THE PAROUSIA A CRITICAL STUDY OF THE SCRIPTURE DOCTRINES OF THE RESURRECTION OF THE DEAD; AND THE GENERAL JUDGMENT. (977) Copyright, 1884, BY ISRAEL P. WARREN. Electrotyped and Printed by BT 885 •W37 1884 PREFACE TO THE SECOND EDITION. The scope of this book may be briefly stated, thus: Eschatology as a system of doctrine rests on three facts definitely asserted by our Lord and his apostles, viz.: 1. Christ, after his ascension, would come again to mankind, an event which he called his PAROUSIA. 2. He would then establish his kingdom on earth, would raise the dead, and judge the world. 3. That Parousia should occur soon-in the course of the existing generation. It is obvious that any true theory of this subject must take into it all these facts. Each is fundamental; each must have an equal share in determining its form as a whole, and the adjustment of its details. In no other way can a complete, self-consistent, and satisfactory view be obtained. Now it needs but a slight acquaintance with our heretofore accepted eschatology to perceive that it has been constructed, for the most part, with the third of the said fundamental facts left out. That fact has been sometimes ignored, sometimes denied, and sometimes by various exegetical devices emptied of its meaning, and even made to affirm the direct opposite of the natural import of its words. Is it any wonder that confusion and perplexity have supervened respecting the whole subject, that large numbers feel utterly at a loss as to |