tinuation of this life; and that in order that this life may be a preparation for that, the employments and delights which now engage our attention, must also have some very intimate relation, to those, in the midst of which, we shall eternally dwell. To such minds, we would once more most earnestly recommend the faithful perusal of those works, in which may be found all the information that can be rationally desired, in regard to this most interesting and important subject. There may be found a clear and intelligible deseription of many of those angelic employments, from which the enjoyments and delights of heaven are derived.
But, let us again turn our attention for a few moments to the question,—From whence come the miseries of hell? We have already disclaimed all sympathy with the doctrine, that misery in any form comes from the wrath of an angry God. God is love. Every creature that exists, is the object of his tender mercy and compassion. If this were not the case,—if there were even one intelligent creature within the boundless universe, from whom the divine mercy had been withdrawn, that mercy could not be infinite. But the Word of the Lord assures us that "his mercy endureth forever," and that "his tender mercies are over all his works." In the same Divine Word we also read—"I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them that despitefully use you and persecute you: That ye may be the children of your Father who is in heaven, for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust." How devoid of spiritual life would these words be, if they were understood to require nothing more than the bestowment of temporal blessings upon our enemies, in imitation of Him, who causes the natural sun to rise upon the evil as well as the good, and gives them rain from the clouds. There is, plainly, a deep spiritual meaning here. The sun that rises upon the evil as well as the good, is the Sun of divine love, while the rain that descends upon them,
