labors, dangers, and sufferings. They counted not their lives dear unto themselves, if they might finish their course with joy, in testifying the gospel of the grace of God.

Now the same spirit prevails in some good degree among those who hold the doctrine of eternal punishment,-some have given their property, others have relinquished their fortunes, friends, country and all, for the sake of bearing the glad tidings of the gospel to the ends of the earth. Now what society of objectors make such sacrifices to send the gospel to the destitute? No one can be found. And have not those denominations who are planting their missions all over the heathen world, a better claim to be considered as actuated by the spirit of Christ than those who stay at home and oppose this work? Again, that system which maintains the doctrine of endless punishment, often reclaims men from vicious habits and from a life of sin. The Methodist missionaries among the Indians of Canada, inform us that of an extensive tribe where, drunkenness extensively prevailed, almost the whole body of the people have been led through the sanctifying influence of the gospel, to abandon wholly the use of intoxicating stimulants. When David Brainard preached the gospel to our western Indians and they felt its heavenly influence, they abandoned their habits of witchcraft, drunkenness, and idolatry, to which they had been wholly addicted. And wherever the gospel has been preached by the Orthodox in Christian or heathen lands, and has been believed, it has produced an entire reformation in the heart and the life. Now does the opposite system often reclaim men from vicious habits and from a life of sin? I have seen the objectors to endless punishment converted to a belief of this system, and on this change taking place, I have seen a happy change in their moral deportment. But can an instance be found in which a devout, and humble, and consistent believer in endless punishment, has become more pious and heavenly by rejecting that doctrine and embracing the opposite scheme. The process is something like this: They neglect the private and public duties of religion; leave the communion table and the conference room; fall into some habitual vices, and then embrace a system which

advocates the salvation of all men. You will often hear it said of an individual, that a few years ago it was thought that he experienced religion. But since he has become vicious, he has been excommunicated from the church and joined with the Universalists. But you never hear the reverse of this with respect to any one. Here then is a further evidence that that system is the true one which corrects the habits and reforms the life.

Once more, the system which holds the doctrine of endless punishment, never occasions distress in a dying hour; while its opposite frequently leads to the most distressing apprehensions on a death bed. I do not say that all the objectors to endless punishment find their foundation to fail them in a dying hour. They may sometimes die in peace. Men who have been ardently attached to a theory like theirs, who are attached to their country, may die bravely in its defence. Nor is it pretended that all who embrace the opposite system die in peace and triumph. The point to which I wish to call your attention is this:-When the objector to endless punishment dies in distress of mind, he charges his distressing apprehensions upon the character of his religious system; but when the believer in endless punishment dies in distress, he charges his distressing apprehensions not to the character of his system, but to his nonconformity to its principles. Though he may exclaim, I am going to hell, yet he does not disavow the principles he formerly embraced. He does not say, this false and dangerous system has ruined my soul. He only laments that his life was not conformed to its principles. But the objector on his death bed cries out, I am going to hell, and warns his friends not to embrace a religious system that has ruined his soul. He disavows it, and declares that it will not abide the trials of a dying hour. Is it said that those who renounced their belief in the doctrine of universal salvation in a dying hour, never really believed it? Well, but there are instances of persons who pretend to believe in future punishment who never really believe in it. And why do not they confess their hypocrisy in the hour of death? The doctrine of endless punishament harmonizes with the dictates of an enlightened conscience,

and the serious convictions of an enlightened mind in a dying hour. These are evidences that it is a doctrine of the Bible, and ought to be believed.

10. The last proof of the doctrine in question which I shall now bring, is derived from the facts exhibited in the state of fallen angels, and in those of our race who have died in impenitence. Angels who kept not their first estate, but sinned against the Most High, were cast down from heaven, and are reserved in chains of darkness, unto the judgment of the great day, to be punished. Banished from the presence of God and the society of the Blessed, they will never more enjoy that society, nor behold his face in peace. For them no mercy is designed. As they have lost the knowledge, image, and favor of the only Source of enjoyment to moral natures, and as no mercy is provided for them, they must of course be miserable forever.

Sinners of our race who have closed their mortal career in impenitence, are left in the same hopeless condition. While on earth, "they were of their father the devil, and the lusts of their father they will do," (John 8: 44,) and now with him they have departed accursed into everlasting fire prepared for the devil and his angels.

Such were the ante deluvians, who disregarded the expostulations and admonitions of Noah, during the term of God's long suffering, while the ark was preparing. The patience of God having been at length quite exhausted, he brought in the flood upon the world of the ungodly. The deluge came and swept to destruction these despisers of the riches of divine grace.

Such were the inhabitants of Sodom and the other cities of the plain. When Lot warned them of their approaching rain, they regarded him as one that mocked. But having filled up the measure of their iniquity, "by their unlawfnl deeds," they were swept from the earth by a storm of fire and brimstone rained down from heaven, and many hundreds of years afterwards were represented by Jude as "examples to those who should afterwards live ungodly, suffering the vengeance of eternal fire."

Such was Judas, the betrayer of our Lord, of whom it was said, "Good for that man if he had never been born." Such were the Jews, who crucified their Lord and then refused to believe on him as the true Messiah.

Look at these facts to which we have here alluded. Do they exhibit no marks of God's hatred to sin; no evidence of his determination to punish it in all those who go on still in ther trespasses? Do they not exemplify these principles and arguments laid down in his discourse? Do they not declare the endless punishment of the sinner? These are facts that cannot be controverted, and therefore furnish a practical proof of the endless punishment of the wicked.

Thus it appears, my dear hearers, from the constitution and fitness of things; from the evil nature and tendency of sin; from the promises of the gospel; from the moral perfections and government of God; from the sufferings and death of Christ; from the joy of angels over the repentance of sinners; from the unutterable anxiety of inspired men for their conversion; from the tendency of the doctrine of endless punishment; and from the facts exhibited in the case of fallen angels, and finally impenitent men; that our text is fully established, so far as it is possible for human reason to confirm the dictates of Revelation. "The soul that sinneth, it shall die."-It "shall go away into everlasting punishment."

From the view which we have taken of this subject, we may learn,

1st. In what light mankind should regard themselves, considered as sinners. That we are all contaminated with sin, but few will wholly deny. But it is one thing to acknowledge in general that we are sinners, and quite another to have a scriptural view of our guilt and danger. While the impenitent will not wholly extenuate their guilt, they are grossly and wilfully ignorant of the exceeding sinfulness of sin, and of the nature and duration of that punishment which is the just desert of the sinner. But in this and the preceding lectures, you, my impenitent hearers, have been presented with a mass of scripture evidence to prove that dying in your present character, endless misery will be your inevitable doom. Nothing

but alienation of heart, and an unwillingness to come to the light, can possibly hinder you from perceiving this testimony which so fully exhibits this important truth. Only one positive proof remains, which I pray God none of my hearers may ever receive; the actual endurance of the pains of hell forever.

Fellow sinner, your condition is truly alarming. Would you be convinced of your guilt as transgressors of the divine law; would you open your eyes to your danger, hanging over the burning billows of eternal woe, you could not remain easy until you had obtained a satisfactory evidence that your soul had been cleansed, and your pardon sealed in that blood which was shed on Calvary for the remission of sin.

2d. Another inference worthy of notice is, that sinners have no excuse to plead for presuming that God will not punish them eternally. From the nature of the case it is evident, that the sinner, who is in supreme love with sin, and who is destitute of the knowledge, likeness and favor of God, must, if left to himself, retain his present character, die in his sins, and be forever miserable. Unless Jehovah should change, he could not be happy were he admitted to heaven. But Jehovah cannot change; for the least alteration in his character would mar its perfection and subvert his moral government. How then can the sinner, who has not one qualification for the heavenly inheritance, be happy? From correct reasonings on the nature and desert of sin, the perfections of God, and his relation to the universe as its moral Governor, it has been proved that the soul that sinneth it shall die. From facts and considerations which exhibit these principles, and from direct scripture testimony, the same truth is clearly exhibited. Have sinners then any excuse for believing that the punishment of the wicked will not be endless? Is not every ground of excuse covered? Has not the Lord written their character and sentence as with the brightness of the sunbeams? They want not evidence of the truth of our text.

3d. Again we remark, that this subject furnishes sinners mith a powerful motive to induce them to forsake their sins. It not only leads them to a just discovery of the evil and demerit of sin, but urges