wilfully choose that which God himself assures them will bring them to eternal damnation, is not damnation itself too small a punishment for such insolent madness? Instead of derogating from the goodness of God, that he declares he will punish impenitent sinners with eternal torments, if we ́consider things in the proper light, we shall find his goodness most admirably displayed in it: for can any man say how far in the very nature of the thing itself, satisfaction is due to infinite justice, for the infinite sanctity and mercy of God, abused and blasphemed by wicked men? To argue by the light of reason, and from what passes among ourselves, an infinite satisfaction would be required; and if this be the case, what is it but infinite goodness and mercy in God to warn men of their danger, and to tell them beforehand what they have to expect by sinning, that they may avoid that monster, and prevent their falling into endless misery? Nay, we may even go a step further, and observe, that it is even necessary, for the good of mankind, both that the torments of hell should be eternal, and that God should reveal it to the world. For, if the corruption of our heart be such, that, notwithstanding the belief of the eternity of these torments, wickedness and vice reign so universally, even among those who have that belief; what would be the case if they believe these torments would only be temporary? If even eternal punishments are not sufficient to restrain men from sin, what would be the case if the punishments of sin were only to last for a time, and then all end in endless happiness?

Q. 56. After all, what proportion is there betwixt sin, which is the action of a moment, and a punishment which is of eternal duration?

A. But who can assure us that sin is the action of a moment? Even though it were, it contains, as

we have seen, an infinite malice, because of the infinite dignity of the person of God, who is offended by it, and therefore deserves an infinite punishment. A stab given to a king, with a view to kill him, is only an action of a moment, and yet it is punished with prisons, confiscations, tortures, and death, which is a kind of infinite punishment as to this life. But what, if the sin itself, in those who die guilty of it, should be eternal? The guilt of sin does not lie precisely in the outward action, which, indeed, is but the action of a moment, but in the malice of the will of the sinner who commits it; and, as long as the sinful action is unrepented of, so long the will adheres to it, and continues, as it were, in the virtual commission of it; because all that time it continues averted from God, and adhering to that sinful action by which God is offended. If a sinner dies in this state, it is manifest, that, as long as he continues in it, he must deserve punishment; and if he continues in it for all eternity, for all eternity he must deserve punishment. Now this is the very case: the same divine revelation which assures us that the pains of hell are eternal, assures us also, that after this life, there is no repentance; but that the miserable sinners condemned to those pains, shall, for all eternity, be employed in gnawing their tongues for pain, and blaspheming the God of heaven, because of their pains and wounds, and do not repent for their works," Rev. xvi. 10. "A fire is kindled in my wrath," says Almighty God, "and shall burn even to the lowest hell-and I will heap evils upon them, and will spend my arrows among them-Oh, that they would be wise, and understand, and provide for their last end!" Deut. xxxii. 22, 29.

ΑΝ

INQUIRY,

WHETHER SALVATION CAN BE HAD WITHOUT TRUE FAITH, AND OUT OF THE COMMUNION OF THE CHURCH OF CHRIST.

INTRODUCTION AND STATE OF THE QUESTION.

THERE is nothing in which the great apostle of the Gentiles seems more to glory, than his ardent zeal for the salvation of souls, and the sincerity of his heart in delivering to the world the sacred truth of eternity pure and uncorrupted. He was not ashamed of these divine truths; he rejoiced when he was called to suffer for them; he had no worldly interest in view in preaching them; he sought not the esteem and favour of men in delivering them; his only view was to promote the honour of his blessed Master, and to gain souls to him, and therefore he had no idea of using flattering words, or of accommodating the doctrine of the gospel to the humours of men. He knew that the truths re

vealed by Jesus Christ are unalterable; that "heaven and earth shall pass away, but his words shall never pass away;" and that, therefore, to corrupt these sacred words, though but in one single article, would be "a perverting the gospel of Christ," Gal. 1. 7.; a sin so grievous, that the Holy Ghost, by his mouth, pronounces a curse upon any one, though an angel from heaven, who shall dare to be guilty of it. Hence he describes his own conduct in preaching the gospel, as follows: "Ye know from the first day that I came into Asia, in what manner I have been with you. for all the time.... How I have kept back nothing that was profitable to you, but have preached it to you, and taught you publicly, and from house to house," Acts xx. 18, 20. "We had confidence in our God to speak to you the gospel of God in much-carefulness... not as pleasing men but God, who proveth our hearts, for neither have we used, at any time, the speech of flattery, as you know; nor taken occasion of covetousness, God is witness. Nor sought we glory of men, neither ofyou, nor of others," 1 Thess. ii. 2, 4.; "for we are not as many, adulterating the word of God; but with sincerity, but as from God, in the sight of God, we speak in Christ," 2 Cor. ii. 17.; "we renounce the hidden things of dishonesty, not walking in craftiness, nor adulterating the word of God, but by manifestation of the truth, commending ourselves to every man's conscience in the sight of God... for we preach not ourselves, but Jesus Christ our Lord," 2 Cor, iv. 2, 5. "Do I speak to please men? If I yet pleased men I should not be a servant of Christ," Gal. i. 10. Now "Christ sent me to preach the gospel, not in wisdom of speech, lest the cross of Christ should be made void; for the word of the cross, to them, indeed,

that perish, is foolishness; but to them that are saved, that is, to us, it is the power of God... and it pleased God, by the foolishness of our preaching to save them that believe... for the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men. . and the foolish things of the world God hath chosen, that he may confound the wise; and the weak things of the world hath God chosen, that he may confound the strong... that no flesh should glory in his sight," 1 Cor. i. "But I am not ashamed of the gospel; for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth," Rom. i. 16. And, therefore, "I, when I came among you, came not in loftiness of speech or of wisdom, declaring to you the testimony of Christ; and my preaching was not in the persuasive words of human wisdom, but in shewing of the Spirit, and in power; that your faith might not stand on the wisdom of men, but on the power of God," 1 Cor. ii. 1.

The Church of Christ, animated by the same divine Spirit of truth which inspired this holy apostle, has, at all times, and in all places, regulated her conduct according to the model set here before her in his words and example, "earnestly contending for the faith once delivered to the saints," Jude, verse 8.; her continual vigilance and attention is, "to keep that which is committed to her trust," pure and undefiled, "avoiding all profane novelties of words," 1 Tim. vi. 20.; that the sacred words of God "once put into her mouth, may never depart from her, from henceforth and for ever," Is. lix. 21. She, therefore, knows not what it is to temporize in religion, in order to please men, nor to adulterate the gospel of Christ to bumour them; she declares the sacred truths revealed by Jesus Christ in their native simplicity, without endeavouring to gild them with the persuasive words of human wisdom; and