weep & mourn over her" &c. See Revelations Mr. P. says "so clear may we suppose will be the justice of God in the punishment of the wicked, that it will be impossible that any should refrain from heartily approving of the sentence which dooms them to endless punishment." If they heartily approve of that sentence, they not only ought to be damned, but will undoubtedly be happier there than they could be any where else!

Mr. P's. last paragraph contains nothing of note,except the recognition of the grand principle that the di vine government should regard "the greatest good" of the universe-and the idea that the everlasting favor of God, may be given up. Both these particulars

have been answered.

Το

"Shall not the judge of all the earth do right?" We consider this a question in form, but not in fact. It appears to be equivalent to a positive declaration that the Judge of all the earth will do right. treat all according to their deserts without any partiality, would be to do right. "Justice and judgment are the habitation of thy throne: mercy and truth shall go before thy face." Ps. 89. 14. Justice requires that a proper distinction be made between the righteous and the wicked. "Say ye to the righteous that it shall be well with him: for they shall eat the fruit of their doings. Wo unto the wicked! It shall be ill with him: for the reward of his hands shall be given him." Isa. 1, 10, 11. Justice will treat all according to their deserts; but justice is essentially different from cruelty. God knows the character of all creatures-he has power to do justice and is unchangeable. If any, or all of

the human race deserve eternal misery, it is just as certain that they will receive it, as it is, that God will do justice! If all sinners deserve eternal misery, every hope of salvation must be founded on the injustice of God! Not only is God a being of justice and judgment, but mercy and truth go before his face. The veracity of God requires that all his threatenings, and all his promises should be strictly and faithfully fulfilled; therefore the promises and threatenings should not be so construed as to stand in direct opposition to each other-lest one, or the other be violated. The justice and mercy, and all other attributes of God harmoniously seek, and will produce the greatest good of the whole universe. Mercy does not oppose a just punishment, and justice does not prevent the reception of divine mercy. "Mercy and truth are met together, righteousness and peace have kissed each other." "Alleluia; salvation, and glory, and honor, and power unto the Lord our God."

SERMON VI.

"Prove all things: hold fast that which is good." Thess. 5. 21.

Free and candid investigation is undoubtedly. encouraged and required, by the bible. That precious book clearly exhibits the moral character of man. In the language of Mr. P. "It places the whole race upon one level....it shows that no man has a right to dictate another's belief.... that every individual is solemnly bound to investigate and understand the truth for himself," The bible "gives no countenance to thoughtlessness by making religious doctrines a matter of indifference." The Bible not only represents the Saviour as the light of the world, but as possessing ample power to accomplish that mission of divine and infinite mercy, which he came into the world to establish. "The Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost." Jesus said "All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth.” All mankind were lost, Jesus came to seek and save them. There can be no failure in the accomplishment of that most benevolent object.The more thoroughly we search and understand the scriptures, the more lovely does the divine character appear, as manifested through him who is "the brightness of the Father's glory and the express image of his person." The more clearly

we understand the divine character and purposes, the more perfectly are we at peace with God, ourselves, and all mankind.

While we are required to prove all things relating to our spiritual interests, we are commanded to hold fast that which is good. Whatever is not really good is to be rejected. What good to the intelligent universe can result from endless misery? Will it be good to those who suffer it? O, no: it will be to them the worst of all possibl evils. Will it do the Divine Being any good to behold the feeble creatures of his own power in hopeless sorrow? Certainly not: for God is perfectly happy in himself-he is independent of all creatures. Will it do any good to those who are saved, to know that vast multitudes of their fellow-creatures, whom they are bound to love as they love themselves, are eternally excluded from the divine mercy,and subjected to the keenest torture? No. The doctrine of endless misery is not good-it is an eternal evil-it is an eternal diminution of the happiness of the intelligent universe-therefore we should not hold it fast.

In our first sermon, we took notice of Mr. P.'s direct arguments in favor of endless misery.

1. Concerning the promises of the gospel, we admitted;

That they embraced perfect holiness and eternal happiness. There was no need of any discussion on this point.

3. We proved that if we confine the promises of God to a certain class—that is, the righteous, none can be eternally excluded from the

benefits of those promises; for the time will come when all shall be holy. We also proved that Mr. P. had mistaken the nature of the promises: for all families, all nations, and all kindreds of the earth are unconditionally promised justification through faith in Christ-that no law can prevent the fulfilment of the promises, for they were confirmed by the immutable oath of God.

3. We stated that Mr. P.'s passages, which he said contrasted the future state of the righteous and the wicked, did not apply to a future state, but receive their fulfilment in this life-and Mr. P. did not attempt to prove the correctness of his application of those passages. We also proved that the passage, on which he chiefly relied for his future contrast, received its accomplishment in this world.

4. We proved that neither of the texts, which Mr. P. had quoted to show that men are in danger of an endless, or eternal punishment, amounts to any proof of such danger--that the words signifying duration, and applied to punishment, are frequently used in a limited sense in scripture; that the destruction of soul and body in Gehenna or hell, does not refer to misery beyond the grave, and we have reason to believe God is able to do many things which he never will do.

5. We examined the class of texts adduced by Mr. P. to show that the punishment of some men is remediless-that they never shall have forgiveness &c. and proved that neither of those texts furnishes the least evidence of the truth of the position, to which he applied them-that while