Daniel's fourth beast; or the powers of modern "Christendom." This Æον-judgment in its beginning separates the wheat from the tares, which it destroys; "but gathers the wheat into the barn." When this process is complete, authority is given to "the called and chosen and faithful," to execute the judgment written against the enemies of Deity, until "the powers that be" are abolished; and the kingdom promised to the saints is established in their stead (Dan. vii. 22; Psa. cxlix.; Rev. xvii. 14).
The third proposition, upon which great stress is laid by those who skim the surface of things, and having obtained a smattering of some, swell out like the frog in the fable, until they burst; when all their wisdom turns out to be gas, and nothing more—this same proposition is blazoned, as though they were its special guardians; and that no one believed it but themselves! "The Scriptures teach positively, and without reservation, that the righteous are raised incorruptible." This is their form of words; not "the form of sound words "delivered by Paul. He says, "the dead ones (Οἴ νεκροι) shall be rebuilt (εγερθησονται) incorruptible" (1 Cor. xv. 52). This I believe and teach. He does not say, οἴ νεκροι αναστησονται αφθαρτοι, "the dead ones shall stand up incorruptible." He does not teach such an anastasis or standing up as this; for both the just and the unjust will stand up; but they will not stand up incorruptible; it will only be those of them who so stand up, that will become incorruptible, when their rebuilding is completed in their putting on incorruptibility and life; or in being "clothed upon with their house from heaven," when they are quickened by the Spirit, because their account rendered is well-pleasing to the Judge.
But the notion of the objector is that the righteous, like sky-rockets, shoot out from their graves into the air, incorruptible and immortal. This is the idea thay have of being raised. No matter what diversity of figure, word or analogy may be employed in unfolding the subject, they merge it all in one idea—that of being raised from various depths below the sod to the earth's surface; and thence caught up into the clouds, in an instant of time, to meet the Lord in the air. This is their opinion of what Paul meant, on the supposition that the words of the English version are the exact representatives of those he wrote. But I have shown that their opinion is erroneous, and does not express his meaning. This, on account of their critical inability, they pervert; and as they cannot, or will not, reason upon the testimony, as Paul's manner was, unlike him, they substitute denunciation, and cry "heresy." This is the Old Man over again. Of his devices we are not ignorant. His cries are as impotent as himself; and not to be regarded by those who know the truth.
