the Kingdom prepared for you from the Foundation of the World. Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye Cursed, into everlasting Fire, prepared for the Devil and his Angels. And these shall go away into everlasting Punishment : But the Righteous into Life eternal.1 In this clear, distinct, and full Account of the Proceedings at the great Day of Judgment, we find not only the Doctrine of the Separation, or Exclusion, of the Wicked; which we have often met with before; but also their State and Punishment subsequent to it. Their Sentence, ver. 41. is, to depart into everlasting Fire, prepared for the Devil and his Angels. And lest any one should say, that this Fire, originally prepared for the Devil and his Angels, may itself be everlasting, tho' wicked Men do not everlastingly exist in it; it is expressly said, in the last Verse, that they shall go away into everlasting Punishment. There is nothing therefore left for the Adversary to do, but to criticise and quibble away, if he can, the Extent and Meaning of the Word aláviov, or Everlasting Now here 1 See Dr. John Warren's Sermon upon this Text, Vol. II. P. 237. 2 "If God had intended to have told us that the Punishment of wicked Men shall have no End, the Languages wherein the Scriptures are written do hardly afford fuller and more certain Words, than those that are used in this Case, whereby to express to us a Duration without End: And likewise, which is almost a peremptory Decision of the thing,—the Duration of the Punishment of wicked Men is in the very same Sentence expressed by the very same Word, which is used for the Duration of the Happiness of the Righteous."-Archbp. Tillotson, Sermon on Hell-Torments. That Alov and alávios signify Eternity, and Eternal, appears let us recollect, that the Word is used in passing the most solemn Sentence in the world; and after from the Lexicographers: See Scapula and Leigh. Alov, say they, quasi del "v, Arist. Lib. i. de Cœlo, et Phil. de Mundo. Καὶ γὰρ οὐ χρόνος, ἀλλὰ τὸ ἀρχέτυπον τοῦ χρόνου καὶ παράδειγμα [αἰών, ὁ βίος αὐτῶν·] ἐν αἰῶνι δὲ, οὔτε παρελήλυθεν οὐδὲν, οὔτε μέλλει, ἀλλὰ μόνον ὑφέστηκεν. Philo. Ed. Mangey, Vol. II. p. 609. Platonici duas Durationis Species esse dicebant, quarum altera vocatur alúv æternitas, quæ év évì μévei, ut loquitur Plato in Timæo, hoc est, Successione caret; altera propriè xpóvos, tempus, quod est alterius elkov kɩvytý Imago mobilis, quia cum Successione elabitur. F. Clerici Not. in Oracula Chaldaica, Opp. Phil. Tom. II. p. 363. Arrian. Εpict. Lib. ii. C. 5. οὐ γάρ εἰμι αἰων, ἀλλ ̓ ἄνθρωπος. Deus Platoni est intelligibilis et æterna Substantia, unde in Timæo dicitur τὸ ἀεὶ ὄν, à quo τὸν Αἰῶνα, aternitatem, deduci declarat Plotinus Enn. 3. Lib. VII. Cap. 1. et Cap. 3. Vid. Prolegom. ad Platon. Parmen. Ed. Thomson, p. xxix. The Words therefore are certainly capable of denoting Eternity, and frequently do so in the Scriptures. What Criterion then have we, whereby we may know when they denote Eternity, and when a temporal Duration only? None other that I know of, but what arises from the Context, the Nature of the thing, or Subject spoken of. Here is nothing in the Sense or Context that limits the Meaning of these Words, as applied to the Punishments of the Wicked in Hell; but much to the contrary. It is agreeable to all the other Representations of Scripture relating to this Article, to understand them in their most extensive Sense. They are equally applied to the Case of the Righteous and the Wicked; which, as Dr. Tillotson observes above, is almost decisive of the Point, to those who own the happy Eternity of the former. Wicked Men are of the same Nature with the Righteous, and immortal as well as they. There is nothing therefore in the Nature of the Beings spoken of, which excludes the Sense of Eternity; nor in the Nature of the Punishments, if they be justly deserved, what are best upon the whole, and consistent with every Perfection of God, nay, the Result of them as I shall endeavour to shew hereafter. wards, in a Declaration of the Consequence of that Sentence: In both which, one would expect to meet with Words in their plain and common Sense, without Ambiguity. It is also to be remember'd, that the same Word is used of the Life, or Reward, of the Righteous, and of the Punishment of the Wicked. The Generality of Christians, from our Saviour's Time to this, have understood the Word to denote Duration without End, equally in both Cases; so that the Life of the Righteous, and the Punishment of the Wicked, will be really for ever. On the other hand, some few both in former and later Ages, allowing the Word to signify Eternity when applied to the Rewards of the Righteous, have deny'd it this extensive Signification when used of the Punishments of the Wicked; which, according to them, will have an End. At last comes Mr. W. and, agreeably to his enterprizing Genius, advances a Step beyond them all; assuring us, that the Word does by no1 means denote a proper Eternity of either Punishment or Reward; but only a long Duration of them respectively. Here then in effect are three Interpretations; and without going any farther, I dare leave it to the Judgment of any sober and intelligent Person, which seems to come nearest to the literal Sense of the Passage, stands clearest of Difficulties, or will best account for them, and is most agreeable to the general Style and Tenour of the New Testament. The second Interpretation, or Hypothesis, (call it what you will) is perfectly arbitrary; there being no Foundation in the Words themselves, Text or Context, on which to build such a Difference of Signification. No manner of Intimation is given, that they are to be taken in a 1 Page 39. different Sense: or that the same Word has not the same Meaning in both Cases. Nor could any Man ever be led to doubt of this by any thing that he finds here; but when for other Reasons, (of which in their proper Place,) they took it into their heads to deny the Eternity of these Punishments, this Expedient was call'd in to their Assistance, in order to remove the Weight of this, and such other Testimonies of Scripture. Then, as to Mr. W's Scheme; pursued through all its Consequences, it leads one into such a Train of Thought, as one cares not to describe. It is certain and undoubted matter of fact, that the Christian World, induced by our Saviour's Promises, have all along hoped for everlasting Life. Shall I be allowed to ask, has this great Teacher sent from God imposed upon his Followers? Shall they who have trusted in him, ever be ashamed? As they must be, when their Hopes and Expectations, raised and cherished by him, are thus defeated; and end, (properly and philosophically end,) in nothing. Nay but, some one perhaps will say, they have deceived themselves: They have taken his Words in a Sense, which he never intended. Now let any Man read the New Testament, and judge for himself; taking at the same time this Remark along with him, that according to the Law of Nature and Nations, all Offers of Pardon are to be understood in the full Extent of 10 ye blest Scenes of permanent Delight! Full, above Measure! lasting, beyond Bound! That ghastly Thought would drink up all your Joy, The Complaint: or, Night-Thoughts. the Words, without any secret Reserves or Limitations; unless they are plainly expressed.1 Were there no Words in the Language which our Saviour spoke, none in the Greek in which the New Testament was written, that answer to our English Words long and lasting? Why did not our Lord sometimes make use of these, on a Subject which required him to speak with great Exactness? Why did he always express himself in Words of uncertain Meaning? Or rather, in Words, which are certainly known to denote, on other occasions, the most real and proper Eternity? And this too, without any Caution against taking them in this extensive Sense; without any Intimation, that he desired to be understood cum grano salis. I know but one Reason of this Conduct, that any consistent Christian can give; and that I need not mention. Well then; If the Word aláviov in the Text before us, denote the same Duration, as applied both to the Punishment of the Wicked, and the Life of the Righteous; and if that Duration cannot be only long or lasting Duration, but Duration properly everlasting; then I have gain'd my point; that, according to all Appearances upon the face of this remarkable Passage, the Wicked will neither be utterly destroyed in Hell, nor delivered out of it; but exist for ever, subject to, and sensible of, that everlasting Punishment, into which they are sentenced to depart at the Day of Judgment. Tho' I have been, perhaps, too prolix already upon this Article, and led into some Repetition, 1 Bishop Burnet's Exposition, Art. 22. |