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is represented in perfect contrast with the for We can scarcely select a more delightful representation of the eternal happiness of heaven, than that brief declaration of the prophet Daniel; many of them that sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake; some to life everlasting-but others are represented in perfect contrastand some to shame and everlasting contempt. When our Saviour declares, he that believeth and is baptised shall be saved, we discover the richness of his grace; but when the expression turns, and he says but he that believeth not shall be damned, how can we help discovering that he intends to represent in perfect contrast the future condition of the righteous and the wicked? In the twenty-fifth of Matthew, where it is said, these shall go away into everlasting punishment, but the righteous into life eternal, we have another such contrast. No simple honest reader can pass over this passage without catching the promise of eternal happiness, nor do I see how any one can avoid the conviction, that the first part is intended to be a contrast with the last, and so to teach the doctrine of eternal punishment.

These representations are not merely convincing, they are overwhelming. By them the light of heaven renders visible the darkness of hell. And O, how do those eternal states, by being laid along beside each other, in the scriptures, exert a reciprocal influence in showing forth the glory and blessedness of the one, and the gloom and wretchedness of the other! The companionship of saints and angels, is rendered more manifestly pure and exalted, by being contrasted with that society, where there are dogs, and sorcerers, and whoremongers, and murderers. &

idolaters, and whosoever loveth and maketh a lie: and thedebased condition ofthe inhabitants of the world of woe, appears the more low and wretched, by being set over against the pure society that surrounds the throne of the Eternal. Songs of redemption rise in higher notes, and mingle with an heavenlier harmony, when contrasted with the ceaseless wail and blasphemies of the damned; while on the other hand that same wail of woe, appears the more dreadful from the contrast which it forms with the undying praises of heaven. The light of the New Jerusalem, seems to render more lurid and dark the flames and smoke of the bottomless pit; while the same dark fires and columns of smoke, render sweeter and softer the light of the glory of God, which fills and overflows the heavenly city.-And who cannot see that these contrasts are fully sustained by the passages cited under this head? If he that believeth, shall be saved and the righteous shall go into life eternal, it is not less certain that those who possess the opposite character, shall be subjected to a precisely opposite destiny. He that believeth not shall be damned, and the wicked shall go away into everlasting punishment.

III. A third class of passages, which afford ground for a direct argument, is found in those which repre sent men as in danger of eternal punishment.

On this argument, I quote but three passages. The first may be found in Mark 3: 29; but he that shall blaspheme against the Holy Ghost, hath never forgiveness, but is in danger of eternal damnation. Now I ask, how it is possible that any one should be in danger of eternal damnation, if there be no such thing? Can men be in danger of evils that do not exist? In He

brews, the Apostle exhorts us to follow peace with all men, and holiness, without which, no man shall see the Lord, looking diligently, lest any man fail of the grace of God. It seems then, that it is possible, that some should fail of the grace of God. If they do however, they must fail of heaven. There could be no occasion for such warning, if none were in danger; and none could be in danger, if it were inconsistent with the goodness of God, and the truths of his word.

The next and only testimony which I shall adduce under this head, is found in Mat. 10: 28. The text is decisive, and merits a very particular examination. It reads thus

And fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul; but rather fear him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.

These words are a decision of Jesus Christ with respect to the ground of all reasonable fear. He admonishes us not to fear men, because in the utmost extent of their power, they can do nothing which will affect our ultimate happiness; they can only kill the body. He then urges upon us the fear of God, because he holds our ultimate happiness at his disposal, he is able to destroy both soul and body in hell. From a brief analysis of this passage, we learn two important truths.

I. That there is a hell, in which the wicked will be punished.

II. That this punishment will be endless.

It is said that God is able to destroy both soul and body in hell. This language plainly cannot be true, or is void of all meaning, if there be not such a place as hell. That it is a place for the punishment of the wicked in a future state,

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is manifest from the fact, that its evils are represented as more terrible than death itself. When our Saviour says of men, that they can only kill the body, it is plain that he represents death as the most terrible of earthly calamities; but we are urged to fear God; because he can inflict far greater sufferings; that is, because he can inflict sufferings after men have done all they can do-after they have killed the body. Besides,in the parallel passage in Luke, the punishment here referred to, is expressly declared to be subsequent to the death of the body. The language there used is as follows: I say unto you my friends, be not afraid of them that kill the body, and after that have no more that they can do; but I will forewarn you whom ye shall fear: fear him which after he hath killed, hath power to cast into hell; yea I say unto you fear him.

That the punishment referred to, is eternal, appears evident from two considerations. 1st. It is called a destroying of the soul and body. We take it for granted that the doctrine of annihilation is not here taught. Then what is the meaning? The soul cannot be said to be destroyed while yet it shall flourish with immortal beauty in heaven. It is an expression never used with respect to chastisement merely. God never speaks of destroying the soul and body of the righteous, although he often threatens them with severe chastisement for their sins. 2ndly. The destroying of the soul is contrasted with the killing of the body, in such a manner as plainly to imply that this destruction is entire and remediless. The design of the antithesis can scarcely be misapprehended. It is as much as if our Saviour had said, men may cut off all your

hopes of earthly happiness. They may deprive you of your wealth--they may blast your reputation---they may poison your pleasures, and pouring out their fury upon your earthly nature, they may fill your soul with reproach, and rend every tender sympathy of your heart, and diffuse a slow burning vengeance upon every fibre and every nerve of your body. But there is a limit to the infliction of such torture. When men have done all this, they have only subjected you to the misery of which the earthly constitution is susceptible, they have only killed the body. But God can kill the soul; he can as fully overwhelm that in its future existence, and destroy all its hopes, and ruin all its prospects, and leave it in sinking, hopeless, dying agony, as men can the body. Yea, when the soul and body shall be reunited, he is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.

IV. We shall close this direct testimony from the scriptures, by citing one more class of texts. I mean that class which represents the punishment of some men as remediless. In the second chapter of James, we are told, with respect to him who shows no mercy, that he shall have judgment without mercy. The Lord often chastens men, in mercy to their souls, but to give them judgment without mercy, is a fearful chastisement, if chastisement it may be called; a chastisement which has no redeeming, sanctifying influence. In Mat. 12: 31, 32, our Saviour is represented as saying, the blasphemy against the Holy Ghost, shall not be forgiven unto men. Whosoever speaketh against the Holy Ghost, it shall not be forgiven him, neither in this world, neither in the world to come.--Mark 3: 29, it is said, He that shall blaspheme