vents any escape for them, or coming of mercy to them. Those indeed with whom we reason do not believe in the eternity of hell torments possibly, and will only smile at such a statement. The statement may be true, however, notwithstanding they do not believe it. And when they find the grievous reality, it will come upon them with accumulated weight, because of their former incredulous resistance. To hope, and be disappointed, is always distressing; to knock even, and be denied, makes the denial the more bitter; to claim favour, and find the mode of claiming is abhorrent, is to reduce the mind to despair.

Yet if such incur punishment, will it not be more awful; seeing their offences have been expressly against the Deity? The Son, and the Holy Spirit, have been the butt of their sly insinuations, or bolder attacks; must not the expression of indignation be strong, and overwhelming? Will not the incensed Father shew his resentment against those who have insulted him, by their refusals of such conjoint mercy? He has intertwined his glory with that of his Son, and Spirit, in his covenant engagement for man's salvation; whoever tears asunder one part, would, if successful, destroy the whole.

It is impossible, at least it will be impossible at the great day, to suppose a sin against God, to be less enormous than one against man. If atrocity rises with the dignity of him who is abused, all our expectations in this case must be of some uncommon vengeance.

Let it be recollected too, that the mistake, if so it may be called, is in the very face of the clearest statements of divine truth. And they persist in it, not only repeatedly, but after having found the difficulty of putting any other sense upon words whose meaning is so evident. Ignorance may form an excuse in some cases, as Paul opposed the Saviour with great violence at one time, but he did it ignorantly. But ignorance is not a plea of which a Socinian would avail himself; nor indeed could he, because, to examine, and rationally to form his judgment, is his profession and his pride. But pride often goes before a fall. Knowledge, at least such fancied knowledge, puffeth up, and blinds a man's eyes from clear perception. By so much time and attention as such a man has given to the subject, retaining his erroneous opinions the while; by so many decided conclusions and distinct refusals, has he rejected the counsel of

God against himself; and, like the unbelieving Jews, adjudged himself unworthy of eternal life. For one morsel did Esau sell his birthright, in one moment was it gone, and then he repented what he had done. These, time after time, refuse the promise and the blessing; and, though they have been called to repent by a still small voice many a time, they have as often reiterated their refusal, and hardened their heart against conviction.

Ó could one but see the cogitations of a sceptic mind, helped forward by the father of lies; and then, unperceived by either, the Holy Spirit flashing conviction, inviting the soul to mercy, and striving as he sometimes does, with the impenitent; how would one's anxieties rise, especially if one were minister to the young doubter, or parent! How should one wish and pray that he might not be permitted obstinate, ly to hold a lie in his right hand! How should one tremble every time the Holy Spirit for a while withdrew, lest this should be the last trial, the last opportunity; lest one should have to mourn over the gay, careless soul, as having sealed up his condemnation beyond recovery!

Oh! it is a serious thing to refuse the gospel. To pervert it is to refuse it, and worse. Tne guilt rises in proportion to the party injured, and to the deliberation with which the resistance is formed, and the frequency of its recurrence. Lightly passes the quickly formed opinion; the mind is delighted with its own produce, and perceives not that it hath been hatching cockatrice eggs during this long incubation. He will regard the progeny of his perverted mind with glee, till at last they bite like a serpent, and sting like an adder.

Perhaps we shall suspect that the punishment, in such a case of chosen error, may be more heavy in its nature, or at least may be more oppressively felt.

"The spirit of a man will sustain his infirmity, but a wounded spirit who can bear." Is not this likely to be the case? will not the conscience of such a one be all alive at such a time ? It will side with the charges preferred against him, of loving darkness and hating the light. The processes by which reason comes to its absurd conclusions cannot be clear; clear reason would lead to truth. These deviations will then be recollected, with all those influences

which produced the wrong bias.

Yes, it was

to gain access to some highly literary characters,' will conscience say, 'that I first ventured to sneer at orthodoxy. It was to get rid of uncomfortable remonstrances that I boldly told my mother I knew better, and had obtained more rational ideas of what might please or offend the great Being. It was the congratulation it brought from my companions which made me keep hold of an argument I had formed, but which never appeared satisfactory to myself. Or it may run thus: "Ah, I took all for granted, which was dogmatically stated by one who seemed to be learned much beyond myself: I believed him, although I refused to believe divine testimony. I saw that to get rid of the fears of hell by maintaining that eternity of torments could not be true, would set me at liberty for some indulgences which I much longed to taste.'

Recollections such as these must be very poignant; wise is he who gives no occasion for them by his erroneous reasonings. "Son, remember," is the form of torment stated for some cases. The recollection of having suffered the mind to be biassed by improper motives; of accepting as just, deductions not fairly drawn;

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