FURTHER EXAMINATION OP PASSAGES SUPPOSED TO TEACH THE DOCTRINE OF ENDLESS MISERY
I. CLASSES OF PASSAGES EXAMINED.
In attempting the proof of endless woe, the following classes of texts must be left out, when this doctrine is contrasted with the doctrine of destruction.
1. In controversies with Universalists, by assuming instead of proving the wicked immortal, about all the 200 texts previously named for destruction, have been dragged in to prove endless woe.
2. Let it be well observed too, that besides these 200 texts, many others, which only tell of punishment and woe at the judgment, or coming of Christ, without defining any time of continuance or end, are also quoted by the orthodox as good proof of their theory. Note—It is one thing to prove future punishment, or woe, and another and very different thing to prove it is to be endless. The following are a specimen of such texts. "Be cast into outer darkness, there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.” “Be more tolerable for Sodom in the day of judgment." ''Shall receive the greater condemnation." "He that believeth not, shall be condemned," (as all agree, damned should be rendered)—"not be forgiven in this word nor that to come." If a murderer be not forgiven he dies. "Have judgment without mercy." "Good if he had not been born,"—"be ill with the wicked,"— “indignation and wrath, tribulation and anguish," etc. When Dr. Webster was condemned to die, the wrath of the State was manifested, and "tribulation and anguish-" was experienced; but it was not endless, so not one of these texts indicate endless woe. They have only been used on the supposition that the wicked were immortal.
Some thirty such passages exist, a part of which, but not all, refer to the final doom of the sinner, and which, if it be consistent to quote against Universalists, who hold the immortality of all men, cannot be brought against us, who hold there must be more or less misery in the second death; and even enough to “render to all as their works may be," if that be the import of such texts.
Lest any should think I judge wrong as to these neuteral texts, I will refer to all I can find in the N. T., where our main light is found. Matt. 3 :7 ; 8:11. 12: 12 : 32 ; 13 : 47-50; 22:12.13; 24:51; 23:14; 25:30; Mark 6:11: 12:40 : (" severer punishment,"—Geo. Campbell,) 16 :16; Luke 10: 12-14; 12:46,47; 13:9: 25:28; 23: 47; John 5: 29; 8:21: Eom. 2:9; 2 Thess. 2:12; 2 Pet. 2:1; Kom. 3 : S ; 13:2; 1 Tim. 5:12; Eev. 22 :11," Let him be filthy still." Peter says, they " shall utterly perish in their own corruption." Truly the Bible expounds itself.
Prov. 14 : 32, "The wicked is driven away in his wickedness: but the righteous hath hope in his death." James 2 : 13, "He shall have judgment without mercy," etc. The murderer is driven away, and has "judgment without mercy." Isa. 50 : 11, " Ye shall lay down in sorrow." Jerusalem, when doomed to destruction , and Webster, the murderer, " laid not down in peace, but in sorrow." —Thus all this class of texts can be shown to be consistent with destruction.
3. All the thirty-one texts with sheol (hell) in them must be left out. We have seen by the concessions of Stuart, Barnes, and others, that if any of these texts tell the final doom of sinners, they fully prove destruction; as sheol means the grave, or state of death-''the dead know not anything," and so cannot suffer.
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4. THE RICH MAN AND LAZARUS- The ten passages with hades (hell) in, must be silent as witnesses, or testify for destruction. Six of them, all agree, mean only the grave, viz., Acts 2:27, 31; Rev. 1:18; 6:8; 20:13, 14. One other, Matt. 16: 18, evidently means the grave, "The gates of hades (the grave, and not hell,) shall not prevail against the church," as the resurrection will deliver the saints from it. Two others, "thou Capernium.... shalt be brought down to hades (hell)." Matt. 11:23, and Luke 10:15, Stuart says, do not refer to a future state; and Barnes in his notes says, "This does not mean that all the people should go to hell, but that the city, which had flourished, should lose its prosperity. The word hell is used here, not to denote a place of punishment in the future world, but a state of desolation and destruction as a city." As ministers yet quote these texts to support their theory, they betray a lack of criticism or of sincerity.
But as hades (hell) is once figuratively used in the parable of the rich man as being a place of woe, divines will have it, that this must change its meaning and make it contradict the plain import of the other seventy-four times where it, and its equivalent, sheol occur. Hades is also found sixty times in the Septuagint, and never there indicates a place of misery.
I am happy to learn, however, that they begin to own, as I have said, that hades in this text is no proof of woe beyond the judgment. As this is the great point I am at, and not the intermediate state, I will only give briefly its meaning as given by the best expounders.
The "rich man" denoted the Jewish nation, or the priesthood, or both combined—the priests, by the law, having to be clothed "in purple and fine linen"; Ex. 33 : 1, 2. —His "death" symbolized the death (destruction) of their political and ecclesiastical state—"torment in the flames," (the flames meaning God's judgments) denoted or predicted the misery they would endure, as a nation. It is a fact that they have been in "torment" by persecutions ever since they died as a nation. Their looking to Abraham for relief, may denote their relying on the law instead of Christ, or grace through him. They have been "buried" as to nationality, and a priesthood.
The "poor man," as the prodigal son, symbolized the Gentiles and publicans, who were looked on as "dogs" by the Jews, and lay, or could only come to the "gate" of the temple for "crumbs" of light. "Abraham's bosom" meant the gospel church, and when the Gentiles "died" or changed their former sickly state, they were not "buried" as were the Jews, but "carried by angels" (messengers) into the gospel church. Peter and Paul were special " angels" to thus transport them. "Publicans and harlots go into the kingdom of God before you," Matt. 21 : 31. The "branches being broken off,'' Rom. 11 : 17-21, conveys the same ideas as this parable; and I apprehend Christ meant the same in Matt. 8:11, 12, "Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob," denoting the "election," Rom. 11:7, with whom the Gentiles were to "sit down" in gospel privileges.
Matt. 22:1-13, the parable of the "marriage-feast," doubtless meant the same; the one "without a wedding garment" denoting a false Gentile church, or the papacy, which we learn from Rev., is yet to "weep and wail" under the " seven vials of wrath," but it is to be on the earth. Compare Matt. 21 : 33-44, with Matt. 22: 1-13, and we see they mean what I have said the parable of Dives means.
The casting away of the Jews, and the woes coming on them, with the call of the Gentiles, had been often foretold by prophets, and was very prominent in Christ's figurative teaching; but we have so long applied this teaching to a future state, in fighting Universalists, and to drive men to Christ and heaven by terror, that it is hard seeing our mistakes, or rather the orthodox will not search to discover them, while the Universalists have, and despise their ignorance.
Another part of the parable is to illustrate the unbelief of the Jews. Dry bones and calling out of graves, Ezk. 37 : 1-13, are similar figures. Christ inspired Ezekiel, and had a right to use the same symbolic teaching himself.
By the principle adopted to explain this parable of the rich man, we might prove that trees choose a king, and eagles plant cedar trees. See Judges 9: 7-15; Ezk. 17 : 2-10. No one had taken a lamb but David, and he not a lamb, but a woman. 2 Sam 12: 3.
A. Barnes admits parables are not histories of facts, and then treats this one as being such. McKnight and Whitby, say this parable was in the Calde or Babylonian Targums, yet some divines now betray their weakness or dissembling, by saying it is not a parable. Trench on the parables says, " They may not be made the first sources of doctrine. When a doctrine is settled by plain texts, they may illustrate it. But controversalists, to sustain some weak position, often forget this rule; and looking round for arguments to sustain their weak position, invent for themselves supports in these." This is just what most are now doing. Not a text in the Bible says the wicked dead are in misery in hades, or anywhere else, nor that they are conscious till the resurrection, unless this parable tells it.
Jude 7, (also figurative) is often perverted and forced in to prove it. I defy the world to give a reason why so awful a doctrine, if true, has been thus obscurely revealed by the Spirit. No plain text intimating the misery of the wicked till the wailing of the " second death," is the reason why ministers are now making a perfect hobby of this parable. But see the sophistry used : in one breath they say it is a literal history of facts, and in the next, say, literal "flames" are not meant, but. a gnawing conscience ! Who authorized them to turn Bible facts (if this is one) into fiction? Again, they say the lost are like devils, full of hate and revenge; but Dives they make a praying and benevolent soul, wishing his five brethren to be saved.
Who could wish for such a heaven as they say Lazarus and Abraham have, hearing useless prayers and seeing friends in flames eternally? No wonder but few are aroused to seek such a heaven; and but few reverence and love a Judge, who himself made and then doomed his helpless creatures to such a fate as divines say Dives is now sharing! The remark is often made, and is true, that parables must not be made to go on all-fours, but the very same men forget this rule when they come to this one: and ask who the five brethren were, etc. The reason is obvious— they have a theory to prop up, and not a single plain text with which to support it.
With the explanation I have suggested, how natural is this similitude—the Jews "in their life-time" (dispensation) had their "good things'—the means of salvation—now, as Christ told them, "the things that belotg to their peace, are hid from their eyes." They are "tormented" spiritually and temporally—"wrath has come on them to the uttermost,"—" God is "rendering his anger with fury, and his rebukes with flames of fire" Isa. 60:15. "The flaming flame is not quenched." Ezk. 20:47. On the other hand, the Gentiles "had evil things"—gloomy paganism, till the Jews were "rejected," but now are "comforted" with the gospel [in the church age]—"the solitary places are made glad." The 11th of Romans tells plainly what the "impassable gulf" symbolized:
"Blindness is on them till the fullness of the Gentiles be come in." We cannot reach them with light to "cool their tongue," for "their eyes are closed." Nor have the nations "passed the gulf," for they have persecuted and scattered them, as God had said. The "gulf" is only said to be " fixed" eternally by erring men, and not by the Bible; and we hope the time is near "when the vail will be taken away"—" the fullness of the Gentiles come," and the "flames" of God's wrath will cease to burn against his anciently beloved people, and all his creatures. One thing is certain, "hades" must ere long, with "the last enemy, be destroyed" and where will be this frightful "gulf" then? Ecc. 9:5-10, tells us the literally dead "know not anything," and there is no knowledge in the grave," [sheol,] and so no praying to Abraham, and no suffering there.
In Rom. 7:9, Paul says, " Sin revived and I died" that is, he died to all hope or dependence on the law for justification. So in this parable, the Gentiles died to all hope or dependence on idolatrous worship—“ye turned to God from idols." Die and dead are sometimes thus used figuratively where the sense shows that literal death is not meant; and to say "died" in this parable must be literal, is absurd, as the whole tenor of the Bible forbids it.
It should be noticed that this parable immediately follows that of the prodigal son, Luke 15; and all commentators agree that referred to the Jews and Gentiles on earth. In that the fate of the elder son is not told, and the main design of this seems to be, to tell that fate.
Turn to Rev. 11:7-12, and we see that to be " killed, lie dead, to arise and ascend to heaven," is a similar symbolic representation. But Bible expounders act as if their eyes were "closed," as predicted of unbelieving Israel, or as the horse, seeing a hole in the bridge, he can see nothing else and so runs into the ditch.
Thus we see that not one of the ten tests with hades (hell) in them, can be admitted as sane witnesses in our issue.
5. Again—the number of texts used to sustain the common theory must be reduced by the twelve in which Gehenna (hell) is found. I have quoted them above, and will add but little except refer to some more texts and authorities. There could be no proof that the wicked will live and suffer for ever in Gehenna, figuratively used by Christ to tell punishment (not a place,) at the final judgment, were it not inferred from the fact, that to three of them (properly but one and repeated) is added the terms, "the worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched." But these terms, as I have shown, make it more certain that all cast into the “fire of Gehenna" will be consumed, unless Christ meant by them just the reverse of what the prophets did when they used them figuratively.
And who will dare to say He did ? Pause, dear reader, and forbear to charge the friend of sinners with deception!
The term, " the worm dieth not, :' is used but once in the 0. T., Isa. 66 : 24, and denotes the utter consumption of the thing on which it preys. In Isa. and Mark 9, it is added to fire to increase the certainty of destruction; as carcasses cast in Gehenna, if not burned, would be eaten up of worms.
In Jer. 4 : 4, God says, " Lest my fury come forth like fire, and burn that none can quench it." This with many like texts demonstrates the fact, that by fire in Mark 9, is meant God's fury or vengeance, and if that is not quenched, the sinner must be consumed, "for our God is a consuming fire." But I shall more fully illustrate this thought in another place.
Geo. Campbell translates Mark 9 : 43-45, "Than having two hands to go into hell, into the unquenchable fire," instead of, " into the fire that never shall be quenched," as it is in our Bibles. This makes these two expressions more plain, and makes them agree with Matt. 3:12, where the same doom of the sinner is told; and here it is, "shall burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire."
Bishop Whately, on the expressions, "the worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched," says, " the expressions are taken from Isa. 66: 24, and evidently describe the kind of doom inflicted by eastern nations on the vilest offenders, who were not only slain, but their bodies deprived of the rights of burial, and either burned to ashes, (which among them was regarded as a great indignity) or left to moulder above ground and be devoured by worms."
Dr. Alexander, of Princeton, N. J., agrees with Bishop Whately as to these expressions. A. Barnes on these texts says, "the worm feeding on the dead, shall not die,—shall live long—as long as there are carcasses to be devoured; and the fire, used to burn the bodies of the dead shall continue long to burn, and not be quenched till they are consumed. The figure, therefore, denotes great misery and certain and terrible destruction." See his notes on Mark9:42-50.
If then the figure used in Mark 9, denotes utter destruction, I ask what right Alexander, Barnes, or any others have to hold that Christ did not mean to teach destruction by it? Bishop Whately saw that he did, and teaches it as the doctrine of the Bible in his works: and he is one of the most learned living writers, and the present Episcopal Bishop of Dublin.
The Jews could understand these terms in no other sensethan utter destruction; and it is bold work to say Christ aimed to deceive them.
I will again call attention to the fact, that no continuance of misery in Gehenna is taught in the twelve texts, except as it is inferred by wrongfully explaining the terms "fire not be quenched," found in three of them; and by assuming that the soul is immortal, and so cannot be destroyed in Gehenna. That these terms are wrongfully explained, is not only proved from the Bible, but by the common use of language. If I say my house took fire last year, and it could not be put out, or was not quenched, would you say, the fire is then burning yet? No, the inference is understood even by a child—the house is burned up!
See Isa. 1:3; 34:10; Jer. 4:4, 7:20, 17:27; Ex. 20:47,—these texts settle it. that "unquenchable fire"' denotes destruction. From this brief examination, I must believe that these twelve texts, instead of supporting endless woe, should be added to the long catalogue for destruction.
McCulloh, M.D. of Baltimore, in a learned work just published, entitled, Analytical Investigations concerning the Credibility of the Scriptures ; and of the religion system inculcated in them'—in which he advocates briefly the views I hold,—says, v. 2, p. 487, "That this phrase unquenchable fire was understood only in the sense of an intense fire that totally consumed what ever was subjected to it, is evident from the use made of this very expression by the primitive Christians (A. D., 267) in describing the martyrdom of certain of their brethren. Thus Eusebius (Eccles. His. lib. 6, chap. 41} in two places uses the very words of Matt. 3:12, (unquenchable fire,) which has been translated by Cruse, "an immense or intense fire," in which certain Christians were burnt in Alexander by their heathen persecutors."
The Bible vs. Tradition, p. 223, quotes the same. " Eunus and Julian, were finally consumed in an immense fire, (pari asbesto). With such facts before them, I ask why do we hear the learned often quibling about the Greek phrase pari asbesto, as meaning that it will never consume, or bring to an end?
6. Tartarus (hell), as we have seen, is no proof for either side, as it tells not the doom of devils at the judgment, nor of any place of punishment except the air or earth where they and ourselves now are. Quoting this text to prove a hell or torment, endlessly continued beyond the judgment, is a striking proof of the blindness of orthodoxy onthis subject.
A BRIEF REVIEW.
Here let us review—
(1.) We have found 200 texts and words, the primary sense of which evidently shows the final destruction of the wicked, and of course disprove their immortality.
(2.) Ten passages, plainly telling that the universe is to be cleansed from all enemies to God, and consequently so. far as relates to the orthodox, proving destruction.
(3.) Thirty texts I have called and showed to be neuter.
(4.) I have showed that the fifty-four texts with hell in them, are either neuter, or testify for destruction. Making a total of 294 texts.
Leaving out the ten for restitution, all the rest have been claimed and used as proof of endless woe. We have then 284 witnesses removed from the stand of our opponents. Quite a reduction one would think! I am often told, that if but one text plainly tells endless woe, that settles the point. This rule would be of force, if there were no opposing texts, and we could agree what is a plain text. But on this rule, I might say, I have quoted 210 texts for destruction, a large share of which are as plain as the English language can make them, therefore the doctrine of destruction is established. As about all doctrines, however, have more or less apparent contradictory texts, they should be carefully canvassed to see which class of texts preponderates. Why the Spirit thus inspired the language of the Bible, is not for us to say. Not observing this rule, and taking time to balance evidence, are the great causes of error. Texts for the two doctrines I am examining have never been fully thus balanced, and those who assert that they have been for ages past, betray great ignorance of Bible language and of theological works. If investigation had been made, it would have been written. Edwards, Dwight, Fuller, and others, just say enough to show they had not investigated the subject, or else they kept their researches to themselves.
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