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son's Apology for the Bible; Ful-sures us, covered the whole earth, ler's Gospel of Christ its own Wit-buried all the mountains; every ness; Bishop Porteus's Charge to the thing perished therein that had life, Clergy, for 1794; and his Summary excepting Noah and those with of the Evidences of Christianity. him in the ark. Can an universal DEITY OF CHRIST. See deluge be more clearly expressed? JESUS CHRIST. If the deluge had only been parDELUGE, the flood which tial, there had been no necessity overflowed and destroyed the to spend an hundred years in the earth. This flood makes one of building of an ark, and shutting the most considerable epochas in up all the sorts of animals therein, chronology. Its history is given in order to re-stock the world; by Moses, Gen. vi, and vii. Its they had been easily and readily time is fixed by the best chrono-brought from those parts of the logers to the year from the cre-world not overflowed into those ation 1656, answering to the year that were; at least, all the birds before Christ 2293. From this never would have been destroyed, flood, the state of the world is di-as Moses says they were, so long vided into diluvian and antedilu-as they had wings to bear them to vian. those parts where the flood did

Men, who have not paid that not reach. If the waters had only regard to sacred history as it de-overflowed the neighbourhood of serves, have cavilled at the ac- the Euphrates and the Tigris, they count given of an universal de-could not be fifteen cubits above luge. Their objections princi- the highest mountains: there was pally turn upon three points ;||no rising that height but they must 1. The want of any direct history spread themselves, by the laws of of that event by the profane writers gravity, over the rest of the earth; of antiquity.-2. The apparent im-unless, perhaps, they had been possibility of accounting for the retained there by a miracle: in quantity of water necessary to over-that case, Moses, no doubt, would flow the whole earth to such a have related the miracle, as he depth as it is said to have been.-did that of the waters of the Red And, 3. There appearing no neces-Sea, &c. It may also be observed, sity for an universal deluge, as the that in regions far remote from the same end might have been accom-Euphrates and Tigris, viz. Italy, plished by a partial one. France, Switzerland, Germany,

To the above arguments we England, &c. there are frequently oppose the plain declarations of found in places many scores of scripture. God declared to Noah leagues from the sea, and even in that he was resolved to destroy the tops of high mountains, whole every thing that had breath under trees sunk deep under ground, as heaven, or had life on the earth, also teeth and bones of animals, by a flood of waters; such was fishes entire, sea shells, ears of corn, the threatening, such was the ex-&c. petrified, which the best naecution. The waters, Moses as-turalists are agreed could never

have come there but by the deluge.||terraneous fires bursting forth with That the Greeks and western na- great violence under the sea. But tions had some knowledge of the are not most, if not all, these hyflood, has never been denied; and potheses quite arbitrary, and withthe Mussulmen, Chinese, and Ame-out foundation from the words of ricans have traditions of the de- Moses? It is, perhaps, in vain to luge. The ingenious Mr. Bryant, attempt accounting for this event in his Mythology, has pretty clear-by natural causes, it being altoly proved that the deluge, so far gether miraculous and supernatufrom being unknown to the hea-ral, as a punishment to men for then world at large, is in reality the corruption then in the world. conspicuous throughout every one Let us be satisfied with the sources of their acts of religious worship. which Moses gives us, namely, In India, also, Sir William Jones the fountains of the great deep has discovered, that, in the oldest broken up, and the windows of mythological books of that coun-heaven opened; that is, the watry, there is such an account of ters rushed out from the hidden the deluge as corresponds suffi-abyss of the bowels of the earth, ciently with that of Moses. and the clouds poured down their

Various have been the conjec-rain incessantly. Let it suffice us tures of learned men as to the na-to know, that all the elements tural causes of the deluge. Some are under God's power; and he have supposed that a quantity of can do with them as he pleases, water was created on purpose, and and frequently in ways we are igat a proper time annihilated by Di-norant of, in order to accomplish vine power. Dr. Burnet supposes his own purposes.

the primitive earth to have been The principal writers on this no more than a crust investing the subject have been Woodyard, Cockwater contained in the ocean: and burn, Bryant, Burnet, Whiston, in the central abyss which he and Stilling fleet, King, Catcott, and others suppose to exist in the bow- Tytler. els of the earth at the time of the DEPRAVITY, corruption; a flood, this outward crust broke in change from perfection to impera thousand pieces, and sunk down fection. See FALL, SIN. among the water, which thus DEPRECATORY, a term apspouted up in vast cataracts, and plied to the manner of performing overflowed the whole surface. some ceremonies in the form of Others, supposing a sufficient fund prayer. The form of absolution in of water in the sea or abyss, think the Greek church is deprecative, that the shifting of the earth's thus expressed-May God absolve centre of gravity drew after it the you; whereas in the Latin church water out of the channel, and over-it is declarative-I absolve you. whelmed the 'several parts of the DESCENT of Christ into Hell. earth successively. Others ascribe See HELL.

it to the shock of a comet, and Mr.

DESERTION, a term made use King supposes it to arise from sub-of to denote an unhappy state of

De

mind, occasioned by the sensible||Sometimes both these are united. influences of the Divine favour If our desire to do or receive being withdrawn. Some of the good be not violent, it is called a best men in all ages have suffered simple inclination or propensity. a temporary suspension of Divine When it rises high, it is termed enjoyments, Job xxix, 2. Ps. li.longing: when our desires set our Isa. xlix, 14. Lam. iii, 1. Isa. I, 10. active powers at work to obtain The causes of this must not be at-the very same good, or the same tributed to the Almighty, since he sort of good, which another deis always the same, but must arise sires, it is called emulation. from ourselves. Neglect of duty,sire of pleasures of sense, is called improper views of Providence, sensuality; of honour, is called self-confidence, a worldly spirit, ambition, of riches, covetousness. luke-warmness of mind, inatten- The objects of a good man's detion to the means of grace, or open sires are, that God may be glorified, transgression, may be considered his sins forgiven and subdued, his as leading to this state. As all affections enlivened and placed on things, however, are under the God as the supreme object of Divine control, so even desertion, love, his afflictions sanctified, and or, as it is some times expressed his life devoted to the service of in scripture, "the hidings of God, Prov. xi, 23. Ps. cv, 19. God's face," may be useful to ex- DESPAIR, loss of hope; that cite humility, exercise faith and state of mind in which a person patience, detach us from the world, loses his confidence in the Divine prompt to more vigorous action, mercy. bring us to look more to God as Some of the best antidotes the fountain of happiness, conform against despair, says one, may us to his word, and increase our be taken from the consideration, desires for that state of blessedness 1. Of the nature of God, his which is to come. Hervey's Ther. goodness, mercy, &c.-2. The and Asp. dial. xix; Watt's Medit. testimony of God: he hath said, on Fob xxiii, 3; Lambert's Serm. he desireth not the death of the vol. i, ser. 16; Flavel's Works, sinner.-3. From the works of vol. i, p. 167, folio. God: he hath given his Son to die. Desire is an eagerness to obtain-4. From his promises, Heb. xiii, or enjoy an object which we sup-5.-5. From his command; he pose to be good. Those desires, hath commanded us to confide in says Dr. Watts, that arise without mercy.-6. From his expostulaany express ideas of the goodness tions, &c. Baxter on Religious or agreeableness of their object to Melancholy; Claude's Essays, p. the mind beforehand, such as 388, Robinson's edit. Gisborne's hunger, thirst, &c. are called Sermon on Religious Despondency. appetites. Those which arise from DESTRUCTIONISTS, those our perception or opinion of an who believe that the final punishobject as good or agreeable, are ment threatened in the gospel to the most properly called passions.wicked and impenitent consists not

VOL. I.

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in an eternal preservation in misery||ject of our fear. And when he and torment, but in a total extinc-says, These shall go away into evertion of being; and that the sen-lasting punishment, but the rightetence of annihilation shall be exe-ous into life eternal, it appears evicuted with more or less torment, dent that by that eternal punishment preceding or attending the final which is set in opposition to eternal period, in proportion to the greater life, is not meant any kind of life, or less guilt of the criminal. however miserable, but the same The name assumed by this de-which the apostle expresses by nomination, like those of many everlasting destruction from the others, takes for granted the ques-presence and power of the Lord. tion in dispute; viz. that the scrip-The very term, death, is most freture word destruction means anni-quently made use of to signify the hilation in strict propriety of end of wicked men in another speech, they should be called Anni-world, or the final effect of divine hilationists. The doctrine is large-justice in their punishment. The ly maintained in the sermons of wages of sin (saith the apostle) is Mr. Samuel Bourn, of Birming-death; but eternal life is the gift of ham; it was held also by Mr. J. N. God, through Jesus Christ our Scott; Mr. John Taylor, of Nor-Lord. See also Rom. viii, 6. wich; Mr. Marson; and many To imagine that by the term death is meant an eternal life,

others.

In defence of the system, Mr. though in a condition of extreme Bourn argues as follows: There misery, seems, according to him, are many passages of scripture into be confounding all propriety which the ultimate punishment to and meaning of words. Death, which wicked men shall be adjudg-when applied to the end of wicked ed is defined, in the most precise men in a future state, he says, proand intelligible terms, to be an perly denotes a total extinction of everlasting destruction from the life and being. It may contribute, power of God, which is equally he adds, to fix this meaning, if we able to destroy as to preserve. So observe that the state to which when our Saviour is fortifying the temporal death reduces men is minds of his disciples against the usually termed by our Saviour and power of men, by an awe of the his apostles, sleep; because from

greater power of God, and the this death the soul shall be raised punishment of his justice, he ex-to life again: but from the other, presses himself thus: Fear not them which is fully and properly death, that kill the body, and after that and of which the former is but an have no more that they can do; fear image or shadow, there is no rehim who is able to destroy both soul covery; it is an eternal death, an and body in hell. Here he plainly everlasting destruction from the proposes the destruction of the presence of the Lord, and the glory soul (not its endless pain and mi-of his power.

sery) as the ultimate object of the He next proceeds to the figures divine displeasure, and greatest ob-by which the eternal punishment

of wicked men is described, and|But if all wicked men shall suffer finds them perfectly agreeing to torments without end, how can establish the same doctrine. One any of them be said to suffer but figure or comparison, often used, a few stripes? All degrees and is that of combustible materials distinctions of punishment seem thrown into a fire, which will con-swallowed up in the notion of sequently be entirely consumed, if never-ending or infinite misery. the fire be not quenched. Depart Finally, death and eternal defrom me, ye cursed, into everlast-struction, or annihilation, is proing fire, prepared for the devil perly styled in the New Testaand his angels. The meaning is, ment an everlasting punishment, a total, irrevocable destruction as it is irrevocable and unalterable for, as the tree that bringeth not for ever; and it is most strictly forth good fruit is hewn down, and and literally styled, an everlasting cast into the fire, and is destroyed; destruction from the presence of as the useless chaff, when separat-the Lord, and from the glory of his ed from the good grain, is set on power.

fire, and, if the fire be not quench- Dr. Edwards, in his answer to ed, is consumed; so, he thinks, it Dr. Chauncy, on the salvation of plainly appears, that the image of all men, says that this scheme. unquenchable or everlasting fire is was provisionally retained by Dr. not intended to signify the degree C.; i. e. in case the scheme of or duration of torment, but the universal salvation should fail him: absolute certainty of destruction, and therefore Dr. E. in his exabeyond all possibility of a recovery.mination of that work, appropriSo the cities of Sodom and Go-ates a chapter to the consideration morrah are said to have suffered of it. Among other reasonings the vengeance of an eternal fire; against it are the following: that is, they were so effectually 1. The different degrees of puconsumed, or destroyed, that they nishment which the wicked will could never be rebuilt; the phrase, suffer according to their works eternal fire, signifying the irrevo-proves that it does not consist in cable destruction of those cities, annihilation, which admits of no not the degree or duration of the degrees. misery of the inhabitants who pe- 2. If it be said that the punishrished. ment of the wicked, though it will The images of the worm that end in annihilation, yet shall be dieth not, and the fire that is preceded by torment, and that not quenched, used in Mark ix, this will be of different degrees 43, are set in opposition to en-according to the degrees of sin; tering into life, and intended to it may be replied, this is makdenote a period of life and ex-ing it to be compounded partly istence. of torment, and partly of annihi

Our Saviour expressly assigns lation. The latter also appears to different degrees of future misery, be but a small part of future puin proportion to men's respective nishment, for that alone will be degrees of guilt, Luke xii, 47, 48.inflicted on the least sinner, and

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