[58] So-called Ninth Bridgewater Treatise. [59] It is surely unnecessary to inform our readers that we adopt this hypothesis, not because we imagine it to have any inherent probability, but simply as a concrete mode of bringing development before the understanding. [60] We are not here opposing the theological doctrine that _the Universe is in the Son of God_. In fact, when we contemplate any past phase of the Universe, we are driven to look upon this as having been previously developed by the Son of God, who doubtless also sustains it. This therefore represents the theological doctrine, nevertheless it will at once be acknowledged that we may speak of Christ as being in the Universe. [61] Heb. x. 7. [62] See a specially interesting and exhaustive paper by Lister (_Trans. R. S. E._, 1874-5). A very clear analysis of it is given by Crum Brown (_Proc. R. S. E._, 1875). [63] _Nature_, January 14, 1875. [64] The Rev. James Martineau has, we perceive, taken up a similar line of argument. (See Art. on ‘Modern Materialism,’ _Contemporary Review_, February 1876.) [65] See Sermon preached at Belfast by Dr. Reichel, August 23, 1874. [66] [Those who believe that the New Testament asserts the annihilation of the wicked in _Gehenna_, of course hold that only the just obtain the spiritual body. But we have no definite term for the body as it shall be (in the _Hades_ of the New Testament) between death and the resurrection. It is probable that the want of such a term is due to the fact that the authors of our recognised version have unfortunately rendered both Hades and Gehenna indifferently by the word Hell, itself a term from Scandinavian mythology.] [67] ‘As the word went out of the king’s mouth, they covered Haman’s face.’—Esther vii. 8. [68] St. Matthew xxii. 11-13. [See, however, also Luke xiii. 28, where the true meaning obviously is ‘_while ye are being cast out_.’ There are other obvious mistranslations in our version; such as for instance that of Mark ix. 43, where for ‘the fire that cannot be put out’ we have ‘the fire that never shall be quenched.’ It is to be hoped that the revised version will be such as to give readers ignorant of Greek a thoroughly correct idea of the meaning of the original, most especially on points of such awful importance as this.] [69] The extent of our knowledge, or rather of our ignorance, on this subject has been happily rendered by the Rev. Dr. Irons, when he states that all we are authorised to infer is that retribution will be morally complete. [70] The sense is as follows:—Master, said I, will these torments increase after the great judgment, will they be less, or equally severe? He replied—Go back to your scholastic learning, which tells you that the more perfect the being the more he feels both pleasure and pain. And, although these accursed ones can never reach full perfection, they expect to be more perfect after than before (the judgment).