The mere article of a future life is not in itself the test of superiority of one creed over another, for besides that it may be grossly misconceived, the bare image of a futurity is nothing, and merely shows a different condition of the popular fancy. J. B. MOZLEY, D.D., Lectures. Now wherever a man hath been made a partaker of the divine nature, in him is fulfilled the best and noblest life and the worthiest in God's eyes that hath been or can be. And of that eternal Love which loveth Goodness as Goodness for the sake of Goodness, a true, noble, Christ-like life is so greatly beloved, that it will never be forsaken or cast off. This life is not chosen in order to serve any end, or to get anything by it, but for the love of its nobleness and because God loveth and esteemeth it greatly. Theologia Germanica, c. 28. Wem Zeit ist wie Ewigkeit Und Ewigkeit wie Zeit, Der ist befreit Von allem Streit. JACOB BÖHME. We think that the way of blessings and prosperous accidents is the finer way of securing our duty, and that when our heads are anointed, our cups crowned, and our tables full, the very caresses of our spirits will best of all dance before Ark, and sing perpetual Anthems to the honor of our Benefactor and Patron God: and we are apt to dream that God will make His Saints reign here as kings in a millenary kingdom, and give them riches and fortunes of this world, that they may rule over men, and sing psalms to God forever. Bp. JEREMY TAYLOR, Sermon, Of God's Method of Curing Sinners. 246 Faustus. When I behold the heavens, then I repent, Mephistophilis. Why, Faustus, Thinkest thou heaven is such a glorious thing? I tell thee, Faustus, it is not half so fair Faustus. How prov'st thou that? Mephistophilis. 'Twas made for man, therefore is man more excellent. MARLOWE, Tragical Historie of Doctor Faustus. 247 SYNOPSIS. INTRODUCTION: The Christian idea of Eternal Life unique. I. COMPARATIVE RELIGION: Three classes of theories of future life. a. Transmigration or Re-incarnation. b. Continuation, on this earth, beyond it. c. Retribution, vindictive, compensative, reformatory. II. BIBLICAL THEOLOGY: Contrast the teaching of Jesus, which is that Eternal Life is of the present. This is particularly set forth in St. John's Gospel, which is especially the gospel of life; and it follows necessarily that such is the nature of Eternal Life if God be immanent in this timeworld. A further examination into the nature and characteristics of Eternal Life. III. — Obstacles to the Reception of the Gospel of Eternal Life; the part played by clericalism and the notion of a commercial atonement in nursing survivals of folk-faith in the eschatology of the Church; and the tendency to substitute dogma for life as an easier way of making Christians. The force of the moral sanction of rewards and punishments now passing away still measurably valid where it remains efficient. Eternal Life manifested on Calvary as the Revealment of the Immanent Love. God Eternal, because infinitely holy. Jesus gave His life, rather than His death, for the world. Eternal Life is to live according to God. This gospel teaching of life eternal finds modern Science accommodating herself to it, and also Philosophy. IV. This doctrine of Eternal Life is real, and therefore a saving doctrine, for which reason we find it helpful to preach and consoling to teach. GENTLEMEN : ETERNAL LIFE. The apostle Paul in a profound and richly significant passage declares that the changeless purpose and favour of God were given unto men from the beginning of time, but were clearly manifested by an Epiphany, which was Christ Jesus, Who rendered death ineffectual and brought to light life and incorruption.1 This signifies the revelation of a new truth, not the republication of an old idea upon a new and Divine authority. In order that we may detect the absolute novelty of this Christian doctrine we must first examine what ideas of immortality already were extant in the world, and in the examination we shall observe their effects upon Christian Theology. I. The primitive culture of mankind held in its religious consciousness three typical theories of the future life. a. The earliest was the conjecture of the transmigration of souls or their re-incarnation, to which I 1 2 Tim. i. 8, 12, ζωή, ἀφθαρσία. have already alluded.1 This theory fancied that the human soul, after leaving its body at death, must find some other sort of body, and therefore will enter a tree, a stone, or some beast or man. The Karens are in constant fear lest they shall become possessed by the wicked spirit, la, of some one who has died.2 Some of the negro tribes upon the gold coast believe in three parts of man, — his body, his soul or ghost, and his indwelling spirit or kra. They suppose that this kra existed before the birth of the individual man, and at his death will at its first opportunity enter into some other body or thing. If unable to find a tenement, it wanders around about the earth as a malignant demon; the soul or ghost, however, at death, proceeds to the land of the dead, and there remains. The Navajo Indians, likewise, believe man is body, soul, and spirit, and that the spirit was preexistent and is indestructible. Other North American Indians, when their little children die, will bury the bodies along the wayside, in the hope that the soul of the dead child may re-enter the body of its mother as she passes by, and so be born again. Negroes in harsh slavery have been known to commit suicide in order that they might be born again, and by good 1 Tylor, Prim. Cult. II. c. 12. 2 The Karens of the Golden Chersonese, 128 ff. 8 This suggests the probable source of the early Egyptian theory of the return of the soul after death to reanimate the mummy or a portrait image. |