Part 65 (1/2)

[239:1] Baring-Gould: Orig. Relig. Belief, vol. i. p. 407.

[239:2] See Mallet's Northern Antiquities.

[239:3] Humboldt: Amer. Res., vol. i. p. 91.

[239:4] Prescott: Con. of Mexico, vol. i. p. 60.

[239:5] Fergusson: Tree and Serpent Wors.h.i.+p, p. 87. Squire: Serpent Symbol, p. 187.

[239:6] Acosta: Hist. Indies, vol. ii. p. 513.

[240:1] Over all the Higher Asia there seems to have been diffused an immemorial tradition relative to a second grand convulsion of nature, and the final dissolution of the earth by the terrible agency of FIRE, as the first is said to have been by that of WATER. It was taught by the Hindoos, the Egyptians, Plato, Pythagoras, Zoroaster, the Stoics, and others, and was afterwards adopted by the Christians. (II. Peter, iii.

9. Hist. Hindostan, vol. ii. pp. 498-500.)

[240:2] ”And G.o.d made, in six days, the works of his hands, . . . the meaning of it is this; that in _six thousand years_ the Lord will bring all things to an end.” (Barnabas. _Apoc._ c. xiii.)

[241:1] After the devotees and followers of the new gospel had in vain expected the _Holy One_ who was to come, they at last pitched upon St.

Francis as having been the expected one, and, of course, the most surprising and absurd miracles were said to have been performed by him.

Some of the fanatics who believed in this man, maintained that St.

Francis was ”wholly and entirely transformed into the person of Christ”--_Totum Christo configuratum_. Some of them maintained that the gospel of Joachim was expressly preferred to the gospel of Christ.

(Mosheim: Hist. Cent., xiii. pt. ii. sects. x.x.xiv. and x.x.xvi.

Anacalypsis, vol. i. p. 695.)

[242:1] _Chiliasm_--the thousand years when Satan is bound.

CHAPTER XXV.

CHRIST JESUS AS JUDGE OF THE DEAD.

According to Christian dogma, ”G.o.d the Father” is not to be the judge at the last day, but this very important office is to be held by ”G.o.d the Son.” This is taught by the writer of ”The Gospel according to St.

John”--whoever he may have been--when he says:

”For the Father judgeth no man, _but hath committed all judgment unto the Son_.”[244:1]

Paul also, in his ”Epistle to the Romans” (or some other person who has interpolated the pa.s.sage), tells us that:

”In the day when G.o.d shall judge the secrets of men,” this judgment shall be done ”by _Jesus Christ_,” his son.[244:2]

Again, in his ”Epistle to Timothy,”[244:3] he says:

”_The Lord Jesus Christ_ shall judge the quick and the dead, at his appearing and his kingdom.”[244:4]

The writer of the ”Gospel according to St. Matthew,” also describes Christ Jesus as judge at the last day.[244:5]

Now, the question arises, _is this doctrine original with Christianity_?