REFLECTIONS ON ETERNAL PUNISHMENT.

THE great distinguishing doctrines of Christianity are those of a general resurrection and future state of impartial retribution. These doctrines, while they are suited to produce a pow→ erful effect on the human mind, approve themselves to the unbiassed reason of the inquirer after truth. But unfortunately the scripture doctrine of future punishment has been so misrepresented as to appear utterly incredible. It has been long and generally maintained, that offences committed by frail and ignorant creatures during the infancy of their existence, will be punished with sufferings dreadful beyond conception, and lasting as the ages of eternity!

That such a doctrine, in an age, like the present, of inquiry and investigation, should meet with opposition, is by no means extraordinary. It would indeed be more surprising if thinking and intelligent men could be induced to embrace so irrational and barbarous à tenet, however ingenious and plausible the arguments adduced in its favour.

Perhaps a well-disposed but timorous believer might ask, "As the doctrine of eternal punishment has been generally received amongst Christians, and must certainly be a much more powerful antidote to vice than the opposite persuasion, why should it not be permitted to retain undisturbed its place in the popular creed?" He might add, "wickedness is already sufficiently prevalent, and it is to be feared would be far more so, did vicious men believe that their punishment would not continue for ever." But it might be fairly replied that the doctrine of an eternal, and not the doctrine of a temporary punishment, has a licentious tendency. And however paradoxical this assertion may appear, a little consideration will make it sufficiently ob

vious.

That a being of infinite goodness, mercy and compassion, as the Almighty is constantly represented, should condemn weak and imperfect creatures to eternal and exquisite misery for yielding to temptations incident to the state in which he had placed them, is a position too shocking and incredible to be firmly believed. Hence men become secretly persuaded that they shall never be called to account for their actions. They cannot believe all that they are told concerning the penalty of sin, and therefore they reject the whole without discrimination. Both learned and unlearned have protested against a tenet which their natural good sense could not but perceive was so derogatory t

the moral character of God. Thus the doctrine of eternal punishment has promoted immorality by means of latent infidelity.

But if men were informed that only a just and adequate punishment will be inflicted on the wicked; not that they will be eternally miserable, but that their sufferings will be exactly proportioned to their depravity and guilt, both in degree and duration, against such a proposition their minds would not revolt. To such a tenet they could not easily invent plausible objections. They must think it a probable doctrine in spite of themselves. And surely they would be more likely to be deterred from sin by the expectation of certain and dreadful vengeance to be endured through a long and an indefinite period, than by preposterous threats of never-ending torments, which they cannot seriously believe.

If we reflect on the ignorance of the far greater part of mankind, the little pains that have been taken in their infancy to inure them to the practice of piety and virtue, the difficulty of conquering habits, of eradicating propensities, which have

grown with their growth, and strengthened with their strength,' if we likewise consider the numerous and powerful temptations to which they are afterwards exposed in the world, how can it be thought consistent with infinite goodness to punish the offences of few and fleeting years with everlasting anguish and despair?

It might indeed be alleged with some appearance of plausibility that as nothing more is required of any one than to make a proper use of the talents which have been committed to him, so if he fail in the performance of this requisition he is justly liable to endless punishment. But let us suppose for a moment that we ourselves had been in the state of those unhappy persons who have been brought up in ignorance and vice, imagine that from our infancy we had been accustomed to associate with profligate companions, who had laughed at religion and treated moral obligation with contempt: In addition to these deplorable circumstances, suppose we had never been warned of our danger till we had advanced too far in the paths of vice to be able to recede; till our disposition was vitiated, and our sense of right and wrong almost obliterated: what would then have been our characters and conduct? Highly as we may now stand in our own esteem, there is little reason to think that in such a case we should have been better than others. We might then in a literal sense, and with the strictest propriety, be said to have educated for destruction. It would be frivolous on that supposition to say that nothing more was required of us than it

was in our power to perform; for to expect us to practise virtue in such circumstances, would be quite as unreasonable as it would be to require any one to work at a mechanical trade, when he had been apprenticed to another totally different.

The case of those who persist in disobedience to the divine precepts will appear still more worthy of commiseration, if it be admitted, as most of those who plead for eternal misery maintain, that all mankind inherit a depraved nature from our original progenitors, so that from our infancy we are naturally averse to good and prone to evil. And if it be farther conceded to the advocates for reputed orthodoxy, that men are not only radically depraved, but that they have likewise a malignant, subtle and powerful spirit to contend with, who is incessantly plotting their destruction by means adapted to their depraved appetites, will it not appear the height of injustice and cruelty to punish them with eternal misery for not succeeding in a contest with so potent an adversary, and on terms so extremely disadvantageous ?

Nor will this difficulty be removed by alleging that the spirit of God is always ready to assist those who humbly apply for aid to the throne of grace. For are not the dispositions of men too corrupt both by nature and habit to desire this assistance? Have they not a fixed aversion to that course of life which it would lead them to follow? Was not this aversion contracted by means over which they could have no influence? Did it not proceed from a cause which operated long before they were in being Was it not confirmed and increased by concurring circumstances at too early a period for them to be aware of its consequences? Of what use then is the offer of that assistance to them which it seems they are unable to request, or even to desire?

Whatever theory may be embraced with respect to the inherent powers of man and the purity or the depravity with which he is brought into the world, it cannot be denied that there is an infinite disproportion between a momentary period of transgression, and an eternal duration of punishment. On what principles of justice then, can the latter be vindicated as the appointed consequence of the former? With our ideas of justice and equity it seems utterly irreconcileable, And shall we, for the sake of maintaining a favourite tenet, affirm that according to the most accurate ideas of justice and equity which we have been able to form, it is not an attribute of the Deity?

Nor does it diminish the force of this objection to allege that

VOL. II.

we are not competent to judge of the divine dispensations. For this is not a complex case attended with difficulties too great for our limited understandings. It is an undeniable principle to which every one above the state of idiocy must necessarily assent, that the punishment ought to be proportioned to the crime. And it is equally evident that between the period of human life and eternity there is no proportion whatever. If then we were to conceive the Creator appealing to us, as he formerly did to the Israelites by the prophet for the equity of his proceedings, must we not be compelled to answer in the negative?

The Divine Being is not less unwilling that his creatures should be miserable than we are to be spectators of their sufferings. But could we possibly be happy in any circumstances whatever, while the horrible reflection must frequently occur that innumerable multitudes of our fellow creatures who began their existence on the same planet with ourselves, who possessed similar faculties and were liable to similar impressions, with some of whom we were personally acquainted, must now be eternally groaning under the intolerable scourge of omnipotent wrath; for ever impelled by the extremity of their torments to curse their existence and blaspheme their Creator? Sooner than participate in such a happiness let me perish for ever. I should in that case," wish that myself were accursed from Christ, for my brethren, my kinsmen according to the flesh."

ous.

It is acknowledged on all sides that the same scriptures which are supposed to teach the doctrine of endless misery, at the same time represent the Almighty as just, merciful and graciWere this actually the case, as the scriptures would then evidently contradict themselves, they would want no other ar gument to invalidate their authority. On whatever grounds we ascribe moral excellence to God, on the same grounds we are compelled to reject the idea of eternal punishment. No sentiment so dishonourable to the Deity can possibly be true, nor ought it to be received, even though it were declared to us by "an angel from heaven."

But let us study the scriptures with the same candour and impartiality that we would other writings of infinitely less importance; let us not sit down with a determination to discover in them absurdities; let us make a reasonable allowance for the eastern phraseology which they certainly exhibit, and I am much deceived if we then find them to inculcate so horrible a tenct. We know that expressions are frequently hyperbolical. Can any one believe that if all the miracles which Jesus did had been recorded, "even the world itself," literally speaking,

could not contain the books which should be written ?" But it would be less extravagant to conclude that the manuscripts in which those miracles were related, without a single repetition would cover the surface of the globe up to the highest region of the atmosphere, than that an infinitely wise and benevolent being would inflict endless sufferings on the creatures of his own hand, weak, ignorant, inexperienced, and beset on all sides with temptations, for the offences of a moment.

I would submit it to the consideration of our Unitarian societies, whether it be not an object equally worthy of their attention, to vindicate the doctrine of future temporary punishment, with that of defending the unity of God. Is it not as pernicious to think the Supreme Being vindictive, revengeful and malignant, as it is to give his worship to another? May it not have a worse effect on our own moral character? Is it not as likely to promote infidelity? I remember reading somewhere that Lord Shaftesbury once asked Bp. Burnet if his religion taught the doctrine of endless punishment? and being answered in the affirmative, replied, " Then it is no religion for me." Is it not probable that many others are of the same opinion with his Lordship? And why should not men be as cautious of entertaining opinions derogatory to the moral perfections of God, as they are of calling in question the truth of the scriptures? Not that they must necessarily be reduced to such a dilemma, but that it is a point of the first importance to form just and honour able notions of the Divine Being, and of all his dispensa

tions.

Maidstone, Nov. 7. 1806.

R. A.

ORTHODOXY AND CHARITY; ILLUSTRATED BY EXAMPLES.

SIR,

To the Editor of the Monthly Repository.

I LATELY met with a passage in a volume of travels which, as rather curious, I am induced to offer to your Repository. The learned Sandys who published " A Relation of a Journey" into the East, undertaken nearly 200 years ago, remarks when speaking of Palæetyrus, or old Tyre:

"Forget I must not the custom observed by the inhabitants hereabout, who retain the old world's hospitality. Be the passenger

As Sandys' Travels are not very often met with, I am tempted to quote his eloquent description of the East in its prosperity contrasted with the condition in which he observed it in 1610, under the, then triumphant but now happily declin ing, dominion of the Turk.