to the subject of endless misery in a future world; and no inconsiderable number, who reject, even with scorn and contumely, the idea that such a doom for the human soul is possible.

It is no part of my present object to enter the lists of controversy at large in regard to this subject. That many are greatly agitated in respect to it, is so far from being strange, or in itself criminal, that I could wish many thousands, who are now altogether indifferent with regard to every inquiry of such a nature, might be aroused to a state of deep concern. There is always more hope from a state of concern, than from one of apathy. Baxter says, that spiritual sloth has sent more souls to perdition, than all the other causes which can be named.

Let us not despair of being listened to by such as are agitated in respect to a future state. If it be true that some have passed on to that condition, in which they can only look scorn and breathe contempt when the doctrine of endless punishment is mentioned, we will still hope, that in a land of gospel light and free inquiry, there are not many who have been able to attain to such a fearful attitude of mind.

I can never think on the subject of future punishment, without spontaneously asking: Why should I disbelieve it? If it be true, that there is no punishment of the wicked hereafter, then I shall be as much a participator of all the good which is to come, as if I were a believer in the doctrine of those who affirm this. The only reward for belief in this case, will be a hope, such as it is, during the present life, that I shall be happy hereafter, come what may in this world, or do what I may please to do. And yet my conscience, in spite of myself, would be continually at war with such a hope, on such gronnds. There is "a fearful looking for of judgment and fiery indignation which will devour the adversaries," implanted by our Maker in the human breast, in order to proclaim within us that there is a God who will judge the world in righteousness, who abhors sin and loves holiness, and who will exhibit to the creatures of his power his love of the one and his hatred of the other. Conscience can be stilled in respect to these fears, only by doing to her the most absolute violence, binding her in chains, hoodwinking her, or administering opiates in large quantities. The latter is the usual method of keeping her quiet. But alas! it is only

a dreamy and feverish sleep that is procured. Sins committed are followed by the fear of punishment, whether we will or not. This is the voice of God that speaks to the soul made in his image, but now degraded and defaced by sin. Conscience whispers that retribution will come. We may stop our ears; we may drown her voice with music or with shouting; all these expedients are but temporary. When every artifice is wearied out, and every shout which overpowered the still small voice has ceased, then comes the tremendous whisper again. In our lonely recesses, in the dead of night, on the bed of sickness, in the hour of danger, of trial, of misfortune-conscience whispers with an accent that penetrates the inmost recesses of the soul: "There is a God who judgeth the earth”—" God is angry with the wicked every day."

Where, O where, is an asylum from this still small voice, more terrific than the seven thunders which shake the throne of heaven? Is it to be found in plunging deep into the pleasures of sense? But how can it be found there? These are short, unsatisfying, often attended with satiety and disgust even in the very height of them; and, at all events, they are but temporary. Shall the refuge be found, then, in confident assertion, in presumptuous belief, that there is no future punishment? But how will these alter the case? The measures of a just God are not to be influenced by our declarations, nor by our presumption. When we have scoffed at his justice, or derided the moral retribution which he intends to make there is no change in him nor in his measures. When we call in question his word; or even labour to make it proclaim the future freedom of the wicked from all punishment; it is not the boldness of our assertions, nor the rashness of our criticisms on the Scriptures, nor the zeal with which we may contend for our professed belief in the common happiness of the pious and the impious, which can change the declarations of the Scriptures, or repeal one awful commination which they contain. There the assurance is given, that when the Saviour is seated on his throne of final judg ment, and all nations are assembled before him, he will separate them as a shepherd divides his sheep from the goats-to the one he will assign Conv aiavior, to the other κόλασιν αἰώνιον. The punishment is characterized by the same adjective as the reward; and if the life be endless in

this case, then the punishment must also be endless. If not, the whole declaration has no intelligible meaning.

With such an avowal before us as this, from the lips of him who is himself to be our final judge, is it acting a reasonable part, to shut our ears against it, and, in accordance with our wishes, maintain that even the Bible itself establishes the doctrine of universal salvation, or at least of ultimate universal restoration? The laws of exegesis remonstrate against this conclusion; and if they are not to be trusted, what confidence can we place in any thing that we deduce from the Bible? It lies on the very face of the Scriptures, that heaven is no more affirmed to be endless, than hell is. An interpretation which makes the latter temporary, must shake our faith in the permanency of the former. The whole matter stands or falls together.

I have been not a little surprised, therefore, at the violence which has often been put upon the words av and, in order to show that they may designate a temporary period. It is indeed true, that they may be employed to designate a period which is in its own nature temporary; but then it is plain enough in such cases, that they are employed in order to make the strongest expression of duration that the nature of the case will admit; and they are chosen for such a purpose on the very ground, that they naturally designate an endless length of time. If not, then neither the Greek nor the Hebrew has the power of expressing this idea, nor any specific name for it.

But I find myself unconsciously drawn into a train of reflections on this subject, which it is not my present design to pursue. My immediate object may be stated in a few words, and should be plainly stated in order that the reader may understand it.

It has often been asserted by disputants respecting the subject of future punishment, that the early periods of Christianity were strangers to the doctrine of the endless misery of the wicked; and, consequently, that all the assertions of such a doctrine are grounded only in the fears of men, or in pious fraud, or in a mistake respecting the meaning of scriptural language. When those who maintain the doctrine of endless punishment appeal to the Bible in confirmation of it, they are told, that it is only by inisinterpreting the Bible, that such adoctrine can be made out from it.

What then is the ultimate appeal, in a case of this nature? It will be allowed, I suppose, by all reasonable men, that the scriptural writers employed language according to its usual meaning at the period when they wrote. A dispute, however, exists between those who affirm and those who deny the future and endless punishment of the wicked, whether the usus loquendi of the Scriptures is of such a nature as to confirm the doctrine maintained by the former. No texts that can be brought will satisfy the latter, so long as they believe that the usages of ancient times, as to the language in question, were contrary to what the former class allege. In this state of things, then, it would seem desirable to consult other books besides the Bible-books written about the same period as the scriptural ones, and presenting us with the usual views of those times in regard to the great subject before us.

Should we find now, after such consultation, that the common belief of the Jews to whom the Scriptures were primarily addressed, was such as now generally prevails, i. e. that endless punishment was a matter of common belief among them; then we must come to the conclusion, either that the New Testament writers meant to teach the same doctrine, or else that they have, in an inexplicable manner, left their writings in such a state, that the great mass of men have misunderstood and must naturally misunderstand them. Why did not the sacred writers explicitly, plainly, purposely, and avowedly, correct the common opinion among the Jews in respect to this subject? Honesty and fidelity would seem to have demanded this of them, if this opinion had been such as some allege it to have been.

The book of Enoch, as we have seen in a preceding number of this Miscellany, was composed by a Jew, unusually familiar with the Old Testament Scriptures, and probably having some acquaintance with those of the New. It was composed in all probability during the latter half of the first century of the Christian era. It was written by a serious man, and for serious purposes. The reward of the righteous and the punishment of the wicked are the great theme of the author's work. It may therefore be of some importance to discover what are the views of this writer respecting the future punishment of the wicked. It will help us to know what were the usual sentiments of his time, cherished by persons who reflected on the subject of religion.

I may remark also, that the manner of the writer is such, when he speaks of this subject, as to shew that in his view it is not a controverted one-at least, that only mockers at all religion controverted it. He evidently expects, that his readers will not call in question what he says about the nature or duration of the punishment to be inflicted upon the wicked. Such a position of course indicates, that he utters only a common sentiment on this topic; and if so, then we can get some light from what he says, concerning the religious opinions of his time.

It is not my design to repeat all which the writer says, on the subject before us. To do so, would be to make larger extracts from his book than is necessary; and I should, moreover, be in danger of wearying the patience of the reader. I shall therefore omit the mere declarations, almost without number, that God will punish the wicked and reward the righteous; for these, although they have a general and even important bearing on our subject at large, still do not determine the point how much or how long the wicked are to be punished. Let us confine our attention, then, to those passages which cast some light on the subject last named.

I begin with the author's denunciation of the wicked in chap. 6: 5 seq. "Ye wicked in heart, no peace shall be to you! Therefore your days shall you curse, and the years of your lives shall perish; perpetual execration shall be multiplied, and you shall not obtain mercy."

The leader of the sinning angels is thus sentenced by the Most High: "Bind Azazyel hand and foot; cast him into darkness .. there shall he remain for ever; cover his face that he may not see the light; and in the great day of judgment let him be cast into the fire;" chap. 10: 6 seq.

In respect to the giants, the supposed progeny of sinning angels and the daughters of men, Michael is ordered to "bind them for seventy generations underneath the earth, even to the day of judgment and of consummation, until the judgment, which will last for ever, be completed; then shall they be taken away into the lowest depths of the fire in torments, and in confinement shall they be shut up for ever;" chap. 10: 15 seq.

Again, in another place, the sinning angels are told by Enoch, acting by special commission from God (so the book represents him): "Judgment has been passed upon you; your request [for pardon] will not be granted to you;