tion, that the Apostle is speaking of those who already possessed the Christian character, and not of all mankind; as has been amply shown by Locke, and other distinguished commentators. Let us then settle it in our minds, as a solemn truth, that an awful retribution in the future world awaits those who die in their sins. 'Tis not the whole of life to live, Nor all of death to die. Let us deeply impress it upon our minds, that, as death leaves us, judgment will find us. "Be not deceived; God is not mocked; whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap." This is a subject of vast importance. It is one upon which I would not speak lightly. I would speak as remembering that I too shall soon stand at the tribunal of my Judge. Far be it from me to wish to inspire in your minds anything but a rational, a manly fear, a prudent regard to the consequences of your actions. I would have you regard the consequences of character and conduct in their whole extent. If these consequences extend beyond the grave, it was mercy in God to inform us of it. It is wisdom in man to be governed by the information. None of the vain hopes which we may entertain will retard the day of retribution a single moment. Come it will, and with the greater weight the less it is expected. It will be an awful day for those who die in their sins; a day when they will suffer much more for them than they have ever suffered here. All the emblems and representations of scripture, however figurative they may be, point to this certain truth. What will be the exact nature and dura tion of the retribution of the future world, I do not profess to know. To me the scriptures give little or no light on these points. Plausible arguments, drawn from the nature of punishment and from the attributes of the Deity, have been adduced to prove, that the penalties of the future world will be disciplinary, and terminate in the reformation and happiness of the sufferer. But these arguments yield no ground of certain faith that the soul, which has abused the abundant means of improvement in this world, will not continue to abuse them indefinitely, though we should entertain the hope that God in his infinite mercy would afford them. Others have brought forward scriptural arguments of considerable weight to show that the punishment of the wicked will terminate in the extinction of their being; while the popular opinion has been, that this punishment will be prolonged, in the strictest sense, to eternity. From a careful consideration of the general scripture usage of the words having relation to the subject, I cannot find decisive authority in the sacred volume for either of these views. To me it appears the design of revelation to leave the exact nature and duration of future punishment involved in obscurity. I am contented to leave the subject, where the Scriptures appear to me to leave it, viz. that the righteous will be rewarded and the wicked punished in the future world, according to their deeds; that this punishment will be great in degree and long in duration, but neither greater in degree nor longer in duration than is consistent with perfect justice, wisdom and mercy. Let it be our resolution to fear and avoid, rather than to explain and define, the mysterious retribu tions of sin in the future world. Let us live as those who must give an account of themselves to God for the things done in the body. Let us be more anxious to escape from our sins, than to escape with them. "Let the wicked forsake his way and the unrighteous man his thoughts, and let him turn to the Lord and he will have mercy upon him, and to our God, and he will abundantly pardon." |