teach us that when we would ascertain the true meani of a book, we should begin with those passages that a clear and easy, and afterwards consider, in the light these, the sense of such as are dark and more difficul And yet people do just the contrary. They first consid those places that no one comprehends, and if they thin these contain something agreeable to them, they begin pervert other passages, which are clear and easy, so as correspond with them. Who that is only partially a quainted with those who deny the eternity of punishmen is not convinced that this is the common method wit them? They have, in the first place, asked themselves Can I believe the eternity of punishment or not? Is ther anything in my nature and reason that conflicts with thi opinion or not? They have discovered that they have kind of inward feeling or sentiment which contradicts thi doctrine. Hence they conclude that it is not to be found in the Scriptures. They say: I cannot believe that thi doctrine is true; therefore it cannot stand in the Bible Hence they have hunted up one passage after another that is unintelligible or indistinct, and on these have pred icated their doctrine. Finally they have become so bold as to explain the clear parts of the Bible wholly in accord ance with these dark ones. There is no truth of revela tion so plain that one may not in this way contest it. Our charity is not sufficient to believe that those who cherish this doctrine do not see the evil consequences that necessarily flow from it. Far be it from us, if their faith be otherwise honest and right toward God, to condemn them on account of this one fault. Who are we to judge another man's servants? To their own master they stand or fall. Still we wish they would be somewhat more cautious in the promulgation of a doctrine which is not only groundless, but also leads in its train many dangers.

I will endeavor to show first, that this opinion is at war with express passages of scripture; and second, that for many important reasons it cannot be true.

I. The Scriptures teach expressly that the punishment of the damned will be endless. It almost seems as if the wisdom of God foresaw that there would be people to whom this doctrine would be offensive. Hence he has employed all possible means to defeat this temerity. The Scriptures speak,

1. In just the same words of the endless punishments of hell, as they do of the endless rewards of heaven. That is false which some allege, that the Spirit of God speaks in one manner of heaven and another of hell. There is one word by which the eternity of both is happily expressed in very many places. John the Baptist says of Christ, He will burn up the chaff,' i. e., the ungodly, 'with unquenchable fire.'-Matt. 3: 12. Jesus himself speaks in many passages in the same manner:-' It is better to enter into life halt and maimed, rather than, having two hands or two feet, to be cast into everlasting fire.'-Matt. 18: 8. The wicked shall go away into everlasting punishment, but the righteous into life eternal.' -Matt. 25: 46. The apostles of Christ adopted the same mode of speech. Paul says, 'They shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of his power.'-2 Thess. 1: 9. So Jude teaches that the angels who kept not their first estate shall be reserved in everlasting chains under darkness unto the judgement of the great day.'-Verse 6; and that certain men are wandering stars to whom is reserved the blackness of darkness forever.'-Verse 13.

Had the spirit of God wished to teach us that the eternity of punishment is different from that of happiness, can any one imagine that it would have used the very same word to express these two things? Were men to speak in such a manner that the same words should be applied to things between which there is so great a difference, would not people say that they could not understand them? They who should ordinarily speak in this way, would not deserve the name of honest men. And were

a prince to speak thus in his laws, could his subjects understand him? Shall we, then, believe this of the spirit of God? Is it possible to persuade ourselves not only that John, but even Jesus himself, and not only Jesus, but also all his apostles, would have so agreed in the use of words, and in no single instance have employed other forms of speech, had they wished to teach us to think of these punishments in one way and of these rewards in another? Was the Greek language so poor that it afforded them only one word for this purpose? But farther:

2. The Holy Scriptures speak in far more expressi terms of the eternity of punishments than they do of th eternity of happiness. When they speak of the eterni of happiness they employ no terms of great emphasi They say in simple words, The righteous shall go in life eternal.' The Lord knew that none of us woul doubt on this subject. But when he speaks of the to ments of the damned, he expresses their eternity in term of much greater force. God well knew that there woul be men to whom this doctrine would be distasteful. Ou Lord therefore says of the damned three times in on passage, Their worm dieth not, and their fire is no quenched.' Does any one need clearer language tha this? Must not that be endless which is never quenche and never dies? So St. John says, 'The smoke of the torment ascendeth up forever and ever.' Again he says They shall be tormented night and day forever and ever If this is not clear enough, will people tell us how Go should have spoken? I will say all in a few words. On who has a mind to justify errors, and will be more subtl than others, may maintain with some appearance of truth that the joys of the elect will not endure forever; for her the Scriptures speak without any special emphasis. Bu against the opinion of those who deny the eternity of hel punishments, has the spirit of God, so to speak, defended itself altogether too strongly.

II. Besides these express passages of Scripture, ther are other reasons which are at war with this error.

1. It is opposed to the perfections of God. God is the most perfect being whom it is possible for us to conceive Here revelation and reason are agreed. A God who should be imperfect, would be no God. But in him who is the most perfect, there can be no inequality of attributes Let one imagine two men, of one of whom it is said: He is uncommonly modest and moral, but his patience is not as great as his modesty; and of the other that his modesty and patience are equally great; and would he not regard the latter as the more perfect man? If it be said, This man is intelligent and wise, but his humility is less than his understanding, would he be praised or blamed? Or let us conceive of two princes, one of whom enjoys the glory of exercising as much grace toward the good as he

1855.]

on the End of Hell Torments.

77

ANSOCIATIO

does justice toward the evil; but of the other that his grace is greater than his justice; should we not prefer the first to the last? It is equally so in all moral quali ties. Where the virtues or beauties are not equally great, where all parts are not similar to each other, according to their kind, there there can be no absolute perfection. Of course God, who is perfection itself, and in whom it is impossible that there should be any inequality, has no one virtue or attribute greater than another. But those who deny the eternity of hell punishments, must of necessity say that one attribute in God is greater than another. They maintain that God is infinitely merciful, insomuch that he rewards trifles and the meanest service with eternal felicity. And yet, at the same time, they teach that the holiness and justice of God are not so great as his goodness, because he will cease to punish the sinner. Is not this to say that God is not the most perfect being, or is there not an inequality in the attributes of God?

But God is infinite, and hence all his attributes are infinite. Yet what can be more obvious than that those who entertain the opinion against which I speak, set limits to one of the most important of the divine perfections, namely of his justice. The punishments of hell will cease, say they; that is, the justice of God will come to an end! Therefore his justice is not so great nor so enduring as his grace.

2. It is impossible to maintain that the happiness of the saints will be endless, if we do not hold fast at the same time to the doctrine that there will be no end to the punishments of the damned. Every one will concede that it is almost as unreasonable and as unjust to reward the smallest service with an infinite reward, as it is to punish the smallest faults with an infinite punishment. Let u imagine two princes: one of them honors the prudence of a beggar, who stands out of his way a little, with the highest place of rank in his power; the other punishes a wretched creature with death because he does not lift his hat to him as he passes. Is it not true, that we should say of them both that they acted unreasonably and unjustly? Perhaps we should sooner overlook the conduct of the first than the last. But still we should *censure them both for their injustice and folly. It would be well

for those to consider this, who allow eternal rewards a deny eternal punishments. What are all our misera efforts in this world? What is all our service? W are our good works? Are we not unprofitable servar when we do all that is commanded us? And still easily believe, that God, without injury to his justice, reward these poor services with infinite blessings. 1 when we consider our evil actions, which are greater th our good ones, especially if we reflect upon the grace God which is tendered us, we find it difficult to persua ourselves that he will punish them with endless puni ments. How strangely do we mortals reason! If cannot allow the eternity of punishments, let us also de the eternity of rewards. On the contrary, if it is ju and we find nothing unreasonable in God's rewardi our poor works with endless blessings, so we must c cede, if we will be rational, that he must punish our grea sins with infinite punishments according to his justi As often as I conceive of God and of his greatness, I a admonished of my own weakness. The consideration my Creator reminds me in the first place that I am o a miserable man. Then my understanding appreher the fact that God must punish my sins endlessly fas w as reward my imperfect good works endlessly. I consider my sins, I find that my evil is great, and Go grace infinite. God calls to me daily, but I remain de God has given his Son for me, but this infinite love d not move me. Jesus died for me, but I follow him n God has sent me his word, and yet I obey not. G exhorts me, but I continue sluggish. How great is love of God, how great is my wickedness. This lea me to see that if I do not accept the mercy of God, i right in him to punish such a fearful contempt of his in nite grace with endless torments. When, on the ot hand, I consider my holiness, great God! how little right-doing do I find. How many sins of infirmity; h many wrong thoughts in the holiest actions; how we my love; how little my fear of God! And what is mo whatever of good there is in me, is all of God. My e is my own; my holiness is from God. And were it that the love of God has so plainly assured me in word, that I shall live forever, I could hardly persua