Sivut kuvina
PDF
ePub

in any degree, retrench the endless being of man, although it has changed the mode of his egress from this to another state.

For we know that the whole creation groaneth and travaileth in pain together until now. Verse 22. If this verse is spoken of animals, as well as of man, the question may be asked, in what way the beasts of the field groan and travail in pain as well as man? because the pain and travail appear to be a labour of the mind, on acccount of the evils entailed upon our race in consequence of the fall, which is styled vanity-of which a beast is not at all conscious; for there is not a shadow of reason to believe any beast ever knew, or in any sense possessed a knowledge that they even exist. It must, therefore, be spoken only of the whole creation of man in every clime, and of every nation, whether Jew or Gentiles; for the Desire of nations has been looked for by Gentiles as well as Jews; therefore this groaning and travail is nothing else but the motions of that light which lighteth every man who is born into the world, exciting the soul to feel after the heeded Deliverance, if happily they may find Him, of which a beast is not capable.

[ocr errors]

And not only they, but ourselves also, which have the first fruits of the spirit, even we ourselves, groan within ourselves, waiting for the adoption, to wit, the redemption of our body. Verse 23. In this verse, the Apostle has included the whole Christian church which then existed, as well as the Apostles themselves, who had received the first fruits, or effects of the gospel dispensation, by the operation of the Holy Ghost. I say included them with the rest of mankind in this same

groaning, to be delivered from this present evil world, and longing for the adoption, to wit, the redemption of their body and soul from this state of vanity into the glorious liberty of the sons of God, which they shall possess after the first resurrection.

But if we recieve the sentiment, that animals are included in this general desire to be delivered with the sons of God, then it will follow, that the beasts which perish (says Solomon) are brought up and put on a level with the rational part of creation in point of privilege respecting a resurrection, and stand equally interested with the Apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ.

The sentiment is an error, because it implies an operation of grace to make even a man sensible that his situation might be bettered by a redemption of his body from the evils of this life, and from the dead through Jesus Christ to eternal glory, of which state a beast can have no joyous anticipation, for they have no faith.

Again-if by the term every creature, we are to understand all kinds of animals, and that they therefore must rise from the dead, then we are compelled to believe, that when our Lord said, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature, means that they should preach the gospel to animals as well as men. This is sufficient to confute the sentiment. See Mark, 14, 15.

And he said unto them, go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature. But if the opinion is admitted, that beasts shall arise from the dead to life again, then the question may arise, with what body

and in what form shall they come forth? To solve this question, we may properly advert to the Scriptures for counsel, where we are informed, that the creature man, at death, is sown a corruptible body, but shall be raised an incorruptible body at the resurrection of the just. It is presumed none will doubt but this great and glorious event, so advantageous to the creature man, shall be in consequence of the righteousness, passion, resurrection and intercession of the Messiah.

But have we any account that the Messiah ever wrought a work of righteousness for animals, in the same sense he has for man? which work consisted in the honour le bestowed upon the law of God, by perfectly keeping its commands; for this law had been broken by man, and relatively dishonoured, but was gloriously honoured and magnified by the Messiah; otherwise the atonement by the voluntary sacrifice of himself could have availed nothing.

Have we any reason to suppose animals were put under any law, whereby they were made accountable? or that they have in any sense done contrary to the law that is in them, which is the law of instinct, and is very good, even at the present time.

Have we any account that beasts have sinned, and therefore ought to repent? Are there any threatenings against them, as beings who are capable of doing wrong, in a sinning sense? Or promises, that if they do well, that sin shall not lie at their door, in consequence of which they are to share in the felicities of a future and supernatural life? To which I reply, that if animals never needed such a work of righteousness done for

1

them by the Messiah as he did for man; and if they never had law which has made them at all accoun

any

table to God; and if they never sinned, and therefore ought not to repent, and consequently are not to be threatened; and if they have done no acts which can be esteemed moral virtue, as denoting a consciousness of the existence of a Creator, and of faith in himthen on what grounds have any a right to expect for dumb beasts a resurrection, in common with the more exalted and redeemed creature man?

But some may imagine, however, that there shall be an animal resurrection upon a different principle than that obtained by the Messiah for his creature man; which may be supposed to be the sovereign act of God, without any respect to the atonement.

That God is a great King, and absolute Monarch of all that eternity ever did, does now, or shall contain, for He doeth whatsoever he will, but nothing but what is proper to be done; which acts are ever in accordance with consistency and His holiness. He said, let there be light, and there was light. He built the amazing structure of the solar system, with all other systems, and has established the latent principles of all effects, which have as yet unfolded themselves in na- į ture's amplitude. These are proofs of his sovereignty. We are not, however, at liberty to involve the free agency of man's rational spirit with the results and ef fects of latent principles established in nature. That item among the works of God is above the results of nature's vast machine, and is endowed with the amazing yet glorious power of clecting its own destiny;

[ocr errors]

but beneath this item there is no result, but is the effect of some latent power, tending to their several ends.

But as a wise sovereign, he does those things only which are consistent to be done; therefore we conclude, that He will maintain order in his works; and for this very reason, also, I reject the idea of an animal resurrection.

The first instance of inconsistency, upon the suppo. sition that beasts arise from the dead, is, that it will become absolutely necessary for the Creator to endow them with a portion of rational understanding; or else they cannot know that they have had a prior existence, and that their resurrection is to remunerate them for their former sorrows, occasioned by the act of another kind of being, called man.

But if this shall not be the fact, their ignorance of their former condition will entirely spoil the idea of a recompense; in which case, it would evidently be as well for the Creator, (if there must be animals) to make an entire new creation of dumb beasts, in preference to raising these of our earth to life again. And if it be necessary for them to receive a rational understanding' in order that they may receive information that they had previously existed in a dumb state, would it be inconsistent, in connection with this view, to suppose, that at some future time in the lapse of ages, when the great wheel of things has made its mystic revolutions, but they may receive another change for the better? and so at last arrive at the full stature of intelligent being and thus corroborate the atheistical notion, that nature, in her multifarious revolutions, did at length,

:

« EdellinenJatka »