Imágenes de páginas
PDF
EPUB

steps. Who did no sin, neither was guile found in his mouth; who, when he was reviled, reviled not again; when he suffered, he threatened not; but committed himself to him that judgeth righteously; who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes ye were healed. For ye were as sheep going astray; but are now returned unto the Shepherd and Bishop of your souls.

4: 12. Beloved, think it not strange, concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened unto you: but rejoice, inasmuch as ye are partakers of Christ's sufferings; that, when his glory shall be revealed, ye may be glad also with exceeding joy. If ye be reproached for the name of Christ, happy are ye; for the Spirit of glory and of God resteth upon you: on their part he is evil spoken of, but on your part he is glorified. But let none of you suffer as a murderer, or as a thief, or as an evil-doer, or as a busy-body in other men's matters. Yet if any man suffer as a Christian, let him not be ashamed; but let him glorify God on this behalf.

in all the earth; a perfect and upright man, one that feareth God and escheweth evil? Then Satan answered the LORD, and said, Doth Job fear God for nought? Hast not thou made a hedge about him, and about his house, and about all that he hath on every side? Thou hast blessed the work of his hand, and his substance is increased in the land; but put forth now thy hand, and touch all that he hath, and he will curse thee to thy face. And the LORD said unto Satan, All that he hath is in thy power, only on himself put not forth thy hand.

2: 3. Still he holdeth fast his integrity, though thou movest me against him, to destroy him without a cause. And Satan answered the LORD, and said, Skin for skin, yea, all that a man hath will he give for his life; but put forth now thy hand and touch his bone and his flesh, and he will curse thee to thy face. And the LORD said unto Satan, Behold, he is in thy hand, only save his life.

Ps. 119: 67. Before I was afflicted, I went astray; but now have I kept thy word. — 71. It is good for me that I have been afflicted; that I might know thy statutes. — 75. I know, O LORD, that thy judgments are right, and that thou in faithfulness hast afflicted me.

ISA. 48: 10. Behold, I have refined thee, but not with silver; I have chosen thee in the furnace of afflicton.

LUKE 16: 19. There was a certain rich man, which was clothed in purple and fine linen, and fared sumptuously every day: and there was a certain beggar, named Lazarus, which was laid at his gate, full of sores.... ... The beggar died, and was § 7. CONSCIENCE, OR MORAL SENSE. carried by angels to Abraham's bosom; and the rich man also died, and was buried.-25. Son, remember that thou in thy lifetime receivedst thy good things; likewise Lazarus evil things; but now he is comforted, and thou art tormented.

[blocks in formation]

ACTS 23: 1. Men and brethren, I have lived in all good conscience before God until this day.

24: 14. But this I confess unto thee, that after the way which they call heresy, so worship I the God of my fathers, believing all things which are written in the law and in the prophets and have hope toward God, which they themselves also allow, that there shall be a resurrection of the dead, both of the just and unjust. And herein do I exercise myself, to have always a conscience void of offence toward God, and toward men.

1 COR. 8: 7. Howbeit, there is not in every man that knowledge: for some with conscience of the idol

conscience in all things willing to live honestly.

TITUS 1: 15. Unto them that are defiled and unbelieving, there is nothing pure but even their mind and conscience are defiled.

unto this hour, eat it as a thing offered unto an idol: and their conscience, being weak, is defiled. But meat commendeth us not to God: for neither if we eat, are we the better; neither if we eat not, are we the worse. But take heed lest by any means this liberty of yours become a stumbling-block to them that are weak. For if any man see § 8. MILLENNIUM — OR UNIVERSAL thee, which hast knowledge, sit at meat in the idol's temple, shall not the conscience of him which is weak be emboldened to eat those things which are offered to idols; and through thy knowledge shall the weak brother perish, for whom Christ died? But when ye sin so against the brethren, and wound their weak conscience, ye sin against Christ.

10: 27. If any of them that believe not bid you to a feast, and ye be disposed to go; whatsoever is set before you, eat, asking no question for conscience' sake. But if any man say unto you, This is offered in sacrifice unto idols, eat not for his sake that showed it, and for conscience' sake:

For the earth is the Lord's, and the fulness thereof:

conscience, I say, not thine own, but of the other.

ROM. 9: 1. My conscience also bearing me witness in the Holy Ghost.

13: 5. Ye must needs be subject, not only for wrath, but also for conscience' sake.

2 COR. 1: 12. Our rejoicing is this, the testimony of our conscience; that in simplicity and godly sincerity, not with fleshly wisdom, but by the grace of God, we have had our conversation in the world.

¶ 4: 2. By manifestation of the truth, commending ourselves to every man's conscience in the sight of God.

1 TIM. 1: 19. War a good warfare; holding faith and a good conscience.

3 9. Holding the mystery of faith, in a pure conscience.

2 TIM. 1 3. I serve God from my forefathers with a pure conscience.

HEB. 10: 22. Having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience.

13: 18. We trust we have a good

TRIUMPH OF CHRIST ON EARTH.

JER. 31: 33. After those days, saith the LORD, I will put my law in their inward parts, and write it in their hearts; and will be their God, and they shall be my people. And they shall teach no more every man his neighbor, and every man his brother, saying, Know the Lord; for they shall all know me, from the least of them unto the greatest of them, saith the LORD; for I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more.

DAN. 2: 34. Thou sawest, till that a stone was cut out without hands, which smote the image upon his feet, which were of iron and clay, and brake them in pieces, . . . . and the stone that smote the image became a great mountain, and filled the whole earth. 44. In the days of these kings shall the God of heaven set up a kingdom, which shall never be destroyed; and the kingdom shall not be left to other people, but it shall break in pieces and consume all these kingdoms, and it shall stand forever.

HOSEA 3: 23. I will have mercy upon her that had not obtained mercy, and I will say to them which were not my people, Thou art my people, and they shall say, Thou art my God.

MICAH 4: 1. But in the last days it shall come to pass, that the mountain of the house of the LORD shall be established in the top of the mountains, and it shall be exalted above the hills.

HAB. 2: 14. The earth shall be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the LORD, as the waters cover the sea.

MAT. 18: 33. The kingdom of heaven is like unto leaven, which a woman took and hid in three measures of meal, till the whole was leavened.

ISA. 35: 1-10. 48: 1-7. 45:

22-25. 49: 6—18, 22-25. 60: body, and bring it into subjection; 1-5, 8-12, 18. - 22. 62: 1012. 65: 17-25. 66: 5-12.

§ 9. PROBATION AFTER DEATH.

2 COR. 5: 10. We must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad.

out.

MAT. 25 5. While the bridegroom tarried, they all slumbered and slept. And at midnight there was a cry made, Behold, the bridegroom cometh; go ye out to meet him. Then all those virgins arose, and trimmed their lamps. And the foolish said unto the wise, Give us of your oil; for our lamps are gone But the wise answered, saying, Not so; lest there be not enough for us and you: but go ye rather to them that sell, and buy for yourselves. And while they went to buy, the bridegroom came; and they that were ready went in with him to the marriage: and the door was shut. Afterward came also the other virgins, saying, Lord, Lord, open to us. But he answered and said, Verily I say unto you, I know you not. Watch therefore; for ye know neither the day nor the hour wherein the Son of man cometh.

ECCL. 11 3. If the tree fall toward the south or toward the north, in the place where the tree falleth there it shall be.

9: 10. Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do, do it with thy might; for there is no work, nor device, nor knowledge, nor wisdom in the grave, whither thou goest.

1 COR. 9: 27. I keep under my

lest that by any means, when I have preached to others, I myself should be a castaway.

LUKE 16: 22. And it came to pass, that the beggar died, and was carried by the angels into Abraham's bosom: the rich man also died, and was buried; and in hell he lifted up his eyes, being in torments, and seeth Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom. And he cried and said, Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus, that he may dip the tip of his finger in water, and cool my tongue; for I am tormented in this flame. But Abraham said, Son, remember that thou in thy lifetime receivedst thy good things, and likewise Lazarus evil things: but now he is comforted, and thou art tormented. And besides all this, between us and you there is a great gulf fixed: so that they which would pass from hence to you cannot; neither can they pass to us that would come from thence.

REV. 22: 11. He that is unjust, let him be unjust still; and he that is filthy, let him be filthy still; and he that is righteous, let him be righteous still; and he that is holy, let him be holy still. And behold, Í come quickly, and my reward is with me, to give every man according as his work shall be. I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end, the first and the last. Blessed are they, that do his commandments, that they may have right to the tree of life, and may enter in, through the gates, into the city. For without, are dogs and sorcerers and whoremongers and murderers and idolaters, and whosoever loveth and maketh a lie.*

(See the last Topic.)

* It is observable that the silence of the Bible on this topic is the most decisive evidence against the supposition of a future probation. The book which brings "life and immortality to light," makes no mention of it, no provision for it; but constructs its whole system of operations upon the ground, that here is the only hope of recovering man to holiness. Were there no revelation, we might hope for some future arrangement in our favor; but the silence of God's word precludes any such gratuitous assumption.

The compiler will be grateful to any individual who will furnish a collation, throwing a different light upon this subject.

FOURTH GENERAL TOPIC.

THE FINAL ISSUE.

CHAPTER I.

DISSOLUTION OF THE BODY.

§ 1. THE PORTION OF ALL-GOOD

AND BAD.

quiet. His breasts are full of milk, and his bones moistened with marrow. Another dieth in the bitterness of his soul, and never eateth with pleasure. They shall lie down alike in the dust, and the worms shall cover them.

24: 24. The mighty are exalted for a little while; but are gone and

HEB. 9:27. It is appointed unto brought low; they are taken out of men, once to die.

1 COR. 15: 22. In Adam all die. GEN. 2: 27. In the day thou eatest thereof, thou shalt surely die.

Ps. 49: 6. They that trust in their wealth, and boast themselves in the multitude of their riches, none of them can by any means redeem his brother, or give to God a ransom for him... that he should still live forever, and not see corruption. For he seeth that wise men die; likewise the fool and the brutish person perish, and leave their wealth to others.

...

Man being in honor abideth not: he is like the beasts that perish.

JOB 4:21. Men dwell in houses of clay their foundation is in the dust; they are crushed before the moth. They are destroyed from morning to evening; they perish forever without any regarding it.

7: 9. He that goeth down to the grave shall come up no more;...neither shall his place know him any

more.

9:22. God destroyeth the perfect and the wicked.

14: 2. Man cometh forth as a flower, and is cut down.-10. Man dieth and wasteth away; yea, man giveth up the ghost, and where is he?

17: 14. I have said to corruption, Thou art my father; and to the worm, Thou art my mother and my sister.

21: 23. One dieth in his full strength, being wholly at ease and

the way as all others, and cut off as the tops of the ears of corn.

30: 23. I know that thou wilt bring me to death, and to the house appointed for all living.

ECCL. 8: 8. There is no man that hath power over the spirit to retain the spirit; neither hath he power in the day of death: and there is no discharge in that war; neither shall wickedness deliver those that are given to it.

JOB 34: 14. If he gather unto him his spirit and his breath, all flesh shall perish together, and man shall turn again to dust.

Ps. 82: 6. I have said, Ye are gods, and all of you are children of the most High: but ye shall die like men.

89: 49. What man is he that liveth, and shall not see death? Shall he deliver his soul from the hand of the grave?

[ocr errors][merged small][merged small]

down to the grave, and he bringeth

up.

DEUT. 32: 39. See now, that I, even I, am He, and there is no God with me. I kill and I make alive; I wound and I heal: neither is there any that can deliver out of my hand.

Ps. 68: 20. Unto God the LORD, belong the issues from death.

DAN. 5: 23. In whose hand thy breath is, and whose are all thy ways.

ACTS 17: 28. In him we live, and move, and have our being.

JOB 14: 5. Man's days are determined; the number of his months are with thee; thou hast appointed his bounds that he cannot pass.

MAT. 6: 27. Which of you, by taking thought, can add one cubit unto his stature?

II. Death near and uncertain.

1 SAM. 20: S. There is but a step between me and death.

1 CHRON. 29: 15. We are strangers before thee and sojourners, as were all our fathers; our days on the earth are as a shadow, and there is none abiding.

JOB 8: 9. We are but of yesterday.

7: 6. My days are swifter than a weaver's shuttle.

9: 25. Our days are swifter than a post, they fly away.

Ps. 39: 4. LORD make me to know mine end, and the measure of my days, what it is; that I may know how frail I am. Behold, thou hast made my days as a hand breadth, and mine age is as nothing before thee: verily every man, at his best state, is but vanity.

109: 15. Man's days are as grass; as a flower of the field, so he flourisheth;... he appeareth for a little time and then vanisheth away.

102: 11. My days are like a shadow that declineth; and I am withered like grass.

144: 4. Man is like to vanity. His days are as a shadow that passeth away.

JAMES 4: 14. For what is your life? It is even a vapor, which appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away.

MAT. 24: 42. Watch, therefore, for ye know not what hour your

[blocks in formation]

MAT. 10: 28. Fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.

LUKE 16: 22. The beggar died, and was carried by angels into Abraham's bosom. The rich man also died, and was buried. And in hell he lifted up his eyes, being in tor ments, and seeth Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom.

MAT. 22: 32. I am the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob. God is not the God of the dead, but of the living.

17: 3. Behold there appeared unto them Moses and Elias, talking [ with him.

LUKE 9: 31. They appeared in glory and spoke of his decease, which he should accomplish in Jerusalem.

23: 42. And he said unto Jesus, Lord, remember me when thou comest into thy kingdom. And Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto thee, to-day shalt thou be with me in paradise.

2 COR. 5: 1. For we know that if our earthly house of this tabernacle be dissolved, we have a building` of God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens. — 6. Therefore we are always confident, knowing that while we are at home in the body, we are absent from the Lord; (for we walk by faith, and not by sight.) We are confident, I say, and willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord.

PHIL. 1: 21. For me to live is Christ, but to die is gain. But if I

« AnteriorContinuar »