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structed in the doctrines of the cross. But alas! my fruitless toils! my fallacious hopes! Then the pure doctrine of God's unchanging benignity began to shed its divine radiance upon this quarter of the globe.. Its salutary effects were then obvious to all men, for piety and devotion were attendant thereupon. But "how is the gold become dim! how is the most fine gold changed!!" The plant which then promised a display of its foliage, was, first fostered, next neglected, then stifled in its bud! Thus our doctrine has been corrupted by precept, abused and perverted by the force of example The resurrection and judgement are now, by many, discarded; the most important doctrines are, by many, expunged from our system. That glorious doctrine which defied the attacks of its opposers, has been contaminated by nominal profes-sors! Those of you who reject a future retribution, are constantly harping upon the opposite scheme : While most of you who profess to believe in our original doctrine, are willing to dispense with its most important articles, nay, often reprobate the proclamationof its truths. This is the present state of our once pure, but now corrupted doctrine."

Here the Reverend Champion paused and looked round upon the multitude, who were struck dumb by the truth of his remarks. But before he resumed his speech, one of the multitude, recovering from his surprise, thus addressed him in trembling accents;

"Illustrious Father and Friend of our Faith. I am sensible of the degeneracy of our doctrine; I am convinced of the truth of thy remarks. But "tell it not in Gath; publish it not in the streets of Askelon ; lestthe daughters of the Philistines rejoice; lest the daugh ters of the uncircumcised triumph.”~ To which the venerable divine replied; I would gladly hound this by the confines of our futurity, but the news has already extended beyond. The inhabitants of Gath are in possession of the intelligence; in Askelon, 'tis

proclaimed in the corners of the streets. The uncir cumcised daughters have long sounded the report, and disturbed my repose in the chambers of the dust. And now, my brethren, the only course left you to pursue, is. to purge your doctrine of its manifold corruptions, - and proclaim it in its genuine purity. Then come forward, my brethren, silence the errors which have crept in among you, and contend for the faith once

delivered to the saints."

Here the pious messenger ended his address, and ascended up on high amidst an escort of celestial spirits, whose fervent acelamations awoke, me from my slumber.

H..

SIR,

Communicated for the Christian Repository.

After my respects,-Was there ever a period, when there was no time?

Let us, with the profoundest reverence, for a moment, glance a thought to that solemn period, once known to God alone, in the hidden ages of eternity ;— when the great Supreme dwelt in uncreated and inac cessible light, and all created things lay as in embryo before him ;-when immensity of space was a deep profound, and chaos spread its boundless curtain round the vast expanse; ere he spread forth the heavens, or called the glowing orbs from his all creating hand; before the morning stars sang together, or the sons of God shouted for joy ;-when thick darkness surrounded the flaming throne, and there was neither archangel nor seraphim to hymn forth the praises of essential and uncreated glory-then was the glorious plan of man's salvation concerted in the eternal mind, which, through the rolling ages of eter nity shall disclose brighter and brighter scenes of joy and admiration to angels and men? Such a period there was, antecedent to creation, and could an un

greated being act from any created motives, when there was no created thing? or could the future ac tions of finite mortals, tho in themselves marked with the foulest turpitude, be the first influential, the first moving cause or design of Deity in his conduct towards them? If so, it is not by grace that we are saved. STEPHEN DELENO.

ILLUSTRATION OF SCRIPTURE WORDS.

No. II.

For ever, for ever and ever, everlasting and eternal.

The Greek phrase, usually rendered for ever, is eis ton aiōna in the singular number, and eis tous aiōnas ia the plural. Eis is a preposition, said generally to imply motion; and, when applied to time, signifies for or during; ton or tous is an article; and aiōn* a noun, explained as follows:

AIÓN, ævum, (an age, the life of man, time; sometimes tho rarely, eternity) mundus (the world,) seculum, (an age.) SCHREVELIUS.

Both in the singular and plural numbers,it signifies eternity, whether past or to come; the duration of this world; an age, period, or periodical dispensation of divine providence. PARKHURST. Scarlett, as quoted by Elias Smith in the Herald of Life and Immortality, says: "The word aiōu as a

*Those who are unacquainted with the Greek language are informed, that aiōn, aiōnos, aiōni, and aiōna, are different cases of the same word in the singular number; and aiones, aiōnōn, atōsi, and aiōnas, are dif ferent cases in the plural. The article is likewise varied, as ho, tou, ton, tōn, tous, &c. all of which are diffe rent cases and numbers of the same article.

substantive occurs 128 times in the Greek Testament; 66 times in the singular, and 62 in the plural number. In our common translation it is rendered ever 72 times; 'twice, eternal; 36 times, world; 7 times, never 8 times, evermore; twice, worlds; twice, ages; once, `course; once, world without end; and twice it is passed over without any word affixed as the translation of it." "By this mode, no attention is paid to the singular or plural form of the word; nor any distinction between the substantive and adjective. The word aion has always reference to periods of time; therefore rendering aiōn by world or worlds, cannot with propriety be admitted."

In observing the scriptural meaning of this word, let it be remarked":

1. It is mentioned in such connexion, as makes things to exist before it. Cor. ii. 7, But we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, even the hidden wisdom, which God ordained (pro tōn aiōnon) before the ages* unto our glory."

2. It is mentioned in passages that expressly speak of its end; and can that be endless which comes to an end? Matt. xiii. 39, 40. 49; xxiv. 3; xxviii. 20, the end of the world, (tou aiōnos.)

3. The word is frequently used in the singular or plural number, as has been already mentioned, which naturally limits it; for where there are different periods mentioned, as they cannot go parallel, one must end for another to begin In the singular, it is translated

Ever, Matt. xxi. 19, Mark xi. 14, Luke i. 55. John vi. 51. 58; viii. 35; Heb. v. 6, vii. 17. 21. 24, and others.

World, Matt. xii. 32, neither in this world; xiii. 22, care of this world; Mark x. 30, in the world to come; Luke i 70; xvi. 8; xviii. 30; xx. 34 35; Acts iii. 21; xv. 18, and others.

* In some texts Í have not copied the common translation.

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Never, Mark iii. 29, not forgiveness for an age John iv. 14, not for an age.

Course of this world. Eph. ii. 2.

In the plural, aiōn is translated ever, Matt. vi. 13; Rom. i. 25, and ix. 5, blessed for ever; xvi. 27, glory for ever; Rev. in all the passages where ever is used in this book.

World, 1 Cor. x. 11, ends of the world or ages; Heb. i. 2, made the worlds; xi. 3, worlds framed; ix. 26, end of the world.

Eternal, Eph. iii. 11, eternal purpose, or purpose of ages; Tim i. 17, King eternal or of ages.

Ages, Eph. ii. 7; Col. i. 26, hid from ages.

Respecting the phrase for ever and ever, it is generally found in the Greek from eis ton aiōna tou aiōnos in the singular number, and from eis tous aiōnas tōn aiōnōn in the plural, signifying, literally, for the age of an age, or for ages of ages.

AIONLOS, eternus, (eternal, lasting.) SCHREVELIUS.
Eternus, (eternal,) secularis, (relating to an age.)

MONTANUS.

Scarlett. as quoted by the aforenamed writer, says : The word aiōnios, as an adjective, occurs 71 times; the common translation of which has rendered it once ever; 42 times, eternal; 3 times, world; 25 times, everlasting.

Aionios is three times connected with chronos, time, in the plural number, which restrains the signification of the singular, from the idea of multiplicity, as there can be but one absolute endless duration. Rom. vi. 25. "Now, to him that is of power to stablish you according to my gospel, and the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery which was kept secret, (chronois aiōniois, Lat. temporibus æternis,) since the times of ages." 2 Tim. i.,

The reader will remember, the termination os is varied to express different numbers and cases.

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