received opinion of the primitive church from the days of the apostles to the Council of Nice, A. D. 325. This Council consisted of three hundred and eighteen bishops from all parts of Europe, Asia, and Africa, and adopted, unanimously, I believe, the same sentiment. It was also the doctrine of Luther, and the other Reformers,—of Fuller, Thomas Burnet, Thomas Vincent, Wesley,—in a word, of the church so universally, that it is embodied in the poetry of the world as an admitted truth.

"When, rapt in fire, the realms of ether glow,

And heaven's last thunder shakes the world below,
Hope, undismayed, shall o'er the ruins smile,
And light her torch at Nature's funeral pile!"

Dr. Clarke makes the following comment upon the passage in 2 Pet. iii. 11:

"All these things shall be dissolved. They will all be separated, all decomposed; but none of them destroyed. As they are the original matter out of which God formed the terraqueous globe, consequently they may enter again into the composition of the new system. We look for a new heaven and a new earth; the other being decomposed, a new system is to be formed out of their materials.

"It does appear from these promises, what the apostle says here, and what is said in Rev. xxi. 27; xxii. 14, 15, that the present earth, though destined to be burnt up, will not be destroyed, but be renewed and refined; purged from all natural and moral imperfections, and made the endless abode of blessed spirits. That such an event may take place is very possible, and, from the terms used by Peter, is very probable. And, indeed, it is more reasonable and philosophical to conclude that the earth shall be refined and restored, than finally destroyed."

2*

THE EARTH AND THE WORLD END AT THE SAME TIME.

That the world will not be destroyed before the earth, is evident from Gen. viii. 21, 22; ix. 11—16. That it will be destroyed then, is evident from the organization of our present bodies, which could not endure the flames that shall melt the earth. See, also, 2 Pet. iii. 7.

THEY END WITH THIS AGE.

I premise a few things, as

1. Christ's second advent will be as King, and at the end of this age. Matt. xiii. 38, 43; xxiv. 3, 30; Acts iii. 21; Titus ii. 12, 13.

2. All the righteous, dead and living, shall then "be changed," and receive their "reward" "have eternal life"- -"shine forth as the sun. Matt. xiii. 43; Mark x. 30; Luke xviii. 30; 1 Cor. xv. 50—53; 1 Thess. iv. 14—17; Heb. vi. 5; Rev. xi. 18.

3. As respects the wicked, their age of probation ends with this age.

First proof. 1 Cor. viii. 13: "If meat make my brother to offend, I will eat no flesh while the age standeth [or lasts,] lest I make my brother to offend." From this, it is evident that the age, of which Paul's lifetime constituted a part, is the period of time during which a brother can be made to offend,—is on probation.

Second proof. This age is the time for preaching the gospel, for teaching and baptizing all nations,implying that mercy will not be offered in the age to come. Matt. xxiv. 14; xxviii. 19, 20. The righteous, be it remembered, are all to be changed at Christ's coming. Therefore, if the gospel is preached afterward, the preachers will have spiritual bodies. But this idea is contradicted by Matt. xxv. 11; Luke xvi. 31; 1 Cor. i. 27; 2 Cor. iv. 7. Moreover, it is inconsistent with the idea of Christ's reigning himself, or of the righteous reigning with him, to suppose them travelling about as the "servants" of the wicked, exposed to their scoffs and contempt, trying to persuade

them to repent. Now we are told it is by preaching that men are saved. 1 Cor. i. 21. Moreover, if the salt is all withdrawn from the earth into a kingdom by itself, how can we expect the earth to be salted? Matt. v. 13, 16; Luke xv. 2, 4; xiv. 21, 23. That Christ's kingdom will not be coercive, in the sense of forcing men into it, see Matt. xi. 12; John v. 40; Luke xiii. 3; Acts iii. 23. Compare Rev. xi. 14, 15, with x. 7.

Third proof. In 2 Pet. iii. 4, 9, 13, we are informed that the reason why the promise of his coming has not been fulfilled already, is, that God is long suffering, "not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance." Does not this clearly imply that at and after his coming, mercy will not be offered, none will come to repentance—probation will be over.

Fourth proof. At the end of this age the harvest takes place. Matt. xiii. 39. When harvest comes, the time for sowing either good or bad seed—by the Son of man or by the devil—is past. Of course, there can be no more conversions—probation is in reality

over.

Fifth proof. The age to come will be the time for review and punishment of actions done by the wicked in this age, implying that probation will be over, and the judgment set. Matt. xii. 32.

4. At the second coming of Christ, this heaven and earth shall be destroyed, and the new be created.

First proof. Acts iii. 21: "Jesus Christ—whom the heaven must receive [retain] until the times of restitution of all things, which God hath spoken by the mouth of all his holy prophets since the age began." What age? Evidently the one from the loss to the restitution,—an age that began before the first prophecy respecting a restitution, uttered immediately after the fall. Gen. iii. 15; Luke i. 70; John ix. 32; Titus ii. 12, 13; Rev. xxi. 1, 4, 5.

Second proof. In 2 Pet iii. 10, 12, we are told Christians should "haste unto," or earnestly desire, the day of the Lord. And, in another place, the

believer exclaims, "I shall be satisfied when I awake with thy likeness." But he will awake in Christ's likeness on the day of Christ's second advent. Of course, he cannot earnestly desire another day. See, also, Titus ii. 13. From this it is evident that the day spoken of here is the day of the second advent, and then "the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements melt with fervent heat—the earth also: and the works that are therein shall be burned up."

Now we are prepared to prove that this world (kosmos) will end with this age (aion.)

I. The god of this kosmos is the same as the god of this aion. "In whom the god of this age (aion) hath blinded the minds of them which believe not," &c. "For the prince of this world (kosmos) cometh, and hath nothing in me."⁕

Again the prevailing disposition of each is the same. "That he might deliver us from this present evil age (aion.") Know ye not that the friendship of the world (kosmos) is enmity with God? "† Also, we are told that in this world (kosmos) Christians "shall have tribulation." This clearly implies that, so long as the present world continues, there is to be no dispensation of righteousness—Christ will not reign here personally or spiritually—the prevailing spirit will be that which causes tribulation to the children of God. But they must be of good cheer; for Christ assures them the world is overcome in prospect that shall certainly be realized. It shall be destroyed at his glorious appearing, and his disciples then will be left without a foe forever. See, also, Eph. ii. 2, where walking according to the age of this world," is spoken of as synonymous with walking "according to the prince of the power of the air," &c.

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*For references containing aion, see 2 Cor. iv. 4; Matt, xiii. 39; Eph. ii. 2; and for kosmos, see John xiv. 30: xii. 31; xvi. 11; Matt. iv. 8, 9.

† For aion, see Gal. i. 4: 1 Cor. ii. 6; and for kosmos, see James iv. 4; i. 27; John viii. 23; xv. 19; xvi. 33; 2 Cor. vii. 10; Gal. vi. 14; 1 John ii. 15—17.

II. The two words are used one for the other. Thus, (2 Cor. v. 19,) "God was in Christ reconciling the age (aion) to himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them." "For I came not to judge the world, but to save the world⁕ (kosmos.)"

Again, (1 Cor. i. 20:) "Where is the wise? where is the scribe? where is the disputer of this age (aion?) Hath not God made foolish the wisdom of this world (kosmos?)" In chap. ii. 6: "wisdom of this age (aion.)" In chap. iii. 18, 19: "If any man among you seemeth to be wise in this age (aion,) let him become a fool, that he may be wise. For the wisdom of this world (kosmos) is foolishness with God."

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Again, Tit. ii. 12: Denying ungodliness and worldly (kosmikos) lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly in this present age (aion.)" If there is to be another age of this world, does the apostle mean to imply that then we need not live soberly, righteously, and godly, and deny worldly lusts? Or does he not rather mean that this age is the only one in which men shall have lusts of the world to denyin other words, that probation ends with this age?

III. At the end of this age Christ will come as King. But his "kingdom is not of this world (kosmos.)" He will not reign in it personally or spiritually. If the whole world does not end with this age, then there will either be some living on the earth over whom Christ will not exercise jurisdiction, or else his kingdom will be in part of this world. Moreover, as this world is subject to death, instead of his being King of kings, and his kingdom independent, he would see it continually and successively invaded by the King of Terrors. John xviii. 36, 37.

IV. Eph. ii. 2: "Wherein in time past ye walked according to the age (aion) of this world (kosmos)—. according to the prince of the power of the air," &c. It does not say, "according to this age of the world."

* For kosmos, see John xii. 47; i. 29; iii. 16, 17; vi. 33, 51; Rom. xi. 15; 1 Tim. i. 15.