"

a great man by the plural number; so in the Arabic, (or Ishmaelitish, as he calls it) it is honourable for a great man, as a king, to speak in the plural. But also "he transfers it to the honour of great men in the "third person. So likewise (says he) in the holy tongue it is honourable to speak of a potentate plurally, as Adonim and Baalim. For they say

"

" that is, Domini durus; and also

"ph that is, accepit Domini ejus. And

"

"

"upon this conceit do they interpret the plural of "Flohim joined with a singular verb, which, with us Christians, is taken by many for a mystical expres "sing the Holy Trinity. But their grammarians make it an enallage of number, chiefly to express excellency in the person to whom it is referred." 193. 1. 2. add Exod. ix. 27; Deut. iii. 24, 25; iv. 21; ix. 6; Judg. vi. 15; Esther vii. 6. In Deut. vii. 21, is not prefixed; in 1. 17, it is prefixed, to the same words, which in both verses denote the superlative degree. And in all the texts quoted in this 24th section from the New Testament, the Greek article is omitted, excepting Heb. xiii. 20. Hence it appears that prefixed is not

necessary to express the highest degree.

494. 1. last. add Exod. xx. 7; Psa. cvii.38; Rom. iv. 19 ; comp. 20. 496. 1. last, add, Sirach xxxvii. 2, juxta ed. Rom. 8x λumn Evi ews Savale, nonne dolor est usque ad mortem? 81 #go εOTI.

See Biel on epi, p. 463.

I.

AN

ESSAY

ON

THE DURATION

OF

A FUTURE STATE

OF

PUNISHMENTS AND REWARDS.

INTRODUCTION.

Rules of Interpretation.

No queftions can be more interesting to human

beings, than those which relate to the certainty, the nature, and the duration, of a future ftate. Reason gives no fatisfactory ideas upon any of these points. Nor was this the object of the Mofaic inftitution. For the best information upon these fubjects, every Christian, therefore, goes to his New

Teftament.

A refurrection of all mankind after death to another life is clearly affured to us in the Gofpel. The nature of this future ftate of existence is alfo reprefented by fuch figurative expreffions as convey the best ideas which perhaps we can at present comprehend. These inform us, with fufficient diftinctness, that the happiness of the righteous will far exceed their deserts, and that the punishment of the disobedient will be. equitable and merciful, while, at the fame time, it will occafion the sufferer to regret with anguish that he has ever indulged fuch habits as have incurred it.

Our prefent design is to treat of the duration of the mifery of the wicked, and of the happiness of the righteous, in a future life. In order properly to investigate the subject, it will be necessary to bear constantly in our minds the principal rules by which we must be guided in our interpretation of words and

В

phrafes, either in the New Teftament, or in any other book. Some of thefe we shall now mention.

1. In all languages there are feveral words which must be understood in different fenfes according to the fubject to which they are applied. For example, Aoyos is ufed to fignify a word, Matt. viii. 8, 16; Luke vii. 7: a difcourfe, Matt. xii. 37; Acts v. 24: a report, Luke v. 15; Matt. xxviii. 15: a proverb, John iv. 37: the Mofaic law, Mark vii. 10, 13: the Gospel, Matt. xiii. 19 to 23: the profeffion and prac tice of the Gospel, Matt. xiii. 21; John viii. 31: ability to fpeak, Ephef. vi. 19; Luke xxiv. 19: reason, Acts xviii. 14: an account, namely, of one's actions to a fuperior, Rom. xiv. 12; Matt. xii. 36; Luke xvi. 2: a treatife, particularly an historical treatise, Acts i. 1: value, Acts xx. 24: appearance, Show, Colof. ii. 23. Schleufner reckons twenty-nine different fenfes of λογος. The word ερανος, translated heaven, denotes God himself, Matt. xxi. 25; Luke xv. 18, 21; John iii. 27: the habitation of GOD; Matt. v. 16, 45, 48; Acts vii. 49: exalted dignity and dominion, A&ts iii. 21; I Pet. iii. 22: the babitation of angels, Mark xii. 25: the firmament in which the ftars are, Acts vii. 42; Heb. xi. 12: the kingdom of the Meffiah upon earth, Matt. xiii. 24, 31, 33, 44 to 47; xxv. 1: the future happy ftate of the righteous, Matt. v. 10, 12; 1 Pet. i. 4: the greatest height or eminence, Matt. xi. 23; Luke x. 15; Rev. xviii. 5. The word agxn, the beginning, means, a beginning in the order of time, Matt.