ON A CHILD,

Who, fatigued with Play, fell asleep with his Toys in his Hand.

SWEET babe! who, tired of mimic life,

Of gilded coaches, horses, printed carts,
And all the idle farce of empty show,
Careless, sinks down thy head, in slumbers soft,
The little labours of the day, all o'er.

Enjoy, dear boy! "thy honey dew of sleep,”
I will not do thee so much wrong to wake thee.
O may'st thou, when life's real toil is past,
As guiltless, close thy wearied eyes in peace,
As innocent, smile at the simple world,
Its gilded nothings, and its painted cheats,
Whilst angels waft thee to immortal bliss..

A MORNING THOUGHT,
Addressed to one who lived without God.,

ATTEND, 'my friend, let early birds inspire

Thy grov'ling mind with pure celestial fire.
They from their temp'rate rest awake and pay
Their thankful anthems for the new-born day.
See where the tuneful lark is mounted high,
And, poet-like, salutes the eastern sky!
He warbles through the fragrant air his lays,
And seems the beauty of the morn to praise.
But man, more void of gratitude, awakes,
And gives no thanks for the sweet rest he takes;.
Looks on the glorious sun's new-kindled flame,
Without one thought of him from whom it came.
The wretch unhallowed does the day begin,
Shakes off his sleep, but shakes not off his sin.

AN EVENING THOUGHT.

MINUTES and mercies multiplied,
Make up another day;

Minutes flow fast, but mercies flow

More fast, more sure than they!

As one of the Readers to whom Mr. Fuller has to frequently appealed, I have already presumed to give in the result of my perusal and consideration of that gentleman's Third Letter. What, with your permission, I would remark upon, is the reasoning contained in his now Fourth.

1. Mr. Fuller would have his Readers consider "all those passages of Scripture which describe the future states of men in contrast," as so many valid proofs of the strict eternity of hell torments, by which I understand that every wicked man will for ever live, and be for ever in torment, without any end, or any abatement.

f

But I cannot perceive how this argument from contrast can possibly conclude any thing with certainty. I take contrast to be, in its own nature, indefinite and uncertain. Things very small may be contrasted with things very large: day, throughout the year, may, in this climate, be compared with night; but that contrast will not prove that, through the year, day and night are, in this climate, equal. And, in like manner, punishment may be contrasted with reward; the happiness bestowed on holiness, with the misery consequent upon vice; yet, I think, such contrast affords no solid proof that a wicked man shall be miserable for exactly so long a period as a good man shall be happy.

The whole building of texts which Mr. F. has here erected must therefore fall, because the foundation rests upon the sand. 3 L

VOL. IV.

II. Mr. F. in the next place, desires his readers to receive "all those passages of Scripture which speak of the duration of future punishment by the terms everlasting, eternal, for ever, and for ever and ever," as conclusive in favour of the doctrine of the eternity of hell torments, in the sense in which he understands that expression.

But this second argument cannot possibly be admitted as at all conclusive, until Mr. F. shall have clearly demonstrated that the specified terms are invariably used in Scripture in that sense in which Mr. F. would have his readers take them.

Such a demonstration I hold to be impossible, and therefore reject Mr. F.'s argument as altogether inconclusive. And it appears to me that any person must entertain the same opinion, after an attentive consideration of the following passages of Scripture: Gen. xvii. 8. Num. x. 8. Gen. xlix. 26. Hab. iii. 6. 1 Sam. iii. 13. Exod. xxi. 6. Num. xxiv. 20. Deut. xiii. 16. Jude, 6, 7. Ps. xc. 2. Isaiah, xxvi. 4. Deut. xxxiii. 27. Whoever will be at the pains attentively to consider the terms everlasting, eternal, &c. which occur in these passages, will find that not the arbitrary affirmation of Mr. Fuller, or of any other man, but the nature of the object or event to which they are applied, must determine the extent of their signification.

I cannot, therefore, admit that this second argument concludes with certainty concerning the matter in dispute.

III. Mr. Fuller's next step is, for the purpose of inducing us, his Readers, to consider All those passages of Scripture which express the duration of future punishment by implication, or by forms of speech which imply the doctrine in question," as conclusive in favour of the eternity of future punishment, in that sense in which he asserts it. -But if it is disputed whether there are any plain express declarations in the Scriptures of that absolute eternity of hell torments for every human being who dies in his sins, which Mr. F. teaches and preaches, much less will any argument from implication, so dependent upon the mere fancy of the expositor, be, by any means, admitted as of the least solidity.

Shall I briefly run through Mr. F.'s enumeration of texts in support of this argument by implication? He who shall compare John, xvii. 9. with ver. 20 and 21 of the same chapter, will see a proof of what is above asserted respecting the fancifulness of such an argument as this by implication, and at the same time an instance either of oversight in Mr. F. or of want of skill in Hebrew idiom. For my own part, Mr. Editor, I should as soon deduce, by implication, the absolute eternity of hell torments from these words; " God is the saviour of all men, especially of those that believe," as from John, xvii 9.90 I

Matt. xii. 31, 32. proves the certainty of punishment to the person who should blaspheme the holy spirit, but says not that such person shall be eternally tormented. Mark, iii. 29. is a repetition of the same, a

How I John, v. 16. which asserts that there is a sinf unto DEATH, proves that the sinner shall have eternal LIFE in hell torments, is, surely, not easy of compréhension.

71 JOY