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diff --git a/.gitattributes b/.gitattributes new file mode 100644 index 0000000..6833f05 --- /dev/null +++ b/.gitattributes @@ -0,0 +1,3 @@ +* text=auto +*.txt text +*.md text diff --git a/27237-8.txt b/27237-8.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..b5c10dc --- /dev/null +++ b/27237-8.txt @@ -0,0 +1,3627 @@ +The Project Gutenberg EBook of An Essay on the Scriptural Doctrine of +Immortality, by James Challis + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: An Essay on the Scriptural Doctrine of Immortality + +Author: James Challis + +Release Date: November 11, 2008 [EBook #27237] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1 + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK SCRIPTURAL DOCTRINE OF IMMORTALITY *** + + + + +Produced by Al Haines + + + + + + + + + + +AN ESSAY + +ON THE + +SCRIPTURAL DOCTRINE + +OF + +IMMORTALITY + + + +BY THE REV. + +JAMES CHALLIS, M.A., F.R.S., F.R.A.S. + + + + +PLUMIAN PROFESSOR OF ASTRONOMY AND EXPERIMENTAL PHILOSOPHY IN THE +UNIVERSITY OF CAMBRIDGE, AND FELLOW OF TRINITY COLLEGE. + + + + + _Anagke gar moi epikeitai ouai gar moi estin, ean me euaggelzûmai + --1 Cor. ix. 16 + + + + +RIVINGTONS + +London, Oxford, and Cambridge + +MDCCCLXXX + + + + +RIVINGTONS + + +London . . . . . . _Waterloo Place_ + +Oxford . . . . . . _Magdalen Street_ + +Cambridge . . . . _Trinity Street_ + +[_All rights reserved_] + + + + + +{1} + +AN ESSAY + +ON THE + +SCRIPTURAL DOCTRINE OF IMMORTALITY. + + +Considering that under the existing conditions of humanity, disease, +and decay, and death abound on every side, it is surprising that the +word "immortality" obtained a place in systems of philosophy, the +authors of which must be supposed to have been unacquainted with divine +revelation. It is not surprising that in the absence of such aid the +belief of immortality should not have been firmly held, or that by some +philosophers it should have been expressly disavowed. Even in the +Canonical Scriptures, the words "immortal" and "immortality" occur only +in the Epistles of the Apostle Paul, and consequently not till "life +and immortality had been brought to light through the Gospel." It is a +remarkable circumstance that these words are met with more frequently +in the Apocryphal Books, 2 Esdras, Wisdom of Solomon, and +Ecclesiasticus, than in the Canonical Scriptures. The {2} explanation +of the apparent silence of the Scriptures, especially those of the Old +Testament, on so essential a doctrine, will, I think, be found to be +given by the course of argument adopted in this essay. + +It may, further, be noticed that, according to philosophical dogma not +derived from the teaching of Scripture, immortality is regarded as a +principle, or innate quality, in virtue of which the human soul is +exempt from the experience of death or annihilation. On this account +Greek and Roman philosophers speak of "the immortality of _the soul_," +and even in the present day the same terms are used, the soul being +regarded as _per se_ immortal. But neither in the Scriptures, nor in +the Apocrypha, is "immortality" qualified by the adjunct "of the soul;" +the reason for which may be that since death, as far as our senses +inform us, is an _objective_ reality, the writers judged that mortality +and freedom from mortality could only be predicated of _body_. It +must, however, be taken into account that according to the doctrine of +Scripture there is "a spiritual body" as well as "a natural body," so +that while the natural body is, as we know, subject to the law of +death, it may be true that the spiritual body is capable of +immortality. This point will be farther discussed in the course of the +essay. + +To account for the absence of any direct announcement of man's +immortality in the Old Testament, and for its being sparingly mentioned +in the New {3} Testament, the following argument seems legitimate and +sufficient. These Scriptures, as already intimated, give no +countenance to the idea that the soul of man possesses any innate +principle of immortality; on the contrary, they reveal immortality by +revealing _the means_ by which the spirit of man is _made_ immortal. +As, according to natural science, the external world, both the animate +part and the inanimate, has become such as we now perceive it to be by +processes of generation and development, so there is reason from +Scripture to say that a spiritual world is being created in an +analogous manner, and that to this creation all other creations are +subordinate and contributory. Moreover, we, the subjects of this +creation, are so constituted that we are conscious of, and can +ourselves take cognizance of, the means by which it is effected. These +considerations may be applied to account for the mode in which +immortality is treated of in the Bible. It concerns us, above all +things, to discern and feel the operations whereby our spirits are +formed both intellectually and morally for an immortal existence; and, +accordingly, Scripture is full of instruction, addressed both to the +understanding and the heart, concerning those means. Thus, although +the final effect is not directly named till the scheme of the spiritual +creation is completely unfolded, it is yet true that the whole of the +Scriptures from beginning to end has relation to man's immortality. + +{4} + +Not only did the philosophy of Greece and Rome fail to substantiate the +reality of an immortal existence; other philosophical systems, as well +the mystical conceptions of Eastern nations, as the metaphysical +speculations of modern Europe, have equally failed to arrive at +certainty respecting this verity. Now, it will be found, I think, to +be established by the argument of this essay, that in all these +instances the cause of failure is the same. The doctrine cannot, in +fact, be understood and believed without an understanding of the means +by which the immortal spirit is _formed_, and the ascertainment of +those means is beyond the power of unaided human intelligence. +Although the evidences of an immortal destiny may be in us and around +us, they cannot be discerned apart from enlightenment by a divine +revelation as to the purpose and end of the whole creation. + +The Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments profess to be a revelation +of the mind and will of the Creator of all things. If they are really +such, they must be capable of giving the information which, as said +above, is necessary for certifying the doctrine of man's immortality. +I shall, therefore, with express reference to the title of the essay, +first make the _hypothesis_ that the Scriptures are indeed a revelation +from God, written to reveal His will and His acts, and on this ground I +shall proceed to inquire what information can be derived from them +respecting the {5} _creation_ of the spirit of man for an immortal +destiny. The character of the information obtained may possibly +suffice to establish both the truth of the hypothesis and the certainty +of the doctrine of immortality. + +Before commencing the argument, it will be well to state on what +principles, and according to what rules, Scripture will be cited for +conducting it. It will be supposed that the Holy Scriptures, as a +whole, consist of words of God written for our sakes; and although they +were written by human authors, under diverse circumstances, and in +various ages, the several parts are still to be regarded as having +virtually but _one author_, the Holy Spirit, and as constituting on +that account a consistent whole. This view is almost necessitated by +the noticeable circumstance that very little information is given in +the Scriptures themselves respecting the authors of the writings, or +the time and place of their composition. This is true, for instance, +of such cardinal books as the four Gospels. Respecting these matters +enough is said to show that human hands have been employed to write the +books of Scripture, while so much has been left unsaid that we must +infer that this kind of information is of little moment by reason of +the _internal_ evidence the Scriptures contain of their divine +authorship. Such evidence, it seems to me, is especially given by the +fact that the Scriptures present a faithful _transcript_ of {6} the +world as it has been and is, in respect to the calamities, wars, and +revolutions that have befallen nations, and those weaknesses and +wickednesses of individuals and peoples, the accounts of which are so +great a stumbling-block to the "unstable and the unlearned." These +very accounts, it is possible, may be intended to tell us, if rightly +inquired into, why these things are so, why there is evil in the world, +and what shall be the end of it. The world has existed, it is +believed, nearly six thousand years, and at this day we see that many +suffer from sorrow and pain, labour and poverty are the lot of a very +large proportion of the populations, calamities by fire and water are +frequent, plague and pestilence still visit the earth, cruelty and +murders are rife, and so far from there being an end of wars, never +before have men fabricated such potent implements for killing each +other. Such facts as these constitute, after all, the difficulties +which beset humanity, and it may be presumed that, with the intent of +accounting for their existence, they are put on record in the word of +God. On the broad principle that the Author of a world like this will +have vouchsafed reasons for its being such as it is, I accept the +Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments as the word of God written for +this very purpose, and instead of cavilling, as some do, at +difficulties which probably have no other foundation than their own +ignorance, it will be my {7} endeavour to make use of Scripture for +explaining the perplexities and difficulties which actually surround +the facts of human experience. The discussion of the particular +question I have taken in hand will give occasion for employing the +Scriptures in this manner, and in doing so I shall quote from all parts +indiscriminately, regarding the whole as sufficiently authoritative and +trustworthy for the purposes of the argument. + +The above-mentioned general purpose the Scriptures may be supposed to +be adequate to fulfil, whether as expressed in the Hebrew tongue, or in +that of the Septuagint, or as translated in the English version, +notwithstanding that, as must be admitted, faults of transcription, or +translation, or interpretation have given rise to many verbal errors. +But the difficulties produced by these imperfections are of slight +importance in comparison with the great difficulty of discovering how +and on what principles to interpret the Scriptures so as to derive from +them the particular doctrines they are designed to teach. Amid the +great diversity of views that exists relative to modes of +interpretation, it may safely be maintained that the foremost and chief +requisite for making true deductions from the Scriptures is to have +_confidence_ in them as being depositions of Divine wisdom. Men of +science, in their endeavours to discover the secrets of Nature, are +baffled again and again, and yet by little and {8} little they obtain +accessions to knowledge just because they never doubt but that Nature, +if rightly interrogated, will give them true answers. It seems, +therefore, reasonable to expect that the words of God, handled on +principles analogous to those which have been successfully applied in +acquiring knowledge of His works, might be found capable of answering +the hard questions which are now, more, perhaps, than in past times, +agitating men's minds. This philosophy, having a surer basis than that +of any mere human intellectual system, might be expected to succeed +where these have failed. The bearing of these remarks on the main +subject of the essay will be seen as we go on. + +Commencing now, after the foregoing preliminaries, the general +argument, I remark, in the first place, that since, as matter of fact, +all men die, they cannot partake of immortality unless they are +restored to life after death. We have, therefore, to inquire both as +to what the Scriptures say concerning _death_, and what they reveal +concerning _resurrection_. Again, it may be taken for granted that as +in the natural world, so in the spiritual world, the Creator of all +things effects His purposes by operating according to _laws_. On this +principle St. Paul in Rom. viii. 2 speaks of "the law of sin and +death," meaning that sin and death are invariably related to each other +as antecedent and consequent. By an irrevocable law {9} death is +ordained to be "the wages of sin" (Rom. vi. 23). Of ourselves we can +judge that it does not consist with the power and wisdom of an +omnipotent and omniscient Creator that the sinful should live for ever. +But if this be so, it must evidently be true also that immortality, +being exemption from death, is the _consequence_ of freedom from sin, +that is, of perfect righteousness. This is as necessary a law as the +other. + +Hence the inquiry respecting the means by which man is made immortal +resolves itself into inquiring by what means he is made righteous; and, +as the first step in this inquiry, we have to consider what Scripture +says concerning the entrance of sin and death into the world. If sin +be defined to be doing what is contrary to the will of God, as +expressed by a command, righteousness, being its opposite, will consist +in acting according to His will. Hence sin and righteousness both +imply that a revelation of the will of God has been antecedently made, +either directly by a command or law, or by the voice of conscience. It +is on this principle that St. Paul says, "apart from law sin is dead" +(Rom. vii. 8), and in another place speaks of "the righteousness _of +the law_" being fulfilled (Rom. viii. 4). Accordingly, when Adam was +placed in the garden of Eden, a _command_ was expressly given him for +trial of his obedience. + +{10} + +The narrative in Scripture of the circumstances under which sin was +first committed is deserving of special consideration on account of the +instruction it conveys. It states that Eve, knowing that God had +commanded Adam not to eat of the tree of the knowledge of good and +evil, yet, being deceived by the serpent and enticed by her own +desires, "took of the fruit thereof, and did eat, and gave also to her +husband with her, and he did eat" (Gen. iii. 6). Thus, as St. Paul +writes, "Adam was not deceived, but the woman being deceived was in the +transgression" (1 Tim. ii. 14). But both partook of the forbidden +fruit, and by so doing both sinned alike against their Maker, the deed +being sinful, not as considered by itself, but by reason of the +antecedent command, which made it an act of _disobedience_. + +If we assume that the account of Eve's temptation is to be taken as +literally true, so that the tempter had actually the form of a serpent +and addressed to her _spoken_ words, these facts will have to be +regarded as altogether _miraculous_. There are good reasons for +admitting this view, when it is considered, first, that the information +which this portion of Scripture gives equally concerns all of every +age, and in order that it might be intelligible to all, it was +necessary that in the infancy of the world it should be conveyed by +_objective_ representation; and, again, that various instances are met +with in the Bible of analogous {11} teaching of essential doctrine by +means of miracles. The translation of Enoch, the Deluge, the +destruction of Sodom, the plagues of Egypt and deliverance of Israel, +the giving of the law from Sinai, the passage of Jordan, the ascension +of Elijah, and the resurrection of Christ, are all symbolic miracles, +the interpretations of which have intimate relation to the doctrine of +man's immortality. This being understood, I shall proceed to discuss +particularly the meaning of the Scriptural account of the beginning of +sin through temptation by the serpent, and on the supposition that the +facts as recorded are real but symbolic, I shall endeavour to deduce +from them their doctrinal signification. + +The first question to consider is, Why is the tempting spirit called a +_serpent_? The Scripture affirms that "the serpent was more subtil +(_phronimôatos_) than any beast of the field" (Gen. iii. 1); and our +Lord, addressing his apostles, said, "Lo, I send you as sheep in the +midst of wolves; be ye, therefore, wise (_phronimoi_) as serpents, and +harmless as doves." Yet, as we know, the serpent is not endowed in any +special manner with sagacity or reason. The fact is, the epithet +"subtil" is applied to the serpent with reference to its form and +movements, which convey the abstract idea of subtlety on the same +principle that the words "tortuous" and "twisting" have an abstract +meaning when we speak of "tortuous policy," {12} or "twisting the +meaning of a sentence." Now this subtle entity--this serpent--although +presented to Eve in bodily form, was not the less that spirit of evil, +the personal existence of which, on the hypothesis that the Scriptures +are true, as well as its influence on human minds, must be admitted. +Accordingly our first parents were tempted by what St. Paul calls "the +wiles (_tas methodeias_) of the devil" (Eph. vi. 11). + +Again, the statement in Gen. iii. 6, that "when the woman saw that the +tree was good for food, and that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a +tree to be desired to make one wise, she took of the fruit thereof, and +did eat," is in accordance with what St. John teaches as to "the lust +of the flesh," "the lust of the eyes," and "the pride of life," being +opposed to "doing the will of God" (1 John ii. 16, 17). Also, as we +have seen, Adam was associated with a partner, who, having been +overcome, in consequence of such desires, by the wiles of Satan, +committed sin, and then induced her husband to do the same. Thus, +since the world at that time consisted of these two individuals, it is +an obvious inference, as well as one of great significance, that Adam +was tempted just as all his offspring are--that is, by the world, the +flesh, and the devil--and, as all his offspring do, yielded to the +temptation. + +Although Adam was created in the image of his Maker in respect to being +endowed with powers of {13} understanding and reasoning, and although +he was made capable of learning and doing righteousness, he was not +originally _made righteous_, forasmuch as he sinned: but those whom God +makes righteous sin no more, because all the works of God are perfect. +"The first man Adam was made a living soul," the breath of life being +breathed into his nostrils (Gen. ii. 7). He thus partook of natural +life, but not of spiritual life. He was, as St. Paul says, "of the +earth, earthy," and all we who are descended from him "bear the image +of the earthy" (1 Cor. xv. 47, 49). The mind (_to phronêma_) of this +natural man is at "enmity with God," and "neither is, nor can be, +subject to the law of God" (Rom. viii. 7). This accounts for our +perceiving in children from their very infancy a spirit of +disobedience, this spirit being derived through natural descent from +that which our first parents exhibited in the infancy of the world. +The author of the Apocryphal Book, 2 Esdras, writes: "The first man +Adam, bearing a wicked heart, transgressed, and was overcome; and so be +all they that are born of him" (iii. 21). In the Wisdom of Solomon +this passage occurs: "Wisdom preserved the first formed father of the +world, that was created alone, and brought him out of his fall" (x. 1). +But it is to be remarked that the word here translated "fall" is +_paraptôma_, the same word that St. Paul uses in Rom. iv. 25 and v. 16, +to designate "_our_ transgressions." {14} Cruden in his Concordance +gives under the word "fall" an elaborate statement of received views +respecting "the fall of man," although that word, as the Concordance +shows, does not once occur in the Canonical Scriptures in any relation +to the sin of Adam. + +It is very noteworthy that after the account of Adam's sin in Genesis, +no express mention is made of it in subsequent Canonical Books, till we +come to the fifth chapter of St. Paul's Epistle to the Romans, where +the introduction of sin into the world by _one man_ is prominently +adduced in an argumentative passage which appears to me to have been +much misunderstood.[1] The reason that a fact which is so essential an +element in theological systems is so little adverted to in the +Scriptures, I consider to be, that these systems have hitherto not +recognized an analogy which may be presumed to exist between God's +natural creation and His spiritual creation. From what is stated in +Genesis i. and ii. there is reason to say that the natural creation was +at its beginning without form, and dark, and unfurnished, and that by +the power of the Creator, operating, we may presume, according to laws, +it was brought into the state of order, light, and adornment (_kosmos_) +which we now behold. Hence, arguing from analogy, we {15} might infer +that the spiritual creation has its beginning in the reign of sin and +death, and that by the power of the Spirit of God, operating according +to law on our spirits, it has its consummation in the establishment of +righteousness and life. + +This analogical inference suffices, I think, to explain why, after the +brief initial account of the entrance of sin and death into the world, +the purport of the whole of Scripture is to record the subsequent +prevalence of sin, and to reveal by what means grace abounded in the +gift of righteousness, and how it abounded all the more because the law +of sin and death "passed" from one man "upon all men" (Rom. v. 12). +The apostle Paul argues that whereas "_death_ reigned through one, +_much rather_ shall they who receive the abundance of grace and of the +gift of righteousness reign in _life_ through one Jesus Christ" (Rom. +v. 17); and in accordance with this doctrine he adds (v. 20), "The law +entered by the way (_pareisêlen_) _in order that_ the offence might +abound, but where sin abounded grace did much more abound." It seems +impossible to draw from such sentences as these any other inference +than that, according to the scheme of the spiritual creation, the reign +of sin and death is the necessary antecedent of the evolution of life +from righteousness. + +The apostle sums up his argument by saying (v. 19), "For as by the +disobedience of one man the many were made sinners, so also by the +obedience {16} of one shall the many be made righteous" (_dikaioi +katastatêsontai oi polloi_). It is evident that "the many" here +includes all that are born in the world, in contradistinction to "the +one," Adam, who was created, and from whom all have descended by +natural generation. Now, considering that righteousness and life, as +necessarily as their opposites sin and death, are related to each other +by law as antecedent and consequent, the above revelation that "all +will be made righteous" is as direct an assertion of the immortality of +all men as could possibly be made. It is, therefore, of the greatest +moment, as regards our argument, to ascertain on what grounds we are +told that all will eventually be "made righteous" through the obedience +of Jesus Christ, and what is the exact meaning of this doctrine. The +purpose of this essay will be completely fulfilled if it should be +shown that these questions admit of being satisfactorily answered. But +before attempting to do this, it is necessary to have a precise +understanding of the previous assertion that through Adam's +disobedience "the many were made sinners." This preliminary inquiry I +now proceed to enter upon. + +If we adopt the view expressed in a passage already quoted (2 Esdras +iii. 21), we shall, in effect, admit that the transgression of Adam was +_the consequence_ of his "bearing a wicked heart," and that all who are +born of him sin because by _natural generation_ they {17} have received +from him the same wicked heart. According to this view it must be +supposed that "the wicked heart" is in respect to goodness a _tabula +rasa_, and that till goodness be formed in it, it is led by natural +desires to do evil. Certainly the moral phenomena exhibited by very +young children accord with this supposition; and it may reasonably be +presumed that St. Paul, in giving to the Romans, to whom he had not +personally preached, a synoptical statement of the doctrines he was +accustomed to teach, did not set before them the Scriptural account of +the introduction and prevalence of sin in any manner not intelligible +to ordinary minds from common experience. + +What then are we to understand by the assertion that "through the +disobedience of one man the many were made sinners"? In answer to this +question it is to be said that the word _parakoê_ may be taken in this +passage to signify "disobedience" abstractedly, and not a special act +of disobedience, because _upakoê_ in the next clause does not require +to be taken in a specific sense, but rather as referring to that holy +spirit which was in Jesus Christ, in virtue of which his will was +always in subjection to the will of his heavenly Father, and he became +"obedient unto death." According to this interpretation, +"disobedience" is here put for that wickedness of heart the antecedent +existence of which the sin of Adam gave {18} evidence of, and which, by +being transmitted from father to son through natural generation, has +made all men sinners, to the end that all may be eventually made +righteous by spiritual generation. + +It is true that the sin of Adam, being the first violation of a command +received from God, first made disobedience an objective reality, and +that thus sin entered into the world. But although _actual_ +transgression had this beginning, it does not follow that the +_proneness_ of the heart of man to transgress was contingent on Adam's +sin, or thereby came into existence. On the other hand, it will +probably be urged that to ascribe its existence to any other cause is +"to make God the author of sin." In answer to this objection it may be +said that if it were valid as regards God's moral essence, one might +with as good reason urge that it was inconsistent with His power and +intelligence that the natural creation should have its beginning in +darkness and chaos. However, whether or not this view be accepted, I +shall assume that the reality of the natural wickedness of the human +heart is admitted, and consequently the remainder of the argument, +inasmuch as it has reference to the means by which the wicked heart is +subdued and made righteous, will in either case be the same. + +The relation of "one" to "many," considered only as a natural fact, is +so peculiar and essential an {19} element in the past history and +progressive development of the human race, that it might well be +supposed to be specially significant with respect to their future +destiny; and, in fact, St. Paul has taught us to draw the reasonable +inference that whereas through the first Adam the many, by a law from +which they cannot rid themselves, have been made sinners, _à fortiori_ +through a "second Adam" the many will be made righteous. The course of +our argument, consequently, now demands an inquiry as to the means by +which the many will be made (_katastathêsontai_) righteous through the +obedience of Jesus Christ. The future tense is particularly to be +noticed. + +As soon as it was shown by the sin of Adam that the natural man is +incapable of obedience to the will of God, a preordained dispensation +was begun, whereby the natural man is converted into the spiritual man +and made fit for immortality. This dispensation was introduced by a +_promise_, the terms of which could be understood by Adam and Eve after +they had learned that the spirit of evil (in whom is "the power of +death") through their disobedience brought death into the world. The +promise was given in the words "he (_autos_, _Sept._) shall bruise thy +head, and thou shalt bruise his heel" (Gen. iii. 15). Hebrew +commentators have, I think, rightly taken this passage in the sense--he +("the seed of the woman") shall bruise thee at thy _ending_, and thou +shalt bruise him at his {20} _beginning_. The promise, accordingly, +signifies that the power of Satan would prevail _at first_, and for a +time, even to putting to death the Son of God (Luke xxii. 53), but that +_in the end_ that power would by the Son of God be overcome (Luke x. +18). And since with the victory over the spirit of evil an end is put +to evil itself, the promise is, in effect, that Adam and his race shall +eventually be exempt from death and evil, and partake of a happy +immortality. + +But in the very next sentence _conditions_ are annexed (Gen. iii. +16-19). Because of the imperfection of the natural man, and his +opposition, through the subtlety of Satan and the desires of the flesh, +to the will of his Maker, labour and sorrow, pain and _death_, were +ordained to be his lot, in order that he may _thereby_ be made meet to +partake of the promise. It is by reason of these conditions that the +promise becomes, in effect, a _covenant_, in which of necessity two +parties are concerned: God on His part promises happiness and +immortality, but to be received only on the above-stated conditions; +and man's part is to submit to the conditions, as being ordered by a +"faithful Creator," and to look in faith for the fulfilment of the +promise. Here, then, are all the essentials of a covenant, excepting +_surety_ for its fulfilment, which on acknowledged principles of +justice might be asked for by man, seeing that he has to satisfy the +conditions before he enjoys the benefit. Such security is amply {21} +given by God, as will be shown in the sequel of the argument. In +short, this covenant admits of being described in terms exactly suited +to human covenants, because the providence of God has so ordered these, +that, together with other purposes, they answer this, the principal +one, of making intelligible the divine covenant. This same covenant +might with more exactness be called a _will_, or _testament_, because +from its very conditions the benefit it confers cannot be received till +after _death_ (see Heb. ix. 16, 17). Also, because this covenanted +promise runs through the whole of the Scriptures, they have been +appropriately named the Scriptures of the Old Testament and of the New +Testament, not, however, as signifying that the Old Testament is +superseded by the New, but that it reveals an earlier stage of +development of the same covenant. + +The character and purpose of this covenant began to be unfolded at the +threshold of the world's history, on the occasion of offerings being +brought to God by Cain and Abel. Abel's offering consisted of "the +firstlings of his flock and the fat thereof," and was, therefore, +proper for expressing, by visible tokens, the character of the covenant +in three essential particulars: first, that it is a covenant of _life_, +the animals chosen affording _food_, and that of the choicest kind, for +supporting life; secondly, that the covenanted life is entered upon +after death, the animals being _slain_ {22} for food; thirdly, that +pain and death, although, according to law, consequent upon sin, were +ordained, not alone for the judicial punishment of sin, the animals +that were slain being "_harmless_," but for rendering the spirit of man +meet to partake of the future life. Abel was himself in his death the +first witness (_martus_) to this truth, and by the same means many +chosen servants of God have been "purified and made white" (Dan. xii. +10). The offering of Cain was also proper for food, but as consisting +of "fruits of the ground," it was not, like Abel's, susceptible of any +meaning relative to the covenant. Grace was given to Abel to select an +offering which, as being significant of the covenant, was accepted by +God; but the same grace was not given to Cain. "The Lord had respect +to Abel and to his offering: but to Cain and to his offering He had not +respect." + +The narrative goes on to say that because the Lord had not the same +respect to Cain's offering as to Abel's, Cain was "very wroth, and his +countenance fell," and that on this account he was rebuked. It should +be noticed that the terms of the rebuke have no reference to the choice +of offering, but to "doing well," implying that Cain's conduct was not +"righteous" like that of Abel. To quiet his troubled spirit, he is +told that it is God's pleasure that he should stand towards his brother +in the relation of protector and ruler. Cain repudiated this relation +{23} and slew his brother, acting thus as the unrighteous world, of +whom he may be regarded as the representative, have always acted +towards God's elect, whom Abel typified. These remarks will afterwards +be seen to bear on the general argument. + +The distinction which God made between the offerings of Cain and Abel, +and His express approval of Abel's offering, might serve to make known, +at the time and in succeeding generations, the purport of the promise +made originally to Adam, and the ordained conditions of its fulfilment. +In fact, the special acceptance by God of Abel's offering may be looked +upon as the primary institution of _sacrifice_. The researches of men +of learning have abundantly shown that the sacrificing of animals was a +very ancient and wide-spread religious practice, but have left +altogether unexplained how it _originated_, and whence arose the custom +of ratifying a covenant between man and man by _killing_ animals; for +what reason also the slaying of _innocuous_ and _helpless_ victims came +to be the principal act of religious worship among the Jews, and why it +was thought among the Gentiles that such sacrifices _pleased_ the gods. +These questions do not appear to admit of answers apart from +information derived from Scripture. The answers will, I think, be +found to be given by what, in reliance on such aid, has been already +said, and by what remains to be said, {24} respecting the covenant of +immortality. It is quite possible that, as has happened with respect +to other practices, that of sacrificing animals was continued long +after its original signification ceased to be understood. This may be +affirmed of the ratifying of covenants by killing victims (which no +sane person nowadays would think of doing), and generally of the +sacrifices offered by Gentile nations in honour of their gods, which +eventually became mere matters of _custom_, without any distinct +appreciation of their intrinsic meaning. In such cases all clue from +tradition or history fails, and the explanation of the sources of the +practices can be looked for only in the records of Scripture. + +It might, however, be questioned whether Abel himself, in making his +offering, understood that it had the symbolic meanings ascribed to it +above. The answer to this inquiry, given on the authority of what is +said in Heb. xi. 4, would seem to be that he did so understand it, +inasmuch as it is stated that he brought an acceptable offering _by +faith_, and, according to Heb. xi. 1, faith may be defined to be an +intelligent belief and hopeful expectation of the covenanted life. +Also, as bearing on this question, it may be mentioned that in passages +of Scripture where Abel is subsequently spoken of (as Matt. xxiii. 85, +Heb. xi. 4, 1 John iii. 12), his _righteousness_ is specially referred +to. Now, since to do righteousness {25} is to do what is pleasing to +God, and, as we are told in Heb. xi. 6, "without faith it is impossible +to please God," it follows that Abel's righteousness was the +consequence of his faith. In fact, according to St. Paul's teaching, +faith and righteousness are by law related to each other as antecedent +and consequent (Rom. iii. 27, 28). Consequently we may here draw an +inference which forms an essential part of the general argument for +immortality. For since we have admitted, as a necessary and +self-evident principle, that righteousness is the foundation of +immortality, and Scripture presents to us in Abel an instance of the +attainment of righteousness by faith, it follows that _faith is a means +of partaking of immortality_. This doctrine will be farther treated of +in the sequel; but in the mean time it will be well to explain that I +consider "righteousness" to consist in obedience by word and deed to +the "royal law" according to which, in a perfect social state, every +one would do to others as he would that they should do to him. This +relation between man and man should, I think, rather be called +_righteousness_ than _morality_, because the latter word is derived +from _mores_ (manners), and does not etymologically denote "rectitude," +whereas the Greek word for righteousness (_dikaiosunê_) refers to the +deciding of what is morally right by a judge, and the office of a +judge, as respects social relations, is the {26} highest that men are +appointed to discharge towards their fellow men. It should also be +noticed that the "faith" I am speaking of does not consist in believing +what is not understood, which seems to be a psychological +contradiction, but in believing _in consequence of_ understanding. "By +faith we _understand_ that the worlds [or ages (_tous aiônas_)] were +framed by the word of God" (Heb. xi. 3). In short, the faith spoken of +in Scripture is the basis of all intellectual, as well as of all moral +excellence, and is inclusive of what is usually called "talents," or +"gifts." + +The same covenant, under different typical circumstances, was renewed, +first with Noah (Gen. ix. 8-17), and afterwards with Abraham (Gen. +xvii. 1-8). The faith of Noah was exhibited not only in building an +ark in obedience to God's command, but also in sacrificing clean +animals on coming out of the ark. These sacrifices, being offered +immediately after the world had been destroyed by the baptism of the +Flood, were peculiarly significant of an understanding and acceptance +of the covenant of a life to come. After the mention made in the +Epistle to the Hebrews of the faith and obedience of which Noah gave +evidence by building the ark, it is said of him that "he thereby became +heir [inheritor] of the _righteousness_ which is according to faith" +(Heb. xi. 7). Such righteousness, we have already argued, entitles the +possessor of it to immortality. + +{27} + +So also Abraham, when God promised that the land of Canaan should be +given to his seed, "builded an altar to the Lord" (Gen. xii. 7, 8), for +the purpose, it may be presumed, of sacrificial worship, testifying +thus not only belief of the fulfilment of the particular promise, but +faith also in the covenanted future life. That Abraham's faith, while +he sojourned in Canaan, was directed towards the experience of the +world to come, is plainly declared in Heb. xi. 10, where it is asserted +that "he looked for a city having foundations, whose builder and maker +is God." It was in consequence of such faith that the gift of +righteousness was reckoned to him as a _favour_, and "he was called the +friend of God" (James ii. 28). Now, the above-mentioned renewal of the +covenant was made with Abraham, not solely in respect to his being +father of the Hebrew nation, but in respect also to his being typically +father of all that believe of all times and nations (compare Gen. xvii. +1-8, with Rom. iv. 11, 16, 17). And all this elect seed receive, in +common with their spiritual father, the gift of righteousness through +faith--are saved by faith; so that the doctrine that faith is the means +whereby the elect are made meet for immortality, which was inferred +from the history of Abel, is exemplified in a more comprehensive manner +by what is recorded of Abraham. + +We have argued above that the patriarchs Noah {28} and Abraham +testified their belief and acceptance of the covenant of life by +sacrifice. But in the patriarchal times the only surety for the +fulfilment of the promise was the direct word of God. With the +exception of what is said of Melchisedek, who typified a High Priest to +come, no mention is made of the mediation of priests till the +priesthood of Aaron was regularly constituted. From that time the +priest was mediator between God and the people, and in virtue of his +office gave assurance of the fulfilment of the covenant to those who, +by offering clean animals for sacrifice, signified their acceptance of +its conditions. The priest gave such assurance by mediatorially +receiving the offerings, and representing, by sprinkling the blood of +the slain animals, _the purifying effect of the suffering of death_. +After the ordinances of the law had been instituted, Moses said to the +people, "I have set before you life and death: choose life" (Deut. xxx. +19). Seeing that no one can escape the death which is the termination +of the present life, this choice between life and death necessarily +refers to the covenanted life, the fulfilment of the conditions of +which secures from death in the world to come. The author of the +Apocryphal Book 2 Esdras, who was wiser, I think, than the author of +"The Divine Legation of Moses," has shown that he so understood the +passage; for after saying (vii. 48, 44), "The day of doom shall be the +end of this time, and the {29} beginning of the immortality for to +come, wherein corruption is past, intemperance is at an end, infidelity +is cut off, righteousness is grown, and truth is sprung up," he adds +(in _v._ 59) with reference to this description of the life to come, +"This is the life whereof Moses spake unto the people while he lived, +saying, Choose thee life, that thou mayest live." + +Sacrifice remained the chief symbol of religious faith up to the time +of that great sacrifice of the Son of God, the acceptance of which by +the Father sealed the covenant of everlasting life, and made all other +sureties sure. The ground of assurance lies in the fact that Jesus +Christ in his life and death went through all the experience whereby +_our_ spirits are formed for immortality. "He learned obedience by the +things that he suffered" (Heb. v. 8). He was made perfect "through +sufferings" (Heb. ii. 10). "He made him to be sin (_hamartian_; +compare Gal. iii. 13) for us, who knew no sin, that we might be made +the righteousness of God in Him" (2 Cor. v. 21). Joining with these +passages that remarkable one in which Christ is spoken of as "a priest +who is made according to the power of an indissoluble (_akatalytou_) +life" (Heb. vii. 16), it is evident that our community with him in +suffering, in death, and, as we have reason to hope, in resurrection, +is ample surety to us for the fulfilment of the covenant of +immortality. For as death is the dissolution of life, indissoluble +{30} life means exemption from death, and is, therefore, identical with +immortality. + +That suffering in the flesh is efficacious, as is argued in the +foregoing doctrine, towards doing away with sin, may be maintained on +the authority both of St. Paul and St. Peter, the former apostle having +said, "He that is dead has been justified from sin" (Rom. vi. 7), and +the other, "He that has suffered in the flesh has ceased from sin" (1 +Peter iv. 1). But here it is particularly to be noted that this effect +is not produced upon _all_ who suffer in the flesh. These apostles are +speaking of such as have faith; and it is only when suffering is +accompanied by a faith which apprehends the covenant of life, and +especially lays hold of the surety for its fulfilment given by the +suffering and death of the Son of God, that it avails to free from sin. +The elect, who through the grace of God have such faith, are drawn by +the perfect love, and the _sympathy_ in its strictest sense, which were +manifested by the obedience unto death of Jesus Christ, to follow the +example of his obedience, and thereby to attain to righteousness. By +this reasoning it is shown, _but only so far as regards the elect_, +that "the many are made righteous by the obedience of Christ." It will +in the sequel be argued that the death of Christ has another aspect and +a wider effect. + +As there was no more occasion for signifying acceptance of the covenant +by sacrifice after the sacrifice {31} of Jesus Christ, that form of +religious worship came to an end. Thenceforth faith in the covenant +was to be expressed by means of symbols which pointed to the sacrifice +made once and for all time on the cross. The ordained symbols are +_bread_ and _wine_, taken in the Lord's Supper. The minister of the +Gospel has succeeded to the Jewish priest in respect to giving _surety_ +officially for the fulfilment of the covenant, and on that account may +with propriety be called a _priest_. There is no longer an altar, +because the acceptance of the covenant is not, as in the Jewish +worship, indicated by sacrifice, but by partaking of _food_ in the +forms of bread and wine at "the _table_ of the Lord." The Christian +minister, in delivering these symbols to the worshippers, gives, in +virtue of his mediating office, sureties for the fulfilment of the +covenant of eternal life; the worshipper who partakes of them in faith +receives them as such sureties, and looks for the fulfilment of the +covenant. No doubt this office should be discharged by a good and wise +minister, who has been regularly appointed thereto; but for the +efficacy of the ordinance the chief requisite is _faith_ on the part of +the recipient--an intelligent faith such as that which has just been +mentioned. + +The Sacrament of the Lord's Supper is justly regarded as the central +ordinance of the Christian religion, and, therefore, of necessity has +relation to the means whereby immortality is secured. In fact, {32} in +each of the four records of its institution given in Scripture, the +word "testament" (_diathêkê_) occurs: in St. Matthew and St. Mark we +have, "This is my blood of the New Testament," and in St. Luke and 1 +Cor. xi., "This cup is the New Testament in my blood." What is the +meaning of "testament" in these passages, and how is the testament +related to the "blood" of Jesus Christ? It is worthy of notice that +these questions have received no special consideration in the recent +controversies respecting the Lord's Supper, although in order to arrive +at the full signification of that ordinance it is clearly necessary to +be able to give answers to them. As far as regards the general meaning +of the testament, or covenant, its relation to our immortality, and the +surety for its fulfilment given by the blood (i.e. the death) of Jesus +Christ, enough, I think, has been said in the foregoing arguments; it +remains to inquire, for more complete understanding of the doctrine of +the Sacrament, what relations the symbols _bread_ and _wine_ have to +the _Body_ and _Blood_ of Christ. + +"Bread strengthens man's heart," and "wine makes it glad" (Ps. civ. +15). To strengthen the _heart_ is to produce confidence. Now, it may +be asserted that confidence and joy, being incorporeal entities, are +the same in essence under whatever external conditions they are +generated. They are the same whether experienced in consequence of +taking {33} bread and wine, or in consequence of understanding and +accepting the covenant of life made sure by the body and blood of +Christ. Although physical science is wholly incapable of informing us +_how_ the _corporeal_ elements bread and wine produce in those who +partake of them _feelings_ of strength and gladness (the antecedents +and consequents not being in the same category), we can yet understand +that the Creator of all things might by His immediate will attach to +those substances such effects, not alone for the sake of man's body, +but for the higher purpose of thereby informing his spirit that there +is cause for confidence and joy in the broken body of the Lord, and his +poured-out blood. This view is justified by the language of St. Paul, +where he says, speaking of the Son of God, that "all things were +created through him and _unto_ him" (_eis auton_, Col. i. 16); from +which doctrine it may be inferred that our Lord, having regard to the +cognizable effects of bread and wine spoken of by the Psalmist, said of +bread, "This is my body," and of wine, "This is my blood," because his +body and blood, when "spiritually discerned," have _the very same +effects_. + +But why did Christ say, "This _is_ my body," "This _is_ my blood"? The +answer to this question may be given at once by pointing to a rule in +Scriptural teaching, according to which the symbol and the thing +symbolized are expressed in _identical_ terms. {34} The Bible must +have been read to little purpose by those who have not discovered that +this characteristic pervades all parts both of the Old and the New +Testament. On this principle, when speaking to the Jews, our Lord made +no distinction between his own body and the visible temple at +Jerusalem, just because his body was the proper habitation of the Holy +Spirit antecedently to, and comprehensively of, the dwelling of the +Spirit in any temple made with hands. St. Paul also employs like +teaching where he says, "They are not all Israel that are of Israel" +(Rom. ix. 6), the first "Israel" meaning God's elect of all nations and +times, and the other the Jewish people, by whom the elect are typified. +The rationale of this mode of teaching appears to be, that we could not +speak, or even think, of abstract verities, such as that Jesus Christ +is to us the author of life, and strength, and joy, without perceptions +and feelings antecedently derived from external realities; and the more +closely abstractions are viewed by the intervention of their necessary +objective antecedents, the more exact and effective will be our +knowledge. I venture here to express the opinion that all the +contention and diversity of views that have arisen about +Transubstantiation and the Real Presence are referable to the +non-recognition of the above-mentioned principle of Scriptural teaching +by symbols, and generally to an inability to understand and rightly +interpret the {35} concrete and symbolic language of Scripture. Defect +of knowledge in this respect has given occasion to many errors. With +regard to the doctrine of the Sacrament of the Lord's Supper, I am of +opinion that the above-mentioned dogmas, and the forms of worship +connected with them, which appear to be rightly designated as +_superstitious_, have had the effect of very much keeping out of view +the relation of that ordinance to the _covenant_ which, through the +death of Jesus Christ, makes immortality sure. Perhaps it should +rather be said that the superstitious practices give evidence that "the +blood of the new covenant" is not understood. + +From the preceding discussion I draw the conclusion that our Lord, in +saying of the wine, "This is my blood of the New Testament," expressed +the doctrine that his blood (signifying his death) is both the _pledge_ +and the means, through faith, of partaking of the joy (signified by the +wine) of a new and ever-lasting life. The Testament is new because it +contains the promise of a future inheritance under better sureties than +those of the old covenant of the Law. + +After having thus considered what the Scriptures say concerning +_death_, we have next to inquire what they reveal concerning +_resurrection_. As preliminary to this inquiry, it may be remarked +that the foregoing arguments relative to Christ's partaking with us in +death, are such as point directly to the conclusion that {36} we shall +participate with him in resurrection. In St. Paul's teaching (1 Cor. +xv. 12-19) Christ's resurrection and the resurrection of the dead are +events so necessarily related that, "if the dead rise not, Christ was +not raised up." But the fact of Christ's resurrection was +substantiated by so many witnesses, who saw him alive after his death, +that we may with certainty infer, according to this doctrine, that the +dead will rise. It is, however, to be observed that the argument of +the apostle in the passage just quoted is expressly addressed to those +who have faith and knowledge, and cannot be adduced in proof of the +doctrine of the resurrection of all men. For evidence as to the truth +of this doctrine recourse must be had to other parts of Scripture. + +For the present purpose it will suffice to cite two remarkable sayings +of our Lord, recorded in St. John's Gospel. He first says, "The hour +is coming, and now is, when the dead shall hear the voice of the Son of +God: and they that hear shall live" (John v. 25); and then (in _vv._ 28 +and 29 of the same chapter) he says, "The hour is coming in which all +that are in their graves shall hear his voice, and shall come forth; +they that have done good, unto the resurrection of life; and they that +have done evil, unto the resurrection of judgment" (_kriseôs_). The +first passage refers to a _partial_ resurrection, inasmuch as it makes +mention of those only who shall hear the voice of the Son of {37} God, +and hearing shall live; whereas the other passage asserts that _all_ +who are in sepulchres (_mnêmeiois_) shall hear his voice, and divides +these into two classes--those that have done good, who rise to _live_ +(the class just before mentioned), and those that have done evil, who +rise to be _judged_. The assertion in _vv._ 28 and 29 is, accordingly, +a revelation respecting the resurrection of all the dead, and is to be +taken as comprehensive of the other; so that the class that will +partake of "the resurrection of life" are the same as those of whom it +is said in the first passage that they will hear the voice of the Son +of God and will _live_. As far as regards the distinction into two +classes, this doctrine agrees with that preached by St. Paul, where he +affirms that his unbelieving countrymen "themselves allowed that there +would be a resurrection of the dead, both of the just and the unjust" +(Acts xxiv. 15). It may here be remarked that it is not necessary to +infer from its being said in John v. 28, 29, that "all that are in +their graves shall hear his voice and come forth," that all will rise +_simultaneously_. Rather the separate mention in _v._ 25 of those that +hear and live, and especially the assertion that the hour in which +_these_ hear is not only coming, but "_now is_," would seem to apply +exclusively to the resurrection of "the just," and to indicate that +this resurrection is antecedent to that of "the unjust." However, to +settle this question, {38} which is a very important one, recourse will +now be had to other passages of Scripture. + +On the principle of regarding, for application in this argument, the +_whole_ of the Canonical Scriptures as authoritative, it is legitimate +to refer to the Book of Revelation for information respecting the +resurrection of the dead. Now, in Rev. xx. 5 we have in express terms, +"This is the first resurrection." And again, in the next verse, +"Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection: on +such the second death hath no power." It is evident, therefore, that +this is the resurrection of the just, and that those who are thus +"blessed and holy" are thenceforth exempt from mortality. This +conclusion has a very important bearing on our argument; for, on +turning to _v._ 4 of the same chapter, we find that the partakers of +this resurrection are described as martyrs "who were beheaded for the +witness of Jesus, and for the word of God," and generally as those who +"received not the mark of the beast on their forehead and on their +hand," which may be interpreted as meaning that by intelligent faith +and righteous deeds they overcame their spiritual adversaries. It +seems, therefore, allowable to infer that this is the company of those +who in Scripture are so often called "the elect," who by suffering, +experience, and hope, are in this life "sealed" unto the day of +redemption (Rev. vii. 2-8, and Eph. iv. 80). + +{39} + +It is, besides, said of these chosen ones that they "lived and reigned +with Christ a thousand years," but that "the rest of the dead lived not +till the thousand years were finished." It would thus appear that a +definite interval of long duration is interposed between the +resurrection of the just and the unjust. It is also to be particularly +noticed that the seer, speaking of what pertains to that interval of a +thousand years during which the spirit of evil is "bound," says that he +"saw thrones, and they sat upon them, and judgment was given to them" +(Rev. xx. 4). This must refer to the judgment undergone by those who +have part in the _first_ resurrection, because the rest of the dead do +not rise to be judged till the thousand years are ended. As to the +elect being judged, the teaching of St. Paul is very explicit, where he +says, identifying himself with the general company of the faithful, "We +must all appear before the judgment-seat of Christ; that every one may +receive the things done through the body, according to what he hath +done, whether good or bad" (2 Cor. v. 10. So also Rom. xiv. 10). It +is not expressly said in the passage above quoted who they are who sat +on thrones and had judgment given to them; but the information is +supplied in Matt. xix. 28, where we read, "Jesus said to them [that is, +as the context shows, to Peter and the other apostles], Verily I say to +you, that ye who have followed me, in the regeneration when the Son of +man shall sit on the {40} throne of his glory, ye also shall sit on +twelve thrones judging the twelve tribes of Israel." A like +revelation, addressed exclusively to the apostles, is given in Luke +xxii. 28-80. "The twelve tribes of Israel" is the symbolic designation +of the elect--those that are sealed (see Rev. vii. 3-8). + +It must now be taken into account that the experience and the deeds of +_the present life_ alone determine whether any individual is or is not +of the number of the elect. Those only who by the favour of God are +justified in this life by works done through faith are reckoned among +"the just" who partake of the first resurrection. But Scripture +nowhere asserts that their spiritual state differs at their +resurrection from what it was at the time of their death; rather, it +negatives this assumption by describing their state in the interval as +that of "_sleep_." Consequently, not being yet "made perfect," they +have need to pass through the judgment just spoken of (compare 1 Cor. +iii. 11-15), in order that by the completion of their _spiritual +creation_ they might be made meet for immortality. To them, although +there is judgment, there is no "_condemnation_," and, therefore, no +"second death." Such, it seems to me, is the Scriptural doctrine of +immortality, as far as regards _the elect_. + +Before proceeding to speak of the judgment of the whole world, it will +be appropriate to consider here what judgment is abstractedly, and what +are its {41} purpose and effect. These questions can only be answered +by means of what is matter of human experience, and in terms derived +therefrom. Now we all know that kings, judges, and magistrates +administer justice and judgment for the purpose of making righteousness +and truth prevail, and that for the same end they inflict punishment on +the guilty. Whatever is this is judgment, and what is not this is not +judgment. The portion of the Scriptures which speaks in plainest terms +of the object and effect of judgment is, perhaps, that contained in +Psalms xcvi., xcvii., xcviii., and xcix. If the words of these Psalms +do not refer to the judgment that is to come upon the earth and the +whole world in the future age, they will require to be taken in a +non-natural sense. But such a sense is here inadmissible, because +consistently with what may be inferred, as said above, from _human +experience_ respecting judgment, namely, that its purpose is to cause +righteousness and truth to prevail, this Scripture declares in terms +expressive of the highest joy and exultation that for this end the +world is judged. + +Let us, therefore, now inquire what Scripture reveals respecting the +judgment and immortality of the rest of mankind--those who are not +numbered among the elect. First, it is clearly implied in Rev. xx. 5, +that they live again at the end of the thousand years. Next, as we +have already inferred from the words of {42} Christ recorded in John v. +29, they rise to be _judged_. If, as we have argued, it is needful +that even the elect should be judged, much rather must judgment +overtake the unbelieving and the unrighteous? We are, moreover, +expressly told who is to be the righteous Judge: "The Father hath +committed all judgment to the Son" (John v. 22). The sinners who, +acting "through ignorance" as agents of Satan, arraigned, condemned, +and put to death the blameless Son of God, were not alone guilty, +inasmuch as it was appointed that they should make manifest and +consummate the wickedness that reigns in the heart of the collective +world. For this reason Jesus Christ, in fulfilment of a just +retribution, is ordained to be Judge of all the world, and of Satan +also. + +Respecting the _outward means_ by which judgment is executed on the +ungodly, many things seem to be said in the Book of Revelation; but +from being expressed in symbolic language, they are generally "hard to +be understood." I shall make no attempt to give explanations of the +details of this symbolism, such an inquiry not being necessary for my +present purpose; but a few remarks on the contents of the Apocalypse +which have a general relation to the purpose and effect of judgment may +here be appropriately introduced as bearing on the question of +immortality. In the first place, it may be stated that its prophetic +language and symbols resemble in so many {43} particulars what we meet +with in various parts of the prophecies of the Old Testament, that it +might almost be regarded as an epitome of these prophecies. This view +is supported by the announcement made in Rev. x. 7, which affirms that, +"in the days of the voice of the seventh trumpet, when he shall begin +to sound, the mystery of God shall be finished, according to the gospel +He declared (_os euêggelise_) unto His servants the prophets" (see also +Rev. xxii. 6). It is here to be particularly remarked that after the +sounding of six trumpets severally significant of judgment, it is +proclaimed that the mystery of God would be finished at the sounding of +the seventh and last, this consummation having been antecedently made +known as a _gospel_ to the Old Testament prophets. This text +accordingly agrees with the tenor of the argument previously adduced +respecting the final effect of judgment in establishing the reign, so +much to be desired, of truth and righteousness. At the end of the +judgment "the temple of God is opened in heaven, and there is seen in +His temple the ark of His covenant" (Rev. xi. 19). This is the +covenant of immortality, which, having been originally made (as has +already been indicated) with Adam after his transgression, was +afterwards renewed with Noah and with Abraham, was represented by +symbols and proclaimed orally by Moses in the wilderness, and, finally, +was confirmed by the sacrifice of Jesus Christ. + +{44} + +Equally remarkable is another revelation, which tells us that the +elect, the one hundred and forty-four thousand who have been made +perfect by the experience they have gone through in the thousand years +of the first resurrection, are joined with the Son of God in the +execution of the general judgment. In Rev. xix. 14, it is said that +"the armies in heaven followed him upon white horses, clothed in fine +linen, white and clean." This clothing proves that the attendant army +consisted of the saints made perfect in righteousness, as will be +evident by comparing _vv._ 7 and 8 of the same chapter. In _v._ 15 it +is asserted respecting "The Word of God," that "he shall rule the +nations with a rod of iron;" and he says himself, speaking of his +faithful followers, "To him that overcometh and keepeth my works unto +the end will I give power over the nations; and he shall rule them with +a rod of iron" (Rev. ii. 26, 27). Also we have in Psalm cxlix. 6-9, +"Let a two-edged sword be in their hand, to execute vengeance upon the +nations, punishments upon the peoples; to bind their kings with chains, +and their rulers with fetters of iron; to execute upon them the +judgment written: this honour have all His saints." Moreover, St. Paul +writes to the Corinthians: "Do ye not know that the saints shall judge +the world?" "Know ye not that we shall judge angels?" In short, the +doctrine of Scripture on this prerogative of the saints is very +explicit. + +{45} + +Again, it is uniformly affirmed in Scripture that every one will be +judged "according to his works." Of course, "words" are included in +"works;" for our Lord said expressly, "Every idle word that men shall +speak, they shall give account thereof in the day of judgment; for by +thy words thou shalt be justified, and by thy words thou shalt be +condemned" (Matt. xii. 86, 87). It would seem that the judgment, as +being conducted by _external_ means, takes account of human _thoughts_ +only so far as their consequences are manifested by overt deeds and +spoken words. It is not the less true, according to the doctrine of +the Lord himself (in Mark iv. 22, and Luke viii. 17), that in the day +of judgment all secret and hidden things will be revealed. The words +in St. Mark, "neither was anything kept secret but in order that +(_hina_) it should come abroad," seem expressly to indicate the +relation in which things hidden in the present age stand to the +revelations of that day. St. Paul also writes to the Romans, speaking +of them who have not received the law by direct communication: "They +show the work of the law written in their hearts, their conscience +bearing them witness, and their thoughts, one with another, accusing, +or also excusing, in the day when God shall judge the secrets of men, +according to my gospel, through Jesus Christ" (Rom. ii. 15, 16). +(This, I think, should be the translation of the passage.) It may be +noticed that {46} here again "gospel" is mentioned in connection with +"judgment." + +Now, the very terms, "judgment according to works," imply that the +works brought into judgment are not all equally bad, and that there may +be both "good and bad;" which also may be inferred from the passage +just quoted from the Epistle to the Romans. In fact, it is not too +much to assume that all the deeds and experience of the present life +are contributory in different ways to the final purpose of the +judgment. We have already argued, in accordance with what is said in 2 +Cor. v. 10, that the saints will be judged according to their works, +and from 1 Cor. iii. 11-15, we learn that their works will be tried by +fire, but they themselves will be saved, "yet so as by fire." We have +now to enter upon the important inquiry as to whether Scripture reveals +an analogous dispensation with respect to the rest of mankind. + +Hard as it may be for us to conceive by what means the deeds and +experience of all men, the living and the dead, will be brought under +review in the day of judgment, that so it will be is undoubtedly the +teaching of Scripture. Our understanding of this wonderful event may +perhaps be assisted by taking into account what St. Paul said to the +Athenians: "In Him we live, and move, and have our being;" whence it +may be inferred that all our works and {47} words, and even feelings +and thoughts, are known to God. With reference to this question, it +would, I think, be legitimate to call to our aid the knowledge of the +external creation, which has been so largely extended in the present +day. After long attention given to the acquisition of such knowledge, +I seem to see that it points to the conclusion that all the forces of +nature are resident in a universal aetherial medium, extending through +all space, and pervading all visible and tangible substances, by the +intervention of which all power is exerted, whether it be by the +immediate will of God, or mediately, by that of angels or of men. (I +assume that there can be no exertion of power apart from the will and +consciousness of an agent.) Consequently the Spirit of the Universe +must be cognizant of every exertion of power and of its effects. To +this consideration another of peculiar significance is to be added. +The faculty which we possess to a limited extent, depending on bodily +conditions and organization, of _remembering_ the consequences of +exerted power, whether as operating ourselves, or being operated upon, +must be conceived of as pertaining, without any limitation, to the +Creator of the aetherial substance and the Source of all power. In +this manner it seems possible to understand how all actions and all +events may be written down (speaking metaphorically) in the Book of +God's _remembrance_, and so be brought into judgment. + +{48} + +The universality and the character of the future judgment are declared +in Rev. xx. 11-13, with particular reference to the presence and +majesty of "One who sat on a great white throne," who, doubtless, is +God the Father, the Creator of heaven and earth. The seer says in this +passage, "I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the +books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of +life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written +in the books, according to their works." The mention made of "the +books" indicates that what is here said of the general judgment +pertains exclusively to God the Father, by whose almighty power and +omniscience, as I have endeavoured to show in the preceding paragraph, +all the deeds and experience of the present life are held in +remembrance to be brought under judgment. But it would be an error to +suppose that this general judgment is different from that the process +and results of which, as effected through the Son of man and his +attendant armies, are symbolically described in previous parts of the +Apocalypse. The judgment was ordained by decree of the Father, and +prearranged by His wisdom, and in accordance therewith it is executed +by the Son, who, apparently on this account, speaks thus of himself: +"To him that overcometh will I give to sit with me in my throne, as I +also overcame and sat with my Father in His throne" (Rev. iii. 21). +This throne {49} which the Son shares with the Father may be presumed +to be the seat of power exercised in judgment (compare Rev. ii. 26, +27). Why "the book of life" is mentioned in connection with the books +from the contents of which the dead are judged, will be shown in the +sequel of the argument. + +There are other considerations relating to the future judgment which it +is necessary to enter into in order to complete the argument for the +immortality of all men. We live in a world in which sorrow and pain +and death abound everywhere and at all times, and although these are +actual consequences of sin, inasmuch as they would be non-existent if +sin did not antecedently exist, it is not the less true that the _law_ +which in the present time of imperfection connects suffering with sin, +tends in its operation towards bringing on eventually a state of +perfection. Thus there is a final cause for that law. I have already +(page 14) illustrated this doctrine by reference to the process whereby +the actual condition and adornment of this earth were elaborated by the +operation of physical laws out of a state of darkness and chaos. This +view is corroborated by the noticeable fact that suffering in this +life, whether caused by the three scourges, war, pestilence, and +famine, or what we call accident, or by the injustice and cruelty of +men, by no means in proportion to guilt, since even the innocent +thereby sometimes suffer. Now, as all {50} human deeds and experience +are taken cognizance of in the great day of judgment, it must be +admitted that sufferings of the kind just mentioned will be included in +the account. In what way, and with what effect, will, I think, be to +some extent indicated by the following considerations. + +Besides the principle of animal life (_psyche_) which man partakes of +in common with the creatures of a lower order, there is within him a +spirit (_pneuma_) which is being formed, educated, and built up, all +the time that it is the tenant of a corporeal "vessel." On account of +this law of progressiveness, the spirit of a child, as we can all see, +differs in its feelings and its understanding from that of a man. In +short, spirit perfected is the principle of immortal life. Now, during +our waking hours our spirits are replete with consciousness and +thought, which, however, at the moment of falling asleep depart from +us. The spirit is then taken into the keeping of the angels of God, to +be by them restored into its place in the body at the moment of waking +up and of return to consciousness. In like manner at death the spirits +of all men, good and wicked, pass into the custody of the Creator of +spirits, to wait for the return to consciousness by being on the +morning of their resurrection again united with body,--not, however, +with the same natural body, but with a spiritual body (1 Cor. xv. 44). +The union of spirit with bodily essence appears to be a {51} necessary +condition of human consciousness, and to have been ordained for the +special reasons that we are destined to live hereafter not only +individually, but in _social_ relations also, and that only through the +medium of body is there communion between one man's spirit and that of +another. + +This being understood, it is next to be observed that in the forming +and building up ("edification") of spirit, the human _will_ is +concerned, and that, according to a man's choice of action, his spirit +may be educated for being good or for being wicked, may be sanctified +or defiled. There is, in short, no act or experience in human life +which in this respect is indifferent. But what the spirit is thus made +during its passage through this life, such it is when it is taken into +the hands of its Creator, and such, as we may conclude from the +teaching of Scripture and from its having in the mean time existed +apart from body, it will be, with all its imperfections, on the day of +its resurrection. It has already been maintained that, because of +imperfection, it is necessary that even the elect should be judged, to +the end that by this means their spirits may be made perfect. But our +concern now is with the effect of judgment on those who are not of the +number of the elect. For the purpose of illustrating what I am about +to say on this head, I shall begin with making an application of the +argument in a particular instance. + +{52} + +I have recently seen it stated, among the news of the day, that it is +the practice of a barbarous African king to cut off the heads of twelve +or more of his subjects, merely to pay a compliment to a distinguished +visitor. Are we to think that this transaction both begins and ends +here? Although we have no ground for asserting that the victims in +this case are to be counted among God's elect, inasmuch as they must be +supposed to be devoid of the faith and righteousness which are +necessary to constitute a title to that high privilege, we may yet +believe that the bodily suffering they endured was contributory to the +formation of their spirits for their future destiny. If even those who +have "understanding"--elect saints--have undergone sufferings and been +"beheaded" in order that thus they might be "purified and made white," +(compare Dan. xi. 33-35, and xii. 10, with Rev. xx. 4), why should we +not believe that the sufferings of those poor Africans, who are equally +children of God, had like effect? That suffering is in this manner +efficacious is proved by the sacrifice of the Son of God on the cross, +who, after having proved by his miracles that he had all human ills +under control, _voluntarily_ submitted to be made perfect by enduring +shame and pain, that thus he might both exemplify and justify the ways +of God in the creation of immortal spirits. This sacrifice is a full +and sufficient explanation of all the evil in the world. When, +therefore, in the time of the {53} resurrection of the unjust the +slayer and the slain, in this instance, appear before the judgment-seat +of God, and are condemned, as not being among those who are saved in +the first resurrection, to undergo the second death, is it not +reasonable to conclude that the tribulation and pain of that event will +fall much more heavily on the murderer than on those he slew, and that +the punishment and sufferings that have still to be endured in order +that the final purpose of the judgment may be accomplished, will be +inflicted with far greater severity on him than on them? (See on this +point what is said concerning the future judgment in the Wisdom of +Solomon vi. 3-6.) + +On this principle many apparent anomalies in the present age of the +world admit of explanation. Why, for instance, is so large a +proportion of mankind condemned, irrespective of their deserts, to be +poor, and to labour with their hands in anxiety for the maintenance of +themselves and their families? We have reason from Scripture to say +that such conditions of life, if united with the _faith_ that looks for +better things to come, may be counted among means ordained by God for +preparing the spirits of His elect for their destined inheritance +("Hate not laborious work, neither husbandry, which the Most High hath +ordained" [Ecclesiasticus vii. 15]). And where such faith is absent, +may we not still say that conditions of the present life to which the +great mass of mankind are {54} subject must be contributory to forming +their spirits for their future existence? Leaving out of consideration +who are the elect, and who not, which God only knows, can we think that +the patience of the labourer and artisan, the endurance of the +seafaring man, and the devotedness of the soldier, who at the call of +duty, and in spite of the promptings of self-preservation, exposes +himself to almost certain death on the field of battle, have no +relation to their future destiny? As regards, especially, the spirit +of self-sacrifice of the soldier, so opposed to all the calculations of +personal interest, it seems to me that the desire of glory, or the +expectation of reward, will not wholly account for it, but rather that +it is indicative of there being in the warrior's breast an undefined +conviction that he better fulfils the purpose of life by braving a +painful death than by living at home in ease. It is worthy of remark +that although in Scripture war is spoken of as a calamity, the +occupation of a soldier is nowhere condemned, but is rather commended +on account of its disciplinary effect and abstractedness from the +affairs of life (see 2 Tim. ii. 3, 4). It should be observed that the +different kinds of human experience adverted to above are all supposed +to stand apart from personal acts done in violation of the dictates of +_conscience_. Such acts will doubtless be tried by the course of the +general judgment, and will have effect in the condemnation of the +offenders, and {55} in punishment awarded according to the guiltiness +of their deeds. + +The calamities of human life may be put generally under the two heads +of "tribulation" and "slaughter"--different kinds of sorrow and +trouble, and different kinds of death. These constitute the groaning +and travailing of the whole creation unto the time being (_a chri tou +nun_), spoken of by St. Paul in Rom. viii. 22 and called in St. Mark +xiii. 8, the beginnings of sorrows (_ôdinôn_). But in the time of the +world to come, the same forms of suffering have their consummation and +ending. In Rev. vii. 14, mention is made of "_the_ great tribulation," +and at the same time of "a countless multitude who come out of it." +This can be no other than that "great tribulation" respecting which our +Lord said, according to St. Matt. xxiv. 21, that it will be "such as +was not since the beginning of the world to this time, _nor ever shall +be_," and according to St. Mark xiii. 19, that "those days shall be +affliction such as was not from the beginning of the creation which God +created unto this time, _neither shall be_." The identity of the +events spoken of in the Gospels and in the Apocalypse may also be +inferred from the words _cheimônos_ (tempest-time) and _sabbatô_ (on +the sabbath) contained in Matt. xxiv. 20, the former referring to the +storm of indignation and wrath which proceeds from "the Lamb" when he +comes to execute Judgment, and the latter to the time in which the {56} +judgment takes place, which is designated the sabbath, or seventh day, +as following upon the termination of the present age of the world, and +also as being that sabbath of which, as said in Luke vi. 5, "the Son of +man is Lord." + +Again, in proof of the doctrine that the process, or effect, of the +general judgment is characterized in Scripture as "slaughter," Isa. +xxxiv. 1-6 may be cited, it being said in that passage that "the +indignation of the Lord is upon all nations," that "he hath delivered +them to the slaughter," and in connection therewith that "all the host +of heaven shall be dissolved, and the heaven shall be rolled together +as a scroll" (compare Rev. vi. 18-14). Of the same import is the +prophecy in Rev. xiv. 14-20, at the end of which the treading of "the +great winepress of the wrath of God" is described in terms closely +agreeing with those in Isa. lxiii. 1-4. We have, besides, the +remarkable passage, Rev. xix. 17-21, which represents the fowls of +heaven as being called together to feast on the flesh of the slain, +after great slaughter had been wrought by "the sharp sword" which +proceeds out of the mouth of him who is called "The Word of God." This +sword represents the cutting and destructive effect of the words of +judgment and condemnation which the Son of God will pronounce on +sinners when he comes to judge the whole world. It is not necessary +for my purpose to interpret particularly the symbolism {57} contained +in the passages just quoted; it suffices to draw from them the general +inference that, as regards _all_ men, trouble and pain and death in the +present age of the world are the beginnings of an [oe]conomy for +forming spirits for immortality, which is destined to be consummated in +the age to come. + +To complete the argument from Scripture it only remains now to take +into consideration those passages which expressly reveal the effect of +the general judgment, and to ascertain what relation the revelations +have to the question of immortality. These passages are of two kinds, +some being composed entirely of symbolic language requiring +interpretation, while others are expressed in terms that may be readily +understood. The former must be supposed to admit of being interpreted +consistently with the plain meaning of the other kind. Accordingly, +for the purpose above mentioned, I proceed now to offer an +interpretation of Rev. xx. 11-15, this passage evidently giving a +synoptical account, in symbolic terms, of the process and the effect of +the general judgment. + +I have already adverted (p. 48) to the contents of _vv._ 11 and 12, so +far as they refer to the Person of the Judge, and to His judging the +dead, according to their works, "out of the things written in the +_books_." "The great _white_ throne" (_v._ 11) is evidently the seat +of righteous judgment. The inspired writer, in order {58} to account +for his seeing in vision the dead, "small and great, standing before +the throne," reveals, besides, that "the sea gave up the dead that were +in it, and Death and Hades gave up the dead that were in them" (_v._ +13). Now, the context hardly allows of taking "the sea" here in its +literal objective sense, requiring rather the interpretation that the +natural sea symbolizes by its invisible depths the incognizable state +of the dead before resurrection. In the "new heaven and earth," which +is the end of all creation, "sea exists no longer" (Rev. xxi. 1). +Hades, as apparently might be inferred from the proper sense of the +word, signifies that invisible state of departed spirits which, as just +said, is symbolized as being concealed in the depths of "the sea," and +also, as I have already pointed out, has to death a necessary relation +of sequence ("Hades followed with him" [Rev. vi. 8]). This explains +why Death and Hades are represented as a conjoint power having +possession of the dead. In Rev. i. 18, as well as in Rev. vi. 8, they +are mentioned in close connection, and in the latter passage power is +said to be given to them in common. + +I take occasion to make some remarks here on 1 Peter iii. 19, as the +sense of this passage might be thought to be contradictory to the +meaning assigned above to Hades. It affirms that "in spirit Christ +went and preached to the spirits in custody {59} (_en phylakê_)." Now, +the literal meaning of the concrete terms, "went and preached" +(_poreutheis ekêruxen_), is _excluded_ by "in spirit" going before, and +they consequently require an abstract interpretation. It has already +been argued (p. 50) that the word "custody" applies to departed spirits +in the sense of their being in the _keeping_ of the Creator of spirits; +whence it follows that "spirits in custody" and "spirits in Hades" have +the same meaning. But neither of these expressions signifies anything +as to _locality_, for the simple reason that locality cannot be +predicated of spirit apart from body. The abstract interpretation of +the passage of St. Peter may, I think, be reached by the following +argument. The word _ekêruxen_ above cited is not that ordinarily used +with respect to preaching the Gospel, and therefore it is the more to +be noticed that where Noah is called "a preacher of righteousness" (2 +Peter ii. 5), the Greek word is _kêruka_. May we not hence infer that +Noah, by "the spirit of Christ" which was in him (compare 1 Peter i. +11), preached to the unbelieving and "disobedient" of his day, and that +their spirits, although the world in which they lived was so long since +destroyed by the Flood, are, together with all other departed spirits, +still in God's custody, to be hereafter raised up and judged? We are +farther informed respecting Noah's preaching, which consisted +apparently of deeds rather than of words, that "by preparing an ark for +the {60} saving of his house, he condemned the world, and became heir +of the righteousness which is according to faith" (Heb. xi. 7). + +We have now to inquire what interpretation may be given to the symbolic +language (in Rev. xx. 14) which affirms that "Death and Hades were cast +into the lake of fire," and that "this is the second death, the lake of +fire." The first mention of the lake of fire occurs in Rev. xix. 20, +where it is described as "burning with brimstone," and both "the +beast," and "the false prophet" associated with him (_ho met autou_), +are said to be "cast alive" into this lake. But the rest (_oi +loipoi_), namely, "the kings of the earth and their armies, gathered +together to make war against him who sat on the horse and against his +army," were slain by the sword that proceeds out of his mouth, that is, +by the sharp and searching words of righteousness and truth, whereby +he, "The Word of God," judges and pronounces condemnation in the last +day (compare John xii. 48). In Rev. xx. 7-10, we are farther told that +Satan, after being let loose from prison at the end of the thousand +years when "the rest of the dead" live again (v. 5), and after +collecting together all the _risen_ nations of the earth, "the number +of whom is as the sand of the sea" (v. 8), leads them to their +destruction in battle against the God of heaven, and is himself "cast +into the lake of fire and brimstone, where are the beast {61} and the +false prophet" (v. 10). Consequently, "Satan," who is opposed to God +the Father, the God of heaven, "the beast," which, as signifying the +spirit of the world, is opposed to the Holy Spirit, and "the false +prophet," who is the symbolic representative of all _anti-Christian_ +power objectively opposed to the Son of God, are all three cast into a +lake of fire "_burning with brimstone_." But of Death and Hades it is +only said that they were cast into a lake of fire. Their being cast +into the depths of "a lake" signifies that they become incognizable +entities, and "lake of fire" indicates that they remain such by an +irreversible law, fire being the symbol of force of law (see Deut. +xxxiii. 2). For this reason "the lake of fire" is put in apposition +(in _v._ 14) with "the second death," which is the extinction of death. +Now, Satan, the beast, and the false prophet, being regarded as +_personal_ existences motived by _will_, and in that respect unlike +Death and Hades, are cast not simply into a lake of fire, but into a +lake burning with brimstone, which apparently signifies that from the +time these "adversaries" cease to have cognizable existence, their +antecedent power and influence will be regarded by those who were once +subject to them with antipathy and abhorrence, so that any return to +the same subjection will (as we say) be morally impossible. When in +the end God has become "all in all," no antagonism remains; all {62} +enemies have been subdued. Any one who is unwilling to accept the +foregoing interpretation might reasonably be asked in what other way he +can explain why, of all created things, _brimstone_ is specially +mentioned with reference to this "mystery" (see Rev. xvii. 5, 16). + +In the last verse of the passage under consideration we have, "And if +any one (_ei tis_) was not found written in the book of life, he was +cast into the lake of fire" (v. 15). It is to be observed that the +lake of fire is not here said to be burning with brimstone. This +sentence must accordingly receive an interpretation analogous to that +given above with respect to Death and Hades. When the final judgment +has had complete effect, there will no longer be objective existence of +any whose names are not in the book of life, because all will have been +made meet for the inheritance of life. For this reason "the book of +life" is mentioned (in _v._ 12) in immediate connection with the books +containing the records according to which the judgment is transacted. +I am well aware that the preceding interpretations do not accord with +views entertained by many in the present day. I remember to have heard +a sermon on the text, "This is the second death," in the course of +which the preacher did not once advert to the word "This," but gave a +description, the most terrible his imagination could supply, of what he +judged to be the second {63} death. We find revealed in Scripture +respecting "the terrors of the Lord"--the anguish and tribulation, the +slaughter and destruction, proceeding from His wrath in the day of +judgment--quite enough to deter sinners from going on in sin, without +gratuitously adding the doctrine of the perpetuity of evil, the +preaching of which seems to have the effect of hindering the belief and +expectation of the impending realities of that great day. Besides, it +may well be asked how such preaching can be reconciled with the Gospel +revelations, stated in language devoid of symbol, which are contained +in Rev. xxi.; to which I shall afterwards have occasion to call +attention. But, first, it will be necessary to inquire what is the +doctrine of Scripture respecting future "punishment" and "torment." + +On proceeding to this part of the argument it will be proper to revert +to a principle which has already been admitted as self-evident (p. 9), +namely, that a state of perfect righteousness and a happy immortality +are so essentially and necessarily related that one cannot subsist +without the other. It is, however, to be said that this doctrine is +nowhere expressed in such words in Scripture. In fact, the abstract +terms, "essentially and necessarily related," are altogether unlike any +Scriptural mode of expression. Yet it may be that the truth which we +think we understand when we express it in such terms may admit of being +{64} _extracted_ in a more definite form from the concrete language of +Scripture; and, in order that our argument for immortality may be shown +to rest entirely on a Scriptural foundation, I shall now endeavour to +show that this is the case with respect to the above-stated doctrine, +by citing and discussing various passages of the Old and New Testament. + +In the first place, I remark that righteousness and salvation, +righteousness and peace, are so often and in such manner mentioned +together in the word of God, that we may thence infer that, according +to a law of the Divine (Economy, personal righteousness is a condition +necessarily antecedent to salvation (safety) and peace (see Ps. xxiv. +5, and lxxxv. 7-18; Isa. xlv. 7, 8, xlvi. 18, li. 5, lxii. 1, and many +like passages). For, on the other hand, it is twice expressly declared +that God has said, "There is no peace to the wicked" (Isa. xlviii. 22, +and lvii. 21). So in Rev. xiv. it is affirmed respecting sinners (who +are comprehensively described as those who worship the beast and his +image, and receive the mark of his name on the forehead or the hand--in +their beliefs or their deeds) that "they have no rest day nor night" +(_vv._ 9 and 11). Of the same sinners it is also declared that "they +shall drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is poured out +without mixture into the cup of his indignation; and shall be tormented +with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy angels, and in {65} +the presence of the Lamb" (v. 10). The fire of the torment is the +operation of the holy law of righteousness which they have broken, and +the brimstone by the offensiveness of its smoke represents the +self-condemnation and reproach of conscience with which they are +tormented when their sins are laid bare in the presence of the holy +angels and of the _Lamb_, who by reason of their sins was slain. +Lastly, we are told that "the smoke of their torment ascendeth up for +ever and ever." The general signification of "smoke," regarded as a +symbol, appears to be, effect or consequence. Thus, in the remarkable +symbol of "a smoking furnace" seen in vision by Abraham (Gen. xv. 17), +the fire of the furnace may represent the operation of the law, and the +smoke may symbolize "the abounding" of the sins of mankind consequent +upon that operation (see Rom. v. 20; also compare 2 Esdras iv. 48). +But in the passage before us we have "smoke of torment," of which smoke +it is said that it "ascends up for ever and ever," signifying, it would +seem, the perpetuity of the _effect_ of the torment. This +interpretation accordingly agrees with that previously given (p. 61) +relative to "the lake of fire burning with brimstone." There is, +however, this difference to be noted, that whereas the present passage +relates especially to the effect of the _pain and torment_ attendant +upon the _process_ of being judged, the other speaks of the effect of +the second _death_ to {66} which the wicked, after being tried by the +judgment, are condemned. + +The portion of Scripture contained in Matt. xxv. 31-46, gives, +concerning the awards to be respectively adjudged to the righteous and +unrighteous, and the final consequences of the judgment, certain +revelations, symbolically expressed, which are made by the Lord +himself, the future Judge. In order to complete the argument from +Scripture respecting the effect of judgment, we must endeavour to +interpret these revelations. "When the Son of man shall come in his +glory, and all the holy angels with him, he will sit on the throne of +his glory: and all nations will be gathered before him: and he will +separate them one from another, as a shepherd separates the sheep from +the goats; and he will place the sheep on his right hand, and the goats +on his left" (_vv._ 31-33). We are thus told that all of all nations +will come into the presence of the Judge, and that he will separate +them into two portions, as distinct the one from the other as sheep are +from goats. From what is said farther on we gather that one portion +are "the just" (_oi dikaioi_, _v._ 37), and the other the unjust; but +no mention is made of a particular process of separation. Consequently +there is nothing here which contradicts the conclusion before arrived +at (p. 38), that the just are separated from the unjust by partaking of +the first resurrection; rather, that conclusion is in {67} accordance +with this revelation respecting the place of honour "on the right hand" +being assigned to the just, and their being prepared to receive it when +the whole assembly, just and unjust, are gathered together before the +Judge. In _v._ 34, as also in _v._ 40, the Judge is called "the King" +(_ho Basileus_), forasmuch as he is "the faithful and true" One, who +"in righteousness judges and makes war," and to whom belongs in a +special manner the title of "King of kings and Lord of lords" (see Rev. +xix. 11, 16). + +We have next to consider the statements of the grounds on which the +awards are made, which are very remarkable. "Then shall the King say +to them on his right hand, Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the +kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. For I was +hungry, and ye gave me meat; I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink; I was +a stranger, and ye took me in; naked, and ye clothed me; I was sick, +and ye visited me; I was in prison, and ye came to me. Then shall the +righteous answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee hungry, and fed +thee? or thirsty, and gave thee drink? When saw we thee a stranger, +and took thee in? or naked, and clothed thee? Or when saw we thee +sick, or in prison, and came unto thee? And the King shall answer and +say to them, Verily I say to you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one +of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me" {68} (_vv._ +84-40). What is chiefly noteworthy in these words is, that the Judge +identifies himself with suffering humanity, and accounts as "brethren" +even "the least" of those that suffer, having, when he "dwelt among +us," participated in the toils and afflictions to which sinful man is +subject (although "in him was no sin)," and submitted in the end to the +shame and pain of dying on the cross, although he had shown by his +miracles that he had power over death and all the ills of humanity. As +is written in Isaiah liii. 4, "He hath borne _our_ griefs and carried +_our_ sorrows." This the Son of God voluntarily took upon himself out +of love and compassion towards us, knowing that, by ordinance of his +Father, the Creator of spirits, "we must through many tribulations +enter into the kingdom of God" (Acts xiv. 22), and be made heirs of +immortality, and that consequently we had need of such assurance of +obtaining the appointed inheritance as that which is given by his +partaking with us of life, death, and resurrection (see what is said on +this part of the subject in p. 29). Besides this, the sympathy of +Jesus Christ with human suffering, which was also shown by his miracles +of healing, is specially a reason for giving _practical_ proof, by acts +of benevolence and mercy towards our fellow men, that we partake of the +same spirit. It is with reference to such _outward_ evidence of faith +and righteousness, that the decision of the Judge, given {69} in the +passage above quoted, is pronounced. It seems, too, from the questions +put to the Judge by the company of the righteous, and the answer they +received, that their acts of kindness and mercy, done in humility and +faith, were accepted by the Judge, out of his sympathy and community +with the sufferers, as done to himself, although the doers had not had +previous knowledge or expectation that their good deeds would be so +accepted. + +The sentence pronounced on the unrighteous, and the reasons for it, are +thus stated in _vv._ 41-45: "Then shall he say also to them on the left +hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into the [oe]onian fire (_to pur to +aiônion_, i.e. the fire of judgment in the future _aiôn_) prepared for +the devil and his angels: for I was hungry, and ye gave me no meat; I +was thirsty, and ye gave me no drink; I was a stranger, and ye took me +not in; naked, and ye clothed me not; sick, and in prison, and ye +visited me not. Then shall they also answer him, saying, Lord, when +saw we thee hungry, or athirst, or a stranger, or naked, or sick, or in +prison, and did not minister unto thee? Then shall he answer them, +saying, Verily, I say to you, inasmuch as ye did it not to one of the +least of these, ye did it not to me." It should be noticed that the +terms of this award are the exact contraries of those of the award to +the righteous. On the one hand, the King says, "Come, ye blessed of my +Father, inherit {70} the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation +of the world;" on the other, he says, "Depart from me, ye cursed, into +the [oe]onian fire prepared for the devil and his angels;" and the +account of what the Judge further says to the unrighteous, and of what +they say to him, although somewhat briefer than that relating to the +righteous, is made up of exactly opposite particulars. On this +principle, since the decision respecting the righteous is pronounced on +the grounds of positive works of righteousness done in humility and +faith, that respecting the unrighteous has regard only to the +_omission_ to do such works through presumption and unbelief. The same +exhibition of opposite circumstances and qualities, and the same +principle of condemnation for sins of omission exclusively of those of +commission, are observable in the two other symbolic representations +contained in the same chapter--the parable of the ten virgins, and the +parable of the talents. In short, the general purport of the chapter +is to indicate, that in the sight of the righteous Judge sins of +omission, not less than sins of commission, demand condemnation and +punishment; the reasons for which appear to be that both kinds are +equally violations of the royal law, "Thou shalt love thy neighbour as +thyself" (James ii. 8), and perfect obedience to this law is the +necessary foundation of a _common_ immortality. + +It only remains now to speak of the final issue of {71} the judgment +stated thus in _v._ 46: "And these shall go away into eternal +punishment, but the righteous into external life." It must be admitted +that the first clause of this sentence, taken as it is usually taken, +expresses the perpetuity of evil, inasmuch as "punishment" is an evil. +But after this has been conceded, there is still something more to be +said on this doctrine. It is evident from the context that by "these" +is meant the ungodly just before spoken of, who, having shown, by their +neglecting to give proof of love towards their neighbours, that the +love of God is not in them (see 1 John iv. 20), are counted as enemies, +and as such must be punished. For there is no neutral position: all +who do not obey the commands of Christ are opposed to him, and all that +is opposed to him is destined to be brought under subjection. Further, +it is to be noticed that although the final decision is expressed +generally in accordance with the before-mentioned principle of +employing exactly opposite terms relatively to the righteous and the +wicked, here the opposite of "eternal life" is "eternal punishment," +and not "eternal death," the latter expression being nowhere found in +Scripture. May it not hence be argued that, as among men the +punishment of the guilty has not for its purpose the infliction of pain +and penalty, but rather is the means employed to the end that laws may +be obeyed, so the end of divine punishment is for correction, and for +{72} giving effect to and establishing the law of universal +righteousness. If it should hence be inferred that the word "eternal" +is applied to future punishment with reference to that permanence of +_effect_ which, as has already been indicated (p. 65), is symbolically +represented by the perpetual ascent of "the smoke of torment," against +this inference it might reasonably be urged that "eternal" ought to be +taken in the same sense relatively to the "punishment" of the wicked, +as relatively to the "life" of the righteous, and eternity is here +predicated of the one just as of the other. Now, although this +reasoning appears to be irrefragable, the additional arguments from +Scripture which I am about to adduce will, I think, show that there +must be some other way of regarding the doctrine of future punishment, +which, although not inconsistent with that to which the foregoing +interpretation of Matt. xxv. 46 has conducted, differs from it either +as to point of view or comprehensiveness. + +In the first place, it is to be observed that in our Lord's discourses +doctrine was very generally taught by parables and symbolic language, +which required to be interpreted in order that the abstract and +spiritual truths thereby conveyed might be understood. (This remark +applies to the whole of the passage, Matt. xxv. 31-46, brought under +review in the foregoing discussion.) In Mark iv. 34, it is said that +"without a parable he spake not to them," that is, {73} to the +multitude, and that "in private he explained all things to his +disciples." Being asked by the disciples, when he was preaching to a +great multitude assembled together on the sea-shore to hear him, why he +spake to them in parables, he answered, "Because it is given to you to +know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it is not +given. For whosoever hath, to him it shall be given, and he shall have +more abundance; but whosoever hath not, from him shall be taken away +even that he hath. Therefore speak I to them in parables, because +seeing they see not, and hearing they hear not, neither do they +understand" (Matt. xiii. 10-13). It is here affirmed that although +parables from their very character are expressed in terms which the use +of the senses renders intelligible, there are those who do not or will +not understand them, who for this reason, on the principle of not +giving to those who have not, are spoken to only in parables, so that +they continue in ignorance. As every effect or consequence implies the +antecedence of the _purpose_ of an agent, with respect to this +consequence we find it stated in Luke viii. 10, that our Lord expressly +addressed the disciples in these words: "Unto you it is given to know +the mysteries of the kingdom of God, but to the rest in parables, _that +seeing they may not see, and hearing they may not understand_." To a +selected few is granted the favour of being able to discern, _through +the objective sense_ of {74} parables, the interior signification +whereby mysteries of the kingdom of God are revealed, whilst from the +rest--the multitude--although the objective sense is the same to them +as to the others, the knowledge of the mysteries is withheld. This is +evidently a dispensation analogous to that according to which, as +Christ declared, "Many are called, but few are chosen" (Matt. xxii. +14). It is also in accordance with views expressed in a previous part +of this Essay respecting the distinction between "the elect" and the +rest of mankind. + +It is further to be considered that the Lord promised the apostles that +after his departure from them, "the Holy Spirit would teach them all +things, and bring all things to their remembrance which he had said to +them" (John xiv. 26), and it may be assumed that after the Day of +Pentecost this promise was fulfilled, and that they were then +enlightened to discern the spiritual meaning of his doctrine. In this +way it may be accounted for that while Christian doctrine rests +fundamentally on the words and deeds of Christ as recorded in the +Gospels, it is taught in the Acts of the Apostles and the apostolical +Epistles in terms of a more abstract character, which, in fact, may be +regarded as unfolding the spiritual import of the teaching, the life, +and the death of Jesus Christ. The apostle Paul, although he was not +one of the originally selected apostles, had special grace and {75} +power given him for understanding fully and teaching the doctrine of +Christ. Now, this apostle, so gifted with understanding and knowledge, +writes in his Epistle to the Romans: "By the obedience of one shall the +many be made righteous" (v. 19); the context evidently showing that the +"one" is Jesus Christ, and that "the many" are _all_ the sinful sons of +Adam. I have already adverted to this text (p. 19), and called +attention to the significance of the future tense, "shall be made +righteous." According to our argument, when they have been made +righteous, they are _saved_. Hence, quite consistently with this +passage in the Epistle to the Romans, St. Paul has said in his first +Epistle to Timothy (iv. 10), "We trust in the living God, who is the +Saviour of all men, especially of those that believe." If this +sentence had not contained the last clause, there might have been some +excuse for questioning whether St. Paul preached the doctrine of the +eventual salvation of all men; but inasmuch as he adds, "especially of +those that believe," it is as clear as words can make anything clear, +that he taught that all are saved in the sense in which he taught that +those who believe are saved. The reason for making the distinction +expressed by the word "especially" is, I think, sufficiently apparent +from the doctrine, previously maintained in this Essay (pp. 88-40), +that the elect righteous are raised up first, and partake already of +salvation, honour, {76} and glory, during a certain interval preceding +the resurrection of the rest of mankind. + +Now, since all that are saved, as being at rest and in felicity, are +free from sin and evil, this teaching of St. Paul is directly opposed +to the doctrine of the perpetuity of evil which is usually inferred +(see p. 71) from the saying of our Lord in Matt. xxv. 46. Thus +apparently there is irreconcilable contradiction between the teaching +of Christ and the teaching of St. Paul on a most momentous subject. +Since, however, the same spirit of wisdom was in the apostle as in his +Lord, it is not possible that there can really be such contradiction; +and because, consequently, the seeming contradiction must be +attributable to our defect of knowledge, or inability, to interpret +rightly the allegorical teaching of Christ, we might do well, although +no solution of the difficulty should be at hand, to accept this gospel +of salvation, in the confidence that, as being declared by St. Paul in +plain terms, it must be true Christian doctrine. + +I am not, however, prepared to grant that the solution of the +above-mentioned difficulty is not discoverable; and accordingly I make +bold to indicate a line of argument by which, as it seems to me, a +solution is attainable. The first step in this argument is to admit +the reality of that analogy between God's natural creation and His +spiritual creation which has already been taken into consideration (see +p. 14), {77} and to infer therefrom that the spiritual creation is +actually in progress towards a foreordained perfect consummation. For +the purpose of illustrating this view by way of contrast, I may mention +that I once heard a sermon in which the preacher, who was regarded in +his day as a leader of religious thought, advanced the theory that the +word "remedy" expressed the central idea of the divine scheme of +salvation. According to this theology, which looks backwards rather +than forwards, the prevalence of sin and mortality, and the need of a +remedy for the many ills and errors that beset humanity, were +contingent on Adam's transgression. It may be granted that this is so +far true, that sin and death entered into the world because Adam was +not made incapable of sinning. But this theory overlooks the +possibility of there being a _final_ cause for the actual facts of +humanity, and seems to be a substitution of _propter hoc_ for _post +hoc_. The analogy of the natural creation points to a different, and +apparently a juster, view of the divine [oe]conomy, according to which +the reign of sin and death in Adam and all his posterity is a necessary +part of a prearranged scheme, now actually in progress, which is +destined, by its completion hereafter, to make, not one man only, but a +countless multitude, incapable of sinning and meet for immortality. On +this point, however, after what has been already said (see p. 57), +there is no occasion to say {78} more here. I proceed, therefore, to +the next step, which is to indicate certain inferences that may be +drawn from the character of progressiveness which pertains at present +to the spiritual creation. + +It may, in the first place, be asserted that "the law of opposites," +referred to in pp. 69 and 70, is a necessary accompaniment of that +general law of progression. The author of the Book of Ecclesiasticus, +who certainly put on record many wise sayings, has thus stated the law +of opposites: "Good is set against evil, and life against death: so is +the sinner against the godly. So look upon all the works of the Most +High, and there are two and two, one against another" (xxxiii. 14, 15). +Now, evidently this duality will cease, and unity be universally +established, when, as argued in the preceding paragraph, the +predestined consummation is reached, and the purpose of the whole +creation, external and spiritual, is fulfilled. This doctrine of the +termination of evil appears to have been understood and proclaimed by +the writer of the fourth Book of Esdras, in which we meet with the +following emphatic declaration: "Take heaven and earth to witness; for +I have broken the evil in pieces, and created the good: for I live, +saith the Lord" (ii. 14). In the mean while, as being subject to +conditions of earth, and time, and space, we are also subject to this +law of duality and antagonism, so that we have no knowledge or +perception of anything of {79} which we do not also know the +_opposite_. For this reason it is not possible to make known the +conditions under which men are saved without at the same time stating +the conditions under which they are _not_ saved. This will account for +the _oppositeness_ and _parallelism_ of the statements in Matt. xxv. +46, concerning the consequences to the wicked and the righteous of +their respective deeds, as well as for many statements of like +character in other parts of Scripture. But this does not explain why +the punishment of the wicked is said to be "eternal." Relatively to +this question I submit the following considerations. + +Recurring once more to the position, that the existing order of things +is part of a progressive scheme, the purpose of which is to create +immortal souls, it may, I think, be reasonably assumed that there is +nothing in human cognizance or experience, whether it be thought or +feeling, word or deed, which is not contributory in some manner to this +end. If a mechanist, after planning a machine for a certain purpose, +introduced in the execution of it parts which contributed nothing +towards effecting that purpose, would not this be considered to be an +imperfection? Such imperfection is wholly inadmissible in the +workmanship of an omniscient and omnipotent Creator. Accordingly, +since, as being conditioned by _time_, we are capable of entertaining +the thought that the punishment of the wicked in the world to come may +{80} be eternal, many, in fact, having professed their belief that so +it will be, we must conclude, on the above principle, that even this +thought is contributory towards the eventual bringing in of +immortality. But it will be asked, in what way? To this question we +may give the general answer, that as such thought is operative on human +action, and implies the existence of _time_, it must be reckoned as +part of the total of human thought and experience conditioned by time, +which was ordained from the beginning to be the means, whether in this +age or in the age to come (_aiôn ho mellôn_), of forming spirits for +immortality. Then, again, we have reason from Scripture to infer that +the immortal spirit is in effect "spiritual _body_" (1 Cor. xv. 44), +composed of functional parts or qualities constituting it such a whole +that it is adapted for communion with other spirit; in which case the +_temporal_ processes of creation above mentioned might be supposed to +be designed to give to immortal spirit a character appropriate to its +destiny. And we may, at least, be certain that Jesus Christ knew what +was required for accomplishing his Father's purpose of creating spirits +which, while retaining _individuality_ and _will_, would be incapable +of sinning, and that in his wisdom he employed such manner of teaching +as would either now or hereafter conduct to that end. + +I take occasion to observe here, parenthetically, that whereas, +according to the above argument, the {81} word "eternal" (from +_[oe]etas_) is applicable to punishment because we can think of eternal +punishment by thinking of time, the word "endless" is not in the same +manner applicable, simply because it does not explicitly indicate +relation to _time_. The Greek equivalent of the English word +"everlasting," and of the Latin word "_sempiternus_," namely _aidios_ +from _aei_, is used in Rom. i. 20, and in Jude 6, in the sense of +_aiônios_, and, as involving like the latter the conception of time, is +similarly applicable to future punishment. But besides "_eternal_ +life," we have in Scripture "_indissoluble_ life" (_xôn akatalytos_, +Heb. vii. 16), the remarkable epithet _akatalytos_ not being +etymologically expressive of time, and therefore not wrongly, although +not strictly, translated by "endless" in the Authorized Version. No +such epithet is applied in Scripture to "punishment" or "torment." +(See more on this question in an Appendix to the Essay.) + +Reasoning analogous to that employed above relative to the assertion in +Matt. xxv. 46, that the wicked "go away into eternal punishment," is +applicable to other declarations of like tenor in various portions of +Scripture. One of these, recorded in Matt. xxvi. 24 as having been +spoken by the Lord to the "_twelve_," demands special notice. +Translated literally according to the tenses of the Greek, this passage +is, "Woe to that man through whom the Son of man has been betrayed! +good was it for him, if that man was not {82} born." The translation +in the Authorized Version, "it had been good for that man if he had not +been born," may be taken to convey, regard being had to difference of +idiom, the true sense of the original. Exactly the same passage occurs +in Mark xiv. 21, where our translators have given, "good were it for +that man if he had never been born." Although this translation, as +containing the word "never," deviates still more than the other from +the literal rendering, it may be justified on the principle that the +declaration, in whatever form it be made, is one in which _time_ enters +as a necessary element, whereby alone it is within the reach of +thought. Accordingly, this saying of our Lord, regarded as having +relation to experience in the world to come, is in the same category as +his assertion of the eternity of future punishment, and would appear, +by applying the argument already expounded (p. 80) with respect to that +doctrine, to be in like manner contributory towards generating in the +spirit of man an incapability of sinning. It is farther to be taken +into account that these words were addressed by the Lord to his +_apostles_--to the elect of the elect--with particular reference to the +sin of _betraying_ the Son of man, which was exemplified by the outward +act of Judas, who also by his self-destruction exhibited the damnatory +power of the inward consciousness of such guilt. The exceeding +sinfulness of such apostasy as that which Judas, chosen to be {83} an +apostle, was guilty of, may be assigned as the reason that it was +denounced by our Lord in terms which do not appear to have been applied +to any other kind of "transgression" (compare Acts i. 17, 25). + +In Heb. x. 26, 27, we are taught that "if we sin wilfully after that we +have received the knowledge of the truth, there remaineth no more +sacrifice for sins, but a certain looking for of judgment and fiery +indignation, which shall devour the adversaries." This is apostasy not +of the same degree and character as that of a chosen apostle, but still +is such that "the called" are not exempt from falling into it, as is +clearly implied by the tenor of this passage. To those who thus fall +and do not repent, is reserved "the fiery indignation" (_pyros zylos_), +which is destined hereafter to devour the adversaries. It may be +presumed that the adversaries thus specially referred to are those of +whom it is said in Rev. xx. 9, that having been deceived by Satan, +after their resurrection at the end of the thousand years, and gathered +together in warfare against the beloved city, they were _devoured by +fire_ from God out of heaven. Accordingly their destruction is +identical with the second death. + +2 Peter ii. 20, 21, is a passage of like import to that just +considered. It is therein asserted of those who are overcome by the +pollutions of the world after having escaped them through the knowledge +of the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, that "it had been {84} better for +them not to have known the way of righteousness, than, after they have +known it, to turn from the holy commandment delivered to them." This +may be taken to signify that the punishment in the day of judgment +consequent upon sin and error arising out of ignorance, will be "more +tolerable" than that which will be inflicted on those who have +knowingly apostatized from the way of truth. + +What is said in Matt. xviii. 6, "Whoso shall offend one of these little +ones that believe in me, it were better for him that a millstone were +hanged about his neck, and that he were drowned in the depth of the +sea," may be accounted for on the principle that any form of death of +which the body is susceptible in this world is rather to be endured, +and less to be feared, than the punishment which, through the judgment +in the world to come, awaits the enemies of Christ who put a +stumbling-block in the way of them that humble themselves as little +children and believe on him. + +Analogous principles may be applied to account for the declarations +made in Scripture respecting blasphemy against the Holy Spirit. In St. +Matt. xii. 31, 82, it is recorded that our Lord said, "All sin and +blasphemy shall be forgiven to men, but the blasphemy of the Spirit +shall not be forgiven to men. And whoever speaketh a word against the +Son of man, it shall be forgiven him; but whoever speaketh against the +Holy Spirit, it shall not be forgiven him, {85} neither in this world, +nor in the world to come." The same doctrine is thus expressed in St. +Mark iii. 28, 29: "Verily I say to you, all sins shall be forgiven to +the sons of men, and all blasphemies whatever wherewith they may +blaspheme. But whoever shall blaspheme against the Holy Ghost hath +never forgiveness," but is subject to the judgment in the future _aiôn_ +(_enochos estin aiôniou kriseôs_). From the latter evangelist we also +learn that our Lord spoke these words because the scribes from +Jerusalem had said, "He hath an unclean spirit." It is particularly to +be noticed that both passages declare in the fullest manner that all +manner of sin and blasphemy shall be forgiven to men, at the same time +that they pronounce that blasphemy (not sin, _amartia_) against the +Holy Ghost is not forgiven. To account for this apparent +contradiction, it must be remembered that the forgiveness, or +_remission_ (_aphesis_) of sin, necessarily implies antecedence of law +and transgression of the law; and whereas St. Paul teaches that "the +law entered that transgression might abound" (Rom. v. 20), it is quite +consistent with this doctrine to find that in the gospel of Christ +provision is made for the remission of all sin and blasphemy. Now, +such remission consists in "repentance towards God and faith towards +our Lord Jesus Christ" (Acts xx. 21); and therefore, when the gift of +righteousness (i.e. the grace of Christ) is received, the believer +begins to partake {86} of a spirit such as that which was "without +measure" in Christ. This is essentially a _holy_ spirit, the +antecedent of which in Jesus Christ was perfect righteousness. +Therefore the scribes blasphemed when they said of Christ, "He hath an +unclean spirit," it not being possible that a perfectly righteous body +can be the vessel of an unclean spirit. + +But it is possible that the faithful, after receiving the grace of +Christ and fellowship of the Spirit, may by unrighteous conduct "grieve +the Holy Spirit" (Eph. iv. 80), and even by persistence in sin defile +the gift of the Spirit which had been imparted to them. In the +foregoing passage from St. Matthew xii., it is said that there is +forgiveness for one who "speaketh against the Son of man," which +expression may signify, generally, wilful and overt opposition to "the +law of Christ" (Gal. vi. 2); but that there is no forgiveness for one +who _speaks_ against the Holy Spirit, i.e. one who by wilful and +_overt_ conduct does violence to the sanctifying influence of the Holy +Spirit which he has already partaken of. Of such an one it is written +in Heb. x. 29, "he hath trodden underfoot the Son of God, and hath +counted the blood of the covenant wherewith he was sanctified an unholy +thing, and hath done despite to the Spirit of grace." But not every +sin committed after faith and the baptism of repentance has this +effect. The apostle John tells us that although all unrighteousness +{87} (_adikia_, transgression of the strict law of Christ) is sin, +there is sin of a believing brother which is not unto death, and may be +repented of in this world; and there is sin unto death, respecting +which prayer for repentance would be unavailing (1 Epist. v. 16, 17). +This is "the blasphemy of the Spirit," which is not forgiven in this +world, because forgiveness implies repentance; neither is it forgiven +in the world to come, because beyond the grave there is no repentance. +What remains for such sinners is the "[oe]onian judgment" (see p. 69) +mentioned in St. Mark iii. 29, and "the sorer punishment" spoken of in +Heb. x. 29, which is the same as the condemnation to the second death +consequent upon that judgment. (I take occasion to remark that in Mark +iii. 29, instead of _kriseôs_, some early manuscripts have +_amaritêmatos_, which, as far as I can see, does not admit of being +interpreted consistently with the context and the usage of _enochos_.) + +There is still another passage--Mark ix. 42-50--which, on account of +its peculiar significance, it is necessary to discuss with reference to +the Scriptural argument for immortality. It will suffice for +conducting the discussion to cite _vv._ 43 and 44, the literal +translation of which is as follows:--"If thy hand cause thee to offend, +cut it off: it is well for thee to enter into life maimed, rather than +having two hands to go into geenna, into the unquenchable fire, where +their worm dieth not, and the fire is not {88} quenched." The +concluding part of this text is evidently derived from Isaiah lxvi. 24, +where the prophet reveals that the Lord has said respecting the +worshippers, consisting of "all flesh," that shall come before him when +"the new heavens and the new earth" are established, that "they shall +go forth and look upon the carcases of the men that have transgressed +against me: for their worm shall not die, neither shall their fire be +quenched: and they shall be an abhorring unto all flesh." This passage +has so important a bearing on the sense of that quoted above from St. +Mark, that we must by all means endeavour to find out its +interpretation. Respecting Biblical Interpretation, Burnet in one of +his treatises has enunciated two principles, which cannot but be +assented to: first, that besides the portions of Scripture which have a +literal or historical meaning, there are others which must be taken +allegorically; and, secondly, that an allegorical meaning, is to be +admitted when the literal sense involves an absurdity, or contradiction +to the nature of things.[2] The right application of these principles +may be said to constitute a large portion of the science of Scripture. +But in applying them it is often difficult to decide, respecting a +particular passage, whether it is to be {89} taken literally or +allegorically; and again, after deciding that the passage must be +allegorical, there is generally the still greater difficulty of +discovering what the true sense is. In illustration of the second of +the above principles Burnet cites, apart from the context, _vermem +nunquam moriturum_, and admits that these words have an allegorical +signification. This plainly follows from the single consideration that +the worm (_skôlêx_) here spoken of is literally that which is seen to +feed on dead bodies, and to say of it that it does not die is +contradictory to experience. When, however, the same author goes on to +give as the allegorical sense nothing more definite than "_extremam +miseriam_," it may well be asked, By what kind of induction has this +conclusion been reached? The feeble worm which feeds on mortal remains +presents to our sight nothing capable of causing pain or misery. +Rather it may, I think, be asserted that Scripture here adverts to this +natural fact for the purpose of indicating by a distinct and visible +emblem that there is a living principle which destroys mortality, and +which for that reason alone is not itself subject to death. If we be +guided solely by what _we see with our eyes_, this appears to be the +only allegorical sense that can be attributed to the first clause of +Mark ix. 44.[3] We have next to inquire as to the {90} interpretation +of the other clause, and what is the mutual relation between the two +clauses. + +Although the worm which devours dead bodies is not emblematic of +anything that causes pain, the case is quite otherwise with respect to +the emblematic meaning of _fire_. It is evident that fire which is +"unquenchable" is not natural fire, and consequently may be taken to +be, as has already been assumed, the devouring fire of judgment and of +condemnation consequent upon violation of the law of righteousness (see +p. 88). The destruction of the impenitent unrighteous by the operation +of this law (which is their second death), is attended with pain and +woe such as will not have been before, nor will be after. It was +inferred (p. 84) from our Lord's teaching in Matt. xviii. 6, that any +form of _death_ of which the body is susceptible in this world is +rather to be endured than falling under condemnation in the world to +come. In Mark ix. 42-48, we are taught that any form of bodily _pain_, +as that of losing a hand, a foot, or an eye, is to be preferred to +entering with the body whole into the "_geenna_ of fire." This is, in +fact, at once the greatest and the _last_ of human suffering and +tribulation. For it should be noticed that at the end of this very +passage (v. 49) it is said that "every one shall be salted [made +'good,' _v._ 50] with fire," signifying the effect finally produced by +the unquenchable fire. And with this agrees the emblem {91} of the +worm that "dieth not," taken as indicating that the final effect of the +torment of the judgment is to swallow up death, and to bring in, by +establishing the reign of righteousness, life and immortality. The +signification of one emblem must be taken in conjunction with that of +the other. + +Moreover, by giving particular attention to the context of Isa. lxvi. +24, it will be seen that what is there revealed is quite in accordance +with the above interpretation. For, first, in _v._ 16 we have, "By +fire and by his sword [the sword of the Word of God spoken of in Rev. +xix. 15] will the Lord plead with all flesh," that is, in the judgment +which has been appointed for the trial and tribulation of all men. +Then, by taking into account what is said in _vv._ 22 and 23, we may +gather that "all flesh," having become denizens of "the new heavens and +the new earth" in which, as St. Peter declares (2 Epist. iii. 13), +righteousness dwells, "come to worship the Lord." Of _these +worshippers_, consisting of "all flesh," it is affirmed that "they +shall go forth and look upon the carcases of the transgressors," which, +on account of the ill savour coming up from them, will be "an abhorring +to all flesh" (compare Isa. xxxiv. 3). Thus there is here represented, +but by a different figure, the same truth as that which has already +been deduced from the ascending up for ever and ever of the brimstone +smoke of torment (see pp. 61 and 65); namely, {92} that the subjecting +of all the deeds and secrets of the present life to the scrutiny of +judgment, and the consequent condemnation of all the unredeemed to the +pains of a second death, will have the effect of making sin against a +"faithful Creator" to be seen and felt to be so hateful and abominable +a thing, that such sin will cease to be possible, notwithstanding that +all men will retain individuality and volition. For all will thus at +length be made new creatures incapable of sinning. This remark may +serve to introduce the final stage of the general argument, which I now +proceed to enter upon. + +I have been endeavouring to show that the symbolic assertions in Rev. +xx. respecting "the lake of fire" and its "burning with brimstone," the +casting therein of the devil, the beast, and the false prophet, and +their being tormented "day and night for ever and ever," the judgment +of all the dead, small and great, according to their recorded deeds, +"the second death," and the casting into the lake of fire of "any one +not found written in the book of life," do not necessitate, as is +commonly thought, the conclusion that evil, which had a beginning, +fulfils no purpose and has no ending. As to this question the seer +gives, in Rev. xxi. 1-4, the following explicit revelation: "And I saw +a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth +passed away; and there is no more sea. And I saw the holy city, new +Jerusalem, {93} coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride +adorned for her husband. And I heard a great voice from the throne, +saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and He will dwell +with them, and they shall be His people, and God Himself will be with +them, their God. And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes; +and death shall be no more, neither sorrow nor crying, neither shall +there be any more pain: for the first things passed away." Now, it +seems hardly possible that the announcement of the termination of evil +could be made in terms more direct and more intelligible than these. +Hence, according to acknowledged principles of Biblical interpretation, +we must not attribute to the above-mentioned symbolic and less +intelligible passages any meaning inconsistent with that announcement. +The arguments I have adduced respecting the interpretation of the +figurative statements contained in the latter half of chap. xx. are +directed to showing that these figures do, in fact, admit of meanings +consistent with the gospel revelations given in chap. xxi. 1-4. It is +of so much importance, as regards the Scriptural doctrine of +immortality, to establish this point, that I propose now to supplement +the former arguments by additional considerations. + +In the Book of Daniel (xii. 6, 7) we read of "a man clothed in linen, +who was upon the water of a river, and held up his right hand and his +left hand unto {94} heaven, and sware by Him that liveth for ever," +that at the end of an appointed time a certain purpose would be +accomplished, and "all these things be finished." This refers, as the +context shows, to "the time of the end" of the present age (_aiôn_). +The announcement made in this manner by the man clothed in linen +indicates that he is the precursor of the angel of whom, in _vv._ 1, 2, +5, 6, 7 of Rev. x., the apostle John relates as follows: "I saw a +mighty angel come down from heaven, clothed with a cloud, and a rainbow +upon his head, and his face as the sun, and his feet as pillars of +fire; and, having in his hand a little book open, he set his right foot +upon the sea, and his left foot upon the earth.... and lifted up his +hand to heaven, and sware by Him that liveth for ever and ever, who +created heaven and the things therein, and the earth and the things +therein, and the sea and the things therein, that time shall be no +more; but in the days of the voice of the seventh angel, in the time +when he is about to sound his trumpet, also [_kai_, merely indicating +the apodosis] the mystery of God is finished (_etelesthê_, aor. ind.), +according to the gospel He made known to His servants the prophets." +The soundings of the seven trumpets are significant of progressive +steps in the general judgment; the days pertaining to the voice of the +seventh angel are those immediately preceding the actual sounding of +his trumpet, which announces the {95} completion (as indicated by the +number seven) of the mystery of God's creation in time, and marks the +end of the age (_ho aiôn ho mellôn_) following upon the conclusion of +the present age. When all that pertains to this final interval "is +finished," there is no more succession of events whereby time is +cognizable, and therefore time is no more. The might, and glorious +investiture, and majestic attitude of the angel who proclaims this +truth, conspire to point out its great significance. The little book +in his hand is the word of prophecy by which we learn these mysteries. + +It is, no doubt, beyond the limit of our thoughts, conditioned as we +are by time, to conceive of a state of things in which time is no more. +Apparently for this reason commentators have proposed to translate, +_chronos ouk estai eti_, "the time shall not be yet," or "time shall no +more intervene." The former of these translations is excluded by the +usage of _ouk eti_ in the analogous affirmations in Rev. xxi. 1, 4, and +the other, which is an arbitrary comment rather than a translation, is +for the same reason excluded. (I have preferred _ouk estai eti_ to +_ouketi estai_, because the words occur in the former order in each of +the three instances in Rev. xxi.) There can be no question as to the +philological correctness of the translation, "time shall be no more." +The unwillingness to admit it appears to have arisen solely from a +fixed persuasion, gratuitously and very generally entertained, that +time {96} has a _necessary_ existence, and therefore cannot come to an +end. Some have affirmed that when time ends, eternity begins; which is +a self-contradictory dogma, because eternity (from _[oe]tas_) is +essentially time. The teaching of Scripture on this point is directly +opposed to these views; for the apostle Peter tells those for whose +sake he wrote his second Epistle, to bear in mind "this one thing, that +one day is with the Lord as a thousand years, and a thousand years as +one day" (2 Epist. iii. 8). This is equivalent to saying that time is +not an independent entity, but that both its existence and its quality +are determined by the _will_ of the Creator of all things. It is in +virtue of our being made in His image, and partaking intellectually of +the divine nature, that we are capable _in thought_ of giving +indefinite and arbitrary extension to time, whether it be past time or +time to come. This faculty, as I have already argued in p. 80, is to +be placed in the category of the different conditions, whether +depending on experience of the course of time, or on affections of our +bodily and mental constitutions, under which the spirit of man is +formed for immortality. All such conditions are determined by the +purpose for which they are imposed, and when that purpose is fulfilled +in the perfection of humanity the conditions come to an end. It is +thus that the being conditioned by time eventually ceases. + +It will be proper here to meet an objection to the {97} doctrine that +time will have an end which might be drawn from the expression, _eis +tous aiônas tôn aiônôn_, which frequently occurs in Scripture, and +seems to be indicative of an unlimited succession of ages. So far as +time is under human cognizance, and has relation to human experience, +Scripture speaks in express terms of only _two_ ages--the present one, +which lasts to the end of the _generations_ of men in the existing +order of things; and the age to come, which embraces the course of the +judgment of all who lived in the first age, and terminates with the +second death of those who had no part in the first resurrection. When +it is said of the Creator of heaven and earth, that He is "from +everlasting to everlasting" (_apo tou aiônos meôs tou aiônos su ei_, +Ps. xc. 2), and that "He liveth for ever and ever" (_ho zôn eis tous +aiônas tôn aiônôn_, Rev. x. 6), the word _aiôn_ is not used to signify, +as in the instances of the two "ages" just mentioned, an interval +having beginning and ending, but is to be taken in an abstract sense, +derived from our ordinary perception of the existence and quality of +time, and from the faculty which, as said before, we possess of +thinking of time as indefinitely extended. The first of the cited +passages affirms what in these days we should express by saying that +God is necessarily and essentially self-existent, and the other, what +we mean by saying that He is necessarily and essentially a _living_ +God. But {98} Scripture uses no such terms as these, because it is +written on the principle of employing in an abstract sense only such +terms as are rendered intelligible by personal sensation and +observation, and by experience drawn under actual conditions from the +outer world. It is thus that the word "age" acquired its primary +meaning, before it was susceptible of the abstract application just +mentioned. + +There is also to be said, as a reason for accepting this doctrine +respecting our relation to time, that Scripture teaches analogous +doctrine respecting our relation to _space_. When our Lord astonished +his disciples by saying that the passage of a camel through the eye of +a needle is not an impossibility, he explained that "this is impossible +with men, but not with God; for with God all things are possible" (Mark +x. 25-27). By this saying he asserted that space, and the mutual +relations of body and space, are such as they are by the will and power +of God, and by the same power might be changed. Considering, +therefore, that "the new heavens and the new earth" constitute a "new +creation," it is quite in accordance with the above inference from our +Lord's words to find it said of "the new Jerusalem, the holy city," +that "the length, and the breadth, and the height of it are equal" +(Rev. xxi. 16). For a city to be such as to conform to this +description, it is plain that material substance and space must {99} be +related to each other in an entirely new manner, unrecognizable by +present experience. The apostle Paul adverts to the eventual status of +the spirit of man with respect to time and space where he says, "I am +persuaded that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, +nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor +depth, nor any other creation, will be able to separate us from the +love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord" (Rom. viii. 38, 39). +(In this sentence the recognized passage of time, the powers +[_dynameis_] of nature, and the measurable qualities of space, seem all +to be regarded as things _created_.) Also corresponding to the change +in the external creation it is revealed that there will be a change of +the outward man, the natural body giving place to the "spiritual body." +It would appear, therefore, from the whole of the foregoing argument +that our spirits, after being bound by earthly and temporal conditions, +undergo complete transformation, being conjoined with bodily essence +related in a new manner to _space_, and being also released from the +condition of _time_. But although this mode of existence may be a +necessary condition of the immortal state, especially as such state +embraces associated members, it is not the sole, nor the principal, +condition of immortality, as the remainder of the argument will show. + +It has already been noticed that St. Peter {100} characterizes "the new +heavens and the new earth" by saying that "righteousness dwells +therein." This is as much as to say that it is a perfect _social_ +state, whose end is at once the glory of God and the happiness of man. +The words of the apostle (2 Epist. iii. 13) signify that the new +creation, by satisfying this condition, is the fulfilment of an +antecedent promise. Now, the argument of this Essay is in entire +agreement with this doctrine, inasmuch as it was from the first assumed +(p. 9) that immortality cannot consist with any other than a state of +righteousness, and then (pp. 19 and 20) it was argued that after Adam's +transgression a _promise_ was made that himself and his race would +eventually be exempt from the power of Satan and attain to immortality. +The passage Rev. xxi. 1-4, quoted in p. 92, seems to certify the +complete fulfilment of this promise and to indicate the manner of its +fulfilment. But there are other passages in this concluding portion of +the Apocalypse, which might be thought to bear a contrary +signification, to which, therefore, our attention must now be directed. + +In xxi. 8 we have, "But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the +abominable, and murderers, and fornicators, and sorcerers, and +idolaters, and all lies, shall have their part in the lake which +burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death." If we +give to this symbolism, as consistency requires, {101} an +interpretation analogous to that applied to Rev. xx. 10, we shall +conclude that sinners of all classes will eventually have no cognizable +existence, transgression being brought to an end by the effect of the +general judgment and the pains of the second death. This may explain +why it is added, "which is the second death." It is worthy of remark +that "all lies" are said to have their part in "the lake" although the +casting of lies into a lake is objectively an impossibility. But this +variation of the designation ("lies" being put for "liars") may be +intended to signify generally that all transgression disappears, +because transgressors cease to be cognizable _as transgressors_. + +There is another thing to be noticed respecting the same passage: it +contains no such clause as, "They shall be tormented day and night to +the ages of ages," which occurs at the end of Rev. xx. 10. This +omission may be accounted for on the principle stated in p. 96, +according to which expressions involving time are not applicable to the +condition of things in the new creation, in which time exists no more. + +I take the occasion to remark here that the above-cited clause appears +to be the only passage in the Apocalypse which asserts the perpetuity +of _personal_ experience of torment, as distinct from the perpetuity of +its effect; also that the personal subject of the verb +_basanisthêsontia_, according to grammatical rules, would be the devil, +the beast, and the {102} false prophet, each of which is represented as +personal, and endowed with volition and power. But these, as I have +maintained in p. 61, are the powers which, according to the law of +opposites, are antagonist to God the Father, the Holy Ghost, and the +Son of God; and the assertion that they are tormented for ever and ever +may be taken to mean, according to the principle of interpretation +explained in p. 97, that they exist _necessarily_, but only as they +exist, when subdued, in the contempt and hatred in which they are held +by those who have felt their power and have overcome it, this spiritual +effect being a condition of immortality. (See end of p. 61.) + +It remains to speak of one other subject connected with the revelations +made in the Apocalypse, which, understood as it respects our argument, +is of very great moment, inasmuch as it has relation to the means by +which the spirit of man is endowed with immortality. The Son of God is +named in the Apocalypse "The Word of God" (xix. 18), "King of kings and +Lord of lords" (xvii. 14, and xix. 16), "the root and the offspring of +David, the bright and morning star" (xxii. 16), and by other titles +expressive of honour and dignity; but no name occurs so frequently, and +in such various applications, as "the Lamb." What, it may be asked, is +the reason for this? In order to answer this question let us take into +consideration some instances, specially {103} significant, in which +this name occurs. From what is recorded in chap. v. 6-13 as having +been seen in vision by the apostle, we are instructed as follows +respecting the character and office of the Lamb: "In the midst of the +throne [the seat of the Lord God Almighty] and of the four living +beings, and in the midst of the elders, stood a Lamb as it had been +slain, having seven horns [emblematic of perfect power] and seven eyes +[perfection of wisdom], which are the seven Spirits of God sent forth +into all the earth." And he came and took out of the right hand of Him +who sat upon the throne a book "sealed with seven seals." "And when he +had taken the book, the four living beings and four and twenty elders +fell down before the Lamb.... And they sung a new song, saying, Thou +art worthy to take the book, and to open the seals thereof; for thou +wast slain." Then "an innumerable company of angels" (Heb. xii. 22) +was heard to say with a loud voice, "Worthy is the Lamb that was slain +to receive power, and riches, and wisdom, and strength, and honour, and +glory, and blessing. And every created thing which is in heaven, and +on the earth, and under the earth, and such as are in the sea, and all +things in them, were heard to say, Blessing, and honour, and glory, and +power be unto Him that sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb for +ever and ever." + +Then follows in chap. vi. the opening of the seven {104} seals, which, +from the descriptions given at the successive openings, appear to +symbolize the various kinds of human experience, both good and evil, +which mark the course of events in the present world, all centering in +the work of redemption by the sacrifice of the Son of God; on which +account the Lamb _slain_ can alone open the seven seals and disclose +their meaning. At the end of what is said relative to the sixth seal +mention is made of "the great day of the wrath of the Lamb," which, +because by reason of the sins of men he was so unjustly slain, is +ordained to be seen and felt by the whole world after the termination +of the present age (see Rev. i. 7). The expectation of that wrath, +although none can escape it, all but very few in the present day are +unwilling, through terror or unbelief, to entertain. The state of +terror of all classes at the signs of the approach of that day appears +to be described at the end of the chapter. (See vi. _vv._ 15-17.) + +Next, in chap. vii., comes the sealing of all the elect, represented +symbolically by the sealing of twelve thousand of each of the twelve +tribes of Israel, the number twelve specially signifying election. +Then in _vv._ 9-17 is recorded a most wonderful vision. The seer says, +"After this I beheld, and, lo, a great multitude, whom no man could +number, of all nations, and tribes, and peoples, and tongues, standing +before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed with white {105} robes, +and palms in their hands: and they cry with a loud voice, saying, +Salvation to our God who sitteth upon the throne, and to the Lamb." +This multitude whom no man can number, the number of whom is elsewhere +said to be as "the sand of the sea," must embrace all that are not of +the number of the elected and sealed one hundred and forty-four +thousand, and their ascription here of praise to God for salvation +accords with the teaching of St. Paul, that "God is the Saviour of all +men, especially of those that believe." This is made still plainer by +what is said respecting this multitude clothed in white robes in _vv._ +14-17. The seer is told by one of the elders that "These are they who +come out of the great tribulation, and washed their robes, and made +them white in the blood of the Lamb. Therefore are they before the +throne of God, and serve Him day and night in His temple; and He that +sitteth on the throne shall dwell among them. And they shall hunger no +more, neither thirst any more; neither shall the sun light on them, nor +any heat. For the Lamb who is in the midst of the throne will feed +them, and will lead them to fountains of waters of life; and God will +wipe away all tears from their eyes." It is evident that the +revelation here made is _proleptical_, describing a state of things +identical with that which in Rev. xxi. 3, 4 (before quoted in p. 93), +is said to pertain to the new heavens and the {106} new earth. The +explanation that may be given of this anticipation of the subsequent +revelation is referable to a principle which governs much that is +contained in Scripture, although it has been generally overlooked--the +principle, namely, of following sometimes an order determined by +_relativity_, although it sets aside order as to time. This, however, +is not done except for some purpose. In the present instance, the +effect of declaring the salvation of all men in immediate sequence to +the sealing of the elect for salvation, is to indicate that the general +scheme whereby all eventually partake of salvation consists of related +and progressive parts to be unfolded by course of time. + +The name of "the Lamb" is also given to our Lord in various other +passages, which, with the view of contributing to the general argument, +I proceed now to cite and make some remarks upon. The accuser of the +brethren (Satan) is overcome by those who loved not their lives unto +death, "on account of the _blood_ of the Lamb" (xii. 10, 11). The +beast will be worshipped by all dwellers upon earth "whose names are +not written in the book of life of the Lamb _slain_ from the foundation +of the world" (xiii. 8). "A Lamb stood on the mount Sion, and with him +an hundred forty and four thousand, having his Father's name written on +their foreheads.... These are they who follow the Lamb wheresoever he +goeth. {107} These were purchased from among men, the firstfruits to +God and to the Lamb" (xiv. 1, 4). The worshippers of the beast "shall +be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy angels +and in the presence of the Lamb" (xiv. 10). Those who have gotten the +victory over the beast "sing the song of Moses the servant of God, and +the song of the Lamb, saying, Great and marvellous are thy works, Lord +God Almighty; just and true are thy ways, thou King of the nations. +Who shall not fear thee, O Lord, and glorify thy name? for thou only +art holy: for all nations shall come and worship before thee, because +thy judgments are made manifest" (xv. 2-4). The law given by Moses, +and the gospel of Jesus Christ, constitute together a great and +wonderful [oe]conomy, redounding to the praise and glory of God, and to +the salvation of man. Kings of the earth "shall make war with the +Lamb, and the Lamb shall overcome them, because he is Lord of lords and +King of kings, and they that are with him are called, and elect, and +faithful" (xvii. 14). + +The marriage of the Lamb and his bride--that is, the union of Christ +with the whole assembly of the redeemed--does not take place till "the +wife has made herself ready," till she has arrayed herself in the fine +linen, clean and white, which it was given her to put on, the fine +linen being "the righteousness of saints" (xix. 7, 8). This doctrine +accords well {108} with the view taken throughout this Essay, namely, +that righteousness (the "unspeakable gift," 2 Cor. ix. 15) is necessary +as an antecedent condition of salvation, and therefore of immortality. +It is further to be noticed that this union between the Lamb and the +bride is not perfected while time lasts, requiring the condition of a +new creation. For it was not till the first heaven and the first earth +passed away that John "saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down +from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband" +(xxi. 2), and that "the Lamb's wife" was shown to him by "one of the +seven angels that had the seven vials full of the last seven plagues" +(xxi. 9). The performance of this office by an angel who in the +antecedent judgment had been a minister of wrath and punishment, may be +taken to be significant of the _means_ by which the glorious +consummation is brought about. + +Finally, we have in the following concluding portions of apocalyptic +prophecy a description of what may be said to constitute the joy of the +marriage supper, namely, the perfection through righteousness, not only +of the union between Christ and the elect Church, but also of that +between God and all peoples. Speaking of "the holy city Jerusalem," +John says, "I saw no temple therein; for the Lord God Almighty and the +Lamb are the temple of it. And the city hath no need of the sun, +neither of the {109} moon, to shine on it; for the glory of God gave +light to it, and the Lamb is the lamp thereof. And the nations shall +walk by the light of it, and the kings of the earth bring their glory +into it. And the gates of it shall not be shut by day, for there will +not be night there. And they shall bring the glory and honour of the +nations into it. And there shall not enter into it anything unclean, +and that worketh abomination and lying, but only they that are written +in the Lamb's book of life" (xxi. 22-27). The seer goes on to say, +"And he showed me a river of water of life, bright as crystal, coming +forth from the throne of God and of the Lamb. In the midst of the +street of it and of the river, on the one side and the other [the river +being in the middle of the street, and the tree spreading from one side +to the other], was the tree of life, producing twelve fruits, and +yielding its fruit according to each month; and the leaves of the tree +are for the healing of the nations. And there shall be no more curse; +and the throne of God and of the Lamb shall be in it, and His servants +shall serve Him: and they shall see His face, and His name shall be on +their foreheads. And night shall be no more: and they shall have no +need of light of a lamp, and light of the sun; because the Lord God +will give them light, and they shall reign to the ages of ages" (xxii. +1-5). + +The foregoing citations, and indeed the whole tenor of the contents of +the Apocalypse, clearly point to the {110} conclusion that what is +symbolized by "the Lamb" and "the Lamb slain" runs through all it +teaches respecting the course of experience and future destination of +the race of man--is "the lamp" that enlightens the whole. Now, I think +I may assert that the reason this is so is given by the arguments +adduced in this Essay. It has been maintained that on the day that +Adam fell into disobedience by the wiles of Satan, his Creator made a +promise by covenant that he and his offspring should in the end be +freed from the power of Satan and evil, and partake of immortality. +The terms of the covenant were that man must pass through toil, and +pain, and death, that thereby his spirit might be formed for receiving +the gift of an immortal life. Evidence of an intelligent belief of the +efficacy of these conditions was given by the faithful of old by their +sacrificing clean animals, and surety for the fulfilment of the +covenant was given on God's part by a favourable acceptance, either +directly or mediately, of this expression of their faith. In process +of time the only begotten Son of God, out of sympathy with suffering +humanity, and from knowledge of his Father's purpose towards us, +satisfied in his own person the very same conditions, and thus at once +exemplified and justified the means by which that purpose is +accomplished. At the same time he made sure the grounds for belief of +the fulfilment of the covenanted promise, first by marvellous {111} +works before he suffered, which showed that he had command over all the +ills of humanity, and after his death, by resurrection from the grave +the third day, which gave proof of the reality of a power that could +overcome death. The miracles of Christ are an essential part of the +work of his ministry, inasmuch as they were needed to prove that he +possessed power greater than that of his adversaries, and consequently +that he submitted _voluntarily_ to be "led as a _lamb_ to the +slaughter," and to endure all the pain and indignities of the cross. +Out of love towards those whom he vouchsafes to call his brethren, he +showed how they must undergo physical suffering and the pains of death +in order that their spirits might be formed for an endless life. It +was with understanding and belief that the way to life was made sure by +fellowship with Christ in suffering, that some of the most favoured of +his faithful followers, apostles and apostolic men, willingly suffered +after his example. + +But pain and death are not in this way efficacious for salvation, +unless they be accompanied by a faith which lays hold of the covenant +and promise of life made and ratified from the beginning by God, and +which looks for the fulfilment in the world to come. Those who, having +this faith, do good works are God's elect, who live again at the first +resurrection, to die no more. The rest of mankind, although they go +through suffering and death, and although their {112} sufferings are +not without effect in forming their spirits for immortality (such is +the virtue of the sacrifice of the Son of God "for the sins of the +whole world"), rise to be judged for their unbelief and +unrighteousness, and to be condemned to undergo a second death. The +Lamb slain is appointed to execute the judgment and take vengeance on +the unrighteous. What better title could there be for his undertaking +this "strange work" (Isa. xxviii. 21), than his having so cruelly and +unjustly suffered at the hands of sinful men? Yet the portions of +Scripture we have had under consideration necessitate the conclusion +that the consecration of the way to life through death by the death of +the Son of God, which applies to the death of believers, applies also +to the second death of unbelievers; so that this death also is followed +by life. But here a difficulty presents itself which needs +explanation. Although Scripture speaks of a first resurrection and a +second death, it makes no mention of a _second resurrection_. This, I +think, may be accounted for as follows. + +By considering the context, both preceding and following, of the +clause, "This is the first resurrection," in Rev. xx. 5, it will be +apparent that "resurrection" does not here mean simply returning to +life after death, but may be taken to embrace the whole period of the +thousand years, together with all that concerns "the happy and the +holy" who {113} have part therein. This interpretation is in +accordance with the sense in which our Lord speaks of resurrection +where he says, "In the resurrection they neither marry nor are given in +marriage, but are as the angels, of God in heaven" (Matt. xxii. 30). +That "the resurrection" (_hê anastasis_) designates a state or +condition of life into which the elect of God are _introduced_ by +returning to life after death, is still more explicitly signified by +the following corresponding passage of St. Luke (xx. 34-36): "The +children of this world marry, and are given in marriage; but they who +are accounted worthy to obtain that world, and the resurrection from +the dead, neither marry nor are given in marriage: neither can they die +any more; for they are equal to the angels, and are children of God, +being children of the resurrection." Now, it may certainly be inferred +from what is said in Rev. xx. 5, that the rest of the dead, who have no +part in this first resurrection, return to life at the end of the +thousand years. But they return to life to be judged, condemned, and +suffer death again. This, therefore, is in no sense a resurrection +answering to the description above given of the first resurrection, and +accordingly is not called in Scripture the second resurrection. What +really corresponds to the holiness and happiness of the first +resurrection state is the finally perfected and all-comprehending state +called "the new heaven and the new earth," life in which, according to +our {114} argument, comes out of the second and last death, and is +unconditioned by time. This is the heavenly state which is described +in Rev. vii. 11-17, xxi. 2-4, and 10-27. Thus, although this may be +regarded as that subsequent resurrection to which "the first +resurrection" by its very designation points, it is not called "the +second resurrection," because it is not, like the first, limited or +conditioned by _time_. + +The portion of the Apocalypse which is strictly symbolical and +prophetical begins at _v._ 1 of chap. iv. and ends with _v._ 5 of chap. +xxii. The first three chapters, including the epistles to the seven +Churches, and the verses from chap. xxii. 5 to the end of the book, may +be taken to be respectively introduction and conclusion, the contents +of which, although strictly related to those of the intermediate +symbolical part, are not of a character so exclusively figurative. +This circumstance has to be taken into account in proposing +interpretations of passages contained in them. Now, there are certain +passages in the concluding part which appear to be contradictory to the +doctrine of salvation maintained in this Essay, and accordingly, before +bringing the argument to a close, I shall endeavour to ascertain the +true interpretations of these passages. + +The angel who showed John "these things" (xxii. 8) says of himself, "I +am the fellow-servant of thee, and of thy brethren the prophets, and of +those who {115} keep the words of this book;" and yet this speaker is +not distinguished from him who afterwards says (_vv._ 12, 13), "Lo, I +come quickly, and my reward is with me, to render to each according as +his work is. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the first and the last, the +beginning and the end," who, without doubt, is the Lord himself. This +may be accounted for by the following considerations. This angel, of +whom it is twice asserted that he refused to receive worship proffered +to him by the seer (xix. 10, and xxii. 9), is the same that is spoken +of in Rev. i. 1, with reference to "the revelation of Jesus Christ, +which God gave to him, to shew to his servants things which must +shortly come to pass," in these terms: "He [Jesus Christ] by sending +signified it [the revelation] through his angel to his servant John." +In certain passages in the introductory part of the Apocalypse, as Rev. +i. 8, 17-20, and throughout the epistles to the seven Churches, the +Lord speaks in his own person; and this again he does expressly in some +passages in the concluding part, as xxii. 7, 12, 13, 16, 20; and +although the speaker in _vv._ 10 and 11 appears to be the same as the +speaker in _v._ 9, who certainly is the angel, such words as those two +verses contain could hardly have been uttered by any one but the Lord, +and, at least, they may be attributed to him on the principle that what +the Lord does through his ministering angel may be said to be done by +himself. It is as {116} ministering to Jesus Christ that the angel +calls himself a "fellow-servant" of prophets and apostles, and, +generally, of those who keep the words of this revelation. For these +reasons in the following remarks I take _vv._ 10 and 11 as spoken by +Jesus Christ. + +The words addressed by the speaker to John are (_vv._ 10, 11): "Seal +not the sayings of the prophecy of this book; for the time is at hand. +He who is unrighteous, let him commit injustice still; and he who is +filthy, let him be filthy still; and he who is righteous, let him do +righteousness still; and he who is holy, let him be holy still. Lo, I +come quickly; and my reward is with me, to render to each as his work +is." This passage has been interpreted as meaning that in the world to +come the conditions of the righteous and the wicked are irrevocably +fixed. + +I would rather say, having regard to the precise opposition of the +clauses of which it is composed, that the passage declares that in the +end unrighteousness and filthiness are irrevocably separate from their +opposites righteousness and holiness; and to account for the terms in +which this statement is made, it may suffice to refer to the principle +that according to the concrete, or objective, teaching of the +Apocalypse, holiness and filthiness would not be spoken of +abstractedly, that is, apart from holy and _filthy_ persons, and in +like manner righteousness and unrighteousness would not be mentioned +apart from their necessary {117} antecedents, _personal_ righteous and +unrighteous _deeds_. The expressions "commit injustice" and "do +righteousness," which do not occur in the English version, are exact +renderings of the Greek. + +Another passage which, as bearing on our argument, requires to be taken +into account, is _v._ 15 of the same chapter, which asserts that +"without are dogs, and sorcerers, and fornicators, and murderers, and +idolaters, and every one that loveth and maketh a lie." This is +expressing in concrete language, such as is constantly employed in +Scripture, that there is no unrighteousness in the city of God. Such +language, being concerned only with _objective_ realities, cannot +express a _negation_, and, consequently, cannot assert that +unrighteousness is _not_ within the city. Hence it is not possible, +except by means of such terms as those actually employed, to express +concretely that the city of God is free from all unrighteousness. By +comparing Rev. xxi. 8 with the interpretation here given of Rev. xxii. +15, it will be seen that the exclusion from the city of God of all +things sinful and abominable is declared to be effected by "the second +death." + +I have now completed the argument respecting man's immortality which I +proposed to found upon the words of Scripture. I have argued on the +hypothesis that for this purpose the Scriptures are trustworthy and +sufficient, and I have admitted that we {118} can know nothing for +certain concerning our immortality apart from the declared will of "Him +who alone hath immortality" (1 Tim. vi. 16). Accordingly, Scripture +must be consulted in order to learn what God has willed respecting the +destiny of man. The principal result of this inquiry is, that by the +will of God righteousness and salvation are so inseparably connected +that only as being personally righteous can man be saved and partake of +immortality. The question, therefore, as to the immortality of all men +resolves itself into inquiring whether, and by what means, all men are +made righteous. Arguments relating to this inquiry may be said to +constitute the whole of this Essay. I am prepared to expect that it +will be objected to these arguments that they are _new_, and on this +account that the conclusions drawn from them are not _true_. I admit +the validity of this inference if the arguments and conclusions are +really new, but I maintain that in so far as they are founded upon, and +correctly supported by, Scripture, they cannot be new, because we must +not suppose that the Scriptural doctrine of man's salvation was not +fully understood before these days--for instance, in the days of +primitive Christianity. As the objection on the ground of newness +cannot be sustained, the only course left to the objector is to examine +the arguments, for the purpose of ascertaining whether they are sound +and strictly Scriptural. + +{119} + +I think, however, it is possible that Scriptural doctrine, as taught +originally by prophets, apostles, and apostolic men, may have become so +obscured and mixed up with human traditions and accretions, that +bringing it again to light would appear like promulgating new doctrine. +This remark leads me to state on what authorities I have chiefly relied +in the composition of this Essay. I may say at once that my views have +been determined for the most part by long study of St. Paul's Epistle +to the Romans, and the Apocalypse of the Apostle John. I was not, +however, able to accept St. Paul's Epistle as it is translated in the +Authorized Version, nor could I agree with any commentary upon it that +had come before me. For these reasons I published a revised +Translation, with Introduction and Notes (Deighton, Bell, & Co., 1871), +which may, perhaps, claim consideration, if on no other ground, because +it is the production of a mind not unacquainted with classical studies, +but trained especially by mathematics and the pursuit of physical +science for inquiring respecting the method and laws of divine +operation. I have stated in the preface to that work (p. x.) the +particular bearing which, as it seemed to me, such studies have on the +interpretation of St. Paul's Epistle. Under the influence of the same +mental training, I was induced long since to direct my attention +towards the interpretation of the Apocalypse, and I purpose {120} +shortly, if God be willing, to publish the fruits of my researches. +Any reader of this Essay will perceive that it contains much which +depends on views which I entertain respecting the general scheme and +the symbolism of the Apocalypse. + +With respect to the interpretation of symbolical Scripture, I have not +abstained from having recourse to books which, although they are not +included in the Canon of Scripture, are specially adapted to reveal +principles on which the prophetical and symbolical parts of Canonical +Scripture may be interpreted. I refer to three books in particular, +the fourth Book of Esdras, the Epistle of Barnabas, and the Shepherd of +Hermas. There is historic evidence that these books were largely made +use of in the days of primitive Christianity. The first has obtained +an honourable place in the Articles of the Church of England, owing, no +doubt, to the traditional influence which the Church of Rome still had +at the time of the Reformation. In the midst of much error and +superstition pervading that Church, she faithfully performed the part +of keeper of the ancient sacred writings, and to her we are indebted +for the preservation for ecclesiastical use of that most instructive +book, although at the Council of Trent it was not admitted into the +Romish Canon. The other two books above mentioned were long regarded +by the Primitive Church as being useful for instruction in doctrine, +and of {121} authority little less than that of Scripture; in +attestation of which assertion it may be stated that the Codex +Sinaiticus contains the whole of the Epistle of Barnabas, and a portion +of the Shepherd of Hermas, although no other early Christian writings +are in the same manner associated with the Canonical Books. + +In drawing inferences from the above sources of information, I have +endeavoured to keep closely to the rules of induction which have +conducted to such signal discoveries in Natural Philosophy, and to +refrain from accepting any inference which the Scriptural data did not +justify. The modern advances in physical science, which have shown in +what path we must proceed in order to reach a knowledge of God's works, +indicate, it may be presumed, that an analogous method is to be pursued +in order to gain a knowledge of His word. But it will, perhaps, be +said, that if the knowledge of what is revealed in Scripture be +obtainable only by means such as those which have been exemplified in +this Essay, the considerations that must be entered into are so remote +from common apprehension, that but very few can be supposed to be +endowed with capacity for understanding them. This, it must be +admitted, is actually the case, and, besides, is in conformity with the +arbitrament according to which God grants to an elected few gifts and +graces which He withholds from the many. + +Yet it seems to be the will of God to vouchsafe at {122} certain times +and places, and among certain peoples, a more than ordinary measure of +knowledge; and perhaps we shall not err in believing that the prophecy +in the Book of Daniel, "Many shall run to and fro, and knowledge shall +be increased" (xii. 4), is being fulfilled in our time and nation. +There is also a remarkable passage in the Apocalypse, which seems to +reveal that before "the time of the end" (Dan. xii. 4), the gospel in +its most comprehensive sense will be preached among all nations: "And I +saw another angel flying in mid-heaven, having the [oe]onian gospel +[i.e. the gospel pertaining to the future age] to preach to those that +dwell upon the earth, and to every nation and tribe and tongue and +people, saying with a loud voice, Fear God, and give Him glory because +the hour of His judgment is come: and worship Him who made the heaven, +and the earth, and the sea, and fountains of waters" (Rev. xiv. 6, 7). +I cannot forbear noticing the coincidence of the plain meaning of the +words of this prophecy with the views advocated in this Essay: first, +in respect to calling the gospel "[oe]onian" and thus asserting its +applicability to the future age; next, in its announcement of the +gospel in connection with the advent of "the hour of judgment;" and, +lastly, in the loud call the angel makes to the dwellers on earth to +give glory and worship to the Creator of heaven, earth, sea, and the +fountains of waters. + +{123} + +But the dulness of hearers and incapacity to understand the doctrine of +Scripture are not the only obstacles those will have to contend against +who undertake to preach "the [oe]onian gospel." There are the +interests and attractions of the present world, which, since the love +of them is necessarily disturbed by the announcement that the world to +come offers what is much more to be desired, operate, sometimes it may +be in a manner which is not suspected, in hardening the heart against +listening to and receiving that gospel. I think that in this way only +can it be accounted for that the passages of Scripture which +unequivocally declare the salvation of all men are comparatively +unattended to, whilst belief is generally expressed in those supposed +to be of opposite import. I am apprehensive that on the same accounts +the arguments by which I have endeavoured to show that the latter +passages admit of being interpreted consistently with the others, will +receive little attention. + +There exists, moreover, in the present day so long-standing and so +general an inability to discern the inner and true sense of Scripture, +"the letter which killeth" having been preferred to "the spirit which +maketh alive," that it has become a matter of much difficulty to +comprehend and explain the terms in which the gospel in its entirety is +therein proclaimed, and either to give, or to receive, instruction +which may conduce to an intelligent acceptance of it. {124} In +addition to which there prevails a tendency to rely on traditional and +formal doctrine, and to assign to it an authority co-ordinate with that +of Scripture, although as having had its origin at times when primitive +faith and knowledge had in great measure declined, and "the mystery of +iniquity" was already working, it cannot but be mixed with a human +element of untruth. This tendency, which appears to be attributable to +a consciousness of inability to form an independent judgment of the +truths of Scripture, operates at present in creating a prejudice +against all attempts to go beyond the boundaries by which Scriptural +knowledge is assumed to be circumscribed. Nevertheless, regarding it +as a duty to employ the opportunities and the ability which God has +given me in making such an attempt, I have endeavoured to place the +doctrine of the salvation and immortality of all men on a Scriptural +basis, and I have now only to ask for an unprejudiced consideration of +the arguments I have adduced for that purpose. + + + +[1] See the notes to Rom. v. 12-20, given in pp. 36-38 of my +"Translation of St. Paul's Epistle to the Romans" (Cambridge: Deighton +and Co, 1871). + +[2] The treatise referred to is entitled "De Faturâ, Bestauratione," +and the passage cited is very near the end of it. This treatise is an +appendix to another, the title of which is "De Statu Mortuorum et +Resurgentium." + +[3] So far this explanation of Mark ix. 44 is the same as that which I +have given in a letter to the editor of the _Clerical Journal_, which +is inserted in the number for June 5, 1862 (p. 526). + + + + +{125} + +APPENDIX. + +I have allowed to stand in the Essay (pp. 76-81) the views I held at +the time it was composed respecting the interpretation of Matt. xxv. +46, because I considered that these views, although in certain respects +they are inconsistent with those I maintain in this Appendix, might +contribute, by comparison with the latter, towards an understanding of +the passage. The interpretation which, after long consideration, I +have finally adopted, was first published in two letters, contained +under the head of "Correspondence," in the numbers of the _Guardian_ +for December 27, 1877, and January 16, 1878. With the view of offering +some additional arguments in support of that interpretation, and making +it more generally intelligible, I propose to begin with producing _in +extenso_ the two letters referred to. + + + +"ETERNAL PUNISHMENT. + +"Sir, + +"After reading attentively the letters of your correspondents to which +the sermon of Dr. Farrar has given occasion, it appeared to me that +some views in addition to those which have hitherto been proposed, and +in certain respects controverting them, may be worthy of consideration. +I beg, {126} therefore, to be allowed space for making the following +remarks:-- + +"We are taught in the Scriptures that hereafter there will be a new +constitution of the universe, 'new heavens and a new earth wherein +dwelleth righteousness' (2 Peter iii. 13), and that in this perfect +social state 'there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, +neither shall there be any more pain' (Rev. xxi. 4). To reconcile this +revelation, so intelligible and so comprehensive, with the meaning of +passages which seem to say that the punishment of the wicked will be +'endless,' presents a very great difficulty. We are not at liberty in +such cases to accept some parts of Scripture and reject others in order +to get rid of the difficulty, but must believe that the truth, if it +should be reached, will establish the consistency of all, and that +seeming contradictions are only due to our ignorance. I propose for +consideration the following solution of the above-stated difficulty:-- + +"Jesus Christ in his ministration on earth said, in the course of +giving instruction to his _disciples_ (Matt. xxiv. 3), 'These [on the +left hand] shall go into eternal punishment, and the righteous into +eternal life' (Matt. xxv. 46). Considering that in all he said and did +he had in view his Father's purpose of making the spirits of men meet +for immortality, it may be asked, In what way was such teaching +contributory to this end? May we not conclude from our Lord's words, +apart from all other inferences, that eternal life is necessarily +preceded by righteousness, and eternal punishment is as necessarily +consequent upon sin, and that the knowledge of these divine decrees +contributes to the formation of spirits for the life to come? This +inference might be accepted as abstractedly true; but then the question +arises, What is meant by _duration_ as signified by the word 'eternal'? +It should be remarked that in the statement of the doctrine I have +employed the word 'necessarily' in a sense that is not unusual, and is +generally thought to be intelligible. But it is to be taken into +account that no such use of the term occurs in Scripture, where, in +fact, it would be wholly {127} incongruous. The reason of this is that +the Scriptures contain no abstract truths which are not expressed, or +expressible, in terms understood from the facts and conditions of human +experience. This may especially be said of the discourses of our Lord, +in consequence of which they are much misunderstood by the many who are +incapable of discerning the spiritual through the literal, who, as he +said, 'have eyes and see not, and ears and hear not.' Assuming, +therefore, that there is truth in speaking of righteousness and life as +being _necessarily_ connected, as also of sin and punishment as being +in like manner connected, we have to inquire in what way these abstract +truths are expressed in the language of Scripture. I venture to make +answer that this is done by its recognition of a special faculty we are +all conscious of possessing, that of thinking and speaking of time (and +space also) as indefinitely extended. (The mathematician knows that +without the supposition, whether as to greatness or smallness, of _ad +libitum_ extent of space and time, he is unable to conduct his +reasoning.) On this principle Scripture speaks of duration through +'ages, and ages,' because by such emphatic reference to our capacity +for thinking of unlimited duration, the anterior necessity of certain +abstract truths, as especially the being and attributes of Deity, and +the characters of divine judgment, is expressed in terms drawn from +common thought and experience. + +"But the omnipotent Creator, who, for purposes towards us, made time +and space to be what we perceive them to be, has also the power to +change or _unmake_ them. If it were not so, there would be a power +above that of the Creator, which is impossible. The difficulty +concerning the duration of future punishment appears to be attributable +to a preconception tacitly, perhaps unconsciously, entertained by most +persons that time and space have an independent existence, although the +teaching of Scripture is directly opposed to this view. St. Paul +speaks of 'height' and 'depth' as of things _created_ (Rom. viii. 39); +St. Peter has, 'One day is with the Lord as a thousand years, and a +thousand years as one day' (2 Epist. iii. 8); and in {128} Rev. x. 6 it +is expressly said that when the scheme of redemption is finished 'time +shall be no more.' The foregoing argument suffices, I think, to show +that 'endless' and eternal are not convertible terms, for the special +reason that the latter is significant of time as being derived from +_[oe]tas_, whereas the other has _per se_ no necessary relation to +time. (For the same etymological reason I consider 'eternal' to be +preferable to 'ever-lasting.') I cannot forbear adverting here to a +serious misstatement, as it seems to me, in Mr. Churton's letter in the +Guardian of December 12 (p. 1714). He says that the teaching of Holy +Scripture as to the matter of _duration_, is precisely the same with +respect to eternal life and eternal death, having apparently overlooked +the remarkable expression in Heb. vii. 16, 'indissoluble life' (_zôês +akatalytou_), in which endlessness is signified by an epithet not +explicitly indicative of time. No such epithet is applied in Scripture +to future punishment. This difference is of great importance when +taken with reference to the declaration in Scripture that time itself +has an end. + +"It would certainly appear that the apostle Paul did not teach that the +future punishment of the wicked will be endless; otherwise, how could +he have written, 'God is the Saviour of all men, specially of those +that believe' (1 Tim. iv. 10)? Is not this to assert that all are +saved in the same sense that some who believe are saved, although there +may be difference as to the order or mode of the salvation? We know +that in the present age faith avails to save if it rests on the +assurance given by the suffering and death of Jesus Christ that by +passing through the same gate of suffering we are prepared to enter +into life; for such faith yields the fruit of patience and +righteousness. But _in the age to come_ there is neither faith, nor +repentance, nor _probation_, but 'a certain fearful looking for of +judgment and fiery indignation' (Heb. x. 27). The appointed Judge is +the Son of man, who, having suffered an unjust and painful death at the +hands of sinful men, is entitled to execute the vengeance on sinners. +All men are judged; but the elect, {129} who have been sealed by faith +and good works, escape condemnation, and are those that are 'specially' +saved. The rest are condemned to undergo _the second death_. This is +that 'threefold woe' and 'great tribulation' so plainly foretold in +Scripture. It was by these 'terrors of the Lord' that St. Paul sought +to 'persuade' men, and not, as it would seem, by saying that the misery +will be without end. As matter of experience, the preaching of this +hopeless destiny does not deter from sin, but only makes sad tender +spirits whom God has not made sad. Why should we not rather believe +that the purpose of avenging justice is fulfilled when that great and +final tribulation (Mark xiii. 19) has availed, in virtue of the +suffering whereby the Son of God 'consecrated' the way to life, for the +_purification_ and salvation of the condemned, seeing that even saints +and martyrs have need to be purified by suffering (see Dan. xii. 10)? +This view reconciles all apparent contradictions, and accords with the +gospel declared in Rev. xxi. In making the foregoing statements I have +necessarily tried to be brief; but I hope, ere long, to be able to +publish a justification of them by arguments drawn at greater length +from Scripture. + +"Cambridge, December 21, 1877." + + + +"ETERNAL LIFE. + +"After the publication of my letter in the _Guardian_ of December 27 +(p. 1786), I received from various quarters interrogations and +arguments, which led me to see that there was an omission in one part +of my reasoning, by supplying which the whole of the argument might be +made much more complete. In particular, it was maintained by my +correspondents, I admit quite logically, that if eternal punishment in +Matt. xxv. 4:6 could be taken to mean punishment which has an end, by +parity of reasoning 'eternal life' must there mean life which has an +end. As I find that the same argument has been adduced in the +correspondence of the _Guardian_, I hope I may {130} be allowed, +notwithstanding the length to which the discussion of the subject has +gone, the opportunity of a supplementary letter for showing how, by +rectifying the above-mentioned defect, the views I have proposed meet +this difficulty. + +"In the Scriptures definite mention is made of only two ages, the +present age and the future age, or, in other words, 'this world and the +world to come' (Matt. xii. 32). The plural ages (_aiônes_) and 'ages +of ages' are expressions to which we can by no mental effort attach a +definite signification, and consequently, as I endeavoured to show in +my former letter, they admit of various abstract applications. As in +the present age, so in the age to come, there is a _succession_ of +events which take place under conditions of time. These events have +received comparatively but small attention in the theology of the +present day, apparently because it is not generally seen that they are +spoken of much more largely by the prophets of the Old Testament than +in the New Testament, in which it is assumed that the old prophets are +understood; and again, because the epitome given in the Book of +Revelation (see Rev. x. 7) of the communications vouchsafed to the +prophets is expressed in symbols which we find it hard to interpret. +There are, however, passages in the New Testament which expressly make +known the relation of deeds and events of the present age to those of +the age to come; as especially our Lord's discourse 'as he sat on the +Mount of Olives,' and the apostles 'Peter and James and John and +Andrew' asked Him privately to tell them what would be the sign of his +coming, and of _the end of the world_ (_tês synteleias tou aiônos_). +There is also that remarkable passage in which St. Matthew records that +Jesus said to Peter, 'Ye who have followed me, in the regeneration when +the Son of man shall sit on the throne of his glory, ye also shall sit +on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel.' The number +'twelve' in Scripture symbolism always signifies 'election;' the judges +may be presumed to be of the order of prophets and apostles--the elect +of the elect--and the twelve tribes of Israel the whole number of the +elect (see Rev. vii. 4-8). Now, these {131} twelve times twelve +thousand, symbolizing the complete number of the redeemed of every age +and nation, are 'the firstfruits unto God and to the Lamb,' and being +made perfect by suffering and judgment, farther on in the events of +that age 'follow the Lamb whithersoever he goeth,' and together with +him execute the final judgment on the whole world (Rev. xix. 14), +inclusive even of the judgment on Satan and his angels. This doctrine +seems to have been generally taught in the days of the apostles, +inasmuch as St. Paul writes to the Corinthians (1 Epist. vi. 2, 3), +'Know ye not that the saints shall judge the world?' 'Know ye not that +we shall judge angels?' Even in the Psalms we read, 'This honour have +all His saints' (see Psalm cxlix. 6-9). + +"On these premises, it seems to me, the following argument may be +founded relative to the interpretation of Matt. xxv. 46. In that +chapter the _separation_ between the sheep and the goats is spoken of +as initiatory to the general judgment, and the chapter closes with an +exposition of the principles on which the judgment is conducted as +regards both the one class and the other. The details and the +processes of the judgment, together with its _results_, are to be +sought for in the writings of the prophets and in the Book of +Revelation. Now, when account is taken of all events of that future +life, it may be said, I think, with truth, that the righteous who live +and act in it throughout, when that life begins enter into 'eternal +life,' the word 'eternal' being applicable because that age has a +time-limit. _This_ eternal life, the mention of which was omitted in +the former letter, merges into endless, or indissoluble, life, when +time is no more, and words expressive of time cease to have +application. In an analogous manner the unrighteous may be said to go +into 'eternal punishment' when they enter upon the experience of the +future age, the limit of the effects of the judgment and punishment +which they are doomed to undergo being a 'second death.' However great +and terrible may be the woe and tribulation attendant on that event, we +know as matter of experience of life at present, that death, of itself, +is but a passage into another state of existence. We have, {132} +therefore, no right to affirm that after the effects of judgment and +punishment are accomplished, the second death is not a transition into +that state of things in the new heavens and new earth which is +described in Rev. xxi. Rather, may we not conclude that eternal life +and eternal punishment terminate alike with the end of time, and that +in the consummation of all things both are merged in indissoluble life, +that God may be all in all? This conclusion appears to meet the +difficulty stated at the beginning of this letter. + +"I take this opportunity for expressing my approval of the arrangement +of the New Lectionary, by which chapters of the Book of Revelation are +now read more frequently than formerly before the people, this portion +of Scripture being indispensable for communicating to them the doctrine +of Jesus Christ in all its integrity. + +"Cambridge, January 12,1878." + + +The difficulty experienced in the present day of rightly apprehending +the doctrine taught by our Lord in Matt. xxv. 46, and in like passages, +arises, according to the arguments contained in the Essay and in the +foregoing letters, from the little attention that is paid in the +Christian doctrine now generally accepted to what the Scriptures reveal +respecting "the age to come" (_aiôn ho mellôn_) as distinguished from +"the present age" (_aiôn outos, aiôn ho parôn_). The designation "age" +applied in common to both, indicates that each has a beginning and an +ending. The future age begins at the termination of the present age, +the separation between them being the epoch of a resurrection of the +dead--not, however, of all the dead, but "a resurrection of the just," +that is, of those who have been prepared and sealed by faith, and +suffering, and good works, in the present life, for immediate entrance +into a new state of life. It is said of these that "they cannot {133} +die any more, and are the children of God, being the children of the +resurrection" (Luke xx. 36). These are they who "have part in the +first resurrection," of whom it is further said that "they _lived_ and +reigned with Christ a thousand years," whereas of "the rest of the +dead" it is said that "they _lived_ not till the thousand years were +finished" (see Rev. xx. 4, 6). It is plain, therefore, that there will +be a time of _separation_ of the one class from the other--the time of +_threshing_, when the tares are separated from the wheat; and that +whilst the elect at that time enter into the _[oe]onian_ life (that is, +the life of the age to come), the rest of the dead when they live again +enter into a state in which they undergo "[oe]onian punishment" (that +is, punishment that pertains to the age to come), ending eventually in +the second death, which, however, in common with all divine punishment, +is inflicted for producing a certain effect foreordained in the +counsels of the Almighty. (Respecting this effect, see what I have +said in the Essay and at the end of the first of the foregoing letters.) + +That the words of the passage in St. Matthew might be understood, at +least by the disciples to whom they were addressed, in the sense above +indicated, may be inferred from the knowledge of the religious Jews of +that time respecting the events of the future age, as conveyed to them +by the writings of the prophets of the Old Testament, with which they +were familiar. In proof of the general diffusion of such knowledge we +may cite the response of Martha to the Lord respecting the resurrection +of Lazarus, "I know that he shall rise again at the resurrection in the +last day" (John xi. 24), and the common belief of a resurrection of the +dead entertained by the numerous sect of the Pharisees, as well as the +particular character of the unbelief of the smaller body of Sadducees +(see Acts {134} xxiii. 8, where it is stated that "the Sadducees say +that there is no resurrection, neither angel, nor spirit: but the +Pharisees confess both"). It is hard to perceive etymologically how +the word _aiôuios_ could have received the meaning "ever-_lasting_." +There is, in fact, a very remarkable passage of the Apocalypse in which +that meaning is quite excluded: "And I saw another angel fly in the +midst of heaven, having the gospel of the age to come to preach +(_euaggelion aiônion euaggelisai_) unto them that dwell on the earth, +and to every nation, and kindred, and tongue, and people, saying with a +loud voice, Fear God, and give glory to Him; for the hour of His +judgment is come: and worship Him that made heaven, and earth, and the +sea, and the fountains of waters" (Rev. xiv. 6, 7). It is evident that +if _aiônion euaggelion_ here meant an everlasting gospel, the event +which the good news is intended to announce would never come. It may, +perhaps, be asserted that this passage of the Apocalypse refers to a +gospel announcement taking place at the present time, considering that +a distinctive feature of this age is a large increase of the knowledge +of the facts and laws of nature, and that possibly, contemporaneously +with such knowledge, God may vouchsafe a fuller understanding of the +Book of Revelation, and a discernment of the [oe]onian gospel it +proclaims (compare Dan. xii. 3, 4). That the true interpretation of +the Apocalypse will eventually be reached is implied by the words, +"Seal not the sayings of the prophecy of this book" (Rev. xxii. 10). + +On reconsidering the arguments of the Essay it occurred to me that it +would be proper to take notice in the Appendix of one other subject. +In pages 9, 15, and 63 the doctrine that immortality is dependent on a +state of perfected righteousness is regarded as "self-evident." I +{135} now think that the use of that term is objectionable, inasmuch +as, according to the title of the Essay, every such statement ought to +rest wholly on Scriptural ground. I propose, therefore, to adduce here +passages of Scripture which indicate an intimate relation between +righteousness and life. Out of many texts which might be cited for +this purpose, I have selected two, as follows. First, when under the +law, Moses said to the Israelites, "I have set before you life and +death: choose life," they must have understood his words as signifying +that on condition of submission to the will of God and obedience to His +righteous laws, they might look forward in faith to the enjoyment of +the future covenanted life. (See what is said on this text in p. 28.) +Again, the same dependence of life on righteousness forms an essential +part of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, although taught in a different +manner. St. Paul, for instance, has given in Rom. v. 18, the following +summary of Christian doctrine. Therefore as through one transgression +(__di henos paraptômatos_), unto all men, unto condemnation (_eis +katakrima_), so through one righteousness (_di henos dikaiômatos_, i.e. +the obedience unto death of Jesus Christ), unto all men, unto +life-justification (_eis dikaiôsin zôês_), where, it should be noticed, +_zôês_ is not a dependent genitive, but, as in many instances in New +Testament Greek, a genitive of quality. Thus this text declares that +the justification of all men, which is their being eventually made +righteous through the operation of the Son of God, has the quality of +conferring _life_. + + + + + +Transcriber's notes: + +This book contains many fragments of Greek, so many that the convention +of using "[Greek:...] to indicate transliterated Greek passages was +abandoned in favor of using underscores to indicate Greek material. +Transliteration was done according to the Project Gutenberg Greek +How-To guidelines. + +Underscores are also used to indicate italicized words, but in all +cases such words are English words. + +The sequence "[oe]" is used to indicate the Unicode oe-ligature +character. + + + + + + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of An Essay on the Scriptural Doctrine of +Immortality, by James Challis + +*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK SCRIPTURAL DOCTRINE OF IMMORTALITY *** + +***** This file should be named 27237-8.txt or 27237-8.zip ***** +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: + https://www.gutenberg.org/2/7/2/3/27237/ + +Produced by Al Haines + +Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions +will be renamed. + +Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no +one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation +(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without +permission and without paying copyright royalties. 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You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: An Essay on the Scriptural Doctrine of Immortality + +Author: James Challis + +Release Date: November 11, 2008 [EBook #27237] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ASCII + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK SCRIPTURAL DOCTRINE OF IMMORTALITY *** + + + + +Produced by Al Haines + + + + + + + + + + +AN ESSAY + +ON THE + +SCRIPTURAL DOCTRINE + +OF + +IMMORTALITY + + + +BY THE REV. + +JAMES CHALLIS, M.A., F.R.S., F.R.A.S. + + + + +PLUMIAN PROFESSOR OF ASTRONOMY AND EXPERIMENTAL PHILOSOPHY IN THE +UNIVERSITY OF CAMBRIDGE, AND FELLOW OF TRINITY COLLEGE. + + + + + _Anagke gar moi epikeitai ouai gar moi estin, ean me euaggelzumai + --1 Cor. ix. 16 + + + + +RIVINGTONS + +London, Oxford, and Cambridge + +MDCCCLXXX + + + + +RIVINGTONS + + +London . . . . . . _Waterloo Place_ + +Oxford . . . . . . _Magdalen Street_ + +Cambridge . . . . _Trinity Street_ + +[_All rights reserved_] + + + + + +{1} + +AN ESSAY + +ON THE + +SCRIPTURAL DOCTRINE OF IMMORTALITY. + + +Considering that under the existing conditions of humanity, disease, +and decay, and death abound on every side, it is surprising that the +word "immortality" obtained a place in systems of philosophy, the +authors of which must be supposed to have been unacquainted with divine +revelation. It is not surprising that in the absence of such aid the +belief of immortality should not have been firmly held, or that by some +philosophers it should have been expressly disavowed. Even in the +Canonical Scriptures, the words "immortal" and "immortality" occur only +in the Epistles of the Apostle Paul, and consequently not till "life +and immortality had been brought to light through the Gospel." It is a +remarkable circumstance that these words are met with more frequently +in the Apocryphal Books, 2 Esdras, Wisdom of Solomon, and +Ecclesiasticus, than in the Canonical Scriptures. The {2} explanation +of the apparent silence of the Scriptures, especially those of the Old +Testament, on so essential a doctrine, will, I think, be found to be +given by the course of argument adopted in this essay. + +It may, further, be noticed that, according to philosophical dogma not +derived from the teaching of Scripture, immortality is regarded as a +principle, or innate quality, in virtue of which the human soul is +exempt from the experience of death or annihilation. On this account +Greek and Roman philosophers speak of "the immortality of _the soul_," +and even in the present day the same terms are used, the soul being +regarded as _per se_ immortal. But neither in the Scriptures, nor in +the Apocrypha, is "immortality" qualified by the adjunct "of the soul;" +the reason for which may be that since death, as far as our senses +inform us, is an _objective_ reality, the writers judged that mortality +and freedom from mortality could only be predicated of _body_. It +must, however, be taken into account that according to the doctrine of +Scripture there is "a spiritual body" as well as "a natural body," so +that while the natural body is, as we know, subject to the law of +death, it may be true that the spiritual body is capable of +immortality. This point will be farther discussed in the course of the +essay. + +To account for the absence of any direct announcement of man's +immortality in the Old Testament, and for its being sparingly mentioned +in the New {3} Testament, the following argument seems legitimate and +sufficient. These Scriptures, as already intimated, give no +countenance to the idea that the soul of man possesses any innate +principle of immortality; on the contrary, they reveal immortality by +revealing _the means_ by which the spirit of man is _made_ immortal. +As, according to natural science, the external world, both the animate +part and the inanimate, has become such as we now perceive it to be by +processes of generation and development, so there is reason from +Scripture to say that a spiritual world is being created in an +analogous manner, and that to this creation all other creations are +subordinate and contributory. Moreover, we, the subjects of this +creation, are so constituted that we are conscious of, and can +ourselves take cognizance of, the means by which it is effected. These +considerations may be applied to account for the mode in which +immortality is treated of in the Bible. It concerns us, above all +things, to discern and feel the operations whereby our spirits are +formed both intellectually and morally for an immortal existence; and, +accordingly, Scripture is full of instruction, addressed both to the +understanding and the heart, concerning those means. Thus, although +the final effect is not directly named till the scheme of the spiritual +creation is completely unfolded, it is yet true that the whole of the +Scriptures from beginning to end has relation to man's immortality. + +{4} + +Not only did the philosophy of Greece and Rome fail to substantiate the +reality of an immortal existence; other philosophical systems, as well +the mystical conceptions of Eastern nations, as the metaphysical +speculations of modern Europe, have equally failed to arrive at +certainty respecting this verity. Now, it will be found, I think, to +be established by the argument of this essay, that in all these +instances the cause of failure is the same. The doctrine cannot, in +fact, be understood and believed without an understanding of the means +by which the immortal spirit is _formed_, and the ascertainment of +those means is beyond the power of unaided human intelligence. +Although the evidences of an immortal destiny may be in us and around +us, they cannot be discerned apart from enlightenment by a divine +revelation as to the purpose and end of the whole creation. + +The Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments profess to be a revelation +of the mind and will of the Creator of all things. If they are really +such, they must be capable of giving the information which, as said +above, is necessary for certifying the doctrine of man's immortality. +I shall, therefore, with express reference to the title of the essay, +first make the _hypothesis_ that the Scriptures are indeed a revelation +from God, written to reveal His will and His acts, and on this ground I +shall proceed to inquire what information can be derived from them +respecting the {5} _creation_ of the spirit of man for an immortal +destiny. The character of the information obtained may possibly +suffice to establish both the truth of the hypothesis and the certainty +of the doctrine of immortality. + +Before commencing the argument, it will be well to state on what +principles, and according to what rules, Scripture will be cited for +conducting it. It will be supposed that the Holy Scriptures, as a +whole, consist of words of God written for our sakes; and although they +were written by human authors, under diverse circumstances, and in +various ages, the several parts are still to be regarded as having +virtually but _one author_, the Holy Spirit, and as constituting on +that account a consistent whole. This view is almost necessitated by +the noticeable circumstance that very little information is given in +the Scriptures themselves respecting the authors of the writings, or +the time and place of their composition. This is true, for instance, +of such cardinal books as the four Gospels. Respecting these matters +enough is said to show that human hands have been employed to write the +books of Scripture, while so much has been left unsaid that we must +infer that this kind of information is of little moment by reason of +the _internal_ evidence the Scriptures contain of their divine +authorship. Such evidence, it seems to me, is especially given by the +fact that the Scriptures present a faithful _transcript_ of {6} the +world as it has been and is, in respect to the calamities, wars, and +revolutions that have befallen nations, and those weaknesses and +wickednesses of individuals and peoples, the accounts of which are so +great a stumbling-block to the "unstable and the unlearned." These +very accounts, it is possible, may be intended to tell us, if rightly +inquired into, why these things are so, why there is evil in the world, +and what shall be the end of it. The world has existed, it is +believed, nearly six thousand years, and at this day we see that many +suffer from sorrow and pain, labour and poverty are the lot of a very +large proportion of the populations, calamities by fire and water are +frequent, plague and pestilence still visit the earth, cruelty and +murders are rife, and so far from there being an end of wars, never +before have men fabricated such potent implements for killing each +other. Such facts as these constitute, after all, the difficulties +which beset humanity, and it may be presumed that, with the intent of +accounting for their existence, they are put on record in the word of +God. On the broad principle that the Author of a world like this will +have vouchsafed reasons for its being such as it is, I accept the +Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments as the word of God written for +this very purpose, and instead of cavilling, as some do, at +difficulties which probably have no other foundation than their own +ignorance, it will be my {7} endeavour to make use of Scripture for +explaining the perplexities and difficulties which actually surround +the facts of human experience. The discussion of the particular +question I have taken in hand will give occasion for employing the +Scriptures in this manner, and in doing so I shall quote from all parts +indiscriminately, regarding the whole as sufficiently authoritative and +trustworthy for the purposes of the argument. + +The above-mentioned general purpose the Scriptures may be supposed to +be adequate to fulfil, whether as expressed in the Hebrew tongue, or in +that of the Septuagint, or as translated in the English version, +notwithstanding that, as must be admitted, faults of transcription, or +translation, or interpretation have given rise to many verbal errors. +But the difficulties produced by these imperfections are of slight +importance in comparison with the great difficulty of discovering how +and on what principles to interpret the Scriptures so as to derive from +them the particular doctrines they are designed to teach. Amid the +great diversity of views that exists relative to modes of +interpretation, it may safely be maintained that the foremost and chief +requisite for making true deductions from the Scriptures is to have +_confidence_ in them as being depositions of Divine wisdom. Men of +science, in their endeavours to discover the secrets of Nature, are +baffled again and again, and yet by little and {8} little they obtain +accessions to knowledge just because they never doubt but that Nature, +if rightly interrogated, will give them true answers. It seems, +therefore, reasonable to expect that the words of God, handled on +principles analogous to those which have been successfully applied in +acquiring knowledge of His works, might be found capable of answering +the hard questions which are now, more, perhaps, than in past times, +agitating men's minds. This philosophy, having a surer basis than that +of any mere human intellectual system, might be expected to succeed +where these have failed. The bearing of these remarks on the main +subject of the essay will be seen as we go on. + +Commencing now, after the foregoing preliminaries, the general +argument, I remark, in the first place, that since, as matter of fact, +all men die, they cannot partake of immortality unless they are +restored to life after death. We have, therefore, to inquire both as +to what the Scriptures say concerning _death_, and what they reveal +concerning _resurrection_. Again, it may be taken for granted that as +in the natural world, so in the spiritual world, the Creator of all +things effects His purposes by operating according to _laws_. On this +principle St. Paul in Rom. viii. 2 speaks of "the law of sin and +death," meaning that sin and death are invariably related to each other +as antecedent and consequent. By an irrevocable law {9} death is +ordained to be "the wages of sin" (Rom. vi. 23). Of ourselves we can +judge that it does not consist with the power and wisdom of an +omnipotent and omniscient Creator that the sinful should live for ever. +But if this be so, it must evidently be true also that immortality, +being exemption from death, is the _consequence_ of freedom from sin, +that is, of perfect righteousness. This is as necessary a law as the +other. + +Hence the inquiry respecting the means by which man is made immortal +resolves itself into inquiring by what means he is made righteous; and, +as the first step in this inquiry, we have to consider what Scripture +says concerning the entrance of sin and death into the world. If sin +be defined to be doing what is contrary to the will of God, as +expressed by a command, righteousness, being its opposite, will consist +in acting according to His will. Hence sin and righteousness both +imply that a revelation of the will of God has been antecedently made, +either directly by a command or law, or by the voice of conscience. It +is on this principle that St. Paul says, "apart from law sin is dead" +(Rom. vii. 8), and in another place speaks of "the righteousness _of +the law_" being fulfilled (Rom. viii. 4). Accordingly, when Adam was +placed in the garden of Eden, a _command_ was expressly given him for +trial of his obedience. + +{10} + +The narrative in Scripture of the circumstances under which sin was +first committed is deserving of special consideration on account of the +instruction it conveys. It states that Eve, knowing that God had +commanded Adam not to eat of the tree of the knowledge of good and +evil, yet, being deceived by the serpent and enticed by her own +desires, "took of the fruit thereof, and did eat, and gave also to her +husband with her, and he did eat" (Gen. iii. 6). Thus, as St. Paul +writes, "Adam was not deceived, but the woman being deceived was in the +transgression" (1 Tim. ii. 14). But both partook of the forbidden +fruit, and by so doing both sinned alike against their Maker, the deed +being sinful, not as considered by itself, but by reason of the +antecedent command, which made it an act of _disobedience_. + +If we assume that the account of Eve's temptation is to be taken as +literally true, so that the tempter had actually the form of a serpent +and addressed to her _spoken_ words, these facts will have to be +regarded as altogether _miraculous_. There are good reasons for +admitting this view, when it is considered, first, that the information +which this portion of Scripture gives equally concerns all of every +age, and in order that it might be intelligible to all, it was +necessary that in the infancy of the world it should be conveyed by +_objective_ representation; and, again, that various instances are met +with in the Bible of analogous {11} teaching of essential doctrine by +means of miracles. The translation of Enoch, the Deluge, the +destruction of Sodom, the plagues of Egypt and deliverance of Israel, +the giving of the law from Sinai, the passage of Jordan, the ascension +of Elijah, and the resurrection of Christ, are all symbolic miracles, +the interpretations of which have intimate relation to the doctrine of +man's immortality. This being understood, I shall proceed to discuss +particularly the meaning of the Scriptural account of the beginning of +sin through temptation by the serpent, and on the supposition that the +facts as recorded are real but symbolic, I shall endeavour to deduce +from them their doctrinal signification. + +The first question to consider is, Why is the tempting spirit called a +_serpent_? The Scripture affirms that "the serpent was more subtil +(_phronimoatos_) than any beast of the field" (Gen. iii. 1); and our +Lord, addressing his apostles, said, "Lo, I send you as sheep in the +midst of wolves; be ye, therefore, wise (_phronimoi_) as serpents, and +harmless as doves." Yet, as we know, the serpent is not endowed in any +special manner with sagacity or reason. The fact is, the epithet +"subtil" is applied to the serpent with reference to its form and +movements, which convey the abstract idea of subtlety on the same +principle that the words "tortuous" and "twisting" have an abstract +meaning when we speak of "tortuous policy," {12} or "twisting the +meaning of a sentence." Now this subtle entity--this serpent--although +presented to Eve in bodily form, was not the less that spirit of evil, +the personal existence of which, on the hypothesis that the Scriptures +are true, as well as its influence on human minds, must be admitted. +Accordingly our first parents were tempted by what St. Paul calls "the +wiles (_tas methodeias_) of the devil" (Eph. vi. 11). + +Again, the statement in Gen. iii. 6, that "when the woman saw that the +tree was good for food, and that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a +tree to be desired to make one wise, she took of the fruit thereof, and +did eat," is in accordance with what St. John teaches as to "the lust +of the flesh," "the lust of the eyes," and "the pride of life," being +opposed to "doing the will of God" (1 John ii. 16, 17). Also, as we +have seen, Adam was associated with a partner, who, having been +overcome, in consequence of such desires, by the wiles of Satan, +committed sin, and then induced her husband to do the same. Thus, +since the world at that time consisted of these two individuals, it is +an obvious inference, as well as one of great significance, that Adam +was tempted just as all his offspring are--that is, by the world, the +flesh, and the devil--and, as all his offspring do, yielded to the +temptation. + +Although Adam was created in the image of his Maker in respect to being +endowed with powers of {13} understanding and reasoning, and although +he was made capable of learning and doing righteousness, he was not +originally _made righteous_, forasmuch as he sinned: but those whom God +makes righteous sin no more, because all the works of God are perfect. +"The first man Adam was made a living soul," the breath of life being +breathed into his nostrils (Gen. ii. 7). He thus partook of natural +life, but not of spiritual life. He was, as St. Paul says, "of the +earth, earthy," and all we who are descended from him "bear the image +of the earthy" (1 Cor. xv. 47, 49). The mind (_to phronema_) of this +natural man is at "enmity with God," and "neither is, nor can be, +subject to the law of God" (Rom. viii. 7). This accounts for our +perceiving in children from their very infancy a spirit of +disobedience, this spirit being derived through natural descent from +that which our first parents exhibited in the infancy of the world. +The author of the Apocryphal Book, 2 Esdras, writes: "The first man +Adam, bearing a wicked heart, transgressed, and was overcome; and so be +all they that are born of him" (iii. 21). In the Wisdom of Solomon +this passage occurs: "Wisdom preserved the first formed father of the +world, that was created alone, and brought him out of his fall" (x. 1). +But it is to be remarked that the word here translated "fall" is +_paraptoma_, the same word that St. Paul uses in Rom. iv. 25 and v. 16, +to designate "_our_ transgressions." {14} Cruden in his Concordance +gives under the word "fall" an elaborate statement of received views +respecting "the fall of man," although that word, as the Concordance +shows, does not once occur in the Canonical Scriptures in any relation +to the sin of Adam. + +It is very noteworthy that after the account of Adam's sin in Genesis, +no express mention is made of it in subsequent Canonical Books, till we +come to the fifth chapter of St. Paul's Epistle to the Romans, where +the introduction of sin into the world by _one man_ is prominently +adduced in an argumentative passage which appears to me to have been +much misunderstood.[1] The reason that a fact which is so essential an +element in theological systems is so little adverted to in the +Scriptures, I consider to be, that these systems have hitherto not +recognized an analogy which may be presumed to exist between God's +natural creation and His spiritual creation. From what is stated in +Genesis i. and ii. there is reason to say that the natural creation was +at its beginning without form, and dark, and unfurnished, and that by +the power of the Creator, operating, we may presume, according to laws, +it was brought into the state of order, light, and adornment (_kosmos_) +which we now behold. Hence, arguing from analogy, we {15} might infer +that the spiritual creation has its beginning in the reign of sin and +death, and that by the power of the Spirit of God, operating according +to law on our spirits, it has its consummation in the establishment of +righteousness and life. + +This analogical inference suffices, I think, to explain why, after the +brief initial account of the entrance of sin and death into the world, +the purport of the whole of Scripture is to record the subsequent +prevalence of sin, and to reveal by what means grace abounded in the +gift of righteousness, and how it abounded all the more because the law +of sin and death "passed" from one man "upon all men" (Rom. v. 12). +The apostle Paul argues that whereas "_death_ reigned through one, +_much rather_ shall they who receive the abundance of grace and of the +gift of righteousness reign in _life_ through one Jesus Christ" (Rom. +v. 17); and in accordance with this doctrine he adds (v. 20), "The law +entered by the way (_pareiselen_) _in order that_ the offence might +abound, but where sin abounded grace did much more abound." It seems +impossible to draw from such sentences as these any other inference +than that, according to the scheme of the spiritual creation, the reign +of sin and death is the necessary antecedent of the evolution of life +from righteousness. + +The apostle sums up his argument by saying (v. 19), "For as by the +disobedience of one man the many were made sinners, so also by the +obedience {16} of one shall the many be made righteous" (_dikaioi +katastatesontai oi polloi_). It is evident that "the many" here +includes all that are born in the world, in contradistinction to "the +one," Adam, who was created, and from whom all have descended by +natural generation. Now, considering that righteousness and life, as +necessarily as their opposites sin and death, are related to each other +by law as antecedent and consequent, the above revelation that "all +will be made righteous" is as direct an assertion of the immortality of +all men as could possibly be made. It is, therefore, of the greatest +moment, as regards our argument, to ascertain on what grounds we are +told that all will eventually be "made righteous" through the obedience +of Jesus Christ, and what is the exact meaning of this doctrine. The +purpose of this essay will be completely fulfilled if it should be +shown that these questions admit of being satisfactorily answered. But +before attempting to do this, it is necessary to have a precise +understanding of the previous assertion that through Adam's +disobedience "the many were made sinners." This preliminary inquiry I +now proceed to enter upon. + +If we adopt the view expressed in a passage already quoted (2 Esdras +iii. 21), we shall, in effect, admit that the transgression of Adam was +_the consequence_ of his "bearing a wicked heart," and that all who are +born of him sin because by _natural generation_ they {17} have received +from him the same wicked heart. According to this view it must be +supposed that "the wicked heart" is in respect to goodness a _tabula +rasa_, and that till goodness be formed in it, it is led by natural +desires to do evil. Certainly the moral phenomena exhibited by very +young children accord with this supposition; and it may reasonably be +presumed that St. Paul, in giving to the Romans, to whom he had not +personally preached, a synoptical statement of the doctrines he was +accustomed to teach, did not set before them the Scriptural account of +the introduction and prevalence of sin in any manner not intelligible +to ordinary minds from common experience. + +What then are we to understand by the assertion that "through the +disobedience of one man the many were made sinners"? In answer to this +question it is to be said that the word _parakoe_ may be taken in this +passage to signify "disobedience" abstractedly, and not a special act +of disobedience, because _upakoe_ in the next clause does not require +to be taken in a specific sense, but rather as referring to that holy +spirit which was in Jesus Christ, in virtue of which his will was +always in subjection to the will of his heavenly Father, and he became +"obedient unto death." According to this interpretation, +"disobedience" is here put for that wickedness of heart the antecedent +existence of which the sin of Adam gave {18} evidence of, and which, by +being transmitted from father to son through natural generation, has +made all men sinners, to the end that all may be eventually made +righteous by spiritual generation. + +It is true that the sin of Adam, being the first violation of a command +received from God, first made disobedience an objective reality, and +that thus sin entered into the world. But although _actual_ +transgression had this beginning, it does not follow that the +_proneness_ of the heart of man to transgress was contingent on Adam's +sin, or thereby came into existence. On the other hand, it will +probably be urged that to ascribe its existence to any other cause is +"to make God the author of sin." In answer to this objection it may be +said that if it were valid as regards God's moral essence, one might +with as good reason urge that it was inconsistent with His power and +intelligence that the natural creation should have its beginning in +darkness and chaos. However, whether or not this view be accepted, I +shall assume that the reality of the natural wickedness of the human +heart is admitted, and consequently the remainder of the argument, +inasmuch as it has reference to the means by which the wicked heart is +subdued and made righteous, will in either case be the same. + +The relation of "one" to "many," considered only as a natural fact, is +so peculiar and essential an {19} element in the past history and +progressive development of the human race, that it might well be +supposed to be specially significant with respect to their future +destiny; and, in fact, St. Paul has taught us to draw the reasonable +inference that whereas through the first Adam the many, by a law from +which they cannot rid themselves, have been made sinners, _a fortiori_ +through a "second Adam" the many will be made righteous. The course of +our argument, consequently, now demands an inquiry as to the means by +which the many will be made (_katastathesontai_) righteous through the +obedience of Jesus Christ. The future tense is particularly to be +noticed. + +As soon as it was shown by the sin of Adam that the natural man is +incapable of obedience to the will of God, a preordained dispensation +was begun, whereby the natural man is converted into the spiritual man +and made fit for immortality. This dispensation was introduced by a +_promise_, the terms of which could be understood by Adam and Eve after +they had learned that the spirit of evil (in whom is "the power of +death") through their disobedience brought death into the world. The +promise was given in the words "he (_autos_, _Sept._) shall bruise thy +head, and thou shalt bruise his heel" (Gen. iii. 15). Hebrew +commentators have, I think, rightly taken this passage in the sense--he +("the seed of the woman") shall bruise thee at thy _ending_, and thou +shalt bruise him at his {20} _beginning_. The promise, accordingly, +signifies that the power of Satan would prevail _at first_, and for a +time, even to putting to death the Son of God (Luke xxii. 53), but that +_in the end_ that power would by the Son of God be overcome (Luke x. +18). And since with the victory over the spirit of evil an end is put +to evil itself, the promise is, in effect, that Adam and his race shall +eventually be exempt from death and evil, and partake of a happy +immortality. + +But in the very next sentence _conditions_ are annexed (Gen. iii. +16-19). Because of the imperfection of the natural man, and his +opposition, through the subtlety of Satan and the desires of the flesh, +to the will of his Maker, labour and sorrow, pain and _death_, were +ordained to be his lot, in order that he may _thereby_ be made meet to +partake of the promise. It is by reason of these conditions that the +promise becomes, in effect, a _covenant_, in which of necessity two +parties are concerned: God on His part promises happiness and +immortality, but to be received only on the above-stated conditions; +and man's part is to submit to the conditions, as being ordered by a +"faithful Creator," and to look in faith for the fulfilment of the +promise. Here, then, are all the essentials of a covenant, excepting +_surety_ for its fulfilment, which on acknowledged principles of +justice might be asked for by man, seeing that he has to satisfy the +conditions before he enjoys the benefit. Such security is amply {21} +given by God, as will be shown in the sequel of the argument. In +short, this covenant admits of being described in terms exactly suited +to human covenants, because the providence of God has so ordered these, +that, together with other purposes, they answer this, the principal +one, of making intelligible the divine covenant. This same covenant +might with more exactness be called a _will_, or _testament_, because +from its very conditions the benefit it confers cannot be received till +after _death_ (see Heb. ix. 16, 17). Also, because this covenanted +promise runs through the whole of the Scriptures, they have been +appropriately named the Scriptures of the Old Testament and of the New +Testament, not, however, as signifying that the Old Testament is +superseded by the New, but that it reveals an earlier stage of +development of the same covenant. + +The character and purpose of this covenant began to be unfolded at the +threshold of the world's history, on the occasion of offerings being +brought to God by Cain and Abel. Abel's offering consisted of "the +firstlings of his flock and the fat thereof," and was, therefore, +proper for expressing, by visible tokens, the character of the covenant +in three essential particulars: first, that it is a covenant of _life_, +the animals chosen affording _food_, and that of the choicest kind, for +supporting life; secondly, that the covenanted life is entered upon +after death, the animals being _slain_ {22} for food; thirdly, that +pain and death, although, according to law, consequent upon sin, were +ordained, not alone for the judicial punishment of sin, the animals +that were slain being "_harmless_," but for rendering the spirit of man +meet to partake of the future life. Abel was himself in his death the +first witness (_martus_) to this truth, and by the same means many +chosen servants of God have been "purified and made white" (Dan. xii. +10). The offering of Cain was also proper for food, but as consisting +of "fruits of the ground," it was not, like Abel's, susceptible of any +meaning relative to the covenant. Grace was given to Abel to select an +offering which, as being significant of the covenant, was accepted by +God; but the same grace was not given to Cain. "The Lord had respect +to Abel and to his offering: but to Cain and to his offering He had not +respect." + +The narrative goes on to say that because the Lord had not the same +respect to Cain's offering as to Abel's, Cain was "very wroth, and his +countenance fell," and that on this account he was rebuked. It should +be noticed that the terms of the rebuke have no reference to the choice +of offering, but to "doing well," implying that Cain's conduct was not +"righteous" like that of Abel. To quiet his troubled spirit, he is +told that it is God's pleasure that he should stand towards his brother +in the relation of protector and ruler. Cain repudiated this relation +{23} and slew his brother, acting thus as the unrighteous world, of +whom he may be regarded as the representative, have always acted +towards God's elect, whom Abel typified. These remarks will afterwards +be seen to bear on the general argument. + +The distinction which God made between the offerings of Cain and Abel, +and His express approval of Abel's offering, might serve to make known, +at the time and in succeeding generations, the purport of the promise +made originally to Adam, and the ordained conditions of its fulfilment. +In fact, the special acceptance by God of Abel's offering may be looked +upon as the primary institution of _sacrifice_. The researches of men +of learning have abundantly shown that the sacrificing of animals was a +very ancient and wide-spread religious practice, but have left +altogether unexplained how it _originated_, and whence arose the custom +of ratifying a covenant between man and man by _killing_ animals; for +what reason also the slaying of _innocuous_ and _helpless_ victims came +to be the principal act of religious worship among the Jews, and why it +was thought among the Gentiles that such sacrifices _pleased_ the gods. +These questions do not appear to admit of answers apart from +information derived from Scripture. The answers will, I think, be +found to be given by what, in reliance on such aid, has been already +said, and by what remains to be said, {24} respecting the covenant of +immortality. It is quite possible that, as has happened with respect +to other practices, that of sacrificing animals was continued long +after its original signification ceased to be understood. This may be +affirmed of the ratifying of covenants by killing victims (which no +sane person nowadays would think of doing), and generally of the +sacrifices offered by Gentile nations in honour of their gods, which +eventually became mere matters of _custom_, without any distinct +appreciation of their intrinsic meaning. In such cases all clue from +tradition or history fails, and the explanation of the sources of the +practices can be looked for only in the records of Scripture. + +It might, however, be questioned whether Abel himself, in making his +offering, understood that it had the symbolic meanings ascribed to it +above. The answer to this inquiry, given on the authority of what is +said in Heb. xi. 4, would seem to be that he did so understand it, +inasmuch as it is stated that he brought an acceptable offering _by +faith_, and, according to Heb. xi. 1, faith may be defined to be an +intelligent belief and hopeful expectation of the covenanted life. +Also, as bearing on this question, it may be mentioned that in passages +of Scripture where Abel is subsequently spoken of (as Matt. xxiii. 85, +Heb. xi. 4, 1 John iii. 12), his _righteousness_ is specially referred +to. Now, since to do righteousness {25} is to do what is pleasing to +God, and, as we are told in Heb. xi. 6, "without faith it is impossible +to please God," it follows that Abel's righteousness was the +consequence of his faith. In fact, according to St. Paul's teaching, +faith and righteousness are by law related to each other as antecedent +and consequent (Rom. iii. 27, 28). Consequently we may here draw an +inference which forms an essential part of the general argument for +immortality. For since we have admitted, as a necessary and +self-evident principle, that righteousness is the foundation of +immortality, and Scripture presents to us in Abel an instance of the +attainment of righteousness by faith, it follows that _faith is a means +of partaking of immortality_. This doctrine will be farther treated of +in the sequel; but in the mean time it will be well to explain that I +consider "righteousness" to consist in obedience by word and deed to +the "royal law" according to which, in a perfect social state, every +one would do to others as he would that they should do to him. This +relation between man and man should, I think, rather be called +_righteousness_ than _morality_, because the latter word is derived +from _mores_ (manners), and does not etymologically denote "rectitude," +whereas the Greek word for righteousness (_dikaiosune_) refers to the +deciding of what is morally right by a judge, and the office of a +judge, as respects social relations, is the {26} highest that men are +appointed to discharge towards their fellow men. It should also be +noticed that the "faith" I am speaking of does not consist in believing +what is not understood, which seems to be a psychological +contradiction, but in believing _in consequence of_ understanding. "By +faith we _understand_ that the worlds [or ages (_tous aionas_)] were +framed by the word of God" (Heb. xi. 3). In short, the faith spoken of +in Scripture is the basis of all intellectual, as well as of all moral +excellence, and is inclusive of what is usually called "talents," or +"gifts." + +The same covenant, under different typical circumstances, was renewed, +first with Noah (Gen. ix. 8-17), and afterwards with Abraham (Gen. +xvii. 1-8). The faith of Noah was exhibited not only in building an +ark in obedience to God's command, but also in sacrificing clean +animals on coming out of the ark. These sacrifices, being offered +immediately after the world had been destroyed by the baptism of the +Flood, were peculiarly significant of an understanding and acceptance +of the covenant of a life to come. After the mention made in the +Epistle to the Hebrews of the faith and obedience of which Noah gave +evidence by building the ark, it is said of him that "he thereby became +heir [inheritor] of the _righteousness_ which is according to faith" +(Heb. xi. 7). Such righteousness, we have already argued, entitles the +possessor of it to immortality. + +{27} + +So also Abraham, when God promised that the land of Canaan should be +given to his seed, "builded an altar to the Lord" (Gen. xii. 7, 8), for +the purpose, it may be presumed, of sacrificial worship, testifying +thus not only belief of the fulfilment of the particular promise, but +faith also in the covenanted future life. That Abraham's faith, while +he sojourned in Canaan, was directed towards the experience of the +world to come, is plainly declared in Heb. xi. 10, where it is asserted +that "he looked for a city having foundations, whose builder and maker +is God." It was in consequence of such faith that the gift of +righteousness was reckoned to him as a _favour_, and "he was called the +friend of God" (James ii. 28). Now, the above-mentioned renewal of the +covenant was made with Abraham, not solely in respect to his being +father of the Hebrew nation, but in respect also to his being typically +father of all that believe of all times and nations (compare Gen. xvii. +1-8, with Rom. iv. 11, 16, 17). And all this elect seed receive, in +common with their spiritual father, the gift of righteousness through +faith--are saved by faith; so that the doctrine that faith is the means +whereby the elect are made meet for immortality, which was inferred +from the history of Abel, is exemplified in a more comprehensive manner +by what is recorded of Abraham. + +We have argued above that the patriarchs Noah {28} and Abraham +testified their belief and acceptance of the covenant of life by +sacrifice. But in the patriarchal times the only surety for the +fulfilment of the promise was the direct word of God. With the +exception of what is said of Melchisedek, who typified a High Priest to +come, no mention is made of the mediation of priests till the +priesthood of Aaron was regularly constituted. From that time the +priest was mediator between God and the people, and in virtue of his +office gave assurance of the fulfilment of the covenant to those who, +by offering clean animals for sacrifice, signified their acceptance of +its conditions. The priest gave such assurance by mediatorially +receiving the offerings, and representing, by sprinkling the blood of +the slain animals, _the purifying effect of the suffering of death_. +After the ordinances of the law had been instituted, Moses said to the +people, "I have set before you life and death: choose life" (Deut. xxx. +19). Seeing that no one can escape the death which is the termination +of the present life, this choice between life and death necessarily +refers to the covenanted life, the fulfilment of the conditions of +which secures from death in the world to come. The author of the +Apocryphal Book 2 Esdras, who was wiser, I think, than the author of +"The Divine Legation of Moses," has shown that he so understood the +passage; for after saying (vii. 48, 44), "The day of doom shall be the +end of this time, and the {29} beginning of the immortality for to +come, wherein corruption is past, intemperance is at an end, infidelity +is cut off, righteousness is grown, and truth is sprung up," he adds +(in _v._ 59) with reference to this description of the life to come, +"This is the life whereof Moses spake unto the people while he lived, +saying, Choose thee life, that thou mayest live." + +Sacrifice remained the chief symbol of religious faith up to the time +of that great sacrifice of the Son of God, the acceptance of which by +the Father sealed the covenant of everlasting life, and made all other +sureties sure. The ground of assurance lies in the fact that Jesus +Christ in his life and death went through all the experience whereby +_our_ spirits are formed for immortality. "He learned obedience by the +things that he suffered" (Heb. v. 8). He was made perfect "through +sufferings" (Heb. ii. 10). "He made him to be sin (_hamartian_; +compare Gal. iii. 13) for us, who knew no sin, that we might be made +the righteousness of God in Him" (2 Cor. v. 21). Joining with these +passages that remarkable one in which Christ is spoken of as "a priest +who is made according to the power of an indissoluble (_akatalytou_) +life" (Heb. vii. 16), it is evident that our community with him in +suffering, in death, and, as we have reason to hope, in resurrection, +is ample surety to us for the fulfilment of the covenant of +immortality. For as death is the dissolution of life, indissoluble +{30} life means exemption from death, and is, therefore, identical with +immortality. + +That suffering in the flesh is efficacious, as is argued in the +foregoing doctrine, towards doing away with sin, may be maintained on +the authority both of St. Paul and St. Peter, the former apostle having +said, "He that is dead has been justified from sin" (Rom. vi. 7), and +the other, "He that has suffered in the flesh has ceased from sin" (1 +Peter iv. 1). But here it is particularly to be noted that this effect +is not produced upon _all_ who suffer in the flesh. These apostles are +speaking of such as have faith; and it is only when suffering is +accompanied by a faith which apprehends the covenant of life, and +especially lays hold of the surety for its fulfilment given by the +suffering and death of the Son of God, that it avails to free from sin. +The elect, who through the grace of God have such faith, are drawn by +the perfect love, and the _sympathy_ in its strictest sense, which were +manifested by the obedience unto death of Jesus Christ, to follow the +example of his obedience, and thereby to attain to righteousness. By +this reasoning it is shown, _but only so far as regards the elect_, +that "the many are made righteous by the obedience of Christ." It will +in the sequel be argued that the death of Christ has another aspect and +a wider effect. + +As there was no more occasion for signifying acceptance of the covenant +by sacrifice after the sacrifice {31} of Jesus Christ, that form of +religious worship came to an end. Thenceforth faith in the covenant +was to be expressed by means of symbols which pointed to the sacrifice +made once and for all time on the cross. The ordained symbols are +_bread_ and _wine_, taken in the Lord's Supper. The minister of the +Gospel has succeeded to the Jewish priest in respect to giving _surety_ +officially for the fulfilment of the covenant, and on that account may +with propriety be called a _priest_. There is no longer an altar, +because the acceptance of the covenant is not, as in the Jewish +worship, indicated by sacrifice, but by partaking of _food_ in the +forms of bread and wine at "the _table_ of the Lord." The Christian +minister, in delivering these symbols to the worshippers, gives, in +virtue of his mediating office, sureties for the fulfilment of the +covenant of eternal life; the worshipper who partakes of them in faith +receives them as such sureties, and looks for the fulfilment of the +covenant. No doubt this office should be discharged by a good and wise +minister, who has been regularly appointed thereto; but for the +efficacy of the ordinance the chief requisite is _faith_ on the part of +the recipient--an intelligent faith such as that which has just been +mentioned. + +The Sacrament of the Lord's Supper is justly regarded as the central +ordinance of the Christian religion, and, therefore, of necessity has +relation to the means whereby immortality is secured. In fact, {32} in +each of the four records of its institution given in Scripture, the +word "testament" (_diatheke_) occurs: in St. Matthew and St. Mark we +have, "This is my blood of the New Testament," and in St. Luke and 1 +Cor. xi., "This cup is the New Testament in my blood." What is the +meaning of "testament" in these passages, and how is the testament +related to the "blood" of Jesus Christ? It is worthy of notice that +these questions have received no special consideration in the recent +controversies respecting the Lord's Supper, although in order to arrive +at the full signification of that ordinance it is clearly necessary to +be able to give answers to them. As far as regards the general meaning +of the testament, or covenant, its relation to our immortality, and the +surety for its fulfilment given by the blood (i.e. the death) of Jesus +Christ, enough, I think, has been said in the foregoing arguments; it +remains to inquire, for more complete understanding of the doctrine of +the Sacrament, what relations the symbols _bread_ and _wine_ have to +the _Body_ and _Blood_ of Christ. + +"Bread strengthens man's heart," and "wine makes it glad" (Ps. civ. +15). To strengthen the _heart_ is to produce confidence. Now, it may +be asserted that confidence and joy, being incorporeal entities, are +the same in essence under whatever external conditions they are +generated. They are the same whether experienced in consequence of +taking {33} bread and wine, or in consequence of understanding and +accepting the covenant of life made sure by the body and blood of +Christ. Although physical science is wholly incapable of informing us +_how_ the _corporeal_ elements bread and wine produce in those who +partake of them _feelings_ of strength and gladness (the antecedents +and consequents not being in the same category), we can yet understand +that the Creator of all things might by His immediate will attach to +those substances such effects, not alone for the sake of man's body, +but for the higher purpose of thereby informing his spirit that there +is cause for confidence and joy in the broken body of the Lord, and his +poured-out blood. This view is justified by the language of St. Paul, +where he says, speaking of the Son of God, that "all things were +created through him and _unto_ him" (_eis auton_, Col. i. 16); from +which doctrine it may be inferred that our Lord, having regard to the +cognizable effects of bread and wine spoken of by the Psalmist, said of +bread, "This is my body," and of wine, "This is my blood," because his +body and blood, when "spiritually discerned," have _the very same +effects_. + +But why did Christ say, "This _is_ my body," "This _is_ my blood"? The +answer to this question may be given at once by pointing to a rule in +Scriptural teaching, according to which the symbol and the thing +symbolized are expressed in _identical_ terms. {34} The Bible must +have been read to little purpose by those who have not discovered that +this characteristic pervades all parts both of the Old and the New +Testament. On this principle, when speaking to the Jews, our Lord made +no distinction between his own body and the visible temple at +Jerusalem, just because his body was the proper habitation of the Holy +Spirit antecedently to, and comprehensively of, the dwelling of the +Spirit in any temple made with hands. St. Paul also employs like +teaching where he says, "They are not all Israel that are of Israel" +(Rom. ix. 6), the first "Israel" meaning God's elect of all nations and +times, and the other the Jewish people, by whom the elect are typified. +The rationale of this mode of teaching appears to be, that we could not +speak, or even think, of abstract verities, such as that Jesus Christ +is to us the author of life, and strength, and joy, without perceptions +and feelings antecedently derived from external realities; and the more +closely abstractions are viewed by the intervention of their necessary +objective antecedents, the more exact and effective will be our +knowledge. I venture here to express the opinion that all the +contention and diversity of views that have arisen about +Transubstantiation and the Real Presence are referable to the +non-recognition of the above-mentioned principle of Scriptural teaching +by symbols, and generally to an inability to understand and rightly +interpret the {35} concrete and symbolic language of Scripture. Defect +of knowledge in this respect has given occasion to many errors. With +regard to the doctrine of the Sacrament of the Lord's Supper, I am of +opinion that the above-mentioned dogmas, and the forms of worship +connected with them, which appear to be rightly designated as +_superstitious_, have had the effect of very much keeping out of view +the relation of that ordinance to the _covenant_ which, through the +death of Jesus Christ, makes immortality sure. Perhaps it should +rather be said that the superstitious practices give evidence that "the +blood of the new covenant" is not understood. + +From the preceding discussion I draw the conclusion that our Lord, in +saying of the wine, "This is my blood of the New Testament," expressed +the doctrine that his blood (signifying his death) is both the _pledge_ +and the means, through faith, of partaking of the joy (signified by the +wine) of a new and ever-lasting life. The Testament is new because it +contains the promise of a future inheritance under better sureties than +those of the old covenant of the Law. + +After having thus considered what the Scriptures say concerning +_death_, we have next to inquire what they reveal concerning +_resurrection_. As preliminary to this inquiry, it may be remarked +that the foregoing arguments relative to Christ's partaking with us in +death, are such as point directly to the conclusion that {36} we shall +participate with him in resurrection. In St. Paul's teaching (1 Cor. +xv. 12-19) Christ's resurrection and the resurrection of the dead are +events so necessarily related that, "if the dead rise not, Christ was +not raised up." But the fact of Christ's resurrection was +substantiated by so many witnesses, who saw him alive after his death, +that we may with certainty infer, according to this doctrine, that the +dead will rise. It is, however, to be observed that the argument of +the apostle in the passage just quoted is expressly addressed to those +who have faith and knowledge, and cannot be adduced in proof of the +doctrine of the resurrection of all men. For evidence as to the truth +of this doctrine recourse must be had to other parts of Scripture. + +For the present purpose it will suffice to cite two remarkable sayings +of our Lord, recorded in St. John's Gospel. He first says, "The hour +is coming, and now is, when the dead shall hear the voice of the Son of +God: and they that hear shall live" (John v. 25); and then (in _vv._ 28 +and 29 of the same chapter) he says, "The hour is coming in which all +that are in their graves shall hear his voice, and shall come forth; +they that have done good, unto the resurrection of life; and they that +have done evil, unto the resurrection of judgment" (_kriseos_). The +first passage refers to a _partial_ resurrection, inasmuch as it makes +mention of those only who shall hear the voice of the Son of {37} God, +and hearing shall live; whereas the other passage asserts that _all_ +who are in sepulchres (_mnemeiois_) shall hear his voice, and divides +these into two classes--those that have done good, who rise to _live_ +(the class just before mentioned), and those that have done evil, who +rise to be _judged_. The assertion in _vv._ 28 and 29 is, accordingly, +a revelation respecting the resurrection of all the dead, and is to be +taken as comprehensive of the other; so that the class that will +partake of "the resurrection of life" are the same as those of whom it +is said in the first passage that they will hear the voice of the Son +of God and will _live_. As far as regards the distinction into two +classes, this doctrine agrees with that preached by St. Paul, where he +affirms that his unbelieving countrymen "themselves allowed that there +would be a resurrection of the dead, both of the just and the unjust" +(Acts xxiv. 15). It may here be remarked that it is not necessary to +infer from its being said in John v. 28, 29, that "all that are in +their graves shall hear his voice and come forth," that all will rise +_simultaneously_. Rather the separate mention in _v._ 25 of those that +hear and live, and especially the assertion that the hour in which +_these_ hear is not only coming, but "_now is_," would seem to apply +exclusively to the resurrection of "the just," and to indicate that +this resurrection is antecedent to that of "the unjust." However, to +settle this question, {38} which is a very important one, recourse will +now be had to other passages of Scripture. + +On the principle of regarding, for application in this argument, the +_whole_ of the Canonical Scriptures as authoritative, it is legitimate +to refer to the Book of Revelation for information respecting the +resurrection of the dead. Now, in Rev. xx. 5 we have in express terms, +"This is the first resurrection." And again, in the next verse, +"Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection: on +such the second death hath no power." It is evident, therefore, that +this is the resurrection of the just, and that those who are thus +"blessed and holy" are thenceforth exempt from mortality. This +conclusion has a very important bearing on our argument; for, on +turning to _v._ 4 of the same chapter, we find that the partakers of +this resurrection are described as martyrs "who were beheaded for the +witness of Jesus, and for the word of God," and generally as those who +"received not the mark of the beast on their forehead and on their +hand," which may be interpreted as meaning that by intelligent faith +and righteous deeds they overcame their spiritual adversaries. It +seems, therefore, allowable to infer that this is the company of those +who in Scripture are so often called "the elect," who by suffering, +experience, and hope, are in this life "sealed" unto the day of +redemption (Rev. vii. 2-8, and Eph. iv. 80). + +{39} + +It is, besides, said of these chosen ones that they "lived and reigned +with Christ a thousand years," but that "the rest of the dead lived not +till the thousand years were finished." It would thus appear that a +definite interval of long duration is interposed between the +resurrection of the just and the unjust. It is also to be particularly +noticed that the seer, speaking of what pertains to that interval of a +thousand years during which the spirit of evil is "bound," says that he +"saw thrones, and they sat upon them, and judgment was given to them" +(Rev. xx. 4). This must refer to the judgment undergone by those who +have part in the _first_ resurrection, because the rest of the dead do +not rise to be judged till the thousand years are ended. As to the +elect being judged, the teaching of St. Paul is very explicit, where he +says, identifying himself with the general company of the faithful, "We +must all appear before the judgment-seat of Christ; that every one may +receive the things done through the body, according to what he hath +done, whether good or bad" (2 Cor. v. 10. So also Rom. xiv. 10). It +is not expressly said in the passage above quoted who they are who sat +on thrones and had judgment given to them; but the information is +supplied in Matt. xix. 28, where we read, "Jesus said to them [that is, +as the context shows, to Peter and the other apostles], Verily I say to +you, that ye who have followed me, in the regeneration when the Son of +man shall sit on the {40} throne of his glory, ye also shall sit on +twelve thrones judging the twelve tribes of Israel." A like +revelation, addressed exclusively to the apostles, is given in Luke +xxii. 28-80. "The twelve tribes of Israel" is the symbolic designation +of the elect--those that are sealed (see Rev. vii. 3-8). + +It must now be taken into account that the experience and the deeds of +_the present life_ alone determine whether any individual is or is not +of the number of the elect. Those only who by the favour of God are +justified in this life by works done through faith are reckoned among +"the just" who partake of the first resurrection. But Scripture +nowhere asserts that their spiritual state differs at their +resurrection from what it was at the time of their death; rather, it +negatives this assumption by describing their state in the interval as +that of "_sleep_." Consequently, not being yet "made perfect," they +have need to pass through the judgment just spoken of (compare 1 Cor. +iii. 11-15), in order that by the completion of their _spiritual +creation_ they might be made meet for immortality. To them, although +there is judgment, there is no "_condemnation_," and, therefore, no +"second death." Such, it seems to me, is the Scriptural doctrine of +immortality, as far as regards _the elect_. + +Before proceeding to speak of the judgment of the whole world, it will +be appropriate to consider here what judgment is abstractedly, and what +are its {41} purpose and effect. These questions can only be answered +by means of what is matter of human experience, and in terms derived +therefrom. Now we all know that kings, judges, and magistrates +administer justice and judgment for the purpose of making righteousness +and truth prevail, and that for the same end they inflict punishment on +the guilty. Whatever is this is judgment, and what is not this is not +judgment. The portion of the Scriptures which speaks in plainest terms +of the object and effect of judgment is, perhaps, that contained in +Psalms xcvi., xcvii., xcviii., and xcix. If the words of these Psalms +do not refer to the judgment that is to come upon the earth and the +whole world in the future age, they will require to be taken in a +non-natural sense. But such a sense is here inadmissible, because +consistently with what may be inferred, as said above, from _human +experience_ respecting judgment, namely, that its purpose is to cause +righteousness and truth to prevail, this Scripture declares in terms +expressive of the highest joy and exultation that for this end the +world is judged. + +Let us, therefore, now inquire what Scripture reveals respecting the +judgment and immortality of the rest of mankind--those who are not +numbered among the elect. First, it is clearly implied in Rev. xx. 5, +that they live again at the end of the thousand years. Next, as we +have already inferred from the words of {42} Christ recorded in John v. +29, they rise to be _judged_. If, as we have argued, it is needful +that even the elect should be judged, much rather must judgment +overtake the unbelieving and the unrighteous? We are, moreover, +expressly told who is to be the righteous Judge: "The Father hath +committed all judgment to the Son" (John v. 22). The sinners who, +acting "through ignorance" as agents of Satan, arraigned, condemned, +and put to death the blameless Son of God, were not alone guilty, +inasmuch as it was appointed that they should make manifest and +consummate the wickedness that reigns in the heart of the collective +world. For this reason Jesus Christ, in fulfilment of a just +retribution, is ordained to be Judge of all the world, and of Satan +also. + +Respecting the _outward means_ by which judgment is executed on the +ungodly, many things seem to be said in the Book of Revelation; but +from being expressed in symbolic language, they are generally "hard to +be understood." I shall make no attempt to give explanations of the +details of this symbolism, such an inquiry not being necessary for my +present purpose; but a few remarks on the contents of the Apocalypse +which have a general relation to the purpose and effect of judgment may +here be appropriately introduced as bearing on the question of +immortality. In the first place, it may be stated that its prophetic +language and symbols resemble in so many {43} particulars what we meet +with in various parts of the prophecies of the Old Testament, that it +might almost be regarded as an epitome of these prophecies. This view +is supported by the announcement made in Rev. x. 7, which affirms that, +"in the days of the voice of the seventh trumpet, when he shall begin +to sound, the mystery of God shall be finished, according to the gospel +He declared (_os eueggelise_) unto His servants the prophets" (see also +Rev. xxii. 6). It is here to be particularly remarked that after the +sounding of six trumpets severally significant of judgment, it is +proclaimed that the mystery of God would be finished at the sounding of +the seventh and last, this consummation having been antecedently made +known as a _gospel_ to the Old Testament prophets. This text +accordingly agrees with the tenor of the argument previously adduced +respecting the final effect of judgment in establishing the reign, so +much to be desired, of truth and righteousness. At the end of the +judgment "the temple of God is opened in heaven, and there is seen in +His temple the ark of His covenant" (Rev. xi. 19). This is the +covenant of immortality, which, having been originally made (as has +already been indicated) with Adam after his transgression, was +afterwards renewed with Noah and with Abraham, was represented by +symbols and proclaimed orally by Moses in the wilderness, and, finally, +was confirmed by the sacrifice of Jesus Christ. + +{44} + +Equally remarkable is another revelation, which tells us that the +elect, the one hundred and forty-four thousand who have been made +perfect by the experience they have gone through in the thousand years +of the first resurrection, are joined with the Son of God in the +execution of the general judgment. In Rev. xix. 14, it is said that +"the armies in heaven followed him upon white horses, clothed in fine +linen, white and clean." This clothing proves that the attendant army +consisted of the saints made perfect in righteousness, as will be +evident by comparing _vv._ 7 and 8 of the same chapter. In _v._ 15 it +is asserted respecting "The Word of God," that "he shall rule the +nations with a rod of iron;" and he says himself, speaking of his +faithful followers, "To him that overcometh and keepeth my works unto +the end will I give power over the nations; and he shall rule them with +a rod of iron" (Rev. ii. 26, 27). Also we have in Psalm cxlix. 6-9, +"Let a two-edged sword be in their hand, to execute vengeance upon the +nations, punishments upon the peoples; to bind their kings with chains, +and their rulers with fetters of iron; to execute upon them the +judgment written: this honour have all His saints." Moreover, St. Paul +writes to the Corinthians: "Do ye not know that the saints shall judge +the world?" "Know ye not that we shall judge angels?" In short, the +doctrine of Scripture on this prerogative of the saints is very +explicit. + +{45} + +Again, it is uniformly affirmed in Scripture that every one will be +judged "according to his works." Of course, "words" are included in +"works;" for our Lord said expressly, "Every idle word that men shall +speak, they shall give account thereof in the day of judgment; for by +thy words thou shalt be justified, and by thy words thou shalt be +condemned" (Matt. xii. 86, 87). It would seem that the judgment, as +being conducted by _external_ means, takes account of human _thoughts_ +only so far as their consequences are manifested by overt deeds and +spoken words. It is not the less true, according to the doctrine of +the Lord himself (in Mark iv. 22, and Luke viii. 17), that in the day +of judgment all secret and hidden things will be revealed. The words +in St. Mark, "neither was anything kept secret but in order that +(_hina_) it should come abroad," seem expressly to indicate the +relation in which things hidden in the present age stand to the +revelations of that day. St. Paul also writes to the Romans, speaking +of them who have not received the law by direct communication: "They +show the work of the law written in their hearts, their conscience +bearing them witness, and their thoughts, one with another, accusing, +or also excusing, in the day when God shall judge the secrets of men, +according to my gospel, through Jesus Christ" (Rom. ii. 15, 16). +(This, I think, should be the translation of the passage.) It may be +noticed that {46} here again "gospel" is mentioned in connection with +"judgment." + +Now, the very terms, "judgment according to works," imply that the +works brought into judgment are not all equally bad, and that there may +be both "good and bad;" which also may be inferred from the passage +just quoted from the Epistle to the Romans. In fact, it is not too +much to assume that all the deeds and experience of the present life +are contributory in different ways to the final purpose of the +judgment. We have already argued, in accordance with what is said in 2 +Cor. v. 10, that the saints will be judged according to their works, +and from 1 Cor. iii. 11-15, we learn that their works will be tried by +fire, but they themselves will be saved, "yet so as by fire." We have +now to enter upon the important inquiry as to whether Scripture reveals +an analogous dispensation with respect to the rest of mankind. + +Hard as it may be for us to conceive by what means the deeds and +experience of all men, the living and the dead, will be brought under +review in the day of judgment, that so it will be is undoubtedly the +teaching of Scripture. Our understanding of this wonderful event may +perhaps be assisted by taking into account what St. Paul said to the +Athenians: "In Him we live, and move, and have our being;" whence it +may be inferred that all our works and {47} words, and even feelings +and thoughts, are known to God. With reference to this question, it +would, I think, be legitimate to call to our aid the knowledge of the +external creation, which has been so largely extended in the present +day. After long attention given to the acquisition of such knowledge, +I seem to see that it points to the conclusion that all the forces of +nature are resident in a universal aetherial medium, extending through +all space, and pervading all visible and tangible substances, by the +intervention of which all power is exerted, whether it be by the +immediate will of God, or mediately, by that of angels or of men. (I +assume that there can be no exertion of power apart from the will and +consciousness of an agent.) Consequently the Spirit of the Universe +must be cognizant of every exertion of power and of its effects. To +this consideration another of peculiar significance is to be added. +The faculty which we possess to a limited extent, depending on bodily +conditions and organization, of _remembering_ the consequences of +exerted power, whether as operating ourselves, or being operated upon, +must be conceived of as pertaining, without any limitation, to the +Creator of the aetherial substance and the Source of all power. In +this manner it seems possible to understand how all actions and all +events may be written down (speaking metaphorically) in the Book of +God's _remembrance_, and so be brought into judgment. + +{48} + +The universality and the character of the future judgment are declared +in Rev. xx. 11-13, with particular reference to the presence and +majesty of "One who sat on a great white throne," who, doubtless, is +God the Father, the Creator of heaven and earth. The seer says in this +passage, "I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the +books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of +life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written +in the books, according to their works." The mention made of "the +books" indicates that what is here said of the general judgment +pertains exclusively to God the Father, by whose almighty power and +omniscience, as I have endeavoured to show in the preceding paragraph, +all the deeds and experience of the present life are held in +remembrance to be brought under judgment. But it would be an error to +suppose that this general judgment is different from that the process +and results of which, as effected through the Son of man and his +attendant armies, are symbolically described in previous parts of the +Apocalypse. The judgment was ordained by decree of the Father, and +prearranged by His wisdom, and in accordance therewith it is executed +by the Son, who, apparently on this account, speaks thus of himself: +"To him that overcometh will I give to sit with me in my throne, as I +also overcame and sat with my Father in His throne" (Rev. iii. 21). +This throne {49} which the Son shares with the Father may be presumed +to be the seat of power exercised in judgment (compare Rev. ii. 26, +27). Why "the book of life" is mentioned in connection with the books +from the contents of which the dead are judged, will be shown in the +sequel of the argument. + +There are other considerations relating to the future judgment which it +is necessary to enter into in order to complete the argument for the +immortality of all men. We live in a world in which sorrow and pain +and death abound everywhere and at all times, and although these are +actual consequences of sin, inasmuch as they would be non-existent if +sin did not antecedently exist, it is not the less true that the _law_ +which in the present time of imperfection connects suffering with sin, +tends in its operation towards bringing on eventually a state of +perfection. Thus there is a final cause for that law. I have already +(page 14) illustrated this doctrine by reference to the process whereby +the actual condition and adornment of this earth were elaborated by the +operation of physical laws out of a state of darkness and chaos. This +view is corroborated by the noticeable fact that suffering in this +life, whether caused by the three scourges, war, pestilence, and +famine, or what we call accident, or by the injustice and cruelty of +men, by no means in proportion to guilt, since even the innocent +thereby sometimes suffer. Now, as all {50} human deeds and experience +are taken cognizance of in the great day of judgment, it must be +admitted that sufferings of the kind just mentioned will be included in +the account. In what way, and with what effect, will, I think, be to +some extent indicated by the following considerations. + +Besides the principle of animal life (_psyche_) which man partakes of +in common with the creatures of a lower order, there is within him a +spirit (_pneuma_) which is being formed, educated, and built up, all +the time that it is the tenant of a corporeal "vessel." On account of +this law of progressiveness, the spirit of a child, as we can all see, +differs in its feelings and its understanding from that of a man. In +short, spirit perfected is the principle of immortal life. Now, during +our waking hours our spirits are replete with consciousness and +thought, which, however, at the moment of falling asleep depart from +us. The spirit is then taken into the keeping of the angels of God, to +be by them restored into its place in the body at the moment of waking +up and of return to consciousness. In like manner at death the spirits +of all men, good and wicked, pass into the custody of the Creator of +spirits, to wait for the return to consciousness by being on the +morning of their resurrection again united with body,--not, however, +with the same natural body, but with a spiritual body (1 Cor. xv. 44). +The union of spirit with bodily essence appears to be a {51} necessary +condition of human consciousness, and to have been ordained for the +special reasons that we are destined to live hereafter not only +individually, but in _social_ relations also, and that only through the +medium of body is there communion between one man's spirit and that of +another. + +This being understood, it is next to be observed that in the forming +and building up ("edification") of spirit, the human _will_ is +concerned, and that, according to a man's choice of action, his spirit +may be educated for being good or for being wicked, may be sanctified +or defiled. There is, in short, no act or experience in human life +which in this respect is indifferent. But what the spirit is thus made +during its passage through this life, such it is when it is taken into +the hands of its Creator, and such, as we may conclude from the +teaching of Scripture and from its having in the mean time existed +apart from body, it will be, with all its imperfections, on the day of +its resurrection. It has already been maintained that, because of +imperfection, it is necessary that even the elect should be judged, to +the end that by this means their spirits may be made perfect. But our +concern now is with the effect of judgment on those who are not of the +number of the elect. For the purpose of illustrating what I am about +to say on this head, I shall begin with making an application of the +argument in a particular instance. + +{52} + +I have recently seen it stated, among the news of the day, that it is +the practice of a barbarous African king to cut off the heads of twelve +or more of his subjects, merely to pay a compliment to a distinguished +visitor. Are we to think that this transaction both begins and ends +here? Although we have no ground for asserting that the victims in +this case are to be counted among God's elect, inasmuch as they must be +supposed to be devoid of the faith and righteousness which are +necessary to constitute a title to that high privilege, we may yet +believe that the bodily suffering they endured was contributory to the +formation of their spirits for their future destiny. If even those who +have "understanding"--elect saints--have undergone sufferings and been +"beheaded" in order that thus they might be "purified and made white," +(compare Dan. xi. 33-35, and xii. 10, with Rev. xx. 4), why should we +not believe that the sufferings of those poor Africans, who are equally +children of God, had like effect? That suffering is in this manner +efficacious is proved by the sacrifice of the Son of God on the cross, +who, after having proved by his miracles that he had all human ills +under control, _voluntarily_ submitted to be made perfect by enduring +shame and pain, that thus he might both exemplify and justify the ways +of God in the creation of immortal spirits. This sacrifice is a full +and sufficient explanation of all the evil in the world. When, +therefore, in the time of the {53} resurrection of the unjust the +slayer and the slain, in this instance, appear before the judgment-seat +of God, and are condemned, as not being among those who are saved in +the first resurrection, to undergo the second death, is it not +reasonable to conclude that the tribulation and pain of that event will +fall much more heavily on the murderer than on those he slew, and that +the punishment and sufferings that have still to be endured in order +that the final purpose of the judgment may be accomplished, will be +inflicted with far greater severity on him than on them? (See on this +point what is said concerning the future judgment in the Wisdom of +Solomon vi. 3-6.) + +On this principle many apparent anomalies in the present age of the +world admit of explanation. Why, for instance, is so large a +proportion of mankind condemned, irrespective of their deserts, to be +poor, and to labour with their hands in anxiety for the maintenance of +themselves and their families? We have reason from Scripture to say +that such conditions of life, if united with the _faith_ that looks for +better things to come, may be counted among means ordained by God for +preparing the spirits of His elect for their destined inheritance +("Hate not laborious work, neither husbandry, which the Most High hath +ordained" [Ecclesiasticus vii. 15]). And where such faith is absent, +may we not still say that conditions of the present life to which the +great mass of mankind are {54} subject must be contributory to forming +their spirits for their future existence? Leaving out of consideration +who are the elect, and who not, which God only knows, can we think that +the patience of the labourer and artisan, the endurance of the +seafaring man, and the devotedness of the soldier, who at the call of +duty, and in spite of the promptings of self-preservation, exposes +himself to almost certain death on the field of battle, have no +relation to their future destiny? As regards, especially, the spirit +of self-sacrifice of the soldier, so opposed to all the calculations of +personal interest, it seems to me that the desire of glory, or the +expectation of reward, will not wholly account for it, but rather that +it is indicative of there being in the warrior's breast an undefined +conviction that he better fulfils the purpose of life by braving a +painful death than by living at home in ease. It is worthy of remark +that although in Scripture war is spoken of as a calamity, the +occupation of a soldier is nowhere condemned, but is rather commended +on account of its disciplinary effect and abstractedness from the +affairs of life (see 2 Tim. ii. 3, 4). It should be observed that the +different kinds of human experience adverted to above are all supposed +to stand apart from personal acts done in violation of the dictates of +_conscience_. Such acts will doubtless be tried by the course of the +general judgment, and will have effect in the condemnation of the +offenders, and {55} in punishment awarded according to the guiltiness +of their deeds. + +The calamities of human life may be put generally under the two heads +of "tribulation" and "slaughter"--different kinds of sorrow and +trouble, and different kinds of death. These constitute the groaning +and travailing of the whole creation unto the time being (_a chri tou +nun_), spoken of by St. Paul in Rom. viii. 22 and called in St. Mark +xiii. 8, the beginnings of sorrows (_odinon_). But in the time of the +world to come, the same forms of suffering have their consummation and +ending. In Rev. vii. 14, mention is made of "_the_ great tribulation," +and at the same time of "a countless multitude who come out of it." +This can be no other than that "great tribulation" respecting which our +Lord said, according to St. Matt. xxiv. 21, that it will be "such as +was not since the beginning of the world to this time, _nor ever shall +be_," and according to St. Mark xiii. 19, that "those days shall be +affliction such as was not from the beginning of the creation which God +created unto this time, _neither shall be_." The identity of the +events spoken of in the Gospels and in the Apocalypse may also be +inferred from the words _cheimonos_ (tempest-time) and _sabbato_ (on +the sabbath) contained in Matt. xxiv. 20, the former referring to the +storm of indignation and wrath which proceeds from "the Lamb" when he +comes to execute Judgment, and the latter to the time in which the {56} +judgment takes place, which is designated the sabbath, or seventh day, +as following upon the termination of the present age of the world, and +also as being that sabbath of which, as said in Luke vi. 5, "the Son of +man is Lord." + +Again, in proof of the doctrine that the process, or effect, of the +general judgment is characterized in Scripture as "slaughter," Isa. +xxxiv. 1-6 may be cited, it being said in that passage that "the +indignation of the Lord is upon all nations," that "he hath delivered +them to the slaughter," and in connection therewith that "all the host +of heaven shall be dissolved, and the heaven shall be rolled together +as a scroll" (compare Rev. vi. 18-14). Of the same import is the +prophecy in Rev. xiv. 14-20, at the end of which the treading of "the +great winepress of the wrath of God" is described in terms closely +agreeing with those in Isa. lxiii. 1-4. We have, besides, the +remarkable passage, Rev. xix. 17-21, which represents the fowls of +heaven as being called together to feast on the flesh of the slain, +after great slaughter had been wrought by "the sharp sword" which +proceeds out of the mouth of him who is called "The Word of God." This +sword represents the cutting and destructive effect of the words of +judgment and condemnation which the Son of God will pronounce on +sinners when he comes to judge the whole world. It is not necessary +for my purpose to interpret particularly the symbolism {57} contained +in the passages just quoted; it suffices to draw from them the general +inference that, as regards _all_ men, trouble and pain and death in the +present age of the world are the beginnings of an [oe]conomy for +forming spirits for immortality, which is destined to be consummated in +the age to come. + +To complete the argument from Scripture it only remains now to take +into consideration those passages which expressly reveal the effect of +the general judgment, and to ascertain what relation the revelations +have to the question of immortality. These passages are of two kinds, +some being composed entirely of symbolic language requiring +interpretation, while others are expressed in terms that may be readily +understood. The former must be supposed to admit of being interpreted +consistently with the plain meaning of the other kind. Accordingly, +for the purpose above mentioned, I proceed now to offer an +interpretation of Rev. xx. 11-15, this passage evidently giving a +synoptical account, in symbolic terms, of the process and the effect of +the general judgment. + +I have already adverted (p. 48) to the contents of _vv._ 11 and 12, so +far as they refer to the Person of the Judge, and to His judging the +dead, according to their works, "out of the things written in the +_books_." "The great _white_ throne" (_v._ 11) is evidently the seat +of righteous judgment. The inspired writer, in order {58} to account +for his seeing in vision the dead, "small and great, standing before +the throne," reveals, besides, that "the sea gave up the dead that were +in it, and Death and Hades gave up the dead that were in them" (_v._ +13). Now, the context hardly allows of taking "the sea" here in its +literal objective sense, requiring rather the interpretation that the +natural sea symbolizes by its invisible depths the incognizable state +of the dead before resurrection. In the "new heaven and earth," which +is the end of all creation, "sea exists no longer" (Rev. xxi. 1). +Hades, as apparently might be inferred from the proper sense of the +word, signifies that invisible state of departed spirits which, as just +said, is symbolized as being concealed in the depths of "the sea," and +also, as I have already pointed out, has to death a necessary relation +of sequence ("Hades followed with him" [Rev. vi. 8]). This explains +why Death and Hades are represented as a conjoint power having +possession of the dead. In Rev. i. 18, as well as in Rev. vi. 8, they +are mentioned in close connection, and in the latter passage power is +said to be given to them in common. + +I take occasion to make some remarks here on 1 Peter iii. 19, as the +sense of this passage might be thought to be contradictory to the +meaning assigned above to Hades. It affirms that "in spirit Christ +went and preached to the spirits in custody {59} (_en phylake_)." Now, +the literal meaning of the concrete terms, "went and preached" +(_poreutheis ekeruxen_), is _excluded_ by "in spirit" going before, and +they consequently require an abstract interpretation. It has already +been argued (p. 50) that the word "custody" applies to departed spirits +in the sense of their being in the _keeping_ of the Creator of spirits; +whence it follows that "spirits in custody" and "spirits in Hades" have +the same meaning. But neither of these expressions signifies anything +as to _locality_, for the simple reason that locality cannot be +predicated of spirit apart from body. The abstract interpretation of +the passage of St. Peter may, I think, be reached by the following +argument. The word _ekeruxen_ above cited is not that ordinarily used +with respect to preaching the Gospel, and therefore it is the more to +be noticed that where Noah is called "a preacher of righteousness" (2 +Peter ii. 5), the Greek word is _keruka_. May we not hence infer that +Noah, by "the spirit of Christ" which was in him (compare 1 Peter i. +11), preached to the unbelieving and "disobedient" of his day, and that +their spirits, although the world in which they lived was so long since +destroyed by the Flood, are, together with all other departed spirits, +still in God's custody, to be hereafter raised up and judged? We are +farther informed respecting Noah's preaching, which consisted +apparently of deeds rather than of words, that "by preparing an ark for +the {60} saving of his house, he condemned the world, and became heir +of the righteousness which is according to faith" (Heb. xi. 7). + +We have now to inquire what interpretation may be given to the symbolic +language (in Rev. xx. 14) which affirms that "Death and Hades were cast +into the lake of fire," and that "this is the second death, the lake of +fire." The first mention of the lake of fire occurs in Rev. xix. 20, +where it is described as "burning with brimstone," and both "the +beast," and "the false prophet" associated with him (_ho met autou_), +are said to be "cast alive" into this lake. But the rest (_oi +loipoi_), namely, "the kings of the earth and their armies, gathered +together to make war against him who sat on the horse and against his +army," were slain by the sword that proceeds out of his mouth, that is, +by the sharp and searching words of righteousness and truth, whereby +he, "The Word of God," judges and pronounces condemnation in the last +day (compare John xii. 48). In Rev. xx. 7-10, we are farther told that +Satan, after being let loose from prison at the end of the thousand +years when "the rest of the dead" live again (v. 5), and after +collecting together all the _risen_ nations of the earth, "the number +of whom is as the sand of the sea" (v. 8), leads them to their +destruction in battle against the God of heaven, and is himself "cast +into the lake of fire and brimstone, where are the beast {61} and the +false prophet" (v. 10). Consequently, "Satan," who is opposed to God +the Father, the God of heaven, "the beast," which, as signifying the +spirit of the world, is opposed to the Holy Spirit, and "the false +prophet," who is the symbolic representative of all _anti-Christian_ +power objectively opposed to the Son of God, are all three cast into a +lake of fire "_burning with brimstone_." But of Death and Hades it is +only said that they were cast into a lake of fire. Their being cast +into the depths of "a lake" signifies that they become incognizable +entities, and "lake of fire" indicates that they remain such by an +irreversible law, fire being the symbol of force of law (see Deut. +xxxiii. 2). For this reason "the lake of fire" is put in apposition +(in _v._ 14) with "the second death," which is the extinction of death. +Now, Satan, the beast, and the false prophet, being regarded as +_personal_ existences motived by _will_, and in that respect unlike +Death and Hades, are cast not simply into a lake of fire, but into a +lake burning with brimstone, which apparently signifies that from the +time these "adversaries" cease to have cognizable existence, their +antecedent power and influence will be regarded by those who were once +subject to them with antipathy and abhorrence, so that any return to +the same subjection will (as we say) be morally impossible. When in +the end God has become "all in all," no antagonism remains; all {62} +enemies have been subdued. Any one who is unwilling to accept the +foregoing interpretation might reasonably be asked in what other way he +can explain why, of all created things, _brimstone_ is specially +mentioned with reference to this "mystery" (see Rev. xvii. 5, 16). + +In the last verse of the passage under consideration we have, "And if +any one (_ei tis_) was not found written in the book of life, he was +cast into the lake of fire" (v. 15). It is to be observed that the +lake of fire is not here said to be burning with brimstone. This +sentence must accordingly receive an interpretation analogous to that +given above with respect to Death and Hades. When the final judgment +has had complete effect, there will no longer be objective existence of +any whose names are not in the book of life, because all will have been +made meet for the inheritance of life. For this reason "the book of +life" is mentioned (in _v._ 12) in immediate connection with the books +containing the records according to which the judgment is transacted. +I am well aware that the preceding interpretations do not accord with +views entertained by many in the present day. I remember to have heard +a sermon on the text, "This is the second death," in the course of +which the preacher did not once advert to the word "This," but gave a +description, the most terrible his imagination could supply, of what he +judged to be the second {63} death. We find revealed in Scripture +respecting "the terrors of the Lord"--the anguish and tribulation, the +slaughter and destruction, proceeding from His wrath in the day of +judgment--quite enough to deter sinners from going on in sin, without +gratuitously adding the doctrine of the perpetuity of evil, the +preaching of which seems to have the effect of hindering the belief and +expectation of the impending realities of that great day. Besides, it +may well be asked how such preaching can be reconciled with the Gospel +revelations, stated in language devoid of symbol, which are contained +in Rev. xxi.; to which I shall afterwards have occasion to call +attention. But, first, it will be necessary to inquire what is the +doctrine of Scripture respecting future "punishment" and "torment." + +On proceeding to this part of the argument it will be proper to revert +to a principle which has already been admitted as self-evident (p. 9), +namely, that a state of perfect righteousness and a happy immortality +are so essentially and necessarily related that one cannot subsist +without the other. It is, however, to be said that this doctrine is +nowhere expressed in such words in Scripture. In fact, the abstract +terms, "essentially and necessarily related," are altogether unlike any +Scriptural mode of expression. Yet it may be that the truth which we +think we understand when we express it in such terms may admit of being +{64} _extracted_ in a more definite form from the concrete language of +Scripture; and, in order that our argument for immortality may be shown +to rest entirely on a Scriptural foundation, I shall now endeavour to +show that this is the case with respect to the above-stated doctrine, +by citing and discussing various passages of the Old and New Testament. + +In the first place, I remark that righteousness and salvation, +righteousness and peace, are so often and in such manner mentioned +together in the word of God, that we may thence infer that, according +to a law of the Divine (Economy, personal righteousness is a condition +necessarily antecedent to salvation (safety) and peace (see Ps. xxiv. +5, and lxxxv. 7-18; Isa. xlv. 7, 8, xlvi. 18, li. 5, lxii. 1, and many +like passages). For, on the other hand, it is twice expressly declared +that God has said, "There is no peace to the wicked" (Isa. xlviii. 22, +and lvii. 21). So in Rev. xiv. it is affirmed respecting sinners (who +are comprehensively described as those who worship the beast and his +image, and receive the mark of his name on the forehead or the hand--in +their beliefs or their deeds) that "they have no rest day nor night" +(_vv._ 9 and 11). Of the same sinners it is also declared that "they +shall drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is poured out +without mixture into the cup of his indignation; and shall be tormented +with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy angels, and in {65} +the presence of the Lamb" (v. 10). The fire of the torment is the +operation of the holy law of righteousness which they have broken, and +the brimstone by the offensiveness of its smoke represents the +self-condemnation and reproach of conscience with which they are +tormented when their sins are laid bare in the presence of the holy +angels and of the _Lamb_, who by reason of their sins was slain. +Lastly, we are told that "the smoke of their torment ascendeth up for +ever and ever." The general signification of "smoke," regarded as a +symbol, appears to be, effect or consequence. Thus, in the remarkable +symbol of "a smoking furnace" seen in vision by Abraham (Gen. xv. 17), +the fire of the furnace may represent the operation of the law, and the +smoke may symbolize "the abounding" of the sins of mankind consequent +upon that operation (see Rom. v. 20; also compare 2 Esdras iv. 48). +But in the passage before us we have "smoke of torment," of which smoke +it is said that it "ascends up for ever and ever," signifying, it would +seem, the perpetuity of the _effect_ of the torment. This +interpretation accordingly agrees with that previously given (p. 61) +relative to "the lake of fire burning with brimstone." There is, +however, this difference to be noted, that whereas the present passage +relates especially to the effect of the _pain and torment_ attendant +upon the _process_ of being judged, the other speaks of the effect of +the second _death_ to {66} which the wicked, after being tried by the +judgment, are condemned. + +The portion of Scripture contained in Matt. xxv. 31-46, gives, +concerning the awards to be respectively adjudged to the righteous and +unrighteous, and the final consequences of the judgment, certain +revelations, symbolically expressed, which are made by the Lord +himself, the future Judge. In order to complete the argument from +Scripture respecting the effect of judgment, we must endeavour to +interpret these revelations. "When the Son of man shall come in his +glory, and all the holy angels with him, he will sit on the throne of +his glory: and all nations will be gathered before him: and he will +separate them one from another, as a shepherd separates the sheep from +the goats; and he will place the sheep on his right hand, and the goats +on his left" (_vv._ 31-33). We are thus told that all of all nations +will come into the presence of the Judge, and that he will separate +them into two portions, as distinct the one from the other as sheep are +from goats. From what is said farther on we gather that one portion +are "the just" (_oi dikaioi_, _v._ 37), and the other the unjust; but +no mention is made of a particular process of separation. Consequently +there is nothing here which contradicts the conclusion before arrived +at (p. 38), that the just are separated from the unjust by partaking of +the first resurrection; rather, that conclusion is in {67} accordance +with this revelation respecting the place of honour "on the right hand" +being assigned to the just, and their being prepared to receive it when +the whole assembly, just and unjust, are gathered together before the +Judge. In _v._ 34, as also in _v._ 40, the Judge is called "the King" +(_ho Basileus_), forasmuch as he is "the faithful and true" One, who +"in righteousness judges and makes war," and to whom belongs in a +special manner the title of "King of kings and Lord of lords" (see Rev. +xix. 11, 16). + +We have next to consider the statements of the grounds on which the +awards are made, which are very remarkable. "Then shall the King say +to them on his right hand, Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the +kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. For I was +hungry, and ye gave me meat; I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink; I was +a stranger, and ye took me in; naked, and ye clothed me; I was sick, +and ye visited me; I was in prison, and ye came to me. Then shall the +righteous answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee hungry, and fed +thee? or thirsty, and gave thee drink? When saw we thee a stranger, +and took thee in? or naked, and clothed thee? Or when saw we thee +sick, or in prison, and came unto thee? And the King shall answer and +say to them, Verily I say to you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one +of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me" {68} (_vv._ +84-40). What is chiefly noteworthy in these words is, that the Judge +identifies himself with suffering humanity, and accounts as "brethren" +even "the least" of those that suffer, having, when he "dwelt among +us," participated in the toils and afflictions to which sinful man is +subject (although "in him was no sin)," and submitted in the end to the +shame and pain of dying on the cross, although he had shown by his +miracles that he had power over death and all the ills of humanity. As +is written in Isaiah liii. 4, "He hath borne _our_ griefs and carried +_our_ sorrows." This the Son of God voluntarily took upon himself out +of love and compassion towards us, knowing that, by ordinance of his +Father, the Creator of spirits, "we must through many tribulations +enter into the kingdom of God" (Acts xiv. 22), and be made heirs of +immortality, and that consequently we had need of such assurance of +obtaining the appointed inheritance as that which is given by his +partaking with us of life, death, and resurrection (see what is said on +this part of the subject in p. 29). Besides this, the sympathy of +Jesus Christ with human suffering, which was also shown by his miracles +of healing, is specially a reason for giving _practical_ proof, by acts +of benevolence and mercy towards our fellow men, that we partake of the +same spirit. It is with reference to such _outward_ evidence of faith +and righteousness, that the decision of the Judge, given {69} in the +passage above quoted, is pronounced. It seems, too, from the questions +put to the Judge by the company of the righteous, and the answer they +received, that their acts of kindness and mercy, done in humility and +faith, were accepted by the Judge, out of his sympathy and community +with the sufferers, as done to himself, although the doers had not had +previous knowledge or expectation that their good deeds would be so +accepted. + +The sentence pronounced on the unrighteous, and the reasons for it, are +thus stated in _vv._ 41-45: "Then shall he say also to them on the left +hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into the [oe]onian fire (_to pur to +aionion_, i.e. the fire of judgment in the future _aion_) prepared for +the devil and his angels: for I was hungry, and ye gave me no meat; I +was thirsty, and ye gave me no drink; I was a stranger, and ye took me +not in; naked, and ye clothed me not; sick, and in prison, and ye +visited me not. Then shall they also answer him, saying, Lord, when +saw we thee hungry, or athirst, or a stranger, or naked, or sick, or in +prison, and did not minister unto thee? Then shall he answer them, +saying, Verily, I say to you, inasmuch as ye did it not to one of the +least of these, ye did it not to me." It should be noticed that the +terms of this award are the exact contraries of those of the award to +the righteous. On the one hand, the King says, "Come, ye blessed of my +Father, inherit {70} the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation +of the world;" on the other, he says, "Depart from me, ye cursed, into +the [oe]onian fire prepared for the devil and his angels;" and the +account of what the Judge further says to the unrighteous, and of what +they say to him, although somewhat briefer than that relating to the +righteous, is made up of exactly opposite particulars. On this +principle, since the decision respecting the righteous is pronounced on +the grounds of positive works of righteousness done in humility and +faith, that respecting the unrighteous has regard only to the +_omission_ to do such works through presumption and unbelief. The same +exhibition of opposite circumstances and qualities, and the same +principle of condemnation for sins of omission exclusively of those of +commission, are observable in the two other symbolic representations +contained in the same chapter--the parable of the ten virgins, and the +parable of the talents. In short, the general purport of the chapter +is to indicate, that in the sight of the righteous Judge sins of +omission, not less than sins of commission, demand condemnation and +punishment; the reasons for which appear to be that both kinds are +equally violations of the royal law, "Thou shalt love thy neighbour as +thyself" (James ii. 8), and perfect obedience to this law is the +necessary foundation of a _common_ immortality. + +It only remains now to speak of the final issue of {71} the judgment +stated thus in _v._ 46: "And these shall go away into eternal +punishment, but the righteous into external life." It must be admitted +that the first clause of this sentence, taken as it is usually taken, +expresses the perpetuity of evil, inasmuch as "punishment" is an evil. +But after this has been conceded, there is still something more to be +said on this doctrine. It is evident from the context that by "these" +is meant the ungodly just before spoken of, who, having shown, by their +neglecting to give proof of love towards their neighbours, that the +love of God is not in them (see 1 John iv. 20), are counted as enemies, +and as such must be punished. For there is no neutral position: all +who do not obey the commands of Christ are opposed to him, and all that +is opposed to him is destined to be brought under subjection. Further, +it is to be noticed that although the final decision is expressed +generally in accordance with the before-mentioned principle of +employing exactly opposite terms relatively to the righteous and the +wicked, here the opposite of "eternal life" is "eternal punishment," +and not "eternal death," the latter expression being nowhere found in +Scripture. May it not hence be argued that, as among men the +punishment of the guilty has not for its purpose the infliction of pain +and penalty, but rather is the means employed to the end that laws may +be obeyed, so the end of divine punishment is for correction, and for +{72} giving effect to and establishing the law of universal +righteousness. If it should hence be inferred that the word "eternal" +is applied to future punishment with reference to that permanence of +_effect_ which, as has already been indicated (p. 65), is symbolically +represented by the perpetual ascent of "the smoke of torment," against +this inference it might reasonably be urged that "eternal" ought to be +taken in the same sense relatively to the "punishment" of the wicked, +as relatively to the "life" of the righteous, and eternity is here +predicated of the one just as of the other. Now, although this +reasoning appears to be irrefragable, the additional arguments from +Scripture which I am about to adduce will, I think, show that there +must be some other way of regarding the doctrine of future punishment, +which, although not inconsistent with that to which the foregoing +interpretation of Matt. xxv. 46 has conducted, differs from it either +as to point of view or comprehensiveness. + +In the first place, it is to be observed that in our Lord's discourses +doctrine was very generally taught by parables and symbolic language, +which required to be interpreted in order that the abstract and +spiritual truths thereby conveyed might be understood. (This remark +applies to the whole of the passage, Matt. xxv. 31-46, brought under +review in the foregoing discussion.) In Mark iv. 34, it is said that +"without a parable he spake not to them," that is, {73} to the +multitude, and that "in private he explained all things to his +disciples." Being asked by the disciples, when he was preaching to a +great multitude assembled together on the sea-shore to hear him, why he +spake to them in parables, he answered, "Because it is given to you to +know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it is not +given. For whosoever hath, to him it shall be given, and he shall have +more abundance; but whosoever hath not, from him shall be taken away +even that he hath. Therefore speak I to them in parables, because +seeing they see not, and hearing they hear not, neither do they +understand" (Matt. xiii. 10-13). It is here affirmed that although +parables from their very character are expressed in terms which the use +of the senses renders intelligible, there are those who do not or will +not understand them, who for this reason, on the principle of not +giving to those who have not, are spoken to only in parables, so that +they continue in ignorance. As every effect or consequence implies the +antecedence of the _purpose_ of an agent, with respect to this +consequence we find it stated in Luke viii. 10, that our Lord expressly +addressed the disciples in these words: "Unto you it is given to know +the mysteries of the kingdom of God, but to the rest in parables, _that +seeing they may not see, and hearing they may not understand_." To a +selected few is granted the favour of being able to discern, _through +the objective sense_ of {74} parables, the interior signification +whereby mysteries of the kingdom of God are revealed, whilst from the +rest--the multitude--although the objective sense is the same to them +as to the others, the knowledge of the mysteries is withheld. This is +evidently a dispensation analogous to that according to which, as +Christ declared, "Many are called, but few are chosen" (Matt. xxii. +14). It is also in accordance with views expressed in a previous part +of this Essay respecting the distinction between "the elect" and the +rest of mankind. + +It is further to be considered that the Lord promised the apostles that +after his departure from them, "the Holy Spirit would teach them all +things, and bring all things to their remembrance which he had said to +them" (John xiv. 26), and it may be assumed that after the Day of +Pentecost this promise was fulfilled, and that they were then +enlightened to discern the spiritual meaning of his doctrine. In this +way it may be accounted for that while Christian doctrine rests +fundamentally on the words and deeds of Christ as recorded in the +Gospels, it is taught in the Acts of the Apostles and the apostolical +Epistles in terms of a more abstract character, which, in fact, may be +regarded as unfolding the spiritual import of the teaching, the life, +and the death of Jesus Christ. The apostle Paul, although he was not +one of the originally selected apostles, had special grace and {75} +power given him for understanding fully and teaching the doctrine of +Christ. Now, this apostle, so gifted with understanding and knowledge, +writes in his Epistle to the Romans: "By the obedience of one shall the +many be made righteous" (v. 19); the context evidently showing that the +"one" is Jesus Christ, and that "the many" are _all_ the sinful sons of +Adam. I have already adverted to this text (p. 19), and called +attention to the significance of the future tense, "shall be made +righteous." According to our argument, when they have been made +righteous, they are _saved_. Hence, quite consistently with this +passage in the Epistle to the Romans, St. Paul has said in his first +Epistle to Timothy (iv. 10), "We trust in the living God, who is the +Saviour of all men, especially of those that believe." If this +sentence had not contained the last clause, there might have been some +excuse for questioning whether St. Paul preached the doctrine of the +eventual salvation of all men; but inasmuch as he adds, "especially of +those that believe," it is as clear as words can make anything clear, +that he taught that all are saved in the sense in which he taught that +those who believe are saved. The reason for making the distinction +expressed by the word "especially" is, I think, sufficiently apparent +from the doctrine, previously maintained in this Essay (pp. 88-40), +that the elect righteous are raised up first, and partake already of +salvation, honour, {76} and glory, during a certain interval preceding +the resurrection of the rest of mankind. + +Now, since all that are saved, as being at rest and in felicity, are +free from sin and evil, this teaching of St. Paul is directly opposed +to the doctrine of the perpetuity of evil which is usually inferred +(see p. 71) from the saying of our Lord in Matt. xxv. 46. Thus +apparently there is irreconcilable contradiction between the teaching +of Christ and the teaching of St. Paul on a most momentous subject. +Since, however, the same spirit of wisdom was in the apostle as in his +Lord, it is not possible that there can really be such contradiction; +and because, consequently, the seeming contradiction must be +attributable to our defect of knowledge, or inability, to interpret +rightly the allegorical teaching of Christ, we might do well, although +no solution of the difficulty should be at hand, to accept this gospel +of salvation, in the confidence that, as being declared by St. Paul in +plain terms, it must be true Christian doctrine. + +I am not, however, prepared to grant that the solution of the +above-mentioned difficulty is not discoverable; and accordingly I make +bold to indicate a line of argument by which, as it seems to me, a +solution is attainable. The first step in this argument is to admit +the reality of that analogy between God's natural creation and His +spiritual creation which has already been taken into consideration (see +p. 14), {77} and to infer therefrom that the spiritual creation is +actually in progress towards a foreordained perfect consummation. For +the purpose of illustrating this view by way of contrast, I may mention +that I once heard a sermon in which the preacher, who was regarded in +his day as a leader of religious thought, advanced the theory that the +word "remedy" expressed the central idea of the divine scheme of +salvation. According to this theology, which looks backwards rather +than forwards, the prevalence of sin and mortality, and the need of a +remedy for the many ills and errors that beset humanity, were +contingent on Adam's transgression. It may be granted that this is so +far true, that sin and death entered into the world because Adam was +not made incapable of sinning. But this theory overlooks the +possibility of there being a _final_ cause for the actual facts of +humanity, and seems to be a substitution of _propter hoc_ for _post +hoc_. The analogy of the natural creation points to a different, and +apparently a juster, view of the divine [oe]conomy, according to which +the reign of sin and death in Adam and all his posterity is a necessary +part of a prearranged scheme, now actually in progress, which is +destined, by its completion hereafter, to make, not one man only, but a +countless multitude, incapable of sinning and meet for immortality. On +this point, however, after what has been already said (see p. 57), +there is no occasion to say {78} more here. I proceed, therefore, to +the next step, which is to indicate certain inferences that may be +drawn from the character of progressiveness which pertains at present +to the spiritual creation. + +It may, in the first place, be asserted that "the law of opposites," +referred to in pp. 69 and 70, is a necessary accompaniment of that +general law of progression. The author of the Book of Ecclesiasticus, +who certainly put on record many wise sayings, has thus stated the law +of opposites: "Good is set against evil, and life against death: so is +the sinner against the godly. So look upon all the works of the Most +High, and there are two and two, one against another" (xxxiii. 14, 15). +Now, evidently this duality will cease, and unity be universally +established, when, as argued in the preceding paragraph, the +predestined consummation is reached, and the purpose of the whole +creation, external and spiritual, is fulfilled. This doctrine of the +termination of evil appears to have been understood and proclaimed by +the writer of the fourth Book of Esdras, in which we meet with the +following emphatic declaration: "Take heaven and earth to witness; for +I have broken the evil in pieces, and created the good: for I live, +saith the Lord" (ii. 14). In the mean while, as being subject to +conditions of earth, and time, and space, we are also subject to this +law of duality and antagonism, so that we have no knowledge or +perception of anything of {79} which we do not also know the +_opposite_. For this reason it is not possible to make known the +conditions under which men are saved without at the same time stating +the conditions under which they are _not_ saved. This will account for +the _oppositeness_ and _parallelism_ of the statements in Matt. xxv. +46, concerning the consequences to the wicked and the righteous of +their respective deeds, as well as for many statements of like +character in other parts of Scripture. But this does not explain why +the punishment of the wicked is said to be "eternal." Relatively to +this question I submit the following considerations. + +Recurring once more to the position, that the existing order of things +is part of a progressive scheme, the purpose of which is to create +immortal souls, it may, I think, be reasonably assumed that there is +nothing in human cognizance or experience, whether it be thought or +feeling, word or deed, which is not contributory in some manner to this +end. If a mechanist, after planning a machine for a certain purpose, +introduced in the execution of it parts which contributed nothing +towards effecting that purpose, would not this be considered to be an +imperfection? Such imperfection is wholly inadmissible in the +workmanship of an omniscient and omnipotent Creator. Accordingly, +since, as being conditioned by _time_, we are capable of entertaining +the thought that the punishment of the wicked in the world to come may +{80} be eternal, many, in fact, having professed their belief that so +it will be, we must conclude, on the above principle, that even this +thought is contributory towards the eventual bringing in of +immortality. But it will be asked, in what way? To this question we +may give the general answer, that as such thought is operative on human +action, and implies the existence of _time_, it must be reckoned as +part of the total of human thought and experience conditioned by time, +which was ordained from the beginning to be the means, whether in this +age or in the age to come (_aion ho mellon_), of forming spirits for +immortality. Then, again, we have reason from Scripture to infer that +the immortal spirit is in effect "spiritual _body_" (1 Cor. xv. 44), +composed of functional parts or qualities constituting it such a whole +that it is adapted for communion with other spirit; in which case the +_temporal_ processes of creation above mentioned might be supposed to +be designed to give to immortal spirit a character appropriate to its +destiny. And we may, at least, be certain that Jesus Christ knew what +was required for accomplishing his Father's purpose of creating spirits +which, while retaining _individuality_ and _will_, would be incapable +of sinning, and that in his wisdom he employed such manner of teaching +as would either now or hereafter conduct to that end. + +I take occasion to observe here, parenthetically, that whereas, +according to the above argument, the {81} word "eternal" (from +_[oe]etas_) is applicable to punishment because we can think of eternal +punishment by thinking of time, the word "endless" is not in the same +manner applicable, simply because it does not explicitly indicate +relation to _time_. The Greek equivalent of the English word +"everlasting," and of the Latin word "_sempiternus_," namely _aidios_ +from _aei_, is used in Rom. i. 20, and in Jude 6, in the sense of +_aionios_, and, as involving like the latter the conception of time, is +similarly applicable to future punishment. But besides "_eternal_ +life," we have in Scripture "_indissoluble_ life" (_xon akatalytos_, +Heb. vii. 16), the remarkable epithet _akatalytos_ not being +etymologically expressive of time, and therefore not wrongly, although +not strictly, translated by "endless" in the Authorized Version. No +such epithet is applied in Scripture to "punishment" or "torment." +(See more on this question in an Appendix to the Essay.) + +Reasoning analogous to that employed above relative to the assertion in +Matt. xxv. 46, that the wicked "go away into eternal punishment," is +applicable to other declarations of like tenor in various portions of +Scripture. One of these, recorded in Matt. xxvi. 24 as having been +spoken by the Lord to the "_twelve_," demands special notice. +Translated literally according to the tenses of the Greek, this passage +is, "Woe to that man through whom the Son of man has been betrayed! +good was it for him, if that man was not {82} born." The translation +in the Authorized Version, "it had been good for that man if he had not +been born," may be taken to convey, regard being had to difference of +idiom, the true sense of the original. Exactly the same passage occurs +in Mark xiv. 21, where our translators have given, "good were it for +that man if he had never been born." Although this translation, as +containing the word "never," deviates still more than the other from +the literal rendering, it may be justified on the principle that the +declaration, in whatever form it be made, is one in which _time_ enters +as a necessary element, whereby alone it is within the reach of +thought. Accordingly, this saying of our Lord, regarded as having +relation to experience in the world to come, is in the same category as +his assertion of the eternity of future punishment, and would appear, +by applying the argument already expounded (p. 80) with respect to that +doctrine, to be in like manner contributory towards generating in the +spirit of man an incapability of sinning. It is farther to be taken +into account that these words were addressed by the Lord to his +_apostles_--to the elect of the elect--with particular reference to the +sin of _betraying_ the Son of man, which was exemplified by the outward +act of Judas, who also by his self-destruction exhibited the damnatory +power of the inward consciousness of such guilt. The exceeding +sinfulness of such apostasy as that which Judas, chosen to be {83} an +apostle, was guilty of, may be assigned as the reason that it was +denounced by our Lord in terms which do not appear to have been applied +to any other kind of "transgression" (compare Acts i. 17, 25). + +In Heb. x. 26, 27, we are taught that "if we sin wilfully after that we +have received the knowledge of the truth, there remaineth no more +sacrifice for sins, but a certain looking for of judgment and fiery +indignation, which shall devour the adversaries." This is apostasy not +of the same degree and character as that of a chosen apostle, but still +is such that "the called" are not exempt from falling into it, as is +clearly implied by the tenor of this passage. To those who thus fall +and do not repent, is reserved "the fiery indignation" (_pyros zylos_), +which is destined hereafter to devour the adversaries. It may be +presumed that the adversaries thus specially referred to are those of +whom it is said in Rev. xx. 9, that having been deceived by Satan, +after their resurrection at the end of the thousand years, and gathered +together in warfare against the beloved city, they were _devoured by +fire_ from God out of heaven. Accordingly their destruction is +identical with the second death. + +2 Peter ii. 20, 21, is a passage of like import to that just +considered. It is therein asserted of those who are overcome by the +pollutions of the world after having escaped them through the knowledge +of the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, that "it had been {84} better for +them not to have known the way of righteousness, than, after they have +known it, to turn from the holy commandment delivered to them." This +may be taken to signify that the punishment in the day of judgment +consequent upon sin and error arising out of ignorance, will be "more +tolerable" than that which will be inflicted on those who have +knowingly apostatized from the way of truth. + +What is said in Matt. xviii. 6, "Whoso shall offend one of these little +ones that believe in me, it were better for him that a millstone were +hanged about his neck, and that he were drowned in the depth of the +sea," may be accounted for on the principle that any form of death of +which the body is susceptible in this world is rather to be endured, +and less to be feared, than the punishment which, through the judgment +in the world to come, awaits the enemies of Christ who put a +stumbling-block in the way of them that humble themselves as little +children and believe on him. + +Analogous principles may be applied to account for the declarations +made in Scripture respecting blasphemy against the Holy Spirit. In St. +Matt. xii. 31, 82, it is recorded that our Lord said, "All sin and +blasphemy shall be forgiven to men, but the blasphemy of the Spirit +shall not be forgiven to men. And whoever speaketh a word against the +Son of man, it shall be forgiven him; but whoever speaketh against the +Holy Spirit, it shall not be forgiven him, {85} neither in this world, +nor in the world to come." The same doctrine is thus expressed in St. +Mark iii. 28, 29: "Verily I say to you, all sins shall be forgiven to +the sons of men, and all blasphemies whatever wherewith they may +blaspheme. But whoever shall blaspheme against the Holy Ghost hath +never forgiveness," but is subject to the judgment in the future _aion_ +(_enochos estin aioniou kriseos_). From the latter evangelist we also +learn that our Lord spoke these words because the scribes from +Jerusalem had said, "He hath an unclean spirit." It is particularly to +be noticed that both passages declare in the fullest manner that all +manner of sin and blasphemy shall be forgiven to men, at the same time +that they pronounce that blasphemy (not sin, _amartia_) against the +Holy Ghost is not forgiven. To account for this apparent +contradiction, it must be remembered that the forgiveness, or +_remission_ (_aphesis_) of sin, necessarily implies antecedence of law +and transgression of the law; and whereas St. Paul teaches that "the +law entered that transgression might abound" (Rom. v. 20), it is quite +consistent with this doctrine to find that in the gospel of Christ +provision is made for the remission of all sin and blasphemy. Now, +such remission consists in "repentance towards God and faith towards +our Lord Jesus Christ" (Acts xx. 21); and therefore, when the gift of +righteousness (i.e. the grace of Christ) is received, the believer +begins to partake {86} of a spirit such as that which was "without +measure" in Christ. This is essentially a _holy_ spirit, the +antecedent of which in Jesus Christ was perfect righteousness. +Therefore the scribes blasphemed when they said of Christ, "He hath an +unclean spirit," it not being possible that a perfectly righteous body +can be the vessel of an unclean spirit. + +But it is possible that the faithful, after receiving the grace of +Christ and fellowship of the Spirit, may by unrighteous conduct "grieve +the Holy Spirit" (Eph. iv. 80), and even by persistence in sin defile +the gift of the Spirit which had been imparted to them. In the +foregoing passage from St. Matthew xii., it is said that there is +forgiveness for one who "speaketh against the Son of man," which +expression may signify, generally, wilful and overt opposition to "the +law of Christ" (Gal. vi. 2); but that there is no forgiveness for one +who _speaks_ against the Holy Spirit, i.e. one who by wilful and +_overt_ conduct does violence to the sanctifying influence of the Holy +Spirit which he has already partaken of. Of such an one it is written +in Heb. x. 29, "he hath trodden underfoot the Son of God, and hath +counted the blood of the covenant wherewith he was sanctified an unholy +thing, and hath done despite to the Spirit of grace." But not every +sin committed after faith and the baptism of repentance has this +effect. The apostle John tells us that although all unrighteousness +{87} (_adikia_, transgression of the strict law of Christ) is sin, +there is sin of a believing brother which is not unto death, and may be +repented of in this world; and there is sin unto death, respecting +which prayer for repentance would be unavailing (1 Epist. v. 16, 17). +This is "the blasphemy of the Spirit," which is not forgiven in this +world, because forgiveness implies repentance; neither is it forgiven +in the world to come, because beyond the grave there is no repentance. +What remains for such sinners is the "[oe]onian judgment" (see p. 69) +mentioned in St. Mark iii. 29, and "the sorer punishment" spoken of in +Heb. x. 29, which is the same as the condemnation to the second death +consequent upon that judgment. (I take occasion to remark that in Mark +iii. 29, instead of _kriseos_, some early manuscripts have +_amaritematos_, which, as far as I can see, does not admit of being +interpreted consistently with the context and the usage of _enochos_.) + +There is still another passage--Mark ix. 42-50--which, on account of +its peculiar significance, it is necessary to discuss with reference to +the Scriptural argument for immortality. It will suffice for +conducting the discussion to cite _vv._ 43 and 44, the literal +translation of which is as follows:--"If thy hand cause thee to offend, +cut it off: it is well for thee to enter into life maimed, rather than +having two hands to go into geenna, into the unquenchable fire, where +their worm dieth not, and the fire is not {88} quenched." The +concluding part of this text is evidently derived from Isaiah lxvi. 24, +where the prophet reveals that the Lord has said respecting the +worshippers, consisting of "all flesh," that shall come before him when +"the new heavens and the new earth" are established, that "they shall +go forth and look upon the carcases of the men that have transgressed +against me: for their worm shall not die, neither shall their fire be +quenched: and they shall be an abhorring unto all flesh." This passage +has so important a bearing on the sense of that quoted above from St. +Mark, that we must by all means endeavour to find out its +interpretation. Respecting Biblical Interpretation, Burnet in one of +his treatises has enunciated two principles, which cannot but be +assented to: first, that besides the portions of Scripture which have a +literal or historical meaning, there are others which must be taken +allegorically; and, secondly, that an allegorical meaning, is to be +admitted when the literal sense involves an absurdity, or contradiction +to the nature of things.[2] The right application of these principles +may be said to constitute a large portion of the science of Scripture. +But in applying them it is often difficult to decide, respecting a +particular passage, whether it is to be {89} taken literally or +allegorically; and again, after deciding that the passage must be +allegorical, there is generally the still greater difficulty of +discovering what the true sense is. In illustration of the second of +the above principles Burnet cites, apart from the context, _vermem +nunquam moriturum_, and admits that these words have an allegorical +signification. This plainly follows from the single consideration that +the worm (_skolex_) here spoken of is literally that which is seen to +feed on dead bodies, and to say of it that it does not die is +contradictory to experience. When, however, the same author goes on to +give as the allegorical sense nothing more definite than "_extremam +miseriam_," it may well be asked, By what kind of induction has this +conclusion been reached? The feeble worm which feeds on mortal remains +presents to our sight nothing capable of causing pain or misery. +Rather it may, I think, be asserted that Scripture here adverts to this +natural fact for the purpose of indicating by a distinct and visible +emblem that there is a living principle which destroys mortality, and +which for that reason alone is not itself subject to death. If we be +guided solely by what _we see with our eyes_, this appears to be the +only allegorical sense that can be attributed to the first clause of +Mark ix. 44.[3] We have next to inquire as to the {90} interpretation +of the other clause, and what is the mutual relation between the two +clauses. + +Although the worm which devours dead bodies is not emblematic of +anything that causes pain, the case is quite otherwise with respect to +the emblematic meaning of _fire_. It is evident that fire which is +"unquenchable" is not natural fire, and consequently may be taken to +be, as has already been assumed, the devouring fire of judgment and of +condemnation consequent upon violation of the law of righteousness (see +p. 88). The destruction of the impenitent unrighteous by the operation +of this law (which is their second death), is attended with pain and +woe such as will not have been before, nor will be after. It was +inferred (p. 84) from our Lord's teaching in Matt. xviii. 6, that any +form of _death_ of which the body is susceptible in this world is +rather to be endured than falling under condemnation in the world to +come. In Mark ix. 42-48, we are taught that any form of bodily _pain_, +as that of losing a hand, a foot, or an eye, is to be preferred to +entering with the body whole into the "_geenna_ of fire." This is, in +fact, at once the greatest and the _last_ of human suffering and +tribulation. For it should be noticed that at the end of this very +passage (v. 49) it is said that "every one shall be salted [made +'good,' _v._ 50] with fire," signifying the effect finally produced by +the unquenchable fire. And with this agrees the emblem {91} of the +worm that "dieth not," taken as indicating that the final effect of the +torment of the judgment is to swallow up death, and to bring in, by +establishing the reign of righteousness, life and immortality. The +signification of one emblem must be taken in conjunction with that of +the other. + +Moreover, by giving particular attention to the context of Isa. lxvi. +24, it will be seen that what is there revealed is quite in accordance +with the above interpretation. For, first, in _v._ 16 we have, "By +fire and by his sword [the sword of the Word of God spoken of in Rev. +xix. 15] will the Lord plead with all flesh," that is, in the judgment +which has been appointed for the trial and tribulation of all men. +Then, by taking into account what is said in _vv._ 22 and 23, we may +gather that "all flesh," having become denizens of "the new heavens and +the new earth" in which, as St. Peter declares (2 Epist. iii. 13), +righteousness dwells, "come to worship the Lord." Of _these +worshippers_, consisting of "all flesh," it is affirmed that "they +shall go forth and look upon the carcases of the transgressors," which, +on account of the ill savour coming up from them, will be "an abhorring +to all flesh" (compare Isa. xxxiv. 3). Thus there is here represented, +but by a different figure, the same truth as that which has already +been deduced from the ascending up for ever and ever of the brimstone +smoke of torment (see pp. 61 and 65); namely, {92} that the subjecting +of all the deeds and secrets of the present life to the scrutiny of +judgment, and the consequent condemnation of all the unredeemed to the +pains of a second death, will have the effect of making sin against a +"faithful Creator" to be seen and felt to be so hateful and abominable +a thing, that such sin will cease to be possible, notwithstanding that +all men will retain individuality and volition. For all will thus at +length be made new creatures incapable of sinning. This remark may +serve to introduce the final stage of the general argument, which I now +proceed to enter upon. + +I have been endeavouring to show that the symbolic assertions in Rev. +xx. respecting "the lake of fire" and its "burning with brimstone," the +casting therein of the devil, the beast, and the false prophet, and +their being tormented "day and night for ever and ever," the judgment +of all the dead, small and great, according to their recorded deeds, +"the second death," and the casting into the lake of fire of "any one +not found written in the book of life," do not necessitate, as is +commonly thought, the conclusion that evil, which had a beginning, +fulfils no purpose and has no ending. As to this question the seer +gives, in Rev. xxi. 1-4, the following explicit revelation: "And I saw +a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth +passed away; and there is no more sea. And I saw the holy city, new +Jerusalem, {93} coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride +adorned for her husband. And I heard a great voice from the throne, +saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and He will dwell +with them, and they shall be His people, and God Himself will be with +them, their God. And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes; +and death shall be no more, neither sorrow nor crying, neither shall +there be any more pain: for the first things passed away." Now, it +seems hardly possible that the announcement of the termination of evil +could be made in terms more direct and more intelligible than these. +Hence, according to acknowledged principles of Biblical interpretation, +we must not attribute to the above-mentioned symbolic and less +intelligible passages any meaning inconsistent with that announcement. +The arguments I have adduced respecting the interpretation of the +figurative statements contained in the latter half of chap. xx. are +directed to showing that these figures do, in fact, admit of meanings +consistent with the gospel revelations given in chap. xxi. 1-4. It is +of so much importance, as regards the Scriptural doctrine of +immortality, to establish this point, that I propose now to supplement +the former arguments by additional considerations. + +In the Book of Daniel (xii. 6, 7) we read of "a man clothed in linen, +who was upon the water of a river, and held up his right hand and his +left hand unto {94} heaven, and sware by Him that liveth for ever," +that at the end of an appointed time a certain purpose would be +accomplished, and "all these things be finished." This refers, as the +context shows, to "the time of the end" of the present age (_aion_). +The announcement made in this manner by the man clothed in linen +indicates that he is the precursor of the angel of whom, in _vv._ 1, 2, +5, 6, 7 of Rev. x., the apostle John relates as follows: "I saw a +mighty angel come down from heaven, clothed with a cloud, and a rainbow +upon his head, and his face as the sun, and his feet as pillars of +fire; and, having in his hand a little book open, he set his right foot +upon the sea, and his left foot upon the earth.... and lifted up his +hand to heaven, and sware by Him that liveth for ever and ever, who +created heaven and the things therein, and the earth and the things +therein, and the sea and the things therein, that time shall be no +more; but in the days of the voice of the seventh angel, in the time +when he is about to sound his trumpet, also [_kai_, merely indicating +the apodosis] the mystery of God is finished (_etelesthe_, aor. ind.), +according to the gospel He made known to His servants the prophets." +The soundings of the seven trumpets are significant of progressive +steps in the general judgment; the days pertaining to the voice of the +seventh angel are those immediately preceding the actual sounding of +his trumpet, which announces the {95} completion (as indicated by the +number seven) of the mystery of God's creation in time, and marks the +end of the age (_ho aion ho mellon_) following upon the conclusion of +the present age. When all that pertains to this final interval "is +finished," there is no more succession of events whereby time is +cognizable, and therefore time is no more. The might, and glorious +investiture, and majestic attitude of the angel who proclaims this +truth, conspire to point out its great significance. The little book +in his hand is the word of prophecy by which we learn these mysteries. + +It is, no doubt, beyond the limit of our thoughts, conditioned as we +are by time, to conceive of a state of things in which time is no more. +Apparently for this reason commentators have proposed to translate, +_chronos ouk estai eti_, "the time shall not be yet," or "time shall no +more intervene." The former of these translations is excluded by the +usage of _ouk eti_ in the analogous affirmations in Rev. xxi. 1, 4, and +the other, which is an arbitrary comment rather than a translation, is +for the same reason excluded. (I have preferred _ouk estai eti_ to +_ouketi estai_, because the words occur in the former order in each of +the three instances in Rev. xxi.) There can be no question as to the +philological correctness of the translation, "time shall be no more." +The unwillingness to admit it appears to have arisen solely from a +fixed persuasion, gratuitously and very generally entertained, that +time {96} has a _necessary_ existence, and therefore cannot come to an +end. Some have affirmed that when time ends, eternity begins; which is +a self-contradictory dogma, because eternity (from _[oe]tas_) is +essentially time. The teaching of Scripture on this point is directly +opposed to these views; for the apostle Peter tells those for whose +sake he wrote his second Epistle, to bear in mind "this one thing, that +one day is with the Lord as a thousand years, and a thousand years as +one day" (2 Epist. iii. 8). This is equivalent to saying that time is +not an independent entity, but that both its existence and its quality +are determined by the _will_ of the Creator of all things. It is in +virtue of our being made in His image, and partaking intellectually of +the divine nature, that we are capable _in thought_ of giving +indefinite and arbitrary extension to time, whether it be past time or +time to come. This faculty, as I have already argued in p. 80, is to +be placed in the category of the different conditions, whether +depending on experience of the course of time, or on affections of our +bodily and mental constitutions, under which the spirit of man is +formed for immortality. All such conditions are determined by the +purpose for which they are imposed, and when that purpose is fulfilled +in the perfection of humanity the conditions come to an end. It is +thus that the being conditioned by time eventually ceases. + +It will be proper here to meet an objection to the {97} doctrine that +time will have an end which might be drawn from the expression, _eis +tous aionas ton aionon_, which frequently occurs in Scripture, and +seems to be indicative of an unlimited succession of ages. So far as +time is under human cognizance, and has relation to human experience, +Scripture speaks in express terms of only _two_ ages--the present one, +which lasts to the end of the _generations_ of men in the existing +order of things; and the age to come, which embraces the course of the +judgment of all who lived in the first age, and terminates with the +second death of those who had no part in the first resurrection. When +it is said of the Creator of heaven and earth, that He is "from +everlasting to everlasting" (_apo tou aionos meos tou aionos su ei_, +Ps. xc. 2), and that "He liveth for ever and ever" (_ho zon eis tous +aionas ton aionon_, Rev. x. 6), the word _aion_ is not used to signify, +as in the instances of the two "ages" just mentioned, an interval +having beginning and ending, but is to be taken in an abstract sense, +derived from our ordinary perception of the existence and quality of +time, and from the faculty which, as said before, we possess of +thinking of time as indefinitely extended. The first of the cited +passages affirms what in these days we should express by saying that +God is necessarily and essentially self-existent, and the other, what +we mean by saying that He is necessarily and essentially a _living_ +God. But {98} Scripture uses no such terms as these, because it is +written on the principle of employing in an abstract sense only such +terms as are rendered intelligible by personal sensation and +observation, and by experience drawn under actual conditions from the +outer world. It is thus that the word "age" acquired its primary +meaning, before it was susceptible of the abstract application just +mentioned. + +There is also to be said, as a reason for accepting this doctrine +respecting our relation to time, that Scripture teaches analogous +doctrine respecting our relation to _space_. When our Lord astonished +his disciples by saying that the passage of a camel through the eye of +a needle is not an impossibility, he explained that "this is impossible +with men, but not with God; for with God all things are possible" (Mark +x. 25-27). By this saying he asserted that space, and the mutual +relations of body and space, are such as they are by the will and power +of God, and by the same power might be changed. Considering, +therefore, that "the new heavens and the new earth" constitute a "new +creation," it is quite in accordance with the above inference from our +Lord's words to find it said of "the new Jerusalem, the holy city," +that "the length, and the breadth, and the height of it are equal" +(Rev. xxi. 16). For a city to be such as to conform to this +description, it is plain that material substance and space must {99} be +related to each other in an entirely new manner, unrecognizable by +present experience. The apostle Paul adverts to the eventual status of +the spirit of man with respect to time and space where he says, "I am +persuaded that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, +nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor +depth, nor any other creation, will be able to separate us from the +love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord" (Rom. viii. 38, 39). +(In this sentence the recognized passage of time, the powers +[_dynameis_] of nature, and the measurable qualities of space, seem all +to be regarded as things _created_.) Also corresponding to the change +in the external creation it is revealed that there will be a change of +the outward man, the natural body giving place to the "spiritual body." +It would appear, therefore, from the whole of the foregoing argument +that our spirits, after being bound by earthly and temporal conditions, +undergo complete transformation, being conjoined with bodily essence +related in a new manner to _space_, and being also released from the +condition of _time_. But although this mode of existence may be a +necessary condition of the immortal state, especially as such state +embraces associated members, it is not the sole, nor the principal, +condition of immortality, as the remainder of the argument will show. + +It has already been noticed that St. Peter {100} characterizes "the new +heavens and the new earth" by saying that "righteousness dwells +therein." This is as much as to say that it is a perfect _social_ +state, whose end is at once the glory of God and the happiness of man. +The words of the apostle (2 Epist. iii. 13) signify that the new +creation, by satisfying this condition, is the fulfilment of an +antecedent promise. Now, the argument of this Essay is in entire +agreement with this doctrine, inasmuch as it was from the first assumed +(p. 9) that immortality cannot consist with any other than a state of +righteousness, and then (pp. 19 and 20) it was argued that after Adam's +transgression a _promise_ was made that himself and his race would +eventually be exempt from the power of Satan and attain to immortality. +The passage Rev. xxi. 1-4, quoted in p. 92, seems to certify the +complete fulfilment of this promise and to indicate the manner of its +fulfilment. But there are other passages in this concluding portion of +the Apocalypse, which might be thought to bear a contrary +signification, to which, therefore, our attention must now be directed. + +In xxi. 8 we have, "But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the +abominable, and murderers, and fornicators, and sorcerers, and +idolaters, and all lies, shall have their part in the lake which +burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death." If we +give to this symbolism, as consistency requires, {101} an +interpretation analogous to that applied to Rev. xx. 10, we shall +conclude that sinners of all classes will eventually have no cognizable +existence, transgression being brought to an end by the effect of the +general judgment and the pains of the second death. This may explain +why it is added, "which is the second death." It is worthy of remark +that "all lies" are said to have their part in "the lake" although the +casting of lies into a lake is objectively an impossibility. But this +variation of the designation ("lies" being put for "liars") may be +intended to signify generally that all transgression disappears, +because transgressors cease to be cognizable _as transgressors_. + +There is another thing to be noticed respecting the same passage: it +contains no such clause as, "They shall be tormented day and night to +the ages of ages," which occurs at the end of Rev. xx. 10. This +omission may be accounted for on the principle stated in p. 96, +according to which expressions involving time are not applicable to the +condition of things in the new creation, in which time exists no more. + +I take the occasion to remark here that the above-cited clause appears +to be the only passage in the Apocalypse which asserts the perpetuity +of _personal_ experience of torment, as distinct from the perpetuity of +its effect; also that the personal subject of the verb +_basanisthesontia_, according to grammatical rules, would be the devil, +the beast, and the {102} false prophet, each of which is represented as +personal, and endowed with volition and power. But these, as I have +maintained in p. 61, are the powers which, according to the law of +opposites, are antagonist to God the Father, the Holy Ghost, and the +Son of God; and the assertion that they are tormented for ever and ever +may be taken to mean, according to the principle of interpretation +explained in p. 97, that they exist _necessarily_, but only as they +exist, when subdued, in the contempt and hatred in which they are held +by those who have felt their power and have overcome it, this spiritual +effect being a condition of immortality. (See end of p. 61.) + +It remains to speak of one other subject connected with the revelations +made in the Apocalypse, which, understood as it respects our argument, +is of very great moment, inasmuch as it has relation to the means by +which the spirit of man is endowed with immortality. The Son of God is +named in the Apocalypse "The Word of God" (xix. 18), "King of kings and +Lord of lords" (xvii. 14, and xix. 16), "the root and the offspring of +David, the bright and morning star" (xxii. 16), and by other titles +expressive of honour and dignity; but no name occurs so frequently, and +in such various applications, as "the Lamb." What, it may be asked, is +the reason for this? In order to answer this question let us take into +consideration some instances, specially {103} significant, in which +this name occurs. From what is recorded in chap. v. 6-13 as having +been seen in vision by the apostle, we are instructed as follows +respecting the character and office of the Lamb: "In the midst of the +throne [the seat of the Lord God Almighty] and of the four living +beings, and in the midst of the elders, stood a Lamb as it had been +slain, having seven horns [emblematic of perfect power] and seven eyes +[perfection of wisdom], which are the seven Spirits of God sent forth +into all the earth." And he came and took out of the right hand of Him +who sat upon the throne a book "sealed with seven seals." "And when he +had taken the book, the four living beings and four and twenty elders +fell down before the Lamb.... And they sung a new song, saying, Thou +art worthy to take the book, and to open the seals thereof; for thou +wast slain." Then "an innumerable company of angels" (Heb. xii. 22) +was heard to say with a loud voice, "Worthy is the Lamb that was slain +to receive power, and riches, and wisdom, and strength, and honour, and +glory, and blessing. And every created thing which is in heaven, and +on the earth, and under the earth, and such as are in the sea, and all +things in them, were heard to say, Blessing, and honour, and glory, and +power be unto Him that sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb for +ever and ever." + +Then follows in chap. vi. the opening of the seven {104} seals, which, +from the descriptions given at the successive openings, appear to +symbolize the various kinds of human experience, both good and evil, +which mark the course of events in the present world, all centering in +the work of redemption by the sacrifice of the Son of God; on which +account the Lamb _slain_ can alone open the seven seals and disclose +their meaning. At the end of what is said relative to the sixth seal +mention is made of "the great day of the wrath of the Lamb," which, +because by reason of the sins of men he was so unjustly slain, is +ordained to be seen and felt by the whole world after the termination +of the present age (see Rev. i. 7). The expectation of that wrath, +although none can escape it, all but very few in the present day are +unwilling, through terror or unbelief, to entertain. The state of +terror of all classes at the signs of the approach of that day appears +to be described at the end of the chapter. (See vi. _vv._ 15-17.) + +Next, in chap. vii., comes the sealing of all the elect, represented +symbolically by the sealing of twelve thousand of each of the twelve +tribes of Israel, the number twelve specially signifying election. +Then in _vv._ 9-17 is recorded a most wonderful vision. The seer says, +"After this I beheld, and, lo, a great multitude, whom no man could +number, of all nations, and tribes, and peoples, and tongues, standing +before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed with white {105} robes, +and palms in their hands: and they cry with a loud voice, saying, +Salvation to our God who sitteth upon the throne, and to the Lamb." +This multitude whom no man can number, the number of whom is elsewhere +said to be as "the sand of the sea," must embrace all that are not of +the number of the elected and sealed one hundred and forty-four +thousand, and their ascription here of praise to God for salvation +accords with the teaching of St. Paul, that "God is the Saviour of all +men, especially of those that believe." This is made still plainer by +what is said respecting this multitude clothed in white robes in _vv._ +14-17. The seer is told by one of the elders that "These are they who +come out of the great tribulation, and washed their robes, and made +them white in the blood of the Lamb. Therefore are they before the +throne of God, and serve Him day and night in His temple; and He that +sitteth on the throne shall dwell among them. And they shall hunger no +more, neither thirst any more; neither shall the sun light on them, nor +any heat. For the Lamb who is in the midst of the throne will feed +them, and will lead them to fountains of waters of life; and God will +wipe away all tears from their eyes." It is evident that the +revelation here made is _proleptical_, describing a state of things +identical with that which in Rev. xxi. 3, 4 (before quoted in p. 93), +is said to pertain to the new heavens and the {106} new earth. The +explanation that may be given of this anticipation of the subsequent +revelation is referable to a principle which governs much that is +contained in Scripture, although it has been generally overlooked--the +principle, namely, of following sometimes an order determined by +_relativity_, although it sets aside order as to time. This, however, +is not done except for some purpose. In the present instance, the +effect of declaring the salvation of all men in immediate sequence to +the sealing of the elect for salvation, is to indicate that the general +scheme whereby all eventually partake of salvation consists of related +and progressive parts to be unfolded by course of time. + +The name of "the Lamb" is also given to our Lord in various other +passages, which, with the view of contributing to the general argument, +I proceed now to cite and make some remarks upon. The accuser of the +brethren (Satan) is overcome by those who loved not their lives unto +death, "on account of the _blood_ of the Lamb" (xii. 10, 11). The +beast will be worshipped by all dwellers upon earth "whose names are +not written in the book of life of the Lamb _slain_ from the foundation +of the world" (xiii. 8). "A Lamb stood on the mount Sion, and with him +an hundred forty and four thousand, having his Father's name written on +their foreheads.... These are they who follow the Lamb wheresoever he +goeth. {107} These were purchased from among men, the firstfruits to +God and to the Lamb" (xiv. 1, 4). The worshippers of the beast "shall +be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy angels +and in the presence of the Lamb" (xiv. 10). Those who have gotten the +victory over the beast "sing the song of Moses the servant of God, and +the song of the Lamb, saying, Great and marvellous are thy works, Lord +God Almighty; just and true are thy ways, thou King of the nations. +Who shall not fear thee, O Lord, and glorify thy name? for thou only +art holy: for all nations shall come and worship before thee, because +thy judgments are made manifest" (xv. 2-4). The law given by Moses, +and the gospel of Jesus Christ, constitute together a great and +wonderful [oe]conomy, redounding to the praise and glory of God, and to +the salvation of man. Kings of the earth "shall make war with the +Lamb, and the Lamb shall overcome them, because he is Lord of lords and +King of kings, and they that are with him are called, and elect, and +faithful" (xvii. 14). + +The marriage of the Lamb and his bride--that is, the union of Christ +with the whole assembly of the redeemed--does not take place till "the +wife has made herself ready," till she has arrayed herself in the fine +linen, clean and white, which it was given her to put on, the fine +linen being "the righteousness of saints" (xix. 7, 8). This doctrine +accords well {108} with the view taken throughout this Essay, namely, +that righteousness (the "unspeakable gift," 2 Cor. ix. 15) is necessary +as an antecedent condition of salvation, and therefore of immortality. +It is further to be noticed that this union between the Lamb and the +bride is not perfected while time lasts, requiring the condition of a +new creation. For it was not till the first heaven and the first earth +passed away that John "saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down +from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband" +(xxi. 2), and that "the Lamb's wife" was shown to him by "one of the +seven angels that had the seven vials full of the last seven plagues" +(xxi. 9). The performance of this office by an angel who in the +antecedent judgment had been a minister of wrath and punishment, may be +taken to be significant of the _means_ by which the glorious +consummation is brought about. + +Finally, we have in the following concluding portions of apocalyptic +prophecy a description of what may be said to constitute the joy of the +marriage supper, namely, the perfection through righteousness, not only +of the union between Christ and the elect Church, but also of that +between God and all peoples. Speaking of "the holy city Jerusalem," +John says, "I saw no temple therein; for the Lord God Almighty and the +Lamb are the temple of it. And the city hath no need of the sun, +neither of the {109} moon, to shine on it; for the glory of God gave +light to it, and the Lamb is the lamp thereof. And the nations shall +walk by the light of it, and the kings of the earth bring their glory +into it. And the gates of it shall not be shut by day, for there will +not be night there. And they shall bring the glory and honour of the +nations into it. And there shall not enter into it anything unclean, +and that worketh abomination and lying, but only they that are written +in the Lamb's book of life" (xxi. 22-27). The seer goes on to say, +"And he showed me a river of water of life, bright as crystal, coming +forth from the throne of God and of the Lamb. In the midst of the +street of it and of the river, on the one side and the other [the river +being in the middle of the street, and the tree spreading from one side +to the other], was the tree of life, producing twelve fruits, and +yielding its fruit according to each month; and the leaves of the tree +are for the healing of the nations. And there shall be no more curse; +and the throne of God and of the Lamb shall be in it, and His servants +shall serve Him: and they shall see His face, and His name shall be on +their foreheads. And night shall be no more: and they shall have no +need of light of a lamp, and light of the sun; because the Lord God +will give them light, and they shall reign to the ages of ages" (xxii. +1-5). + +The foregoing citations, and indeed the whole tenor of the contents of +the Apocalypse, clearly point to the {110} conclusion that what is +symbolized by "the Lamb" and "the Lamb slain" runs through all it +teaches respecting the course of experience and future destination of +the race of man--is "the lamp" that enlightens the whole. Now, I think +I may assert that the reason this is so is given by the arguments +adduced in this Essay. It has been maintained that on the day that +Adam fell into disobedience by the wiles of Satan, his Creator made a +promise by covenant that he and his offspring should in the end be +freed from the power of Satan and evil, and partake of immortality. +The terms of the covenant were that man must pass through toil, and +pain, and death, that thereby his spirit might be formed for receiving +the gift of an immortal life. Evidence of an intelligent belief of the +efficacy of these conditions was given by the faithful of old by their +sacrificing clean animals, and surety for the fulfilment of the +covenant was given on God's part by a favourable acceptance, either +directly or mediately, of this expression of their faith. In process +of time the only begotten Son of God, out of sympathy with suffering +humanity, and from knowledge of his Father's purpose towards us, +satisfied in his own person the very same conditions, and thus at once +exemplified and justified the means by which that purpose is +accomplished. At the same time he made sure the grounds for belief of +the fulfilment of the covenanted promise, first by marvellous {111} +works before he suffered, which showed that he had command over all the +ills of humanity, and after his death, by resurrection from the grave +the third day, which gave proof of the reality of a power that could +overcome death. The miracles of Christ are an essential part of the +work of his ministry, inasmuch as they were needed to prove that he +possessed power greater than that of his adversaries, and consequently +that he submitted _voluntarily_ to be "led as a _lamb_ to the +slaughter," and to endure all the pain and indignities of the cross. +Out of love towards those whom he vouchsafes to call his brethren, he +showed how they must undergo physical suffering and the pains of death +in order that their spirits might be formed for an endless life. It +was with understanding and belief that the way to life was made sure by +fellowship with Christ in suffering, that some of the most favoured of +his faithful followers, apostles and apostolic men, willingly suffered +after his example. + +But pain and death are not in this way efficacious for salvation, +unless they be accompanied by a faith which lays hold of the covenant +and promise of life made and ratified from the beginning by God, and +which looks for the fulfilment in the world to come. Those who, having +this faith, do good works are God's elect, who live again at the first +resurrection, to die no more. The rest of mankind, although they go +through suffering and death, and although their {112} sufferings are +not without effect in forming their spirits for immortality (such is +the virtue of the sacrifice of the Son of God "for the sins of the +whole world"), rise to be judged for their unbelief and +unrighteousness, and to be condemned to undergo a second death. The +Lamb slain is appointed to execute the judgment and take vengeance on +the unrighteous. What better title could there be for his undertaking +this "strange work" (Isa. xxviii. 21), than his having so cruelly and +unjustly suffered at the hands of sinful men? Yet the portions of +Scripture we have had under consideration necessitate the conclusion +that the consecration of the way to life through death by the death of +the Son of God, which applies to the death of believers, applies also +to the second death of unbelievers; so that this death also is followed +by life. But here a difficulty presents itself which needs +explanation. Although Scripture speaks of a first resurrection and a +second death, it makes no mention of a _second resurrection_. This, I +think, may be accounted for as follows. + +By considering the context, both preceding and following, of the +clause, "This is the first resurrection," in Rev. xx. 5, it will be +apparent that "resurrection" does not here mean simply returning to +life after death, but may be taken to embrace the whole period of the +thousand years, together with all that concerns "the happy and the +holy" who {113} have part therein. This interpretation is in +accordance with the sense in which our Lord speaks of resurrection +where he says, "In the resurrection they neither marry nor are given in +marriage, but are as the angels, of God in heaven" (Matt. xxii. 30). +That "the resurrection" (_he anastasis_) designates a state or +condition of life into which the elect of God are _introduced_ by +returning to life after death, is still more explicitly signified by +the following corresponding passage of St. Luke (xx. 34-36): "The +children of this world marry, and are given in marriage; but they who +are accounted worthy to obtain that world, and the resurrection from +the dead, neither marry nor are given in marriage: neither can they die +any more; for they are equal to the angels, and are children of God, +being children of the resurrection." Now, it may certainly be inferred +from what is said in Rev. xx. 5, that the rest of the dead, who have no +part in this first resurrection, return to life at the end of the +thousand years. But they return to life to be judged, condemned, and +suffer death again. This, therefore, is in no sense a resurrection +answering to the description above given of the first resurrection, and +accordingly is not called in Scripture the second resurrection. What +really corresponds to the holiness and happiness of the first +resurrection state is the finally perfected and all-comprehending state +called "the new heaven and the new earth," life in which, according to +our {114} argument, comes out of the second and last death, and is +unconditioned by time. This is the heavenly state which is described +in Rev. vii. 11-17, xxi. 2-4, and 10-27. Thus, although this may be +regarded as that subsequent resurrection to which "the first +resurrection" by its very designation points, it is not called "the +second resurrection," because it is not, like the first, limited or +conditioned by _time_. + +The portion of the Apocalypse which is strictly symbolical and +prophetical begins at _v._ 1 of chap. iv. and ends with _v._ 5 of chap. +xxii. The first three chapters, including the epistles to the seven +Churches, and the verses from chap. xxii. 5 to the end of the book, may +be taken to be respectively introduction and conclusion, the contents +of which, although strictly related to those of the intermediate +symbolical part, are not of a character so exclusively figurative. +This circumstance has to be taken into account in proposing +interpretations of passages contained in them. Now, there are certain +passages in the concluding part which appear to be contradictory to the +doctrine of salvation maintained in this Essay, and accordingly, before +bringing the argument to a close, I shall endeavour to ascertain the +true interpretations of these passages. + +The angel who showed John "these things" (xxii. 8) says of himself, "I +am the fellow-servant of thee, and of thy brethren the prophets, and of +those who {115} keep the words of this book;" and yet this speaker is +not distinguished from him who afterwards says (_vv._ 12, 13), "Lo, I +come quickly, and my reward is with me, to render to each according as +his work is. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the first and the last, the +beginning and the end," who, without doubt, is the Lord himself. This +may be accounted for by the following considerations. This angel, of +whom it is twice asserted that he refused to receive worship proffered +to him by the seer (xix. 10, and xxii. 9), is the same that is spoken +of in Rev. i. 1, with reference to "the revelation of Jesus Christ, +which God gave to him, to shew to his servants things which must +shortly come to pass," in these terms: "He [Jesus Christ] by sending +signified it [the revelation] through his angel to his servant John." +In certain passages in the introductory part of the Apocalypse, as Rev. +i. 8, 17-20, and throughout the epistles to the seven Churches, the +Lord speaks in his own person; and this again he does expressly in some +passages in the concluding part, as xxii. 7, 12, 13, 16, 20; and +although the speaker in _vv._ 10 and 11 appears to be the same as the +speaker in _v._ 9, who certainly is the angel, such words as those two +verses contain could hardly have been uttered by any one but the Lord, +and, at least, they may be attributed to him on the principle that what +the Lord does through his ministering angel may be said to be done by +himself. It is as {116} ministering to Jesus Christ that the angel +calls himself a "fellow-servant" of prophets and apostles, and, +generally, of those who keep the words of this revelation. For these +reasons in the following remarks I take _vv._ 10 and 11 as spoken by +Jesus Christ. + +The words addressed by the speaker to John are (_vv._ 10, 11): "Seal +not the sayings of the prophecy of this book; for the time is at hand. +He who is unrighteous, let him commit injustice still; and he who is +filthy, let him be filthy still; and he who is righteous, let him do +righteousness still; and he who is holy, let him be holy still. Lo, I +come quickly; and my reward is with me, to render to each as his work +is." This passage has been interpreted as meaning that in the world to +come the conditions of the righteous and the wicked are irrevocably +fixed. + +I would rather say, having regard to the precise opposition of the +clauses of which it is composed, that the passage declares that in the +end unrighteousness and filthiness are irrevocably separate from their +opposites righteousness and holiness; and to account for the terms in +which this statement is made, it may suffice to refer to the principle +that according to the concrete, or objective, teaching of the +Apocalypse, holiness and filthiness would not be spoken of +abstractedly, that is, apart from holy and _filthy_ persons, and in +like manner righteousness and unrighteousness would not be mentioned +apart from their necessary {117} antecedents, _personal_ righteous and +unrighteous _deeds_. The expressions "commit injustice" and "do +righteousness," which do not occur in the English version, are exact +renderings of the Greek. + +Another passage which, as bearing on our argument, requires to be taken +into account, is _v._ 15 of the same chapter, which asserts that +"without are dogs, and sorcerers, and fornicators, and murderers, and +idolaters, and every one that loveth and maketh a lie." This is +expressing in concrete language, such as is constantly employed in +Scripture, that there is no unrighteousness in the city of God. Such +language, being concerned only with _objective_ realities, cannot +express a _negation_, and, consequently, cannot assert that +unrighteousness is _not_ within the city. Hence it is not possible, +except by means of such terms as those actually employed, to express +concretely that the city of God is free from all unrighteousness. By +comparing Rev. xxi. 8 with the interpretation here given of Rev. xxii. +15, it will be seen that the exclusion from the city of God of all +things sinful and abominable is declared to be effected by "the second +death." + +I have now completed the argument respecting man's immortality which I +proposed to found upon the words of Scripture. I have argued on the +hypothesis that for this purpose the Scriptures are trustworthy and +sufficient, and I have admitted that we {118} can know nothing for +certain concerning our immortality apart from the declared will of "Him +who alone hath immortality" (1 Tim. vi. 16). Accordingly, Scripture +must be consulted in order to learn what God has willed respecting the +destiny of man. The principal result of this inquiry is, that by the +will of God righteousness and salvation are so inseparably connected +that only as being personally righteous can man be saved and partake of +immortality. The question, therefore, as to the immortality of all men +resolves itself into inquiring whether, and by what means, all men are +made righteous. Arguments relating to this inquiry may be said to +constitute the whole of this Essay. I am prepared to expect that it +will be objected to these arguments that they are _new_, and on this +account that the conclusions drawn from them are not _true_. I admit +the validity of this inference if the arguments and conclusions are +really new, but I maintain that in so far as they are founded upon, and +correctly supported by, Scripture, they cannot be new, because we must +not suppose that the Scriptural doctrine of man's salvation was not +fully understood before these days--for instance, in the days of +primitive Christianity. As the objection on the ground of newness +cannot be sustained, the only course left to the objector is to examine +the arguments, for the purpose of ascertaining whether they are sound +and strictly Scriptural. + +{119} + +I think, however, it is possible that Scriptural doctrine, as taught +originally by prophets, apostles, and apostolic men, may have become so +obscured and mixed up with human traditions and accretions, that +bringing it again to light would appear like promulgating new doctrine. +This remark leads me to state on what authorities I have chiefly relied +in the composition of this Essay. I may say at once that my views have +been determined for the most part by long study of St. Paul's Epistle +to the Romans, and the Apocalypse of the Apostle John. I was not, +however, able to accept St. Paul's Epistle as it is translated in the +Authorized Version, nor could I agree with any commentary upon it that +had come before me. For these reasons I published a revised +Translation, with Introduction and Notes (Deighton, Bell, & Co., 1871), +which may, perhaps, claim consideration, if on no other ground, because +it is the production of a mind not unacquainted with classical studies, +but trained especially by mathematics and the pursuit of physical +science for inquiring respecting the method and laws of divine +operation. I have stated in the preface to that work (p. x.) the +particular bearing which, as it seemed to me, such studies have on the +interpretation of St. Paul's Epistle. Under the influence of the same +mental training, I was induced long since to direct my attention +towards the interpretation of the Apocalypse, and I purpose {120} +shortly, if God be willing, to publish the fruits of my researches. +Any reader of this Essay will perceive that it contains much which +depends on views which I entertain respecting the general scheme and +the symbolism of the Apocalypse. + +With respect to the interpretation of symbolical Scripture, I have not +abstained from having recourse to books which, although they are not +included in the Canon of Scripture, are specially adapted to reveal +principles on which the prophetical and symbolical parts of Canonical +Scripture may be interpreted. I refer to three books in particular, +the fourth Book of Esdras, the Epistle of Barnabas, and the Shepherd of +Hermas. There is historic evidence that these books were largely made +use of in the days of primitive Christianity. The first has obtained +an honourable place in the Articles of the Church of England, owing, no +doubt, to the traditional influence which the Church of Rome still had +at the time of the Reformation. In the midst of much error and +superstition pervading that Church, she faithfully performed the part +of keeper of the ancient sacred writings, and to her we are indebted +for the preservation for ecclesiastical use of that most instructive +book, although at the Council of Trent it was not admitted into the +Romish Canon. The other two books above mentioned were long regarded +by the Primitive Church as being useful for instruction in doctrine, +and of {121} authority little less than that of Scripture; in +attestation of which assertion it may be stated that the Codex +Sinaiticus contains the whole of the Epistle of Barnabas, and a portion +of the Shepherd of Hermas, although no other early Christian writings +are in the same manner associated with the Canonical Books. + +In drawing inferences from the above sources of information, I have +endeavoured to keep closely to the rules of induction which have +conducted to such signal discoveries in Natural Philosophy, and to +refrain from accepting any inference which the Scriptural data did not +justify. The modern advances in physical science, which have shown in +what path we must proceed in order to reach a knowledge of God's works, +indicate, it may be presumed, that an analogous method is to be pursued +in order to gain a knowledge of His word. But it will, perhaps, be +said, that if the knowledge of what is revealed in Scripture be +obtainable only by means such as those which have been exemplified in +this Essay, the considerations that must be entered into are so remote +from common apprehension, that but very few can be supposed to be +endowed with capacity for understanding them. This, it must be +admitted, is actually the case, and, besides, is in conformity with the +arbitrament according to which God grants to an elected few gifts and +graces which He withholds from the many. + +Yet it seems to be the will of God to vouchsafe at {122} certain times +and places, and among certain peoples, a more than ordinary measure of +knowledge; and perhaps we shall not err in believing that the prophecy +in the Book of Daniel, "Many shall run to and fro, and knowledge shall +be increased" (xii. 4), is being fulfilled in our time and nation. +There is also a remarkable passage in the Apocalypse, which seems to +reveal that before "the time of the end" (Dan. xii. 4), the gospel in +its most comprehensive sense will be preached among all nations: "And I +saw another angel flying in mid-heaven, having the [oe]onian gospel +[i.e. the gospel pertaining to the future age] to preach to those that +dwell upon the earth, and to every nation and tribe and tongue and +people, saying with a loud voice, Fear God, and give Him glory because +the hour of His judgment is come: and worship Him who made the heaven, +and the earth, and the sea, and fountains of waters" (Rev. xiv. 6, 7). +I cannot forbear noticing the coincidence of the plain meaning of the +words of this prophecy with the views advocated in this Essay: first, +in respect to calling the gospel "[oe]onian" and thus asserting its +applicability to the future age; next, in its announcement of the +gospel in connection with the advent of "the hour of judgment;" and, +lastly, in the loud call the angel makes to the dwellers on earth to +give glory and worship to the Creator of heaven, earth, sea, and the +fountains of waters. + +{123} + +But the dulness of hearers and incapacity to understand the doctrine of +Scripture are not the only obstacles those will have to contend against +who undertake to preach "the [oe]onian gospel." There are the +interests and attractions of the present world, which, since the love +of them is necessarily disturbed by the announcement that the world to +come offers what is much more to be desired, operate, sometimes it may +be in a manner which is not suspected, in hardening the heart against +listening to and receiving that gospel. I think that in this way only +can it be accounted for that the passages of Scripture which +unequivocally declare the salvation of all men are comparatively +unattended to, whilst belief is generally expressed in those supposed +to be of opposite import. I am apprehensive that on the same accounts +the arguments by which I have endeavoured to show that the latter +passages admit of being interpreted consistently with the others, will +receive little attention. + +There exists, moreover, in the present day so long-standing and so +general an inability to discern the inner and true sense of Scripture, +"the letter which killeth" having been preferred to "the spirit which +maketh alive," that it has become a matter of much difficulty to +comprehend and explain the terms in which the gospel in its entirety is +therein proclaimed, and either to give, or to receive, instruction +which may conduce to an intelligent acceptance of it. {124} In +addition to which there prevails a tendency to rely on traditional and +formal doctrine, and to assign to it an authority co-ordinate with that +of Scripture, although as having had its origin at times when primitive +faith and knowledge had in great measure declined, and "the mystery of +iniquity" was already working, it cannot but be mixed with a human +element of untruth. This tendency, which appears to be attributable to +a consciousness of inability to form an independent judgment of the +truths of Scripture, operates at present in creating a prejudice +against all attempts to go beyond the boundaries by which Scriptural +knowledge is assumed to be circumscribed. Nevertheless, regarding it +as a duty to employ the opportunities and the ability which God has +given me in making such an attempt, I have endeavoured to place the +doctrine of the salvation and immortality of all men on a Scriptural +basis, and I have now only to ask for an unprejudiced consideration of +the arguments I have adduced for that purpose. + + + +[1] See the notes to Rom. v. 12-20, given in pp. 36-38 of my +"Translation of St. Paul's Epistle to the Romans" (Cambridge: Deighton +and Co, 1871). + +[2] The treatise referred to is entitled "De Fatura, Bestauratione," +and the passage cited is very near the end of it. This treatise is an +appendix to another, the title of which is "De Statu Mortuorum et +Resurgentium." + +[3] So far this explanation of Mark ix. 44 is the same as that which I +have given in a letter to the editor of the _Clerical Journal_, which +is inserted in the number for June 5, 1862 (p. 526). + + + + +{125} + +APPENDIX. + +I have allowed to stand in the Essay (pp. 76-81) the views I held at +the time it was composed respecting the interpretation of Matt. xxv. +46, because I considered that these views, although in certain respects +they are inconsistent with those I maintain in this Appendix, might +contribute, by comparison with the latter, towards an understanding of +the passage. The interpretation which, after long consideration, I +have finally adopted, was first published in two letters, contained +under the head of "Correspondence," in the numbers of the _Guardian_ +for December 27, 1877, and January 16, 1878. With the view of offering +some additional arguments in support of that interpretation, and making +it more generally intelligible, I propose to begin with producing _in +extenso_ the two letters referred to. + + + +"ETERNAL PUNISHMENT. + +"Sir, + +"After reading attentively the letters of your correspondents to which +the sermon of Dr. Farrar has given occasion, it appeared to me that +some views in addition to those which have hitherto been proposed, and +in certain respects controverting them, may be worthy of consideration. +I beg, {126} therefore, to be allowed space for making the following +remarks:-- + +"We are taught in the Scriptures that hereafter there will be a new +constitution of the universe, 'new heavens and a new earth wherein +dwelleth righteousness' (2 Peter iii. 13), and that in this perfect +social state 'there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, +neither shall there be any more pain' (Rev. xxi. 4). To reconcile this +revelation, so intelligible and so comprehensive, with the meaning of +passages which seem to say that the punishment of the wicked will be +'endless,' presents a very great difficulty. We are not at liberty in +such cases to accept some parts of Scripture and reject others in order +to get rid of the difficulty, but must believe that the truth, if it +should be reached, will establish the consistency of all, and that +seeming contradictions are only due to our ignorance. I propose for +consideration the following solution of the above-stated difficulty:-- + +"Jesus Christ in his ministration on earth said, in the course of +giving instruction to his _disciples_ (Matt. xxiv. 3), 'These [on the +left hand] shall go into eternal punishment, and the righteous into +eternal life' (Matt. xxv. 46). Considering that in all he said and did +he had in view his Father's purpose of making the spirits of men meet +for immortality, it may be asked, In what way was such teaching +contributory to this end? May we not conclude from our Lord's words, +apart from all other inferences, that eternal life is necessarily +preceded by righteousness, and eternal punishment is as necessarily +consequent upon sin, and that the knowledge of these divine decrees +contributes to the formation of spirits for the life to come? This +inference might be accepted as abstractedly true; but then the question +arises, What is meant by _duration_ as signified by the word 'eternal'? +It should be remarked that in the statement of the doctrine I have +employed the word 'necessarily' in a sense that is not unusual, and is +generally thought to be intelligible. But it is to be taken into +account that no such use of the term occurs in Scripture, where, in +fact, it would be wholly {127} incongruous. The reason of this is that +the Scriptures contain no abstract truths which are not expressed, or +expressible, in terms understood from the facts and conditions of human +experience. This may especially be said of the discourses of our Lord, +in consequence of which they are much misunderstood by the many who are +incapable of discerning the spiritual through the literal, who, as he +said, 'have eyes and see not, and ears and hear not.' Assuming, +therefore, that there is truth in speaking of righteousness and life as +being _necessarily_ connected, as also of sin and punishment as being +in like manner connected, we have to inquire in what way these abstract +truths are expressed in the language of Scripture. I venture to make +answer that this is done by its recognition of a special faculty we are +all conscious of possessing, that of thinking and speaking of time (and +space also) as indefinitely extended. (The mathematician knows that +without the supposition, whether as to greatness or smallness, of _ad +libitum_ extent of space and time, he is unable to conduct his +reasoning.) On this principle Scripture speaks of duration through +'ages, and ages,' because by such emphatic reference to our capacity +for thinking of unlimited duration, the anterior necessity of certain +abstract truths, as especially the being and attributes of Deity, and +the characters of divine judgment, is expressed in terms drawn from +common thought and experience. + +"But the omnipotent Creator, who, for purposes towards us, made time +and space to be what we perceive them to be, has also the power to +change or _unmake_ them. If it were not so, there would be a power +above that of the Creator, which is impossible. The difficulty +concerning the duration of future punishment appears to be attributable +to a preconception tacitly, perhaps unconsciously, entertained by most +persons that time and space have an independent existence, although the +teaching of Scripture is directly opposed to this view. St. Paul +speaks of 'height' and 'depth' as of things _created_ (Rom. viii. 39); +St. Peter has, 'One day is with the Lord as a thousand years, and a +thousand years as one day' (2 Epist. iii. 8); and in {128} Rev. x. 6 it +is expressly said that when the scheme of redemption is finished 'time +shall be no more.' The foregoing argument suffices, I think, to show +that 'endless' and eternal are not convertible terms, for the special +reason that the latter is significant of time as being derived from +_[oe]tas_, whereas the other has _per se_ no necessary relation to +time. (For the same etymological reason I consider 'eternal' to be +preferable to 'ever-lasting.') I cannot forbear adverting here to a +serious misstatement, as it seems to me, in Mr. Churton's letter in the +Guardian of December 12 (p. 1714). He says that the teaching of Holy +Scripture as to the matter of _duration_, is precisely the same with +respect to eternal life and eternal death, having apparently overlooked +the remarkable expression in Heb. vii. 16, 'indissoluble life' (_zoes +akatalytou_), in which endlessness is signified by an epithet not +explicitly indicative of time. No such epithet is applied in Scripture +to future punishment. This difference is of great importance when +taken with reference to the declaration in Scripture that time itself +has an end. + +"It would certainly appear that the apostle Paul did not teach that the +future punishment of the wicked will be endless; otherwise, how could +he have written, 'God is the Saviour of all men, specially of those +that believe' (1 Tim. iv. 10)? Is not this to assert that all are +saved in the same sense that some who believe are saved, although there +may be difference as to the order or mode of the salvation? We know +that in the present age faith avails to save if it rests on the +assurance given by the suffering and death of Jesus Christ that by +passing through the same gate of suffering we are prepared to enter +into life; for such faith yields the fruit of patience and +righteousness. But _in the age to come_ there is neither faith, nor +repentance, nor _probation_, but 'a certain fearful looking for of +judgment and fiery indignation' (Heb. x. 27). The appointed Judge is +the Son of man, who, having suffered an unjust and painful death at the +hands of sinful men, is entitled to execute the vengeance on sinners. +All men are judged; but the elect, {129} who have been sealed by faith +and good works, escape condemnation, and are those that are 'specially' +saved. The rest are condemned to undergo _the second death_. This is +that 'threefold woe' and 'great tribulation' so plainly foretold in +Scripture. It was by these 'terrors of the Lord' that St. Paul sought +to 'persuade' men, and not, as it would seem, by saying that the misery +will be without end. As matter of experience, the preaching of this +hopeless destiny does not deter from sin, but only makes sad tender +spirits whom God has not made sad. Why should we not rather believe +that the purpose of avenging justice is fulfilled when that great and +final tribulation (Mark xiii. 19) has availed, in virtue of the +suffering whereby the Son of God 'consecrated' the way to life, for the +_purification_ and salvation of the condemned, seeing that even saints +and martyrs have need to be purified by suffering (see Dan. xii. 10)? +This view reconciles all apparent contradictions, and accords with the +gospel declared in Rev. xxi. In making the foregoing statements I have +necessarily tried to be brief; but I hope, ere long, to be able to +publish a justification of them by arguments drawn at greater length +from Scripture. + +"Cambridge, December 21, 1877." + + + +"ETERNAL LIFE. + +"After the publication of my letter in the _Guardian_ of December 27 +(p. 1786), I received from various quarters interrogations and +arguments, which led me to see that there was an omission in one part +of my reasoning, by supplying which the whole of the argument might be +made much more complete. In particular, it was maintained by my +correspondents, I admit quite logically, that if eternal punishment in +Matt. xxv. 4:6 could be taken to mean punishment which has an end, by +parity of reasoning 'eternal life' must there mean life which has an +end. As I find that the same argument has been adduced in the +correspondence of the _Guardian_, I hope I may {130} be allowed, +notwithstanding the length to which the discussion of the subject has +gone, the opportunity of a supplementary letter for showing how, by +rectifying the above-mentioned defect, the views I have proposed meet +this difficulty. + +"In the Scriptures definite mention is made of only two ages, the +present age and the future age, or, in other words, 'this world and the +world to come' (Matt. xii. 32). The plural ages (_aiones_) and 'ages +of ages' are expressions to which we can by no mental effort attach a +definite signification, and consequently, as I endeavoured to show in +my former letter, they admit of various abstract applications. As in +the present age, so in the age to come, there is a _succession_ of +events which take place under conditions of time. These events have +received comparatively but small attention in the theology of the +present day, apparently because it is not generally seen that they are +spoken of much more largely by the prophets of the Old Testament than +in the New Testament, in which it is assumed that the old prophets are +understood; and again, because the epitome given in the Book of +Revelation (see Rev. x. 7) of the communications vouchsafed to the +prophets is expressed in symbols which we find it hard to interpret. +There are, however, passages in the New Testament which expressly make +known the relation of deeds and events of the present age to those of +the age to come; as especially our Lord's discourse 'as he sat on the +Mount of Olives,' and the apostles 'Peter and James and John and +Andrew' asked Him privately to tell them what would be the sign of his +coming, and of _the end of the world_ (_tes synteleias tou aionos_). +There is also that remarkable passage in which St. Matthew records that +Jesus said to Peter, 'Ye who have followed me, in the regeneration when +the Son of man shall sit on the throne of his glory, ye also shall sit +on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel.' The number +'twelve' in Scripture symbolism always signifies 'election;' the judges +may be presumed to be of the order of prophets and apostles--the elect +of the elect--and the twelve tribes of Israel the whole number of the +elect (see Rev. vii. 4-8). Now, these {131} twelve times twelve +thousand, symbolizing the complete number of the redeemed of every age +and nation, are 'the firstfruits unto God and to the Lamb,' and being +made perfect by suffering and judgment, farther on in the events of +that age 'follow the Lamb whithersoever he goeth,' and together with +him execute the final judgment on the whole world (Rev. xix. 14), +inclusive even of the judgment on Satan and his angels. This doctrine +seems to have been generally taught in the days of the apostles, +inasmuch as St. Paul writes to the Corinthians (1 Epist. vi. 2, 3), +'Know ye not that the saints shall judge the world?' 'Know ye not that +we shall judge angels?' Even in the Psalms we read, 'This honour have +all His saints' (see Psalm cxlix. 6-9). + +"On these premises, it seems to me, the following argument may be +founded relative to the interpretation of Matt. xxv. 46. In that +chapter the _separation_ between the sheep and the goats is spoken of +as initiatory to the general judgment, and the chapter closes with an +exposition of the principles on which the judgment is conducted as +regards both the one class and the other. The details and the +processes of the judgment, together with its _results_, are to be +sought for in the writings of the prophets and in the Book of +Revelation. Now, when account is taken of all events of that future +life, it may be said, I think, with truth, that the righteous who live +and act in it throughout, when that life begins enter into 'eternal +life,' the word 'eternal' being applicable because that age has a +time-limit. _This_ eternal life, the mention of which was omitted in +the former letter, merges into endless, or indissoluble, life, when +time is no more, and words expressive of time cease to have +application. In an analogous manner the unrighteous may be said to go +into 'eternal punishment' when they enter upon the experience of the +future age, the limit of the effects of the judgment and punishment +which they are doomed to undergo being a 'second death.' However great +and terrible may be the woe and tribulation attendant on that event, we +know as matter of experience of life at present, that death, of itself, +is but a passage into another state of existence. We have, {132} +therefore, no right to affirm that after the effects of judgment and +punishment are accomplished, the second death is not a transition into +that state of things in the new heavens and new earth which is +described in Rev. xxi. Rather, may we not conclude that eternal life +and eternal punishment terminate alike with the end of time, and that +in the consummation of all things both are merged in indissoluble life, +that God may be all in all? This conclusion appears to meet the +difficulty stated at the beginning of this letter. + +"I take this opportunity for expressing my approval of the arrangement +of the New Lectionary, by which chapters of the Book of Revelation are +now read more frequently than formerly before the people, this portion +of Scripture being indispensable for communicating to them the doctrine +of Jesus Christ in all its integrity. + +"Cambridge, January 12,1878." + + +The difficulty experienced in the present day of rightly apprehending +the doctrine taught by our Lord in Matt. xxv. 46, and in like passages, +arises, according to the arguments contained in the Essay and in the +foregoing letters, from the little attention that is paid in the +Christian doctrine now generally accepted to what the Scriptures reveal +respecting "the age to come" (_aion ho mellon_) as distinguished from +"the present age" (_aion outos, aion ho paron_). The designation "age" +applied in common to both, indicates that each has a beginning and an +ending. The future age begins at the termination of the present age, +the separation between them being the epoch of a resurrection of the +dead--not, however, of all the dead, but "a resurrection of the just," +that is, of those who have been prepared and sealed by faith, and +suffering, and good works, in the present life, for immediate entrance +into a new state of life. It is said of these that "they cannot {133} +die any more, and are the children of God, being the children of the +resurrection" (Luke xx. 36). These are they who "have part in the +first resurrection," of whom it is further said that "they _lived_ and +reigned with Christ a thousand years," whereas of "the rest of the +dead" it is said that "they _lived_ not till the thousand years were +finished" (see Rev. xx. 4, 6). It is plain, therefore, that there will +be a time of _separation_ of the one class from the other--the time of +_threshing_, when the tares are separated from the wheat; and that +whilst the elect at that time enter into the _[oe]onian_ life (that is, +the life of the age to come), the rest of the dead when they live again +enter into a state in which they undergo "[oe]onian punishment" (that +is, punishment that pertains to the age to come), ending eventually in +the second death, which, however, in common with all divine punishment, +is inflicted for producing a certain effect foreordained in the +counsels of the Almighty. (Respecting this effect, see what I have +said in the Essay and at the end of the first of the foregoing letters.) + +That the words of the passage in St. Matthew might be understood, at +least by the disciples to whom they were addressed, in the sense above +indicated, may be inferred from the knowledge of the religious Jews of +that time respecting the events of the future age, as conveyed to them +by the writings of the prophets of the Old Testament, with which they +were familiar. In proof of the general diffusion of such knowledge we +may cite the response of Martha to the Lord respecting the resurrection +of Lazarus, "I know that he shall rise again at the resurrection in the +last day" (John xi. 24), and the common belief of a resurrection of the +dead entertained by the numerous sect of the Pharisees, as well as the +particular character of the unbelief of the smaller body of Sadducees +(see Acts {134} xxiii. 8, where it is stated that "the Sadducees say +that there is no resurrection, neither angel, nor spirit: but the +Pharisees confess both"). It is hard to perceive etymologically how +the word _aiouios_ could have received the meaning "ever-_lasting_." +There is, in fact, a very remarkable passage of the Apocalypse in which +that meaning is quite excluded: "And I saw another angel fly in the +midst of heaven, having the gospel of the age to come to preach +(_euaggelion aionion euaggelisai_) unto them that dwell on the earth, +and to every nation, and kindred, and tongue, and people, saying with a +loud voice, Fear God, and give glory to Him; for the hour of His +judgment is come: and worship Him that made heaven, and earth, and the +sea, and the fountains of waters" (Rev. xiv. 6, 7). It is evident that +if _aionion euaggelion_ here meant an everlasting gospel, the event +which the good news is intended to announce would never come. It may, +perhaps, be asserted that this passage of the Apocalypse refers to a +gospel announcement taking place at the present time, considering that +a distinctive feature of this age is a large increase of the knowledge +of the facts and laws of nature, and that possibly, contemporaneously +with such knowledge, God may vouchsafe a fuller understanding of the +Book of Revelation, and a discernment of the [oe]onian gospel it +proclaims (compare Dan. xii. 3, 4). That the true interpretation of +the Apocalypse will eventually be reached is implied by the words, +"Seal not the sayings of the prophecy of this book" (Rev. xxii. 10). + +On reconsidering the arguments of the Essay it occurred to me that it +would be proper to take notice in the Appendix of one other subject. +In pages 9, 15, and 63 the doctrine that immortality is dependent on a +state of perfected righteousness is regarded as "self-evident." I +{135} now think that the use of that term is objectionable, inasmuch +as, according to the title of the Essay, every such statement ought to +rest wholly on Scriptural ground. I propose, therefore, to adduce here +passages of Scripture which indicate an intimate relation between +righteousness and life. Out of many texts which might be cited for +this purpose, I have selected two, as follows. First, when under the +law, Moses said to the Israelites, "I have set before you life and +death: choose life," they must have understood his words as signifying +that on condition of submission to the will of God and obedience to His +righteous laws, they might look forward in faith to the enjoyment of +the future covenanted life. (See what is said on this text in p. 28.) +Again, the same dependence of life on righteousness forms an essential +part of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, although taught in a different +manner. St. Paul, for instance, has given in Rom. v. 18, the following +summary of Christian doctrine. Therefore as through one transgression +(__di henos paraptomatos_), unto all men, unto condemnation (_eis +katakrima_), so through one righteousness (_di henos dikaiomatos_, i.e. +the obedience unto death of Jesus Christ), unto all men, unto +life-justification (_eis dikaiosin zoes_), where, it should be noticed, +_zoes_ is not a dependent genitive, but, as in many instances in New +Testament Greek, a genitive of quality. Thus this text declares that +the justification of all men, which is their being eventually made +righteous through the operation of the Son of God, has the quality of +conferring _life_. + + + + + +Transcriber's notes: + +This book contains many fragments of Greek, so many that the convention +of using "[Greek:...] to indicate transliterated Greek passages was +abandoned in favor of using underscores to indicate Greek material. +Transliteration was done according to the Project Gutenberg Greek +How-To guidelines. + +Underscores are also used to indicate italicized words, but in all +cases such words are English words. + +The sequence "[oe]" is used to indicate the Unicode oe-ligature +character. + + + + + + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of An Essay on the Scriptural Doctrine of +Immortality, by James Challis + +*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK SCRIPTURAL DOCTRINE OF IMMORTALITY *** + +***** This file should be named 27237.txt or 27237.zip ***** +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: + https://www.gutenberg.org/2/7/2/3/27237/ + +Produced by Al Haines + +Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions +will be renamed. + +Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no +one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation +(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without +permission and without paying copyright royalties. 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