Prophet, ftruck, no doubt, with astonishment and horror at the profpect of the continuance of the torments of the damned, breaks out into this moving expoftulation, "Who can dwell with everlasting burnings?"

The New Teftament is ftill fuller as to this point, it being a revelation which brought this and fuch-like particulars to a clear light, The Apostle Jude tells us of the profane defpifers of dignities in his days, that "for them was reserved the blacknefs of darkness for ever." And in the book of the Revelations, it is written, that "the fmoke of the torments of the wicked afcendeth for ever and ever." And if we believe the witness of meu infpired, the witness of the Son of GOD, who had the Spirit given him, as Mediator, without measure, is still far greater: and in St. Mark's gofpel, He repeats this folemn declaration three feveral times, "It is better for thee to enter into life maimed ;" that is, it is better to forego the gratification of thy luft, or incur the displeasure of a friend, which may be as dear to thee as a hand, or as ufeful as a foot, "than having two hands and feet, (that is, for indulging the one, or disobeying GOD to oblige the other) to be caft into hell, where the worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched."

And here again, in the words of the text, "These (the wicked) fhall go away into everlasting punishment."

I know it has been objected by fome who have denied the eternity of hell-torments, That the words everlasting and ever and ever, are often used in the Holy Scriptures, (especially in the Old Testament) when they fignify not an endless dura+ tion, but a limited term of time.

And this we readily grant: but then we reply, That when the words are used with this limitation, they either manifestly appear to be used fo from the context; or are put in oppofition to occafional types which God gave his people on some special occafions, as when it is faid, "It fhall be a perpetual or everlasting ftatute," or, "a ftatute for ever;" that is, a ftanding type, and not merely tranfient or occafional, as was the pillar of cloud, the manna, and fuch-like. Or, laftly, they have a relation to that covenant, GOD made with his fpiritually Ifrael; which, if understood in a spiritual sense,,

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will be everlasting, though the ceremonial difpenfation be abolished.

Befides, it ought to be obferved, that fome of the paffages just now referred to, have neither of these words so much as mentioned in them, and cannot poffibly be interpreted, so as to denote only a limited term of years.

But let that be as it will, it is evident even to a demonftration, that the words of the text will not admit of fuch a reftrained fignification, as appears from their being directly oppofed to the words immediately following, "That the righteous fhall go into life eternal." From which words, all are ready to grant, that the life promised to the righteous will be eternal. And why the punishment threatened to the wicked fhould not be understood to be eternal likewife, when the very fame word in the original, is used to exprefs the duration of each, no fhadow of a reason can be given.

But, Secondly, There cannot be one argument urged, why GOD fhould reward his faints with everlasting happiness, which will not equally prove that he ought to punish finners with eternal mifery.

For, fince we know nothing (at least for a certainty) how he will deal with either, but by a Divine Revelation; and fince, as was proved by the foregoing argument, he hath as pofitively threatened eternally to punish the wicked, as to reward the good; it follows, that his truth will be as much impeached and called in question, did he not inflict his punishments, as it would be, if he did not confer his rewards.

To this also it has been objected, That though God is obliged by promise to give his rewards, yet his veracity could not be called in question, fuppofing he should not execute his threatenings, as he actually did not in the cafe of Nineveh; which God exprefsly declared by his Prophet Jonah, "fhould be destroyed in forty days:" notwithstanding the sequel of the ftory informs us, that Nineveh was fpared.

But in answer to this objection we affirm, that GOD'S threatenings, as well as promises, are without repentance; and for this reafon, because they are both founded on the eternal laws of right reafon. Accordingly we always find, that where the conditions were not performed, on the nonperformance of which the threatenings were denounced, GoD

always executed the punishment threatened. The driving Adam out of Eden, the deftruction of the old world by a deluge of water, and the overthrow of Sodom and Gomorrah, are, and will be always fo many ftanding monuments of God's executing his threatenings when denounced, though to our weak apprehenfions, the punishment may feem far to exceed the crime.

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It is true, God did fpare Nineveh, and that because the inhabitants did actually repent, and therefore performed the conditions upon which it was fuppofed, by the Prophet's being fent to warn them, the threatened punishment should be withheld.

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And fo in respect to gospel threatenings. If men will fo far confult their own welfare, as to comply with the gospel, GOD certainly will not punish them, but on the contrary, confer upon them his rewards. But to affirm that he will not punish, and that eternally to, impenitent, obftinate finners, according as he hath threatened; what is it, in effect, but to make GOD like a man, that he should lie, or the fon of man, that he fhould repent?

But the abfurdity of fuch an opinion will appear ftill more evident from

The Third argument I fhall offer to prove, that the torments referved for the wicked hereafter are eternal, From the nature of the chriftian covenant.

And here I must again observe, that it was taken for granted at the beginning of this difcourfe, that you believe the Son of GOD came down to fave finners; and that there is but one Mediator between GOD and man, even the man CHRIST JESUS.

And here I take it for granted farther, (unless you believe the abfurd and unwarrantable doctrine of purgatory) that you are fully perfuaded, this life is the only time allotted by Almighty God for working out our falvation, and that after a years are paffed over, there will remain no more facrifice for fin.

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And if this be granted (and who dares deny it ?) it follows, that if a wicked man dieth in his wickedness, and under the wrath of God, he must continue in that ftate to all eternity. For,

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For, fince there is no poflibility of their being delivered out of fuch a condition, but by and through CHRIST; and fince, at the hour of death, the time of CHRIST's mediation and interceffion for him is irrecoverably gone; the fame reason that may be given, why GoD fhould punish a finner that dieth under the guilt of his fins for a fingle day, will equally hold good, why he fhould continue to punish him for a year, an age, nay to all eternity.

But I haften to the Fourth and laft argument, to prove, That the torments referved for the wicked hereafter are eternal, Because the devil's punishment is to be fo.

That there is fuch a being whom we call the devil; that he was once an angel of light, but for his pride and rebellion against GOD, was caft down from heaven, and is now permitted, with the rest of the spiritual wickedneffes, to walk to and fro, seeking whom they may devour; that there is a place of torment referved for them, or, to ufe the Apoftle's words, "That they are referved in everlasting chains under darkness unto the judgment of the great day;" are truths all here prefent were fuppofed to be convinced of, at the beginning of this difcourfe, you believing the Holy Scriptures to be written by the infpiration of GOD, wherein thefe truths are delivered.

But then if we allow all this, and think it no injuftice in GOD to punish thofe once glorious fpirits for their rebellion; how can we think it unjuft in him, to punish wicked men for their impenitency to all eternity?

You will fay, perhaps, that they have finned against greater light, and therefore deserve a greater punishment. And so we grant that the punishment of the fallen angels may be greater as to degree, than that of wicked men; but then we affirm, it will be equal as to the eternal duration of it: for in that day, as the lively oracles of GOD inform us, fhall the Son of Man fay to them on his left hand, "Depart from me, ye curfed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels." Where we find that impenitent finners are to be caft into the fame everlasting fire, with the devil and his angels; and that too very juftly. For though they may have finned against greater light, yet chriftians fin against greater mercy. Since CHRIST took not hold of, did not die for, the

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fallen angels, but for men and for our falvation. So that if GOD fpared not those excellent beings, affure thyself, O obftinate finner, whoever thou art, he will by no means spare thee.

From what then has been faid it plainly appears, that verily the torments referved for the wicked hereafter, are eternal. And if fo, brethren, how ought we to fly to JESUS CHRIST for refuge; how holy ought we to be in all manner of converfation and godlinefs, that we may be accounted worthy to escape this wrath to come!

But before I proceed to a practical exhortation, permit me to draw an inference or two from what has been faid.

And First, If the torments referved for the wicked hereafter are eternal, what fhall we fay to thofe, who make an open profeffion in their creed to believe a life everlasting, a life of mifery as well as happiness, and yet dare to live in the actual commiffion of thofe fins which will unavoidably, without repentance, bring them into that place of torment? Thou believeft that the punishments of the impenitently wicked in another life, are eternal: "Thou doft well, the devils alfo believe and tremble." But know, O vain man, unless this belief doth influence thy practice, and makes thee bid adieu to thy fins, every time thou repeatest thy creed, thou doest in effect fay, I believe I fhall be undone for ever.

But, Secondly, If the torments referved for the wicked hereafter are eternal, then let this ferve as a caution to fuch perfons, (and it is to be feared there are some fuch) who go about to diffuade others from the belief of fuch an important truth: There being no furer way, in all probability, to encourage and promote infidelity and prophaneness, than the broaching or maintaining fo unwarrantable a doctrine. For if the pofitive threats of GOD concerning the eternity of hell-torments, are already found infufficient to deter men from fin, what a higher pitch of wickednels may we imagine they will quickly arrive at, when they are taught to entertain any hopes of a future recovery out of them; or, what is ftill worse, that their fouls are hereafter to be annihilated, and become like the beasts that perish? But wo unto fuch blind leaders of the blind. No wonder if they both fall into the ditch. And let

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