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proportion between them: but any proportion at "all between two periods, fuppofes both to have an "end, or there could be no proportion."* We do

not grant that for ever and ever, is a longer period than for ever. Our Lord fometimes prefixed to His difcourfes the words verily, verily; fometimes only verily. But does any man fuppofe, from this circumftance, that there is a greater degree of truth in fome of His discourses than in others, and that there is abfolute truth in none of them? Yet this conclufion would be as juft as Mr. Winchester's, that for ever and ever is a longer period than for ever, and that, therefore, neither of thefe phrafes mean endless duration. It is not furely pretended that the vanity of vanities in Ecclef. i. 2, fignifies more emptiness than fimply vanity. Infances might be multiplied, but it is unneceffary.

66 2dly, I find a time promised when there fhall be <6 no more death, &c. Rev. xxi. 4, 5." + This text has been confidered already. Sect. 12.

3dly, Mr. Winchefter draws an argument from 2 Pet. iii. 5-12. But it is fhewn under Sect. XII, that the earth, in its burnt, melted, and diffolved ftate," will not be the fecond death. It does not therefore follow, that when the new heaven and new earth are created, the punishment of the wicked will ceafe.

"4thly, They are to be tormented day and night, "for ever and ever. But it is intimated in Job xxvi.

10, Rev. xxi. 25, that day and night shall come ❝to an end."§ But whoever fuppofed before, that when finners are faid to have "no reft day nor night," any other idea was intended to be conveyed, than that their punishment fhall be without intermission. If the day and night must be understood literally, why

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why not alfo Matt, xxv. 30, Jude 13? but who can then reconcile day and night with utter darkness, and with the blacknefs of darkness for ever?

Mr. Vidler has added to the abfurdity by pretending, in a long note,* that "darkness of every kind, "whether fpiritual or material, ftands oppofed to "God," that "in the prefent ftate, where neither "abfolute good nor abfolute evil takes place without "mixture, there is also a mixture of light and dark"nefs in the revolution of day and night,”—that "in "the New Jerufalem ftate, where the fervants of "God are totally delivered from mental darkness, "there will be continual light, to the total exclufion "of darknefs, Rev. xxi. 25,"—and that "in the "future age of punishment there will ftill be the re"volution of day and night-even to the age of ages; "to intimate, perhaps, that, however feverely the "wicked may be punifhed, yet it will by no means

be inconfiftent with mercy and love; but that the "Divine Spirit will continue to operate in reconcil ing finners to God, until their darkness be expelled by his fhining into their hearts. And when all fhall be filled with the effulgent glory of him who "is the image of God, then darknefs, both fpiritual "and material, will be entirely deftroyed."

Natural and spiritual darknefs, it feems, were born together, and muft die together! But was there no natural darknefs in this world before the introduction of fin? was there no measurement of time by day and night previous to that period? did our mother Eve, by eating the forbidden fruit, fo far difturb the frame of nature as to give the world its diurnal motion? This mixture of light and darkness in the revolution of day and night, Mr. V. pretends, intimates a mixture of mercy and love with their punishment ; but the Apofile has told us, in the fame paragraph where

Dialogues, p. 11, Note.

where he fays 66 that they "fhall

they have no reft day nor night," drink of the wine of the wrath of "God, which is poured out without mixture."

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5thly, But the great reafon of all, why I do not "conceive that for ever and ever doth certainly in"tend endless duration, is, because I find the words "as often used for times and periods that must have "an end, as you find them ufed for the misery of "the wicked." * Mr. W. refers to Ifa. xxx. 8, Jer. vii. 1—7, xxv. 5. But not to mention that the phrase EIS TUS AIWIAS Twv alwvwv, occurring fo often in the New Teftament, and rendered in our Tranflation for ever and ever, is not found in any of thofe paffages, or, I believe in any other, in the Septuagint (or Greek) verfion of the Old Teftament; the prefent enquiry is not about the meaning of the Hebrew words in the Old Teftament, but of the Greek in the New. And as to this point inftead of "bringing three texts where "the words are used in a limited fenfe, to invalidate "the evidences for endless damnation, drawn from "the three paffages where they are used in relation "to that fubject," he only introduces one, namely, IIeb. i. 8. But I have fhewn above that this text cannot be proved to intend less than endless duration : and we challenge the Univerfalifts to produce a fingle inftance out of the New Teftament, where this phrafe muft be understood with fome reftriction. This has not yet been done, and we firmly believe it to be impoffible. And furely it is without all fhadow of reafon, to pretend that these words intend a limited period when applied to future punishment, and yet be unable to bring forward one text where they have fuch a meaning when applied to other fubjects.—But fuppofe three, or threefcore inftances could be produced out of the New Teftament, of the phrase in queftion being applied to fubjects whofe duration is limited, this would not prove, that endless duration

* Dialogues, p. 12.

is

is not its proper meaning; for, as I have obferved before, it is common for words in general to be applied to fubjects which do not take in their full meaning. I am fo confident of the truth of this remark, that I do not hesitate to say, the Univerfalifts cannot controvert it without betraying ignorance of the first rudiments of general grammar, and expofing their criticisms to the derifion of every fchool boy.

6thly, Mr. Vidler alters the translation thus, to the age of ages, and obferves upon it, "Whatever pe"riod this may be, the punishment is to continue to "that age, not during it."* This is making short work of it indeed! But what neceffity then to trouble ourselves at all about the duration of the age of ages? If the punishment of finners be to continue only to that age but not during it, it is of no importance, in this controverfy, whether it means eternity or a day. Dare Mr. V. apply his criticifm to Rev. v. 13, 14? Muft we fay, that faints and angels will worship God to that age, not during it! and that God Himself will live to that age, not during it!!

7thly, Mr. V. informs us in the next paragraph, that the age of ages in the New Teftament has "clearly a reference to the Jubilee in the Old Tefta"ment; and what this is in the type, that is in re"ality-As the Jubilee gave univerfal liberty to all

who were in fervitude,-exonerated every obliga❝tion from thofe who were in debt, and returned 66 every man to his inheritance: the commencement "of the age of ages will give fpiritual liberty to "every captive who is confined in the prifon-house, "relieve every one who is burthened with guilt, —and "reftore every one to the enjoyment of the Divine "favour, which is the proper inheritance of every rational creature."

It is not quite certain that "the Jubilee gave uni"versal liberty to all who were in servitude.” Many

* Dialogues, p. 48. Note.

have

have thought that the fervant mentioned in Exod. xxi. 6, is an exempt cafe. And it is very clear that the heathen flaves were not to be released at the year of Jubilee; for juft after the law to fet the Hebrew fervants at liberty at that time, it is added, "Thy bond66 men and thy bond-maids, which thou shalt have of the heathen that are round about you-ye shall "take them as an inheritance for your children after you, to inherit them for a poffeffion; they fhall be your bond-men for ever, Levit. xxv. 44,-46.” Here the word ever is opposed to the Jubilee. Hence Lampe obferves, "If any one were difpofed to use "trivial and firained arguments, he might defend the "contrary opinion from this paffage."

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Mr. V. has exceeded the bounds of truth in saying, that "the Jubilee returned every man to his inherit<< ance." Both houfes and lands might be fold upon fuch terms as not to return again to the original proprietors in the year of Jubilee: "And if a man fell 36 a dwelling-houfe in a walled city-and it be not "redeemed within the space of a full year; then the ❝houfe that is in the walled city, shall be eftablished "for ever to him that bought it, throughout his ge"nerations: it shall not go out in the Jubilee.And "if he will not redeem the field, or if he have fold "the field to another man; it fhall not be redeemed any more. But the field when it goeth out in the "Jubilee, fhall be holy unto the Lord, as a field de"voted: the poffeffion thereof shall be the priests," “Levit. xxv. 29, 30.—xxvii. 20, 21.” But what inheritance have the damned to return to? We know who hath faid, "That no whoremonger, nor unclean "perfon, nor covetous man, who is au idolater,

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hath any inheritance in the kingdom of Chrift and "of God. Let no man deceive you with vain words, “Ephef. v. 5, 6.”

Mr. V. is wrong again in intimating that the fpiritual Jubilee will exonerate every obligation from

"thofe

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