66 nify," he says, " in scripture." This too would give English readers a juster notion of the proper dura Doxologies which ascribe life, glory, &c. to God, N. B. Some of these doxologies are to God, some to Christ, and some jointly to both. Besides these, there are others which differ in words from each of the forms above. Eph. iii. 21. eis náσας τὰς γενεὰς τοῦ αἰῶνος τῶν αἰώνων. αἰώνιον. 1 Tim. vi. 16. τιμὴ καὶ κράτος 2 Peter iii. 18. εἰς ἡμέραν αἰῶνος. Jude 25. εἰς πάντας τοὺς alvas. So again, with regard to the kingdom of God, and the kingdom of Christ, these phrases are used promiscuously; or rather, the stronger expressions denote what Mr. W. thinks will be of the shorter duration; as appears from the texts following: N. B. As some of these appear to include the kingdom of God, and the kingdom of Christ too, so others plainly include the kingdom of Christ and his saints; and declare that this kingdom shall endure els toùs alõvas twv alwvwv; Dan. vii. 18. Rev. xxii. 5. The same phrase is applied by St. John to the duration of the punishments of the wicked; Rev. xiv. 11. xix. 3. xx. 10. The other New Testament writers generally, I think, use the word alávios, or εἰς τὸν αἰῶνα ; which denotes the same duration that the other does in St. John, and the sanie, as far as appears, in both cases, as applied either to rewards or punishments. tion of such periods, than the common English versions convey to them. Let us give then a few specimens of translations in this way, in order to try how this rule will hold. Matt. xxi. 19. and Mark xi. 14. Christ says to the barren fig-tree, Let no fruit grow on thee henceforward eis Tov aiava, for an age. John iv. 14. Whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall not thirst eis ròv aiva, for an age; but the water that I shall give shall be in him a well of water springing up into life for an age, or lasting life. Compare chap. v. 24. vi. 35, 40, 47, 51, 54, 58, 68. x. 28. xi. 26. And many other passages in St. John's Gospel; which, according to the rule above, should be translated lasting life, or life for an age; and where our Saviour says in some of the texts referred to, that his sheep shall not perish, or they that believe in him shall not die eis Tov aiva, it should be rendered, for an age. Now this, according to the common faith of all Christians, would be so far from giving them a juster notion of the duration here intended, that it would give them a notion utterly false in itself, and extremely derogatory to that great and eternal salvation, of which the Son of God is become the Author unto all them that obey him. And, according to Mr. W.'s own scheme, this absurdity would attend it; that air, which with him denotes the shortest period, (68 or 575, or according to his Sibylline Oracles, 400 or 500 years,) is used of the duration of the life and reward of the righteous, as much or more than of the duration of the punishment of the wicked; while yet he supposes "the duration of the punishment of the wicked will be no greater, as compared with the duration of the happiness of the 66 66 66 good, than two or three are to a thousand "." So that air must denote a much longer period than any of his calculations of an age amount to, even upon his own hypothesis. Nay, as far as I can judge, it must denote a longer duration than aiŵves, or alwves tŵv alwvwv itself, sometimes does; since these are used to denote his shorter periods of punishmenta; and the other by itself, the long duration of happiness. In short, all his criticism upon this head is arbitrary and groundless. Ai in numberless places denotes eternity; and all its plurals and reduplications, heaped one upon another, can denote no more. They may add some beauty or strength to the expression, but nothing at all, in this case, to the sense. Nor do I see any great occasion for Mr. W.'s amendments of our modern versions, (viz. lasting instead of everlasting,) even with regard to the ordinances of the Law of Moses. English readers, if they have English understandings, will be led into no mistakes. It is such language in effect as they use every day, when they give and take in common conversation the words everlasting and for ever, in a lax and improper sense; knowing, at the same time, that the words are capable of denoting, and do in other cases denote, a real and proper eternity. It must be left to good sense to distinguish the different value of the words, upon different occasions; and that will be a sufficient security against imposition. After all, Mr. W. himself seems sensible that it may be objected to his doctrine b, that "this consumption of the bodies of the damned may be over "in no very long time; and therefore seems not to 66 a Rev. xiv. 11. xix. 3. xx. 10. z P. 135. E b P. 140. tion of such periods, than the common English versions convey to them. Let us give then a few specimens of translations in this way, in order to try how this rule will hold. Matt. xxi. 19. and Mark xi. 14. Christ says to the barren fig-tree, Let no fruit grow on thee henceforward eis roy alava, for an age. John iv. 14. Whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall not thirst eis rov aiova, for an age; but the water that I shall give shall be in him a well of water springing up into life for an age, or lasting life. Compare chap. v. 24. vi. 35, 40, 47, 51, 54, 58, 68. x. 28. xi. 26. And many other passages in St. John's Gospel; which, according to the rule above, should be translated lasting life, or life for an age; and where our Saviour says in some of the texts referred to, that his sheep shall not perish, or they that believe in him shall not die eis Tov aiva, it should be rendered, for an age. Now this, according to the common faith of all Christians, would be so far from giving them a juster notion of the duration he tended, that it would give them a notion ut se in itself, an tremely derogatory to tand eterno tion, of which the Son unto all them that "punish "good, than two or three are to a thousand "." So that air must denote a much longer period than any of his calculations of an age amount to, even upon his own hypothesis. Nay, as far as I can judge, it must denote a longer duration than alves, or alaves Tüv alvor itself, sometimes does; since these are used to denote his shorter periods of punishmenta; and the other by itself, the long duration of happiness. In short, all his criticism upon this head is arbitrary and groundless. Ai in numberless places denotes eternity; and all its plurals and reduplications, heaped one upon another, can denote no more. They may add some beauty or strength to the expression, but nothing at all, in this case, to the sense. Nor do I see any great occasion for Mr. W.'s amendments of our modern versions, (viz. lasting instead of everlasting,) even with regard to the ordinances of the Law of Moses. English readers, if they have English understandings, will be led into no mistakes. It is such language in effect as they use every day, when they give and take in common versation the words everlasting and for ever, in ; knowing, at the same apable of denoting, and eal and proper eternity. e to distinguish the difpon different occasions; security against imposimself seems sensible that loctrine, that "this conthe damned may be over nd therefore seems not to |