when I shall take away their sins. For the gifts and calling of God are without repentance. For as ye in times past have not believed God, yet have now obtained mercy through their unbelief; even so have these also now not believed, that through your mercy, they also may obtain mercy. them all in unbelief,"-For what purpose? That he might damn them all, or any part of them? No; but "that he might have mercy upon all."

For God hath concluded

The apostle is overwhelmed with the infinite, and adorable subject. He exclaims, in astonishment and rapture," O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are his judgments, and his ways past finding out! For who hath known the mind of the Lord? or who hath been his counsellor? or who hath fisrt given to him, and it shall be recompensed to him again? For of him, and through him, and to him are all things to whom be glory forever. Amen."

To what a glorious conclusion does the apostle bring his subject concerning the divine dispensations towards the Jews and Gentiles; and which he shows are to result in the salvation of them all to the glory of God forever!

Even the orthodox commentator, Dr. Clarke, is a complete Universalist in his remarks upon this passage. He says "For of Him as the original Designer and Author; and By Him as the prime and efficient Cause ; and To Him as the ultimate End, for the manifestation of his eternal glory and goodness, are all things in universal nature through the whole compass of time and eternity. And let Him have the praise of all His works, from the hearts and mouths of all His intelli

gent creatures forever, throughout all the generations "Amen, so be it let this be established

of men. forever!

Here we conclude the present Lecture. We are still not entirely through with our illustration of the parable. We expect to finish it, however, and close the whole, perhaps, with a brief recapitulation in the next Lecture. And may the divine wisdom and goodness guide and govern us always, through Jesus Christ our Saviour. Amen.

LECTURE IX.

LUKE xvi. 31.

"If they hear not Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded, though one rose from the dead."

In giving our own views of the meaning and application of the parable of which the text is the conclusion, we finished the last Lecture with a particular illustration of a remarkable, and very significant figure introduced in it, that of a great gulf, said to have been fixed between the two parties,-Abraham and those with him, described as being in his bosom; and the rich man and his associates, represented as being tormented in hell. We have never seen any other satisfactory explanation of the great gulf, and we believe no other can be given, consistently with the general scope and design of the parable.

The next verses still further express the wretched condition of the rich man; and withal, his anxious desire that his family relatives might be mercifully preserved from his tremendous destiny; a representation utterly inconsistent, as we have before shown, with the ideas commonly entertained of lost souls in a future state, divested, as they are supposed to be, of every principle of compassion, and filled with despair, revenge and fury. He entreats the father of nations to send Lazarus to his father's house; for, says he, "I

have five brethren; that he may testify unto them, lest they also come into this place of torment."

I do not suppose it necessary to consider the number five here stated, as being particularly important, any more than it is in another parable where the same number is twice mentioned,—namely, in the parable of the ten virgins, five of which, are said to have been wise, and five foolish; or than is the number ten in the parable of the nobleman, who is represented, on his being about to go into a far country, as calling his ten servants, and delivering them ten pounds, with which to occupy, or trade until he should return.

The meaning, in either of these supposed cases, does not at all depend upon the number of the virgins, or of the servants, or of the brethren.

The particular design of this part of the parable,

may

be learned, as I conceive, from the answer of father Abraham to the request of the rich man in relation to his brethren, or kindred. In the application made, there seems to be an intimation conveyed by this anxious petitioner, that the evidence already afforded was not sufficient to convince his countrymen, the five brethren, of the reality of those threatened evils, the truth of which he was unable any longer to doubt, being taught by sad experience; and he suggests that clearer and more direct testimony would certainly effect their repentance and conversion.

Abraham replies "They have Moses and the prophets, let them hear them." As much as if he had said, The writings of Moses and the prophets are fully sufficient for their instruction and admonition, in all things which it concerns them to know and practise, in order to their well-being and prosperity. Let them

duly attend to the revelation already given them, and be obedient to the precepts enjoined therein, and they will be safe, prosperous, and happy. "They have Moses and the prophets, let them hear them."

The rich man still urges his objection, and presses his request. "Nay, father Abraham; but if one went unto them from the dead, they will repent." To which the patriarch definitively replies, "If they hear not Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded, though one rose from the dead."

In this reply, some important considerations are suggested; namely, that the scriptures of the Old Testament, the writings of Moses and the prophets, contain all needful instruction and warning, and sufficient evidence of their divine authenticity; and that, if duly attended to, they would be to the Jews, not only a safeguard against all imposture and delusion, but also prepare them for the reception of the Messiah, and for their introduction into the gospel state or dispensation, -that blessed state which their pious ancestor desired to see, and by faith did see," and was glad."

The Jewish dispensation was, doubtless, calculated to prepare the way for the introduction and establishment of this gospel state. St. Paul is very particular and explicit upon this point. Hence to the Galatians he says, "Before faith came," that is, before the grace of the gospel was revealed and published,-" we were kept under the law, shut up unto the faith, (the Christian faith, or religion of Christ,) which should afterwards be revealed. Wherefore, the law was our school-master,"--(our governor and instructer,) to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith. But after that faith is come, (after the gospel