I have heard some with great confidence insist upon the impossibility of eternal punishments, from the soul of man being, as they insinuate, a ray of divinity, or an emanation from God. But even if it were so, I cannot perceive that this would any more conclude against one kind or degree of punishment, than another; for do but grant the soul of man to suffer only an hour's punishment for sin, and the argument loses all its force. And he that will deny that punishment is inflicted for sin at all, must make very bold advances toward a full rejection, not only of all sacred record, but also of reason, experience, and common

sense.

I would now crave the reader's patience and solid attention, while I a little longer detain him, with a number of scripture passages, and remarks, which I hope are not unworthy his serious consideration.

John x. 28. Christ says of his sheep, "I give unto them eternal life," and adds this gracious promise, "they shall never perish." Now who are these his sheep? Surely not all mankind, for he expressly told the unbelieving Jews, but two verses before, "Ye believe not, because ye are not of my sheep." Here it plainly appears that some are not the sheep of Christ, unto whom he giveth eternal life; and it more abundantly appears, in that the scripture bears ample testimony, that some absolutely do, or shall perish; for how can such as do perish be of the sheep who shall never perish? Many are the texts which declare that some perish: a few may suffice for probation of this point; as Acts xiii. 41, "Behold ye despisers, and wonder and perish." 1 Cor. i. 18, "The preaching of the cross, is to them that perish, foolishness, but unto us which are saved, it is the power of God." Alas! "the preaching of the cross" still remains to be treated as foolishness by too many; but let it be remembered, that it is also still the power of God unto them that are saved. But what meant the apostle by ranging such as are saved, in direct opposition to them that perish? Is it not plain that he viewed them that perish, as utterly excluded from the joys of such as are saved? Does he not evidently use the word perish in direct contrast with that of being saved? Does he not again in his second to the Corinthians (ii. 15,) set these two

states in the most striking opposition, saying, "We are unto God, a sweet savour of Christ, in them that are saved, and in them that perish?" But, mark well, to the one they were a savour of life, and to the other a savour of death: so opposite are the states of the saved, and of them that perish.

Let none say, it is only sin, satan, or our evil dispositions that perish, as I have often heard ridiculously advanced; for it is in them that perish that satan worketh: "Even him whose coming is after the working of satan, with all power, and signs, and lying wonders, and with all deceiveableness of unrighteousness in them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved." 2 Thess. ii. 9, 10. Here we not only see they are again said to perish, but it is expressly "because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved." Will any be fool-hardy enough to assert, that these are of the number of Christ's sheep, unto whom he giveth eternal life, and who never shall perish? If they are, where is the difference between perish, and not perish? Or, can any be so absurd as to suppose, that those who are here positively said to perish, are not men? Are they not plainly such in whom he worketh," whose coming is after the working of satan?" to wit, he who now rules in the children of disobedience, the fallen, rebellious sons of Adam.

The beloved disciple says plainly, "No murderer hath eternal life abiding in him." 1 John iii. 15. Surely then, every one who deserves this character, which he says is "whosoever hateth his brother," is excluded from the number of those sheep unto whom our Lord giveth eternal life. I believe the depth of criminality, in hating a brother, under any pretence, is too seldom fully apprehended; and doubtless every man, who finally continueth in this disposition of hatred, and therein destitute of eternal life, will witness to his unspeakable sorrow, that "his latter end shall be that he perish forever." See Num. xxiv. 20. So far is the scripture from countenancing this sin-pleasing notion that all mankind will be saved. Indeed, our dear Lord told some in that day, "Except your righteousness shall exceed the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, ye shall in no case enter into the kingdom of heaven." Mat. v. 20. But upon this

union plan, these very scribes and Pharisees had the righteousness of Christ to all intents and purposes, and were one with him in all things, enjoying his state and condition in the fullest manner possible. How then could they be excluded the kingdom? Must not their righteousness be the same as his, if he and they were one in all things? Why then need any have a righteousness superior to theirs? Or how can any be excluded for want of the most excellent kind or degree of righteousness, if all have that which really is the most excellent, and that in the highest degree possible?

Christ wept in very moving language over such as he would have gathered, but positively declares, "ye would not." His language is, "Wo unto you scribes and Pharisees;" and after upbraiding them of their wicked works, he proceeds thus: "Ye serpents, ye generation of vipers, how can ye escape the damnation of hell?” Now does not this, with his next words after telling them "ye would not," to wit, "behold your house is left unto you desolate," point out a most forsaken and undone condition? They had resisted his invitations, and "would not" be gathered, till their house was left unto them desolate, and till the things belonging to their peace were hid from their eyes. See Mat. xxiii. 29, to the end. Luke xix. 42. Oh! that none may ever, through a false hope of peace, and even while crying peace, peace, to themselves and others, resist the gathering invitations of divine love, till true peace is forever hid from their eyes, and till total desolation comes upon them! This may be depended on as the infallible portion of all who die in their sins, for where Christ is gone, they cannot come; and "there is no peace, saith my God, to the wicked." Isai. lvii. 21.

Next let us view Deut. xxix. 18, 19, 20. "Lest there should be among you a root that beareth gall and wormwood; and it come to pass when he heareth the words of this curse, that he bless himself in his heart, saying, I shall have peace, though I walk in the imagination of mine heart to add drunkenness to thirst: the Lord will not spare him, but then the anger of the Lord and his jealousy shall smoke against that man, and all the curses that are written in this book shall lie upon him." Now observe his false confidence, "I shall have peace." Just the VOL. II.-52

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language of the universalists; some of which I believe I have known, who, in this dangerous confidence, have greatly given way, upon embracing this opinion, to "add drunkenness to a thirst," which they had long before been known to have had, but from the frequent indulgence whereof they had in great measure been restrained. But when once a man begins to "bless himself in his heart," in the mistaken assurance of peace" in sin, what shall restrain the sallies of licentiousness, or check the growth of the bitter root? Will he not naturally proceed to "add drunkenness to thirst?" Will he not give a loose to perverse inclinations? And is not the proper preservative proposed in this passage, "the Lord will not spare him?" So far from sparing him, that his anger shall even smoke against him. Let all, therefore, beware the dreadful illusion; for most assuredly this false hope of peace will fail; most certainly "there is no peace to the wicked."

I have been grieved to hear individuals attempting to justify their licentiousness by the merits of Christ. It was truly mournful to hear them urging that "the debt was paid" by him, and therefore it was no matter about their conduct. I am sensible the more sober and judicious among them do not commonly treat the subject in this manner; nor would I urge the unguarded expressions of a few, as a sample of the general opinion among them; but as the fundamental principle also says, with those few," the debt is paid," I would it might be seriously considered, whether many, if not most of those who walk pretty uprightly among them, are not, notwithstanding a good degree of circumspection, weakened in their religious engagements, by the flattering influence of that sentiment, and so far diverted from true watchfulness and devotion, as to be much deprived of the sweetness of such divine enjoyments, as some of them were once favoured with. And if it be found that some, though ever so few, have been hurt by the doctrine, and that none have been evidently reformed in life, by the promulgation of it, it deserves to be well weighed whether it can possibly be the genuine doctrine of him whose work is to finish sin, make an end of transgression, bring in everlasting righteousness, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works; and

who declares a life of daily self-denial absolutely necessary to discipleship.

Jer. vii. 4. "Trust ye not in lying words, saying, the temple of the Lord, the temple of the Lord, the temple of the Lord are these." These are really "lying words" in the mouths of all the unconverted: but is not their trusting in a hope or belief that they are the "temple of the Lord," and so thinking themselves safe, very like the boast we hear of union and inclusion in Christ, and that the soul cannot be lost, because, say they, it is a ray of divinity? But what says the 8th verse? "Behold ye trust in lying words, that cannot profit." Well, the 16th runs thus: "Therefore pray not thou for this people, neither lift up cry nor prayer for them, neither make intercession to me, for I WILL NOT HEAR THEE." Oh! dismal situation! What can be the hope of those for whom the Lord will not hear cry or prayer? Are not such certainly rejected of him? Does not the 29th verse fully confirm this idea? The words are, "The Lord hath rejected and forsaken the generation of his wrath." Well then may he refuse to hear their prayers, if he has both rejected and forsaken them. In the next chapter, verse 11, we read, "For they have healed the hurt of the daughter of my people slightly, saying, peace, peace, when there is no peace." A little after the Lord declares, "The things that I have given them shall pass away from them." Surely it is a gone case, whenever this passing away of divine gifts and visitations takes place with any soul; and it is very evident that these very rebels considered it so, and knew it was a gone case with them, for they soon after, (verse 20,) cry out in the language of despair, and say of themselves, "The harvest is past, the summer is ended, and we are not saved." Oh! woful case! Oh! direful situation! Not saved, though the only time and opportunity are past, are ended, and gone forever! "Behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation." 2 Cor. vi. 2. Summer is our seed time; our time of growth and improvement: and though the Lord had afforded these people a summer season, and had sown the good seed in their hearts, in order for their improvement, yet it seems their persevering obstinacy provoked him to reject and forsake them, as a generation of his wrath,

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