troduced. Now, endless duration of the happiness of the righteous accords with our ideas of the univerfal Parent and Governor, whereas never-ceafing punishment would be unfuitable to them. The future condition of the good is represented in the New Teftament, as being a state of the most pure, exalted, and unalloyed felicity; which is irreconcileable with the profpect of a period being put to it, fince this would greatly diminish and alloy it. There are also various plain unequivocal expreffions of endless duration applied to the future ftate of the righteous, which we fhall mention, that fhould guide us in the interpretation of less explicit terms. See the 4th and 6th rules of interpretation in the introduction,

SECTION II. Μη απολήθαιων ανα

John iii. 15, 16. That every one who believeth in the Son of man, μŋ αяоληтα, may not perish, but have life, aviov, everlasting. The contrast between απολλυμι and life αιωνιον, when compared with ver, 17, and other clear expreffions, feems to admit of no other interpretation of awvios but that of proper eternity, without the intervention of a fecond death,

John x. 28, 29. I give unto my fheep, Canv αιώνιον, everlafting life; και ε μη απολείται εις τον αιώνα, και εκ αρπάσει τις αυτα εκ της χειρος με, and they fhall never perish, nor shall any one snatch them out of my hand, (v. 29,) nor out of my Father's hand. Avics does here, alfo, for the fame reasons

as in the former text, require the sense of endless uninterrupted existence.

SECTION III. Διηνεκες.

Heb. vii. 3; x. 1. This word is ufed of a limited duration.

Heb. x. 12. But this perfon, after he had offered one facrifice for fins, is, es to dinvexes, for ever seated at the right hand of God.

Heb. x. 14. By one offering he hath made perfect, εις το διηνεκες, for ever thole that are fanctified.

By the 4th and 6th rules of interpretation, the two last texts should fignify endless duration.

SECTION IV. Ανεκλειπτον.

Luke xii. 33. Provide yourselves bags which grow not old, a treasure in the heavens, avexλEπтòν, which faileth not, where no thief approacheth, nor moth corrupteth. Comp. Matt. vi. 19, 20. See alfo Wisd. vii. 14; viii. 18, avexλɩπns, and xxii. 13, 17. -Schleufner. Nunquam deficiens et ceffans. The word occurs only in this place in the New Teftament. See the fourth rule of interpretation.

SECTION V. Υπαρξιν μενεταν.

Heb. x. 34. Ye take joyfully the fpoiling of your goods, knowing that ye have for yourselves a better, and, uñaρživ μeveσav, an enduring substance, in the heavens. Figurative. See the 4thrule ofinterpretation.

SECTION VI. Ασάλευτον.

Heb. xii. 28. Wherefore, fince we receive a kingdom, aσaλεutov, which cannot be fhaken, let us hold fast favour, by which we may ferve God acceptably, &c. Comp. v. 25 to 27. See the fourth rule of interpretation. The word is used in its plain fense, Acts xxvii. 41.

SECTION VII. Παντοτε.

1 Theff. iv. 17.

Lord in the air,

We who are alive shall meet the and then we fhall be, wavTCTE, ever with the Lord. This word is often used to fignify frequently. But fee the 4th rule of interpretation,

SECTION VIII. Αμιαντον, αμαραντονίνον.

1 Pet. i. 4. The God and Father of our Lord Jefus Chrift hath regenerated us to a lively hope by the refurrection of Jefus Chrift, even to an incorruptible, και αμιαντον, and undefled, και αμαραντον, and unfading inheritance, referved in heaven for you. who are kept by the power of God, through faith to, falvation, ready to be revealed in the last time. Aμagavτcy occurs only in this place in the New Testament, and once in the Sept. Aμavros occurs only here, and Heb. vii. 26; xiii. 4; James i. 27.

1 Pet. v. 4. When the chief fhepherd fhall appear, ye hall receive, τον αμαράντινον της δόξης σεφανον, an unfading crown of glory. Αμαράντινον occurs only in this place in the New Teftament, and

never in the Sept. A figure denoting immortality. -Schleufner.

These and the feven preceding words, which are applied to the duration of the future ftate of the righteous, are not decifive with regard to the proper eternity of it, though they entirely accord with, and may be most easily and naturally explained upon, this idea, and most confiftently with other plain and direct expreffions relating to this fubject, which we shall now confider. By the firft, third, fourth, and fixth rules of interpretation, therefore, they must be understood of endless duration.

SECTION ΙΧ. Εις το παντελες.

Heb. vii. 25. He is able to fave, EIS TO TœVTEXES, ("perfectly, completely, without any defect, in the "next life, as well as in this," Newcome,) in the fullest degree those who come unto God by him, feeing he ever liveth to make interceffion for them. Marcus Antoninus, in the quotation which we have before made, ufes εις το πανελες for eternal neverceafing duration, which fenfe the connection here requires; as in Luke xiii. 11, it requires a different meaning.

SECTION X. Ζωης ακαταλυτ8.

Heb. vii. 16. Another priest arifes according to the likeness of Melchifedec, who became fuch, not according to the law of a carnal commandment, (fee ch. ix. v. 10,) but according to the power, wn

anaraλuT8, of an indiffoluble or endless life. The word occurs here only in the New Testament.

SECTION XI. Alavaria occurs only in the three following texts in the New Teftament.

1 Cor. xv. 53. This mortal must put on, abavaσav, immortality.

1 Cor. xv. 54. When this mortal shall have put on, alavaσiav, immortality.

1 Tim. vi. 16. Who only hath, alavariav, immortality. This being applied to God, muft fignify endless existence. The precife meaning of the word, alfo, being exemption from death, it must in the preceding texts fignify life without any period.

SECTION XII. Αφθαρτος and αφθαρσία.

Rom. i. 23. They changed the glory, aplapre 8, of the incorruptible God, into an image made like to corruptible man, and to birds, &c.

1 Tim. i. 17. Now to the king, Twv awvwv, eternal, or of the ages, aplapTw, incorruptible, the only God, &c. In fome copies it is abavaw.

α

1 Cor. ix. 25. The contenders in the games endeavour to obtain, laprov sepavov, a corruptible crown, but we, aplaptov, an incorruptible. Schleuf. ner, cternal reward, perpetual happiness.

1 Cor. xv. 52. The dead will be raised, aplapro, incorruptible. This plain text must interpret the figurative and lefs plain by rule the fourth. What is not corruptible continues for ever.