FROM

THE

E V A N G E L I S T ,

BY WALTER SCOTT.

Now is Christ risen from the dead, and become the first fruits of them that slept!"

--1 Cor. xv. 20.

PAUL.

NO. 3.]	CARTHAGE, O. MARCH 2, 1835.	[VOL. IV.

      THERE are certain objects in Nature of which we can form no adequate idea. Some, like the primordial elements of matter, are so exceedingly minute as to escape our notice even when we are aided by the microscope. Others, like the visible Universe, are so vast, that the human mind, with all the power of imagination, and the researches of science assisted by the far viewing telescope, is unable to reach their distant boundaries. Just so it is with some of the principles or attributes of spiritual existence, and the phrase--ETERNAL LIFE may be considered as embracing both extremes, since life is a principle so subtle as to be wholly inscrutable, and capable of being possessed by the smallest animalculæ; while eternity, incalculably vast, stretches itself far beyond the grasp of the highest intellect. This expression, however, although it passes the power of the understanding fully to comprehend it, and defies all accuracy of definition,^* we are far from being unable in some measure to understand. For when definition fails, we are accustomed to avail ourselves of comparison, and by the brilliant light which it affords, are enabled to prosecute our search into the deeper recesses of the temple of knowledge.

      What then is life, and to what can it be likened? It does not consist in the abundance of what we possess--in riches or honor. It is "more than meat," and better than raiment, for "all that a man has will he give for his life." It is the gift of "wisdom'"--and "precious," for there is nothing "better" except the "loving kindness of the Lord!" It is compared to the limpid "fountain", to the pure "water", to the "light" of heaven. It is a "crown" of joy, and a reward of "victory." As offered to men through Him who is emphatically "the life"--"our life"--the "Prince [57] of life" it is not a "shadow which appeareth for a little time and then vanisheth away:" it is not to pass away as the "wind"; it is not to be "removed as a shepherd's tent"; or to be "cut off as a weaver's thread"; for "the Lord is the strength of our life, and our portion forever."

      Death, on the other hand, is compared to "bitterness," to engulphing "waves", to snares, pains and terrors, to gloomy "chambers" and a dark "valley." It is the "wages" and the "fruit" of sin, it is a "sleep", a "shadow", a "sentence" and an "enemy"!

      How striking then is the contrast and how dear, how inestimable is life! Who then can appreciate the love of HIM who for our sake "counted not his life dear unto him", but "poured out his soul unto death," and "gave his life a ransom for many!" who hath redeemed our life from destruction and hath crowned us with mercy and with loving kindness! Well indeed may we say with the apostle, if, spiritually minded, we seek the "life of God", that "neither LIFE nor DEATH, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus "our Lord."

      The greatness of the love of God, however, can be more fully perceived, when we consider the important relations of eternal life. It is related then first of all to God himself, who being the bountiful giver of every good and perfect gift, is the giver therefore of eternal life. "The gift of God is eternal life though Jesus Christ our Lord." How rich a gift! how great a present! how noble a benefaction conferred by the majesty in the heavens upon a creature whose origin was from the dust! As it regards this relation it must be considered a necessary one, since eternal life is necessarily an attribute of the divine nature. This however cannot be said of the next relation which we shall notice, viz., that which subsists between eternal life and man who receives the precious boon. We cannot conceive of there being any necessary or natural connection whatever between man and eternal life. It is not inherent in his nature, for he is mortal, made of the dust, and therefore naturally related to corruption and death rather than to life--earth to earth--dust to dust. This relation subsists, therefore, wholly by the appointment of God and is entirely dependent upon his will. It has seemed good in his sight to present this blessing to man for his acceptance, and the relation consequently may be considered as an established or arbitrary one arising not from the necessity of the case or from the nature of man, but wholly from the divine benevolence. [58]

      It might be made a question here, what species of relation subsists between angels and eternal life? Angels differ in their nature from men: Christ, it is said, took not on him the nature of angels, but that of the seed of Abraham; and from all we know of these glorious spirits we have reason to conclude that the relation of eternal life to them is a natural one--that is to say: It is a relation in accordance with the nature which God has given them. Thus, the roots of an apple tree have a natural relation to the earth; while to engraft an apple tree with a scion from a peach tree would be to institute an arbitrary relation between them. Eternal life then is something superadded to man with which his original nature was not endowed, and which renders him "like the angels", as the Saviour beautifully said of those who should be counted worthy to obtain the resurrection of the dead--"they cannot die any more, for they are equal unto the angels."

      To proceed, however, there is another very important relation of eternal life, viz., to the means through which it is bestowed:--"the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord." Christ then is the channel through which this blessing flows to us by the appointment of God, and as he is the Son of God, and consequently partakes of the same nature, eternal life sustains to him the same relation that it does to the Father. But Christ was not only the Son of God, but also the Son of man. He partook, therefore, both of the divine and of the human nature. Now since eternal life was an essential attribute of his nature as the Son of God, so mortality was necessarily related to him as the Son of Man; and while, as possessed of the human nature, it was necessary for him to die, as possessed of the divine nature, it was equally necessary for him to rise from the grave; therefore, the "pains of death were loosed", "because," says Peter, "it was not possible that he should be holden of it." These two natures then thus wonderfully united and blended together were not to be separated, and by the mighty power of God, Christ arose triumphant from the grave "the first fruits of them that slept," having "abolished death", and "brought light and immortality to light." In Christ the divine was united to the human nature--in those who through him obtain eternal life the human is united to the divine nature; he "descended from above", we ascend from beneath; mortality therefore, bore the same arbitrary relation to Christ, that eternal life does to us. But when the two natures are united together, a new relation obtains; and eternal life becomes a necessary attribute of that new compound nature which is the result; or in ether words, as mortality became a necessary attribute of Christ, when he assumed the human Nature so eternal life becomes a necessary attribute of those who become partakers of the divine nature. [59]

      And is it even so that men are made partakers of that glorious attribute of the divine Being, eternal life, and that it is really as necessary an attribute of the new nature which they are to enjoy, as of Him who is blessed forevermore! How transporting the thought--they cannot die any more! Death has no dominion over Christ now--he will have no dominion over those who are Christ's then! For it is worthy of remark that the same thing is said of those who become partakers of Christ with respect to life, as is said of the Father and, the Son. "As the Father has life in himself," says Jesus, "so has he given to the Son to have life in himself."--John, v. 26. The expression, "he has life in himself," conveys quite a different idea from the declaration 'he has life in him', for while the latter merely indicates the possession of life, the former denotes that life is an essential attribute of the person of whom its possession is predicated. Now the Saviour after representing himself as the means through which eternal life is to be obtained, under the appropriate symbol of bread--the bread of life, after declaring that his flesh was therefore "meat indeed" and his blood "drink indeed," expresses himself thus:--JOHN, vi. 53, "Except ye eat the flesh of the Son of man and drink his blood, ye have no life in yourselves," as it ought to he translated, for it is precisely the same expression, changing the singular for the plural, as is found in JOHN, v. 26, and consequently ought to be rendered in the same way. "You have no life in you" is rather an unmeaning phrase, and has been commonly understood as referring to the spiritual life received by partaking of the Lord's Supper from time to time; but this whole passage respecting Christ as the bread of life, is misunderstood when it is supposed to relate to the supper, since these things were said before the supper was instituted, and have no more reference to it than they have to faith, repentance, or any act of obedience whereby we can lay hold upon Christ, to which acts or principles indeed, the acquisition of eternal life is sometimes attributed because they are the means through which we receive Christ. Thus it is said "he that believeth on the Son hath life"--"God has granted the Gentiles repentance unto life"--"Christ is the author of eternal life to all who obey him, &c.!" We find, then, that the Saviour affirms the same thing of his people with regard to eternal life which he predicated of himself and the Father, and that those who do eat his flesh and drink his blood have life in themselves: "As I live by the Father," he declares in the same connection: "even so he that eateth me shall live by me."

      How great then is the gift of God through Christ! How desirable, eternal life! How elevating the hope of honour, glory and immortality! How high the distinction of being taken from the [60] dust, and permitted to enjoy with angels the divine attribute of perpetual existence; of being transformed into the image of the Son of God, and having our bodies fashioned like unto his glorious body! Let us then, brethren, "so run that we may obtain", let us "continue in well doing", let us "be faithful unto death", and we shall receive a "crown of life". And now may honour, and riches, and glory, and blessing be ascribed to Him that sitteth upon the throne and to the Lamb for ever and ever. Amen.

      ^a From Joseph Addison's Cato, Act v, Sc. 1 (1712).--E.S.

[The Evangelist 4 (March 1835): 57-61.]

      Robert Richardson's "Eternal Life" was first published in The Evangelist, Vol. 4, No. 3, March 1835. The electronic version of this essay has been produced from the College Press reprint (1980) of The Evangelist, ed. Walter Scott (Cincinnati, OH: Walter Scott, 1835), pp. 57-61. The text has been scanned by Colvil Smith and formatted by Ernie Stefanik.

      Pagination in the electronic version has been represented by placing the page number in brackets following the last complete word on the printed page. Inconsistencies in spelling, capitalization, punctuation, and typography have been retained.

      Addenda and corrigenda are earnestly solicited.

Created 8 September 2000.