and that destruction, may be vindicated as consistent with God's wisdom, since thereby, and thereby only, it is established, that all men shall stand at God's bar at the last day, and shall give account of their own works.-Unquestionably the most awful thought that the human mind can conceive, and calculated to operate through every period of our lives. It is not, therefore, a mere parade of judgment, but a solemn audit, appointed for wise and noble ends, influencing most beneficially all who shall believe it will happen. Will it be said that it is ineffectual to those who doubt? I think it is impossible but that it must some times occur to them, that perhaps for these things God will judge them. And any presumption that a general judgment is useless, because the misery it will cause the wicked is not eternal, must be founded on the opinion that the degree of punishment to be then awarded will be insufficient for the offence. Oh! man, where wast thou when God made the heavens and the earth? when He meted out the vallies, and formed the sea as it were in the palm of His hand? Thou art not sufficient for these things, but I, the Lord God will do right.

The texts that have introduced this repulsive doctrine, eternal, everliving death, into God's moral creation, being disproved in their offensive sense, they are at the same time exhibited in one that harmonizes with the whole word of God, and add their rays to that unclouded light wherein dwells the present Deity, who having loved us, will love us to the end; who in His wrath thinketh upon mercy; who only withdraws His spirit, when, from having become vessels of wrath fitted for destruction, existtence would be no longer a blessing to His creatures;

and who, whilst a spark of spiritual life remains, is the kind Friend, the tender Parent, the merciful Creator, and withal, the omnipotent God Let us then avoid the danger of being included with those who have called evil, good; and good, evil; for nothing in all nature but this doctrine can make the worst enemy of the blessed, abhorred annihilation, to be chosen as good. That which the most wicked only can desire, when worse remains behind, becomes a blessing to the many; for few enter the strait gate that leadeth unto life. Under what new dispensation are we passed? on what state are we entering? that nature's bane and opposite should be to a vast majority of mankind an object of desire. Hope having fled beyond their farthest ken, Pity alone, of all Heaven's progeny, lingers to do the murderer's office (of extinction from an existence of misery,) slow to believe, from what she learnt in the heavens, that this cruel mercy would be withheld: but she, alas, is gone! Behold the great gulph opens, and thousands of millions, who once drew the stream of life from human breasts, crave a substantial death; no airy unreal phantom, that mocks their eager grasp. Oh, call not evil, good; and good, evil. It still is true in heaven, that banishment from God is an evil: it still is true on earth, and will be true, whilst God endures-then call not evil, good; and good, evil; annihilation may be the fate, but never can be the prudent choice of human beings. The doctrine of Eternal orments then cannot be true. At this shrine of Moloch we must sacrifice the attributes of God, the word and office of our Saviour, and the truth and consistency of scripture. We make the blessing of existence the bitterest curse; and despoil the

Omnipotent of His attributes, to invest with them the principle of evil. On this doctrine hell hath indeed enlarged itself, and we compel all who would enter into heaven, to pass on a single plank, over the great abyss wherein rage the vivifying flames ; for if it be scripture doctrine, it must be believed by all who embrace christianity: and the dragon who guards the golden fruit can neither be soothed nor avoided by those who have not believed themselves to be naturally His appointed victims. Receive then the words in the sense in which they were spoken by our Saviour, and were understood by His apostles. See in the God of christianity, our merciful Creator. Learn this great truth, that as in Adam all die, so in Christ must all be made alive by regeneration, sanctification, and obedience, who hope to escape the condemnation that is in the world, and to be crowned with glory, honour, and immortality, at the coming of Christ, with all His holy angels. Thus, and thus only, can be realized the promise of the gospel, that it should be "glad tidings of great joy to all men.'

Let all who name the name of Christ depart from iniquity-and eternal rest, and peace, and joy, are secured to them; and that these are secured to them alone, it will be most salutary to those that are without to know; as they will certainly know if they attend to the word of God, which says, "they of the flesh reap corruption," and that "Christ alone hath the words of Eternal Life." Beauteous and altogether lovely art thou, thou word of truth, fairer than the daughters of men, more to be desired than gold and much fine gold; thou pearl of great price, pure as chrystal, free as water, like air accessible to

all. Taste, and see then, ye who are strangers to the truth, as it is in Jesus, how good and gracious God is. The golden sceptre is ever extended, that those who approach may touch it and live. May those who spiritually stand in His presence, labour more abundantly, that all may come to the knowledge of His truth!

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Many difficulties that attend christianity, whilst Eternal Misery is included in its doctrines, and some which it has in common with natural religion, cease to oppose its progress when it is no longer to the majority of mankind only evil continually, but shines forth as good news to all men, and vindicates its title to be received as the work of God, by being very good." Of these, the existence of sin and misery-the narrow limits of christianity in point of fact;-the damnation it was considered to deal around; and the fancied injustice of a scheme that punished the innocent for the sins of the guilty; were still difficulties, whilst Eternal Misery was considered as the fate of the great bulk of mankind; either bymeans of christianity, or in defiance of it. And Bishop Butler, in his " Analogy," attempts only to put christianity on a leyel with the religion of nature, with respect to these difficulties: now this, though it opens the field fairly for the benefits that accompany christianity, can scarcely be said to vindicate it, as a revelation from God, since it leaves His attributes under the obscurity in which the corruption of mankind had involved them, although it might be especially required of light from heaven, that it should illumine the dark.

I will now, from the vantage ground I think I have gained in the former part of this essay, attempt to

shew that by this interpretation of the christian scheme, these difficulties may be overcome.

Having stated the facts of the case, I will enquire what remedy reason can suggest, and then see how far christianity supplies what reason shall indicate.

It is undeniable that the history of the world, transmitted from the earliest ages, and embracing the most widely severed countries, is a detail of the selfishness, the sensuality, and the ferocity of mankind, with the single exception of the influence, more or less direct, that has attended revelation ; and that God, who is all-powerful, should have permitted such a state of things, is a difficulty that no other scheme than christianity can solve; nor even that, when encumbered with Eternal Torments.

The misery that has always accompanied this state of things, both to the agents, and the sufferers, if it is to issue in an existence altogether evil, and eternally so, can only be vindicated by being considered as part of a scheme imperfectly seen; and which, on the whole, will be productive of good, and found to be worthy of its Divine Author: but this is attended by one insuperable objection. To every individual being his own existence is every thing; and if his existence is to him, from whatever cause, evil, that EVIL MUST BE THE ACT OF HIM Who prolongs his existence :-God is therefore the author of evil! Now it is in vain to say that it is man's own fault-that he has chosen it-that God warned him of his danger, and entreated man to forbear: this being admitted, still the continuance of the evil must depend on him who causes existence, and UNLESS MAN BE Self-existent, he cannot cause himself to exist eternally in misery: nor can God do this,