ration of believers which they were addressing; it appears evident that the great subject of hope, which would be held before them, would not be the intermediate state, even though that intermediate state were to be exceedingly glorious; and this not simply because the period before Christ's return is always spoken of "as a very little time," but chiefly because, as I have observed, from the language of the apostles, the great majority of those addressed by them must have concluded that they would not pass through the intermediate state at all. What other conclusion could have been drawn by the Thessalonians, when the apostle comforted them with the thought of Jesus bringing back those that were asleep?* and that "we, which are alive and remain, shall be 1 Thess. iv. caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air?" Now it would be almost irrelevant to expatiate upon the bliss of the intermediate state, for it * They may be said to sleep, not because of the dormancy of their spirits, but because they have not the use of their outward senses. 17. would disturb the idea of speedy re-union, which the apostle wished to convey; but the mention which is incidentally made, assumes that God will bring back with Jesus those who have passed through death, which he confirms by the consideration of Christ's victory over death and hades. In like manner, when contemplating persecution even unto death, the apostle may take occasion to mention, that even suppose the alternative least to be desired were to hap2 Cor. v. 4. pen, yet the separate spirit, when absent from the body, will be present with the Lord. Ver. 14. 2 Cor. iv. 8-11. v. 4. If now, with this idea in our mind, we turn 1 Pet. i. and to 1 Pet. i. and v. 4, we shall find that the church would more probably be led to look for the glory of the kingdom, than that of the intermediate state; for the object of the epistle was to stir up the disciples relative to the power and coming of our Lord Comp. 2 Pet. Jesus. Had the apostle enlarged upon the iii. 1 with i. 16. bliss of the intermediate state, he would have defeated his own object: "Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who, according to his much mercy, hath regenerated us into a living hope through [the] resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance incorruptible and undefiled, and unfading, reserved in heaven for you, who are guarded by God's power through faith unto salvation, ready to be revealed in the last time." This passage certainly speaks of the inheritance in the kingdom which will be at "the last time." And it does not mention the intermediate state, because it is the object of the Spirit to keep alive the expectation, that, at least, the majority would continue in the state of faith and warfare up to the time of Christ's appearing. Hence no argument, from the silence of one part of Scripture respecting the intermediate state, could, under these circumstances, be legitimately urged, even if the rest of Scripture were altogether ambiguous; far less can it have weight, when brought forward to qualify and dilute passages which appear explicit and direct upon the subject. 234 CHAPTER XI. 2 Pet. iii. OBJECTIONS CONSIDERED. "I look for... the life of the world to come." I PROPOSE Now to consider two passages of Scripture which present some difficulties. The first is the third chapter of the 2d epistle of Peter; the expressions in which appear to describe such a universal and entire destruction, that many refer this to the annihilation of the world: which opinion is maintained, not only by those who deny the kingdom of Christ altogether, but even by some who think that Jesus will reign upon earth for a thousand years; all which time they conceive Peter designates "the day of the Lord;" to the end of which day they defer the conflagration, conceiving it to be inconsistent with the prophecies which foretell the conversion of the nations during the millennium, that this destruction should be prior to those events. Neither the matter of detail, as to "how these things shall be,"* nor how apparently opposing prophecies shall be reconciled, can fairly, I think, be urged as objections: they may properly be classed among the "things which are hard to be understood." I conceive, therefore, that the legitimate subjects of inquiry are— 1. When shall the destruction take place Proper subwhich is mentioned in 2 Pet. iii. 2. Whether a state and condition upon earth, subsequent to that destruction, is predicted. In conducting this investigation I shall revert back to the commencement of the epistle, in order to discover its general scope. ject's of inquiry. St. Peter urges the brethren to anxious carefulness in the exercise of the various graces of the Spirit: "For so," says he, 2 Pet. i. 2. 66 an entrance shall be ministered unto you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ." So * This may be considered in the second part. |