ful and on the evil. Can this be the work of Him who said, "If therefore ye have not been faithful in the unrighteous mammon, who will commit to your trust the true riches?" Luke xvi. 11.

Second Epistle to Timothy, c. 1. v. 9. «Who hath saved us, and called us with an holy calling, not according to our works, but according to His own purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus, before the world began; 10. But is now made manifest by the appearing of our Saviour Jesus Christ, who hath abolished death, and hath brought life and immortality to light, through the gospel."

Observe that it is Jesus Christ who hath brought life and immortality to light through the gospel ; yet eternal existence in misery requires immortality no less than in happiness. He hath abolished death; yet it is said death is misery, and misery is eternal.

ii. 8. "Remember that Jesus Christ of the seed of David was raised from the dead, according to my gospel."

Then he was raised from the state of the cursed, for "He was made a curse for us.'

10. "I endure all things for the elect's sakes, that they may also obtain the salvation which is in Christ Jesus, with eternal glory. 11. It is a faithful saying. For if we be dead with Him, we shall also live with Him: 12. If we suffer, we shall also reign with Him: if we deny Him, He also will deny us: 19. If we believe not, yet He abideth faithful; He cannot deny Himself."

"If we be dead with Him, we shall also live with Him." Now death must here mean the extinction

of sensual life, as the object for which we live: and death, in this sense, must come upon all-but eternal life only to those who voluntarily cease to live this life; all others Christ will deny.

16. "But shun profane and vain babblings; for they will increase unto more ungodliness. 17. And their word will eat as doth a canker."

A canker destroys the organization on which the action of the part, wherein it exists, depends.

20. "But in a great house there are not only vessels of gold and of silver, but also of wood and of earth; and some to honour, and some to dishonour. 21. If a man therefore purge himself from these, he shall be a vessel unto honour, sanctified and meet for the master's use, and prepared unto every good work.”

Are not the vessels to dishonour retained because useful? The great house would be much encumbered if all the vessels to honour and to dishonour were retained, without regard to their usefulness.

iii. 7. “Ever learning, and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth."

This mode of speech in the mouth of the apostle, which seems to imply a kind of triumph at their disappointment, can hardly be reconciled with the fervent charity he felt for all mankind, if it in cluded, as its necessary consequence, Eternal Misery.

9. "But they shall proceed no further: for their folly shall be manifest unto all men, as theirs also was. 13. But evil men and seducers shall wax worse and worse, deceiving, and being deceived."

Shall they grow worse on earth, and not grow worse in hell? Our nature must have been infinitely good to be ever growing worse, and yet not to be

destroyed; now if it is in any sense gcod, it will not be cast into hell.

iv. 7. "I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith. 8. Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, shall give me at that day; and not to me only, but unto all them that love his appearing."

Who shall receive the crown of righteousness? those that love His appearing. The love of God then is the wedding garment; he that wants that shall be cast into utter darkness*.

Epistle to Titus, c. i. v. 2. "In hope of eternal life, which God that cannot lie, promised before the world began; 3. But hath in due times manifested His word through preaching."

Eternal life, then, was the object from the beginning; and here it implies happiness. If eternal existence in misery is given, it is keeping the promise to the ear and breaking it in substance.

ii. 11. "For the grace of God that bringeth salvation, hath appeared to all men; 12. Teaching us, that denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly in this present world; 13. Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God, and our Saviour Jesus Christ: 14. Who gave Himself for

* It has been remarked to me, that the punishment in hell cannot be caused by material fire, since it is said to be a state of "utter darkness;" yet it is declared to be the same fire that destroyed the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah: this difficulty ceases if the fire destroys, since in vain shines the sun for the dead.

us, that He might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto Himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works."

Christ gave Himself for us, to redeem us from all iniquity; then our condemnation was in force previously. Are all Pagans, Jews, Turks, Infidels, and Heretics, from the earliest ages to the present, liable to Eternal Misery? And why?-Because God failed of His object when He said, "Let us remove man from Paradise, lest he live for ever." Or will it be said that Christ, who declared "That wide is the gate and broad is the way that leadeth to destruction, and many there be that go in thereat," gave Himself for us, that the many might be rescued from death to become eternally miserable, whilst few only benefit by his sacrifice? That can be no glorious appearing, that will cause, out of all proportion, more evil than good-no proof of love in God, who is "no respecter of persons.'

iii. 3. "For we ourselves also were sometimes foolish, disobedient, deceived, serving divers lusts and pleasures, living in malice and envy, hateful, and hating one another. 4. But after that the kindness and love of God our Saviour toward man appeared, 5. Not by works of righteousness, which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost; 6. Which He shed on us abundantly, through Jesus Christ our Saviour: 7. That, being justified by his grace, we should be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life."

The Apostle always speaks of the Gospel as a pure good-as life to the dead; then it does not

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cause Eternal Misery. Independent of that, all men are mortal; then Eternal Sufferings are impossible.

10. "A man that is an heretic, after the first and second admonition, reject: 11. Knowing that he that is such, is subverted, and sinneth, being condemned of himself."

"God hath in

Yet no man hateth his own flesh. Epistle to the Hebrews, c. i. v. 2. these last days spoken unto us by His Son, whom He hath appointed heir of all things, by whom also He made the worlds; 3. Who being the brightness of His glory, and the express image of His person, and upholding all things by the word of His power; when He had by Himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high; 4. Being made so much better than the angels, as He hath by inheritance obtained a more excellent name than they. 5. For unto which of the angels said He at any time, Thou art my Son, this day have I begotten thee? And again, I will be to Him a Father, and He shall be to me a Son? 6. And again, when He bringeth in the first-begotten into the world, He saith, And let all the angels of God worship Him. 7. And of the angels He saith, Who maketh His angels spirits, and his ministers a flame of fire, 8. But unto the Son He saith, Thy throne, O God, is for ever and ever: a sceptre of righteousness is the sceptre of thy kingdom. 9. Thou hast loved righteousness, and hated iniquity: therefore God, even thy God, hath anointed thee with the oil of gladness above thy fellows. 10. And, Thou, Lord, in the beginning hast laid the foundation of the earth: and the heavens are the works of thine hands, 11. They shall perish: but thou remainest: and