Let. XIII. Mark, to kindle a fire that fhall not be quenched, when no more is intended than a fevere temporal calamity. "But if ye will not hearken unto me, to hallow the Sabbath day, and not to bear a burden, even entering in at the gates of Jerufalem on the Sabbath day; then will I kindle a fire in the gates thereof, and it shall devour the palaces of Jerufalem, and it fhall not be quenched," Jer. xvii. 27. Does any one dream that these palaces continue to burn till now, or that they shall burn to all eternity, because it is faid, it shall not be quenched? Is it not obvious, that no more is intended, but that they should burn till they were confumed; what we commonly mean when we fay, fuch and such a fire could not be qenched, or was inextinguishable, till it devoured every combuftible within its reach, notwithstanding every exertion made to suppress and quench it. Language every whit as ftrong is applied to the fire that was to be kept burning upon the altar, "The fire fhall ever be burning upon the altar, it shall never go out," Lev. vi. 3. But was not that fire to cease to burn, when the carnal ordinances, of which it made part, were to vanish or difappear, by the New Teftament difpenfation? They were impofed only till the time of reformation, Heb. ix. 10. When the ftate of future mifery is called a fire that is not quenched, this may be intended to denote, that it fhall exift and rage without end, for any thing that creatures can do to suppress it; and that it will not expire till it thall accomplish God's purpofe in kindling and preferving it alive. And may not that fire be juftly called unquenchable, which God alone can extinguish, though he may have determined at length to quench it?

If I recollect well, fimilar expreffions occur in the prophetic writings, to denote fevere, tho' limited punishment, to defcribe which the phrafe everlasting burnings, and eternal fire, are employed. Let me, however, only direct your attention to what you will find to my purpose in the 34th of Ifaiah's prophecy. The Lord threatens, that in the day of his vengeance, and the year of recompences for the controverfy of Zion, the freams of Idumea fhall be turned into pitch, and its duft into brimstone, and that its land or territory shall become burning pitch, and that it fhall not be quenched night nor day, that the fmoke of it shall go up for ever, and that none fhall pass through it for ever and ever, which is explained by its lying wafte from generation to generation. The awful judgment thus threatened was inflicted in its feafon, but has long fince ceafed to operate. Thousands pass thro' Idumea, for many ages paft, with caravans of merchandize; and, in the fequel of the chapter, the wild beafts of the defert, and the wild beafts of the island are faid to reft there, and feveral of the feathered tribes to poffefs it, which could not be the cafe did the country always burn, and the fioke of it go up for ever, as is threatened, feeing these creatures cannot exist in fire any more than man. Thorns are likewife faid to come up in its paląces, nettles and brambles in its fortreffes, during the execution of the threatened vengeance, which the rage of that devouring element would not permit, were the whole territory always on fire. The following paffages may be confulted, as a farther proof that the phrafe, shall not be quenched, is not to be aken in the fenfe commonly attached to it, when applied to future mifery Kings xxii. 17. 2 Chron. xxxiv. 25. Jer. vii. 20. Ezek. xx. 471 49. The

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Jews were at no lofs to underftand fuch phrafes, that they meant no more than a fire that should answer or perform the purpose intended.

John the Baptift tells us, that our Lord, in purging his floor, will burn up the chaff with a fire that shall not be quenched, Mat. iii. 12.; but does any one imagine that chaff will fuftain the unceasing operation of fire? The object of kindling it is however ferved, when the whole heap of chaff, that is sweeped afide from the threshing floor, is confumed. The fcriptures represent the things that are to be gathered out of the kingdom, and caft into hell, under the figure, of chaff, tares, dry trees, wood, bay, ftubble, and things that offend, or caufe of. fence, and work abomination, and make a lie, or falte pretences to religion. Thefe figures are very fignificant and expreffive, upon the hypothefis of limited mifery, to reprefent how impenitent finners are fitted as veffels of wrath for deftruction, and that they are as unable to avoid or abide it, as thefe combuftibles are to refift or furvive the operation of a confuming fire. But if the misery of a future ftate be properly eternal, more unapt figures to reprefent it could not be chofen.

If the worm, that is used figuratively to denote part of the torment of hell, denote, as is generally fuppofed, an evil and accufing confcience, conftantly corroding and preying upon the damned, let the guilt of fin only be taken away, by the peace-speaking blood of Jefus, and this worm muft of course die, and the fire of divine wrath ceafe to burn. I have dwelt the longer on this twofold objection, confidering how much stress is laid upon it, and how averfe many are to give it up; let it be ever fo clearly and fully answered. But is there any thing fo pleasant, and so grateful to the human heart, in the idea of the eternal tor, ment of countless millions of their fellow-creatures, and fome of them perhaps their nearest relations, that men should shut their ear, like the deaf adder, againft every thing that can be urged from feripture to eftablish the doctrine of the final restoration, even admitting they themselves were in no danger of that torment? But are not many who make an outcry against that doctrine e evidently in the bondage of corruption, and strangers to the characters of God's elect, if his own word is to direct our judgment on that head. The man who does not wish to find the doctrine of the restoration true, and is not difpofed coolly to liften to its evidence, let him pretend what he will, he is a ftranger to the benevolent spirit of the gospel, and has the pure and undefiled religion yet to learn. Referving an answer to fome other objections to my next, let me conclude, at the time, by turning Agur's folemn caution into a prayer, feeing "every word of God is pure ;" and that "he is a fhield unto them that put their trust in him;" may we be preserved from adding to his words, left he reprove us, and we be found liars, Prov. xxx. 5, 6. I am,

LETTER XIV.

The fervants faid unto him, Wilt thou then that we go and gather them up? But be faid, Nay; left while ye gather up the tares, ye root up alfo the wheat with them. Let both grow together until the harveft. O fools, and flow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken! All things must be fulfilled which are written in the law of Mofes, and in the prophets, and in the Pfalms. Then opened be their understanding, that they might understand the scriptures. Lydia, who worshipped God, heard us; whose heart the Lord opened, that she attended unto the things which were Spoken of Paul. Hear the word of the Lord, ye that tremble at his word, Your brethren that hated you, that caft you out for my name's fake, faid, Let the Lord be glorified but be Shall appear to your joy, and they shall be ashamed. Behold, I will make my words fire, and this people word, and it shall devour them. Your fins bave withholden good things from you.-Jer. v. 14, 15. Mat. xiii. 28, 29-Luke xxiv. 25, 44, 45. Acts xvi. 14. Ifa. Ixvi. 5.

DEAR SIR,

WHEN Paul was a ftrict Pharifee, he thought he fhould do many things a gainst the name of Jefus, and continued in that mind till the Lord himfelf met him in the way to Damafcus, and convinced him of his error. The spirit of perfecution, whether by word or deed, is always a mark, not of the true, but of the falfe church; as the proposal to divide the living child discovered who was the real, and who the pretended mother. Whatsoever makes manifeft is light; and that which serves as a fan to distinguish between the chaff and the wheat, Chrift will not decline to take into his own hand. A variety of circumstances concur to fhew, that many professed Christians in the prefent day, would perfecute their brethren, if in their power, to imprisonment, exile, or even death, for profeffing their belief of the univerfal doctrine, and attempting to propagate it. Does not this fhew that they know not what manner of fpirit they are of, and that their zeal is not of the right kind? It favours much more of the world than of the benevolent religion of Jefus, and makes part of the old leaven of corrupt nature, which must be purged away, by the knowledge and cordial belief of the truth, before Chriftians can become a new lump.

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The fervants, in the parable of the tares of the field, like the bulk of profeffors in every age, were for rooting them up, at all hazard, fo foon as difcovered, but the Lord would veft no fuch power in any of his fervants, well knowing how unfit the very beft of them are to use it aright. The fervants in the parable, however, had fo much felf-diffidence, as not to make the attempt of their own accord, and paid fuch deference to their Mafter, as to afk his permiffion, which denied, they at once fubmitted their own judgment to his, and gave up the at tempt. But in this too few copy their example, whofe zeal without charity, is more hoftile to genuine Chriflianity than even zeal without knowledge, tho' the latter is not seldom the parent of the former. If the fervants fufpected the tares fooner, they did not propofe their extirpation till the wheat was in the car,

and they had accefs to perceive a vifible difference, upon narrowly examining both together. But few have the patience and candour to copy that cool attentive mode of procédure; and yet laudible as the motives of their zeal might be, the Mafter disapproved, and pofitively forbade the propofed exercise of it, Mat. xiii. 27-31. affigning a reafon for his prohibition worthy of his own wifdom and goodness.

But what shall we fay of those, who are at no pains to contraft the tares and the wheat, or, like the noble Bereans, to compare the doctrines of men with the word of God, in order to form a proper judgment of them; but who rafhly attempt, and that in direct oppofition to the plain injunction of the great Master, to eradicate whatever they are pleased, in their own wifdom, to pronounce tares? What Nicodemus faid of perfons, applies alfo to doctrines, "Doth our law judge any man before it hear him, and know what he doth?" The whole fcripture history fhews, that nothing more plainly indicates a bad cause than the attempts of its friends to fupport it, by mifre presentation, reproach, and perfecution, rather than fair argument. And should any have recourse to those carnal weapons that have a good cause by the hand, they do it a more material injury than is in the power of its avowed opponents.

Can that God who excels no lefs in goodness than in greatness, the Father of the fpirits of all flesh, be lefs offended at their maltreatment of each other for errors in judgment, than at their errors themselves, admitting them to be such, which may be the result of that very inquiry that proceeds from cordial love of truth? The former evinces that much of the old leaven remains to be still purged out; while the latter is, in fome meafure, infeparable from our present ftate of imperfection, and will meet the compaffion of the Father of lights. But thefe will be always the feweft number; while the bulk, thro' ignorance, indolence, or intereft, and the love of human praife, will fave themfelves the trouble of examining into the grounds of their religion, and of courfe be always of the established faith. It deferves their attention, that this very frame of mind would have ranked them among the perfecutors of the Son of God, had they lived in Judea, when he appeared among men, and will lead to reject him in every doctrine and duty that does not acquire the fanction of custom and pubexample, whence they fhew themselves deftitute of, or very defective in that noble spirit that leads to follow the Lord fully.

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The famous John Calvin, who was certainly a man of eminent talents and piety in his day, brought upon his own character, in the affair of Servetus, a ftain, which the latest ages will not efface. The condemnation of that happy man hinged, it is more than probable, upon the judgment and advice of that reformer, who was repeatedly confulted on the occafion *. The treatment

* Dr Maclaine, in a note on his tranflation of Mofheim, makes the following remarks on this unhappy affair.- "It is impoffible to juftify the conduct of Calvin in the cafe of Servetus, whofe death will be an indeliable reproach upon the character of that eminent reformer. The only thing that can be alledged, not to deface, but to diminish his crime, is, that it was no easy matter for him to diveft himself at once of that perfecuting fpirit which had been so long nourifhed and ftrengthened by the Popish religion, in which he was educated. It was a remaining portion of the spirit of Popery in the breaft of Calvin, that kindled his unchriftian zeal against the wretched Servetus." The famous Knox, and other Scotifh Reformers, who were doubtless

he received during his confinement, and while under fentence of death, was abhorrent to humanity. To fhut him up in chains, amidst filth and vermin, to pine away even with hunger, after ftripping him of all his cafh and jewele, till his emaciated body perifhed amidst the flames, was adding cruelty to oppreffion and murder. But need we wonder at all this, when we fee a Protestant council, under the influence and direction of Proteftant clergy, whom no intreaties could move, dooming a man to perish at the ftake, as the only elegible mean of eradi. cating his tares? But the belief that God himself inflicts unceafing torment on his offspring for their errors, prepares the mind for fuch deeds, and fanctions them by the example of the Father of mercies. Did the fervant and Mafter agree in fentiment on that occafion? "Ceafe ye from man; for wherein is he to be accounted of?" But fuppofe not that I mean, by thus adverting to one fruit of blind zeal, to palliate Servetus's errors, fome of which appear to be very gross; but what errors can juftify the commiffion of murder, under colour of law, ag gravated alfo by proftituting religion into an accomplice of the horrid crime? Thus much, however, may be pleaded in their behalf, that they acted upon a principle, then univerfally admitted by Proteftants as well as Papifts, that tho it is unlawful to perfecute any, for profeffing the true religion, yet it is not only lawful, but even a duty to perfecute for error and idolatry, and that even to the death. This intolerant doctrine is vindicated in the writings of fome of our reformers, than which, however, nothing can be more contrary to the precepts of the gospel, or more dangerous in the hand of power.

How much more like our Divine Mafter did the late famous Frederic of Pruf fia act in a certain inftance, than the Chriftian divine upon the above occafion? It is related of that prince, that one time examining, as his manner was, a num. ber of petitions which had been prefented by fome of his fubjects, found one from the inhabitants of a certain diftri&t, earnestly praying he would interpofe his royal authority, to impofe filence on a certain clergyman in their neighbour. hood, who preached the doctrine of the final restoration. He returned the pe. tition, with the following anfwer at the bottom, written with his own band, "Having weighed the prayer of the above petition, I give my royal permiffion to my loving fubjects of fuch a place, to be damned to all eternity, if they will; but at the fame time interpofe my authority to forbid them to moleft any of my loving people, their neighbours, who are not willing to keep them company.”

It would be well for the church, as well as for the people, did Chriftian mi. nifters and people understand and defend the unalienable rights of man as well

men of eminent piety, drawing their model from the Genevan School, while they condemned. perfecution for profeffing what they deemed the true religion, juftified the perfecution of Roman Catholics even to death, as being guilty of idolatry, and urged, in fupport of their opinion, the laws and injunctions given to the Jews against idolaters. But thefe will by no means apply, our Lord having tolerated no fuch thing in the gospel kingdom.

Truth requires it fhould be observed, that Socinus himself has been accufed of perfecuting one Francis David, who was caft into prifon, where he died, because he rejected the worthip of Chrift, as inconfiftent with the view that leader gave of his character. The perfecuting spirit, manifefted in fome of the reformers, diminishes the refpectability of their characters, and incul cates the facred mandate," Ceafe ye from man." It muft, however, be obferved, that the naare of religious liberty was not then clearly underflood, and the best of men find it difficult to e above the prejudices of education.

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