chapter, can be properly understood,in any other way but as descriptive of the day of judgment. A parable is a sort of fable or allegorical discourse, founded on something in nature or common life, from which moral instruction is drawn. Now, the passage in question is not founded on any past transaction in life; but, must throughout be considered as literally descriptive, with the exception of one trope or metaphor i. e. the sheep and the goats. Suppose you should substitute the word saints and sinners, which you, no doubt, allow to be what is intended, and then see if any passage could be more literally descriptive. At all events, whatever length the duration of the misery of the wicked may be, the happiness of the righteous is just the same, as the sane word is employed to express the duration of both. I cannot consider the observations on Mark iii. 29; Heb. vi. 2; and Jude 7 in any other point of view, than as mere evasions, quibbles, void of close and accurate criticism. Take the following as a specimen. "Aionion remember, is formed from aion; and as aion is used to signify an age, an aionion damnation must be the damnation of an age. This is a sort of logic that will suit any purpose. Let me try it on another subject, till we see how it will work. Godlike remember, is formed from God; and as God is used to signify an idol, a godlike man must be a man like an idol. Who would not be ashamed of such absurdities as these? The discerning reader; will observe that, in all your remarks concerning aion and aionios, you never told us how often, either the one or the other was to be taken in a limited or unlimited signification; nor point ed out the places where they were so to be understood, though you said both words were to be taken, sometimes in the one way, and sometimes in the other. If this does not manifest a fear, lest truth should come out, I know not what does. I shall close these remarks, for the present, concerning the adjective aionios, with a quotation from Dr. Clarke, taken from his notes on Matt. xxv. 46. "But some are of opinion that this punishment shall have an end. This is as likely as that the glory of the righteous shall have an end: for the same word is used to express the duration of the punishment, kolasin aionion, as is used to express the duration of the state of glory: zoen aionion. I have seen the best things that have been written in favour of the final redemption of damned spirits; but I never saw an answer to the argument against the doctrine drawn from this verse, but what sound learning and criticism should be ashmed to acknowledge." At the close of your letter you say, "when the inspired writers would express the endless felicity of heaven, they use such words as endless, incorruptible, immortal, &c. words strictly unequivocal in their meaning. And in your sermon on Matt. xxv. 31-46, (page 20) you say, "We do not rely on aion to express the duration of future blessedness; but we rely on words, which are of the most expressive character, such as immortal, incorruptible, and endless -words that are never applied to sin or any of its consequences." Where are those words employed by the inspired writers to express the du ration of the happiness of all men? I deny that such language is ever used in scripture in relation to all men; unless you can show that it is employed to express the final salvation of the wicked, your labor goes for nothing, as no one denies the endless happiness of the righteous. I doubt very much that the word endless is ever used in scripture to express the duration of the happiness of the saints, or whether the words immortal and incorruptible are ever used to express either happiness or misery but merely perpetual existence. I now call upon you to prove what you have said, in relation to these words; that is, to show where they are employed to express the duration of the happiness of the redeemed, and also to produce the strongest adjective you can find in the New Testament to prove the endless happiness of the saints, and I will promise to show as strong language from the same authority to prove the endless punishment of the wicked. Respecting the first question proposed in your first letter, concerning the revelation of Christ, 2 Thess. i. 7, if his coming was not to destroy Jerusalem, I would remark that there are, at least, five distinct and separate comings of Christ, noticed in the scriptures. The blending together of these various manifestations or comings of Christ, has caused great confusion in the study of the New Testament. In general any remarkable manifestation of the power of Christ, in the dispensations of his providence, either for the overthrow of his enemies or the establishment of his kingdom is called his coming. I have classed his various comings, mentioned in scripture, as follows: 1. His coming literally into the world.Mal. iii. 1. 2. His coming by his providence to destroy Jerusalem and establish his kingdom, which took place 40 years after his ascension to heaven. Dan. vii. 13 14; Matt. xxiv. 27-39. His coming by his providence to destroy the "man of sin" and establish more firmly his kingdom. 2 Thes. i., 8. The "man of sin" and "son of perdition," is said by Bishop Newton, to be the pope, or rather the power held by a succession of popes. According to this interpretation which is as likely as any, to be the true one, this, manifestation of Christ has not taken place; but will according to some, in the year 1866. Consider this as an answer to the first and fourth question. 4. His coming by his providence to deliver his people from their miseries by death. Matt. xxv. 13; Luke xii. 40, 43; 1. Cor. i. 8. 5. His coming at the day of judgment, literally to judge the world. Matt. xxv. 31; 1 Thes. iv. 15; 2 Tim. iv. 1. Rev. i. 7. As to your second question, it is certain, the apostle was speaking of the deliverance of the saints and the destruction of their persecutors; but this is no proof that the destruction of Jerusalem was intended, but rather the final overthrow of the ungodly at the day of judgment; as this world is not the place of rewards or punishments, but the place of the probation of all. As to how I will reconcile the uncertainty of the day, spoken of by Paul, with the day of judgment, I see no difficulty at all. The time of the day of judgment was unknown, and still is unknown, but the fact that there is such a day, is revealed. And though the time is uncertain, the apostles always exhorted the people to be constantly ready for that day. Now as I have endeavoured to answer, at least, one half dozen questions, which by the way, had a very remote bearing on the subject in hand, I will take the liberty of asking you another half dozen that have a direct reference to the subject of the present discussion, which I hope you will answer in your next communication. They are as follows: 1. What length of time shall the wicked continue in misery in a future state of existence? if this cannot be answered, 2. How can you prove that their misery is not endless? 3. What influence has the atonement of Christ on the condition of the damned, in a future state? 4. Is ho diabolos, the devil, a personal spirit, or nothing but the depravity of human nature? 5. Whether is the devil and his companions to be annihilated, or admitted into the heavenly blessedness, when all misery shall come to an end? 6. Is Jesus Christ, as to his Divine nature, truly and really God? Yours in the bonds of Christianity, |