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is possessed by the mass of Christians before these evils can be removed; and before our world can be fully evangelized. Christians, it is your imperative duty to stir up yourselves to "take hold of God" for the benefit of the world in which God has placed you. You cannot be agents in healing others until the plague of your own heart is healed. You cannot "teach transgressors God's ways," and sinners "will not be converted unto him" by your agency, until you fully realize "the joy of God's salvation." Sinners are perishing; but, blind as they are, hard-hearted as they are, superstitious as some of them are, polluted and miserable as they all are, they need not perish. Christ has died for them, God is not willing they should perish, the Holy Spirit is able to enlighten, soften, renew and save them. Upon you rests the responsibility of leading them to Christ, of beseeching them to be reconciled to God, of bringing upon them the saving influences of the Holy Ghost. "Ye are the light of the world-ye are the salt of the earth." "Take hold of God," keep hold of God, and you shall save souls from death, and hide multitudes of sins.

Should any sinner read these pages, let that sinner remember that God's 's strong arm is uplifted to strike him dead and send his soul quick down to "the bottomless pit." Stir up thyself to "take hold of God." "Take hold of his strength and make peace with him," before it be too late. By penitence, prayer and faith take hold of Jesus as thy Saviour and thou shalt be saved. "Seek ye the Lord while he may be found; call ye upon him while he is near. Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts; and let him return unto the Lord, and he will have mercy upon him; and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon."

THE OPENING HEAVENS.-Until the year 1801 it was not known there was any planet between the orbits of Mars and Jupiter. In that year a small planet was discovered, to which was given the name of Ceres, distant from the sun nearly two hundred and sixty-three millions of miles. In 1802 a second planet was discovered; in 1804 a third; in 1807 a fourth; in 1847 a fifth; and since then eight others have come within the reach of the telescope. Thus there are already known to be thirteen small planets between the orbits of Mars and Jupiter. Their names in the order of their distance from the sun are Flora, Victoria, Vesta, Iris, Metis, Hebe, Parthenope, Egeria, Astrea, Juno, Pallas, Ceres and Hygeia. May not these thirteen small planets be the fragments of one larger heavenly body once running its course in that part of the heavens where these now make their regular revolutions? Did no planet exist between the orbits of Mars and

Jupiter there would be an exception
to the regular increase of distance
from one planet to another, and from
the sun. The discovery of these
planets in this part of the solar
sys-
tem reminds us of the sublime in-
quiry, "Who hath measured the
waters in the hollow of his hand and
meted out heaven with a span"?"
(Isa. xl. 12.)
H. W.

SESOSTRIS.-It is related of Sesostris that, having taken many of the neighbouring kings prisoners, he compelled them, by turns, to draw his chariot. One of these royal slaves one day fixed his eyes stedfastly on the wheels of the chariot as they went round, which the monarch observing, asked him why he was so intent on so small an object. He replied that the falling of the spoke which was a little while ago the highest, to the lowest place reminded him of the uncertainties of life. Sesostris, it is said, duly weighing this remark, would never after be drawn by these royal slaves.

BIBLICAL CRITICISM.-PURGATORY.

INQUIRY RESPECTING CHRIST PREACHING TO THE SPIRITS IN PRISON.

REV. SIR. Having come in contact with some Roman Catholics on the doctrine of purgatory, and not being competent satisfactorily to answer their objections, I take the liberty of soliciting your elucidation of that passage in 1 Peter iii. 19, 20, which passage, I think, is the most relied on by Romanists to substantiate the doctrine of purgatory. Hoping you will condescend to comply with my request and furnish me with an answer, I beg to remain yours humbly,

Gateshead.

ANSWER. We will not trouble the reader with the several different readings of this passage which are found in some manuscripts, both Greek and Latin. We prefer to take the passage as it stands before us, supported, as it is, by the best and oldest manuscripts; and, instead of encumbering our pages with numerous conflicting views, simply to offer our own interpretation, adopting that mode of exegesis which we have ever found the best and the safest, namely, comparing Scripture with Scripture, and making the word of God its own interpreter.

This passage is confessedly the stronghold of Papists in their defence of the doctrine of purgatory. It must, however, be a matter of regret with Papists that a doctrine to which they attach so much importance should have such slender support from Scripture that they are obliged to have recourse to a few of the most obscure and difficult passages in the sacred volume. This is not the case with evangelical truth. It is clear and obvious. It shines forth by its own light. It is published as with a sunbeam. It stands out in bold and prominent relief, and is so constantly presented to our view that, turn to what part of the New Testament we may, it meets us there in some form, forcing itself upon our attention and commanding our assent. If I were a Papist I should certainly feel much perplexity and misgiving respecting the doctrine, if to find even a slender support of it I must leave the plain and obvious parts of Scripture, and have recourse to the difficult and obscure. I should feel this embarrassment increased if, as a Romanist, I found that some emi

J. B. A.

nent teachers in my own Church expressed their doubts whether the doctrine of purgatory could be fairly deduced from this passage. If this obscure text be the strongest that can be adduced in support of Popery and some learned men in the Romish Church hesitate to affirm that the doctrine is taught there, then, indeed, my doubts and misgivings would be increased. Yet

such is the fact, as we shall soon see. St. Jerome applies the passage to the present life; for he says "that Christ preached to the spirits in prison, when the patience of God waited in the days of Noah, bringing the flood upon the wicked."* St. Augustine suggests respecting this passage, that "the whole of St. Peter's statement concerning the spirits in prison, who believed not in the days of Noah, may have no reference whatever to the spiritual world, but rather to those times of which he has transferred the example to our own. For before Christ came once in the flesh to die for us, he came often in the spirit to those whom he would, giving them by visions such spiritual intimations as he wished; by which he was also quickened.Ӡ

*"Prædicavit spiritibus in carcere constitutis, quando Dei patientia exspectabatur in diebus Noe, diluvium impiis inferens." Hieron. lib. xv. Comment. in Isa. cap. 54, tom. iii. col. 395. Paris, 1704.

+ "Considera tamen ne forte totum illud, quod de conclusis in carcere spiritibus, qui in diebus Noe non crediderant, Petrus Apostolus dicit, omnino ad inferos non pertineat, sed ad illa potius tempora, quorum formam ad hæc tempora transtulit. . . . Quoniam priusquam veniret in carne pro nobis moriturus, quod semel fecit, sæpe autea veniebat

...

Thomas Aquinas agrees with this interpretation.*

But there are other distinguished writers of the Romish Church who still more plainly and decisively give this passage a Protestant interpretation. The Venerable Bede thus explains it, in the following forcible language: "He who in our times, coming in the flesh, preached the way of life to the world, preached also before the Flood by his Spirit to those who were then unbelieving and carnally minded. For he was by his Holy Spirit in Noah, and in the other holy men who lived at that time, and by their good conversation preached to the wicked men of that age that they might be converted to better things."t

The learned Calmet also gives the same interpretation of this passage. He observes, "Christ preached by his Spirit, with which he filled Noah, to the unbelievers of that time.

He preached, therefore, to those unbelievers, not in person, or visibly, but by his Spirit communicated to Noah."

These quotations are from weighty authorities in the Church of Rome. If the sentiments of such men as Jerome, Augustine, Bede and Calmet are against the Papal interpretation of this the strongest passage that can be

in Spiritu ad quos volebat, visis eos admonens sicut volebat utique in spiritu; quo Spiritu et vivificatus est." Augustin., Epist. clxiv., ad Evodium, c. vi. sec. 18, tom. ii. col. 578. G. 580, c.

*T. Aquin. Summ. Theol. pars iii. quest. 53, art. 11, p. 145. Lyons, 1567.

+"Qui nostris temporibus in carne veniens iter vitæ mundo prædicavit, ipse etiam ante diluvium eis, qui tunc increduli erant et carnaliter vivebant, Spiritu veniens prædicavit. Ipse enim per Spiritum Sanctum erat in Noe, cæterisque qui tunc fuere sanctis; et per eorum bonam conversationem, pravis illius ævi hominibus, ut ad meliora converterentur, prædicavit." Beda in Pet. iii. 19, tom. v, col. 980. Basil, 1563.

"Christ, par son Esprit, dont il remplit Noë, prêcha aux hommes incrédules de ce tems-lá. Christ prêcha, donc, à les incrédules, non en personne ni visiblement, mais son Esprit, qu'il avait communiqué a Noë." Calmet; Comment. iv. 24.159.

adduced in favour of purgatory, the doctrine may well be regarded as resting on a slender foundation; and no wonder that the candid and inquiring Romanist should entertain serious doubts of its validity.

But let us ourselves enter upon an examination of this passage. Those who suppose it to favour the dogma the of purgatory imagine that “prison" spoken of is some invisible region called purgatory; that “the spirits" who are said to have been "disobedient" are the souls of the antediluvians, who perished in the Flood and were sent to the prison of purgatory; and that to these Christ went and preached in the interval between his death and resurrection. Such is the interpretation which most Papists give of this passage in order to make it speak in favour of purgatory. We think, however, a very little examination will show that it has no more to do with purgatory than it has with the planet Jupiter and his inhabitants, and that its application to purgatory is totally inadmissible, even on the principles which Romanists themselves maintain.

Our first argument is, that the text speaks only of one particular class of individuals-those who were disobedient in the days of Noah and who perished in the universal Deluge. Now, if there be a purgatory, it is, of course, a place for the reception, not only of those who perished in the Deluge, but a place for the reception of certain individuals in all ages of the world; for those who died before the Flood and for those who died after the Flood; for those who died in the patriarchal age, in the Levitical age, in the prophetical age, and in the Christian age. Now had the apostle been speaking of Christ's preaching to souls in purgatory, he would doubtless have spoken of his preaching to all departed souls who were in purgatory; but instead of this, he confines his remarks to one class of men. He speaks of Christ preaching, not to all, but only to those individuals who lived at one particular period and perished in one particular judg ment. No other are mentioned; no other are referred to; to no other is the slightest allusion made in the

passage. The question, then, necessarily arises, If purgatory be a receptacle for a certain class of characters in every age, and if all such be undergoing a process of purification to fit them for final deliverance, why did Christ preach to one class only? why are all the rest passed by without being once mentioned? This, we think, is inexplicable, and incompatible with the Papistical doctrine of purgatory. If the disobedient persons who perished in the Flood were in purgatory, they were only the men of one particular period. There were millions besides them in every age; why are all the rest passed over in silence? Christ died for all others as well as for those men who perished in the Deluge, and the millions who were with them in purgatory were surely not less worthy of his regard; why, then, were they all overlooked? How is it that Christ neither preached to them, nor does the apostle notice them? There is but one consistent answer. Peter was not alluding to purgatory at all!

St.

Our second argument against the application of this text to purgatory is the fact that the characters spoken of were unsuitable for purgatory, even on the Romanists' own statements. Hell is a place of eternal punishment for the wicked; heaven is a place of rest and joy for the perfectly holy; but purgatory is said to be a middle place of purification for the righteous who, though the children of God, are not sufficiently pure for heaven, and who are sent to purgatory to be fully purified and made meet for heaven. Let us hear the Romanists themselves expound this doctrine. We refer to none but the highest authorities. Dens in his Theology thus speaks of purgatory: "It is a place in which the souls of the pious dead, obnoxious to temporal punishment, suffer enough or make satisfaction."* In the Catechism of the Council of Trent it is declared, "In the fire of

*"Quid est purgatorium? R. Est locus, in quo animæ justorum defunctorum obnoxiæ pœnis temporalibus satis patiuntur."-Dens, Theolog., tom. 7., tract. de Quatuor Novissimis de Purgatorio, No. 25.

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Here let it be well observed by the reader that those admitted to purga tory are described as those only who are designated" the souls of the pious dead," "" the souls of just men,' souls which depart this life in God's grace, ," "such as die in venial sin ;' while those who die in mortal sin go to hell to all eternity. These are their own words. Now, such being the doctrine of Romanists respecting purgatory, it follows that the indi viduals who perished in the Deluge could not be admitted into purga tory, for they died in mortal sin. They were neither saints, nor the souls of the pious dead, nor persons who died merely under venial sins. Indeed, they were not ordinary transgressors, but the most abandoned and notoriously wicked beings who in any age have offended God and polluted the earth. We have no description given in the sacred volume of men

*Catechism of the Council of Trent, page 59.

so utterly depraved as those who perished in the Deluge. Let us turn to the Book of Genesis and behold the loathsome portraiture of their character. "And God saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually. And it repented the Lord that he had made man on the earth, and it grieved him at his heart. And God looked

upon the earth, and, behold, it was corrupt; for all flesh had corrupted his way upon the earth. And God said unto Noah, The end of all flesh is come before me; for the earth is filled with violence through them. And, behold, I will destroy them with the earth." (Gen. vi. 5, 12, 13.) We ask, in the name of common-sense, whether these persons are to be numbered with the pious dead?" Whether the description given of their gross sensuality, outrageous violence, awful depravity, and universal

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tempt of God, comports with the doctrine of "venial sins?" If these were venial," where shall we find "mortal sins?" If these men were merely imperfect saints, when God pronounced not only their lives to be corrupt, but the very imaginations of the thoughts of their heart so thoroughly depraved as to be evil, evil only and evil continually-where, we ask, shall we look for sinners?

To this enormous and universal guilt we must add the sin of incorrigibility. They continued hardened to the last moment. Jehovah warned them of the coming judgment, he sent his servant to preach repentance and reformation, he strove with them by the powerful agency of his Spirit, and he waited for them during the protracted period of 120 years, while the ark was preparing. But they heeded not his threatened judgment, they accepted not his offered mercy, and they repented not at his longsuffering and forbearance.

When

they saw the ark finished they were still impenitent; when the venerable patriarch entered the appointed refuge they laughed at his folly; when they beheld the animals spontaneously follow him their stubborn hearts still yielded not. They sought no refuge

from the impending storm; but to the last moment, when Jehovah himself shut the patriarch in with his own hand, they were still found in the attitude of defiance, the victims of dissipation, carelessness and sin; eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, living in pleasure, riot, excess and carnal ease, as if all religion were a lie and the world were destined to last for ever, up to the moment when the fearful deluge burst upon them and swept them all away in a tempest of indignation. Such are the characters to whom Popery points as the inhabitants of purgatory!

The rich man in the gospel is described as lifting up his eyes, not in purgatory, but in hell, being tormented with the flames of the awful pit; yet, so far as we know, he led a harmless life compared with antediluvian sinners. The slothful servant who did not squander his talent in licentiousness, but merely neglected to improve it, is condemned and cast into outer darkness, where there is weeping and gnashing of teeth; but the men whose lives were wholly corrupt, and whose hearts were the repository of evil, and only evil continually, are favoured by Popery with a place in purgatory!

Truth is always in harmony with itself, but it is hard for false doctrine to maintain even the semblance of consistency. We have seen in the present instance, the Church of Rome affirms that none can go to purgatory but "the souls of the pious dead," or those who die in venial sins; yet the only examples to which she points in proof are those transgressors who died in mortal sins, in the darkest and foulest sins which have degraded our fallen nature. Thus Popery contradicts alike herself and the Word of God.

Our next argument is based on the fact that our Lord, after his death, did not go to a purgatorial prison, but to the paradise of God. The papist construes the words of the text, By which also he went and preached unto the spirits in prison," to mean that our Lord went to purgatory. This notion, however, is, we think, exploded by what we have

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