or a supposed case, not one word is uttered respecting the duration of this punishment; particularly it is not said that it would be endless, or terminate in Eternal Death. The contrary, indeed, seems highly probable from the circumstances of the case. The rich man discovers an anxiety about the spiritual interests of his brethren, which seems to indicate that some reformation had taken place; and we may observe that Abraham addresses him by the appellation of Son. From these incidents it would be natural to infer that the Punishment would be corrective, and end in his release from this scene of misery, although he might probably never be admitted into that Society of which Lazarus was a member.

3. The case of Judas, of whom our Lord said, “it had been good for that man if he had not been born," is certainly attended with more difficulty.

The

The common answer is, that it was a proverbial expression among the Jews, when a person had been very vicious,

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or very unhappy, good were it for that man if he had not been born." Both Job and Jeremiah applied this melancholy sentiment to themselves, and our Lord might mean that it could be applied to no person with so much propriety as to Judas. It has been suggested by Dr. Chauncy, who, however, lays no great stress upon the circumstance, that the words might be translated, "it were good to that man not to have been born;" that is, it seemed to him that this would have been a good; which opinion he acted upon by putting an end to his life. These considerations may, perhaps, lessen the difficulty, As far as they do, it is well; as far as they do not, until more satisfactory answers be given, I am willing that it should

Η καλον ην αυτώ, ει ουκ εγεννηθη ὁ ανθρωπος εκείνος.

remain,

remain, and be resolved into our Ig

norance.

4. In the fourth place, it has been observed, that there are some passages in Scripture which seem to represent the present state as the only state of probation for mankind; and that, at the resurrection, the final and eternal state of all men will commence. The Texts which are supposed to favour this opinion are the following: In Ecclesiastes ix. 10. it is said, "Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do, do it with thy might; for there is no work, nor device, nor knowledge, in the grave whither thou goest." And in the eleventh chapter, and the third verse, "If a tree fall toward the south or toward the north, in the place where the tree falleth there it shall lie." Additions are often made to these words. which are not found in the Scriptures, as, for instance," there is no repentance in the grave" (which, however, is the meannig

mcaning of the whole); "there is no pardon to the dead;" and "as Death leaves us, so Judgment will find us."

I confess I do not see any thing very formidable in the Objection in its full strength; and as these latter words are not to be found in Scripture, it may be dismissed with one or two plain observations. The final Restoration will not take place until after the Resurrection and the general Judgment, and the present life is the only scene of preparation for the general Judgment, and that state which is immediately to succeed it. To the Righteous, this will be immortal Life, or Life without Death; to the Wicked, an exclusion from that life, great mental anguish, and probably a second death. Now it is in the present life only that the former happiness is to be secured, and the latter misery is to be avoided. It is the state of rewards and punishments immediately succeeding human life, with which

human

human life is most connected; it is this next state to which our attention is principally to be directed. If we secure the happiness of this, all is safe; if we lose the happiness of it, we are ruined and undone; we have sustained a loss which never can be made up to us. The words of Solomon, then, afford a very powerful motive for making a proper improvement of this short and uncertain, but most important state. Indeed, it is so important, that the misimprovement of it will be attended with a loss, an inferiority of condition for ever.

Some may, perhaps, ask here, Is not this to assert the doctrine of Purgatory? I answer, The doctrine here advanced is not the Popish doctrine of Purgatory ; for that is a state between Death and the Resurrection",

And if any choose to

This observation was made before in a Note, and Repetitions in these Discourses are not to be avoided.

call