father, never can deal so cruelly with his offspring.

The Scriptures teach an entirely different sentiment. "God hath concluded them all [Jews and Gentiles] in unbelief, that He might have MERCY UPON ALL." Rom. xi. 32. "What if some did not believe? Shall their unbelief make the faith [faithfulness] of God without effect? God forbid." Rom. iii. 3, 4. In view of these teachings, the objector has no right to assume that a portion of mankind will remain eternally in unbelief; for God will have all men to be saved and come to the knowledge of the truth." 1 Tim. ii. 4. Said Christ, "And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto me." John xii. 32. When all men are drawn to Christ, and brought to the knowledge of the truth, there will be no unbelievers. Every knee shall bow and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. (Phil. ii. 10, 11.) And it shall not be said, "know the Lord; for all shall know me, from the least to the greatest." Heb. viii. 11.

WHEAT AND CHAFF.

"And now also the axe is laid unto the root of the trees: therefore every tree which bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire.....Whose fan is in his hand, and He will thoroughly purge his floor, and gather his wheat into his garner; but He will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire."-MATTHEW iii. 10-12.

"Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire."-MATTHEW vii. 19.

"And also the axe is laid unto the root of the trees: every tree therefore which bringeth not forth good fruit, is hewn down, and cast into the fire.....Whose fan is in his hand, and He will thoroughly purge his floor, and will gather the wheat into the garner; but the chaff He will burn with fire unquenchable."-LUKE iii. 9-17.

These passages, so closely connected, having reference to the same subject, may appropriately be examined together. We hardly need say, that they have been frequently urged in support of the doctrine of endless punishment. But there is no evidence to believe that John made any allusion to the condition of man in the immortal state of existence. He had reference entirely to events about to transpire about the time he wrote. He had noticed the presence of the Pharisees and Saducees who had attended his ministrations on the banks of the Jordan, and desired to know who had warned them to flee from the wrath about to come, or from impending judgments. He knew well

not believe on Christ in this world, is to condemn millions of poor heathen for not believing on one whom they have never heard! Will God sweep all those myriads of human souls down to perdition for not believing on Christ, when they never heard his name? Are they to be endlessly punished for not believing on the Savior, when they never had an opportunity to accept him? God, our heavenly Father, never can deal so cruelly with his offspring.

The Scriptures teach an entirely different sentiment. "God hath concluded them all [Jews and Gentiles] in unbelief, that He might have MERCY UPON ALL." Rom. xi. 32. "What if some did not believe? Shall their unbelief make the faith [faithfulness] of God without effect? God forbid.” Rom. iii. 3, 4. In view of these teachings, the objector has no right to assume that a portion of mankind will remain eternally in unbelief; for God will have all men to be saved and come to the knowledge of the truth." 1 Tim. ii. 4. Said Christ, "And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto me." John xii. 32. When all men are drawn to Christ, and brought to the knowledge of the truth, there will be no unbelievers. Every knee shall bow and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. (Phil. ii. 10, 11.) And it shall not be said, "know the Lord; for all shall know me, from the least to the greatest." Heb. viii. 11.

WHEAT AND CHAFF.

D

"And now also the axe is laid unto the root of the trees: therefore every tree which bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire..... Whose fan is in his hand, and He will thoroughly purge his floor, and gather his wheat into his garner; but He will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire."-MATTHEW iii. 10-12.

Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire."-MATTHEW vii. 19.

"And also the axe is laid unto the root of the trees: every tree therefore which bringeth not forth good fruit, is hewn down, and cast into the fire.....Whose fan is in his hand, and He will thoroughly purge his floor, and will gather the wheat into the garner; but the chaff He will burn with fire unquenchable."-LUKE iii. 9-17.

These passages, so closely connected, having reference to the same subject, may appropriately be examined together. We hardly need say, that they have been frequently urged in support of the doctrine of endless punishment. But there is no evidence to believe that John made any allusion to the condition of man in the immortal state of existence. He had reference entirely to events about to transpire about the time he wrote. He had noticed the presence of the Pharisees and Saducees who had attended his ministrations on the banks of the Jordan, and desired to know who had warned them to flee from the wrath about to come, or from impending judgments. He knew well

that a fearful calamity was about to overtake the Jewish nation, that the people were again to be punished for their iniquity, and suffer a second destruction which was their second death and that they were to be driven again from the presence of the Lord, or from Jerusalem, and the temple, where they supposed the presence of the Lord dwelt in some peculiar sense. They had been a highly favored people, the depositories of God's truth, and had enjoyed many exalted favors; but they became proud and sinful, and forgot the God who blessed them, disregarded his commands and misimproved their opportunities, and plunged into iniquity. They filled up the measure of their iniquity by persecuting the prophets, and crucifying the Son of God, and putting him to an open shame.

At the time John made his appearance, God was about to deal with them for their sin, and inflict upon them an adequate punishment, which might warn the nations of the earth, that they could not sin with impunity. The axe was laid at the root of the tree, and those who bore not good fruit, were to be hewn down and cast into the fire; the threshing floor was to be thoroughly purged, and while the wheat was to be gathered into the garner, the chaff was to be burned with unquenchable fire. This language, which was highly figurative, referred to the severe national judgments about to come upon this ungodly nation.

John employed this bold, figurative, oriental