Imatges de pàgina
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Inconsistencies of Writers on Future Punishment.

the exercise of Christian sympathy and benevolence, to this simple African; who seem to envy the prince of apostates the very possibility of a restoration, and who, perhaps, would scarcely be reconciled to him, were he in reality, as well as in appearance, to be again "transformed into an angel of light."

We shall close these observations upon authors, with a few remarks on the sentiments of two of the greatest of any age and nation, Milton and Young. Of the general merit of that "Divine Poem," as it is emphatically styled by Mr. Addisım and others, Paradise Lost, there can be but one opinion: that eminent writer hath admirably illustrated its beauties, and pointed out some of its blemishes. Our inquiry here, is only as to the consistency of some of the sentiments contained in it, with the doctrine of eternal punishment, which, in its highest possible sense. the sublime poet is commonly supposed to have adopted.

In the astonishing description of the consequences of the War in Heaven, in the 1st book, though we behold "Cherub and Seraph rolling in the flood," it is "with scattered arms and ensigns;" and "the superior Fiend" is represented with his ponderous shield, whose broad circumference hung on his shoulders like the moon," at whose tremendous call, the multitude of apostate spirits are aroused" from their slumber on the fiery couch," to attend his summons. At his command, "The mighty standard" is upreared by the Cherub Azazel:

"Which full high advanced,
Shone like a meteor streaming to the wind,,
With gems and golden lustre rich emblaz'd,
Seraphie arms and trophies: all the while
Sonorous metal blowing martial sounds."
Being now arranged

"In thick array,
Of depth immeasurable; anon they move
In perfect phalanx, to the Dorian mood
Of flutes, and soft recorders; such as raised
To height of noblest temper, heroes old
Arming to battle, and instead of rage,
Deliberate ralour breathed; firm and un-
moved

With dread of death, to fight or foul re

treat :

Nor wanting power, to mitigate and swage
With solemn touches, troubled thoughts,

and chase

Anguish and doubt, and fear, and sorrow, and pain

From mortal, or immortal minds! Thus they,

Breathing united force, with fixed thought,
Mov'd on in silence to soft pipes, that

charm'd

Their painful steps o'er the burnt soil—”.

Then, as to the place to which they were consigned, one of the chiefs, in the council of Pandæmonium, employs this language:

"As He our darkness, cannot we His

light

Imitate when we please? This desert soil, Wants not her hidden lustre, gems and gold,

Nor want we skill or art from whence to

raise

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Magnificence; and what can Heaven shew

.more!"

After the close of the Stygian Council, the poet gives the following account of the amusements and diversions of the fallen spirits, " till their great Chief's réturn:"

"Part on the plain, or in the air su

blime

Upon the wing, or in swift race contend
As at the Olympic games, or Pythian fields:
Part curb their fiery steeds; or shun the
goal

With rapid wheels, or fronted brigades form.
Others, with vast Typbæan rage, more fell,
Rend up both rocks and hills, and ride the

air

In whirlwind: Hell scarce holds the wild uproar!

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Others, more mild,
Retreated in a silent valley, sing
Their own heroic deeds, and hapless fall
With notes angelical to many a harp
By doom of battle: and complain that fate
Free virtue should enthral to force or

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Inconsistencies of Writers on Future Punishment.

Their soft ethereal warmth, and there to

pine, Immoveable, infixed, and frozen round Periods of time; thence hurried back to fire!"

Now, however we may be trans-
ported, as we ought to be, by these
magical sounds, we should not suffer
them to bereave us of our understand
ings. It is certain, that if they had
been composed by a Hume or a Voltaire,
instead of a pious Christian poet, they
would have been deemed a species of
solemn bombast, and as intended to ri-
dicule and expose the doctrine of future
punishment altogether. It is well, if
they may not have frequently produced
this effect, though nothing was farther
from the design of the pious author, in
the minds of superficial persons--the
moral instruction lying far too deep for
common observation. We shall not
enter into particulars, as one would
wish to avoid every thing ludicrous in
a serious discussion: one thing is ob-
vious that the writer who could give
so great a scope to his imagination,
and introduce so many lenient circum-
stances into the supposed state of pu
nishment of fallen angels, could not
possibly believe in the doctrine of un
-remitting torments, which here, indeed,
he expressly contradicts; nor, probably,
even in that of the eternal duration of
future punishment, though limited in
degree. Perhaps these very passages
might be intended covertly to insinuate
the contrary. Reasoning from analogy,
he could not suppose a more tremendous
and dreadful hell, for impenitent rebels
of the race of Adam, than for apostate
spirits; and moreover, that in this view,
he is to be read with great latitude of
interpretation, and a due regard to the
poetic license, even when he appears to
be the most serious. That admired
passage, in his description of Hell,
"Hope never comes, that comes to
all," is, in itself, equivocal, and would
have been so regarded in the mouth of
an heathen oracle. The poet might
mean no more, than that "Hope never
comes" to some for a long period,
"which comes to all" at last; for, as
he tells us in the 2d book:

"Neither do the spirits damned,
Lose all their virtue !"

Dr. Young is, perhaps, scarcely infe rior to Milton, either as a poet or as a divine, alluding here chiefly to his practical divinity and his poetical ge

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nius. He transports us to regions beyond the stars, elevates us to the empyrean heaven, or plunges us into the unfathomable abyss! In his "Universal Passion," he glances at the sentíments of Origen, Tillotson, and others, respecting future punishment, and is much too ludicrous to quote in this place, for the reasons just mentioned. Whenever writers have recourse to jesting and sneering, in opposing any religious opinions, it is a shrewd sign that they have either a weak head or a weak argument. The former circamstance no one will think of applying to Dr. Young. But-perhaps we forget, in this particular case, that "the love of fame" is “a satire."↑

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In his poem on The Last Day," the author appears to be serious throughout. And here, if any where, one would naturally have expected, from so great a reasoner, a series of irrefragable arguments in proof of the doctrine which he appears to espouse: and indeed he gives us arguments enough, but they are all on the other side of

"With all his faults, Young was a man of genius, and a poet."

DR. JOHNSON.

+ Nothing can justify the mixture of frivolity, either in opposing what we deem religious errors, or in recommending and enforcing religious truths and duties. In the Bible, we have instances of the severest irony and sarcasm, but nothing like buffoonry; and even these allowed instruments should be employed by us, with the greatest circumspection. It should be recollected, that we are neither prophets nor apostles and although they, in general, and the great Author of our religion, at all times, had an intuitive knowledge and perception of mental error, yet, they seldom apply the severity of rebuke in this particular case, but chiefly in cases of enormous moral delinquency, such as idolatry, hypocrisy, a persecuting spirit, carelessness, presumption, and obstinate infidelity. We should reflect, that no honest mind embraces error, as such, but, under the semblance of truth; and that they, who think themselves "strong, ought to bear the infirmities of the weak."

In enforcing the truths of religion, we have some eminent preachers who grievously offend in this way. Where this arises from an idiosyncracy, or is the effect of constitution, and counterbalanced by a thousand useful and valuable qualities, it must be borne with, as men never get çntirely rid of their natural tempers; but let the bumble imitators beware!

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Inconsistencies of Writers on Future Punishment.

the question. Let the impartial reader judge. It will be necessary, for the sake of those who may not have the book at hand, to cite a few passages, and then offer some remarks on the several parts.

The following are the sentiments which the victims of divine anger are supposed to utter, in the state of future punishment.

"Who burst the barriers of my peaceful grave?

Ah! cruel Death, that would no longer save;

Push into being-a reverse of Thee,
And animate a clod with misery!

As our dire punishment, for ever strong,
Our constitution too, for ever young,
Curs'd with returns of vigour still the same,
Pow'rful to bear, and satisfy the flame;
Still to be caught, and still to be pursued,
To perish still, and still to be renewed!
And this my King! my God! at thy decree,
Nature is changʻd, and Hell should succour
me!

And canst Thou, then, look down from per-
fect bliss,

And see me plunging in the dark abyss; But grudg'd me e'en that narrow dark Calling Thee Father! in a sea of fire;

abode,

And cast me out, into the wrath of God!

Must all these pow'rs, Heav'n gave me to
supply

My soul with pleasure, and bring in my joy,
Rise up in arms against me, join the foe,
Sense, reason, memory, increase my woe?
And shall my voice, ordain'd on hymns to
dwell,

Corrupt to groans, and blow the fires of
Hell?

What, no reprieve, no least indulgence
giv'n,

No beam of hope from any point of Heav'n?
Ah! mercy, mercy, art thou dead above?
Is love extinguish'd in the Source of love?
Bold that I am,-did Heav'n stoop down

to Hell;

Th' expiring Lord of Life my ransom seal?
Have I not been industrious to provoke,
From his embraces obstinately broke?
Pursu'd and panted for his mortal hate,
Earn'd my destruction, labour'd for my
fate;

And dare I, on extinguish'd love exclaim?
Take, take full vengeance, rouse the

slack'ning flame;

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Or pouring blasphemies, at Thy desire?
With mortals' anguish, wilt Thou raise Thy

name,

And by my pangs, Omnipotence proclaim?
Call back Thy thunders, Lord! hold in thy
rage,

Nor, with a speck of wretchedness, engage:
Forget me quite, nor stoop a worm to blame,
But lose me, in the greatness of Thy name.
Thou art all love, all mercy, all divine,
And shall I make those glories cease to
shine?

Shall sinful man grow great by his offence,"
And from its course, turn back Omni-
potence?

Forbid it, and oh! grant, great God, at least,
This one, this slender, almost no request→→
When I have wept a thousand lives away; ✦
When torment is grown weary of its prey;
When I have rav'd ten thousand years in
fire;

Ten thousand thousands, let me then.
expire!

Deep anguish! but too late-the hopeless
soul,

Bound to the bottom of the burning pool,
To toss, to wreathe, to pant beneath his load,
And bear the weight of an offended God!"

This is evidently the high Drexelian system, in irreproveable poetry. It is essentially different from Milton's Hell, and, perhaps, on that account, the more consistent. Here are no lenitives, or occasional diversions; no " dulcet har mony of sound;" no gymnastic exercises; no disputations, rational or irrational, wise or vain, to recreate and calm their perturbed spirits; nor, as fár as appears, any discrimination of cha and the transgressor of slender age, racter:-but the antediluvian sinner, and who, in an unguarded moment, who has but just looked into existence, hath unwittingly slipped through the first hidden snare, on the fatal bridge of human life; the wicked servant, who shall be beaten "with many stripes," and the ignorant servant, whe

Inconsistencies of Writers on Future Punishment.

shall be beaten "with few;" are all consigned together, in one undistinguished mass, to never-ending torments! Such a representation of things can be neither true nor wholesome: the last cited text, in full unison with the dictates of nature, proves its falsity; and what is not true can never be useful. Such a scheme may amaze and terrify, but can never satisfy and convince. To believe a thing, is to be persuaded of it, and to be able to give some solid reasons for such a belief. That which hath no hold on the understanding, can work no conviction on the heart.

But, let us briefly examine the pleas, which the victim of eternal wrath is here supposed to urge, in the midst of his sufferings. We shall pass over those passages which justly and awfully display the self-accusations of the hitherto impenitent transgressor: they need no comment. "It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God!" when manifested as a God of judgment, and when his mercy and loving kindness, as to individuals, shall appear for a season to be suspended! The pleas, here supposed to be urged, arise from the consideration of the strict eternity of punishment, represented in different views.

"What, no reprieve, no least indulgence

giv❜n,

No beam of hope from any point of Heav'n?
Ab! mercy, mercy, art thou dead above,
Is love extinguish'd in the Source of

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love?"

This is a very important question, and, upon the supposition of eternal punishment, absolutely unanswerable. It is not a mere difficulty, but an insuperable objection. If individuals shall suffer strictly to all eternity, then divine mercy, as to them, is for ever dead, and love extinguished in its original source. The very supposition appears to be profane.

But, says the advocate of this opinion, we allow that the divine goodness and mercy are, in themselves, always the same, that is, in their essence and nature, but eternally restrained in their exercise, in this particular case. The unchange ableness of the Deity is an everlasting bar to any change in their state: " because God is eternal, therefore the torments of the damned are so also."*

• Wisheart.

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This, however, is mere assertion, without the possibility of a proof.

Metaphysical writers sometimes reason and subtilize as to the immutability of the Deity, till, from their zeal to avoid anthropomorphilism, they appear, as it were, almost to divest him of sensations: and though neither this term, or any others that we know of, are adequate to the description of his matchless and adorable excellencies, yet, having no better, we must be content to employ them. Now the immutability of the Deity is the unchangeableness of all his perfections: one divine attribute is not exercised to the prejudice or wrong of another." As he is infinitely holy and just, so he is also infinitely gracious and merciful; and there is the same proportion of infinite to infinite, as of one to one. His mercy cannot impede his justice, nor can his justice obstruct or diminish the exercise of his mercy, only with this distinction, that "mercy is his darling attribute, and judgment his strange work," and that in many cases, mercy rejoiceth against judgment."

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Moreover, this unchangeableness of the Deity is consistent with infinite variety: " As, therefore, God is present every where, knows and perceives every thing, he must be supposed also, in a way infinitely superior to our comprehensions, to feel every where for all God, is, therefore, so far from implying his creatures." The immutability of the eternity of future punishment, that, as we have formerly observed of his power, it rather implies the contrary.

The poet goes on to represent the sinner, as checking himself in the midst of these reflections, magnifying the former mercy and forbearance of the Almighty, and endeavouring to reconcile his present dealings with him, to his own conceptions of his moral character and government. Yet, still the plea is repeated-must his punishment" transcend the reach of time," and shoot forward beyond the limits of thought and imagination? In this view he proceeds to urge, that it would have been far more merciful in the Deity not to have given him existence, which, if succeeded by eternal suffering, would render all the blessings of his prior state a nullity, and "a curse," and the light of Heaven "a thankless present," which would be for the Almighty not

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Inconsistencies of Writers on Future Punishment.

only to "animate a clod with misery," but, as it were, to "push into being a reverse of himself!" "What are we to think of a doctrine, which necessarily involves such consequences? But let us proceed.

The following lines exceed, perhaps, in horror, any thing that ever was

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tice of Hell!

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But we may be certain that the victim of divine justice, in any period of his existence, will never be able to urge such a profane plea as this. Is God unrighteous? How then shall God judge the world? He is the rock, his work is perfect, for all his ways are judgment: a God of truth, and without iniquity, just and right is he: and though clouds and darkness are round about him, yet righteousness and judgment are the foundations of his throne." The succeeding lines, describe the ever blessed Deity as an infinite Tormentor, (thus confounding vengeance with justice,) looking down from his seat of" perfect bliss," and proclaining his own omnipotence," at the expense of the pangs and anguish of a feeble mortal," a speck of wretchedness!"

"Calling Thee Father! in a sea of fire; Or pouring blasphemies, at Thy desire!"

The first line implies penitence, which the advocates of this system, in general, deny, but which the poet is here constrained to admit of. The other implies contumely, which, on the part of the transgressor, in a state of future punishment, seems to be highly improbable.

Contumely, as regarding our Creator, in the present life, springs from absolute, or partial infidelity. The greatest sinner upon earth, when sensible of a present Deity, was never contumelious. We can draw no rules of judgment in this case, from the agitations or triumphs of a death-bed repentance, or the ravings of a death-bed despair,

many records of both which we meet with in books; and where, frequently, the superstition, ignorance, or bigotry of the priest, the overweening kindness of the by-standers, the mental imbecility of the clinick, and the fumes of deleterious medicines, may all conspire to produce an unreason*able confidence, or an unreasonable despondency. In the parable of Dives and Lazarus, which, besides its principal object, that of inculcating the folly of expecting new revelations, may be partly intended to designate somewhat of future punishment, we meet with nothing but patient suffering and supplication. But if it be said, that, from the nature of the human mind, contumely, in these circumstances, must at length arise; or, in the tremendous language of the poet, that the sinner will continue to "pour out Maker!" then, this is an irrefragable blasphemies at the desire of his argument against the proper eternity of such a state, (heretofore fully discussed,) as utterly inconsistent with all our ideas of the majesty, holiness, and glory of God.

The same ideas are afterwards pursued, in language, which, had it not proceeded from a privileged writer, might, under some political adminis trations, have been thought worthy of a little wholesome correction; and may be considered, even by candid minds, as tending, in itself, rather to promote irreligion and profaneness, than the contrary, though nothing could have been farther from the mind of the pious author.

"Thou art all love, all mercy, all divine, And shall I make those glories cease to shine?

Shall sinful man grow great by his offence, And from its course, turn back Omnipotence?"

The proper answer is certainly not. This is impossible. What proves too much, proves nothing.

The only reply which the poet and divine condescends to give to these objections against the doctrine which he appears to espouse, is, that derived from the sovereignty of the judge, and the supposed certainty of the doctrine itself: the latter is begging the question, and, as we have seen, incapable of proof, à priori, by the confession of its professed advocates. The former, though a legitimate argument in itself,

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