tained in the holy Scriptures. I conclude, therefore, that the doctrine of the everlasting destruction of the wicked, is taught in Divine Revelation, and therefore it is true.

It cannot be contended, that the doctrine of the everlasting destruction of the wicked, is not in many texts of Scripture, expressly affirmed. It cannot be contended that the doctrine of eternal torture, is in any one text of Scripture, expressly taught. This alone would be sufficient, one would think, in any candid mind, to work conviction. But, my brethren, is there any one of these texts, from which, (without the utmost violence to common sense and reason,) it can possibly be implied? and even if it could, what should we say to such a doctrine as that of eternal torture, derived from the Scriptures by implication? My brethren, if such a doctrine is not revealed in express words, in the Holy Scriptures; if it is not so clearly revealed that it would be impossible for any human being to misunderstand it; it is surely an insult to the majesty, the justice, the mercy, the love, and the eternal glory of our God, to ascribe it to Him. What! shall we dare insult the supreme majesty of the Creator of the universe, by stating to our fellow-beings, and giving out to the heathen, that His glory shall consist in the eternal torture of a large portion of his creatures, when no such word, when not a syllable of any such thing, is to be discovered in the sacred writings? By implication, founded on the forced interpretation of some particular text or part of a text, such as that in the book of Revelation-" these shall be tormented with fire and brimstone, and the smoke of their torment ascendeth forever and ever," are we to

be called upon to believe a doctrine, which, to every reflecting mind, appears utterly at variance with the justice, the mercy, and the love of the Deity? Why, in quoting this passage (which is so often quoted) are the words, which occur in the midst of it, almost invariably omitted? Because, if they were not omitted, it would be impossible to deduce from it any such doctrine. Let it but read thus---" He shall be tormented with fire and brimstone, in the presence of the holy angels, and in the presence of the Lamb," and it is then impossible to apply it to the eternal punishment of the wicked. Yet, so often are the words quoted, "these shall be tormented with fire and brimstone, and the smoke of their torment ascendeth forever and ever," so often, I say, are these words quoted, that they are, I doubt not, familiar to the ears of most of you; but so invariably are the others omitted, though occurring in the middle of the same passage, "in the presence of the holy angels and in the presence of the Lamb," so invariably, I say, are these omitted, that I question whether many of you were even aware that they did occur in the very midst of the same sentence. Now, whatever may be the design, the tendency of thus cutting up and garbling the Scriptures, is certainly to keep you in ignorance of the whole connected truth of God.

You have full frequently heard the word Hell, with all its fearful accompaniments, uttered from the pulpit ; but how often have you been told that Hell was the valley of Hinnom? and that the fire which was never quenched, was the perpetual fire kept there by the edict of King Josiah; and used to consume the dead carcases which were carried out of Jerusalem? and yet this

is a point of importance; and one which has never been disputed by any commentator. But it is one on which, I believe, a large proportion have remained in ignorance up to the present time. What is the effect of this? it is that the whole truth of God is not made known :--The lake of fire and brimstone has been often mentioned to you; but how often have you been told, that into this lake death and hell were to be cast at the day of judgment?

My brethren, if you will not search the Scriptures, and think, and reason for yourselves, you deserve to be thus deluded, and you will ever be so. But if you do make use of the judgment which God has given to you, and investigate the Scriptures, and by the aid of his Eternal Spirit endeavor for yourselves to comprehend and understand His Holy Word, you cannot be deceived.

Independent of its opposition to our ideas of the attributes of God; independent of the fact that it is no where mentioned in the Scriptures; there are four contradictions which must be got over before we can even form an idea of eternal torture. First: everlasting fire which does not consume. Second: continued pain without destruction. Third: continued life, although utterly cut off from the only source and cause of all life. And fourth: present existence, though driven from the presence of the omnipresent God.-Let the mind endeavor to realize any one of these ideas, and it will find that each implies a palpable contradiction; yet they must all combine, to form the idea of eternal torture.

Thus, then, my brethren, have I laid before you, in the various discourses which you have lately heard, up

on this most interesting and important subject, so far as I have been enabled, the whole truth of God. That God to whom all hearts are open, and from whom no secrets are hid, knows that I have not intentionally withheld from you, or intentionally disguised or misrepresented any part or portion of His sacred word. To vindicate his justice, his mercy and his love---to vindicate his truth and his consistency, by the authority of His own sacred word, has been the object of these discourses. I have been amply recompensed by the assurance, that they have induced many to search the Scriptures for themselves, and by the hope, that many more may do so.

Let me conclude, my brethren, with one short sentence of advice: never receive as a doctrine of divine revelation, any opinion which appears to militate against the attributes of God, and must, therefore, have a tendency to lessen your reverence for the Deity, without. the fullest investigation, and without testing it by that unerring touchstone, the sacred Scriptures; for be assured, that every doctrine which is taught in the Scriptures, is the truth; and every doctrine which is taught of men, but is not to be found in the Book of God, is false.

SERMON VIII.

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

LUKE xvi. 23.-"And in Hell he lifted up his eyes, being in torments."

IN the discourses which I lately delivered to you on the doctrine of everlasting punishment, I did not think it necessary to explain to you the parable of Dives and Lazarus, which I have selected as the subject of our consideration this morning, because the punishment of which I was then speaking, was that which was to take place at the final judgment, to which this parable has no reference whatever. But, as I understand that there are some, who are desirous that in these discourses, this parable should not be omitted; and, as (though not having any direct and immediate reference to the subject on which they treat,) it is yet closely connected with it, I have therfore thought it advisable, to devote a portion of our time this morning, to the investigation of it.

This parable is one of the most interesting in the holy Scriptures, inasmuch as it is, perhaps, the only one which conveys a clear and distinct idea, of the state of the soul, between the moment of death and that of the final resurrection. It is a parable, to which, if we