25, 29, and also chap. xiv. 15, and 1 Thess. i. 9, and John iv. 21, &c.); for which purpose he appointed a season, and it is now come, during which he will rule the world in righteousness; he will, according to the truth and mercy which constitute his character, fulfil his promises in the revelation of himself, and of his will unto mankind, by the gospel preached to them, with the Holy Spirit sent down from heaven, presenting unto all men sufficient ground of faith in the Man whom he foreordained to be the light of the world, and whose character was predescribed by him, in as much as, by the Holy Ghost accompanying the witnesses of his doctrine, and of his resurrection, he avows himself to be well pleased in him, and testifies it to be an indubitable fact, that after he had laid down his life, in attestation of his doctrine, he raised him from the dead.' Crit. Rem. vol. i. pp. 207-211.

2. MACKNIGHT. In the Hebrew language, to judge signifies to rule, or govern. Thus, Judges, xii. 7, Jeptha judged Israel twelve years; 1 Sam. viii. 5, make us a king to judge us, like all the nations. Wherefore, by the apostles sitting on thrones, judging the tribes, may be understood, their ruling the christian church, of which the Jewish was a type, by the laws of the gospel, which their Master inspired them to preach, and by the infallible decisions, relative to faith and manners, which he enabled them to give in all difficult cases: such seems to have been the dignity which Jesus promised to his apostles.' Harm. Evan. Sec. 104, in Matt. xix. 28.

The quotation from Macknight is offered merely in confirmation of what is said by Cappe, relative to the signification of the word judge. By the concurring testimony of these writers, it appears that the text may have legitimate application to the affairs of the present life, and consequently that we need not go into the future existence to find the time of its fulfilment.

SECTION LXVII.

And as he reasoned of righteousness, temperance, and judgment to come, Felix trembled.'-ACTS xxiv. 25.

THE only direct admission, by any orthodox commentator, in relation to this text, which I have found, is the following, from Dr. Haweis. As I have not his commentatary at hand, I copy the passage from the Trumpet,' where it appeared a few years since. I copy also certain remarks of the editor:

This passage has been brought forward frequently, to prove the doctrine of a judgment in a future state. It has more especially been a subject of controversy, of late, between Messrs. Balfour and Hudson. The remarks of the latter may be found in his letters, pp. 129–131, and in his reply. Mr. Balfour's views may be found in his essays, pp. 278-286, and in his letters, pp. 123––134. Suffice it to say here, that Mr. Balfour maintained, that the proper translation of the passage was as follows:"And as he reasoned of righteousness, temperance, and judgment about to come, Felix trembled." This rendering was supported by the criticisms of Campbell and Parkhurst.

It is a fact with which we were not, until lately, acquainted, that the celebrated Dr. Haweis, in his translation of the New Testament, has rendered the passage in the same manner. The following is his version of it :-

“And as he discoursed of righteousness, and temperance, and the judgment which is ready to be revealed, Felix, being greatly terrified, replied," &c.

'This Dr. Haweis (continues the editor of the "Trumpet,") was as warmly devoted to orthodox notions as ever man was; and he therefore cannot be accused of translating the above passage through any bias in favor of system. He says, in his preface, "I have endeavored to render every passage with the most literal exactnessto use the most forcible and clear expressions corresponding with the original-not to omit a particle-pre

serving the participles, and following, as much as the genius of our tongue will permit, the exact order of the Greek words, persuaded that, thus placed, the sense often receives clearness and energy.' Trumpet, vol. iii. p. 79.

SECTION LXVIII.

'Who, knowing the judgment of God, that they which commit such things are worthy of death; not only do the same, but have pleasure in them that do them.'-Roм. i. 32.

THE death here mentioned is, by some, explained to mean endless punishment in the future life. But there is sufficient orthodox authority for giving it a very different interpretation. The authors I shall quote understand death to be the death of the natural body.

1. WHITBY. 'That murder, adultery, and unnatural lusts, deserved death, they knew, not only by the light of nature, and of conscience, but by their own laws condemning them who did them to death. That all these sins, being species of iniquity, condemned by the law of nature, rendered them obnoxious to the displeasure of that God, who is the Governor of the world, and the Avenger of all unrighteousness, and so obnoxious to death for violating the laws he had given them, to govern themselves by-they might know by the light of nature.' Annot. in loc.

2. MACKNIGHT. 'God hath written on the hearts of men, not only his law, but the sanction of his law; for the fear of punishment is inseparable from the consciousness of guilt. Farther, that the heathens knew that the persons, guilty of the crimes mentioned by the apostle, merited death, is evident from the laws which they enacted for punishing such persons with death.' Note in loc.

3. GROTIUS. There are certain crimes, which, by common consent, are allowed to deserve death. See

Acts xiii. 28, xxiii. 29, xxv. 11, 25, xxvi. 31, xxviii. 18. Such are murder, adultery, and unnatural lusts, to which these words refer.' Annot. in loc.

SECTION LXIX.

And thinkest thou this, O man, that judgest them which do such things, and doest the same, that thou shalt escape the judgment of God? Or despisest thou the riches of his goodness, and forbearance, and long suffering; not knowing that the goodness of God leadeth thee to repentance? But after thy hardness and impenitent heart, treasurest up wrath against the day of wrath, and revelation of the righteous judgment of God.'-Rom. ii. 3-5.

THIS passage is considered, by orthodox commentators generally, to imply punishment after death; yet at least one believer in the doctrine of retribution in the future life, for the deeds performed on earth, gives a different view of it.

CAPPE. Here repentance manifestly signifies that which was to save from the wrath to come, and ought to be compared with the second epistle of Peter, third chapter, which undoubtedly refers to the dissolution of the Jewish state, &c.' Crit. Rem. vol. i. pp. 136, 137.

I add, only, that not a word is found here respecting the duration of the punishment which might be adjudged to transgressors; so that, even if the text were allowed to relate to the future life, the doctrine of endless misery could derive no support from it. But then it should be remembered, that there is a God that judgeth in the earth,' (Ps. lviii. 11.) Our Saviour declared, for judgment I am come into this world,' (John ix. 39,) and again, (John xii. 31,) now is the judgment of this world.' Hence it would seem, that the revelation of God's righteous judgment may as rationally be expected in the present life as in the future.

1

SECTION LXX.

'But unto them that are contentious, and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness; indignation and wrath, Tribulation and anguish, upon every soul of man that doeth evil; of the Jew first, and also of the Gentile : But glory, honour, and peace, to every man that worketh good; to the Jew first, and also to the Gentile: For there is no respect of persons with God. For as many as have sinned without law, shall also perish without law and as many as have sinned in the law, shall be judged by the law.' -ROM. ii. 8-12.

Most of the orthodox commentators agree in supposing this passage to indicate punishment after death. The reader will observe, however, that the apostle says nothing here of the endless continuance of punishment, nor even one word denoting the time of its infliction to be in the future life; but the whole passage, to say the least, may just as easily be understood to have relation to the present life, as to the future. If any suppose the word perish must denote misery in the future life, let him consult the notes on 1 Cor. i. 18, and 2 Cor. ii. 15, 16. I quote the testimony of a standard critic, who allows, that although this passage may be understood as descriptive of torment after death, yet it may also be fairly interpreted to refer to punishments administered in the present life.

6

GROTIUS. Although what is here said may properly apply to the punishments of another life, yet God chooses more speedily to manifest, in a signal manner, his severity against the contumacious: against the Romans, by subjecting them to the worst species of tyrrany, and to bloody civil wars; and against the Jews, by utterly casting them out from their native land, and abolishing their political and ecclesiastical privileges.' Annot. in loc.