the funeral folemnity of their father Ifaac, at Hea

bron.

I have said thus much to rescue a text of fcripture from misinterpretation, and a good man's character from reproach. And we now fee, that Mr. S. had no reason to fuppofe that Efau ever afked for any fpiritual favor, that he did not receive.

All the apoftle means, or can mean; by Efauˆš finding no place of repentance, is, that Ifaac would not reverse the bleffing which he had given to Jacob; 'that of ruling over his brethren, no doubt, which Efau thought himself entitled to.

Mr. S. next cites a paffage from the first epiftle of John, chap. v. 16, 17. "If any man fee his brother fin a fin which is not unto death, he shall afk, and he fhall give him life for them that fin not unto death. There is a fin unto death: I do not

fay that he fhall pray for it. All unrighteoufnefs

is fin and there is a fin not unto death."

Mr. S. here is very pofitive. "Doth not this imply that there are fome fins which God will never forgive, and for which the finner must suffer the pains of eternal damnation."

نوالی

The fin which the apoftle hath reference to is elther that against the Holy Ghoft, which our Saviour fpeaks of, or idolatry. If it be the blafphemy of the holy Ghost, we have already confidered it. If it be idolatry, it is pardonable according to our Saviour's decifion. That it is idolatry, the context, I think, plainly fhows. "We know that whofoever is born'

of

of God finneth not: but he that is begotten of God, keepeth himself, and that "wicked one," by which the apoftle means the devil, "toucheth him not," does not feduce him from the worship of the true God, to that of idols. It follows, "And we know that we are of God, and the whole world lieth in wickedness, en too poneeroo, in the wicked one, the dev; who hath led the world aftray from the true the"And ology and worship. The apoftle proceeds, we know that the Son of God is come, and hath given us an understanding that we may know him that is true; and we are in him that is true, even in his Son Jefus Chrift. This is the true God, and eternal ife. Little children, keep yourselves from idols. Amen."

By all which, I think, it appears very plain, that the apoftle, by the fin unto death, means a departure from the wohip of the true God, to the worthip of idols. This fin is great, but we know that it is pardon · able by our Saviour's exprefs determination. And the reason why the apostle did not direct that prayer fhould be made for idolators, was, that he had a very great abhorrence of the fin of idolatry, and confidered it as very heinous. But we cannot infer, from his not exprefsly directing that prayer should be made for it, either that we ought not to pray for it, or that it is an unpardonable fin.

Mr. S. next recites, out of Jude, what is faid to have been a prophecy of Enoch, in the 14th and

fand of his faints, to execute judgment upon all, and to convince all that are ungodly among them, of all their ungodly deeds, which they have ungodly com. mitted, and of all their hard speeches, which ungodly finners have spoken against him." Whether this was spoken by Enoch, or fome other perfon, I have no difpofition to contravert its truth. 1 as firmly believe, as Enoch did, that many ungodly finners will have judgment executed upon them, in the next age, or world to come: nor do I fuppofe this is the least objection against the final falvation of all these ungodly finners.

Mr. S. recites a few texts from St. James; and leaft it should be faid that I have neglected to confider all the fcripture objections againft eternal mifery, I will just put them down, that the reader may have the advantage of perufing them. Chap. i. 15. "Then, when luft hath conceived it bring. eth forth fin; and fin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death." Chap. ii. 13. "For he fhall have judgement without mercy, who hath showed no mercy; and mercy rejoiceth against judgment." Chap. "Go to now, ye rich men, weep and howl, for the miferies that fhall come upon you.Your riches are corrupted, and your garments are moth eaten. Your gold and filver is kankered; and the rest of them shall be a witness against you, and shall eat your flesh as it were fire : ye have heaped treasures together for the last days." There is not verse in the whole Bible that is not as pertinent, -as

iii. 1, 2, 3.

any

any of these from St. James, in proof of eternal misery. It would be a grofs impofition upon the reader, to fay one word by way of comment upon them.

The teftimony of St. John, in his book of revela. tions, is next to be confidered. Several paffages are quoted for the purpose. Rev. i. 7. "Behold, he

Cometh in the clouds; and every eye fhall fee him, and they also which pierced him and all kindreds of the earth fhall wail because of him.” Mr. S. feems to affert that the day of general judgment will be after the accomplishment of all the prophecies of this book. A man who hath paid fo little attention to prophetic scripture, as to adopt fuch an opinion, ought, most certainly, never to risk an opinion concerning the meaning of any part of a prophecy, to come abroad. Rev. xiv. 10, 11. "The fame fhall drink of the wrath of God, which is poured out without mixture, into the cup of his indignation; and he fhall be tormented with fire and brimftone, in the prefence of the holy angels, and in the prefence of the lamb and the fmoke of their torment afcendeth up forever and ever." I will give the whole of this 11th verfe to the reader, though Mr. S. has given us but a part of it. We have often found Mr. S. making partial citations of fcripture. It is no more than just that we should have the whole that relates to any particular fubject.

The whole verfe is thus, "And the smoke of their torment afcendeth up for ever and ever: and they have no reft day nor night who worship the

beaft

beaft and his image, and whofbever receiveth the mark of his name."

Who they are that are thus feverely punished, is plain in this 11th verfe. They are those who worfhip the beaf and his image, or receive the mark of bis name. And, as to the time of their punishment, I think there are fufficient notes in the context to convince every impartial reader, that it is in the prefent ftate, end before the day of judgment which hall refpect mankind univerfally.

Say

We will look back on the context, as far as the 6th verse. "And I faw another angel fly in the midft of heaven, having the everlafting gofpel to preach to them that dwell on the earth, and to every nation, and kindred, and tongue, and people. ing, with a loud voice, Fear God, and give glory to him; for the hour of his judgment is come: and worship him that made heaven, and earth, and the fea, and the fountains of waters." This bour of God's judgment, does by no means appear to be the gen eral judgment of the world; for the gospel is fill preached, and men called upon to worship God, Let us proceed. Verfe 8. "And there followed another angel, faying, Babylon is fallen, is fallen, that great city, because she made all nations drink of the wine of the wrath of her fornication.” Here is a plain intimation that the judgment was not general, and that it refpected Babylon only, or the antichriftian church. Verfe 9.. "And the third angel followed them faying with a loud voice, If

any