TESTIMONY OF THE BIBLE
By JOHN G, MARSHALL,
FoHMKIlLY CllIKF JrjSTK'K &('., IN THE
IsF.ANI) OF C.M'K I)IIKT<>N.
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TESTIMONY OF THE BIBLE
CONCERNING
EVERLASTING PUNISHMENT:
COMMENTS ON
CANON PAEEAE'S, - " ETEENAL HOPE/'
AND HOW TO OBTAIN
EYERLASTIM HAPP1MES8.
• • •
« Bt- iOn'$ ; G-.:*- ."MABBSAiiL,
Formerly Chief Justice* fce.,iii tlie
■ Iilaad of Cape Breton.
HALIFAX :
Printed at the "Wesley an" Book and Job Office, 125 Granville St
1878.
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'j ptV, or evfii /*«.// itself." Also on Job 2t: K) lie has written: — "1
have elsewhere shown that Sheol signitios not orly hell and the grave,
but any deep pit."
In Psalm 9, 17 are these words: — '• Tie wicked shall be turned into
hell, and all the nations that forget (Jod." Here the word hell evidently
means a place of. snrtering and punishment; not the grave, or any other
meaning, for the rvjhteons, and all nlhera, go to the grave and place of
separate spirits. Dr. Adam Clarke in his conmients on this text says: — '
"Heafllong into hell, down into hell ; the original is very emphatic."
Psalm 1311 : 8 — " If 1 ascend up into heaven thou art there ; if I make
my bed in hell behold thou art there-^' Hem, by the opposite or contrast-
ed words, heaven and hell, it is suHicieiitly evi(i<»nt, that the latter word
means a place of sutlering and punishment. The same learned commen-
tator, above mentioned, says on the text:— "riiou art in heaven, in thy
glory ; in hell, in thy vindictive justice." Prov. b : 6 : — " Her feet go down
to death, her steps take hold on hell." Hero also hell means the place of
future misery; not the grave, or place of separate sjnrits, generally, for
all go to these two places. The w^ords *• lak^ hold,''^ signifies that profli-
gacy brings to that place of misery. . ' " J,' I '
Again Prov. 9 : 18 : — " He knoweth not that the dead are there, and
that her guests are in the depths of hell." This is said of a profligate
woman. Surely it is not meant that the graves of her guests are made
deeper than those of all other persons. It does mean that those guests,
being among the worst of sinners, they are in the deepest and most tor-
menting parts of the regions of wicked separate spirits Prov. 23 : 14 : —
♦• Thou shalt beat him with the rod, and shalt deliver his soul from hell.'
This is said of the correction of a child. Here the word hell cani^ot mean
the grave, for souls do not go there. Nor does it mean the spirit world
generally, for all souls depart there. The text evidently means, that due
correction may be instrumental in preserving the child from a course of
evil which would ultimately bring his soul to hell the place of future
misery. ? ^>. ". '
Prov. 7:27: — "Her house is the.w^ay to hell, going down to the
chambers of death." - .
Here hell (Sheol) evidently does not mean the grave, or place of
separate spirits, tor all persons go to both places. It certainly means the
place of future misery. Dr. Clarke says on the subject: — " They, who
through such, fall into the grave, descend lower- into the chambers of
death ; the place where pleasure is at an end, and iJ,lusion mocks no more.
8
He mentions here, tin; dcrnal iuid inj\:nuU imrlU ha uwv oI the nieiininj;i«
of the Httbi'uw Avoid Hhvol ; and he gives tills lis the word in th« «ii-igina
text.
Prov. 27: 20:—" llcll am] destruction .ire never full ho the ejos of
man, are never satisfied." Here the word destruction being joined with
hell this latter evidently means the place of future misery. On this text
Dr. Clarke remarks :— " How hideous must the soul of a covetous man be,
when God compares il to hell and perdition.''''
Lsai. 14: 9: — "Hell from beneath is moved for thee to meet thee at
thy coming; it stirreth up the death for thee, even all the chief ones of tho
earth; it hath raised nj) from their thrones all the kings of the na-
tions,' Here, most clearly, l)y the words,— " Ad/ /rom beneath,^'' and,
•• the dead,"" the place of future misery is meant. Again 1 will refer to
the learned Dr. A. Clarke, who after correctly mentioning, that Nebuchad-
ncz/ar is the per»on meant, gives the following comment: — "What a
most terrible iile;i is here ! Tyrannical kings; who have oppressed and
spoiled mankind, are here represented, iis enthroned in hell; and as taking
a Satanic pleasure in seeing others of the same description enter those
abodes of misery." , .
.-" I have now given nine instances, Ironi ybwr books of the Old Testa-
ment Scriptures, which show, that the original word Sheol is correctly
translated Hell ; and means a place of misery in the eternal world. Otiier
passagi^s from those Scriptures, to the same eftect, might be given, but
those will amply suffice to show, that the Rev. Mr. C. was under a misap-
prehension, and incorrect, in assserting that "the original word Sheolt
translated Hell, " never denotes a jilaee o( future misery.''^ Any general
admission of professed thelogians, or literary men, to this eflVct, would bo
an unwarranted and unhappy concession, and matter for triumph among
infidels as to divine re\*elation, and all others who deny a state of punish-
ment in the future and eternal world. I have given the remarks of Dr.
Adam Clarke on several of the instances, as those of a learned man, and
an eminent commentator on the Scriptures ; and as one who was well ac-
quainted with the Hebrew language and Scriptures. « ;.T^
* I. ■ .
Concerning the word Sheol Mr. C. has further said :~" Against the
supj)osition that the translators of the Old Testament meant, by using the ;
word ^'helW'' to indicate a jjlacc of future retribution, stands this tact: viz.
— the word "hell," did not then (A. D. 1611) have the exclusive meaning
which we commonly attach to it."
To this, the first answer is, that the word was never thought to hare
"the exclusive meaning we now commonly attach to it." Next, Mr. C,
htts himself shown,— by the following clause in his pamphlet on the word
Sheol, — that the /ran.i;a/or« in 1611, well understood the different mean-
ings of the word, in the Scriptures: — "The word occurs sixty-four times
in the Old Testament. Thirty times it is translated by the Knplish word
" grave ;" three times by the word "pit," meaning the same as the grave ;
and thirty-one times by the word "hell." Now why did the translators,
in the several places, give fhese various meanings of the word? Evi-
dently, because they saw, from the several contexts, that the same word
Slieol, had those different meanings, in the various places, and therefore
they translated it accordingly ; and, as is seen, "thirty-onetimes," hell, as
a place of future retribution and punishment. Those translutoi's were all
eminent scholars, skilled in the Hebrew, Greek, and Latin languages.
There were 47 appointed for the purpose. Nearly all of them held de-
grees in the universities of Oxford, or Cambridge. Several of Ihem were
Masters, or other Presidents of colleges, in those universities.
Mr C. is also mistaken in saying that, " the Old TesUiment writers
had no dear knowledge of rewards and punishments in a future life;"
and tliat, " their motives to obedience were all drawn fro»"i this world."
This probably was true as to the great body of the Israelitish people, but
it Avas not so of the Old Testament writers. They Avere all divinely and
highly inspired men, and as such, had clear and correct knowledge con-
cerning " rewards and punislinients in a future state ;" and were thereby
influenced in their sentiments, feelings, and conduct. Of the pre-eminent
Moses, the inspired writer of five ot the Old Testament books, it is record-
ed in Scrijiture, that " he refused to be called the son of Pharaoh's
daughter, choosing ratlftr to suffer affliction with the people of God. than
to enjoy the j)leasures of sin for a season, esteeming the reproach of
Christ greater riches than the treasures in Egypt, for he had respect unto
the recompense of the reward." The sincere and upright Job, in his
ancient time, in desiring to depart from this life, said of the future happy
state : — " There the wicked cease from troubling, and there the weary be
at rest ; there the prisoners rest together, they hear not the voice of the
oppressor" The devout and eloquent psalmist has said: — "Thou wilt
show me the path ot life, in thy presence is fulness of joy ; at thy right
hand there are pleasures for evermore." — Thou shalt guide me by thy coun-
sel, and afterwards receive me to glory. In Heb. 12 is recorded of ancient
patriarchs, and other faithful servants of God r — '' T e all died in faith,
not having received the promises, (not having seen their fulfilment in the
advent of Christ, and his gracious and atoning work) but having seen them
afar ofi, and were persuaded of them, and embraced them, and confessed
that they were sti'angers and pilgrims on the eattli ; and desired a better
country, that is an heavenly." '^^ '.
.:*
As regards the knowledge of the Old Testament writers, conoemiug
the puDishmeut of tho wicked, in the future state, the ntn« texts which
have been given from the books of Job, Psalms, Proverbs, and Isaiah,
will fully suffice to show, that those writers possessed that knowledge in
a large degree. In Prov. 1ft it is further said : — "The way of life is above
to tho wise, that ho may depart (or bo preserved) from hell beneath,"
which evidently means the place of future misery and punishment. And
in the last verso of Isaiah, it is said of the transgressors against the
Lord, — •• their worm shall not die, neither shall their fire be quenched."
Concerning the word Hades m the original Scriptures, Mr. C. after
citing Matt. 16 : 18, and 11:2, and Rev. 6 : 8, writes as follows : — '• Hell,
here is simply Hades, tho realm of the dead ; and so ot all the eleven
instances in wliich Hades occurs, without any reference to their happiness
or misery. It is precisdly e ■
«^' ' * - ••J?.N/- , -.-
other parts of Scripture are the expresssions, — " hell fire," — " eternal
fire,"—'* lake of fire ;" bul they all mean the one dreadful place. By say-
ing that Dives " was not entirely abandoned ;" and that he was "simply
enduring the normal consequences of a life of sin," Mr. C. seems to think,
as some others do, that, in the intermediate state, there is for some, if not
all of theunregeneratedand wicked, a place of suffering, or spiritual disci-
pline, through which they may be purified, and made fit for, and ultimate-
ly attain to mansions of happiness. All such notions are utterly false and
delusive. There is no such place, nor any such future refining and re-
newing process. The whole of Scripture, relating to the future state, is
directly contrary to such suppositions. The " rich man" was then, and
still is, in the place of final retribution; but in the general resurrection,
when his body is raised, hell will give up, for a time, his guilty spirit, to
be united to the body ; and both nnited will appear at the left hand, to re-
ceive with the innumerable multitudes there, their awful doom and will
then be returned to the same of "everlasting fire." This is shown in
Kev. 20, 13, 14, where is said, — " death, (the grave) and hell deliyered
up the dead which were in them." * * * a ^^^j death and hell were
cast into the lake of fire." All the righteous had been previously raised,
as is seen in 1 Thess. 4, 16, where it is said of the general resurrection :
—" The dead in Christ shall rise first."
The request of Dives, that Lazarus might be sent to warn his bretli-
ren, that they might not "come into that place ot torment," afibrds no
proof that he "was not. entirely abandoned," — as Mr. C. has said,- for it
is highly probable, or may indeed be fully concluded, that some, perhaps
many in that dreadful place, have hopes and desires that their relations
and friends on earth may be preserved from it, except in those instances,
in which they liave been chiefly instrumental in causing their own final
ruin and misery.
The text in Rev. 1, 18, is in these words : — I am he that liveth, and
was dead ; and behold, I am alive for evermore. Amen ; and have the
keys of hell and of death."
Here hell is Hades in the original, and means the place of misery;
and "death" means the grave where the bodies have been deposited.
Hell, here, catinot mean " the place of separate spirits," generally, for
those of the righteous are there; and it is said in Kev. 20, 14 that
"death and hell were cast into the lake of fire." Surely not the right-
eous, at "the right hand" of the Divine Judge. In that first text there-
fore, hell evidently means the region of torment ; id fJiis agrees with
V. 13 of Rev. 20, which says:— -"And death and hell delivered up the
d«iul which were in them ;'— death, that is gravt the bodies ; hell—the
fftdltij spirit^. ** IveVH," lueiitioiieil in tlio Mrst toxt, are lor opening;;
prisons or any places of eontinement ; bnt the souLi ot the righteous
are not in prison. Paul says,— "1 have a desire to depart and to !>«
with Christ, which is far better." And in another i)hice he said, — "Ab-
sent from tlie body present with the Lord." , _^^ .^
In those texts also in llev. 20: 15), 14, which say that, — "death and
hell delivered up the dead which were in them;" and that "death and hell
were cast into the lake of lire," it is pertectly evident, that the word Hades,
here translated hcU, must mean the place o^ future and final misery, and
not the place of " separate spirits," in the intermediate state, as it is cal-
led, for the spirits of the righteous are there ; and certainly they will not
be cast into "the lake of fire." . r
• Now here, in contrariety to what Mr. C. has said, that^ " in all the
eleven instances in which the word Hades is used in the Scriptures, it
simply means the realm of the dead, without any reference to their happi-
ness or misery." — six instances have been given, in all of which it is
manifest, that the words Hades and hell, mean the place of "future
misery" and punishment. They were evidently so understood by the
very learned translators ; and also in the remaining five instances in which
the words are used. That numerous body of translators (47) were select-
ed, as being eminently skilled in the Hebrew, Greek and Latin langua-
ges, and there is no reason to suppose that they were not as well acquaint-
ed with them, as any learned men ot the present day. They had also far
greater advantages for the work of translation, than any of these la^t
mentioned persons possess, with regard to the examination of original
manuscripts, and the various and numerous versions and copies of the
Scriptures. . , ^ ■ . - . - ■
* Although Mr. C, as has now been so fully shown, is in error in his
Insertions, that " neither ot the original words Sheol and Hades, translated
roll, in our Scriptures, means a place of misery, in the future state, it is 'i|F %
cinly common justice to him, to mention, that in the latter part of his
pamphlet, he positively asserts, that there is a place of suiTering of the
wicked, in the separate or intermediate state, previous to the final judg-
ment; and that this place of suftering, "will then be merged into the
ultimate place of judicial punishment, — into Gehenna or hell proijer."
He earnestly and rightly contends, that all tbe finally wicked will be cast
into that place of torment, and there bo punished forever. He makes
Gehenna to mean, — "hell fire," — "eternal fire," — "everlasting fire, — the
"lake of fire," the words of Scripture which describe that place of ever-
lasting misery and punishment. ' •" ■ • ■ " "• f ■ '^^ i?
•'.;
Id-
It has already been mentioned, that there is not the slightest intima-
tion in any part of the Scriptures, that there is more than the one place of
punishment of the wicked, in the future state.
There is, at the present time, far more attention being given to this
subject of future punishment ; and more public discussion concerning it,
by sermons and in other forms, than lor many previous periods in the
history of the church. It is certainly true, as the opponents of the doc-
trine rather triumphantly assert, that the great body of the ministry, in
every denomination, in modern times, who believe it, have, tor various
reasons, nearly altogether refrained from alluding to it in their i>ublic min-
istrations. As it is one of the most awfully important doctrines of the
sacred Scriptures, it is proper and expedient, that it should be brought to
the public attention far more frequently than has been done, for many
years past. While there is such open and bold opposition, in several
quarters, and especially by some persons cf high standing in literary
circles, it is well, that there are men of equal or superior mental powers,
and literary attainments, and far greater scriptural knowledge, who are
faithfully and forcibly contending for the scripture truth of the doctrine.
On the whole, therefore, the discussions which are now going on, regard-
ing this subject are rather favorable than otherwise, to the cause of divine
truth. The public mind, both within and outside of the churches, will be
more fully informed and impressed concerning it.
One of the present most vehement opponent* of everlasting punish-
ment is, Canon Farrar, of the English Episcopal Church. He has recently
published a Book, under the title, — "Eternal Hope;" in which are five
sermons, preached by him, in Westminster Abbey, under the several
titles :— " What Heaven is ;"— " Is Life worth living ;"—" Hell, what it is
not ;" — " Are there few that be s.aved ;" — "Earthly and Future consequen-
ces of Sin." In his very extended Preface, and the three last sermons, he
has treated very largely concerning future and everlasting punishment.
He shows an amaziing command of impressive language, and is quite im-
passioned in maintaiug his own theories and views ; — is even bitterly
severe in denouncing the doctrine in question ; and says some harsh and
oflfensive things of those who hold it. He is, indeed, a master in decla-
mation ; but whatever he may be in discussing other subjects, he is here
necessarily weak, as to any thing like sound scriptural knowledge and
proof, and convincing argument in support ot his views. He does not
adopt or favor the present system of Universalism ; but his theory as to
the future state of the wicked is really the same, as to final results. Tho
only material difference between his theory and that of the Universalists
is, that their process in the spirit world, of renewal and preparation
11
oi the wicked for the mansions of glory and happiness is, not
of any punishing or severe description, but is of a gentle persuasive and
attractive nature; by which evil propensities and habits are gradually
eradicated, and pure affections and principles are impregnated and fully
formed ; and in greater or lesser periods of such kindly spiritual oper-
ations and influence, a perfect state of holiness and happiness is attained.
But Canon Farrar, with all his bitter denunciations of continued
future punishment, professes to hold, that those who die in an impeni-
tent state, must, and will undergo sufferings, according to their
respective degrees of wickedness, during their life on earth. But
when he comes to treat particularly ^ as to such sufferings, — as he does
in the sermon on the "Earthly and Future Consequsnces of Sin," — he
makes them of such a slight and pailial nature, as will hereafter be shown^
that they would be but little more trying or disagreeable ot endurance,
than that of the Universalists. f .-• ;
He professes to solicit consideration and indulgence as to any failure
or lack of thoroughness in his work, by saying : — *♦ I would ask the reader
kindly to bear in mind, that the following sermons were not concious
ad cleruni, or elaborate theological essays, but as it were, sparks from
the anvil of a busy life. Under different circumstances I might have
given more measured and elaborate utterance to the same convictions. ''
This seeming apologetic appeal was not all needed, and Is indeed quite
out of place, as regards all supposed available proof, and mental effort,
manifested as it is in vehement and forcible language, to sustain his
views. It is true, that in endeavoring to support them, he has
made but little reference to any supposed special scriptural proof, for
none such can be found ; but he has largely cited or referred to a few of
the christian Fathers, as they are called, who, as he concludes, held, on
the subject, opinions, similar to his own. He has also consulted and given
the erode notions, and sayings of Jewish Rabbins, of early and later
times, and their Talmud, and Targums, and other writings. Also the
suppositions, and speculative theories of heathen writers ; also of certain
ancient and modern clerical characters, and others ; as well as Germ.an
and English writers of the present age, who hold the same or siaiilai*
views as himself, on this subject of future retribution. He has, in shor^,
roamed far and wide, to gather proofs in support of his unscriptural an.'l
delusive theory ; and has exhibited them in specious and plausible argu-
ments, as well as in such forcible and even fascinating language, as com-
paratively but few living writers possess the power to equal, or success
fully imitate.
12
III treatinjr of the original words trnnshitod, " hel]," lie says of Sheol,
in tlu! Old 'J'esUiiiuiiit:— " ItincMiiH neither more nor less than Mho un-
seen worlil,' or * the world beyond tin; «^rave :' and is in thirty-three places
rendered, * the grave ' "" It did not suit his purpose to mention also that
the sjime numerous and learned Viody of translators, fully e<}ual, if not
superior to himself in knowledge ot the original language, rendered that
word, — "hell"' thirty times as meaning a place of future misery. They thus
properly discriminuled as to the several meanings of the word, and gave
tliem according to the respective cont<;xts in which they appeared. He
says of "hell" in the text in 2 Vet. 2: 4, "It is the Greek Tartarus and
ought to be so rendered. It cannot be rendered, " helT' ior it refers to an
intermediate state, previous to judgment.'" The following are the words
of the text: — "For if God spared not the angels that sinned; but east
tjiem down to hell, and delivered them unto chains of darkness, to be re-
served unto judgment. ^,. .■,-,.. ft.', (s ,,!,,,.. . ' lU'. ■■■y '! ,(l*"ihi'.r
There is not the slightest intimation in Scripture, that there is more
than the one place of misery and punishment in the unseen world ; and it is
the same, whether before, or o/ifer the final judgment. The Words, — "chains
and d.arkness," in the text, do sei.'m very much like a place and state of
severe sutfering. The canon's heathen proof is here directly against
him. He has certainly made a mistake, in mentioning Tartarus, for we
all know that the heathen writers gave the most hoA'ifying descriptions
of the various tortures and miseries, there inflicted. The translators
therefore were perfectly right, in rendering the word "hell," as meaning
a place of misery and punishment. , ; ;
Of "/fades," the Canon says, *> It is the exact equivalent of the
Hebrew Sheol, and means, — "the unseen world," both for the bad and
good (Acts 2: 27, 3^.) It means an intermediate state of the soul pre-
vious to judgment." Quite true ; but the difference as to place and ccyndttioti
in that intermediate state, is precisely this, — that the righteous are in
Paradise, a place of happiness ; and the bad, or wicked, are in the same
one fiell, and place of torment, where Dives is, in Luke 16, described to be.
The Canon here refers to this case in Luke, and says of Dives: — " In
Hades he lift up his eyes, being in torments." "He is in Jin interme-
diate condition, and it (the parable as he improperly calls it) shows how
rapidly, in that condition, a moral renovation has been wrought in a sinful
and selfish soul." He could not but admit that Dives was " in torments ;"
and here again I must repeat, that thei'e is not the least hint in Scripture,
or proof from any reliable quarter, that there is more than the one place
of torment. Neither is there, in the Scripture, the slightest intimation of
a "moral renovation," of the^vicked in the future world, as the^Canonhas
;'i' '. ' . ■ ■ ■
13
Ibndly imagined, ov has borrowod iVom ntiicvs. The followinj;^ worihs of
Abraham, in the narrative, compUitely preclude any such supposition : —
** And beside all this, between us and you then; is a j^reat <>;uir fixed; so
that they which would pass from hence to you. cannot; neither ean they
pass to us, that would come from thence." This completely destroys that
mere conceit of " moral renovation," and change of condition, in the eter-
nal world. The •• great gulf" has been divinelv\/ra;e(i, and none ca.i ever
pass from the one to the other. So said Abraham, " the father of the
faithful," and he knew all about it, and Canon F;vrrar nothinr/.
"-:' Here, it will bo appropriate fo remark, concerning the opinion that
' our \jOy([ 2)erso7iaUy WQWi and preached to the wicked in Hades, called in
■ Scripture " the spirits in prison." The Canon positively asserts, that "even
alter death he went and preached to the spirits in prison." He founds tins
\ erroneous opinion, as all others do, who hold it, solely on the following
texts in 1 Pet 3: — "Being put to death in the tlesh, but quickened by (ho
spirit. By which also he went and preached unto the spirits in prison :
which sometime were disobedient, when once the long suttering of God,
waited in tRe davs of Noah, while the ark was a preparing."
Now first, it is perfectly evident, from the words of the text, that our
Lord did not jpcrsojia^ go to those spirits in prison, but only " by. the
spirit," meaning the Holy Spirit, who, in Scripture, is repeatedly called
" the Spirit of Christ." Next, it is equally clear, that the preaching, or
visitation of the spii'it, was to those disobedient antcdelnvian sjjirits 07ily.
It is further evident, that the preaching was in the days of Noah, before
the deluge; these words of the text, — '' ichcn once the long suftering of
f'od waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was a preparing," fixing it
at that precise period. Now this -vvas upwards of « ihonsand years before
our Lord was born in the human nature, and put to death. By pi-evious
Scriptures, all these particulars in the text can be fully harmonized, and
will clearly show its meaning as here represented. In Gen. 0: 13 wc
read: — "And God said unto Noah,- the end of all llesh is come before me,
for the earth is filled with violence, through them ; and behold I Avill dos-
■ troy them with the earth." In verse 17, He declared that he would do it
by a " flood of waters." He thus condemned those sinners to that pun-
ishment and death, but in his mercy and long suffering, he granted them
a respite from the execution of the sentence, that they might repent, tur/i
from their wicked ways, and thus prevent the fulfilment of the sentence.
; This is seen in the same ch. ot Genesis v. 3 — "And the Lord said, my
spirit shall not always strive with m-n, for that he also is tlesh, yet his
davs shall be an hundred and twenty years." This was the same time *-
that the ark was being built, and during this period, those sinners were
u
like malefactors in prison, under sentence, but a respite from execution
was granted to them. The long suffering of God thus waited on them, as
declared in that text in 1 Peter, and doubtless the Divine* Spirit, called in
Scripture the Spirit of Christ, did strive with them. It may fairly bo
asked, why should our Lord, after his resurrection go to Hades, specially
to pnmch to those antediluvian spirits, rather than to the spirits from
Sodom, or to all the wicked spirits there ? And further, for what good
end could it be requisite that he should visit that region of" misery? It
could not have been to release them, or give them any hope of release;
for his own words in Scripture, most positively and repeatedly declare,
that the punishment of its inmates will be everlasting ; and surely he
would not go there to reproach them. It may therefore be confidently
asserted, that there is not the slightest scriptural authority/, on which to
form a belief, that our Lord ever personally went into that place of suffer-
ing, for any purpose whatever. Should it be objected that the word
"Spirits," in the text, renders- it improbable that those antediluvians while
living on the earth were meant, it is fully answered by the following
Scriptures: — "In Numbers chs. 16: 22, and 26: 16, the ^pression, —
"the God of the spirits ot all flesh, means men, not in a disembodied state :^''
Also in Heb. 12: 9, the words, — " the Father of Spirits," designate person*
still in the body ; and in Heb. 12 : 29, the expression, — "The spirits of just
men made perfect," certainly means, — righteous men, aijd men still in the
Church militant.
Of the original word Gehenna, the Canon writes thus: — " In the Old
Testament, it is merely the pleasant valley of Hinnom, subsequently de-
secrated by idolatry : Used according to Jewish tradition, as the common
sewer of the city. The corpses of the worst criminals were flung into it
unburied, and fires were lit to purify the contaminated air. It then be-
came a word which, secondarily, implied the severest judgment which a
Jewish court could pass upon a criminal, the casting forth of his unburied
corpse amidst the fires and worms of this polluted valley ; a punishment,
W which to tlie Jews, as a body, never meant an endless punishment beyond
the grave. Whatever may be the meaning of the entire passages in
which this word occurs, " hell" must be a com.pleto mistranslation, since
it attributes to the term used by Christ, a sense entirely different from
• that in which it was understood by our Lord's hearers, and therefore, en-
tirely different from the sense in which he could have used it."
What he has said of the earthly Gehenna is quite true. But why did
he not give, or refer to the passages of Scripture, and the books, chapters
and verses which contain them. Was he afraid to do it, lest his above re-
marks and fallacies should be readily seen and exposed. The passages
15
will now be given, and the exposure made. The lirst passage for notice
is in Math, ch 10. Here we are told, that our Lord sent forth his twelve
disciples to preach, ant' heal diseases, and perform other works of mercy ;
and ho warns them, that they will meet with opposition and persecutions ;
and in verse 28 he says, — " fear not them which kill the body, but are not
able to kill the soul ; but rather fear him which is able to destroy both soul
and body in hell." The disciples must have perfectly understood their
Lord's meaning, that it had no reference to the earthly Gehenna, but
meant punishment in the future state ; for they knew that the soul couM
not be cast into the former place, and there consumed and destroyed. The
Lord made his meaning perfectly plain, by stating the difference between
merely killing the body and destroying, or making miserable both soul
and body.
The next passage on the subject, — and to which, doubtless, tlie Canon
refered,— is in Math. ch. 13. In this chapter our Lord set fortli several
parables, illustrating the nature of his kingdom. One of them is that of tiie
sower of good seed, and an enemy sowing tares with other particulars,
which are familiar to all wh(f read the Scriptures. The disciples were es-
pecially desirous to know the meaning of this parable, and after our Lord
had dismissed the multitude, and gone into the house, they went to him
and said:— "Declare unto us the parable of the tares of the field." Ho
answered and said, he that sowed the good seed is the Son of man ; (mean-
ing himself) the field is the world ; the good seed are the children of the
kingdom ; but the tares are the children of the wicked one ; the enemy
that sowed them is the devil ; the harvest is the end of the world ; and the
reapers are the angels. As theretoie the tares are gathered and burned
in the fire, so shall it be in the end of this world. The Son of man shall
send forth his angels, and they shall gather out of his kingdom all things
that offend, and them which do iniquity ; and shall cast them into a fur-
nace of fire : there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth." This ex-
planation, evidently, has no relerence or relation whatever to the earthly
Gehenna, for it is said those awful events are to take place " in the end of
the world;" and that *♦ casting into the furnace of fire" will be after the
earthly Gehenna, and all the rest of the material world have been des-
troyed, and " no place found for them," according to Rev. 20 : 11, 12. and
other Scriptures. Neither the Canon, or any of his associates, who are so
often denying and perverting Scripture truth, will venture to impair or
controvert that explanation, which is given, not by any primitive Father,
or other commentator, ancient or modern, but by the Lord and final
Judge Himself, It is therefore so far well for the Canon's reputation, as
a theologian, and DD, that he did not give the words of these last passa-
go3 of Scripturo, or oven mention tho book or cliapter in which they
appear.
The Civiioii ropoatedly complains, that those who contend for future
punislinient, jjresont for support, wliat Ijo eall.s '* i.solated texts." Even if
this objection were well founded, it would be puerile, indeed or rather
none at all. But they are not tao^a^ct/, but stand in appropriate connec-
tion with the jwrtions of Scripture in which they appear. In the first of
the two portion.s which have just been given, the .stiitement of our Lord as
to the •' destruction of soul and body in liell," is in direct connection with
his instructions to the disciples, and his warnings as to opponents ; and hi.s
exhortation not to fear them. Jn tho last instance, liis declaration tliatthc
workers of iniquity will be " cast into a furnace of fire" is in full connec-
tion with the whole of the parable and his explanation of it. It is the
same, or similar, in all the parts of Scripture where misery and punish-
ment in ihe future world are mentioned. ^
To show how utterly out of place is this objection of the Canon, let us
s.^ppose that he has a friend travelling abroad, wlio, in a letter to him,
giving many facts and particulars, mentioned, that he had visited Naples,
and would go on to Home ; he would fully believe it, and would not be so
absurd as to think that he should liave mentioned it three or four times in
the letter, or should write to him again, giving the same information.
l'>en a single passage of Scriptiu'c, clearly and fully stating any fact, or
doctrine, ought to be sufficient to secure the belief of every real christian,
liut there are more than a score of passages, in different books of Scripture,
declaring that there is a place of dreadful torment in the \mseen or spirit
world, and that all those who die in an impenitent and unregenerato state
will be cast into it, for everlasting punishment in the respective degrees
of it, which their wicked works deserve. .. ,
^ As to this punishment, the Canon has, in one place, written these
words : — "Now turn to the Epistles of the three greatest apostles. Do wo
find the ])opul;ir doctrine in them. We find multitudes of passages, — es-
liecially in St. Paul's later Epistles, — which speak without limit of a final
restoration ; but that the doctrinal writings of these three chief teachers of
the Gospel are wholly destitute of aiiy assertions of the endless misery of
sinners, in the literal sense of the word, can be verified by every reader."
The learned Canon has, here, gone quite too far in broad assertion.
There arc several passages in those Epistles, which foretell " the endless
misery of sinners." as will now be clearly shown. In the first of them
llom. ch. 2 are the following awful announcements, that in "the day of
Avrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God," he will '^render
I'
17
unto them that are contentious, and do not obey the truth, but obey un»
righteousness, indignation and wrath, tribulation and anguish, npbn every
soul of man that doeth evil, of the Jew first, and also of the Gentile." • •
For there is no respect of persons with God. And the text expressly de-
clares, that all this will be, •' in the day when God will judge the secrets
of men by Jesus Christ ;" — that is, the day of final judgment. And, of
that judgment, ho told his apostles, that he would then say to the sinners
on his left hand : — "Depart ye cursed into everlasting fire ^" and he added,
•• these shall go awny into everlasting punishment* Surely all this does
signify " endless misery." Further, in 2 Thess. ch. 1, are these fearful
words, concerning that final judgment, — " when the Lord Jesus shall be
revealed from heaven, with his mighty angels, in flaming fire, taking
vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the gospel of
our Lord Jesus Christ: who shall be punished with everlasting destruction
from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of his power " Here
it may also be said, that the words '• flaming fire," and " everlasting des-
truction," clearly signify "endless misery," for all the finally impenitent
and guilty. Again in 1 Tim. 6 are these words : — " But they that will be
rich, fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and hurtful
lusts, which drown men in destruction and perdition." These last words
sound very much the same as " endless misery." .,, * "v
In 2 Pet. 2, "unjust" and "presumptuous" sinners are mentioned, as
those whom " the Lord will reserve unto the day of judgment, to be pun-
ished;" "who shall utterly perish in their own corruption;" and "to
whom the mist of darkness is reserved forever." Surely, "endless
misery at the day of judgment is here plainly declared, by the words " to
be punished;" " utterly perish;" and " the mist of darkness is reserved
forever." • . ,< ^
In 2 Pet. 3, are the words — "the day of judgment and perdition of
ungodly men. . -*> . . • -^ ;;.. v ;
In the Epistle of Jude, ungodly and wicked persons are described as
being like raging waves of the sea, and Avandering stars, and it is declared
that the Lord is coming with his saints, to execute judgment upon them,
and that' there is reserved for them, "the blackness of darkness for ever."
A condition of this fearful description, must, certainly, be one of " endless
misery." All the foregoing predictions of the future and endless punish'
Tnen^and misery of the wicked, are in the Epistles; and all but one of
these are by the two chief, or most eminent Apostles, — Paul and Peter.
And yet a professed theologian, a Canon, and DD, has been so bold as to
say, that " the doctrinal writings of these chief teachers of the Grospel are •
wholly destitute of aay assertions of the endless misery of sinners, in the
18
literal aenso of the word." Can this, in such a distihgufsho'd clericW
chiUMUtor, b(3 thought to proc«o(i iVom ignorance of Scripture; or must it
not justly bo consitlorod, as a wilful withlioKling or denial of divine truth,
in order to assist an unscriptural and false theory.
In Rev. 14, It is said of certain sinnerii, that they *• shall be tormented
with fire and brimstone;" aiid that " the smoke of tliieir torment ftsceadeth
up for ever and eve Jr.
In giving the text of the sermon, '• Are there fe^ tbak be saved," the
Canon has omitted a most material part of it, as (contained in Scripture.
He has only given it thus : — *• Then suid one unto him. Lord are there few
that be saved P"" And he said untothem, — "Strive to enter in at the strait
gate;" but he has omitted to give these remaining words, — '* for many, I
say unto you, will seek to enter in, but shall not be able."
i'his is another instance of mutilating or withholding Scripture, to
servo the purpose Of his preconceived theory, that all, or neiirly *H, Will
be finally saved. He says 6f tlie words of the text which he has givt i.—
•• It is a refbsM to answer, tt is a strong warning to the questioner. It
is a tacit re'buke of tihe very question." 'iTiere is nOne of thesfe meanings
in the answer of our Lord. It Was readily given, and is eitplicit and fiiU.
'Did the Canon ever read these other words ot oar Lord, on the same sub-
ject, recorded In Math. eh. 7 : — '♦ Enter ye in at the strait gate, for wide is
the gate, and broad is the way that leadeth to destruction, and many there
be which go thereat : Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way
which leadeth unto life, and few there t>e that find it." Here we see that
hat few Gven Jind the strait gate, and consequently do not walk in the nar-
row vay and are not saved; while many go in at the "wide gate," and
walk in " the broad way whit:h leadeth to destruction."
Canon Farrar is, evidently unlike Saint Paul, who, as we see in Acts
20, declared :-■" I am pure from the blood of all men, ior I have not
shunned to declare unto you all the counsel oi God.
In the like, or even a more censuriable mfttiner, the Canon has dtolt
with the passage of Scriptiirein 1 Pet. 4 : 6, only a part of which he gives,
is tb e teit of his'Sermon 6n,— "Hell What itis not." The -whole text is in
Hliese Wdrds : — " For this cause was the Gospel preached also to'them'tbftt
'^ai'e dead, that they might be judged according to fiaen in the fiesh, but
• li^e accorditigto God in the spirit." i * ;?^
^ The Canon, evidently to suit his purpose bi showing, that the 'gOs-
.^j^el is preached in the intermediate to those who have died in sin and
impenitence, inotder to their renewal and' ultimate' salvati6&,has^^3sly
19
and wilfully mutilated the verse, and has onlj/ given, as his text, this
first portion ef it: — "For, for this causo was tho gospel preached also
to them that are dead/^
After giving pages of severe philippics, — in wonls of scathing
force, — which ho knows well how to use in great variety, — directed againi^
Augustine, — Thomas Aquinas, — IJoston, — Milton, — the aniiublc anil ex-
cellent Jeremy Taylor and " Henry Smith, the silver-tongued i'lutonist of
Cambridge ;" — as he calls him, he says to his hearers; — " St. Peter in my
text tells you, in so many words, that • the Gospel was preached to them
that were dead ;' and if, as the Church in every age has held, the fate of
those dead sinners was not irrevocably fixed by death, then it must be clear
and obvious to tho meanest understanding, that neither ot necessity is ours-
There then is the sole answer which I can give to you • question, — • What
about the lost P'"
A very flimsy unveraeious answer it is. For first, the persons spoken
of in the verse, were not naturally dead, and their spirits in the unseen
world, for if so, how could they, an the verse says, •• be judged according
to mon in the flesh, but live according to God in the Spirit." They were
persons living here in the flesh, to whom the gospel, or good word of God,
was thus said to be preached. mv
The 'earned Dr. Adam Clarke, in his commentary has written thus
on the verse : — *• This is a most difficult verse ; the best translations I have
seen of it are the following : — ' For this indeed, was the effect of the preach-
ing of the gospel to the dead, (the unconverted Gentiles) that some will be
punished as carnal men ; but others, (those converted to Christianity) lead
a spiritual life unto God.^ — Wakefield. • •
* For this purpose hath tho gospel been preached even to tho dead,
(i.e., the Gentiles,) that although they might be condemned indeed by men
in the flesh, (their persecutors) yet they might live eternally by God in
the Spirit.' — Macknight.
* For this cause was the gospel preached to them that were dead ; that
they who live according to men in the flesh may be condemned ; but that
they who live accoraing to God in the Spirit may live.' — Knatchbull.
" There are as many diflferent translations of this verse, and comments
upon it, (says Dr. Clarke,) as there are translators and commentators.
That of Sir Norton Knatchbull, could the Greek text bear it, appears the
most simple; but that- of Dr. Macknight, which is nearly the sense given
by Mr. Wesley in his Paraphrase, is more likely to bo the true one, among
those already proposed."
'i-^ '/.'/'
.^{j,'
20
"But if the Apostle had the same fact in view, which he mentions
Oh. iii. 19, 20, then antediluvians are the persons intended : For this
cause ; — that Christ is prepared to Judge the quich and the dead, and to dis-
pense righteous judgment, in consequence of having aflforded them every
necessary advantage, was the gospel preached by Noah to them also who
are cZead,— the antideluvian world, then dead in trespasses and sins ; and
condemned to death by the righteous judgment of God ; but, in his great
comijassion, he afforded them a respite, that though they were condemned
as men in the flesh, (for this was their character; — my Spirit shall not
always strive with man, forasmuch as he is flesh. Gen, 6. 3.,) yet hearing
this Gospel by Noah, they may believe, and live according to God in the
Spirit,-'\\v(i a blessed life in eternity, according to the mercy of God, who
sent his Spirit to strive with them. This appears to me to be the most
consistent sense ; especially as the Apostle seems to refer to what he had
said of the Spirit of Christ, in Noah, preaching to the spirits in prison, —
the rebellious that lived before the flood."
Now, here are the opinions oi five learned and eminent men, all but
one in the sacred ministry; all, doubtless, fully equal, if not superior, to
Canon Farrar, in knowledge of the original language in which the verse
was first written ; and evidently far superior to him in Biblical knowledge ;
and not one of them considered that the preaching mentioned in the verse,
was addressed to persons after natural death ; that is, to their spirits, in
the future state, either before or after the resurrection ; but all, as has
been seen, considered that the preaching was while they were here in
the flesh.
Here it may be mentioned, that the Canon has repeatedly charged the
translators of our Bible with giving incorrect and improper renderings of
several original words, as denoting future misery, and on subjects relating
to it, which, as he afiirms, do not bear the meanings given. In previous
pages it has been mentioned, and may here be repeated, that those trans-
lators, — upwards of forty, specially selected, — wore all eminent for lite-
rary attainments ; skilled in the original languages in which the Scrip-
tures were first written, fully educated at the Universities of Oxford and
Cambridge, and several of them Heads of Colleges. They had within their
power numerous original MSS. and versions, and must have felt the solemn
responsibility of their position ; and could not have had any inducement
to render any words dffferent from their true meanings, or especially on
this awful subject of future and endless misery, — to give to any words
that meaning, unless they plainly and precisely bore that signification.
Surely then, the evidently biassed opinions of Canon Farrar, to support
Ills unscriptural theories, are not to be put in competition with the de-t
liberate and unprejudiced judgment and decisions of those numerous
learned men. And here may further be given, the following comments
of the Rev. Dr. Adam Clarke on the words," — evei'lasting punishment, in
Matt. 25. 40: — " But some are of opin'on that this punishment shall have
an end : This is as likely as that the glory of tJie righteous shall have an
end : for the same word is used to e"press the duration of the punishment^
as is used to express the duration of the state of glory. He here gives
the Greek woi'ds, and says :" — I have seen the best things that have been
written in favor of the final redemption of damned spirits ; but I never saw
an answer to the argument against that doctrine, drawn Irom this verse,
but what sound learning and criticism should be ashamed to acknowledge.
The original word is certainly to be taken here in its proper grammatical
sense, — continued being, never ending. Some have given a middle way,
and think that the wicked shall be aanihilated. This I think is contrary
to the text ; if they go in',o punishment, they continue to eo:ist : for that
which ceases to be ceases to suffer. 3- •
The Canon, it is true, does avow a belief that there will be some
retribution for the finally impenitent and wicked, bo^h here and here-
after ; but, as to the future state, it is altogether difierent from that des-
cribed in the Scriptures ; and he does n t . give the slightest intimation
concerning it, fiom that quarter; but it is evidently and entirely one of
his own invention ; and therefore he is fully entitled to the whole credit
that belongs to it. Let us now view it from his own words. •
In page 22 of his Pi'eface he says : — That there is a terrible retribu-
tion upon impenitent sin, both here and hereafter ; that without holiness
no man can see the Lord ; that sin cannot be forgiven till it is forsaken
and repented of; that the doom which falls on sin is both merciful and
just, — we are all agreed." But he denies, "in the popular view" of
that punishment " these four elements," as he calls them — 1 The physical
torments, — the material agonies, the ^sapietis ignis^ of eternal punishment.
— 2. The supposition of its necessarily endless duration for all who incur
it ; 3. The opinion that it is thus incurred by the vast mass of mankind ;
and 4. That it is a doom passed irreversibly at the moment of death, on
all who die in a state of sin."
Now, it may at once be answered, that all these awLil elements of
punishment have been repeatedly and positively affirmed by our Lord,
and his Inspired Apostles. There is not the slightest intimation, in any
part of Scripture, that there will be a change in any person's spiritual
condition after death ; and our Lord has declared, that " unless a man be
born again, he cannot see, or enter into the kingdom of God ;" that " he
t.bftt is filthjr, let him be filthy still ; that tje will give to every man accord-
*
;:v>Jk>
2^
ing as his work shall be ; that " at the end of the world," he «• will send
forth^his angels, and they shall gather together thena which do iniquity,
and shall cast them into a furnace of fire, there shall be wailing of gnash-
ing of teeth ;" that at the final judgment, he ♦• will say to those on his lea
hand,— ''Depart ye cursed into everlasting fire;" and that, "these shall
go away into everlasting punishment;" and as he has on another occasion
thrice declared,— " where their worm dieth not, and the fire is not
quenched ;" and that " the smoke of their torment ascendeth up far ever
and ever." One of his ;hief Apostles iias said, that in the day of judg-
ment, God " will render indignation and wrath, tribulation and anguish
upon every soul of man that doeth evil." And another chief Apostle has
written of the wicked, that the Lord will come "in flaming fire, taking
vengeance on them;" and that "they shall be punished with everlasting
destruction."
Now will Canon Farrar be. so bold as to say, that all these awful an-
noxmcements are forgeries, or intcrpolatiotis, or mistranslations from the
original Scriptures ; and that there are no words in those Scriptures which
signify,— "furnace of 3re,"—" tribulation, and anguish'"-" everlasting
destruction ; and the other solemn words, as to the final punishment of
the wicked, which have just been cited. He will not explicitly do it, and
yet by his pernicious teaching and writing he is actually doing so. and
thus perverting and denying divinely revealed truth ; is holding forth to
those he addresses, the naost dangerous and ruinous errors, as sacred
verities ; and preaching and writing directly contrary to the doctrines of
the Church in which he holds such high and influential positious.
The Canon's assertion, that " the Church, in every age,' has held that
the fate of sinners is not irrevocably fixed by death," is not true. For the
firs^ six hundred years of the Church, it did hold that their fate was irre-
vocably Qxed by death ; but about the commencement of the seventh cen-
tury, in the time of Pope Gregory the great, as he has been called, the
belief of a state of purgatory, after death, was by some brought into the
Roman Church, and after a time it became one of its established doctrines.
But at the time of the general Reformation, in the Fifteenth Century, it
was denounced, and its belief, and that there is any spiritual or moral
changes after death, were denied by the Reformed Churches generally.
The English Church especially, in condemning other errors of the Church
of Rome, says of Purgatory, in its twenty-second Article, that, " it is a fond
thing, vainly invented, and grounded upon no warranty of Scripture, but
rather repugnant to the word of God." The learned framers of the articles,
doubtless, considered that this denouncement of a state of purgatory, \yas
a sufficient denial that there is any change of moral or spiritual oharapter
23
After death. It has never been the belief of that Church, that there is or
will be any such change of character and condition effected in the future
and eternal world. Canon Farrar, as will presently be shown, more than
insinuates, that such changes will there take place ; and in so publicly
tcachfng, is undoubtedly acting contrary to the belief of that Church, in
Which he holds such high offices, and therefore, in common consistency,
he ought to resign them.
The Canon, in several parts of his Book, speaks of the punishment of
the wicked in the present and the future state ; but concerning the latter,
in such ambiguous and uncertain terms, that it is extremely difficult to
ascertain his meaning regarding the nature of the punishment. It has
already been shown, by a citation of his words, that it will not include any
" physical torments, material agonies, the • Sapiens ignis'' of Eteral Pun-
ishment." In due fairness, several of his passages on the subject will here
be given, from which readers must judge as to his meaning on the point.
He says, that *• for all, at any rate, but a small and desperate minority,"
there will be *' that purilying and corrective punishment, which, as all of
us Alike believe, does await impenitents, in both here and beyond the
gi^ve." ^
In his sermon on "The Earthly and Future Consequences of Sin," he
speaks of a "necessary and impartial law," that sin always brings pun-
ishment, and says, 1. "Take Disease as one form of the working of this
inevitable law ;" and then he goes on to mention some of its causes^*
" drunkenness" and " uncleanness" as being of the number. 2. "Take
any one,— not of the physical, — but of the moral working of this law of
punishment. Take Fear for instance. You have heard of haunted houses :
have you ever heard of haunted men ? Are there any here who are groan-
ing under the burden of undetected sin ? If so will they not recognise
idhemselves as suffering this Nemisis of fear ? 3. He next speaks of ShrnnCt
as another of the forms of punishment, and says :— " Have you known, but
for one.hour, what it is to be utterly, miserably, intolerably ashamed of
.yourself? If so, you too have been in that Gehenna of oeonian fire, of
which your Saviour speaks." 4. His next form of punishment is ;— " God
letting the sinner alone, and saying, — 'Ephraim is joined to his idols.'
*' What then? Arrest him, as with the punishment of a dear and pleasant
child ? Make him sick with smiting him into penitence ? Ah no ! worse
than that, — let him alone ; blind his eyes ; put the scourge into his own
thand ; let him strut to his own confusion ;" with other similar figures and
• flourishes as to self-engendered and self inflicted punishments. He next
:«fty8: — " The path oi repentance may never be closed to us ; so, I believe,
ithojOatholio Church of Christhaa lamost ages tau^h|, hut Ohow^hArdj^ay
:J^»&r:
that path of repentance be ! over what bleeding flints ; through what a
scorch of fiery swords ; through what deep shame." These, with other
similar terms oi unimpressive and harmless rhatoric, he, alone, employs to
describe the punishment of the wicked ; and all the forms of it he has given
relate merely to the present life. He has not, although promised in the
title of his sermon, given or described any mode of punishment in the
future state. He has mentioned an oeonian fire, but that is no fire at all,
for he has denied that there is physical sufferuig in the future state, and,
as has been seen, he makes Shame to be a part or the whole of " that Ge-
henna of (Bonian fire, of which the Saviour speaks." Canon Farrar, with
all his literary and other knowledge, and though living in the great Lon-
don world, where are every form and mode ot vice and wickedness, is
evidently not yet so well acquainted with corrupt human nature as to know
that there are great numbers, not merely of the most criminal classes, br.t
persons of ordinary repute, who are ungodly and unrighteous in their
sentiments and conduct, and yet experience none of these temporal evil
consequences which he has with such scathing rhetorical figures described.
To use a common expression, or simile, they will '• laugh in their sleeve"
at his punishment of oeonian fire of Shame They are even more bold in
the face, and carry themselves higher than the most virtuous and upright
in the land. But they are really as deep in guilt, as he whom
our Lord described as being *' clothed in purple and fine linen, and faring
sumptuously every day ;" and in the future state lifted up his eyes being
in torments;" and "an impassable gulf fixed" between him and the
heaven of happiness of which he may have dreamt. • „
i:
But the Canon after all his positive denials of the etf>rnal punish-
of the wicked, has evidently some misgivings, or suspicion, that he
may be mistaken on the point; for speaking of those who believe in
that punishment, he says: — "If indeed they be in the right, stiil their
tenet is one so harrowing, that it should be uttered, as the true saints
who believed it have uttered it, with tears and trembling pity, and bated
breath." In another place he only says: — "My hope is, that the vast
majority, at any rate, of the lost, may at length be founds He alludes
to a "purification beyond the grave;" — some changing or "remedial"
process ; but he says nothing as to the means or manner of effecting
the purification. He is, here, in his conjectural scheme, more defective
than the Universalists.
He gives the passage in Acts 3: 1, — " the restitution of all things ;"
and says, that "God willeth not that any should perish ;-— that 'Christ
both died and rose and revived that he might be Lord both of the dead
and the living;'— that as iu Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all
'■^ ■ ,
25
be made alive; ' and that the time shall come* when all things shall b«
subdued unto Him, ' that God may be all in all.'' " These expressions are
contiiined in several books of Scripture, but none of them have tho least
relation to the Canon's opinion, or rather \i\» fiction of a retlovatiou of the
character, and change of condition of the wicked in the future state, and
and their final salvation. Our gracious God, truly, does not will that
any ''should perish;" but on the contrary, that all should repent and be
saved ; but their salvation must be on His own terms, as plainly pre-
scribed in His word« Vast multitudes, under gospel li^ht and
means, will not comply with those terms, but are of the same perverse
character as the Jews, to whom our Lord said, — '• ye will not come unto
me that ye might have life." Christ truly is ''Lord both of the desul
and the living;'* for» among his other exalted Titles, he is said to be "God
over all, and blessed for over;" and "King of Kings and Lord of Lords."
That passage as to " the dead and the living," relates to the saints, the
Lord's people. The words are in Rom. 14: 8, 9, as follows: — "For
whether we live we live unto the Lord, or whether we die we die unto the
Lord ; whether we live theretore, or die, we are the Lord's. For to this
end Christ both died, and rose and revived, that he might be Lord both of
the dead and living." The unregenerate and wicked neither live or die
unto the Lord. The passage, that "in Adam all die, and in Christ all
shall be made alive," is in 1 Cor. 15, and merely relates to all mankind
becoming subject to natural death, through the sin of .idam; and all
being raised from the dead through the resurrection of Christ. The ex-
pression, " that all shall be subdued unto Him," is in the same ch. of 1 Cor.
in these words :— " For ho must reign till he hath put all enemies under
his feet." This does not look like a reuewal and final salvation of those
who die in sin. A DD, and a Canon in the Church, ought to have known
those several meanings of the passages he has cited, Or did he bring
them together, in that partial manner, to support his unscriptural and
fictious theory, ot the wicked being in the future state, renewed and made
holy, and finally admitted into the mansions of eternal glory and happi-
ness P He seems to have dene his best to give them that appearance.
This phrase, — " The restitution ot all things," is a favorite one with
Universalists, and others who hold similar views with Canon Farrar, as
to the final restoration and happiness of those who die in a sinful state.
The words are in Acts ch. 8, and make a part of the following passage :-«
Vs. 20, 21. " And he shall send Jesus Christ, which before was preached
unto you : whom the heaven must receive until the times of restitution of
all things, which God hath spoken by the mouth of all his holy prppheta
since the world began." . t ; ;• v x- t Jft» n-ftui-
m
Now, first, Ood has not, by any of his pr.iphots, or nt any thnp, op In
fitly way, said, or given the 3light«st iiitlmHtion, that there will ever be
ftny renewal or change of the character or condition of those who die in a
state of ain ; but the tenor and meanin«^ of the whole of his revelation con-
cerning mankind, in the future world, is directly to tlie contrary/- -- - '-»
* TJiere will indeed, at the end of the world's history, be a great and
glorious ** restitution." and reMoration " of all things ;" but it will bo alto-
gether different from the imaginations and theories of Canon Farrar, and
others. Ever since sin was brought into the world, by our first parents,
down to the present day, all things, through the pride, selfishness and
other ba/'>f. ^njj
■ ■ 32
Regular attendance upon the public religious serTices in indispeniible,
and is thus strictly enjoined • — " Let us not forsalco th<^ Aflsembling of our-
selves together as the manner of some is ;" — •* Let us go up to the house
of the Lord, ai.d He will teach us of his ways ;"— •• Faith cometh by hear*
:ng and hearing by the word of God." ;„ jy/|;,if„H <<'. .>:..*" Ik.H ?>uti
It is indispcnsible, and imperatively enjoined, that at the very com*
menceraent of seeking salvation ; and throughout the christian course,
there be an absolute abandonment and constant avoidance of all evil pur*'
ppses and doings. The following are but a few of the divine commands
and exhortations on the point: — " Let the wicked forsake his way, and the
unrighteous man his thoughts, and let him return unto the Lord, and He
will have mercy upon him." — " He that covereth his sins shall not prosper ;
but whoso confesseth and forsaketh them shall have mercy." — "Repent
ye, and bring forth works meet for repentance." — •♦Cease to do ev'', learn
to do well." — *• Abhor that which is evil ; cleave to that which is good."
The seeker of salvation must also abandon and avoid all sinful com-
panions and associations, for it is divinely and strictly commanded: —
"Come out from among them, and be ye separate ;" "Forsake the foolish
and live." " Have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness ;
but rather reprove them." " Evil communications corrupt good manners."
The all important question m«y now be considered ; — What aire the
causes which prevent such very large numbers, who profess Christianity,
and attend on many of its public means and services, from seeking and
obtaining its inward vital principles and graces, a real and thorough spirit-
ual conversion, and consequently not exhibiting that holy, righteous, and
consistent conduct which Christianity so strictly enjoins. The causes are
indeed numerous, and are various as to different classes. As a general
truth, it may be said of all such careless and neglectful per8ons,~mere
formalists, — ^that they are in love with their sins and vanities, and rejoice
in their practice ; and either do not know the self-denials( and relinquish-
meuts which Christianity demands ; or refuse to yield to them. Many are
ignorant of its requisitions, because they refi'ain from looking to the
quarter where alone, they can obtain full and decisive instruction on the
subject. They wilfully decline to consult the divine oracles, but frame
complacent and self satisfying notions of the boundless love and mercy of
God; and. of the slight importance of their vanities and imperfections, as
regards religious principles and duty. In short, they are totally ignorant
of the true scriptural standard of Christianity ; ot the nature and necessity
ol spiritual regeneration ; ot the required self-denials, watchfulness, en-
tire devotioQ,;^oi spirit and righteoasness throughout the christian lite,
33 .
nnd of thnt inward holiness, without whicli none can bo ttc'eeJ>tal)lo to God,
ur be admitted into liii) future kingdo ni of glory and huppincss.
They should learn, and give earnest and constant attention, to these
imperative and indisi)ensible teachings of the Lord, in his infallible word :
— ♦♦ Ye must be born again ;"- " If any man will eome after me, let him
deny himself and take up his cross and loUow me/' — " Put ye on the Lord
Jesus Christ, and make not provision tor the tlesh to fulfil the lusts there-
of." — "They that arc Christ's have crucified the flesh, with its atTections
and lusts: " and ** If any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of
his."
But those self deceived and mere formalists in Christianity, even if
knowing these solemn Scripture truths, they will not think and'act in con-
formity with them. They have and **love idols, and after them they will go."
These they make to themselves, of "the lusts of the flesh, tlie lusts of the
eye, and the pride of life," and in ardent desires and efforts for the acquis-
ition of worldly gain. They also exhibit their natural propensities in var-
ious displays of levity and vanity ; in attending theatrical performances,
public sports, and the ball room, reading tales of romance, and in num-
erous other modes of sensual indulgences and amusements ; all directly
contrary both to those plain divine commands, and to rationality and pru-
dence. They are really of this world, and imiUvte and cling to its fashions
and practices ; and to a great extent if not fully, go with the multitude, in
the ways of ungodliness and folly. While having " a name to live," as
members of churches, or more or less regularly attending on religious
ministrations ; they are dead as to spirituality of mind and are really liv-
ing without true Christian hope, and as Scripture declares, " witlioutGod
in the world." They may wish to be thought rclujious, though witliout
conversion, and spiritual life ; and Christians without self dcjiial, or pos-
sessing the inward graces, and exhibiting the fruits of the Christian char-
acter. ', . ,;!■,♦,,,,, l >. :. ' :■' -; . ,.| .J .1..., ;,, .,.,,.» • .;,
The vain and inconsistent conduct of these mere formalists, a fiords
decisive evidence of the truth of the Scripture assertion, that " the heart
is deceitful above all things." They have not sought, and therefore have
not acquired, any knowledge of the holy requisitions and inflexible stan-
dard of true Scriptural Christianity. Their continuance in some, or many
of the ways of forbidden sensual indulgences ; and sin and folly, have
deceived and blinded them, as to the perception of that high and holy
standard ; and its consequent imperative demand, for a full and constant,
submission and conformity. Their merely outward religious services,,
cannot be acceptable to that holy and glorious Being, who has declared,
that he requires " truth and sincerity in the inward parts," and has said— <-
■Jiv".r,!'V»» . ■'., ■■'■
34
"bring no more vain oblations, put away the evil of your doings from be-
fore mine eyes ; cease to do evil, learn to do Avell." Such disobedient
professors belong to the class predicted to appear in the " last perilous
times;" and described by Paul to Timothy, as " lovers of their ownselves,
lovers of pleasure more than lovers of God ; having a form of godliness,
but denyiug the power theroot." They will not, as commanded, abstain
from fleshly desires and practices, "redeem the time," and give dili-
gence to avoid the threatened direful consequences of persistence in sin
and folly: and strive in the divinely appointed way to secure the great
and glorious Gospel salvation, so fully provided, and so freely oft'ered for
their belief and acceptance.
To these careless ones the solemn Scripture question forcibly applies
— • How shall we escape, if we neglect so great salvation." It is indeed
in its origin, and all its bearings and effects, a great salvation ; for it was
devised by the infinitely wise, holy and eternal God, — and has been meri-
toriously purchased for all by the most severe and atoning sufferings and
death of the Son of God. It has been fully revealed by divine inspiration ;
and its graces and blessings are secured to all obedient believers, by the
operations of the Holy Spirit. It is great as to man, for it regenerates his
immortal Spirit ; brings him out of a state of alienation from God ; and
introduces him inf;o his favour, love and protection, while here; and if
continuing in faith and obedience, secures to him, not only exemj^tion
from future and eternal condemnation and punishment, for his numerous
offences : but the enduring possession of inconceivable enjoyments and
happiness; and the free and loving companionship of all wise and holy
spirits, in the eternal kingdom of his God and Saviour.
The word escape in the Scripture above cited, evidently means an
escape or exemption from condemnation and punishment at the final judg-
ment of all mankind ; when God will, as He has repeatedly declared,
"judge the world in righteousness by the Lord Jesus Christ;" who will
then make an everlasting separation between those who have received
And retained His Spirit, and died in faith and o4bedience, and whose names
are in the " Book of Life ;" and those who have wilfully neglected to em-
ploy the means divinely enjoined for obtaining that great salvation.* Most
of those means have been mentioned in previous pages ; and they are all
so explicitly and fully set forth in the Scriptures, that all can readily com-
prehend and understand them. It is not said, that those who have failed
of salvation have proudly and presumptuously despised and rejected it.
They merely neglected it, and therefore shall not escape. Of all such per-
aoni — not MMI "born again,** nor iuuing "the wedding garment."— it
\
■::■., ::\. •> ■ 35
" is dcclardd in Scripture, that " the wrath of God abideth on thorn ;" and
tthat, at the final judgment, they will be driven away " into everlasting
fire " and ' punishment."
There are some, or probably many, who say, or think : — " If I am to
: be saved, the Lord will, in His own, and the best time, eall me to seek and
obtain His salvation ; and that I can, of myself, do nothing towards secur-
ing it," All this is direly contrary to the divine exhortations and coni-
, mands, expressly and repeatedly given in, the Scriptures. They cannot,
it is true, do anything of a meritorious character to procure that salvation,
for it is only attainable through faith in the^ atoning sufferings and death
ot the Lord Jesus Christ,— but they have the power to comply with the
divine requisitions ; — '• cease to do evil," forsake sinful companionship, —
; pray for divine grace, — seek heavenly wisdom and blessings, and they
" shall be given," for the Lord Jesus Himself has declared, that " every
one that asketh, receiveth, and he that seeketh, findeth; and that he "that
knocketh" at the door of mercy, "it shall be opened" unto him." He wil)
" deliver the needy when he crieth ;" " will regard the prayer of the des-
titute;" and "will give unto him tliat is athirst, of the fountain of the
water ot life freely.'" -* "-.
They can prayerfully read and search the Scriptures, and meditate
thereon ; and attentively wait on the public worship, and the ministration
of the Word. They can— through divine power implored, and readily im-
. parted — believe in the atonement of the Lord Jesus Christ ; and thus, ac-
cording to the divine promises, obtain pardon and peace ; and, through
the influences of His Spirit, every other grace and blessing of the " great
salvation." There is the utmost encouragement to pursue such a course
of diligence, faith and obedience, for divine wisdom has said:—" Blcssec^
the
anc>
But to all diseJjoaienf'njegUQt^Vqf (^at f''':gi?;a't;filvatian." the fol-
lowing, with many "other divine wm-ri>n^, * iind*. adnlonitions, expressly
apply: — " Behold now is the accepted time; behold now is the day o9
salvation." (2 Cor. 7.) — " Boast not thyself of to-morrow, for thou know-
est not what a day may bring forth " (Prov. 27.) — " See that ye refuse
not him that speaketh. For if they escaped not, who refused him that
spake on earth ; much more shall not we escape, if we turn away f\-om
him that speaketh from lieavcn." (Heb. 12.)