TFrE

Issued monthly by "The Bible Standard Publication Society," 24, Mint Lane, Lincoln.
EDITED BY
Geo. A. BROWN, Pastor of Mint Lane Baptist Chu rch, Lincoln.

TUE BIBLE STANDARD is devoted to the exposition of Biblical Truth, especially the doctrine of Conditional Immortality, the literal Resurrection of
the Dead, the Final Destruction of the ,,'icked, the Signs of the Times, the Second Coming of Christ, and His Personal Reign on earth.

" The Wages of Sin is Death; but the gift of God is Eternal Life through Jesus Christ our Lord."

No. 4. JANUARY, 1877. Price Id.

THE NEW YEAR.
WE always
-
feel a degree of sadness as we reach the close of
the year and pass over into a new one. At this particular
time many good resolutions are made, new plans are arranged
for being more useful and less selfish than we have ever
bcen before, and nearly everyone feels that they will take
a fresh start with the commencement of the New Year.
But, alas! how rarely are our plans .matured, or our vows
kept.
Then, again, we begin to wonder what this new year will
bring to pass. We feel desirous to peep into its darkness
and obscurity, in order to bring forth some of its untold,
unknown events, but a kind Providence bids us wait, until
each new day reveals its own peculiar circumstances and
events, and brings with it adequate strength for every new
emergency. It is well that coming days are locked in
obscurity, for, could we know or see each new trial that
awaits the coming of our feet in this new year, our hearts
might fail us, our courage would yield to fear, and we might
sink into the depths of despair.
We are also at this time frequently led to take. a re-
trospective view of the past year. With some it has been
full of startling events; heavy trials, crushing afflictions have
been their portion, and as it passes away they feel relieved to
think they have weathered the storms of a year, which
seemed to bring forth for them nothing but trouble, and
they look forward as they step into the new year for a
brighter path and a calmer sky. May the Lord grant them
their desires!
The year 1877 has been an eventful one in the political
world. Its days have been spent by many on the battle-
field, homes have been made desolate, hearts have been
made to bleed, mothers have received the news that their
lad is dead--the report comes that he fought bravely for
his country, but he fell, and his bones are left to bleach on
the battle-plain on which he lost his life.
Oh! cruel war, we wish thy life would come to an end;
we wish thy record-books were filled up; we wish that the
last story of woe and sorrow, which none can tell so well as
thee, were finished; we wish thy fields were transformed
into Paradise; we' wish thy swords and cannons were
hurled into regenerating fires, that they might be trans-
formed into implements of usefulness and blessing.
But we fear thy story is not yet finished, for the chapter
of thy cruel deeds, began in the year 1877, is not yet corn-
pleted ; more yet remains to be recorded in the year into
which we have just entered, and, worse than all, there seems
to be indications that a new chapter recording thy fearful
havoc will be commenced in this new year of ours.
The first day, then, of the New Year begins with a black
page, blackened by war, with that blackness deepening as
we see indications springing up on every hand, that war
may not only be prolonged, but widened in its extent by
embracing those in its arms which are now at peace.
The Old Year goes out robed in mourning and weeping
over the fallen, and the New Year, instead of coming to us
dressed in bridal robes, comes veiled in black, and deep
anxiety seems to be depicted upon her countenance. Under
these cil..cumstances we cannot expect to have a very happy
New Year, for, if our hearts are touched with others' woes,
we must to some extent feel as they feel, weeping with
those who weep.
Our readers may think that we are drawing a picture
tinged too much with the hues of sadness, a picture which
ought at least to be· brightened with some ray of hope,
brightened by promises of better days and happier years.
We will, dear friends, endeavour to brighten this picture,
for the night is but the mother of the morn, and the dark-
ness which now surrounds us is but the prelude to joys
unborn, for when we turn our attention to the revealed
word and mind 9f God, we catch the glimmer of the break
of day, for we hear in the distance the coming of Him Who
26 THE BIBLE
is declared to be the Prince of Peace. We speak of Him
Who stilled the tempest long years ago, and hushed the
troubled elements to sleep by His own sweet words, " Peace,
be still."
Yes, friends, He is coming; the Word of God declares it;
the troublous times in which our lot is cast declare it.
Signs in the heavens above and on the earth proclaim with
one united testimony that He is coming soon.
And, when He comes, wars will cease, trouble will end,
sorrow will flee away, for the promise made by God
warrants us in telling you that a time is coming when there
will be no more tears, no more sorrow, no more death, for
the former things shall have passed away, the chapters of
the old years shall all have been finished, and a new era,
ushering in a New Year, with new heavens and new earth,
with all things made new, shall come.
This is the New Year to which we direct your attention,
and in which we not only wish you but can promise you a
very happy New Year.
To the child of God we would direct a few wads of ex-
hortation, for the happy New Year of which we have written
is for you, and for you alone. We can draw no bright
picture for the man who is out of Christ, we cannot cast on
ray of hope across his darkened path, we see nothing for
him but an eternal night, an eternal sleep, for, after the
Judge shall pass the sentence upon him, he will be banished
from the presence of God, and from the glory of His power,
and never see nor taste of that eternal life and eternal joy
which God will bestow upon them who have accepted His
gift, and who have come into covenant relationship with
Him, through belief of the truth and obedience to His
commands. If any read these lines who are out of Christ,
We beseech you to flee for refuge. Go while the door is open,
ask now while He stoops to listen to thy cry, for soon the
door will be shut, soon He will leave the mercy-seat, and
then, oh! sinner, thy Icry will go unheeded, thy knocking
will bring no response, thy place will be without, and thy
lot will be banishment into the land of death.
To the believer we would say, "Let the coming year be well
spent. Let your walk be consistent, and, whatever trials
may be waiting for the coming of your feet, quit you like
men. Be strong in the Lord, 'Scatter seeds of kindness,'
carry light and blessing to those who sit in darkness, make
real sacrifices for others' good, and let your good works
glorify your Father which is in heaven, and may you seek
with us a deeper work of grace, a greater knowledge of His
word and will, so that, when the Master comes to bring in
that long-looked for happy New Year, you may with us
stand before Him, welcomed by His sweet smiles, and
cheered by His loving words,' Well done, enter thou into
the joys of thy Lord."
STANDARD.
THE GOSPEL HOPE.
Continued f1'0171page 19.
HAVING examined, in our last number, many of the promises
made by Christ, as recorcled in the Gospels; let us now look
at Paul's language relating to the Gospel hope, Acts xxiii. 6,
" Of the hope and resurrection of the dead I am called in
question." This passage positively shows that he preached
the resurrection as the Gospel hope, unless he was called in
question for something he did not preach. But let us Bee.
Acts xxvi, 6-8, he says, " Now I stand and am judged for
the hope of the promise made of God unto OUT fathers : unto
which promise our twelve tribes, instantly serving God day
night, hope to come. For which hope's sake, king Agrippa,
I am accused of the Jews. Why should it be thought a
thing incredible with you, that God should mise the' dead? "
Here again is-seen the burden and hope of Apostolic preach-
ing. It is a future life by a resurrection from the dead. He
adds, verses 22-23, " Having therefore obtained help of God,
I continue unto this clay, witnessing both to small and great,
saying none 'other things than those which the prophets and
Moses did say should come: that Christ should suffer, and
that He should be the first that should rise from the dead"
(i.e., to an immortal life). Not only is the resurrection the
Apostolic burden and hope, but he affirms the same things
were the theme of the Prophets and Moses: the hope is. one.
Not an intimation thus far of the notion of entering the holy
of holies-heaven-at death, or at all: it is the hope of the
resurrection.
We will now see whether Paul does not with equal clear-
1;lBSS state the hope of the Gospel ill his Epistles, 1 Cm'. xv.
12-19, " Now if Christ be preached that He rose from the
dead, how say some among yojJ.that there is no resurrection
of the dead? But if there be no resurrection of the dead,
then is Christ not risen then is your faith vain
then they also which are fallen asleep in Christ
are perished, (i.e., they are lost out of being-there is no hope
for them;) for, jof in this life only we have hope in Christ, we
are of all men most miserable." That the Apostle has re-
ference to the hope of a future life by a resurrection is clear
from what he saith at verse 32, " If. after the manner of men
I have fought with beasts at Ephesus [exposing my life],
whatadvantagethit me if the dead-rise not?" Plainly affirming
he had no hope of going to heaven at death, and that he had
acted a foolish part in hazarding his life at E phesus, if there
be no resurrection. Such a course would be folly indeed;
rather" Let us eat and drink," if there is no resurrection,
. " for to-morrow we,die," and there is no hope beyond that.
Such is the Apostle's conclusion if there is to be no resurrec-
tion of the dead. But this reasoning is both absurd and
false, if he could or would go to heaven at death.
But again, Paul saith, Rom, viii. 23, after speaking of the
groaning creation, "And not only it, but ourselves also,
 THE BIBLE
which have the first fruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves
groan within ourselves, waiting [to go to heaven at death?
No, but] for the adoption, to wit, the -redemption of our
body," not its dissolution at death.. He adds, " For we are
saved by hope: but hope that is seen is not hope: for what
a man seeth, why doth he yet hope for? But if we hope for
that we see not, then do we with patience wait for it." And
what does the Apostle affirm he and the Christians of his
time were "waitillg for? " Answer," The redemption of
our body," that is, for the. coming of Christ from heaven and
the resurrection, This will be clearly seen by comparing what
he saith here with Phil. iii. 20-21, " Our conversation is in
heaven; from uheuce also we look for the Saviour, the Lord
Jesus Christ, Who shall change OUTvile body, that it may be
fashioned like unto His glorious body." Here is no ground
for mistake or doubt. Paul was not expecting to go to
heaven at death, nor at all; but he was looking for Christ to
come from heaven-not when this vile body should go to
corruption, but when the time should arrive for it to be
fashioned like to Christ's glorious body, which is not till the
resurrection. This is further confirmed by his language in
the same chapter, where he tells us how he laboured and
suffered, " If by any means I might attain unto the resur:
rection of the dead! " verse 11. How unlike is all this to the
common idea of an entrance into heaven at death. The hope
of Paul is thus distinctly stated; arid it is the gospel hope, and
demonstrates that modern Christians are as ignorant of what
that hope is as 'the pagans themselves. In fact, the theology--
of these days has substituted an immortal soul for, or instead
of Christ; and hence a hope of going to heaven at death
instead of a future life by a resurrection from the dead, at
the last day, as Christ has promised. A fatal mistake this,
by which Christ is robbed and dishonoured; while Death is
crowned '<Prince of Peace," and as the door into heaven!
Christ, however, declares Himself to be the DOOT, and affirms
that those who climb up any other way are thieves and
robbers. He is " The Resurrection and the Life;" without
Him, and without that resurrection which He has promised
at the last day, there is no gospel hope of' a future life or
immortality. . and undefiled, and that fadeth not away, reserved in heaven
Let men beware how they attempt to approach the holy
place into which Jesus our High Priest has entered. That is
no part of the work of a Christian even to attempt an
entrance into heaven at death, 01' any other period. Paul
states again, 1 Thes, i. 9-io, what the work is that we have
to do, " For they themselves show what manner of entering
in we had unto you, and how ye turned to God from idols to
serve the living and true God; and to wait fOT His Son from.
heaven, whom He raised from the dead," &c. Here the work
of a Christian is distinctly stated; and it is no part of his
business to be looking, expecting, or hoping to go to heaven
at death. Let this be remembered.
STANDARD.' 27
To the Colossians Paul saith, "When Christ, Who is our
Life, shall appear, then shall we also appeal' with Him in
glory," not at death, but when Christ returns" from heaven'; "
it is then, and not till then, that He will appear in glory.
Once more, Paul in writing to Titus :states clearly what is
the gospel hope, and what is the work and duty of Christians
in relation to it (Titus ii. 11-13). Among the things which
the grace of God teacheth :is, "Denying ungodliness and
worldly lusts,-to live soberly in this present
world "-aioni, age or time-" looking for that blessed hope
and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour
Jesus Christ." Here we see what the gospel hope is. It is
the return of Christ in His Glory, at which time He will raise
the saints who are dead and change the living ones, as Paul
clearly states, 1 Thess. iv. 16, "For the Lord Himself shall
descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the
archangel, with the trump of God; and the dead in Christ
shall rise first," &c.; also 1 COT. xv. 51, "We shall not all
sleep, but we shall all be chang ed in a moment at
the last trump; for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead
shall be r1tised incorruptible, and we shall be changed," &c.
Thus Paul's testimony is uniform. It is the hope of
eternal life, by a resurrection from the dead, at the return of
our Lord Jesus Christ in His glory. If no resurrection, no
hope; if no return of Christ in glory, no resurrection; then,
all who have died are perished out of being, and will live no
more forever. In all this there is nothing to sustain the
fable of going to heaven at death. No-men must wait till
our High Priest comes out of the holy place where He has
entered, even out of heaven itself. If He never comes out,
our hope is vain, ancl we perish.
We will now see if other Apostles are in agreement with
Paul on this subject. (1 Peter i. 3), "Blessed be the God and
Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which, according to His
abundant mercy hath begotten us again to a lively hope," 01'
a hope of life, an immortal life-" by the resurrection of
Jesus Christ from the dead." Here we see the resurrection
and the life subsequent to it; and dependent upon it is the
qospel: hope. Following that, is " An inheritance incorruptible,
for you "-in the hands of Him whom God raised up from
the dead, and who, as our High Priest, has entered heaven,
01' the holy place. In His hands is the inheritance reserved,
"ready to be reoealed. in the last time:" in the hope of
which Peter saith, "Ye greatly rejoice, though now for a
season, if need' be, ye are in heaviness that the
trial of your faith might be found unto praise, and
honour, and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ," i.e., when
He shall come out of the holy place, or, from heaven. Peter
adds, verse 13, " 'Wherefore, gird up the loins of your mind,
be sober, and hope to the end for the grace "-favour-" that
is to be brought unto you at [death? No, but at] the revela-
28 THE BIBLE
tion of Jesus Christ." Thus we see to what the gospel hope
has reference, and when it is to be revealed: not at death, but
at the return of Christ from heaven. So again Peter expresses
this matter clearly in Acts. iii. 20, where he saith " God shall
send Jesus Christ Whom the heavens must re-
ceive [or retain] until the times of restitution of all things
which God hath spoken," &c. Thus, turn which way we
will, the great truth, that the gospel hope is "the return. oj
Christ from heaven and the resurrectiou oj the dead" meets ·us
in full view. Alas! that men should turn off their eyes from
it to deify death, and steal a march to heaven by means of
the king of terrors J
Let us turn to one more witness on this subject, 1 John iii.
2-3, " Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth
not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that when
[we die? No, but when] He shall appear, we shall be like
Him; for we shall see Him as He is." Surely we shall not
.be like Him at death; for He has His resurrection and
glorious body. Death, then, is not the point of time John speaks
of. No-it is when He shall appear-when He comes out of
the holy of holies, "from heaven;" that is the gospel hope;
and John adds, "Every man that hath this hope in Him
purifieth himself, even as He is pure;" that is the effect of
this hope; its tendency is to promote holiness. Such is the
character and influence of the hope of the gospel. Let all
remember this truth, and lay it to heart, men professing the
hope of the gospel, who are not made Christ-like by it, liave
reason to call in question the reality of their hope. If we
hold the hope we have been speaking of, in theory, the
greater will be our guilt if we do not let it have its practical
result on our hearts and lives. Again, we repeat the
apostolic affirmation-" Every man that hath this hope in
Him purifieth himself, even as he [Christ] is pure." No
other standard will answer. How much reason have we to
bewail our past shortcomings? Let us haste to God, through
our High Priest, while He is yet in the holy of holies, for
that mercy which shall blot out our past sins, and enable us
for time to come to walk as Christ also walked; that when
He shall appear-come out of the holy place-we may meet
Him with joy, and receive the crown of life. Amen.
LIFE EVERLASTING.
IN the opening of his first epistle, the mind of the Apostle
John is burdened with a great thought which human
language is unable fully to express. Yet, as he knows its
immense value to the whole body of divine truth, as a sun
in a planetary system, essential to its very existence, he is
anxious so to present it that no one may mistake his mean-
ing. The human mind may not comprehend its breadth,
and length, and depth, and height, yet it may be correctly
realised as far as the mind is able. We may see that it
STANDARD.
means something of transcendent importance, though all
that it means we may not grasp now, nor perhaps in the
ages to come. Accordingly, he arrests attention by an
emphatic assurance, as an honest and truthful witness, that
he had heard, seen, steadily looked upon, and touched the
Word of Life, the same blessed One Whose eternity and
Deity he declares in the opening of his gospel; an~ then
before he proceeds with his letter, pens this grand paren-
thesis: "For the life was manifested, and we have seen it,
and bear witness, and show unto you that eternal life which
was with the Father, and was manifested unto us."
Is there anything in the Bible more striking and import-
ant than that? There is apparent repetition in John's in-
troductory words, but it is language trembling under the
weight of its burden ; it is the loving heart lingering on a
theme of surpassing interest; it is the facets of a great
brilliant, throwing light in every direction; and the strength
of the revelation is condensed in the parenthesis. We do
not care to vindicate the Apostle from the charge of
tautology, which those who know more of philology than
theology bri+J'g against him. Loved truths hang upon the
lips like fragrance on the rose, and John's aim was not
elegance of diction-though he is often elegant even to
sublimity-but exactness in doctrine, that we might know
the love which God has to us, and return our tribute of filial
adoration.
-Tlie- Apostle sees around him a world of mortals: the
failure of the first man was of course the failure of all men
to rise above the state of mortality; the possible prize of
Eden has been lost; and corruption, sin, and death are co-
extensive with the human race. Yet there is no tone of
disappointment in his words, as if man's highest conception,
that of immortality, were altogether a delusion. No; so
far from that, his heart is bounding at the very thought,
and he says, " I write this unto you that your joy may be
full." The possibility of immortality is not a mistake, only
you are to look for it far above and beyond the human race;
not in Eden, but in heaven; not in man, but in Christ;
for "the Eternal Life was with the Father," away back, far,
far back, long before months and years began to be, or the
measuring line of time was put into the hands of mortals.
But the period determined by perfect wisdom has come, the
fulness of time for the incarnation of the Logos; and the
Eternal Life which was with the Father has been manifested
unto us. The Word, the Life, the Eternal Life, has come
from the Father to give sonship and life everlasting to so
many as receive Him; and we declare this unto you that ye
also may have fellowship, communion, participation with us
in this divine and permanent life; and truly our fellowship-
I speak of myself and my brethren who are in Christ-is
with the Father and with His Son Jesus Christ.
This paraphrase of the Apostle's great testimony IS not
 THE BIBLE
submitted to our readers as either perfect or exhaustive, but
we believe it is accurate so far as it goes; that is to say, it
fairly sketches the eutlines of this Scripture, and of all other
Scriptures that speak on the subject-immortality only in
Jesus Christ. Man has no natural immortality stretching
out into eternity, but He Who was in the beginning with
God comes down to men to give the superhuman boon to
all who" believe on Him to life everlasting." The inspired
witness-hearer, the beloved John, who knew his Lord and
the sublime objects of his Lord's incarnation as fully as ever
man was privileged to know them, needs no corroborative
testimony; yet the doctrine is of such paramount import-
ance, sheds such light on the entire revelation of God,
exhibits so fully the true import of the terms regeneration,
redemption, atonement, salvation, perish, life, death, justi-
fied, sanctified, and the like; and unfolds so delightfully the
character of our Heavenly Father and kinsman Redeemer,
that we shall transcribe a few passages for the reader, in the
full belief ~hat he will regard them not as the words of men,
but, as they are in truth, the words of the living God,
meaning strictly and literally what they say.
" As M0888 lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even
so must the Son of man be lifted up, that whosoever be-
believeth in Him should not perish, but haveeternal life;
for God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten
Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but
have everlasting life."-John iii. 14-16.
" My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they
follow Me: and I give unto them eternal life; and they
shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of
My hand."-John x. 27-28.
" Father, the hour is come; glorify Thy Son, that Thy
Son also may glorify Thee: as Thou hast given Him power
over all flesh, that He should give eternal life to as many as
Thou hast given Him. And this is life eternal, that they
might know Thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ,
whom Thou hast sent."-John xvii. 1-3.
" I am come that they might have life."-John x. 10.
"Verily, verily, I say unto you, he that heareth My word,
and believeth on Him that sent Me, hath everlasting life,
and shall not come into condemnation, but is passed from
death unto life."-John v. 24.
" This is the Father's will Who hath sent Me, that of all
which He hath given Me I should lose nothing, but should
raise it up again at the last day. And this is the will of
Him that sent Me, that everyone who seeth the Son and be-
lieveth on Him may have everlasting life; and I will raise
him up at the last day. He that believeth on Me hath
everlasting life."-John vi. 39, 40, 47.
" To them who by patient continuance in well doing seek
for glory and honour and immortality, eternal life."-
Rom, ii. 7.
STANDARD. 29
" That as sin hath reigned unto death, even so might
grace reign through righteousness unto eternal life by Jesus
Christ our Lord."-Rom. v. 21.
" What fruit had ye then in those things whereof ye are
now ashamed? for the end of those things is death. But
now being made free from sin, and become servants to God,
ye have your fruit unto holiness and the end everlasting
life. For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is
eternallife through Jesus Christ our Lord."-Rom. vi. 21-23.
" He that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap cor-
ruption; but he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit
reap life everlasting."-Gal. vi. 8.
"Howbeit for this cause I obtained mercy, that in me
first Jesus Christ might show forth all long-suffering, for' a
pattern to them who should hereafter believe on Him to life
everlasting."-l Tim. i. 16.
" Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life,
whereunto thou art also called, and hast professed a good
profession before many witnesses."-l Tim, vi. 12.
"In hope of eternal life, which God, that cannot lie,
promised before the world began."-Titus i. 2.
" That being justified by His grace, we should be made
heirs according to the hope of eternallife."-TittCslii. 7.
"This is the promise that He hath promised us, even
eternallife."-l John ii. 25.
"And this is the record, that God hath given to us
eternal life, and this life is in His Son. He that hath the
Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath
not life. These things have I written unto you that believe
on the name of the Son of God, that ye may know that ye
have eternal life, and that ye may believe on the name of
the Son of God. We know that the Son of God is come,
and hath given us an understanding that we may know
Him that is true, and we are in Him that is true, even in
His Son Jesus Christ. This is the true God and eternal
life."-1 Jolm v. 11-13, 20.
" Your life is hid with Christ in Goel Christ our
life."-Col. iii. 3-4.
" Because I live, ye shall live also."-John xiv. 19.
Why all this-and the Bible has a hundred times more
than this on the subject-if it be not the purpose of the
Spirit to impress upon men that there is no such thing as
immortality except in God's beloved Son, and that the gift
of eternal life to believers in Him is a most marvellous
honour? We, any of us, live For Ever? By our philo-
sophical, poetical, and paga,n" immortality of soul" we
have simply talked ourselves blind. Surely, to live for ever
can only be predicted of God, or of one to whom God com-
municates of His own life. Now this is strictly true. It is
really the case that in the new creation in Christ Jesus, we
are made partakers of His life; the" divine nature" is im-
parted; we are" born from above,">' born of God," " born
30 THE BIBLE
again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the
word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever."
It was to P11t away sin, and to bring in everlasting
righteousness, and to make us children of God, and to give
us this wonderful, divine, deathless life, that the Son of God,
the Eternal Life, was manifested among us. Look again at
the beginning of John's letter. What is this?
"That which we have seen and heard declare we unto
you, that ye also may have fellowship with us; and truly
our fellowship is with the Father and with His Son Jesus
Christ." Surely there is something here to correct our vain
conceptions of; man, and to exalt our ideal of God's infinite
love.
So far from individual independent immortality being an
attribute of man as such, it is .even not an attribute of the
saved. What! not even Christians partakers of immortality?
No; their life as God's sons who shall live for ever, is a
matter of fellowship with the Father and the Son; that is to
say, they participate this divine and eternal life in common
with the Father and the Son. This is the wonderful and
glorious doctrine of the New Testament on this subject; they
are one body of which the -Life is Christ. It is Christ's life
in them, by the Holy Spirit, not their own, that gives them
immortality. "I live, yet not I, 'but Christ liveth in me."
That is the language which each of them must use if he
would speak scripturallyon this great subject. Christ came
to give eternal life to as many as the Father has given Him;
but this life is not a grant so given as that each who re-
ceives it can henceforth live separate from, and independently
of, Christ the Giver. The eternal life-spring is in Him;
out of that they are constantly sustained; because He lives
they live; they are one body in Him, and they enjoy the
certain prospect of immortality, because He, their" Life,"
is the glorious Son of God who, with the Father, only hath
immortality.
One word more. We have throughout this article used
the term" immortality" as the equivalent of eternal life, 01'
deathlessness; but the Greek word is incorruption-in-
corruptibility, always carrying the idea of perfect purity in
resurrection-life; a sinful immortality being an absurdity
and impossibility utterly unknown to the Word of God.
If, therefore, it be heterodox to deny the eternity of evil, we
accept the epithet with all its consequences, as we prefer
truth to orthodoxy, and the teaching of the Holy Spirit to
that of modern theology.- W. Leask, D.D.
• the voice of the archangel, and the trump of God-the Lord
I WILL COME AGAIN.
THE first advent was in weakness; the second will be in
power. Christ came to die, but will come again to reign.
We are "looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious
appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ,
who gave Himself for us, that He might redeem us from all
STANDARD.
iniquity, and purify unto Himself a peculiar people zealous
of good works." He will surely come. The promise is
distinct and positive. This earth belongs to Him, and He
will dwell in and beautify it. The scene of His footprints,
the orb stained by His blood, has a glorious destiny. It was
greatly honoured by His first advent, and shall be glorified
by the second. God has many worlds swinging through
boundless space, but none can surpass this earth of ours.
We doubt whether any compares with it in historic interest.
Did the Son of God ever live, and walk, and weep, and love,
and bleed on, and make a tomb of, and redeem any other
world? He did all this for ours. This earth is His special
inheritance.
While here· He often spoke of going away through a
baptism of agony, and returning in great glory. He rose,
ascended, and the angels comforted the bereaved disciples
by the assurance that He would "come again." But how
would He come? Fearful in majesty? "This same Jesus"
shall return again just as loving, approachable, sympathetic,
patient, indulgent, as when He dwelt among men at first.
He will be terrible, indeed, to the wicked; but gentle and
tender to the saints. There is infinite comfort in the
promise; the very "same Jesus" shall come. The early
Christians were greatly strengthened by the prospect. They
believed the promise, and looked for the" glorious appear-
ing." The Saviour intended that they should. He inserted
it in the Supper which they were often to celebrate. That
drinking the cup anew with Christ in His kingdom was ever
be'f~re them; "till He come" always sounded sweetly in
their ears, and made melody in their hearts, as often as they
did" show the Lord's death" in the Sacred Supper. Those
three words, "till He come," are precious beyond measure.
We wonder that they awaken no more enthusiasm. Do
Christians heartily believe- that Jesus will come again?
Do they look for Him?' Is He expected? To us the time
seems long since the promise was made, and a lurking
doubt of fulfilment creeps over us. Our little minds magnify
the relative length of a few years of time. With God, a
thousand years are as a day. He delays the coming that
souls may prepare, but He is not slack, "slack concerning
His promise." " Long-suffering" is not slackness. Un-
belief asks, "Where is the promise of His coming?" the
inspired Word supplies the answer.
The description of His coming is sublime. "For the
Lord Himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with
Himself," in His own person, the same Jesus who ascended.
The" shout" is one of joy that the hour to conquer has
come. Satan shouted and the earth groaned when Jesus
died; the war for mastery has been sharp and long, but will
end in victory for our King. This earth belongs to Christ;
the devil has no right to be here; he is a usurper, an
 THE BIBLE
enemy, and must be cast out. Our Lord will drive him
into the pit; the .earth will be free; the corruption of sin
removed; righteousness will fill the earth as the waters do
the sea.
We look for" new heavens and a new earth." The day
of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in which the
heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements
shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works
that are therein shall be burned up. Nevertheless we,
according to His promise, "look for" n'3W heavens and a
new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness.
The earth has passed through several great geological
changes. Stage by stage it has risen in the scale of
development, but is not yet complete. One more great
transformation is to come, to make the physical conform to
the moral beauty of the kingdom of Christ. For the saints
will be changed; in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye,
they shall be moulded into the likeness of their Lord. Thns
the habitation and the inhabitants will agree; and glory
will adorn the earth, where sin and sorrow have so long
prevailed. Where sin has done mischief, Jesus will establish
peace; where death has so long reigned, immortality will
sway its sceptre; where the Lord died to save, He will
gather the redeemed in glory; the 'people and the very
earth, touched by the blood of Christ, shall be freed from the
taint of sin, and robed in immortal beauty. That change
will come, for Jesus has promised, and He is able. How
we know not. He will wisely direct. But the" shout"
will be heard ere long, perhaps soon; we shall hear it; the
sleeping dead will hear it, and all the righteous will rejoice.
Is it strange that many are eager for that hour to arrive?
"Even so, come, Lord Jesus; come quickly," is on the
lips of millions. If we comprehend. the results of His
coming, our prayers would be still more earnest. We
rejoice in His first advent, but the second will excelJt in
blessings, as the harvest exceeds the seed-time. We shall
know better when we see and experience. Patiently we will
wait, trustfully we will look, earnestly we will pray, " Come,
Lord Jesus."-Baptist Union.
IT IS HIGH TIME TO AWAKE.-Rom. xiii. 11.
So says Paul, and we believe it. Surely the night has been
long enough. The powers of darkness have swayed the
sceptre of dominion until the world has well nigh lost all
hope of any relief. The vcry foundations of society have
become rotten, and it will require the skill of a master-
workman to superintend the reconstruction. The works of
darkness, such as riotings, drunkenness, chambering and
wantonness have prevailed, and the great mass of people are
intoxicated with one thing or another. The fear of God is
not before their eyes, nor the fear of the devil either. They
STANDARD. 31
are literally stupified, and oblivious apparently, to every
sign of the coming day. It seems as if nothing could arouse
them short of the terrific judgments ~f God. They little
dream how soon these will be manifested. To them the
breaking forth of God's wrath will be as unexpected and
sudden as the quickly-gathered storm on a midsummer's
day. And, oh! how their hearts will quake in that dreadful
day. Being outside the strong tower that God has provided
(Christ), it will be absolutely impossible for them to escape.
" But ye, brethren, are not in darkness, that that day should
overtake you as a thief." (1 Thess, v. 4.) Our Father has
kindly revealed to us the signs which indicate its approach.
And these signs are now being presented, one after another,
ilnfuick succession, so that as children of the light we may
lift up our heads and say, "Verily our redemption draweth
nigh."
But the Church is far from perfect. There are those con-
nected with I it who profess to be waiting for the dawn of
Christ's day, who are strangely indifferent to the duties of
the hour. Some are immersed in business. So absorbed
have they become that it seems as if their whole heart, soul,
and might was being given in that direction instead of to
God. (Dent. vi. 5.) And such assiduous attention to the
gocl of this world invariably blunts the Christian nature, and
renders it insensible to those heavenly precepts which were
so beautifully exemplified by Christ. It robs men of
sympathy. It even severs the bond of love, which should
never be broken, between brethren. Yes, it cloes more; it
enables a man to oppress his brother, if by doing so his
worldly gain shall be increased. Is it not astonishing, yea,
perfectly appalling to witness the seared consciences of some
of this class? True, the good seed of the Kingdom was sown
there, and grew, but the great thistles of worldly cares
and desires have well nigh killed God's plant. At any rate
it is so completely hidden as to be inaccessible to the sun-
light or dews of heaven. It is a sad thought, but neverthe-
less true:
Then there are others who are carried away with the
fashion of the world and its :£leeting pleasures. Those things
which perish with the using seem to occupy a more important
place than the imperishable things of God. This ought not
so to be. We ought to be ready to make any sacrifice for
Him Who hath redeemed us. All the vain show of this world
which seems to be of so much importance now, will soon be
swept away, and give place to the more substantial things of
God. If our affections rest on the unreal and fading things
of to-day, we shall be left destitute in that soon-coming
season of enduring realities. Then all else will be gone.
But we need not dwell upon the shortcomings of the Church.
They are too well known now. What we need is a great and
a speedy reformation, and, oh! may kind heaven help those
who resolve to reform.
 32 THE BIBLE STANDARD.

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Sunday: Morning at 10-30, Evening at 6.
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