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New Testament, where the word eternal or everlasting comes from any other Greek word. The same Greek word is likewise used both in the Old and New Tes tament, to signify the eternity of the divine existence.* And the Earl of Nottingham hath shown, that this Greek word signifies eternity in the writings of Plato, Aristotle, Plutarch, and the best Greek authors, and that they have no better word in their language, by which to express a proper eternity or endless duration.† Indeed Dr. Hartley who maintains that the miseries. of the damned will finally cease, allows that the scripture expressions concerning the eternity of hell-torments are sufficiently plain and determinate, and would establish the point, if any mere expressions could possibly do it, which however he absolutely denies. And though Mr. Seigvolk and others say, the Greek words which the inspired writers here made use of to express the eternity of future punishments, only signify an age, or ages, or ages of ages, or periodical eternities of 50, 100, 1000, 2000 years continuance, yet they do not tell us what other words could have been used to express an absolute eternity with more certainty and precision, or more to their satisfaction. According to their criticisms, if the inspired writers had really intended to assert the endless duration of future punishments, they could not have done it, because there is no word in any language, which primarily signifies an absolute eternity But these and all other critics, however, are obliged to own, that the inspired writers have used such expressions as sometimes signify eternity, and acknowledge that the sense

*See Gen. xxii, 23. Isaiah xl, 28, and xxvi, 4, and lvii, 15. Psalm xli, 13, and xc, 2, and xciii, 2, and evi, 48. Daniel xii, 7. Rom. xvi, 26. 1 Tim. i, 17. †See his criticisms on those words in his answer to Mr. Whiston, Ed. 9, p. 36, 37, 58.

of such expressions ought to be determined by the nature of the subjects to which they are applied, and the connexion in which they are used. Hence there ap pears no force in the criticisms which have been made upon the words, by which the eternity of future punishments is expressed in the sacred oracles. So far as words, or mere expressions can determine the matter, it is absolutely certain, that both the miseries of the wicked, and the happiness of the righteous will run parallel with the interminable ages of eternity.

Nor is there any thing in scripture or reason to take off the force of these expressions, or lead us to imagine the wicked will ever be released from punishment and restored to the divine favor.

1. We have no reason to think so from the nature of sin. All allow that sin and guilt are inseparably connected, and therefore that every sin deserves some punishment. But many imagine, that no transient momentary act of a finite creature can contain such malignity and guilt, as to deserve an eternal punishment; and therefore that the damned must finally be released from punishment, upon the foot of equity, having paid the uttermost farthing which they owed to divine justice. And if their guilt shall ever cease, we may be assured their punishment will also cease, for the judge of all the earth will do right and punish them no longer than they deserve. But who in the whole circle of the intelligent creation, can tell us when their guilt, or desert of punishment will cease? Sin and guilt are inseparably connected. Guilt can no more be separated from sin than criminality. There is no sin without criminality, and no criminality without guilt, or desert of punishment. Therefore both the criminality and guilt of a crime must contince as long as the crime continues, or till it ceases to

be a crime and becomes an innocent action. But can murder, for instance, which is a crime in the very nature of things, ever become a virtue? Can time, or obedience, or sufferings, or even a divine declaration, alter its nature, and render it an innocent action? Virtue and vice, sin and holiness are founded in the nature of things, and so must forever remain immutable. Hence that which was once virtuous, will forever be virtuous; that which was once vicious, will forever be vicious; that which was once praise-worthy, will forever be praise-worthy; that which was once blameworthy will forever be blame-worthy; and that which once deserved punishment, will forever deserve punishment. Now if neither the nature of sin can be changed, nor the guilt of it taken away, then the damned, who have once deserved punishment, will forever deserve it, and consequently God may, in point of justice, punish them to all eternity.

2. There is no ground to expect that the punishments of the damned will ever soften and purify their hearts, and so prepare them, in some distant period, to exchange the regions of darkness for the mansions of bliss. Among others Dr. Hartley and Chevalier Ramsay build their strongest hopes of the final restitution of all lapsed beings to the divine favor, upon this foundation. They imagine the punishments of the wicked will naturally soften and meliorate their hearts, and finally qualify then for the society and enjoyments of the blessed. They suppose God's ultimate view in punishing the wicked after death is to reclaim them, and bring them to good. They look upon such persons as die in impenitence and unbelief as peculiarly perverse and obdurate, whom none of the mild methods of providence and grace could effectually subdue and reclaim in this life, and therefore God is reduced Осса. 62

to the disagreeable necessity of purging and purifying them by the harsh and severe means of hell-torments. They imagine God constantly desires and uniformly pursues the happiness of every individual of the human race, and will bring them all to pure and permanent felicity as soon as he can possibly do it consistent with their moral freedom and inveterate habits of sin. And "as God cannot be eternally frustrated in his designs; as finite impotence, folly and malice cannot forever surmount infinite power, wisdom and goodness; as the sacrifice of the Lamb slain cannot be forever void and of no effect; reprobate souls and an. gels cannot be forever unconvertible, nor God unappeasable, nor moral and physical evil undestructible. Wherefore infernal punishments must at last cease, and all lapsed beings be at length pardoned and re-established in a permanent state of happiness and glory, never more to fall again. This is the end and consummation of all things, and the designs of all God's promises and punishments."

But is there any thing in divine revelation to support this hypothesis? That God visits the righteous, in this life, with pains, trials and afflictions for their spir itual benefit, he hath expressly told us, and they have found to be true by happy experience. "My son, despise not the chastening of the Lord, nor faint when thou art rebuked of him. For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth. Furthermore, we have had fathers of our flesh, which corrected us, and we gave them reverence: Shall we not much rather be in subjection unto the father of our spirits, and live? For they verily for a few days chastened us after their own pleasure; but he for our profit; that we might be partakers of his holiness." And David gratefully acknowledges that

he derived real benefit from the divine corrections. "Before I was afflicted, I went astray; but now have I kept thy word. I know, O Lord, that thy judgments are right, and thou in faithfulness hath corrected me." Thus God lets his children know the salutary nature of his fatherly chastisements. But where do we find the least intimation in scripture, that God intends to punish the wicked in a future state, for their benefil, as he here corrects his children for their spiritual good: hath he not, on the contrary expressly assured the wicked, that he intends to punish them, after death, not to save, but destroy them, not to express his love towards them, but his indignation and wrath? This is the plain import of the sentence to be denounced against them at the last day. "Depart from me ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels." "Vengeance is mine, and I will repay, saith the Lord.” "If I whet my glittering sword, and mine hand take hold of judgment; I will render vengeance to mine enemies, and will reward them that hate me." "What if God, willing to shew his wrath, and make his power known, endured with much long suffering the vessels of wrath fitted for destruction." Here the wicked after death are represented as the enemies of God, and as the objects of his wrath; and he is represented as punishing them to reward them for their wickedness, and to express his wrath and displeasure towards them, without the least regard to their amendment and benefit. But if future punishments were intended as fatherly chastisements to purify the wicked and qualify them for the eternal joys of heaven, why are they then represented as expressive of divine wrath, indignation and vengeance, instead of the tender mercy of God towards his offending but beloved offspring? The truth is, these expressions put it beyond doubt,

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