presentation of the doctrine, in order to make it appear unjust and cruel. But then, as we, on our principles, want no extraordinary interposition of power or providence to preserve them in their existence; so, on the other hand, it would be unphilosophical in our adversaries to have recourse to such extraordinary interposition, without reason and without proof, in order to annihilate or destroy them. They must stand by the consequences of that nature which God has given them. How then, after all, do our Saviour's words, in the passage before us, "fa"vour the destruction of the wicked in hell?" Is it because the word amoλécar is used? That cannot be: a word used a thousand times, where nothing of this sense is intended. To go no further than the 39th verse of this chapter; there our Saviour says, 'O ἀπόλεσας τὴν ψυχὴν αὑτοῦ (which literally rendered is, He that destroyeth his soul) for my sake shall find it: where, for certain, our Saviour cannot mean such destruction as implies ceasing to exist. I will not multiply instances in so plain a case; but this I assert, that, so far as the import merely of this word is concerned, it is of too uncertain and ambiguous signification to build any doctrine of this consequence upon. The body and soul are truly destroyed (in the common and vulgar sense of the word) in hell, when they are cast into hell, without any prospect of deliverance from it. Compare Dr. John Warren's Sermons, vol. ii. Ser. 11. p. 249, &c.

Num. XI.

Matt. xii. 31, 32. Wherefore I say unto you, All manner of sin and blasphemy shall be forgiven unto men: but

For the proof of this, see Num. LIX.

the blasphemy against the Holy Ghost shall not be forgiven unto men.

And whosoever speaketh a word against the Son of man, it shall be forgiven him: but whosoever speaketh against the Holy Ghost, it shall not be forgiven him, neither in this world, neither in the world to come.

66

Here Mr. W. observes, "That some sins, not for

given in this world or age, will be forgiven in the "world or age to come, seems very clear from this "text"." But why did he not observe too, that it is likewise clear from this text, (for the text plainly declares it,) that there is one sin which will never be forgiven? And what if it should not be any peculiar heinousness in the nature of this particular sin that renders it incapable of pardon, but rather that the persons guilty of it are thereby supposed to be totally hardened, and fixed in an incurably wicked temper? Then, one would think, it should follow, that every sin which concludes in final obduracy, and the same incurably wicked temper, should by parity of reason, and the same rule of justice, be liable to the same condemnation. In short, it is much clearer from this text that some sin shall never be forgiven, than that some sins, not forgiven in this world, will be forgiven in the world to come. The former is the express declaration of the text; the latter is only an inference drawn from an ambiguous expression, which may imply no such thing. This world or age, and the world or age to come, as the parts of a whole, may be put to signify that whole itself; and then the meaning will be, that the person guilty of this sin will never be forgiven. Such a manner of speaking is familiar enough in scrip

ture; and that it is no more than such a mode of speech in this place, I am the rather inclined to believe, because St. Mark and St. Luke express the same thing without any such distinction: He hath never forgiveness, says the former, Mark iii. 29; It shall not be forgiven, says the latter, Luke xii.

10.c

Num. XII.

Matt. xiii. 30, 40, 41, 42. Let both grow together until the harvest: and in the time of harvest I will say to the reapers, Gather ye together first the tares, and bind them in bundles to burn them: but gather the wheat into my barn. See Numb. II.

40. As therefore the tares are gathered and burned in the fire; so shall it be in the end of this world.

41. The Son of man shall send forth his angels, and they shall gather out of his kingdom all things that offend, and them which do iniquity;

42. And shall cast them into a furnace of fire: there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth.

This parable of the tares contains some noble instructions on subjects of a very high importance,

See a larger account of this text in archbishop Wake's Discourse of Purgatory, printed in the late Preservative against Popery, in folio, vol. ii. tit. viii. p. 119; and in Chemnitius, ubi sup. Præterea tempus futuri seculi, de tempore post resurrectionem. mortuorum in scriptura accipitur. Adventus enim Christi ad judicium, faciet finem huic seculo, Matt. xiii. 24. Et quando qui bona egerunt, ibunt post resurrectionem in vitam æternam, Johan. vi. illud tempus vocatur futurum seculum, Marc. x. et Luc. xx. tempus resurrectionis expresse vocatur tempus futuri seculi. Quando igitur Matthæus nominat futurum seculum, intelligit extremum judicium post resurrectionem mortuorum. Male ergo de intermedio tempore inter mortem et resurrectionem exponitur. So that here is nothing said in this text of forgiveness in this intermediate state; which however is the season of purgatory with the papists, and of castigatory punishments in hades with Mr. W.

which have always perplexed the inquiries of mankind: such as the origin of evil, the conduct and designs of Providence in permitting it, the true notion of human life as a state of trial; where there must be some mixture of evil as an exercise of virtue, and for the proof and manifestation of fidelity and obedience. But this plan of Providence will one day be finished; and, when it is so, we are here assured an entire separation will be made between the two sorts of men, (for only two sorts are supposed,) the good and the evil. The former shall go to receive their reward, Then shall the righteous shine forth as the sun in the kingdom of their Father; the latter to their place of punishment; they shall be cast into a furnace of fire. That this will utterly destroy them, is not said; nor, if contrary to reason and scripture, in other places to be supposed. Here is mention of wailing and gnashing of teeth, which so far must imply continuance in being; but no hint of annihilation. As little (or, if possible, less) ground is there to expect, from this parable, or the explanation of it, any future state of trial for these wicked, or any restoration of them to happiness and the favour of God. We are rather here plainly taught, on the contrary, that as the present world is a state of probation, so this probation will be de

d Magnæ hoc disputationis est; cur a Deo, cum justitiam terræ daret, sit retenta diversitas :-Nunc designare id brevissime satis est: virtutem aut cerni non posse, nisi habeat vitia contraria; aut non esse perfectam, nisi exerceatur adversis. Hanc enim Deus bonorum ac malorum voluit esse distantiam, ut qualitatem boni ex malo sciamus, item mali ex bono; nec alterius ratio intelligi, sublato altero, potest. Deus ergo non exclusit malum, ut ratio virtutis constare posset.

Lactant. lib. v. cap. 7. Confer lib. vi.

c. 15.

cisive and final. Therefore, as our Saviour concludes, who hath ears to hear, let him hear.

Num. XIII.

Matt. xiii. 49, 50. So shall it be at the end of the world: the angels shall come forth, and sever the wicked from among the just, and shall cast them into the furnace of fire: there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth.

This parable of the net cast into the sea, which gathered of every kind, represents to us the nature of Christ's kingdom in this world; that it consists of good and bad: but assures us, at the same time, that it shall not be always so. As the fishermen gathered the good fish into vessels, but cast the bad away; (τὰ δὲ σαπρὰ ἔξω ἔβαλον, not put them into the sea again to improve against some other time, but cast them quite away, as corrupt, and good for nothing;) so, at the end of the world, will the angels sever the wicked from among the just, and cast them (not into another state of probation) into their place of punishment; there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth. Compare Num. XII.

Num. XIV.

Matt. xviii. 8, 9. it is better for thee to enter into life halt or maimed, rather than having two hands or two feet to be cast into everlasting fire.

9. it is better for thee to enter into life with one eye, rather than having two eyes to be cast into hell fire.

Here Mr. Whiston says, "These two expressions "are for certain directly parallel, and neither of "them at all imply the proper eternity of hell tor"ments"."

We have heard this fire called unquenchable before, see Num. II.; but as this is the first place where

e P. 38.