unrenewed will be damned. But there will
be different grades, both in the upper and lower worlds. Of the saints,
some "will be scarcely saved." To others "will be ministered an
abundant entrance into the kingdom of Christ." There are also greatest
and least in the kingdom of heaven. And among those exiled the world
of light, differences will be made, suited to the different degrees of
criminality. Capernaum will receive a more intolerable doom than
Sodom.*

* Matthew xi. 23, 24.

All these discriminations will be built on the present life, and rise
out of it. This will be so abundantly manifested, "when God shall
judge the world in righteousness," that an assembled universe will
confess, That _there is no respect of persons with God_.

* * * * * *

SERMON VII.

Moses' Prayer to be blotted out of God's Book.

Exodus xxxii. 31, 32.

"And Moses returned unto the Lord and said, 'Oh! this people have made
them gods of gold. Yet now, if thou wilt, forgive their sin; and if
not, blot me, I pray thee, out of thy book which thou hast written.'"

This is one of the most difficult passages in the holy scriptures.
Many haven attempted to explain it, and in our apprehension, failed in
the attempt. Some will entertain like opinion of the following.
Perhaps justly. We are no less fallible than others.

In matters which have engaged the attention of the learned, and in
which they have differed, assurance is not perhaps to be expected. But
as we are forbidden to call any man master, we have ventured to judge
for ourselves respecting the meaning of the text, and now lay before
the reader the result of our attention to it; not wishing to obtrude
our opinion upon him; but leaving him to form his own as he may find
occasion.

Some suppose that a person must be willing to be damned for the glory
of God, or he cannot be saved; and this scripture hath been alleged in
proof. After a few observations, _to shew that the supposition is
erroneous and absurd; we shall exhibit the various constructions which
have been put on the text, by several expositors; then give our own
sense of it; and close with a few reflections_.

The supposition that man must be willing to be damned, in order to be
saved, is in our apprehension, erroneous and absurd. It supposes a
desire of God's favor to be an unpardonable offence; and a contempt of
it a recommendation to his regard! It supposes that God will banish
those from his presence who lo