The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1875-02-03
FoR THE CENTRAL PRESBYTERIAN.
TIE INTERMEDIATE STATE AND TIE
INTERMEDIATES PLACE.
No. 2.

In previous number on this subject, we
endeavored to show that, while all Christians
admit that there is an intermediate state of
the soul between its departure from the body
at death and its reunion with the body &c
the resurrection, the testimony of the Word
of God (who alone knows anything about
the matter) is clear and decided against the
notion of an intermediate place between
heaven and hell in which the souls of the
dead are kept until the judgment of the great
day. We proceed now, according to our
promise, to state some Of the causes which
contributed to the rise of this false opinion
and still contribute to support it.
l. And, first it arose in the Church after
the truth concerning the eternal and un-
changesble priesthood of Christ began to
drop out of sight, and priesthood of mortal
men were begun to be substituted in its place.
The scriptures teach that the priesthood of
Christ is the only priesthood, in the true and
proper sense, now and forevermOre to be
recognized by His redeemed people, in a
priesthood after the power of an endless life,
administered by one who has an "eternal
Spirit" and is therefore able to save to the
uttermost all who come unto God by Him.
His sacrifice was a perfect satisfaction for
sin, leaving nothing to be done in the way
of expiation for any sinner any more forever.
But when Christian ministers came to be
regarded as priests, and the Lords Supper
as a real sacrifice expiatOry and prOpitiatOry,
the liberty of the Christian people, with
which Christ had made them free, was lost,
the assurance of full justification was lost.
The unseen world, the presence of God and
Christ, the blessed abode of the angels and
of the redeemed who had departed in the
faith, were contemplated with terror by men
who imagined that something yet remained
to be done il the way of satisfaction for their
sins; and the notion of some intermediate
place in which this satisfaction might bt
rendered, was not unwelcome. When Chris
tian ministers came to regard themselves al
priests and to walk in the way of KOrah
Mum. xvi +: $40; Jude, III they were no
unwilling to encourage the error, as it ten
ded to augment their authority and influence
This is the Christ-dishonOring error through
which the heathen notion of purgatOry go
foothold among Christians; and the notion
of an intermediate place is relic of the no
tiOn of purgatory. But to Christian VIII
believes in the perfect satisfaction and right
eousness Of his Saviour, who believes tina
his justification is perfect the moment he be
leyes, and therefore that his title to heaVel
is complete from the very beginning of hi
new life, the notion of an intermediate plac
is stripped of its most plausible support.
2. But although the believers title to hi
inheritance is complete as soon as he believes
it is not 80 with his msetRess for the inher
tance- His progress in holiness is slow, an
as he approaches the end of his earthly life
no matter how faithful and diligent he ma
have been, he feels his utter uuwOrthiness G
unftness to stand in the presence Of spOtle:
holiness and purity, The temptation is strOn
to accept the doctrine of place in the III
seen world, where he may be fitted, BY di