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is it now a natural inference that their punishment ceased, and they were made holy and happy the moment they left this world? But what says the word of God in these cases? It says they were destroyed, that they were taken away in his wrath, that his fury was poured out upon them. And are we notwithstanding to suppose that his wrath has accomplished the work of mercy, because these sinners were too wicked to live upon earth, and made them holy and taken them to heaven as the reward of their iniquity?oday to 7. The Scriptures assert everlasting punishment—“ eternal damnation,”—“ eternal judgment," “the vengeance of eternal fire," where "the smoke of their torment ascendeth up for ever and ever." See Matt. xxv, 46; Mark iii, 29, compared with Matt. xii, 31, 32; Heb. vi, 2; Jude, verse 7; Rev. xiv, 11, and xx, 10. Although the present discussion more properly relates to the simple existence of future punishment, than to the duration of it, yet those passages which assert it to be eternal, everlasting, &c., are undeniable proofs of my doctrine. I shall not now urge, as I might do, that the same words, which in the above passages are applied to the punishment of the wicked, are the strongest we have to express the eternal existence of God, and the endless felicity of the saints, and therefore ought to be taken in their most literal and obvious meaning; but for the sake of the argument, I will allow what the Universalists have always contended for,

namely, that these words signify an age, or period of duration. And then it will be impossible to save the doctrine of universal salvation; for according to this interpretation of the words, the wicked shall suffer an age of punishment. Now this age of punishment must be either in this world, or in the future state. If the question related to the first sin, or sins, committed by man, it would probably be said that he has an age before him in this world, in which to suffer the punishment of his sins. But what can be said when the question relates to the last sin committed by man, and that the sin by which he passes beyond the boundaries of time into eternity? Those who commit suicide shall again instruct us in those great concerns of our souls. Here is a class of human beings who commit one of the greatest crimes, and yet do not remain a moment in the world to suffer for it. Now, says Universalism, every man shall suffer according to his sins. Surely then, those who destroy their own lives must suffer in the future state, seeing they do not remain a moment after their crime to suffer in this. And this is according to the Bible.

8. The Scriptures abundantly express the same sentiment negatively: "He that blasphemeth against the Holy Ghost hath never forgiveness," ," and of course hath never salvation, seeing there can be no salvation without forgiveness, Mark iii, 29. When our Saviour represents the blessings of the Gospel by a

marriage feast, he says of those who refused to come when they were bidden, "I say unto you, that none of those men which were bidden shall taste of my supper," Luke xiv, 24. How then can they be saved? Once more: "He that believeth not the Son, shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him," John iii, 36. Here one verb is in the present time, believeth not; and the other is in the future, shall not see life; and the plain meaning of the passage is, he that believeth not now, while he lives, and has the means of grace, shall not, after that period, see life.

But what need is there of multiplying particular proofs, when the same thing may be abundantly proved another way. The genius of religion, the scope of the Scriptures, and the economy of Providence, all point to the future state as the proper time and place for rewards and punishments. Religion is the first duty, and should be the great business of the life of man. The righteous man walks by faith in things unseen, and supports himself on a hope of future happiness while passing through the afflictions of this life. God is holy, and requires holiness of his rational creatures. Sin has done infinite mischief in the world, and is infinitely hateful to the holy God. He has every where in his word set his face against it, and denounced the heaviest woes against transgressors. He does not, however, execute sentence against them speedily; but because he is merciful as well as holy, he gives them

a space to repent, and even waits long to be gracious. He threatens, he admonishes, he entreats: he uses with them a course of mercies and correction ;-mercies, that they may have a motive to seek his face ;-corrections, that they may fear the heavier penalties of his law. While dealing thus with his creatures, he does not make all that distinction between him that feareth him, and him that feareth him not, which he designs ultimately to make, and which the promises and threatenings of his word require. The dispensations of his providence are generally the same with respect to both the righteous and the wicked. Neither the happiness of the one, nor the punishment of the other, is what we might expect from the hand of the infinite Ruler of the universe. Neither the promises to the one, nor the threatenings to the other, appear to be fully accomplished in this life. The result of the whole is, that there will be another state, a state of exact retribution, where he will render to all according to their deeds. These great principles are every where spread before our eyes, and proposed to the underderstanding of all men. They have been the support and comfort of the afflicted righteous in every age, and have been urged, and that with the greatest success, against those who have denied revelation and the providence of God. While infidels have contended that the world is governed by chance, and have urged that all "things come alike to all men"

in this world, the fathers and doctors of the Church have admitted the conclusion as a general thing, but denied the premises, and have maintained the cause of God, by contending that the appearances of chance in the dispensations of Providence to men in this world were sure indications of a future retribution. But now we have a new species of infidelity sprung up in the Church, a species of infidelity more absurd than the old, since it affirms that there is an exact retribution both of rewards and punishments in this life; and that with the evidence of Divine revelation, the observation of all mankind, and the testimony of our senses against it. But since it is so, we will hear the objection to this doctrine, and by the grace of God we will answer it.

Obj. "The manifest tendency of virtue is to make mankind happy in this world, while the tendency of vice is to make them miserable. To this agree the Scriptures, which testify that 'The way of the transgressor is hard,' while 'wisdom's ways are ways of pleasantness, and all her paths are peace.'. It is, therefore, both reasonable and Scriptural to conclude that rewards and punishments have respect to this life only."

To this we answer: It was never denied by any who hold future punishment, that the tendency of vice is to make mankind miserable, or the tendency of virtue to make them happy; much less was it ever denied that "the way of the transgressor is hard." These are general

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