d) Second Epistle of
Peter.

The references made by James to the group of points included under
the general theme of the Future Life are so few and indirect, or
vague, that it is impossible to construct any thing like a
complete doctrine from them, save by somewhat arbitrary and
uncertain suppositions. His purpose in writing, evidently, was
practical exhortation, not dogmatic instruction. His epistle
contains no expository outline of a system; but it has allusions
and hints which plainly imply some partial views belonging to a
system, while the other parts of it are left obscure. He says that
"evil desire brings forth sin, and sin, when it is finished,
brings forth death." But whether he intended this text as a moral
metaphor to convey a spiritual meaning, or as a literal statement
of a physical fact, or as a comprehensive enunciation including
both these ideas, there is nothing in the context positively to
determine. He offers not the faintest clew to his conception of
the purpose of the death and resurrection of Christ. He uses the
word for the Jewish hell but once, and then, undeniably, in a
figurative sense, saying that a "curbless and defiling tongue is
set on fire of Gehenna." He appears to adopt the common notion of
his contemporary countrymen in regard to demoniacal existences,
when he declares that "the devils believe there is one God, and
tremble," and when he exclaims, "Resist the devil, and he will
flee from you." He insists on the necessity of a faith that
evinces itself in good works and in all the virtues, as the means
of acceptance with God. He compares life to a vanishing vapor,
denounces terribly the wicked and dissolute rich men who wanton in
crimes and oppress the poor. Then he calls on the suffering
brethren to be patient under their afflictions "until the coming
of the Lord;" to abstain from oaths, be fervent in prayer, and
establish their hearts, "for the coming of the Lord draweth nigh."
"Grudge not one against another, brethren, lest ye be condemned:
behold, the Judge standeth before the door." Here the return of
Christ, to finish his work, sit in judgment, accept some, and
reject others, is clearly implied. And if James held this element
of the general scheme of eschatology held by the other apostles as
shown in their epistles, it is altogether probable that he also
embraced the rest of that scheme. There are no means of definitely
ascertaining whether he did or did not; though, according to