ert manner, till the whole mass is corrupted. The great point of distinction between the true and the false in experimental religion, is, that true religion consists in disinterested affection, and all false religion consists in selfishness. Many of the advocates of error, however, have thought it expedient to assent to this statement, and by attaching such a sense to the terms disinterested and selfish as to accommodate them to their own views, pretend to make disinterested, universal, and impartial benevolence, the ground on which they build their whole system. With them, happiness is the only thing worthy of regard, for its own sake, and actions are esteemed good or bad, only as they tend to promote or hinder the greatest degree of happiness. And their idea of the goodness of God, is, that he places his happiness in promoting, as far as in his power, the highest happiness of his creatures. They reject the idea that holiness and sin are good and evil, in their own nature, aside from their tendency, and that holiness is more desirable than happiness, and sin more hateful than misery. And in this way, they give such a sense to the terms disinterested and selfish, as takes away the offence of the cross, and renders them agrecable to the feelings of the natural heart. HOW MUCH GOOD TWO CHRISTIANS CAN DO. In the Spring of 1825, two young merchants of Boston, neither of them very wealthy nor very influential, were sitting together on a pleasant evening, and conversing upon the greatness of their obligations to Christ. Suddenly the con versation turned upon the moral condition of their city, and the great need there was of more Churches in which the truth should be faithfully dispensed. "Well," said one of them, "whatever is accomplished must be begun; what if we should undertake to effect the building of a new Church?" The other hesitated a moment, and then said, "It looks like a great undertaking-but if Mills, though “a small man," as he said, could make his influence felt across the Atlantic, we can at least make the attempt you propose."-The thing was agreed on. That very night a subscription paper was drawn up, and the next morning the subject was laid before some of the older and more wealthy brethren, who gave it their cordial approbation, put down their names for a liberal share of the stock, and encouraged the same in others. The amount was soon swelled to nearly 30,000 dollars; a plat of ground was purchased, and a house erected.This is the origin of Dr. Beecher's Church; and when we say this, we probably state what is new to every individual in Boston, except the two who were immediately concerned. On opening the house for worship, a large congregation was suddenly gathered, consisting, in no small part, of those who had attended Unitarian or Universalist preaching, or were not connected with any religious society. Those who invested money in the house, have, we believe, been fully compensated by the sale or value of the pews; and as we said last week, the Spirit of God has been pleased by his gracious influences to crown this labour of love, and is bringing scores, * One of the Editors chanced to be in timately acquainted with these circumstances, as a third person. if not hundreds in the congregation, to a knowledge of the truth as it is in Jesus. N. Y. Obs. MONTHLY CONCERT IN BOSTON. We learn from various sources, that the Monthly Concert in Boston last Monday evening, was one of the most interesting they have ever had. The intelligence communicated was all from the Palestine Mission. The Farewell Letter of Mr. King, containing his reasons for not becoming a Catholic, had been printed by Mr. Goodell at Beyroot,accompanied with Scripture notes; and produced among the Armenians an astonishing effect. At Constantinople, where the num. her of Armenians is estimated at 100,000, a general Council of clergymen and laymen had been held, in which a number of resolutions were passed, setting forth in very strong language the corruptions of their Church. One resolution declares, that no young man shall for twenty-five years to come, enter the Monastic Orders. Some of the resolutions were violently opposed by many of the clergy, but carried by the laity. This intelligence is considered the most important which the Board has ever received -1b. ORDINATIONS AND INSTALLATIONS. 1827. Jan. 24, Ordained Rev. ELIAs W. KELLOGG as pastor of the Con. Church in Albany, Vt. 1827. Ordained at Rutland Vt. Rev. EZRA D. KINNE, as an Evangelist. 1826. Oct. 25. Ordained Rev. FOR EST JEFFERDs, as pastor of the Con. Church in Epping, N. H. Sermon from 2 Tim. 1. by Rev. Jonathan Greenleaf of Wells, Me. 1827. March, 7, Ordamed Rev. CALEB GREEN, as pastor of the Baptist Church in Dighton, Mass. Sermon by Rev. Mr. Welch of Warren. [INSERTED BY REQUEST.] From the Repository and Observer. HYMN Now may our youthful voices raise, To know and fear the Lord. Our Fathers cross'd the mighty deep,. They taught their sons the truth to prize, Though fifty years have roll'd away, To bless our land arose; This holy Book should guide our youth, Its precepts should our hearts engage, Thus all who walk in wisdom's way, On his right hand together meet, THE HOPKINSIAN MAGAZINE. VOL. II. SERMON. APRIL, 1827. II. THESSALONIANS, i. 9.—Who shall be punished with everlasting destruction. The preceding verses inform us, who those are, concerning whom the apostle makes this solemn declaration, "And to you, who are troubled, rest with us, when the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven, in flaming fire, taking vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ." The persons to whom the text has reference, are such as live and die without the spiritual knowledge of God, and without holy obedience to the gospel of Christ; or, in other words, all finally impenitent sinners. These, when Christ shall make his second appearance, at the end of the world, will be sentenced to everlasting destruction. In order to understand and properly improve the prediction in our text, it is necessary to ascertain the import of the word destruction, in this place, the extent of the term everlasting, and the reason why such a punishment will be inflicted upon the finally impenitent and disobedient. Accordingly, I propose, in the ensuing discourse, to enquire, I. In what the future punishment of the wicked will consist! II. How long it will last? And, No. 16: III. Why it will be so lasting? I. In what the future punishment of the wicked will consist: In answer to this enquiry, I would observe, 1. The future punishment of such as die in their sins, will not consist in annihilation. Because it is said in scripture, that the wicked shall be destroyed, burnt up and consumed, some have concluded, that their punishment will consist in the total extinction of their being. But against such a conclusion, there are many insuperable objections. Annihilation, instead of being a punishment, would be an escape from punishment, such as the wicked will greatly desire at the day of judgment. It is essential to the very idea of punishment, that it be something which may be felt. It is absurd to call that a punishment, of which the subjects are totally unconscious. If this were a punishment, stocks and stones might be punished as well as men. The scriptures plainly teach, that the future punishment of the wicked, will be felt. The sacred writers say, that they will perience pain, sorrow, tribulat guish and torment. The notion of annihilation subverts the doctrine of the immortality of the human soul, a doctrine very fully taught in the word of - God. In the words immediately following our text, the wicked are represented as being forever in the presence of the Lord, which is inconsistent with the idea of their annihilation; "Who shall be punished with everlasting destruction, from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of his power." The presence of Christ is to be, in part, the instrumental cause of their punishment his presence will be to them, as a consuming fire.”Agreeably to which, we read in the Revelation, that they are to be 'tormented, forever and ever, in the presence of the holy angels, and in the presence of the Lamb.' Their punishment, then, cannot consist in annihilation, which would banish them from the presence of God, is well as of his creatures. Indeed, it is both unreasonable and unscriptural, to suppose that God ever did, or ever will, annihilate one human soul, or any other spirit which he has made. But if the future punishment of the wicked will not consist in annibilation; then, 2. It will consist in misery. Natural evil, or pain and suffering, is the proper punishment of moral evil, or sin. This is agreeable to the apprehensions and conduct of all mankind. This is evident from the manner in which parents treat their children, masters their ser vants, and rulers their subjects.→→ To be deprived of the happiness which might otherwise have been enjoyed, is by no means the proper and adequate punishment of crimi nals, The infliction of positive pain and distress, is essential to the very idea of punishment. Accord ingly the inspired writers represent the future punishment of the wick ed, as consisting in positive misery. We read that they are to be cast soul and body into hell, the place of torment, where they will weep and wail, and gnash their teethwhere God will render to them indignation and wrath, tribulation and anguish and where he will show his wrath and make his power known upon them. Such will be the future punishment of all the finally impenitent. I proceed to enquire, II. How long their punishment will last? For information upon this important point, we must have recourse to the sacred scriptures. For though the light of nature might teach us, that sinners deserve an endless punishment; yet it would not teach us, whether God will actually inflict upon them a deserved punishment or not. But, in the word of God, there is sufficient light shed upon this subject. It is no where intimated in scripture, that the punishment of the wicked in hell, will ever have an end. There is no mention made of any means provided for their deliverance from the prison of despair, after their confinement in it, at the day of judgment. But, if future punishment were only temporary, and an eternity of happiness were to succeed; is it not wonderful that there should have been no mention made of it, in all the scriptures? This, however, is but negative evidence ; and it may be observed, 1. That the sacred writers use those words, to express the duration of future punishment, which properly mean endless. This is acknowledged by those best acquainted with the original scriptures,They tell us, indeed, that if the terms translated, everlasting, forev the punishment of the wicked, which are used to express the dur tion of the happiness of the righteous and therefore, so far as reliance is placed upon these words, there is as much evidence of the endless punishment of the one, as the endless reward of the other. 2. Various phrases are used in scripture, with reference to the duration of future punishment, which admit of no limitation, and which, therefore, fix the meaning of the terms, everlasting, eternal, forever, &c. It is said of the finally impen itent, that they shall not see lifethat their worm dieth not, and their fire is not quenched-that there remaineth no more sacrifice for their sins--that their end, i. e. their last state, is destruction--that it is impossible for them to pass from the place of torment to the place of happiness-and that it were good for one, who dies in his sins, if he had never been born. But, to put the point beyond all reasonable doubt, it must be added, 3. That the account in scripture of the day of judgment, is such, as to convince every candid enquirer, that there will be no essential change in the future conditions of men, after the sentence which will then be passed. The very appointment of a day of general judgment, carries evidence of the endless duration of both future rewards and punishments. Why should Christ, in Divine majesty, attended by all his holy angels, assume the judgmentseat, and gather all nations before him, to scrutinize their deeds done here in the body, and to pass upon them sentence of reward or punishmeut, unless that sentence is to be final and irreversible? How will the transactions of that great day, be 'a revelation of the righteous judgment of God,' if the righteous and the wicked are not to be treated even after, according to the decision then pronounced ? There is not the least intimation in scripture, that there will be any state of trial, or any judicial investigation of the characters and actions of mankind, after the judgment of the great day. Every thing found in scripture, respecting the process and issue of the final judgment, is calculated to impress, upon the candid mind, a conviction of the endless punishment of all, who shall then be found on the left hand of the Judge. It remains to enquire, III. Why the future punishment of the wicked will be so lasting? The truth of the doctrine of endless punishment, rests upon the testimony of God in his holy word. This doctrine, therefore, is to be received, whether the reasons of it can, at present, be ascertained, or not. Many things, in scripture,are asserted as facts, the reasons of which are not explained. We are not at liberty to suspend our belief of a truth plainly taught in the Bible, until we are able to comprehend it, in all its relations and connexions. It is thought, however, that some satisfactory reasons may be assigned, why the future punishment of the wicked, should be without end. And, 1. Endless punishment is no more than all the wicked deserve. Mankind, as well as other rational creatures, are under obligation to yield perfect and constant obedience to the holy, just and good law of God. By transgressing the di vine law, they have become deserving of its curse. And they will deserve to be punished, so long as they remain guilty of having transgressed. But what can ever remove their guilt, contracted by their |
