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deeper in brutality, until the last glimmer of spiritual life is
24. extinguished. Of various senses, that must be chosen which
harmonizes with the rest of scripture; especially if nature
coalesces therewith and rejects the others. The laws of na-
ture and Christianity prove their common origin by identity
of result. Both lead to the knowledge of God. Our appe-
tites, our faculties, and our moral relations, each subserve to
the perfection of our nature, and prepare us for God's pre-
sence: it is the right employment of these, by virtue of the
spiritual life Christ offers to us, that procures us immortality.
25. All the duties of life have an immortal tendency: well per-
formed they make us more like God, and so fit us for His pre-
26. sence. "Every idle word God will judge." This proved.
Immortal life growing within us only when we act from a
desire of pleasing God. A moral demonstration against the
doctrine. It is man's duty to desire God's will to be done in
all things. That which is his duty, he must be naturally capa-
'ble of performing. Man is incapable of desiring that the
majority of his fellow creatures should be eternally miserable
in hell. Then it cannot be his duty to desire it. Then it
cannot be God's will. The same actions, performed on this
principle, and any other, bring us to immortality, or remove
27. us from it. This shewn of alms-giving in various instances.
Intention to please God, the only certain rule of action:
wanting that, our actions want the principle of life, and there-
fore are sin, (i.e. are contrary to the Divine will,) the end of
28. which is death, to which the multitude tend. Nothing is pre-
served longer than it produces the effect for which it was
created; therefore, when the knowledge of God is lost, de-
29. struction cannot be far off. Experience, then, confirms that
30. "strait is the gate," &c. No truth in scripture is more un-
questionable than this-that the scheme of man's redemption
proves the love of God to man. From the fall to the advent
it is always spoken of as "good tidings of great joy, that shall
31. be to all people." The reverse of this is true to the great
majority, if sinners are restored to their lost immortality as
sinners. Satisfaction for the sins of mankind cannot have
increased the penalty infinitely. Death the threatened penalty.
32. Various concurring proofs of this. Life to those only who
by grace love God, from Adam till the end of the world.
Zeal not according to knowledge when the whole is sacrificed