The doctrine of Abfolute Reprobation, ftands in fuch a direct contradiction to all our notions of kindnefs and love to others, in which the bleffed God is fet forth as our example, that we cannot tell how to receive it. Yet, if it were never fo true, it would only be a doctrine which might require our flent fubmiffion to it, with awful reverence of the majesty of the great God. But it is by no means a doctrine in which we should rejoice, because it has fo dreadful an afpect on far the greateft part of our fellow-creatures. Nor do I think the bleffed God would require us, fo far to diveft ourselves of humanity, as to take a fecret fatisfaction in the abfolute and eternal appointment of fuch numbers of our kindred flesh and blood, to everlafting perdition.

And fince fo many Scriptures affert, that Chrift lived and died as a common Mediator of mankind, methinks this doctrine of the extenfive goodnefs of God, fhould be more cheerfully received by us; as it is fo agreeable to our charity to all men, and fo neceffary for vindicating the juftice, goodness, and fincerity of God, in his tranfactions with mankind.

When therefore I hear men talk of the doctrine of Reprobation, with a fpecial guft and relifh, as a favourite doctrine, I cannot but fufpect their good temper, and doubt, whether they love their neighbour as themselves.

I would alfo afk, What great advantages can be derived from Religion, by endeavouring to limit the extent of the death of Chrift, and confequently to take away all hopes, endeavours, and prayers, from thofe who are fuppofed not to be elected? By this doctrine, many who are awakened, and are feeking Chrift for falvation, may be terribly difcouraged from receiving his offers of grace, when they are taught to doubt whether there be any grace provided for them. It may be a means to drive fome to defpair, when they hear that unless they are elected, they may feek falvation by Christ in vain.

Now

Now if many inconveniences may arise from thus limiting the virtue of the blood of Chrift, and if no valuable advantage to Religion can be obtained by this opinion: what fhould make men fo zealous to get the greatest part of the world utterly excluded from all hopes of falvation?

The great objection against what I have faid, is this: " If there be only a falvation provided for them on condition that they believe, but no inward fufficiency of grace to change their hearts, and enable them to believe; the event will be the fame, as if no falvation were provided: fince they themselves cannot believe, being by nature dead in fin.”

Sinners are not under fuch an impoffibility of believing, as if they were naturally dead. For if they were, there would be no need or use of commands, promifes, threatenings, and exhortations thefe would all be impertinent and abfurd. For they could have no more influence on finners, than if we commanded or exhorted a dead body to rise or move. Since therefore the bleffed God does ufe thefe means to call finners to faith and repentance, it is certain, there is power fufficient given them, to hear and obey the call: and that they are not under any neceffity of continuing in fin, and of being deftroyed. With regard to faith, our Saviour thus explains his own words. No man can come unto me, except my Father draw him. And in another place he charges the Jews, with this as their fault, Ye will not come unto me that ye may have life. Let this then be maintained, that there is an inward fufficiency of power given to every one, to hearken to the calls of God, and receive falvation. And thus much is fufficient to maintain the fincerity of God, in his univerfal offers of falvation through Chrift, and his many commands to all men every where to repent and believe the gofpel: as well as to vindicate his equity at the great day, in condemning the im penitent and unbeliever. For fince there was a fufficiency

of grace provided for their recovery, their death lies at their own door, being wholly owing to their wilful, obflinate rejection of Chrift and his falvation.

I have only this to add. If ferious chriftians are defirous to come as near each other as they can, may they not heartily embrace one another, notwithstanding fome difference in their fentiments? Surely, the defire to do this, will take away a thousand cavils and contentions, and a thousand unchriftian reproaches from the lips and pens of thofe who profefs to worship the fame God, to believe in the fame Saviour, to hope for the operations of the fame bleffed Spirit; and who defire to ascribe their falvation to the fame grace of God who is bleffed for evermore!

Amen.

FROM

man, Duft thou art, and unto duft thou shalt return, it was the custom of all nations, so far as we can learn, to commit duft to duft: it feemed natural to reflore the bodies of the dead, to the general Mother Earth. But in process of time another method obtained, chiefly among the rich and great, of burning the bodies of their relations, and frequently in a grand magnificent manner. For which purpose they erected huge funeral piles, with immenfe labour and expence. By either of thefe methods the body of man was foon restored to its parent duft. Either the worm or the fire foon confumed the well-wrought frame; after which the worm itself quickly died, and the fire was entirely quenched. But there is likewife a worm that belongs to the future ftate; and that is a worm that never dieth. And there is a fire, hotter than that of the funeral pile: and it is a fire that will never be quenched.

2. The first thing intended by the worm that never dieth, feems to be a guilty Confcience, including Self-condem nation, Sorrow, Shame, Remorfe, and a fenfe of the wrath of God. May not we have fome conception of this, by what is fometimes felt even in the prefent world? Is it not of this chiefly that Solomon speaks, when he fays, The Spirit of a man may bear his infirmities, his infirmities or griefs of any other kind: but a wounded fpirit who can bear? Who can bear the anguifh of an awakened Confcience, penetrated with a fenfe of Guilt, and the arrows of the Almighty flicking in the foul and drinking up the fpirit! How many of the ftouthearted have funk under it, and chofe ftrangling rather than life? And yet what are these wounds, what is all this anguish of a foul while in this prefent world, in comparison of those they mufl fuffer when their fouls are wholly awakened, to feel the wrath of an offended God! Add to thefe, all unholy paffions, fear, horror, rage; evil defires, defires that can never be fatisfied. Add all unholy tempers, envy, jealousy, malice, and revenge: all of which will inceffantly gnaw the foul, as the vulture was fuppofed to do the liver of Tityus. To these if we add hatred of God and all his Creatures, all these united together may ferve to give us fome little, imperfect idea of the worm that never dieth.

may

3. We obferve a remarkable difference in the manner wherein our Lord fpeaks concerning the two parts of the future punishment. He fays, Where THEIR worm dieth not, of the one; where THE fire is not quenched, of the other. This cannot be by chance. What then is the reafon for this variation of the expreffion?

Does it not feem to be this? The fire will be the fame, effentially the fame, to all that are tormented therein: only perhaps more intense to fome than others, according to their degree of guilt. But their worm will not, cannot be the fame. It will be infinitely varied, according to the various kinds, as well as degrees of wickednefs. This variety will

arife partly from the juft judgment of God, rewarding every man according to his works. For we cannot doubt but this rule will take place, no lefs in hell than in heaven. As in heaven, every man will receive his own reward, incommunicably his own, according to his own labours, incommunicably his, that is, the whole tenor of his tempers, thoughts, words and actions: fo undoubtedly every man in fact will receive his own bad reward, according to his own bad labour. And this likewife will be incommunicably his own, even as his labour was. Variety of punishment will likewife arife from the very nature of the thing. As they that bring moft holiness, to heaven, will find moft happinefs there, fo on the other hand it is not only true, that the more wickedness a man brings to hell, the more mifery he will find there; but that this mifery will be infinitely varied according to the various kinds of his wickedness. It was therefore proper to say the fire, in general; but their worm in particular.

4. But it has been queftioned by fome, "Whether there be any Fire in Hell? That is, any Material Fire." Nay, if there be any Fire, it is unqueflionably material. For what is Immaterial Fire? The fame as immaterial Water or Earth! Both the one and the other is abfolute nonsense, a contradiction in terms. Either therefore we must affirm it to be material, or we deny its existence. But if we granted them there is no fire at all there, what would they gain thereby? Seeing this is allowed on all hands, that it is either fire or fomething worfe. And confider this: does not our Lord fpeak as if it were real Fire? No one can deny, or doubt of this. Is it poffible then to suppose, that the God of truth would speak in this manner, if it were not fo? Does he defign to fright his poor creatures? What, with scarecrows? With vain fhadows of things that have no being? O let not any one think fo! Impute not fuch folly to the moft High! 5. But others aver, "It is not poffible that Fire should burn always. For by the immutable law of nature, it conVOL. V.

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