church, and embrace the truth of that dispensation, which is the national life of that body, I warn you that, God is not only able to destroy the body but also the life, for all the sacrifices, all the types and shadows, the whole truth of the Mosaic dispensation, must expire with the body in your national destruction, and be no more forever.

The only objection, which can be urged against the above paraphrase, is, that the soul, which men cannot kill in the gospel church, is not the soul, which God would destroy in the Jewish. But this objection is powerless, because Christ uttered the threatening in view of one of two conditions in which the apostles could be found at his coming. They would either claim the truth of the Christian religion as their life, or else that of the Mosaic religion. The Jews as a nation would rise and put to death the first infant church of Christ (which was the body) with the intention of exterminating its life or soul, by deterring others from embracing it. But they were found fighting against God, could not overthrow it, for it spread the more. In this contest, God was

able to destroy these adversaries, soul and body, in gehenna, which he did do. I have said thus much on the supposition that it is not a proverb, to show the objector that I was not driven to call it a proverb because the soul and body could not

be defined. I was driven to adopt its proverbial use by the force of truth.

I now submit the above to your consideration, sensible that you possess both the scholarship and the talents to bring what I have said to the test of scrutiny. If it be not the truth, as our Saviour meant to be understood, I do humbly pray God, that it may crumble at the touch of reality. I have no desire that my own mind, any more than the minds of my fellow-creatures, should be chained down in error. I rejoice, Doctor, to see the day, when the energies of the public mind are awakened to the sublime interest of eternal truth, and when the most keen and searching glances are sent into every creed. I rejoice that the doctrine, embracing the whole ghostly fabric of immortal pain, has already been convulsed to its centre, and is destined to fall in ruin, and be destroyed both soul and body. And God grant, that no infernal demon of trumpet-tongue, prowling through the dismal shades of heathen night, may ever again sound its resurrection to torment the living. I rejoice, that we shall at last meet with redeemed millions in future scenes, where the darkness, that broods on earth and clouds. the mental vision, shall be past, and the true light itself shall shine.

Fraternally yours forever,

PROVINCETOWN, October 12th, 1839.

J. B. DODS.

SERMON XXVI.*

THE SECOND DEATH ILLUSTRATED.

"And I saw a great white throne, and him that sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away; and there was found no place for them. And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened; and another book was opened, which is the book of life; and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works. And the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them; and they were judged every man according to their works. And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death. And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire."-REVELATION XX. 11-15.

OUR text involves a subject of no ordinary moment, and with feelings of more than ordinary interest do I approach the extended field of investigation now opening before me. I feel no disposition to trifle with the doctrines of my fellowmen, nor with sacred things. I stand not here to wrest the Scriptures from their obvious import by any ingenuity of speech, but to make a righteous developement of truth, and thus humbly endeavour to present to my audience the sacred oracles in their naked grandeur.

This text you have with the best of intentions

* Delivered before the First Universalist Society in Taunton, Mass., on Sunday, February 12th, 1832.

presented me for my consideration, and most cheerfully do I bring it forward for the edification of all sincere inquirers after truth. In doing this I have no wish to disturb others in their honest opinions, nor give them one feeling of distress, while I candidly and solemnly examine those errors in their doctrines, which have become so venerable on account of their age, and so sanctified on account of so many good, great, and learned men believing them, that to many it may seem bordering on blasphemy to call those errors in question. But duties, momentous as our existence, and sacred and dear as the strongest ties of social, or even parental affection, are laid upon us, and these duties we may not forego.

Did I believe the doctrine of endless misery true, I could have no inducement to hide its awfulness from my fellow-creatures, or to trifle with my own, or their final destiny. Were that sentiment true, and did I believe it, I would stand before you with other emotions than those that now pervade my bosom. And painful as might be the task, yet, with all these dear friends and unsuspecting children around me, I would, with a trembling hand, draw aside the curtains of the tomb, point you to the future world, and lay open and naked to your mental view, the dark regions of despair, and let you listen to the final groan of hapless millions, and to the roar of that tremendous ocean,

whose surges are liquid fire, and whose surrounding atmosphere is living flame. Were I satisfied of the truth of this sentiment, then no feelings of friendship, or of fond attachment, no riches, honors, or popularity should keep me one moment where I am. I would sacrifice the whole on the altar of truth, to the omnipotence of which all must sooner or later bow.

We are now about to examine a passage of Scripture, classed among those which by many are supposed to teach the doctrine of endless misery. There is probably no phrase in the Book of God, that has been more frequently pronounced by our religious opposers, than the "second death," or the "lake of fire and brimstone," when engaged in argument against universal holiness. They consider our text more forcibly to express the awfulness of that doom, which they honestly believe awaits the "finally impenitent," in the future world, than any other in the sacred oracles. So much force have preachers in different ages given to the scripture metaphor, "the lake of fire and brimstone," that the impression became general of its being a burning world, and the imaginations of thousands have been distracted in contemplating the indescribable horrors of the scene. For many years it would have been considered impiety to have believed it to be any thing less than an ocean