given in Rev. xxi. 8, "But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and forcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, fhall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone, which is the SECOND DEATH." This is their end. The greatest punishment ever brought on any being is death; not because they endure the most; but because it deprives them of all comfort and enjoyment forever.

I believe that at the laft day, the judge will fhew to all his enemies their wickedness, and how he has called them; how they have difregarded it; that he will show them that they have forfeited life, and that they deferve to die that he will then execute the threatening which he declared long ago; "If ye believe not that I am he, ye fhall die in your fins." That he will then tell them, they fhall not even have the most miferable existence; but fhall utterly perifh, being punished with everlasting deftruction from the prefence of the Lord and the glory of his power, when he fhall come to be glorified in his faints, and admired in all them that believe, in that day.

SERMON XVII.

"WE HAVE ALSO A MORE SURE WORD OF PROPHECY," &c.

IN this fermon I fhall illuftrate this folemn and all important fubject, by confidering the other words which are used in the feriptures to defcribe the end of the wicked, when they are caft into the lake of fire.

2.

DE

ESTROY is a word frequently used to defcribe the end of the wicked.

The word DESTROY fignifies in general to make an end. Sometimes it means to make an end as to this life; or to kill the body. It is faid of Herod, Matt. ii. 13, "For Herod will feek the young Child to destroy him." I will mention four things which are faid to be deftroyed, which means to make an end.

1. The man of fin. 2. The works of the devil. 3. The face of covering over all people. 4. Death of the body, or the first death.

1. The man of fin. Paul fays, 2 Theff. ii. 8, “And` then fhall that wicked be revealed, whom the Lord fhall confume with the spirit of his mouth, and shall DESTROY with the brightnefs of his coming." Can any perfon think that there will be any part of the man of fin left when he is confumed and destroyed? I think not.

2. The works of the devil are to be destroyed. I John iii. 8, "For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that he might DESTROY the works of the devil.”

When

the works of the devil are deftroyed, I do not think any of them will be left.

3. The face of covering. Ifa. xxv. 7, "And he will DESTROY in this mountain the face of the covering caft over all people, and the vail that is fpread over all nations." It is faid in this verfe that the face of covering and vail fhould be deftroyed. Will there be any vail left when it is deftroyed? Let the impartial judge.

4. Death or the grave is faid to be deftroyed. I Cor. xv. 26, “The laft enemy that shall be deftroyed is death " It is plain that this death will be destroyed at the refurrection; and that this first death being deftroyed, will be no more. The word DESTROY in thefe places, means to make an end. This is not always the meaning of the word. Once it means to be placed where we cannot help ourselves, and yet not out of the reach of God's help. "O Ifrael, thou haft DESTROYED thyfelf, but in me is thy help." When the word DESTROY is used to defcribe the final ftate of the wicked, it means as certainly to put an end to their existence, as the above mentioned does to put an end to thofe things which exifted before they were deftroyed. This I fhall prove from the fcriptures. Jefus Chrift has mentioned this in Matt. x. 28, “And fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the foul; but rather fear him which is able to DE. STROY both foul and body in hell; This means a final end of foul and body. James fays, chap. iv. 12, "There is one lawgiver, who is able to fave and to DESTROY." 2 Pet. ii. 12, "But thefe, as natural brute beasts, made to be taken and DESTROYED, fpeak evil of the things which they understand not, and fhall utterly perish in thier own corruptions." If being deftroyed, and utterly perifhing, does not mean to make a final end; then plain language is not capable of defcribing it. The language of the prophets agree with what Chrift and the apoftles have faid concerning the wicked being DESTROYED. Pfalm cxlv. 20, "The Lord preferveth all them that love him; but all the wicked will he DESTROY." Pfalm xxxvii. 38, "But the tranfgreffors fhall be DESTROYED together the end of the wicked fhall be cut off." Te

destroy here means to make an end. This must refer to the last day, then the tranfgreffors will be deftroyed together, not before. Prov. xiii. 13, "Whofo defpifeth the word fhall be DESTROYED.' Chap. xxix. 1, "He that, being often reproved, hardeneth his neck, fhall fuddenly be DESTROYED, and that without remedy." This exactly agrees with what Peter fays concerning thofe who will not hear Chrift who reproves the, finner. Acts iii. 23, “And it shall come to pass that every foul which will not hear that prophet, fhall be DESTROYED from a-) mong the people." Chrift tells us to fear him who is able to DESTROY both foul and body in hell. Solomon: fays, He that being often reproved, hardeneth his neck,. fhall fuddenly be deftroyed, and that without remedy; and Peter fays, Every foul that will not hear that prophet, fhall be destroyed from among the people. Can all this be, and yet the foul and body exift eternally in hell? It: cannot be.

3. DESTRUCTION is a word more frequently used than the word deftroy. It means the fame thing, and is often mentioned to defcribe the end of the wicked.

The DESTRUCTION of the wicked will be at the day of judgment, and for this reafon it is called the day of DESTRUCTION. Job xxi, 30, "That the wicked is reserved to the day of DESTRUCTION,they fhall be brought forth to the day of wrath." DESTRUCTION means to make an end. Sometimes it means an end as to this world. Efther viii. 6, "Or how can I endure to fee the DESTRUCTION of my kindred ?" This means to make an end of them in this world. When the word is used to describe: the last end of the wicked, it as certainly means an end of the foul and body forever, as it here means an end of.. the body in this life.

Jefus in his fermon on the mount, firft told his hearers of the gate and way which leads to DESTRUCTION. Matt. vii. 13, "Enter ye in at the ftrait gate; for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to DESTRUCTION, and many there be which go in thereat." Paul fpeaks of this fame way. Rom. iii. 16, "DESTRUCTION and mifery are in their ways." The DESTRUCTION

which this way leads to, is mentioned by Paul in 2 Teff. i. 9, "Who fhall be punished with everlasting DESTRUCTION from the prefence of the Lord and from the glory of his power." This DESTRUCTION means without any recovery. This DESTRUCTION means the punishment which the wicked' fhall receive at the laft day. See ver.7,8, "And to you who are troubled reft with us,when the Lord' Jefus fhall be revealed from heaven with his mighty angels, in flaming fire,taking vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the gofpel of our Lord Jefus Christ who fhall be punished with everlasting DESTRUCTION."The character of thofe who will share in this DESTRUCTION is given by Paul; and this is faid by him to be their end. Philip iii. 18, 19, "For many walk of whom I have told you often, and now tell you, even weeping, that they are the enemies of the cross of Chrift, whofe end is DESTRUCTION, whofe god is their belly,and whofe glory is their fhame, who mind earthly things." In thefe verfes mention is made of those who walk in the way that leads to DESTRUCTION; and their end is faid to be DESTRUCTION. Is it poffible for any pefon or thing to exift forever after it is come to an end by being destroyed? No, it is not. The DESTRUCTION of the wicked is mentioned by Paul in 1 Thess. v. 3, "For when they fhall fay, peace and fafety, then fudden DESTRUCTION cometh upon them, as travail upon a woman with child, and they fhall not efcape." This DESTRUCTION is to come on them at the day of the Lord. Verse 2, "For yourfelves know perfectly that the day ofthe Lord fo cometh as a thief in the night; for when they fhall say peace and safety,then fudden DESTRUCTION Cometh upon them."

This fame DESTRUCTION of the wicked which is their end, is mentioned by Peter. 2 Pet. ii. 1, "But there. were falfe prophets also among the people, even as there fhall be falfe teachers among you, who privily fhall bring in damnable herefies, even denying the Lord that bought them, and bring upon themfelves fwift DESTRUCTION.' This fame DESTRUCTION, and those who are to be deftroyed, is mentioned in chap. iii. 16, "As alfo in all his epiftles fpeaking in them of these things, in which