ADVERTISEMENT BY THE COMMITTEE OF THE CONGREGATIONAL LIBRARY. " THE "CONGREGATIONAL LIBRARY was established with a view to the promotion of Ecclesiastical, Theological, and Biblical Literature, in that religious connexion with whose friends and supporters it originated. It is also designed to secure a convenient locality for such associations as had previously existed, or might hereafter exist, for the purpose of advancing the literary, civil, and religious interests of that section of the Christian Church to which it was appropriated. Without undervaluing the advantages of union, either with Evangelical Protestants, or Protestant Nonconformists, on such grounds as admit of liberal co-operation, it was nevertheless deemed expedient to adopt measures for facilitating the concentration and efficiency of their own denomination. In connexion with these important objects, it was thought desirable to institute a LECTURE, partaking rather of the character of Academic prelections than of popular addresses, and embracing a Series of Annual Courses of Lectures, to be delivered at the Library, or, if necessary, in some contiguous place of worship. In the selection of Lecturers, it was judged proper to appoint such as, by their literary attainments and ministerial reputation, had rendered service to the cause of Divine truth in the consecration of their talents to " the defence and confirmation of the Gospel." It was also supposed, that some might be found possessing a high order of intellectual competency and moral worth, imbued with an ardent love of biblical science, or eminently conversant with theological and ecclesiastical literature, who, from various causes, might never have attracted that degree of public attention to which they are entitled, and yet might be both qualified and disposed to undertake courses of lectures on subjects of interesting importance, not included within the ordinary range of pulpit instruction. To illustrate the evidence and importance of the great doctrines of Revelation; to exhibit the true principles of philology in their application to such doctrines; to prove the accordance and identity of genuine philosophy with the records and discoveries of Scripture; and to trace the errors and corruptions which have existed in the Christian Church to their proper sources, and by the connexion of sound reasoning with the honest interpretation of God's holy Word, to point out the methods of refutation and counteraction, are amongst the objects for which "the Congregational Lecture" has been established. The arrangements made with the Lecturers are designed to secure the publication of each separate course, without risk to the Authors; and, after remunerating them as liberally as the resources of the Institution will allow, to apply the profits of the respective publications in aid of the Library. It is hoped that the liberal and especially the opulent friends of Evangelical and Congregational Nonconformity will evince, by their generous support, the sincerity of their attachment to the great principles of their Christian profession; and that some may be found to emulate the zeal which established the "Boyle," the "Warburton," and the "Bampton" Lectures in the National Church. These are legitimate operations of the "voluntary principle" in the support of religion, and in perfect harmony with the independency of our Churches, and the spirituality of the kingdom of Christ. The Committee deem it proper to state, that whatever responsibility may attach to the reasonings or opinions advanced in any course of Lectures, belongs exclusively to the Lecturer. CONGREGATIONAL LIBRARY, Blomfield Street, Finsbury, March, 1847. CONTENTS. The necessity of seriousness and caution in all moral inquiry- Definition of terms employed-The present thesis not a mere question of Revelation-The province of Reason-The being and constitution of man-He is, although impressed and acting by external mediums, a spiritual creature; responsible, immortal- The proofs of these characteristics of his nature, however else- where attested, to be found in his own mind-These constituents of man the postulates and guides of the whole ensuing argument. PAGE Law-Confined to the idea of moral rule- Difference between Divine and human-Injunction, obligation, sanction, essential to it-The goodness of the law to which man, as a moral agent, is subjected-Its operation-Habit, character, consequence-Bear- ing of commonly admitted principles of mind and action- Revelation independent of all the evils antecedent to it-An exclusively remedial system-The existence and use of Analogy. 86 Revelation recognises the great properties of man, his spiritualism, responsibility, and immortality-Induction of its informations- It proceeds upon all the grounds and measures of moral govern- ment-Its discoveries in relation to the Resurrection and the The limit of the rule which infers right and wrong from the pleasure or pain of the acts-The invariableness of moral ideas-Dis- parity of rewards and punishments in human legislation- Under revealed grace, the conduct of the truly religious is con- stituted rewardable-Proofs of the fact-Reasons which vindicate it-The question of temporal rewards in the present œconomy of The heavenly state-A reward-The perfection of law-The develop- 235 LECTURE VI. EXOD. xxxiv. 6, 7. Moral government supposes possible defection-Punishment-Man exceptions, must be pœnal-Self-infliction - Punishment not restricted to this-Not intended to exercise corrective influence -Its only relation is to justice-Justice must enforce its character and its conception of sin. No benefit of the atonement except to them who are under its moral influence-Objection from the General descriptions of the future state of the wicked-Sheol and Hades-If eternal punishment untrue, it ought to be boldly dis- avowed; if true, as solemnly forewarned-General impression- Analytic investigation of terms-Hebrew and Greek words com- monly used to denote eternity-Applied, in the highest accepta- tion, to future suffering-Examination of passages of Scripture supposed to favour universal restoration-Whether sin can be regarded as an infinite evil-The theory that the remission of punishment is indebted to the atonement-Judas-Classification as well as adjudication suggested by final punishment - The immortality of the effects of sin rather a physical than a moral Considerations which might be supposed to render future suffering endurable — Necessarian perfectibility-The hypothetical with- drawment of immortality from man-The conjecture of Destruc- tion Particular objections Eternal punishment opposed, because involving the eternal existence of sin-Motives and means of an evangelic nature impossible-The Doctrine defended -Enforcement of it as revealed-Despair-The Second Death- Our first duty respects the Divine faithfulness-The prevalent scepticism-Appeal to Christian pastors and churches, urging the |