from the wisdom of God, that it is the likeliest means to answer the end proposed. This point of the importance then will rest, after all, on the point of the truth; and if this has been established, we need be in no pain about the former.

There is however another writer to whom I must pay my respects once more before I conclude. The French Letter Writer is confident that the doctrine he opposes is so very incredible, that no man can believe it. "We only imagine we believe it;" and he "dares "be positive, that no man is really persuaded of it." In this view it is an easy thing for him to prove, that it is not likely to produce any great effects. "Nothing that is overstrained, or seems exaggerat"ed, strikes the mind. Let a schoolmaster tell his "scholar that his father will hang him, if he doth "not study; he laughs at the menace: it is too "much disproportioned both to his own demerits, "and the idea he entertains of his father's equity 1." All this appears to me to be a way of reasoning very singular and surprising. Whether God has revealed the doctrine of eternal punishment in the scriptures, and whether Christians do, and ever did, believe it, seem to me to be inquiries of fact. But this gentleman proves a priori, as it were, if he proves any thing, that neither of these can be the case. For a Being of infinite wisdom can never propose that, as a motive of fear and obedience, which is so in

k. Et revera nisi magis abhorruisset natura humana a summa miseria et æterno cruciatu, quam ab insensibilitate aut annihilatione, Deus minatus fuisset improbis annihilationem, non æternum cruciatum, atque eo modo homines a vitiis magis deterruisset. Burnet, ubi sup.

Letters, &c. p. 404.

credible in itself that no man can really believe it. Instead therefore of following this writer in his reveries and a priori reasonings, it is sufficient to appeal to scripture for the determination of one of these inquiries, and to fact and experience for the other. Only I would take notice that his case of the schoolmaster and the scholar, is so far from being a parallel one, or any illustration at all of the case in hand, that it comes not up to it in one circumstance. Put the case thus: a father threatens his son, that if he will persist in his course of most obstinate disobedience and rebellion, he must, and will, disinherit him; the consequence of which will be all imaginable misery and distress. Will the son have any reason to "laugh at the menace?" He may indeed, through self-flattery and self-deceit, think it "too much disproportioned to his own demerits ;" or he may hope, from the weakness and fond indulgence of a human parent, that his father will be better than his word. And thus as to the threats of eternal misery, sinners may deceive themselves ;— may entertain too low thoughts of the evil, guilt, and malignity of sin in general, or of their own in particular; or may have some mistaken notions concerning the mercy of God. But all this is their own act and their own fault, and does not follow from the doctrine itself, but is owing to their abuse or disbelief of it. And this is answer enough to what this writer further suggests, viz. that our doctrine is of ill consequence to the morals of men. "For," says he, "if they are not professed highwaymen, traitors, blasphemers, &c. they cannot conceive that God "will condemn them to frightful and endless tor"ments." Nay, "not only these persons flatter them

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"selves with impunity, but even sinners of the first magnitude, traitors, and the perjured, &c. all of them, to a man, hope to escape hell, either by re

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penting, as they propose to do, sooner or later; or through the infinite mercy of God, that will get "the better of justice, as they speak." P. 291. And so truly because men are hardened through the deceitfulness of sin, because they flatter and impose upon themselves, and disbelieve the word of God; because wickedness alters their understandings, and deceit beguiles their souls; therefore the doctrine of eternal torments is of ill consequence. Come then, let us change it at once, and introduce this author's system of a purification and restoration. See the wonderful effects of this new system! the highwaymen and traitors, the perjured persons, and sinners of the first magnitude, are converted, and become good Christians! But seriously, what reason is there to expect such effects from such a cause? may not this doctrine be abused, and made an encouragement to continue in sin, as well as ours? Is it not easy for a sinner of this persuasion to delude himself, and think that a small share of purifying punishment will serve his turn; after which he shall be restored to happiness and the favour of God? The author suggests in another place, (p. 173.) that "the apprenticeship which they must serve in the "other world will prove harder than it would have "been in this." Be it so; yet men attached to their vices would trust the event: they would willingly believe that it would not be very long, or very severe; and they would enjoy the pleasures and profits of sin during this life, since they could redeem matters in the next. In short, our Lord and his apostles

have plainly told us, what sort of men shall not inherit the kingdom of God. If any such sinners flatter themselves with the hopes of impunity, it is only a proof of the deceitfulness or infidelity of their own evil hearts; and the consequence be to themselves. The doctrine of everlasting punishment is not to be blamed for it, which has only this in common with other truths of religion, that it may be perverted, and made an ill use of, by particular men. And if this once be made the rule of our rejecting them, it is hard to say what we shall be able to retain.

There is another thing intimated to shew the ill consequence of this doctrine, which is this; that it prejudices men against the Christian religion, and hinders them from embracing it. And supposing the fact, how would the gentlemen who give us this intimation have us behave in the case? All that can reasonably be done is to search the scriptures, and examine whether this doctrine be really contained in them. If it be, we have no warrant either to conceal or disguise it; we are to take our religion as we find it in the Bible, and not model a new one for ourselves. Nor would such conduct, if it were allowable, be prudent; it would neither pass undetected nor uncensured. The persons who now pretend that they cannot digest Christianity with this hard article in it, would be ready to expose any thing that looked like handling the word of God deceitfully. They would reproach Christians for not understanding or not believing the very charter of their religion. Your gospel, would they say, plainly teaches the eternity of hell torments; a point which none of you believe, and which your preachers are ashamed to teach. This would be the language of

infidelity; and men inclined that way would still retain their prejudices against Christianity.

In a word, this point must be determined by the merits of the cause. If the doctrine here asserted be any real doctrine of the New Testament at all, it is a doctrine of considerable weight, and ought, so far from being concealed or disguised, frequently to be inculcated, and plainly laid before the people. How can any minister answer it before God, if any soul should miscarry through his silence or unfaithfulness in this great affair? And what can be more likely to lead men into this place of torments, than drawing a veil over it, and hiding the most dreadful part of it from their view? The terrors of the Lord, when fairly represented, may persuade men: at least, if they will not, it is difficult to say what else will be effectual to this purpose. With this view I have drawn up this essay, and this is the best apology I can make for writing upon this subject.

m See Mr. Whiston's book, p. 135, &c.