A DEFENCE, CONTAINING THE AUTHOR'S RENUNCIATION OF UNIVERSALISM, EXPLAINED AND ENLARGED; THE NOTICES AND ASPERSIONS OF UNIVERSALIST EDITORS, ANSWERED AND REPELLED; ARGUMENTS AND PRINCIPLES OF UNIVERSALISTS, EXAMINED AND EXPLODED, AND RELIGION AND REVELATION VINDICATED, AGAINST SKEPTICISM AND INFIDELITY. BY LEWIS C. TODD. "As we have received mercy we faint not, but have RENOUNCED PUBLISHED BY O. SPAFFORD, PRINTED BY JOSEPH M. STERRETT. 1834. WESTERN DISTRICT OF PENNSYLVANIA, to wit: BE IT REMEMBERED, that on the thirtieth day of January, Anno Domini, 1834, OLIVER SPAFFORD, of the said District, hath deposited in this Office the title of a Book, the title of which is in the words following, to wit: "A Defence, containing 1st. The author's renunciation of Universalism, explained and enlarged; 2d. The notices and as aspersions of Universalist Editors, answered and repelled; 3d. The fundamental arguments and principles of Universalists, examined and exploded, and 4th. Religion and revelation vindicated, against skepticism and infidelity. By Lewis C. Todd. As we have received mercy we faint not, but have renounced the hidden things of dishonesty, not walking in craftiness, nor handling the word of God deceitfully; but by manifestation of the truth, commending ourselves to every man's conscience in the sight of God.”—II. Cor. iv. 1-2. The right whereof he claims as Proprietor, in conformity with an act of Congress, entitled "An act to amend the several acts respecting copy-rights." E. J. ROBERTS, Clerk of the Western District of Pennsylvania. March, 1877. At thirty, man suspects himself a fool, Goop reader, in Chapter I. of this book, you will find a Renunciation of Universalism," made in the spring of 1833; with some notes now appended, in consequence of the attacks of universalists. Upon reflection and observation, I became convinced that there are some people so good that they need no penal restraints; but that there are many others so bad that nothing but fear of penal sufferings will restrain them; and indeed some too bad to be restrained by any thing. Such I learned to be the melancholy but true picture of human nature. And as such I became satisfied, that universalism possessed not enough of terrour to restrain the corrupt part of mankind from crime. True, the terrours of hell, or gehenna, have not restrained all the wicked; but they have co-operated inuch with human laws to secure the peace of society. With these views, I reviewed the question in the light of scripture; and became convinced, that universalisin is not the doctrine of Christ and the apostles. Hence I conceived it my duty to renounce that doctrine. But having strong feelings of affection toward many universalists, I concluded to do it in language of kindness. And as I was heartily tired of theological controversy, I tried to avoid any appearance of hosfile intentions toward them; and admitted much in favour of their morality, while I said not a word or syllable, in the Renunciation, against the morality of any of them. Yet I suggested, that the doctrine did not operate as a restraint on the vicious so as to reform them. This I had fondly hoped would render any personal attack from them unnecessary. But very soon universalist papers began their attacks upon me and my motives, from the banks of the Mississippi to the coasts of Maine! But these men had always represented themselves, as distinguished from all other sects in the world, as a non-persecuting, charitable, benevolent, peaceable' people; of course they must have an excuse for disregarding the solemn truths of the Renunciation; and waging a personal war with its author.--They therefore accused me of persecuting them—of slándering them of calling them all immoral, &c.! Had they attacked only the positions of the Renunciation, instead of me, this book would never have been written. I intended to have nothing farther to do with universalism; but found |