Experimental investigation of the spirit manifestations, [electronic ...

THE TRUE DOCTRINE. 153782. '^ The book of ' Doctriacs and Discipline of the jNIetliodist EpiscopalChurch' is silent on this subject; but, so far as I have been able tolearn, the proper Protestant doctrine on this subject is held in that largecommunion. Their views of the nature of justification and sanctificationwould admit of no other to be consistently believed among thcin. It isbelieved that this is also the prevailing sentiment among Baptists, andother Congregationalists.783. ^' What is here presented from symbols as the united faith of somany learned and pious men living in different ages, and in different partsof the world, is also founded on holy Scripture. By no wresting and violencehas the cliurcb, in tlie general stream of its theological views, beenturned aside from this faith.It is vain that men hope to annul, by meansof violent and unnatural interpretations, the plain declarations of Scripture,to serve a theory.* Truth, crusli'd to earth, will rise again,The eternal years of God are hers.'784. " The Saviour said to the penitent thief on the cross' To-day shaltthou be with me in paradise.^ Now the question arises. Where and whatisthat paradise in which the Saviour promised the dying penitent that heshould be with him that day?This can be seen by referring to other passagesin the Scriptures where the word paradise is used, and where itssense cannot be mistaken. This can be seen by reference to 2 Cor. xii.There it is said that Paul was caught up into paradise; and in the samepassage the place into which he was taken iscalled the third lieaven—thehighest and holiest place in the universe. In Rev. ii. 7 we are toldthat the tree of life stands in the midst of the paradise of God ; and inRev. xxii. 2, we are told that that same tree of life stands by the side ofthe river which flows from the throne of God and the Lamb. From thisit is evident that paradise is the heaven where God dwells and the Lamb.Is then the middle abode. Hades, the kingdom of shades, the peculiarabode of God and the Lamb?785. '^ The objection that the Saviour himself did not go to heaventhat day, but was for forty days afterward on the earth, and that thereforehe could not be with the penitent thief in paradise, has no force.Duringthe three days that intervened between his death and resurrection, hecould as well be in heaven as in Hades.Indeed, it is evident that he wasin heaven during those three days, from what he says to his disciplesshortly before his death: ' A little while, and ye shall not see me; andagain, a little while, and ye shall see me, because I go to the Fatlier.^Moreover, his tarrying on the earth and appearing among his disciples doesnot conflict with the idea that he was also in paradise. When he was yetin the flesh on earth, he could say: ^ And no man hath ascended up toheaven, but that he came down from heaven, even the Son of man which