tion there can arise no
misapprehension as to Peter's application of the text, nor of the
persons it involves. They were the persecutors of the christians, and
no one will dispute that these were the Jews.

If then this judgment was at hand, it cannot of course refer to a
period at the end of time; and it is in this case equally certain,
that the _scarce salvation_ of the christians can have no reference to
the immortal world. These facts being irresistible, the argument must
be wholly given up that "the ungodly and the sinner" were to appear in
a state of inconceivable torment beyond the grave, because the
_condition_ of "the ungodly" stands in contrast with the _scarce
salvation_ of the righteous, and this _salvation or deliverance_ was
to be in a day nigh at hand, and from a tribulation or judgment in
which their adversaries and persecutors were to be involved, and the
_signs_, by which the apostle was admonished of its proximity, had
already appeared when he wrote the words of our text. The meaning of
his words, I humbly conceive, is simply this--The time _is come_ when
the persecutions, predicted by Christ as a _sign_ of the approaching
destruction of Jerusalem, must begin at us. And if we the righteous
who are innocent, have to endure so many "fiery trials," what will the
dreadful punishment be of our disobedient persecutors? And if we are
_scarcely saved_ from this impending destruction, by fleeing to the
mountains of Judea, where will our thoughtless and sinful appear? We
have endeavored to show you where they appeared--have pointed out the
narrow escape of the christians, who were "scarcely saved," and
referred you to the _signs_ by which Peter knew this judgment was at
hand. It is therefore unnecessary to offer any thing further in
defense of our views, as the text is, no doubt, plainly understood by
every reader.

We close this discourse by noticing one very common objection, made by
our religious opposers, to our application of several scriptures. I do
this, because I am not aware that it has been done by any Universalist
as a _designed_ answer to the objection. The substance of the
objection is this:--

_There is not a passage in the New Testament which speaks of a day of
judgment, of the end of the world and of the coming of Christ, but
what Universalists apply to the destruction of Jerusalem. Then, they
contend, "every man was rewarded according to his works," consequently
all subsequent nations are n