to pass therefore let no one permit himself to be deceived with vain words.

Enough has been said to shew, that in Classical, Ecclesiastical, and Inspired Greek, Aion means an endless duration. It does not occur in its absolute form in any of the texts adduced under the second branch of affirmative evidence: yet it was necessary to notice it, on account of the bold and unjustifiable assertions of the enemies of truth, and on account of its necessary connexion with the 5th section, where it is often found preceded by a preposition, and with the 6th section, which treats of an adjective derived from it.

While aion has been before us, unusually frequent mention has been made of my opponent's new translation of the New Testament, together with the improved version, and that of Mr. Scarlett. As Lowth, and Horsley, and Newcome, and Campbell, and Macknight, have set the world mad about new translations, so that every one must be engaged in it; this will perhaps, be as convenient an opportunity, as I shall soon have again, to give some easy directions for getting a name in this way. Although you may not know whether Greek is read from right to left, or from left to right, you will profess, of course, to translate "from the original Greek according to Griesbach; upon the basis of the fourth London edition "of the Improved Version, with an attempt to further im66 provement from the translations of" others. Then sit down and copy Scarlett's translation, with a number of unmeaning (and therefore safe) transpositions and alterations of words and phrases, to make the work your own. Enclose many words and sentences here and there, in brackets, to shew, that upon a careful comparison of manuscripts, you, in your judgment, think them spurious. Adorn your margin with notes from the Improved Version. Give credit for some, to shew your reading: and after altering a word or two, give others as your own, to shew your learning. Get some printer who understands Greek, to publish the work, with Griesbach in one column, and your doubly improved version in the other. Send a copy to every college in the Union, and invite all the clergy and literati of America to read this thing, and to send you their remarks, after they have paid the postage. As they will probably be weak enough to consider you, as Nabal did David, a servant broken away from his master, they will, of course, take no notice of this invitation. Then publish, that they are silent, because they do not consider the work susceptible of any farther improvement, ex

cept from its vastly improved author. After this, you can institute a course of lectures on the Greek language, and send round invitations to all the clergy of the city, to attend and be enlightened. They will not come; but their places will be filled by others, who will think you the greatest prodigy, that the world has ever seen, since the time that the image fell from Jupiter.

5.

EIS AIONA.

This is the phrase which is usually translated for ever; and its reduplicate, eis tous aionous ton aionon, is usually rendered, for ever and ever. The former occurs forty times in the New Testament, and the latter, twenty-one times.n Of these sixty-one instances, six relate to future punishment. These are the first six texts quoted from the New Testament, at the beginning of this branch of affirmative evidence. The sense of these phrases in these particular texts, will depend much upon the signification in which they are generally used by the New Testament writers. This meaning can be satisfactorily ascertained, by those who examine the passages, whether they understand Greek or not. We shall therefore lay them before you, in the following order.

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1. In seventeen places, it expresses the duration of the being and life, the perfections, promises, aud dominion of God. "For thine is the kingdom, and the power and the glory "for ever." "The Creator, who is blessed for ever" "Over "all God blessed for ever." "To whom be glory for ever." "Which is blessed for evermore." "To whom be glory for ever "and ever. "Now unto God and our Father, be glory for ever and ever." "Be honour and glory for ever and ever. "To whom be glory for ever and ever." "To him be glory "and dominion for ever and ever. "For the truth's sake, "which dwelleth in us, and shall be with us for ever." "hath holpen his servant Israel, in remembrance of his mercy, as he spake to our fathers, to Abraham and to his seed forever." "The word of God, which liveth and abideth " for ever." "The word of the Lord endureth for ever." "Amen: blessing, and glory, and wisdom, and thanksgiving, and honour, and power, and might, be unto our God, "forever and ever, Amen.' "And one of the four beasts, gave

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"He

n Rev. xx. 10. Jude 7. 2 Thess. i. 9. Matt. xviii. 8. Heb. i. 8. 1 Pet. v. 11. iv. 11. Rev. i. 18. iv. 9, 10. v. 13, 14. vii. 12, x. 6. xi, 15, i. 6. xxii. 5. xv. 7. xiv. 11. xix. 3, xx. 10.

❝ unto the seven angels, seven golden vials, full of the wrath "of God, which liveth for ever and ever." "Thy throne, O "God! is for ever and ever."o

It may be reasonably expected, that all the orthodox agree with our translation, in these passages. Indeed every heretic of sense, would, out of regard to his own character, agree with it. Accordingly, that detestable abomination, nicknamed the Improved Version, being made by sensible men, though bitter enemies to God, has coincided with our translation, in the rendering of the phrases in question, in every one of the above texts; unless the first, which it suppresses entirely, and another, (1 Pet. i. 23,) in which they have jugulated this phrase, may be considered exceptions. In the work of suppression, my opponent follows them; for this is his forte: but in all the other fifteen texts, he follows Scarlett, his old guide, in giving us, to the age, and to the ages of ages, instead of for ever, and for ever and ever. His acquaintance with the Improved Version has only made him spoil Scarlett's childish translation with some serious perversions. If they had told us, what they knew to be the fact and what Junius and Tremellius have told us, in their translation of Dan. xii. 3, that these were absolutely eternal ages, SEMPITERNA SECULA, it would have altered the case: but an attempt to criticise away, not only the eternity of future rewards and punishments, but the eternity of the Creator himself, is as unreasonable as it is impious.

2. Two of the above texts,P though using the word God, relate evidently to Christ, who is the Supreme God, and the eternal Son of God, as declared in those texts. Twenty-one others are of the same description. One more is spoken of the Holy Spirit.r

3. It occurs nine times in relation to the saints. "But "whoso drinketh of the water I shall give him shall never "thirst: but the water that I shall give him, shall be in him

"

a well of water springing up unto everlasting life."" If "any man eat of this bread, he shall live forever" "Verily, " verily, I say unto you, if a man keep my sayings, he shall never see death;" " never taste death." "I give unto

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o Matt. vi. 13. Rom. i. 25. ix. 5. xi. 36 2 Cor. xi, 31. Gal. i. 5. Phil. iv. 20. 1 Tim. i. 17. 2 Tim. iv. 18. 1 Pet. v. 11. 2 John 2. Luke i. 55. 1 Pet. i. 23, 25. Rev. vii. 12, xv. 7. Heb. ì. 8.

p Rom. ix. 5. Heb. i. 8.

q Luke i 33. John vi. 35. xii. 34. Rom. xvi. 27. Heb. v. 6. vi. 20. vii. 17, 21, 24, 28. xiii. 8, 21. 1 Pet. iv. 11. Rev. i. 6, 18. iv. 9, 10. v. 13, 14. x. 6. xi. 15. r John xiv. 16.

"them eternal life, and they shall never perish, neither shall 66 any pluck them out of my hand." "Whoso liveth, and be"lieveth in me, shall never die." "His righteousness remain"eth forever."" And the world passeth away, and the lust "thereof; but he that doeth the will of God, abideth forever." "And they shall reign for ever and ever." Here, as before, Scarlett confines the happiness of the saints to an age, or ages, and my opponent, of course, follows him, in every instance. The authors of the Improved Version would have been glad to do the same: but they had sense enough to keep from exposing themselves. They, therefore, fell in with the common translation.s

4. There are six instances remaining ;t in all of which the Improved Version is right, in the translation of this phrase, and Scarlett and my opponent wrong, as before. The great improvement which they have made, by rendering EIS AIONA, to the age, may be in some measure estimated, by a comparison of their translation with ours, in one of these texts. Our bible says, "The servant abideth not in the house "for ever; but the son abideth ever" This declaration that "the son abideth ever," "in the house," is equivalent to Ps. xxiii. 6, "Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the "days of my life; and I will dwell in the house of the Lord "for ever;" that is, after this life has come to an end. But it is said that "the servant abideth not in the house for ever; that is, to eternity: for, would it be correct to say, that he does not abide in the house during this life? Is it not a common thing, for hypocrites to live and die in the visible church? In this text, therefore, eis aiona occurs twice, with an unlimited signification. Now, let us hear the doubly improved translation, which my opponent has made, for the benefit of the unlearned. "And the slave abideth not in the "house to the age: but the son abideth to the age." Among all classes of the community, it is a very common thing, to talk of sons being of age, and consequently leaving their father's house; and of slaves abiding in the house to old age and death. The unlearned, and unsophisticated reader of my opponent's Version, would exclaim, How different was the custom in former times, from that which now prevails! Now a slave abides in the house during life: but in old times, he did not continue in the house, even until he was of age.

s John iv. 14. vi. 51, 58. viii. 51, 52. x. 28. xi. 26. 2 Cor. ix. 9. 1 John ii. 17. Rev. xxii.5,

t John viii. 85, twice, 1 Cor. viii. 13. John xiii. 8. Matt. xxi. 19, Mk. xi. 14.

This is about as much of an improvement, as that of a certain expounder who read beggar's skins for badger's skins, in Ex. xxvi. 14, or another who substituted an oyster-man for an austere man, in Luke xix. 21.

We have now given all the passages in which eis aiona and its reduplicate occur in the New Testament. In the scores of places, in which it marks the duration of the being, perfections, and sovereignty, of God, and of Christ, and of the Holy Spirit, judge ye, whether it does not mean, to an absolute eternity. Among the few places in which it relates to other subjects, even the Improved Version cannot shew that it should be limited. What, then, are we to conclude, in relation to those six passages, in which it is connected with future punishment?" He that shall blaspheme against "the Holy Ghost, hath never forgiveness." "These are wells "without water: clouds they are, carried with a tempest, to "whom the mist of darkness is reserved for ever.” “Raging "waves of the sea, foaming out their own shame: to whom " is reserved the blackness of darkness, for ever." " And "the smoke of their torment ascendeth up for ever and ever: "and they shall have no rest, day nor night, who worship "the Beast and his image, and whosoever receiveth the "mark of his name." "And again, they said, Alleluia: "and her smoke rose up for ever and ever. "And the devil, "that deceived them, was cast into the lake of fire and brim"stone, where the Beast and the false prophet are, and shall "be tormented day and night, for ever and ever. "u

In all these places, the Improved Version agrees with our bible, in the translation of eis aiona and its reduplicate. But as these passages declare the doctrine of future punishment very plainly, it becomes necessary for them to add a few notes, in order to contradict the text. They have one to Rev. xiv. 11, "The smoke of their torment shall go up for ever and ever." Their note reads as follows; viz. "It would be "very unreasonable to infer the gloomy doctrine of eternal "misery from the loose and figurative language of a pro"phetic vision, in opposition to the plainest dictates of reason and justice, and to the whole tenor of divine revela"tion. But if any is disposed to lay uudue stress upon this 66 text, it may be sufficient to remark, that it is not here as"serted that the torment continues, but that the smoke of it "ascends for ever and ever. The smoke of a pile in which

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a Mk, iii. 29. 2 Pet. ii. 17, Jude 13. Rev. xiv. 11. xix. 3. xx. 10.