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But, there is another argument, which has been advanced by those who advocate the doctrine of everlasting and living torture: that it is inconsistent with the glory of God, that the wicked should not be caused to exist for ever, and in corporeal anguish. Thus, then, a doctrine which is most plainly inconsistent with all our ideas of the omnipotence, omniscience, omnipresence, justice, mercy, love, truth, and sacred word of the Almighty, we are called upon to believe, because it is said to be consistent with His glory!

Of what must that mind be constituted, which can imagine the glory of God, to consist in what have been termed the tortures of the damned. The heart of man recoils from such a thought; and at the dread and impious idea, nature itself would shudder. Human invention, with all its powers, has failed to paint even the Devil in deeper shades of horror. It is, they tell us, his supreme delight, his hellish joy, to keep the wicked in increasing tortures, for ever and ever! And does the same dread feeling constitute the everlasting glory of our God? O thou eternal Lord of righteousness and peace, of love and mercy; O heavenly Father, cleanse the hearts of all thy faithful children, from such polluting thoughts.

Before closing this discourse, my brethren, let me remark, that the use of scriptural phrases, when speaking of scriptural subjects, is a practice very strenuously, and (when correctly applied) I think very properly insisted upon, by many denominations of Christians: because, if we make use of expressions on those subjects which are not used in scripture, and omit those which are, we are sure to convey false ideas. Now, the word

torture, or any derivative from it, or any word synony mous with it, never once occurs in the whole of the sacred writings. The word torment, is used to express a very different idea, viz: affliction of any kind. "Fear hath torment:" "they were taken with divers diseases and torments:" "thy servant lieth at home greviously tormented." In the parable of Dives and Lazarus, this word torment is used. "I am tormented in this flame." In the Revelations too, it is several times made use of; and in all these cases, has been applied by some to the eternal punishment of the wicked. I shall shew to you, however, hereafter, that in none of them will it bear any such application. But the word torture which implies the active vengeance of execution, never once occurs in the Scriptures. Why, then, is it so frequently made use of, by those who think it improper to use unscriptural expressions?

You will observe, that in this discourse I have rested my arguments on our ideas of the nature of man and the attributes of God, referring but seldom to the direct evidence of Divine Revelation. I readily admit, nevertheless, that however abhorrent the doctrine of eternal torture may be to all human ideas of the attributes of the Deity; yet, if it is not a fable of human invention; if there is any one passage in the holy Scriptures; in which this doctrine is plainly taught, then we must believe it, and receive it, as the undoubted dictum of divine truth. That our minds may be enabled, clearly to ascertain this fact, I have extracted every important passage from the holy Scriptures, which has reference to the eternal punishment of the wicked; and shall lay before you in the discourse of this evening, each of these

passages. You will then see the separate meaning of each, andthus be enabled generally to comprehend the connected meaning of the whole. I only contend for this: that if any doctrine is taught in the Scriptures, that doctrine is true. If any doctrine is taught of man, and not to be found clearly revealed in the Scriptures, that doctrine is a fable of human invention-it is false.

SERMON VII.

MATTHEW XXV. 46.-" And these shall go away into everlasting punishment, but the righteous into life eternal."

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IF any doctrine is taught in the holy Scriptures, that doctrine is the truth: and if any doctrine is taught of man, and not to be found clearly revealed in the holy Scriptures, that doctrine is false. Of this, I should suppose no christian doubts. Now, I say, that the doctrine of eternal torture, is not to be found in the Scriptures, and therefore it is false. But, that the doctrine of the everlasting destruction of the wicked, is clearly and distinctly, and expressly revealed in the Scriptures, and therefore it is true. Whatever may be the arguments of sophistry, upon this fact the whole question must at last depend. I shall therefore, at present, close my discourses upon this subject, by présenting to your attention, every important passage which

occurs in the sacred writings, having reference to the eternal punishment of the wicked.

Before I lay before you these texts, let me say one word to you, respecting the book of Revelations. It is admitted, by all the wisest and most learned commentators on the Scriptures, that this book is at present utterly incomprehensible. The greater part is supposed to consist of prophecies, mysteriously delivered, and not as yet accomplished, and which therefore, no one can at present understand. I say not this, to invalidate any text which may be found there, referring to our present subject, for there are none which can possibly be construed to imply those eternal tortures, which are said by some to be the doom of the wicked.

But, there are two passages, which have been adduced for this purpose: the first occurs in the 14th chapter, and 8th verse: "And there followed another angel, saying, Babylon is fallen, is fallen, that great city, because she made all nations drink of the wine of the wrath of her fornication. And the third angel followed them, saying with a loud voice, if any man worship the beast and his image, and receive his mark in his forehead, or in his hand, the same shall drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is poured out without mixture into the cup of his indignation; and he shall be tormented with fire and brimstone, in the presence of the holy angels, and in the presence of the Lamb: and the smoke of their torments ascendeth up for ever and ever."

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Now, I believe, my brethren, that no candid person will pretend distinctly to understand this passage. It has been made, however, a powerful weapon of secta

rian authority. By some, the beast is said to be the Pope of Rome. That church, however, not satisfied with this explanation, applies it to all those who dissent from themselves. This text, too, has been the foundation of that doctrine of fire and brimstone, which is said to have such a salutary effect upon the wicked.There is one part, however, of this passage, which every child can comprehend, because it is delivered in express words; which cannot be misunderstood; and this you will find sufficient to neutralize its whole effect. That those who are tormented, are to be so, "in the presence of the holy angels and in the presence of the Lamb;" and from their presence it is, that the "smoke of their torments ascendeth up for ever and ever." In order to make this passage apply to the eternal punishment of the wicked, then, we must first suppose that the wicked shall not be driven from the presence of the Lord; and second, that their Hell shall be in Heaven.

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The only other passage, which occurs in the Revelations, having reference to the punishment of the wicked, occurs in the 20th chap. and 13th verse: "And death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them, and they were judged every man according to their works; and death and hell were cast in to the lake of fire; and whosoever was not found written in the book of life, was cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death." Now, whatever this passage may mean, it is at least clear, that into the same lake of fire, Death and Hell, as well as all the wicked, are to be cast, and as we cannot imagine that Death and Hell are cast there, to be tortured, we

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