CHAPTER 10. ON ETERNITY. Isa. 57. 15, 16, 17. "For thus saith the Ligh and lofty one, that inhabiteth Eternity, whose name is Holy, I dwell in the high and holy Place."-In order to explain the holy nature of Eternity, I have adduced the only passage in our English Bible where the word Eternity is to be found; but the adjective eternal, is often to be met with in the Scriptures. Eternity is a substantive, and a proper name of that high, holy and unchan geable state of being which God alone inhabiteth at this present time. The truth of my observations will appear by a close examination of the order of the text. Hence the word Eternity can never, with any degree of propriety, be applied to any unholy, sinful or changeable mode of being. For the text says, "Thus saith the high and lofty one that inhabiteth Eternity, whose name is Holy, I dwell in the high and holy place." What high and holy place? Why that holy Eternity God inhabiteth. This fact must be obvious to every discerning eye. It will follow then, that any idea of Eternity short of an high and holy place, inust be fallacious. For it appears to be the habitation of none but him who is holy. A man perhaps may inhabit Eternity, when he shall become subject to no more change, and is holy as God is also holy and when he shall become clothed with immortality, which supposes no after change possible, either for the better or for the worse. Until this becomes our happy condition, we cannot dwell in that high and holy place with God; which state is properly named E ternity and beside this, no other eternity can be proved to have existence, not as recorded in the English Bible. Therefore, the spurious doctrine of an eternity of hell torments, must be expunged from the christian church. For there can be no more two opposite Eternities, one holy and the other unholy, than there can be two opposite Deities equal in power and with unchangeability of nature, and both infinite in their opposite stations, one being good and the other bad. Come ye votaries of the doctrine of an eternity of unholy clamor, in woe and misery, come let us reason together. Can you find as positive an evidence for an unholy eternity of misery, as I have adduced in support of an holy and happy Eternity? I very much dispute your ability to do this, by holy scripture testimony. You never can find in the bible, where sin and death are referred to in Eternity, for can't find this word, only in the pasyou sage I have quoted, there it unequivocally goes to prove my side of the question to be correct. You cannot find the word endless, connected with either sin or misery any where in the holy scriptures. But you can find it connected with life. No man can find in the bible the words, without end, applied to damnation; but they are applied to salvation, or rather to a saved state. There is no passage in the bible, which says plainly in so many words, that iniquity, sin and indignation have no end but the contrary, "Iniquity shall have ar end." He is to make "an end of sin." "The righteous shall see it and all iniquity shall stop her mouth." "Your covenant with death shall be disannulled, and your agreement with bell shall not stand." Such passages as these, are to be found on scripture record. Add to all this, Christ has given us clearly to understand, that both satan and his kingdom shall have an end: St. Mark 3, 24, 25, 26. However, Eternity is a high and exalted state of being, where nothing which is corrupt, or vain, or sinful, can exist. I read of no low, degraded, corrupt, sinful, and wicked eternity, although much is said of wickedness in time. The proper Eternity borrows nothing from time, it is not dependent on any thing done in time. Hence it is not a state of rewards and punishments, but all its joys are in one independent God, and when men shall dwell with God in his own eternity, then all their happiness will spontaneously flow from himn whose name is holy; not as rewards for what had been done in time, but as a free and independent gift of eternal life. It will appear that moral dependant beings, had already received ample rewards and punishments in time. Either while in the world of flesh or in that portion of time called the world of spirits, and perhaps more or less in both worlds, for all that belongs to time must be done there and there only. Time, when compared with the high and holy eternity is the low unholy state of subordinate beings, while in a state of minority. From this low estate of childhood, they will rise at last, to a glorious state of immortality, which will then constitute their unchangeable eternity with God. That translation of dependant inoral nature supposes the last resurrection, and the last change ever to be experienced by them. St. Paul when speaking on this subject 1 Cor. 15. 51, 52, 53, 54. says, "Behold, I show you a mystery; we shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump; for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised, incorruptible, and we shall be changed. For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality. So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, death is swallowed up in victory." See Isa. 25. 6, 7, 8. "We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed." Sleep, here implies rest, repose; we shall not rest in a temporal state, and thus remain in this low condition, but we shall be raised to one far better, in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, that spiritual change will take place, and we shall rise from time to the high and holy eternity In a moment, at the last sound of the gospel trumpet, that world which follows this, will come to an end, and we shall be changed. And then, as shown in the preceding chapter, time shall be no more. A boundless eternity of immortality and unchangeable glory, will open. to the enraptured view of the whole moral creation; God will be all in all. Then cometh the end when Christ shall put down all rule, and all authority, and all power. He will then cease to be mediator, between God in eternity, and creatures in time. For then no creature will exist in a temporal state, no more changes will need to be wrought through a mediator. The last change will then have been effected, the mystery of God as he hath declared to, and by his servants the prophets will be all finished, even to that very last mystery which St. Paul was pleased to show to the Corinthian church, even the grand close of time, to end in a universal change of all mankind. Then all shall see as they are seen, and shall know as they are known. But in time we see but in part, we consequently know but in part, but St. Paul says. "When that which is perfect is come, then that which is in part shall be done away." Yes all the imperfect happiness of saints and sinners whether enjoyed in the body or in the world of spirits shall be done away when the perfection of eternity comes and God is all in all. Yes all the christian enjoyments realized in time, will be swallowed up in the full blaze of the glory of an holy and blessed eternity, which will wrap the whole creation in one universal flame of unchangeable love. O death Well may it be said, time shall be no more. where then shall be thy sting, which now is sin? ̈0, grave where then shall be thy victory? Then there shall be no more death, as there shall be no more sin. Then there shall be no more sorrow, crying nor pain, as there shall be no more corruption nor mortality. But eternity one boundless sea of glory and delight. Rewards and punishments are then felt no more; but one free gift satisfies the whole, and that free donation is eternal life bestowed on all, through Jesus Christ our Lord. A happiness so perfect cannot be increased, nor can it ever decay. No fading glory can dwell in the realms of Eternity, no change belongs to God, nor can to us when he is all in all. Ged the eternal source of all our |