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think, will not be of an indolent, but of an active nature; and our benevolence being perfected, we fhall, probably be employed in promoting the happinefs of other beings; which may engage us in a variety of the most vigorous and unremitted purfuits. This idea is favoured by almost every representation which our Lord gives us, in his parables, of the rewards of the righteous. Thus, it is ufual with him, to compare it to a kingdom, and the exercise of dominion, in various forms; which fuggefts the idea of a fcene of great exertion, as well as of dignity, fplendor, and authority. He that had improved two talents, was made ruler over two cities; he that had improved five talents, was made ruler over five cities; and to both of them he fays, Matt. xxv. 21. "Well done, thou "good and faithful fervant; thou haft been faith"ful over a few things, I will make thee ruler "over many things: enter thou into the joy of "thy Lord." Speaking concerning the fame. fubject, he fays, Matt. xxiv. 45. "Who then is "a faithful and wife fervant, whom his Lord "hath made ruler over his houfhold, to give them "meat in due feafon? Bleffed is that fervant, "whom his Lord, when he cometh, fhall find fo "doing. Verily I fay unto you, that he shall "make him ruler over all his goods."

Confidering the intelligent nature of man, and the pleasure we naturally take in the acquifition of know

knowledge, it can hardly be fuppofed, but that an enlarged acquaintance with the works and providence of God, will make a confiderable part of the happiness of the wife and good hereafter. We fhall, probably, have the best opportunity of gaining a thorough knowledge of the constitution, and mutual relations of things in the world that we inhabit; and having it in our power to converse with the chief actors in all great events, we shall be better acquainted with the true hiftory of the world, and may thereby better trace the wonderful conduct of divine providence in all the affairs of it.

Laftly, if our natures be at all the fame that they are now, we fhall, no doubt, receive the highest fatisfaction from converfing with our wife and virtuous acquaintance, talking over the tranfactions in which we were concerned in this world; when all the labours, fatigues, and fufferings, which we underwent, in the cause of virtue and christianity, will, like the recollection of all difficulties furmounted in a good caufe at prefent, be the fource of great joy and exultation.

That all the virtuous will not be admitted to the fame degree of honour and happiness hereafter, is agreeable both to reason, and to the fcriptures, which teach us, that every man shall receive ❝ ac"cording to his works;" that he who "foweth "bountifully, fhall reap also bountifully; but he

❝ that

"that foweth sparingly, fhall reap fparingly." 2

Cor. ix. 6.

On the other hand, the punishment of the wicked is defcribed in the fcriptures, in fuch a manner, as, if the representation be at all attended to, cannot but alarm our fears to the utmoft. But ftill the terms are general, and leave us to expect fome very terrible, but unknown fuffering, and of very long, but uncertain duration.

Not unfrequently, the anguifh of the mind, which is to be the portion of the wicked after death, is reprefented as derived, in a great degree, from a sense of their exclufion from the happiness, to which they see the virtuous, who had been the objects of their contempt and abuse, advanced; and this circumstance muft neceffarily be a very great aggravation of the punishment of hell, which is the term by which the place of future punishment is Sometimes denominated in the fcriptures. Thus, when the good and virtuous are reprefented as going to a marriage fupper, the wicked are faid to be fhut out, and to remain in "outer darkness, where "fhall be weeping and gnashing of teeth." Matt. xxii. 13. This, alfo, is faid to be the fate of the unprofitable fervant, who had neglected to improve his talent, Matt. xxv. 30. and of the five foolish virgins it is likewife faid, that, coming too late, they found the door fhut, and admiffion refused to them.

But

But other accounts of the future ftate of the wicked, lead us to expect very fevere positive sufferings, as 2 Theff. i. 7. "In that day fhall the "Lord Jefus be revealed from heaven, with his "mighty angels, in flaming fire, taking vengeance 66 on them that know not God, and that obey not "the gofpel of our Lord Jefus Chrift: who shall "be punished with everlasting deftruction from "the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of "his power."

In feveral paffages of the scripture, the state of the wicked after death is described, as has been hinted before, as a state of shame and difgrace, than which nothing is generally more dreaded by mankind; while the righteous are faid "not to be "ashamed before Chrift at his coming." I John ii. 28. And certainly the extreme folly of their conduct must appear in a striking and tormenting. light to the wicked and profligate, when they shall fee how fhamefully they have misapplied their time and talents. And this fituation will more efpecially affect those who are used to pride themselves in their cunning and forefight, when they fhall fee how miferably narrow and fhort-fighted all their boasted schemes were. Alfo, how must the sense of their own folly be aggravated, by seeing those whom they had defpifed inheriting the rewards of true wisdom, as well as of virtue, and in knowing that all their base views, and low un

worthy

worthy purfuits, are no longer concealed within their own breafts, but laid open to the perfect knowledge of all those to whofe cenfure they are the moft fenfible.

Very many of those expreffions, by which the fate of the wicked is defcribed in the fcriptures, taken in their literal fenfe, denote utter deftruction, or extinction of being. Thus, the apostle Peter fays, 2 Pet. iii. 7. that " the earth is referv. ❝ed unto fire, against the day of judgment, and "perdition of ungodly men ;" and in the paffage quoted above from the Epiftle of Paul to the Theffalonians, the punishment of the wicked is called. "everlasting destruction." If this should actually be the fate of the wicked, their punishment may more properly be faid to be eternal, than upon the former fuppofition, there being no reversion of the fentence, or remiffion of the rigour of it.

THE

SECTION III.

Of the duration of future punishment.

"HE duration of future punishment, according to the fcriptures, as I obferved before, will be very long, but uncertain; which is the general meaning of that word which we render everlafting; being applied to niany things which are exprefsly

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