XXV.

And these shall go away into everlasting punishment.-Matthew, xxv. 46.

THE eternity of future punishments hath occasioned much controversy among divines, and hath often given great offence. Many, therefore, have been inclined to controvert it. But perhaps it might be best never to bring the question at all into discussion.

In the first place, as inquiries of this kind must end, as they began, in uncertainty, it is useless to discuss them. We can know nothing on the subject but from scripture; and we see scripture is not so decisive, as to prevent disputes.

Secondly, inquiries of this kind argue some degree of distrust in Providence. God Almighty has declared himself, in numberless passages of scripture, to be a righteous judge-a just rewarder; and a just punisher of all our actions. What need we inquire further? Do we distrust his word? When a man makes me a promise, if I believe him to be an honest man, I simply take his word. But if I have any doubt, I begin

to

to inquire how he means to perform what he promised. Let us not then shew such distrust in God. He has assured us that he is a rightcous judge. Let us therefore depend upon his word, without inquiring into the means he purposes.

I would observe further, that the discussion of such a question, appears also to have a bad tendency. Notwithstanding all the influence of eternal punishment, vice cannot be kept in awe. Would you then loosen a tie, which does not at all appear too strict? It injures certainly no man to have his fears impressed in this case: but has rather a good tendency. If it were once fairly established, that future punishments were not eternal, it might set the inclinations of many a licentious man at liberty; and open a wide door to sin. It may, no doubt, be the secret wish of many to find such a theory right: but, I suppose, in general, the converts to it would be such as wished rather to ease their fears, than to cure their infidelity. As these therefore will be the chief persons, who will attend to your arguments, I should think it would be of more service to religion, to leave them to their own conjectures. They become nice casuists for no reason but to become safe sinners.

To these considerations against examining this inscrutable point, let me add, that it has the ap

pearance

pearance of presumption also, and a cast of irreligion. Far be it from me to mark with those characters many good people, who have taken up this argument. Things appear to different persons in different lights. I only mention the idea, under which it strikes me. God seems plainly, for his own wise reasons, to have left this great point uncertain at least or if not uncertain, leaning rather towards the positive side. Whatever his reasons are, it is not our business to inquire. We ought to shut up all our inquiries with that reverence which is due to the inscrutable counsels of God.

To conclude: as the mind of man must think, it will naturally fall on this, as well as other topics; and every mind will have its own sentiments. All therefore that I contend for, is, that when the subject is so uncertain, and a mistake so dangerous, we should rather think in private, than run the risk of misleading others in a point, which, if proved, might be of dangerous consequence; and can hardly in any light be of importance.

The only real ground of the inquiry is to vindicate the justice of God: but he whose faith is so ungrounded, as to stand in need of so precarious and uncertain a vindication, I fear is in the state of those persons, who if they believe not Moses and

the

the prophets, neither will they be persuaded though one rose from the dead. If the numberless intimations, which God hath given us of his wisdom and goodness in the revelation of his will, have no effect upon them, I should not hope for much good from their being convinced, that future punishments are not eternal.

XXVI.

Without shedding of blood there is no remission. -Hebrews, ix. 22.

THE idea conveyed in this passage appears rather singular, till we examine its connection with the whole of the divine economy. An atonement for sin by the shedding of blood took place immediately after the fall. I allude to the sacrifice of Abel, which was of the firstlings of his flock; and consequently was a bloody sacrifice. To this, we are told, God had respect*; while Cain's sacrifice, which was of the fruits of the field, was rejected.

Through the early periods of the sacred history, we find the bloody sacrifice still continued. And if we look into the customs of heathen nations, we shall find too, that, in whatever way it got among them, it every where prevailed. Poets, historians, and philosophers, all mention this mode of atone

VOL. I.

*GENESIS, iv. 4.

D D

ment:'