But who were these beings? And for what were they punished? I am aware of the answers which popular theology would return these questions; we should be told they were angels, or some other high order of spiritual beings; and that they sinned in heaven, before the creation of the material universe. These answers will pass very well for good and sound doctrine, with such persons as never allow themselves to doubt the truth, or propriety of whatever may be advanced by their spiritual treachers; but I acknowledge myself too skeptical to admit such assertions without evidence of their truth; and I challenge any one to prove from the scriptures, that any sin was ever committed, in any part of the universe of God, previous to the transgression of our first parents in the garden of Eden.

But passing by this, and many other inconsistencies inseparably connected with this sentiment, let us come directly to the question, does the glory of God require the endless continuance of sin and misery? If we consider it necessary to promote and maintain this glory that he should be exhibited as a cruel, unfeeling, partial and revengeful tyrant, then I acknowledge, the question must be answered affirmatively; but on no other ground can such answer be correct. No one will deny that the glory of God consists in the union, or display of his adorable perfections; or, that a full display of justice is less necessary than a display of mercy; but it has been shown that these attributes are not and cannot be opposed one to the other--that justice equally with mercy seeks the final good of the sinner; and that it will inflict no more punishment than is necessary to accomplish this purpose. Is it not then obvious, that divine justice will be far more gloriously displayed, to the understanding and joy of all intelligencies, as having accomplished its whole ob

ject, in humbling the sinner, and preparing him for the reception of eternal happiness from God, than as having entirely failed of producing the happy effect? The good sense of my hearers will furnish a sufficient answer to this question

man.

"God is love;" infinite, eternal, unbounded, and immutable love; not to a part, but to all his dependant offspring. As this love had no beginning, it can have no end; and as it was not produced, nor called into exercise by the goodness or merit of the creature; so the imperfections, follies, and weaknesses of the creature can never extinguish it, or suspend its operations. It was love which spake creation into being, aud gave existence to Love caused "the morning stars" to sing "together," and "all the sons of God" to shout "for joy." Unchanging love continues to us our existence, and all the blessings we enjoy. Eternal, deathless love brought the blessed Redeemer down from heaven to earth; and love attuned the harps of the celestial messengers, who announced his birth to men; and caused them to sing "glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will towards men." And it is love and that alone, which can perfect the children of men in holiness and true happiness.

And think you, my friends, this eternal and allpervading principle, in which all the attributes of our heavenly Father centre and harmonize, will permit the endless continuance of sin and suffering? Think you that it can be overcome, or destroyed by any thing which is opposed to its heavenly nature? No; sooner shall the adamantine pillars of the heavens be shaken to their base,

sooner

"The seas shall waste, the skies in smoke decay, Rocks fall to dust, and mountains melt away," than the love of God know any change.

SERMON.-No. 3.

THE DOCTRINE UNSCRIPTURAL.

ISA. VIII. 20. "To the law and to the testimony; if they speak not according to this word, it is because there is no light in them."

Of all the subjects which have ever engaged the attention of mankind, that of a future and eternal state of existence is altogether the most interesting and important. Early in life, even in the happy days of youth, we learn this solemn fact, we must die; and such is our innate love of existence, that the question, shall I live again? presses itself with a resistless energy on our minds. In attempting to answer this question, all the lights and resources of reason, science, and philosophy have been explored and exhausted; and they have all failed of giving an answer which can satisfy the inquiring mind, or impart to man a hope beyond the grave. Nor was it until the introduction of the gospel of Christ, through which life and immortality were brought to light, and illustrated by the resurrection of him who is the "head of every man," that this question, so fraught with unutterable interest to every son and daughter of humanity, received a satisfactory answer.

After receiving an assurance from divine revelation that we shall live again,-that the silent slumber of the grave shall be broken, and that this "corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality," other questions, of equal interest and importance with the former, urge themselves on our minds.

E

What will be my condition in eternity? Will my eternal existence be a blessing, or an unending curse to me? Shall I be happy, or shall I be wretched in that state of being? are questions which, I doubt not, have presented themselves forcibly to the mind of each of my respected hearers; and it is all-important, to our peace and happiness, that we obtain satisfactory answers to them. But where shall we seek for such answers? To what source of information shall we apply? The arguments drawn from reason, and the attributes of God, so far as they can be understood by our limited capacities, have been considered in former discourses; and although we have found them all opposed to the doctrine of endless sin and suffering, yet as neither the light of reason, nor the acknowledged perfections of Deity can give us an assurance of an existence beyond the present, arguments deducible from them cannot be entirely satisfactory to the mind. As it is only through the medium of that revelation which God has given to us in the scriptures, that we can obtain any knowledge of a future existence; so it is to this revelation alone we must apply for information with respect to the nature of that existence, and whether it will be happy or miserable.

But here a difficulty of considerable magnitude arises. From almost the earliest period of Christianity, succeeding the, apostolic age, different opinions have existed respecting what the scriptures teach on this point. While some have believed the final salvation of all men to be revealed in the bible, others have supposed that the endless punishment of a part of the human family is there taught. Tertullian, a presbyter of Carthage, about the commencement of the third century, is supposed to be the first who asserted the

proper eternity of hell torments; and his dispo sition appears to have been in perfect accordance with this cruel sentiment; for he declares that he should laugh, he should rejoice, and exult in beholding the endless burnings and torments of the pagan kings, philosophers and poets.

During the succeeding two or three hundred years, both sentiments prevailed in the Church; both amongst those who were considered orthodox, and those sects who were termed heretics; and from the fragments of writings which have come down to us from that period, it does not appear that these different opinions caused any difficulty in the churches; as neither party ever brought the opinions of the other on this point, as an accusation against them. But from this time, when the church became intoxicated with power; and when the clergy appeared to vie with each other in the introduction of additional creeds, ceremonies and corruptions of the pure principles of the gospel, the glorious doctrine of universal and impartial grace began to decline; until at the fifth general Council, holden at Constantinople in the year 553 it was formally condemned; and the writings of those eminent Fathers who had embraced it were destroyed. From this period to the time of the reformation which was commenced by Luther and others in the early part of the sixteenth century; a period which has justly been termed the dark ages of the Church, the darker doctrine of endless unmer. ciful punishment almost universally prevailed; and even at this time by far the greatest portion of professing Christians believe, or profess to believe this gloomy sentiment.

But men are beginning to throw off the shackles with which they have so long been bound, and to examine and think for themselves. They are beginning to ascertain that they are capable