i io Salvation in a Future Life. CHAP. 



symbol both of the Holy Spirit of blessing and of 

 the Divine anger against sin, will not only punish 

 sin, but will in punishing destroy it ; and by destroy- 

 ing the sin will purify the sinner, and make him fit 

 for the kingdom of God. 



The possibility of salvation in a future life is 

 hinted at also in these words of Our Lord : " Agree 

 with thine adversary quickly, whilst thou art with 

 him in the way : lest the adversary deliver thee to 

 the judge, and the judge deliver thee to the officer, 

 and thou be cast into prison. Verily I say unto 

 thee, Thou shalt by no means come out thence till 

 thou have paid the last farthing." * The " adversary " 

 appears to be conscience personified ; but the in- 

 terpretation of this expression does not affect the 

 meaning of the final clause, " till thou have paid the 

 last farthing." This has been interpreted to mean 

 that the imprisonment can never end, because it will 

 never be possible for man to pay the debt which by 

 his sins he has incurred to God. Such an interpre- 

 tation violates no rule of grammar or logic, but it 

 cannot be Our Lord's meaning. He often uttered 

 the most passionate denunciations, and once at least 

 he gave utterance to indignant irony: "Full well 

 (KaAws) do we reject the commandment of God, that 

 ye may keep your tradition"; 2 but the irony im- 

 plied in this interpretation not indignant, but cold, 

 cruel, and sneering is totally unlike anything in 

 His words or His character. 



1 Matt. v. 25, 26. 2 Mark vii. 9. 



