The attractions of the world to come

Front matter

UNITED STATES OF AMERICA.

THE

ATTRACTIONS

Chapter I. Introductory

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The great business of life — The dangers of the present age — An erroneous idea that the world to come is repulsive — G-od has sought to render it attractive — Shadowed forth in the beauties of the present world — Attractive emblems — Riches, honors, pleasures — A delightful theme to patriarchs and prophets — To apostles and primitive Christians — Its contemplation essential to a correct appreciation of the Gospel - 9

CHAPTER 11.

IMMORTALITY OF THE SOUL.

An anxious inquiry — Not discovered by reasons — Its true origin revealed in the Old Testament — Argument from universal assent — Argument from love of existence — Argument from instinct — Argument from the powers of the mind — Argument from inequalities in providence — Delightfully attractive — Gives great dignity to existence — Hope for the guilty _-...----- 23

VI CONTENTS.

Chapter III. The Intermediate State

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Uncertainty respecting it painful — A common error — A necessary distinction — Conscious existence of the soul — The righteous with Christ — The form of the soul — Longings of Nature — The character of the soul— The repose of the soul — Its receptive state — Do the departed revisit earth ?— A delightful prospect 54

Chapter IV. The Resurrection

A fundamental doctrine — Revealed in the Old Testament-^ Brought out to a clearer light in the New — Proved from the Resurrection of Christ — The reanimation of that which dies — Body essential to the mind — The higher adaptations of the body — A physiological objection answered — Paul's views of personal identity — A wonderful transformation — The import of a spiritual body— -Emblems in nature — The world's cemetery — First glorious result — Second glorious result — Third glorious result ------- 93

Chapter V. The Day Of Judgment

Fear a proper motive — A solemn reality — When it wiU take place — The length of time denoted — Its great design — Why necessary — Its attractions to the good- — The time of reward to the righteous — To whom it will not be attractive — The place of Judgment 141

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Chapter VI. The Nature Of Future Happiness

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Inquiry lawful — A pure mind essential — Love an element — Righteousness an element — Humility an element — Faith an element — Hope an element — Patience an element — Submission and resignation — Necessity of an external heaven — Heaven a place — Its locality — The society of Heaven — Great social enjoyment — Personal recognition — Particular friendships in heaven — Pleasures of seeing — Pleasures of hearing — Pleasures of increasing knowledge — Pleasures of doing good — Convocations in heaven — Different degrees of glory in heaven — Heaven incomprehensible 169

Chapter VII. The Nature Of Future Punishment

Hell the only spot not attractive — The importance of the subject — Not annihilation — Not torment in literal fire — Symbolic import of fire — Literal fire not intended by Christ — Inconsistent with degrees in punishment — Inconsistent with other Scriptures — Hell a place — Punishment the consequence of sin-— Sin can produce intense misery — Hell the opposite of Heaven — The character of God vindicated — Christ saves from sin — God the Avenger — The wicked destroy themselves — An alarming prospect — A great mystery — Mitigating considerations 239