This difficulty was met in two ways, (a) The sti'icter minds insisted that post-baptismal sin for- feited the right to salvation, and incurred con- demnation (He 6'*"®). By this means all Christians guilty of sin were classed among the ' not-saved,' and the two- fold division of retribution could logi- cally be maintained. (/3) A more lenient view admitted the possibility of a second repentance after post-baptismal sin, at least if the sin were atoned for by penance. Soon after the year A.D. 100 we find this view prevalent (2 Clem. 7 ; Shep- herd of Hernias: Vis. iii., Sim. vi., etc.). This view, while rich in charity, surrendered the ideal of a consistent Christian life, and is far removed fi-om the logical simplicity of primitive Christian eschatology. A further application of the idea of ' penance ' to the future life resulted in the doctrine of purgatory, whereby the primitive two-fold divi- sion of tlie other world becomes three-fold. (For the beginnings of the doctrine of purgatory, see Shepherd of Hermas : Vis. iii. 7 ; Clem. Alex. Strom, vi. 14 ; and some of the Christian apoca- lypses.)
[f) The influence of Jewish apocalyptic. — We have already referred in general terms to this influence under ' the Jewish background of ideas ' (see above, I. 2), and its full results will come before us at a later stage, under II. At this point, however, it is worth noting that a deliberate imitation of the Jewish apocalypses in writings not themselves apocalyptic marks the decline of the JudiBO-Chris- tian type of eschatology. Jude and 2 Peter are the most notable instances in the NT. Although the language is at first sight that of primitive Chris- tianity, there is a real difierence. Instead of the bold outlines of the good tidings concerning Jesus the Messiah, we find a mass of detailed revelations about angels, and fallen stars, and cosmic convul- sions (Jude«-i», 2 P 2^-" 35-"), such as the Jewish apocalyptists delighted to describe, but which had ceased to attract the first generation of Christians, because of the all-absorbing interest of the ' good tidings.' The general tone of these Epistles is also far more pessimistic than that of the earliest Christian preaching, and reflects the position of men conscious of a reaction after a great spiritual revival (Jude ^'^ "'•, 2 P 2"- 3'"^). This again agrees with the normal characteristics of Jewish apoca- lyptic. It should be noted also that Jude ^^* is a direct quotation from Enoch i. 9.
A stili later stage in the decline of the primitive Judoeo-Christian eschatology under apocalyptic
influence is seen in Papias, where the apocalyptic details have become simply puerile, and the old virility and strong moral associations of eschatology have practically vanished (see, e.g., the quotation from Papias in Iren. adv. Hcer. V. xxxiii. 3f.).
(2) Results of the decline, — A number of causes, some of which we have briefly considered above, slowly but surely modified the primitive doctrine of the Last Things, as preached in Juda?o-Christian circles. The expectation of an immediate Return of the Messiah, which had been its main inspira- tion, died away; and nothing replaced it. The result was that this type of eschatology ceased to be a living force in the Christian Church. Where it was elaborated by apocalyptic details, it continued for a time (as we shall see in the case of the Christian apocalypses) to enjoy some measure of popular favour ; or again, where it was inter- preted and re-stated by master-minds, such as St. Paul and St. John, its abiding value was revealed, and has never ceased to be recognized by thoughtful minds. But in its original form it was not fitted to survive, and so, unless it was transformed, it slowly expired.
II. The Christian apocalyptic literature. — So far, we have been considering what appears to have been the ' normal ' type of early Christian eschatology ; and Ave have seen that the ideas and phraseology of the Jewish apocalypses often occur in Christian literature which is not properly ' apo- calyptic' in its literary form (e.g. Acts, 2 Peter, etc. ). In these cases the apocalyptic influence may be called indirect or incidental. But there are other Christian writings in which the literary form of Jewish apocalyptic is deliberately imitated in detail ; and in these writings — especially those of later date — we see a distinct modification of the earliest type of Christian eschatology, such as we have considered above.
1. The Revelation of St. John.— (1) General scheme of the book. — This, the greatest, and per- haps the earliest, of tlie Christian apocalypses, contains such a wealth of material bearing upon eschatology that a detailed treatment is here impossible. If (as the majority of scholars hold) the book belongs to the times of Nero, Vespasian, or Domitian (c. A.D. 65-70, or 95), it is an ex- tremely important witness to the history of early Christian eschatology, wliatever be the final decision with regard to its authorship.
Various attempts have been made to dissect the book into strata of diflerent dates ; but, viewed as a whole, the book conveys a strong impression of literary unity. In particular, with regard to the eschatology, the various parts resemble each other in tone far more nearly than they resemble any other known apocalypse. Also, the book, if re- garded as a whole, oilers an intelligible scheme : (a) the Introduction (1^*^) ; (b) the letters to the Seven Churches (1^-3^^), which show the immediate l)urpose for which the author wrote the book ; (c) the vision of the opening of the Sealed Book (4'-lP^), which enforces the general message that ' the end is at hand ' (see below) ; (d) the vision of the Fall of Rome (12i-18-*), which sets forth in detail the particular element of the last great crisis which for the moment seemed the most important ; (e) the vision of the Last Judgment (19'-20'^); and (/) the vision of the new City of God. These may be regarded as component parts of one great apocalypse. It will be seen that they form, broadly, an intelligible and progressive narrative, on the lines of normal Jewish apocalyp- tic ; and though it may be that in parts the visions are 'concurrent rather than successive* (Mac- Culloch in EEE v. 387), there seems no sufficient reason to postulate a ' literary patchwork.'