heard the gospel on earth previous to their death, or, as it is termed, in the flesh, so that they might thereby be prepared to live according to the will of God, as it is revealed by his spirit in the gospel.

People ever have been, and probably ever will be, anxious to dive into futurity, and endeavour to discover where, and how they shall be accommodated when they quit this stage of action. We shall notice only three different opinions which are entertained on this subject.

First, Those who charge the Deity with having made a partial election, by choosing some to everlasting life by an eternal, immutable decree, and reprobating others without respect to the merit or demerit of the parties; so that one class is constrained to be happy, and the other compelled to be miserable! Those of this sect fondly imagine, that the moment the soul of the elected (among which number they generally include themselves) leaves the body, it immediately wings its way to Heaven, escorted by a troop of angels; but that the soul of the reprobate is dragged off to hell by a troop of devils as their undisputed property, it having been created on purpose for this destination.

Were it possible for unbiassed reason to believe this to be a true representation of the conduct of the Deity towards the human species, first to reprobate them by an eternal decree, prior to their existence, or the possibility of their having offended him, and to send their souls immediately after death into the infernal regions, there to commence a series of unremitting tortures, which shall never end; we ask, would not this be treating an human being worse in all respects (who had not transgressed) than the devils, who are punished for actual open rebellion against their God? For we do not learn from scripture, that they are either so closely and constantly confined, or so unremittingly punished, as they suppose the souls of the reprobates are.

The following is a summary of their scheme, to wit, the Deity creates reprobates, and permits the devil to tempt them to sin; which, being an infinite evil, is so detestable to the Deity, that it excites in him infinite anger and displeasure against the sinner, which, in their opinion, justifies the infliction of an infinite, eternal punishment of the sinner.

If the sins committed on earth are infinitely displeasing to God, the sins perpetrated in hell

must also produce the same effect; for change of place can neither alter the nature of the crime, nor of the consequent offence. And as we conceive it to be impossible that a being continually under the influence of infinite displeasure can be happy, we must conclude, from these premises, that the devil will ultimately have the malicious pleasure of keeping the Deity in one constant, uninterrupted fit of infinite displeasure But the condition of the poor human beings, with an angry God on one hand, and a malicious devil on the other, must be truly deplorable indeed.

If the original design of this scheme had. been to propagate and perpetuate sin and misery, and to stock the infernal regions with inhabitants, we should have acknowledged it to be most judiciously contrived to answer these purposes: but we are told by the Partialists, that the Deity had concerted this plan in infinite wisdom for his own glory. This we cannot believe, as we humbly conceive that purchasing glory by the eternal discomposure of the Creator, and the eternal misery of millions of his creatures, appears more like the device of falli ble men, than the scheme of an infinitely merciful God. And we frankly acknowledge ourselves to be so blind, that we cannot perceive

from whence the glory is to be derived to compensate for the sacrifice of so much peace and happiness, and the introduction and perpetuation of such a deluge of sin and misery.

Secondly, Others believe that the souls of the righteous and the wicked lie dormant and insensible until the general resurrection, when they are all tried, and receive their different sentences; some to eternal life, and others to eternal damnation. These deny that Christ, after his crucifixion, went and preached the gospel to the spirits in prison, as related in the third and fourth chapters of the first general epistle .of St. Peter, or that God, by the blood of Christ's covenant, has ever released any of the prisoners out of the pit, wherein is no water.*

Thirdly, Some of the Universalists believe, that as Christ was sent to be the Saviour of the world, and has, in consequence, tasted death for every man, that he will not suffer any one to perish eternally, for whom he died. But as they conceive that the final sentence will not be passed on either the regenerate or unregenerate until the general judgement, except, perhaps, in a few, instances, he has provided a place for

Zech. ix, 11.

their residence, where the good may improve in knowledge and virtue, and the unregenerated placed in a salvable state, susceptible of reformation and reconciliation to their heavenly Father, by the means which will be employed by Christ for this gracious purpose; who hath already reconciled God to the world; and now God is in Christ reconciling the world unto him. self, not imputing their trespasses unto them.*

But as curiosity is seldom satisfied while any thing remains to be discovered respecting futurity, they wish to know where this residence for departed souls may be found. This the Deity has not revealed; but that there is such a residence for the purpose, has been the opinion of almost all the nations of antiquity, and we have sufficient intimations in scripture to convince us of the real existence of such a place. In Zech. ix. 10, 11. speaking of the advantages accruing even to the heathen by the death of Christ, he says, As for thee also, whose covenant is by blood, I have sent forth thy prisoners out of the pit, wherein is no water.

Isaiah, in the 49th chapter, and 9th verse, represents those who are confined there, as pris

* 2 Cor. v. 18, 19.