For the transgression of my people he was smitten

to death.

9 And his grave was appointed with the wicked;
But with the rich man was his tomb.
Although he had done no wrong,

Neither was there any guile in his mouth;

10 Yet it pleased JEHOVAH to crush him with af

fliction.

If his soul shall make a propitiatory sacrifice,
He shall see a seed, which shall prolong their days,
And the gracious purpose of JEHOVAH shall prosper

in his hands.

11 Of the travail of his soul he shall see [the fruit,]

and be satisfied:

By the knowledge of him shall my servant justify

many;

For the punishment of their iniquities he shall bear. 12 Therefore will I distribute to him the many for

his portion:

And the mighty people shall he share for his spoil:
Because he poured out his soul unto death :
And was numbered with the transgressors :
And he bare the sin of many;

And made intercession for the transgressors.

"No Repentance after death."

We are frequently told by the believers in the endless misery of the wicked, it is impossible that all men can be saved, because there is no repentance after death. But before we yield this question to our opposers, we deem it no impropriety to require the testimony, which they have to support it. Why is it not as much their duty to prove it true, as it is ours to prove it false? If they wish to insist upon it, it evidently is more so. It is their duty to make it appear in strength of argument, equal to the voice by which it has been frequently vociferated. Without No. 1. Vol. 1.

this they have no reason to expect the frequent assertion of "No repentance after death," to be the conclusion of the whole matter.

We shall not attempt to maintain the salvation of sinners without repentance. Repentance toward God and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ, we believe to be the road to salvation. Commentators agree in considering repentance to be a sorrowing for sin, or what is conceived a fault, in consequence of the calamities procured by it; and this always from a sense of suffering, if not at all times from a divine sense of its opposition to real holiness and felicity. From this definition, as it is universally acknowledged, repentance implies a change of mind. This is considered true in all cases, in which it is applied to man. This definition of repentance is easily gathered from the words of St. Paul in 2 Cor. vii. 8, 9, 10. "For though I made you sorry with a letter, I do not repent, though I did repent: for I perceive that the same epistle hath made you sorry, though it were but for a season. Now I rejoice, not that ye were made sorry, but that ye sorrowed to repentance: for ye were made sorry after a godly manner, that ye might receive damage by us in nothing. For godly sorrow works th repentance to salvation not to be repented of: but the sorrow of the world worketh death." this passage we find St. Paul states he did repent for one thing, for which, when he wrote, he did not repent. What could this be, but a change of mind with sorrow? But when he had learned the happy consequences of his letter, he said, "Now I rejoice." The repentance of his brethren, he describes likewise as embracing sorrow; and being after a godly manner, it led them to desire godliness, which was a change of mind from former desires. Godly sorrow working repentance not to be repented of, seems to imply, that there may be a repentance of which men ought to repent. A repentance of this kind also embraces an anxious or sorrowful desire; though it be or things that are not salutary.

In

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Esau's case, who "when he would have inherited the blessing was rejected; for he found no place for repentance, though he sought it carefully with tears," merits consideration in this place. The opposers of universal salvation will find this an unfortunate choice to prove there is no repentance after death; for we are told from sacred authority, that Isaac by faith blessed Esau as well as Jacob concerning things to come. If Esau te eternally damned, he could not be bleed concerning things to come. If he receive not the blessing concerning things to come by repentance in this life, our opposers are at liberty to conclude, whether he receives the blessing of God through repentance in the life to come, or whether he receives it without repentance. But I find it to be an opinion of the learned, that Esau did not seek his own repentance in this case, but his father's. He sought with tears to change his father's mind, but found no place.

The instance of the rich in hades, seems every way descriptive of penitence and benevolence, though his prayer could not be answered. He was informed, to comply with his prayer for his brethren, would be useless. Although his request for himself was denied, yet Abraham condescended very familiarly to talk with him, and allowed him to call himself father, and returned the friendly compliment, son.He told him, he should realize his situation and Lazarus', but a proper change of circumstances; that as he put himself to no inconvenience to feed Lazarus, he ought not then to expect him to submit to the inconvenience attending his situation to relieve him. Abraham informed him of the impassable gulf, but with all the plainness of his usual faithfulness, never told him it should be there eternally.

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knowledge, nor wisdom, in the grave whether thou goest." The candid will easily perceive that this text goes as fully to prove, there is no pain or misery after death, as no repentance; for where there is no knowledge or wisdom, there is neither felicity nor infelicity, but a silent rest.

Eccles. xi. 3, "If the clouds be full of rain, they empty themselves upon the earth: and if the tree fall toward the south or toward the north, in the place where the tree falleth, there it shall be." The application of this scripture to a future state, is without any authority from the connexion in which it is found. The preceding verses encourage liberality. If then we may judge from this connexion, the idea is, that as naturally as clouds full of rain, empty themselves upon the earth, and the tree is found in the place where it falls, so naturally would the liberal find their reward.

Who is so well acquainted with future existence as to be able to determine that the wicked are incapable of repentance? should we admit the idea, it is easy to be seen that consequences unfavorable to the common sentiment of endless misery would follow. If the wicked be incapable of repentance, they must be incapable of sorrow for past iniquity; and incapable of a desire to be made better. They must be incapable of mourning, that their wickedness brought them to their destined situation. In short they must be tolerably contented with their condition, though in comparison with bliss and glory, it be a miserable one. That these conclusions are fair, is evident from the following definitions of repentance, which are in perfect agreement with the explanation already given.

"Repentance is either distress and troubles for the calamities procured by sin; or a godly sorrow for sin on account of its malignant nature, and offensiveness to God, which is accompanied with an hatred to sin and a love of holiness."

BUTTERWORTH'S CONCORDANCE.

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"To repent as applied to men, is with grief to change one's mind to what is thought more proper." "Men's repentance is a change of mind, earnestly wishing something undone that is done."

WOOD'S BIBLE DICTIONARY.

Should we account the wicked capable of all the sorrow of repentance and yet no pardon can be extended to them, it would seem to fill all nature with horror. "God will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth," but cannot or will not forgive the sorrowing penitent. "He is not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance," and yet will not relieve the penitent from his sorrowful and perishing condition. Do not these ideas lead to irreconcilable difficulties ?

To the Editor of the Christian Repository.

BROTHER,

As you requested me to fling in my mite for the encourage. ment of your contemplated publication, I have made the following brief extract, from a volume in my possession, which I hope will be as pleasing to your readers, as it is instructive to me. Your acceptance or rejection of this, will determine, in my mind, whether you suppose such paintings from the pencil of rhetoric, will be both ornamental and useful to your pamphlet. Not doubting your better judgment, I wait your decision.

Eloquence.

R. S.

"THE persuasive and irresistible power of eloquence, has been handed down to us from the highest antiquity. From the time of Aaron, the high-priest of Israel; from Nestor and Ulysses, military com

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