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diff --git a/44941-0.txt b/44941-0.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..35b5a99 --- /dev/null +++ b/44941-0.txt @@ -0,0 +1,4517 @@ +*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 44941 *** + +The Government of God. +====================== + +By John Taylor, + +One of the Twelve Apostles of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day +Saints. + + "O let the nations be glad and sing for joy: for thou shalt judge + the people righteously, and govern the nations upon earth."--Psalm + lxvii. 4. + +Liverpool: Published by S. W. Richards, 15, Wilton Street. + +London: Sold at the Latter-Day Saints' Book Depot, 35, Jewin Street; +and by all booksellers. + +MDCCCLII. + +London: Printed by W. Bowden 5, Bedford Street, Holborn. + + +Contents. +------------------ + +Preface + +Chapter I. The Wisdom, Order, and Harmony of the Government of God. + +Chapter II. The Government of Man. + +Chapter III. On the Incompetency of the Means Made Use of by Man to +Regenerate the World. + +Chapter IV. What Is Man? What Is His Destiny and Relationship to God? + +Chapter V. The Object of Man's Existence on the Earth; and His +Relationship Thereto. + +Chapter VI. Man's Accountability to God. + +Chapter VII. The Lord's Course in the Moral Government of the World. + +Chapter VIII. Whose Right Is It to Govern the World? Who Has Governed +It? + +Chapter IX. Will Man Always Be Permitted to Usurp Authority Over Men, +and Over the Works of God? Will the World Remain for ever Under a +Curse, and God's Designs Be Frustrated? + +Chapter X. Will God's Kingdom Be a Literal or a Spiritual Kingdom? + +Chapter XI. The Establishment of the Kingdom of God upon the Earth + +Chapter XII. The Effects of the Establishment of Christ's Kingdom, or +the Reign of God upon the Earth. + + + +Preface +------------------ + +It was Elder Taylor's intention to superintend the publishing of _The +Government of God_ in person, previous to his departure for Great Salt +Lake City last spring; but the numerous cares attending the French and +German Missions, of which he was President; the translation of the Book +of Mormon into the French and German languages; the establishment of +_L'Etoile du Deseret_ at Paris, and _Zions Panier_ at Hamburg; together +with a multitude of other business connected with the welfare of the +Kingdom of God, rendered it impossible. + +The manuscript was therefore handed to me by Elder Taylor, with a +request to superintend the printing of the work, which I have done to +the best of my ability. + +Considering the disadvantages arising from the Author's absence during +the reading of the proofs, I believe it is as correctly rendered, as +was possible from a manuscript copy. + +The Work is now before the Public, and from one portion at least it +will meet with a cordial reception, treating as it does upon the theme +most dear to their hearts--the Reign of Righteousness and Peace. + +From other portions it will meet with varied reception, but will +nevertheless lead the minds of all to contemplate the glory of that +time when the Messiah, even Jesus, shall come with all his holy angels, +and sit upon the throne of his glory, and govern all nations upon earth. + +James Linforth. +Liverpool, +August, 1852. + + + +Chapter I. +------------------ + +The Wisdom, Order, and Harmony of the Government of God. + +The Kingdom of God is the government of God, on the earth, or in the +heavens. The earth, and all the planetary systems, are governed by +the Lord; they are upheld by his power, and are sustained, directed, +and controlled by his will. We are told, that "by him were all things +created that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and +invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or +powers; all things were created by him, and for him: and he is before +all things, and by him all things consist."[A] Collos. i. 16, 17. If all +things, visible and invisible, are made by and for him, he governs and +sustains all worlds to us known, together with the earth on which we +live. If he governs them, they are under his dominion, subject to his +laws, and controlled by his will and power. + +[Footnote A: I wish here to be understood, that at present I am writing +to believers in the Bible. I may hereafter give my reasons for this +faith; at the present I refer to the Scriptures without this.] + +If the planets move beautifully, and harmoniously in their several +spheres, that beauty and harmony are the result of the intelligence and +wisdom that exist in his mind. If on this earth we have day and night, +summer and winter, seed time and harvest, with the various changes +of the seasons; this regularity, beauty, order, and harmony, are the +effects of the wisdom of God. + +There are two kinds of rule on the earth; one with which man has +nothing directly to do, another in which he is intimately concerned. +The first of these applies to the works of God alone, and His +government and control of those works; the second, to the moral +government, wherein man is made an agent. There is a very striking +difference between the two, and the comparison is certainly not +creditable to man; and however he may feel disposed to vaunt himself of +his intelligence, when he reflects he will feel like Job did when he +said, (xlii. 6.) "I abhor myself, and repent in dust and ashes." + +In God's government there is perfect order, harmony, beauty, +magnificence, and grandeur; in the government of man, confusion, +disorder, instability, misery, discord, and death. In the first, +the most consummate wisdom and power are manifested; in the second, +ignorance, imbecility, and weakness. The first displays the +comprehension, light, glory, beneficence, and intelligence of God; the +second, the folly, littleness, darkness, and incompetency of man. The +contemplation of the first elevates the mind, expands the capacity, +produces grateful reflections, and fills the mind with wonder, +admiration, and enlivening hopes; the contemplation of the second +produces doubt, distrust, and uncertainty, and fills the mind with +gloomy apprehensions. In a word, the one is the work of God, and the +other that of man. + +In order to present the subject in a clear light, I shall briefly point +out some of the leading features of the two governments. + +The first, then, is that over which God has the sole control, such as +the heavens and the earth, for "He governs in the heavens above, and +in the earth beneath." It may be well here to say a few words on His +moral government, in the heavens. All we can learn of that is very +imperfectly set forth in the Scriptures. It would seem, however, that +all was perfect order, for "He spake, and said, Let there be light, +and there was light; and He divided the light from the darkness." +"He spake, and the waters were gathered together, and the dry land +appeared." And in the creation of the fish, the fowls, the beasts, the +creeping things, and man, it was done in the councils of God. The word +was, Let us do this, and it was done. It would seem, then, that that +government is perfect in its operations, for all the mandates of God +are carried out with the greatest exactitude and perfection. God spake, +chaos heard, and the world was formed. + +We find also that transgression is punished; when Satan rebelled he was +cast out of heaven, and with him those who sinned. + +Here, then, in these things consummate wisdom was manifested, and power +to carry it out. + +The plan of redemption was also made thousands of years ago. Jesus is +spoken of by the prophets as being "The Lamb slain from before the +creation of the world." The future destiny of this earth is also spoken +of by prophecy; the binding of Satan; the destruction, and redemption +of the world; its celestial destiny; its becoming as a sea of glass; +the descent of the new Jerusalem from heaven; the destruction of +iniquity by a power exercised in the heavens, associated with one on +the earth; and a time is spoken of where John says--"Every creature +which is in heaven, and on the earth, and under the earth, and such as +are in the sea, and all that are in them, heard I saying, Blessing, and +honor, and glory, and power, be unto Him that sitteth upon the throne, +and unto the Lamb for ever and ever." Rev. v. 13. But I shall let this +pass for the present, and content myself with saying on this subject, +that in the councils of God, in the eternal world, all these things +were understood: for if He gave prophets wisdom to testify of these +things, they obtained their knowledge from Him, and He could not impart +what He did not know; but "known unto God are all his works, from the +beginning of the world." Acts xv. 18. God, then, has a moral government +in the heavens, and it is the development of that government that is +manifested in the works of creation; as Paul says, "The invisible +things of Him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being +understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and +Godhead." Romans i. 20. + +But when we speak of the heavens, we mean also the planetary system; +for the world, and other worlds are governed by principles independent +of man. The power that causes this earth to roll on its axis, and +regulates the planets in their diurnal and annual motions, is beyond +man's control. Their revolutions and spheres are fixed by nature's +God, and they are so beautifully arranged, and nicely balanced, that +an astronomer can calculate the return of a planet scores of years +beforehand, with the greatest precision and accuracy. And who can +contemplate, without admiration, those stupendous worlds, rolling +through the immensity of space at such an amazing velocity, moving +regularly in their given spheres without coming into collision, and +reflect that they have done so for thousands of years. Our earth has +its day and night, summer and winter, and seed time and harvest. Well +may the poet say that they-- + + "Proclaim for ever, as they shine, + The hand that made us is divine." + +And here let me remark how different is this to the works of man. +We see, then, the power of God manifested in their preservation +and guidance; but when we reflect a little further, that while our +planetary system rolls in perfect order round the sun, there are other +systems which perform their revolutions round their suns; and the whole +of these, our system with its centre, and other systems with their +centres, roll round another grand centre: and the whole of those, and +innumerable others, equally as great, stupendous, and magnificent, roll +round another more great, glorious, and resplendent, till numbers, +magnificence, and glory, drown the thought, we are led to exclaim +with the prophet, "O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and +knowledge of God! how unsearchable are His judgements, and His ways +past finding out!" Romans xi. 33. Without referring again to the +motions of our earth, and the beautiful regularity and precision of the +whole of this elegant machinery, we will turn our attention a little to +the works of creation as found on the earth. The make, construction, +and adaptation of each for its proper sphere, are the work of God; and +they are all controlled by His wisdom and power, independent of man. In +the conformation of the birds, the beasts, the fishes, the reptiles, +the grains, herbs, plants, and trees, we see a striking exemplification +of this fact. No matter which way we turn our attention, the same +order and intelligence are displayed. The fish in their organization +are peculiarly adapted to their proper element; the birds and beasts +to theirs; the amphibious animals to theirs. The nicely organized +machinery of their bodies; their bones, muscles, skins, feathers, +scales, or hair; the formation of their bodies, their manner of living, +together with the nature of their food, and their particular adaptation +to the various elements and climates which they occupy, are all so many +marked evidences of skill, forethought, intelligence and power. We will +here notice a few examples. Plunge bird, beast, or man, into the water, +and let them remain there, and they will soon die; take a fish out of +the water, and death ensues; yet all are happy, and move with perfect +enjoyment in their proper spheres. Elevate a man, beast, or fish, into +the air, and let them fall, and they will be bruised to death; but the +bird, with its wings, light bones, and fragile body, is peculiarly +adapted to the aerial element in which it moves, and is perfectly at +home; while the brute creation and men feel as much so on the earth. +Again, their habits, food, coatings, or coverings, digestive powers, +and the organization of their systems, are all peculiarly adapted to +their several situations. The same principle is developed in their +arrangement and position on the earth. Those that inhabit a southern +climate are peculiarly adapted to that situation; while those that +inhabit a northern are equally fitted for theirs. + +Take the reindeer and polar bear to the torrid zone, and they would +be out of their proper latitude, and would probably die. Remove the +elephant, lion, or tiger, to Iceland or Greenland, and leave them to +their own resources, and they would inevitably perish. + +We will notice for a moment the construction of their systems. Each +one is possessed with muscular strength, or agility, according to +its position, wants, or dangers, and there is a beauty, a symmetry, +and a perfection about all God's works, which baffle and defy human +intelligence to copy. An artist is considered talented if he can make, +after years of toil, a striking likeness of any of those things, +either on canvas, or in marble. But when he has done, it is only a +dead outline; remove a little paint, or tear the canvas, and its +beauty is destroyed; break the arm of a statue, and we see nothing +but a mutilated stone. But take a man, for example, and remove the +skin, there is still order and beauty; remove the flesh, there is +still workmanship and skill, and the bones, the flesh, the muscles, +the arteries and veins, and the nerves, and the lungs, not to forget +the exquisite fineness of the sensitive organs, manifesting a skill, a +forethought, a wisdom, and a power, as much above that of man as the +heavens are above the earth. + +We see the power, wisdom, and government of God, displayed in the +amazing strength of some of the largest of the brute creation; as +also in the fineness and delicacy, of the arrangement of the smaller. +And while we admire the stupendous power of the elephant, we are +equally struck with the fineness, delicacy, and beauty of some of the +smaller insects. The prescience, and intelligence of God, are as much +manifested in arranging the bones, muscles, arteries, and digestive +organs of the smallest animaculae, as in the construction of the horse, +rhinoceros, elephant, or whale. I might touch upon the organization of +plants, herbs, trees, and fruits; their various compositions, modes +of nourishment, manner of propagating their kind, &c.; but enough +has already been said upon this subject. It is one that no one will +dispute upon; Jew and Gentile, black and white, Christian and Heathen, +philosopher and fool, all have one faith on this subject. + +I have briefly touched upon it for the purpose of presenting in a +clear light the imbecility and weakness of man; for wherever we turn +our attention, we see power, wisdom, prescience, order, forethought, +beauty, grandeur and magnificence. + +These are the works of God, and shew His skill, workmanship, glory, and +intelligence. They reflect His divine power, and shew in unmistakeable +characters the wisdom of his government, and the order that prevails in +that part of creation over which He has the sole and unlimited control. + +We can perceive very clearly that what God has done, is rightly done. +It is not governed by instability and disorder, but continues from +eternity to eternity to bear the impress of Jehovah. + + + +Chapter II. +------------------ + +The Government of Man. + +We will now turn our attention a little to the government of man, and +see how that will compare with the foregoing, for man stands at the +head of this beautiful creation; he is endued with intelligence and +capacity for improvement; he is placed as a moral agent, and has the +materials put into his hands to work with, the works of his Father +as a pattern, the conduct of many of the inferior creation as an +example--and might make the earth a garden, a paradise, a place of +uninterrupted happiness and felicity, a heaven below. And if God had +not delegated this moral agency and power to man, and thus given him +the privilege, in part, of being the arbiter of his own destiny, such +it would have been to this day, like the Eden from which he was ejected +because of his transgression. For he had everything placed within his +power, and was made lord of the creation. The beasts, birds, fish, +and fowl, were placed under his control; the earth yielded plenty for +his wants, and abounded in fruits, grain, herbs, flowers and trees, +both to satisfy his hunger, and to please the sight, taste, and smell. +The fields waved with plenty, and produced a perennial harvest. The +fruits teemed forth in all their luscious varieties to satisfy his +most capacious desires. The flowers, in all their gaiety, beauty, +and richness, delighted the eye; while their rich fragrance filled +the air with odoriferous perfumes. The feathered tribes, with all +their gorgeous plumage and variety of song, both pleased the eye, and +enchanted and charmed the ear. The horse, the cow, and other animals, +were there to promote his happiness, supply his wants, and make him +comfortable and happy. All were under his control, to contribute to his +happiness and comfort, supply his most extended desires, and to add to +his enjoyment; but with all these privileges what is his situation? + +With celestial blessings within his reach, he has plunged down to the +very verge of hell, and is found in a state of poverty, confusion, and +distress. He found the earth an Eden--a paradise; he has filled it with +misery and woe, and has made it comparatively a howling wilderness. And +let us not blame Adam alone for this state of things; for after his +ejection from Paradise, the earth was sufficiently fertile to satisfy +all the desires of man with moderate industry, and is at the present +day, if it were not for the confusion that exists, and if men were +properly situated, and its resources developd. But more of this anon. + +At present we will examine some of these evils, and then point out +their cause, and the remedy. + +We find the world split up and divided into different nations, having +different interests, and different objects; with their religious and +political views as dissimilar as light and darkness, all the time +jealous of each other, and watching each other as so many thieves; +and that man at the present day (and it has been the case for ages), +is considered the greatest statesman, who, with legislation or +diplomacy, can make the most advantageous arrangement with, or coerce +by circumstances, other nations into measures that would be for the +benefit of the nation with which he is associated. No matter how +injurious it might be to the nation or nations concerned, the measure +that would yield his nation an advantage, might plunge another in +irremediable misery, while there is no one to act as father and parent +of the whole, and God is lost sight of. What is it that the private +ambition of man has not done to satisfy his craving desires for the +acquisition of territory and wealth, and what is falsely called _honor_ +and _fame_? + +Those private, jarring interests have kept the world in one continual +ferment and commotion from the commencement until the present time; +and the history of the world is a history of the rise and fall of +nations--of wars, commotions, and bloodshed--of nations depopulated, +and cities laid waste. Carnage, destruction, and death, have stalked +through the earth, exhibiting their horrible forms in all their +cadaverous shapes, as though they were the only rightful possessors. +Deadly jealousy, fiendish hate, mortal combat, and dying groans, have +filled the earth, and our bulwarks, our chronicles, our histories, +all bear testimony to this; and even our most splendid paintings, +engravings, and statuary, are living memorials of bloodshed, carnage, +and destruction. Instead of men being honoured who have sought to +promote the happiness, peace, and wellbeing of the human family, and +greatness concentrating in that, those have been generally esteemed +the most who produced the most misery and distress, and were wholesale +robbers, ravagers, and murderers. + +And from whence come these things? Let the apostle James answer: "From +whence come wars and fightings among you? Come they not hence, even +of your lusts that war in your members? Ye lust, and have not--ye +kill, and desire to have, and cannot obtain: ye fight and war, yet ye +have not, because ye ask not. Ye ask, and receive not, because ye ask +amiss, that ye may consume it upon your lusts." James iv. 1-3. Here is +evidently a lack of that consummate wisdom, that moral and physical +control, that parental power which balances the universe, and directs +the various planets. For let the same recklessness, selfishness, +individuality, and nationality there be manifested, and we should see +the wildest confusion. + +Man has come in contact with man, morally, physically, religiously, +and nationally, from the foundation of the earth. If God's works had +done so, what tumult and ruin there would have been in the immensity +of space! Instead of the order that now prevails, man would have +been sometimes frozen to death, and at other times burned up; one +or two seasons of irregularity, even in climate, would depopulate +the earth. But what if the planets, irrespective of the power by +which they are controlled, were to rush wildly through space, and, +with their mighty impetus dash against each other? "What fearful +consequences would ensue." There would be "system on system wrecked, +and world on world." What terrible destruction and ruin! We have read +of earthquakes destroying countries, of wars depopulating nations--of +volcanoes overwhelming cities, and of empires in ruin; but what would +the yawning earthquake, the bellowing volcano, the clang of arms, or +a nation's distress, be in comparison to a scene like this? System +would be shattered with system; planet madly rush on planet; worlds, +with their inhabitants, would be destroyed, and creations crumble into +ruins. There would be truly a war of planets, "a wreck of matter and +a crash of worlds." These, indeed, would be fearful results, and shew +plainly the distinction between the beautiful order of God's work, +and the confusion and disorder of man's. God's work is perfect--man's +imperfect. The one is the government of God, and the other that of man. + +We notice the same mismanagement in the arrangement of cities and +nations. We have large cities containing immense numbers of human +beings, pent up, as it were in one great prison-house, inhaling a +foetid, unwholesome atmosphere, impregnated with a thousand deadly +poisons; millions of whom, in damp cellars, lonely garrets, and pent up +corners, drag out a miserable existence, and their wan faces, haggard +countenances, and looks tell but too plainly the tale of their misery +and wretchedness. A degenerate, sickly, puny race tread in their steps, +inheriting their fathers' misery and distress. + +If we notice the situation of the nations of Europe at the present +time, we see the land burthened with an overplus population, and +groaning beneath its inhabitants, while the greatest industry, +perseverance, economy, and care, do not suffice to provide for the +craving wants of nature. And so fearfully does this prevail in many +parts, that parents are afraid to fulfil the first great law of +God, "Be fruitful and multiply, and replenish the earth;" and by +desperate circumstances are almost forced to the unnatural wish of +not propagating their species; while, corrupted with a correspondent +depravity with that which reigns among nations, they are found using +suicidal measures to prevent an otherwise numerous progeny from +increasing their father's misery, and inheriting his misfortunes. And +yet, while this is the case, there are immense districts of rich soil, +covering millions of square miles, inhabited only by a few untutored +savages, or the wild beast of the forest; and such is the infatuation +of man that in many districts of country, which were once the seats +of the most powerful empires, and where flourished the mightiest +nations, there is nothing but desolation and wildness. Such are Nineveh +and Babylon, on the Asiatic Continent; and Otolum, and many others +discovered by Stephens and Catherwood, in Central America; and recently +discovered ruins--unequalled in the old world--a little above the head +of the California Gulf. Not only their cities, but their lands are +desolate, deserted, and forsaken, and the same evils that once existed +there are transferred to another soil, all bespeaking plainly that we +want a great, governing, ruling principle to regulate the affairs of +the world, and assist poor, feeble, erring humanity. + +Again, if we examine some of the details of these evils, we shall +see more clearly the importance and necessity of a change. Nearly +one-third, speaking in general terms, of the inhabitants of the earth +are engaged in a calling that would be entirely useless if the world +were set right. + +If men and nations, instead of being governed by their unruly passions, +covetous desires, and ambitious motives, were governed by the pure +principles of philanthropy, virtue, purity, justice, and honor, and +were under the guidance of a fatherly and intelligent head, directed +by that wisdom which governs the universe, and regulates the motions +of the planetary systems, there would be no need of so many armies, +navies, and police regulations, which are now necessary for the +protection of those several nations from the aggressions of each other, +and internal factions. Let any one examine the position of Europe +alone, and he will find this statement abundantly verified. Look at the +armies and navies of France and England; and the confusion of Germany, +also of Austria, Turkey, Russia and Spain, not to mention many of the +smaller nations, and let their armies, their navies, and police be +gathered together, and what an abundant host of persons there would +be. They would be sufficient to make one of the largest nations in +the world! And what are they doing? To use the mildest term, watching +each other, as a person would watch a thief for fear of being imposed +upon, and robbed, or killed; but generally strolling around as the +world's banditti, robbing, plundering, and committing aggressions upon +each other; and if they have peace, acquiring it by the sword; and if +prevented from aggression and war, it is generally, not that they are +governed by just, or virtuous principles, but because they are afraid +that aggression might lead to combinations against them which would +result in their overthrow and ruin. + +In the city of Paris alone, at the present time, and its immediate +environs, there are one hundred thousand soldiers, besides police to +a very great number, not to mention the vast number of custom-house +officers and others. Suppose we add to these their families, where +they have any, and where they have not, notice the vast amount of +prostitution, misery, degradation, and infamy, that such an unnatural +state of things produces. I give the above as an example of the whole, +but here the navies are not included. I say again, What are these all +doing? They do not raise corn to supply the wants of men, nor are they +occupied in any useful avocation; but they _must_ live, and their +wants must be supplied by the products of the labour of others. There +has to be an immense amount of legislation for the accomplishment of +this thing, and instead of having one government of righteousness and +the world obeying, we have scores of governments, all having to be +sustained in regal pomp, to be equal to their neighbouring nations; +and all this magnificence and national pride having to be supported +by the labour of the people. Again, all these legislatures have to +provide immense hosts of men, in the shape of custom-house, excise, and +police officers, to carry out their designs, all of whom, and their +families, help to increase the burden, till it becomes insupportable. +That, together with the unnatural state of society, before referred +to, in regard to the situation of the inhabitants of cities and the +nations, plunges millions of the human family into a state of hopeless +destitution, misery, and ruin, for they are groaning under all these +hopeless burdens without having sufficient land to till to meet their +demands, and as natural means fail they are obliged to have recourse +to those that are unnatural. Hence, in England a great majority of +the inhabitants are made slaves of, virtually to supply the wants of +the greatest part of the world, and are forced to be their labourers. +Thousands of them are immured in immense factories, little less than +prisons, groaning under a wearisome, sickening, unhealthy labour; +deprived of free, wholesome air; weak and emaciated, not having a +sufficiency of the necessaries of life. Thousands more from morning +till night are immured in pits, shut out from the light of day, +the carol of the birds, and the beauty of nature, sickly and weak, +in many instances for want of food; and yet, in the midst of their +wretchedness, gloom, and misery, you will sometimes hear them trying to +sing in their dungeons and prison-houses, in broken, dying accents, + +"Britons never shall be slaves." + +I will here give, as one example, an iron works that I visited lately +in Wales. One of the proprietors informed me that they employed fifteen +thousand persons, and paid them L5,000 per week. Most of these people +laboured under ground, in the pits, digging for iron ore and coal; the +remainder were employed principally about the furnaces, in rolling +the iron, &c., at heavy, laborious, fatiguing work. And who were they +toiling for? Principally for the Americans and Russians, at that +time, to furnish them with railroad iron. And what did they get for +their labour? The riches of those countries? No. L5,000 a week among +about fifteen thousand persons. I suppose, however, a number of these +were boys and girls. The average wages of men was from ten to twelve +shillings per week. And this is their pay for that labour; and yet the +masters are not to be blamed, that I can learn, for they are forced by +competition to this state of things, and by the unnatural, artificial +state of society. If they did not do this their workmen must be out +of employ, and ten times worse off, if that were possible, than they +are now. In the State of Pennsylvania, in America, where the railroads +run through coal and iron mines both, they leave them untouched, and +come to England for iron to make the rails of, that they cannot afford +to make at home, because of higher wages, and an _outlet_ to society, +which prevents them from being coerced into bondage. If the world was +right, the labour would be done there, and not here, and the labour of +carriage saved. + +The situation of the peasantry and workmen in France, Germany, Prussia, +Austria, and Russia, and in fact I may say of Europe generally, is +worse even than that of the same class in England; and wherever we +turn our attention, we see nothing but poverty, distress, misery, and +confusion; for if men do not copy after the good and virtuous, they +generally do after the evil. When nations and rulers set the pattern, +they generally find plenty to follow their example; hence covetousness, +fraud, rapine, bloodshed, and murder, prevail to an alarming extent. +If a nation is covetous, an individual thinks he may be also; if a +nation commits a fraud, it sanctions his acts in a small way; and if +a nation engages in wholesale robbery, an individual does not see +the impropriety of doing it in retail; if a strong nation oppresses +a weak one, he does not see why he may not have the same privilege; +corruption follows corruption, and fraud treads on the heels of fraud, +and all those noble, honourable, virtuous, principles that ought to +govern men are lost sight of, and chicanery and deception ride rampant +through the world. The welfare, happiness, exaltation, and glory of +man, are sacrificed at the shrine of ambition, pride, covetousness +and lasciviousness. By these means nations are overthrown, kingdoms +destroyed, communities broken up, families rendered miserable, and +individuals ruined. I might enter into a detail of the crimes, +abominations, lusts, and corruptions that exist in many of our large +cities, but I shall leave this subject, and conclude with the remarks +of the prophet Isaiah, who gazed in prophetic vision on this scene: +"Behold, the Lord maketh the earth empty, and maketh it waste, +and turneth it upside down, and scattereth abroad the inhabitants +thereof... The earth also is defiled under the inhabitants thereof, +because they have transgressed the laws, changed the ordinances, and +broken the everlasting covenant. Therefore hath the curse devoured the +earth, and they that dwell therein are desolate." Isaiah xxiv. 1, 5 and +6. + +Iniquity of every description goes hand in hand; vice, in all its +sickening and disgusting forms, revels in the palace, in the city, +in the cottage; depravity, corruption, debauchery, and abominations +abound, and man, that once stood proudly erect in the image of his +Maker, pure, virtuous, holy, and noble, is vitiated, weak, immoral, +and degraded; and the earth, which was once a garden, not only brings +forth briars and thorns, but is actually "defiled under the inhabitants +thereof." + +Those great national evils of which I have spoken are things which at +present seem to be out of the reach of human agency, legislation, or +control. They are diseases that have been generating for centuries; +that have entered into the vitals of all institutions, religious and +political; that have prostrated the powers and energies of all bodies +politic, and left the world to groan under them, for they are evils +that exist in church and state, at home and abroad; among Jew and +Gentile, Christian, Pagan, and Mahomedan; king, prince, courtier, and +peasant; like the deadly simoon, they have paralyzed the energies, +broken the spirits, damped the enterprize, corrupted the morals, and +crushed the hopes of the world. + +Thousands of men would desire to do good, if they only knew how; +but they see not the foundation and extent of the evil, and +long-established opinions, customs and doctrines, blind their eyes, +and damp their energies. And if a few should see the evil, and try a +remedy, what are a few in opposition to the views, power, influence, +and corruption of the world? + +No power on this side of heaven can correct the evil. It is a world +that is degenerated, and it requires a God to put it right. + + + +Chapter III. +------------------ + +On the Incompetency of the Means Made Use of by Man to Regenerate the +World. + +I purpose in this Chapter to shew the incompetency of the means made +use of by man for the accomplishment of the purposes of God--the +establishment of His Kingdom, or Millennial reign. + +Now, if it is the kingdom of God, that is to be established, it must be +introduced by God. He must not only be the originator of it, but the +controller also, and any means short of these must fail of the object +designed. + +The great evils that now exist in the world are the consequences of +man's departure from God. This has introduced this degeneracy and +imbecility, and nothing but a retracing of his steps, and a return to +God can bring about a restitution. + +God gave to man a moral agency, as head of the world, under himself. +Man has usurped the sole authority, and taken upon himself to reign +and rule without God. The natural consequence is, that we have +inherited all the evils of which I have spoken, and nothing but +the wisdom, goodness, power, and compassion of God, can deliver us +therefrom, restore the earth to its pristine excellence, and put man +again in possession of those blessings which he has forfeited by +his transgression. Emperors, kings, princes, potentates, statesmen, +philosophers, and churches, have tried for ages to bring this state of +things about; but they have all signally failed, not having derived +their wisdom from the proper source. And all human means made use of at +the present time to ameliorate the condition of the world must fail, as +all human means have always done. + +There are some who suppose that the influence of Christianity, as it is +now preached and administered, will bring about a Millennial reign of +peace. We will briefly examine the subject. + +First, we will take the Greek and Catholic Churches as they have +existed for ages--without an examination of their doctrines, whether +right or wrong--for they form two of the largest branches of the +Christian Church. They have, more or less, governed a great portion of +Europe at different times; and what is the situation of the people and +nations where they have held sway? We have noticed the effects, and +already briefly touched upon the evils that prevail in those countries; +and if Greece and Russia, or any other country where the Greek Church +has held sway, be a fair specimen of the influence of that church, we +have very little prospect, if that religion were more widely diffused +or extended, that the results would be more beneficial, for if it +has failed in a few nations to ameliorate their condition, it would +necessarily fail to benefit the earth if extended over it. Nor do we +turn with any better prospect to the Catholic religion. Of what benefit +has it been to nations where it has prevailed the most? Has there been +less war, less animosity, less butchery, less evil of any kind under +its empire? It cannot be said that it has been crippled in its progress +or its operations. It has held full sway in Spain, Rome, and a great +portion of Italy, in France and Mexico for generations, not to mention +many smaller states. Has it augmented the happiness of those nations +of the world? I need not here refer to the history of the Waldenses, +and Albigenses, and Huguenots, to that of the Crusades, wherein so many +Christian kings engaged; nor to the unhappy differences, the wars and +commotions, the bloodshed and carnage, that have existed among these +people, for their history is well known. And the present position +of both the Greek and Roman churches, presents a spectacle that is +anything but encouraging to lead us to hope, that if the world were +under their influence, a Millennial reign of peace and righteousness +would ensue. + +And let not any one say that these churches have not had a fair +opportunity to develop themselves, for their religion prevailed and was +cherished in those nations. They have held universal sway, at different +times, for generations. The kings, councils and legislatures, have +been Catholic or Greek. In Rome, the Pope has ruled supreme, and also +for some time in Lombardy, Ravenna, and other States. In Greece, the +Patriarch of Constantinople, and in Russia, the Emperor, is head of the +church. + +But, methinks I hear the Protestants say, we fully accord with you thus +far, but we have placed Christianity on another footing. Let us examine +this subject for a moment. + +The question would naturally follow, What have the reformations of +Calvin, Luther, and other reformers, done for the world? We may notice +that Denmark, Sweden, Prussia, with a great part of Germany, Holland, +and Switzerland, as also England and the United States, are Protestant. +What can we say of them? That they are a part of the disorganized +world, and have manifested the same unhappy dispositions as other +portions. Reform has not altered their dispositions or circumstances. +We see among them the same ambitious, grasping, reckless disposition +manifested, and consequently the same wars, bloodshed, poverty, misery, +and distress; and millions of human beings have been sacrificed to +their pride, ambition, and avarice, and thirst for national fame and +glory. + +The Reformation of the Church of England is anything but creditable to +that church. I refer to Henry VIII., and the vacillating course taken +by some of its early reformers; and its persecution of those who were +opposed to it in religious faith. + +I might here refer to the religious intolerance of Calvin of Geneva, +and Knox of Scotland, and other reformers; but, as these are mere +individual affairs, I pass over them. If we look at Christian nations +as a whole, we see a picture that is truly lamentable, a miserable +portrait of poor, degenerated, fallen humanity. We see Christian +nations arrayed against Christian nations in battle, with the Christian +ministers of each Christian nation calling upon the Christian's God +to give them each the victory over their enemies! Christians! and +worshippers of the same God!! + +Hence, Christian England has been arrayed against Christian France; +Christian Russia against Christian Prussia; Christian Spain against +Christian Holland; Christian Austria against Christian Hungary; +Christian England against Christian United States; and Christian +United States against Christian Mexico. Not to mention the innumerable +aggressions and conquests of some of the larger nations, not only upon +their Christian brethren, but against other nations of the earth. + +Before those several nations have engaged in their wars, their +ministers have presented their several prayers before the same God; and +if He had been as infatuated as they, and listened to their prayers, +they would long ago have been destroyed, and the Christian world +depopulated. After their prayers they have met in deadly strife; foe +has rushed against foe with mortal energy, and the clarion of war, +the clang of arms, and the cannon's roar have been followed by dying +groans, shattered limbs, carnage, blood, and death; and unutterable +misery and distress, desolate hearths, lonely widows, and fatherless +children. And yet these are all Christian nations, Christian brethren, +worshippers of the same God. Christianity has prevailed more or less +for eighteen hundred years. If it should still continue and overspread +the world in its present form, what would it accomplish? The world's +redemption and regeneration? No, verily. Its most staunch supporters, +and most strenuous advocates would say, _No_. For like causes always +produce like effects: and if it has failed to regenerate the nations +where it has had full sway for generations, it must necessarily fail +to regenerate the world. If it has failed in a small thing, how can it +accomplish a large one? + +There are some of the Evangelical Churches, and modern reformers who +will tell me that the above is not Christianity; only a form, not +the spirit and life. But it is national Christianity; and it is the +nations--the world and its redemption--that we are speaking of. But, +lest they should think me unfair in making this application, I will +briefly examine their position. Which of the sects or parties is it +that is good, evangelical, and pure? The Church of England, Methodists, +Presbyterians, Independents, Baptists, Universalists, or which of the +hundreds of sects that flood Christendom? For they do not agree; there +exists as much unhappy difference among them as there does among the +nations. They have not power, of course, to act nationally; but, as +individual sects, there is as much virulence, discord, division, and +strife among them as among any other people. There is sect against +sect; party against party; polemical essay against polemical essay; +discussion after discussion; and hard words, bitter feelings, angry +disputes, wrangling, hatred, and malice, prevail to an alarming extent: +and it is enough, in many instances, for a member even of a family to +be of a different religious persuasion, no matter how honest, to cause +his expulsion from the family. + +In fact, if we look at Christianity, as exhibited among the evangelical +societies of England, and the United States, where Protestantism +bears rule unchecked, what do we see? Nothing but a game at hazard, +where a thousand opinions distract the people, each clamoring for his +own peculiar form of worship, and, like the Athenians, clinging with +tenacity to their own favorite god, no matter how absurd or ridiculous +his pretensions. I would remark, however, both to Catholic and +Protestant, that there is much good associated with both their systems, +in the teaching of morality, virtue, faith in God, and our Lord Jesus +Christ; that there are thousands of sincere, honest, good, and virtuous +people among them, as also among the nations; that these evils have +been the growth of ages. "The fathers have eaten sour grapes, and the +children's teeth have been set on edge." + +It is unnecessary here to say anything of missionary societies, tract +societies, and evangelical societies; for if the fountain is impure, +the stream must be impure; if the tree is bad, the fruit will be bad +also. It is certainly a praiseworthy object to spread the Bible, and +all useful information, and to do good as far as we can; but to talk of +this evangelizing the world, is folly. + +We will now turn our attention for a short time to another society, +which has been formed lately in Europe, called a "Peace Society," +and which has lately held several congresses in London, Berlin, and +elsewhere, with representatives from many of the European nations, and +the United States. Their object is, to ameliorate the condition of the +world, and bring about universal peace; but, with all deference to +their feelings, and fervent desires that such a happy event might be +consummated, I must beg leave to differ from them in their views. Peace +is a desirable thing; it is the gift of God, and the greatest gift +that God can bestow upon mortals. What is more desirable than peace? +Peace in nations, peace in cities, peace in families. Like the soft +murmuring zephyr, its soothing influence calms the brow of care, dries +the eye of sorrow, and chases trouble from the bosom; and let it be +universally experienced, and it would drive sorrow from the world, and +make this earth a paradise. But peace is the gift of God. Jesus said to +his disciples, "Peace I leave with you; my peace I give unto you, not +as the world giveth give I unto you." John xiv. 27. Moral suasion is +always good, and the most happy that man can employ; but without the +interposition of God, it will be useless. + +The nations of the world have corrupted themselves before God, and +we are not in a position to be governed by those principles without +regeneration. If they were pure, and living in the fear of God, it +would be another thing; but the world at the present time is not made +of the proper materials to submit to a congressional interposition, +of a kind similar to the one now established. The materials will not +combine, and no power, short of the power of God, can accomplish it. We +have got into the feet and toes of Daniel's national image; they are +composed of iron and clay, which will not mix; there is no chemical +affinity between the bodies. As it has been in generations past, the +strong nations feel independent, and capable of taking care of their +own affairs; and if the weak unite, it is to protect themselves against +the strong. The principles of aggression and protection still rule as +strong in the human bosom as ever they did. The world is as belligerent +now as it ever was, and as full of commotion and uncertainty. + +The dispositions of the nations, of kings, rulers, and people, are +the same. The late revolutions in Europe, and present uncertain state +of political affairs, are an evident proof of this. The political +atmosphere of the European nations is full of combustion, and only +needs igniting to set the whole in one common blaze. Talk of peace! +there is war in the councils and cabinets, uncertainty and distrust +with emperors, kings, presidents, and princes; war in the churches, +clubs, cabals, and parties that now distract the world. It is whispered +in the midnight caucus, and proclaimed in open day. The same spirit +enters into the social circle, and breaks up families: father is +arrayed against son, and son against father; mother against daughter, +and daughter against mother; and brother against brother: it presides +triumphant at the assemblies of the "Peace Society," and spreads +confusion, discord, and division there. A moral, deadly, evil has +infused itself throughout the world, and it needs a more powerful +restorative than the one proposed to ameliorate its condition. If the +root of the evil be not eradicated, in vain we regulate the branches; +if the fountain be impure, in vain we strive to purify the streams. The +means used are not adequate to the end designed, and in spite of all +those weak, puny efforts, the world will continue in its present sickly +state, unless a more powerful antidote be applied. + +Another principle has many advocates on the Continent of Europe at the +present time; a principle of Socialism. Like everything else, it is +possessed of different phases, and has been advocated in its various +branches by Fourier, Robert Owen, Cabet, Pierre Leroux, and Proudhon, +in Europe, and Fanny Wright in America. The leading object of many of +these people is to have a community of goods and property. Some of them +discard Christianity altogether, and others leave every one to do as +they please; others attach a little importance to it. I would briefly +remark on the first of those, that if scepticism is to be the basis +of the happiness of man, we shall be in a poor situation to improve +the world. It is practical infidelity that has placed the world in its +present position; how far the unblushing profession of it will lead +to restoration and happiness, I must leave my readers to judge. It is +our departure from God, that has brought upon us all our misery. It +is not a very reasonable way to alleviate it by confirming mankind in +scepticism. I am aware that there is much in the world to induce doubt, +and uncertainty on religious affairs, and religious professors have +much to answer for; but there is a very material difference between +the religion of God, and our Lord Jesus Christ, and that of those who +profess His name. + +As regards Communism, in the abstract, or on the voluntary principle, +we will examine that briefly. Pick out a number of men in Paris, +London, Berlin, or any other city, associated with all the evils and +corruptions of those cities, and organize them into a community. Will +the mere removal of them from one place to another make them better? +Certainly not. If they were corrupt before, they will be after their +removal; and if they were unhappy before, they will be after. This +temporary change will not make a difference; for men in possession +of different religious, and political, and moral views, never can +be united in harmony. The difficulties that exist in the world on a +large scale, would exist there in miniature; and though prudence, +forbearance, and policy, in smaller circles, might operate for a time, +the evils would still exist; and though they might smoulder and be pent +up, like a volcano, they would only rage with greater fury when they +did burst out. + +I have conversed with some who seem to think that all that is necessary +to promote the happiness of man, is, that he have sufficient to eat and +drink, and that through this means it would be obtained. I grant that +the comforts and happiness of men are in a great measure augmented by +these things; but to place them as the root and foundation, is wrong. +In the present situation of Europe, where so much squalid poverty, +wretchedness, and distress abound, it is not to be wondered at that +such feelings should obtain. But, if we cast our eyes abroad in the +world, we shall find that unhappiness is not always associated with +the poor: it revels in the church and state; among kings, potentates, +princes, and rulers: it follows the haunts of the libertine and +profligate, and gnaws in many instances the conscience of the minister: +it rides with lords and ladies in their carriages and chariots, and +revels in splendid saloons and in banquet halls. Many a pleasant +countenance covers an aching heart, and many a gorgeous costume hides +the deadly worm; jealousy, disappointed ambition, blasted hopes, cold +neglect, and conjugal infidelity, produce many a miserable heart; and +rage, envy, malice, and murder, lurk in many instances under the cover +of pomp, splendor, competency, or magnificence; not to mention the +care, anxiety, and trouble of officers of state in these troublous +times. If the poor knew the situation of many of those in different +circumstances, they would not envy their situations. + +Again, if we notice the position of some of the southern and western +States of America. They have abundance to eat and to drink, their lands +bring forth bountifully. But does this make them happy? Verily, no. The +same false state of society exists there; men are awfully under the +influence of their depraved passions; men are frequently put to death +by what is called "Lynch law," without judge or jury. The pistol, the +bowie knife, the rifle, and the dirk, are in frequent requisition, and +misery and unhappiness prevail. + +In Mexico, where they possess one of the richest countries in the +world, a salubrious climate, a rich soil, abounding also with the most +valuable mineral resources, yet the people are unhappy. Guerillas +plunder the traveller, their streets are crowded with beggars; its men +are without courage or energy, and the country is left a prey to any +nation, who has covetousness or power to oppress it. The Scriptures +say, that "Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that +proceedeth from the mouth of God;" and as they do not exist in this +way, another Scripture tells the story in plain terms, for it says, +"Where there is no vision the people perish." Proverbs xxix. 18. + +There is also another political party, who desire, through the +influence of legislation and coercion, to level the world. To say the +least, it is a species of robbery; to some it may appear an honorable +one, but, nevertheless, it is robbery. What right has any private man +to take by force the property of another? The laws of all nations would +punish such a man as a thief. Would thousands of men engaged in the +same business make it more honorable? Certainly not. And if a nation +were to do it, would a nation's act sanctify a wrong deed? No; the +Algerine pirates, or Arabian hordes, were never considered honorable, +on account of their numbers; and a nation, or nations, engaging in +this would only augment the banditti, but could never sanctify the +deed. I shall not, here, enter into the various manners of obtaining +wealth; but would merely state, that any unjust acquisition of it +ought to be punished by law. Wealth is generally the representation of +labour, industry, and talent. If one man is industrious, enterprising, +diligent, careful, and saves property, and his children follow in his +steps, and accumulate wealth; and another man is careless, prodigal, +and lazy, and his children inherit his poverty, I cannot conceive upon +what principles of justice, the children of the idle and profligate +have a right to put their hands into the pockets of those who are +diligent and careful, and rob them of their purse. Let this principle +exist, and all energy and enterprise would be crushed. Men would +be afraid of again accumulating, lest they should again be robbed. +Industry and talent would have no stimulant, and confusion and ruin +would inevitably follow. Again, if you took men's property without +their consent, the natural consequence would be that they would seek to +retake it the first opportunity; and this state of things would only +deluge the world in blood. So that let any of these measures be carried +out, even according to the most sanguine hopes of the parties, they +would not only bring distress upon others, but also upon themselves; +certainly they would not bring about the peace of the world. + +One thing more upon this subject, and I have done. In Europe, there +has been of late years a great mania for revolutions--a strong desire +to establish republican governments; but let me remark here, that the +form of government will not materially affect the position of the +people, nor add to the resources of a country. If a country is rich and +prosperous under a monarchy, it will be so under a republic, and _vice +versa_. If poor under one, it will be under another. If nations think +proper to change their form of government, they of course have a right +to do so; but to think that this will ameliorate their condition, and +produce happiness, is altogether a mistake. Happiness and peace are +the gifts of God, and come from Him. Every kind of government has its +good and evil properties. Rome was unhappy under a kingly government, +and also under a republican form. Carthage as a republic was no more +happy than many of its monarchial contemporaries; nor was Corinth, +Holland, or Venice; and republican Genoa has not manifested anything +very much in favor of these principles. France was unhappy under her +emperor, she was unhappy under her kings, and is unhappy as a republic. +America is perhaps some little exception to this; but the difference +lies not so much in her government, as in the extent of her country, +the richness of her soil, and abundance of her resources; for, as I +have already mentioned, "Lynch law" prevails to an alarming extent in +the south and west. In the state of New York, in the east, there are +mobs painted as Indians resisting the officers of the law, and doing it +with impunity; and it is a matter of doubt whether persons having paid +for property, shall own it, or be dispossessed by their tenants, not in +law, for the constitution and laws are good, but in practice defective, +through popular clamor and violence. I refer to the estates of Van +Ranseller and others; and, in the west, to Joseph and Hyrum Smith, who +were murdered in Carthage jail, without any redress, although their +murderers were known to the officers of state; and to the inhabitants +of a city, ten thousand in number, together with twenty thousand +others, principally farmers, labourers, and mechanics, occupying a +country about ten miles wide, and thirty long, most of which was +well cultivated and owned by the occupants,--who were all forced by +continual harassing by lawless mobs, to leave a country in which they +could not be protected, and seek an asylum in a far off desert home, +there being no power in the government to give redress. + +It is altogether an infatuation to think that a change in government +will mend the circumstances, or increase the resources, when the whole +world is groaning under corruption. If there are twenty men who have +twenty pounds of bread to divide amongst them, it matters but little +whether it is divided by three, ten, or the whole, it will not increase +the amount. I grant, however, that there are flagrant abuses, of which +we have mentioned some, associated with all kinds of governments, +and many things to be complained of justly; but they arise from the +wickedness of man, and the corrupt and artificial state of society. Do +away with one set of rulers, and you have only the same materials to +make another of; and if ever so honestly disposed, they are surrounded +with such a train of circumstances, over which they have no control, +that they cannot mend them. + +There is frequently much excitement on this subject; and many people +ignorant of these things, are led to suppose that their resources will +be increased, and their circumstances bettered; but when they find, +after much contention, struggling, and bloodshed, that it does not rain +bread, cheese, and clothing; that it is only a change of men, papers, +and parchment, chagrin and disappointment naturally follow. There is +much that is good, and much that is bad in all governments; and I am +not seeking here to portray a perfect government, but to show some of +the evils associated with them, and the utter incompetency of all the +plans of men to restore a perfect government; and as all their plans +have failed, so they will fail, for it is the work of God, and not of +man. The moral agency of man without God, has had its full development; +his weakness, wickedness, and corruption, have placed the world where +it is: he can see as in a glass his incompetency, and folly, and +nothing but the power of God can restore it. + +It is not to be wondered at, that those various plans should exist, for +the world is in a horrible situation. Jesus prophesied of it, and said, +there should be upon the earth "distress of nations, perplexity, men's +hearts failing them, for fear, and for looking after those things which +are coming upon the earth," Luke xxi. 25, 26. Men see these things, +and their hearts fear; confusion, disorder, misery, blood, and ruin, +seem to stare them in the face; and in the absence of something great, +noble, and magnificent, suited to the exigency of the case, they try +the foregoing remedies, as a sailor, in the absence of a boat, would +cling with tenacity to any floating piece of wreck, to save him from a +watery grave. + +Neither can men be blamed for trying to do good; it is certainly a +laudable object; and with all the selfishness, ambition, and pride, +associated with the foregoing, it must be admitted that there is much +uprightness, sincerity, and honest zeal. + +There are very many philanthropists who would gladly ameliorate the +condition of men, and of the world, if they knew how. But the means +employed are not commensurate with the end; every grade of society is +vitiated and corrupt. "The whole head is sick, and the whole heart +faint." Our systems, our policy, our legislation, our education, and +philosophy, are all wrong, neither can we be particularly blamed, for +these evils have been the growth of ages. Our fathers have left God, +his guidance, control, and support, and we have been left to ourselves; +and our present position is a manifest proof of our incompetency to +govern; and our past failures make it evident, that any future effort, +with the same means, would be as useless. The world is diseased, and it +requires a world's remedy. + + + +Chapter IV. +------------------ + +What Is Man? What Is His Destiny and Relationship to God? + +Having shewn in the foregoing chapters, that the rule of God is perfect +where he governs alone, that the rule of man is imperfect, and has +introduced confusion and misery, and that the plans of men are not +competent to restore the world to happiness, and the fulfilment of the +object for which it was created; it now devolves upon us to investigate +the way that this thing can, and will be accomplished; for there is +a time spoken of in the Scriptures, when there will be a reign of +righteousness. + +First, then, we will enquire who and what is man? and what is his +destiny, and what his relationship to God? For before we can define +government correctly, it will be necessary to find out the nature of +the being that has to be governed. + +What, then, is man? Is he a being temporal and earthly alone, and +when he dies, does he sink into forgetfulness? Is he annihilated? or +has he a spirit as well as a body? If the first be the case, he alone +has a right to regulate his own affairs, to frame his own government, +and to pursue that course which to him seems good; if not, the case +is different. I do not here wish to enter into a philosophical +disquisition on the subject, but, as I am writing at present to +believers in the Bible, I shall confine myself more to that. I will +state, that man is an eternal being, composed of body and spirit: his +spirit existed before he came here; his body exists with the spirit +in time, and after death the spirit exists without the body. In the +resurrection, both body and spirit will finally be reunited; and it +requires both body and spirit to make a perfect man, whether in time, +or eternity. + +I know there are those who suppose that the spirit of man comes into +existence with his body, and that intelligence and spirit are organized +with the body; but we read, that when God made man, he made him of the +dust of the earth; he made him in his own likeness. Man was then a +lifeless body; He afterwards "breathed into him the breath of life, and +man became a living soul." + +Before that spirit was given, he was dead, lifeless; and when that +spirit is taken away, he is again lifeless; and let not any one say +that the body is perfect without the spirit; for the moment the spirit +leaves the body, no matter how perfect its organization may be, the man +is inanimate, and destitute of intelligence and feeling: "it is the +spirit that gives life." Hence we find that when Jarius's daughter was +dead, his servant came and told him, saying, "Thy daughter is dead, +trouble not the master;" but when she was restored, it is said "her +spirit _came again_, and she arose straightway." Luke viii. 55. When +her spirit was absent, the body was dead; when it returned, the body +lived. "Moses spake unto the Lord, and said, let the Lord, the God of +_the spirits of all flesh_, set a man over the congregation." Num. +xxvii. 16. Again, the Lord in speaking to Jeremiah, said, "Before I +formed thee in the belly, I knew thee," i. 5. I would ask, What part +of Jeremiah did he know? It could not be his body, for it was not +in existence; but he knew his spirit, for "he was the father of his +spirit." The Lord speaks to Job and says, "Where wast thou when I laid +the foundations of the earth? declare if thou hast understanding, who +hath laid the measures thereof, if thou knowest? or who hath stretched +the line upon it. Whereupon are the foundations thereof fastened? +or who laid the corner stone thereof? when the morning stars sung +together, and all the sons of God shouted for joy?" xxxviii. 4, 6. +Again, John says, "They that dwell on the earth, shall wonder, whose +names were not written in the book of life from the foundation of the +world." Rev. xvii. 8. + +This spirit proceeds forth from God, and is eternal; hence Solomon +says, in speaking of death, "Then shall the dust return to the earth as +it was, and the spirit unto God who gave it." Eccles. xii. 7. That the +spirit is eternal, is very evident, from the Scriptures; Jesus prayed +to his father, and said, "O Father, glorify thou me, with thine own +self, with the glory which I had with thee _before the world was_." +John xvii. 5. Here Jesus speaks of an existence before he came here, +of a glory he had with his Father before the world was. Christ, then, +existed before he came here and took a body. Again Jesus says, "I have +manifested thy name unto the men which thou gavest me out of the world: +thine they were, and thou gavest them me." John xvii. 6. + +Let us see what the Apostle Paul says on the subject: "Blessed be the +God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all +spiritual blessings, in heavenly places, in Christ; according as he +hath chosen us in him, before the foundation of the world." Ephes. i, +3, 4. Christ, then, existed with his Father before the world was, and +the Saints existed in, or with him. What part? their bodies? no, their +spirits. Again, man exists after he leaves here. It is unnecessary to +say anything about the life of the spirit, after the death of the body, +or of the resurrection, as the subjects are so generally known and +believed. Paul says, "If in this life only, we have hope in Christ, we +are of all men most miserable. But now is Christ risen from the dead, +and become the first fruits of them that slept. For since by man came +death, by man came also the resurrection of the dead. ... The trumpet +shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall +be changed; for this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this +mortal must put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the +saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory." 1 Cor. xv. +19-21, 52-54. + +If man, then, is an eternal being, came from God, exists here for a +short time, and will return, it is necessary that he know something +about God, and his government. For he has to do with him not only in +time, but in eternity, and whatever man may be disposed to do, or +however he may vaunt himself of his own abilities, there are some +things he has no control over. He came into the world without his +agency, he will have to leave it, whether he desires it or not; and +he will also have to appear in another world. He is destined, if he +improves his opportunities, to higher and greater blessings and glory +than are associated with this earth in its present state: and hence +the necessity of the guidance of a superior power, and intelligence, +that he may not act the part of a fool here, and jeopardize his +eternal interests; but that his intelligence may be commensurate +with his position; that his actions here may have a bearing upon his +future destiny; that he may not sink into the slough of iniquity and +degradation, and contaminate himself with corruption; that he may +stand pure, virtuous, intelligent, and honourable, as a son of God, +and seek for, and be guided and governed by his Father's counsels. +Having said so much on this subject, we will continue our investigation +still further, and enquire next, What is our relationship to God? In +answering this, I would briefly remark, that the position that we stand +in to him, is that of a son. Adam is the father of our bodies, and God +is the father of our spirits. I know that some are in the habit of +looking upon God, as a monster only to be dreaded, known only in the +earthquake, the tempest, the thunder, and the storm, and that there +is something gloomy and dismal attached to his service. If there is, +it is the appendage of man, and not of God. Is there anything gloomy +in the works that God has made? Turn where we will, we see harmony, +loveliness, cheerfulness, and beauty. + +The blessings of providence were made for man, and his enjoyment; +he is placed as head of creation. For him the earth teems with the +richest profusion; the golden grain, the luscious fruit, the choicest +vines; for him, the herbs, and flowers, bedeck the earth, shed their +odoriferous perfumes, and display their gorgeous beauty; for him, the +proud horse yields his back, the cow gives her milk, and the bee its +honey; for him, the sheep yields its fleece, the cotton-tree its down, +and the worm its silk. For him, the shrub and vine bloom and blossom, +and nature clothes herself in her richest attire; the rippling stream, +the pure fountain, the crystal river flow for him, all nature spreads +her richest charms, and invites him to partake of her joyousness, +beauty, and innocence, and to worship her God. + +Talk about melancholy, in the fear of God, and in his service! It +is the corruption of the world, that has made men unhappy; and the +corruption of religion that has made it gloomy: these are the miseries +entailed by men, not the blessings of God. Talk about gloom! is there +gloom in the warbling of the birds, in the prancing of the horse, in +the playfulness of the lamb, or kid; in the beauty of flowers, in any +of Nature's gifts, or rich attire, or in God, that made them, or in his +service? + +There are others, again, who would place the Lord at an immense +distance, and render our approach to him almost impossible; but this +is a superstitious idea, for our Father listens to the cries of his +children, numbers the hairs of their heads; and the Scriptures say, +"a sparrow cannot fall to the ground, without his notice." He speaks +to his elect, and says, "He that toucheth you, toucheth the apple of +his eye." Zech. ii. 8. He is our Father; and hence the Scriptures tell +us to pray, "Our Father, who art in heaven." Paul says, "We have had +fathers of our flesh, which corrected us, and we gave them reverence; +shall we not much rather be in subjection unto the Father of spirits, +and live?" Heb. xii. 9. We have, then, both a temporal and a spiritual +Father; and hence his solicitude for our welfare, and his desire for +our happiness. Says Jesus, "If a son ask bread, will he for bread give +him a stone? or if he ask a fish, will he give him a serpent. If ye, +then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children, how +much more shall your Father which is in heaven, give good things to +them that ask him." + +What a delightful reflection for his servants, to draw nigh to their +Father, as to an endearing parent, and ask for blessings, as a son +would ask for bread, and be confident of receiving. Hence the faithful +in the Apostles' days received a spirit, whereby they could say, "Abba, +Father," or Father, Father. What an endearing relationship! and if the +world could comprehend, how gladly would they throw themselves upon +his guardianship, seek his wisdom and government, and claim a father's +benediction; but Satan has blinded the eyes of the world, and they know +not the things which make for their peace. + + + +Chapter V. +------------------ + +The Object of Man's Existence on the Earth; and His Relationship +Thereto. + +We next enquire, What is the object and design of man's existence +on the earth; and what is his relationship thereto? for all this +magnificent world, with its creation, life, beauty, symmetry, order, +and grandeur, could not be without design; and as God existed before +man, there must have been some object in man's creation, and in his +appearance on the earth. As I have before stated, man existed before +he came here, in a spiritual substance, but had not a body; when I +speak of a body, I mean an earthly one, for I consider the spirit is +substance, but more elastic, subtle, and refined than the fleshy body; +that in the union of the spirit and flesh, there is more perfection +than in the spirit alone. The body is not perfect without the spirit, +nor the spirit without the body; it takes the two to make a perfect +man, for the spirit requires a tabernacle, to give it power to develop +itself and to exalt it in the scale of intelligence, both in time +and eternity. One of the greatest curses inflicted on Satan and his +followers, when they were cast out of heaven, was, that they should +have no body. Hence, when he appeared before the Lord, and was asked +from whence he came, he answered, "From going to and fro in the +earth, and from walking up and down in it." Job i. 7, and ii. 2. For +this reason he is denominated "The Prince of the power of the air, +the Spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience." Ephes. +ii. 2. Hence he exerts an invisible agency over the spirits of men, +darkens their minds, and uses his infernal power to confound, corrupt, +destroy and envelope the world in confusion, misery, and distress; +and, although deprived personally of operating with a body, he uses +his influence over the spirits of those who have bodies, to resist +goodness, virtue, purity, intelligence, and the fear of God; and +consequently, the happiness of man; and poor erring humanity is made +the dupe of his wiles. The Apostle says, "The God of this world hath +blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the +glorious gospel of Christ who is the image of God, should shine unto +them." 2 Cor. iv. 4. But not content with the ravages he has made, the +spoliation, misery, and distress, not having a tabernacle of his own, +he has frequently sought to occupy that of man, in order that he might +yet possess greater power, and more fully accomplish the devastation. +We read, that in our Saviour's days, there were persons possessed +with devils, who were tormented by them; and Jesus and his disciples +cast them out. Mary Magdalene was dispossessed of seven. A legion had +entered one man, and when commanded to leave, rather than have no +bodies, they desired permission to enter those of swine, which they +did, and the swine were destroyed. Man's body to him, then, is of great +importance, and if he only knew and appreciated his privileges, he +might live above the temptation of Satan, the influence of corruption, +subdue his lusts, overcome the world, and triumph, and enjoy the +blessings of God, in time and in eternity. + +The object of man's taking a body is, that through the redemption of +Jesus Christ, both soul and body may be exalted in the eternal world, +when the earth shall be celestial, and to obtain a higher exaltation +than he would be capable of doing without a body. For when man was +first made, he was made "a little lower than the angels," Heb. ii. +7; but through the atonement and resurrection of Jesus Christ, he +is placed in a position to obtain an exaltation higher than that of +angels. Says the Apostle, "Know ye not that we shall judge angels?" 1 +Cor. vi. 3. "Jesus descended below all things, that he might be raised +above all things." He took upon him a body, that he might die as a man, +and "that through death, he might destroy him that had the power of +death, that is, the Devil." Heb. ii. 14. Having conquered Death, then, +in his own dominions, burst the barriers of the tomb, and ascended with +his body triumphant to the right hand of God, he has accomplished a +purpose which God had decreed from before the foundation of the world, +"and opened the kingdom of heaven to all believers." Hence man, through +obedience to the Gospel, is placed in a position to be an adopted son +of God, and have a legitimate right to his Father's blessings, and to +possess the gift of the Holy Ghost. And the Apostle says, that "If +the spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead, dwell in you, +he that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal +bodies by his Spirit that dwelleth in you." Rom. viii. 11. Thus, as +Jesus vanquished death, so may we; as he overcame, so may we; and, if +faithful, sit with him upon his throne, as he has overcome, and sat +down upon his Father's throne. Rev. iii. 21. Thus, man will not only +be raised from degradation, but will also be exalted to a seat among +the intelligences which surround the throne of God. This is one great +object of our coming here and taking bodies. + +Another object that we came here for, and took bodies, was to propagate +our species. For if it is for our benefit to come here, it is also for +the benefit of others. Hence the first commandment given to man was, +"Be fruitful and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it." +Gen. i. 28. And as man is an eternal being, and all his actions have a +relevancy to eternity, it is necessary that he understand his position +well, and thus fulfil the measure of his creation. For as he, and his +offspring are destined to live eternally, he is not only responsible +for his own acts, but in a great measure for those of his children, in +framing their minds, regulating their morals, setting them a correct +example, and teaching them correct principles; but more especially +in preserving the _purity_ of his own body. And why? Because, if he +abuses his body, and corrupts himself, he not only injures himself, but +his partner and associates, and entails misery incalculable upon his +posterity, who are doomed to inherit the father's misery; and this is +not only associated with time, but with eternity. Hence the Lord has +given laws regulating marriage and chastity of the strictest kind, and +entailed the severest punishment upon those, who, in different ages +have abused this sacred ordinance. For example, the curse of Sodom and +Gomorrah: and the terrible judgements pronounced against those who +should corrupt and defile their bodies, let any one read Deut. xxii. +13-30. And Paul says, "Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and +that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you? If any man defile the temple +of God, him shall God destroy." 1 Cor. iii. 16, 17. Whoremongers and +adulterers shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven. 1 Cor. vi. 9, +10; and Heb. xiii. 4. And why? Because man being made a free agent over +his own body, that he might exalt himself and posterity, both in time +and in eternity, if he abuses that power, he not only affects himself, +but unborn bodies and spirits, corrupting the world, and opening the +flood gates of vice, immorality, and estrangement from God. Hence the +children of Israel were told not to marry with the surrounding nations, +lest their seed should be corrupted, and the people turned to idolatry, +which would lead to the forgetfulness of God, to an ignorance of his +purposes and designs, and cause them to lose sight of the object of +their creation, and corrupt themselves; and to the introduction of +every other evil, as a natural consequence. But where the order of God +is carried out, it places things in a lovely position. + +What is more amiable and pleasant than those pure, innocent, endearing +affections which God has placed in the hearts of the man and woman, who +are united together in lawful matrimony? With a love and confidence +pure as the love of God, because it springs from him, and is his gift; +with bodies chaste, and virtuous; and an offspring, lovely, healthy, +innocent, and uncontaminated; confiding in each other, they live +together in the fear of God, enjoying nature's gifts uncorrupted and +undefiled as the driven snow, or the crystal stream. But how would this +enjoyment be enhanced, if they understood their destiny; could unravel +the designs of God, and contemplate an eternal union, in another state +of existence; a connexion with their offspring, commenced here to +endure for ever, and all their ties, relationships, and affections +strengthened! A mother feels great delight in beholding her child, +and gazing on its lovely infant form. How would her bosom swell with +ecstacy at the contemplation of that child being with her for ever! +And if we only understood our position, this was the object for which +we came into the world. And the object of the kingdom of God is, to +re-establish all those holy principles. + +Chastity and purity are things of the greatest importance to the +world. Hence the Prophet says, "Because the Lord hath been witness +between thee and the wife of thy youth, against whom thou hast dealt +treacherously; yet is she thy companion, and the wife of thy covenant. +And did not he make one? Yet had he the residue of the Spirit. And +wherefore one? that he might _seek a godly seed_. Therefore take heed +to your spirit, and let none deal treacherously against the wife of his +youth." Mal. ii. 14, 15. Here, then, the object of purity is pointed +out clearly; and what is it? that God might preserve a godly seed. St. +Paul says, "What? know ye not that he who is joined to an harlot is +one body? for two, saith he, shall be one flesh.... Flee fornication. +Every sin that a man doeth is without the body; but he that committeth +fornication, sinneth against his own body. What? know ye not that your +body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have +of God, and ye are not your own." 1 Cor. vi. 16-20. And in the next +chapter he speaks of the same things which Malachi does concerning a +pure seed. "For the unbelieving husband is sanctified by the wife, +and the unbelieving wife is sanctified by the husband, else were your +children unclean; _but now are they holy_." + +The legislators of all civilized nations have seen the necessity of +sustaining these things, and consequently have passed, generally, +very rigid laws for the protection of female virtue, and the support +of the marriage contract. Hence Acts have been passed and enforced, +disinheriting those who were not born in wedlock. This, in some +instances, has produced a salutary effect. Ministers of the various +churches have also used their influence, in a great measure, in support +of virtuous principles. These have had their effect in assisting to +stem the torrent of iniquity. But as the nations themselves have +forsaken God, how can they expect to stop this crying evil; for the +very legislators who pass these laws are in many instances guilty +themselves; and when kings, princes, and rulers, corrupt themselves, +how can they expect the people to be pure? for no matter how rigid +law may be, corrupt persons will always find means to evade it. And, +indeed, so far have these abominations gone, that it seems to be an +admitted fact, that these things cannot be controlled; and, although +there are laws relative to matrimonial alliances, yet there are some +nations, called Christian, who actually give licence for prostitution, +and all the degradation and misery associated with it. Nor are these +things connected with the lower ranks of life only; wantonness and +voluptuousness go hand in hand, and revel unchecked in courts, among +the nobles and kings of the earth. The statesman, the politician, +and the merchant, the mechanic and the labourer, have all corrupted +themselves. The world is full of adultery, intrigues, fornication, +and abominations. Let any one go to the masked balls in the principal +theatres in Paris, and he will see thousands of people of both sexes, +impudently, shamelessly, and unblushingly, manifesting their lewd +dispositions. Indeed, debauch and wantonness bear full sway, not +to speak of the dens of abomination that exist elsewhere. London +abounds with unfortunate beings, led on by example, seduction, and +misery, to their fallen, degraded condition. The same thing exists +throughout England, France, the United States, and all nations. Hence +millions of youth corrupt themselves, engender the most loathsome +diseases, and curse their posterity with their sin, who, in their +turn, rise up and tread in the corrupt steps of their fathers. Not +to say anything of the thousands of lovely beings whom God designed +for companions of man in time and in eternity, and for raising up +a pure offspring, who are corrupted, degraded, polluted, fallen, +poor, miserable wretches; outcasts of society, insulted, oppressed, +despised, and abused; dragging out a miserable existence; led on from +one degree of degradation to another, till death, as a friend, closes +their wretched career, and yet without hope. Thus, man that was made +pure, in the image of his Maker, that could stand proudly erect as the +representative of God, pure, and uncontaminated, is debased, fallen, +corrupt, diseased, and sunk below the brute creation; a creature of +lust and passion, and a slave to his unbridled appetites. I write +plainly on this subject; and I do it because it is a curse to the +world, and God will have a reckoning with the nations for these +things. In vain, then, men legislate on these matters: the nations +have corrupted themselves, and these things are beyond their control. +Men must be governed by higher, and purer motives than merely human +enactments. If the world understood its true position, and the eternal +consequences to them and their seed, they would feel different. They +would feel that they were eternal beings; that they were responsible +to God, both for their bodies and spirits. Nothing but a knowledge of +man's fall and true position, and the development of the kingdom of +God, can restore him to his proper state, restore the order and economy +of God, and place man again in his natural position on the earth. + +Having spoken of man as an eternal being, we will now examine what +relation he has to this earth; for it is the government of God that we +wish to keep our minds upon. This earth is man's eternal inheritance, +where he will exist after the resurrection, for it is destined to be +purified and become celestial. I know that this position is considered +strange by many, because it is generally supposed that we are going to +heaven; that heaven is the final destination of the righteous; and that +when we leave this world, we never return. Hence Wesley says-- + + "Beyond the bounds of time and space, + Look forward to that heavenly place, + The Saints' secure abode;" + +and this is an opinion generally believed by the Christian world. + +We shall therefore commence by enquiring, Where is heaven? Can any one +point out its location? I would remark, that it is a word of almost +unlimited signification; nevertheless we will investigate the matter +a little. We read, that in the beginning "God created the heavens and +the earth;" and furthermore, that he called the "firmament heaven." +From the above we learn, that the heavens were created by the Lord, +and that the heavens were created at, or about the same time as the +earth, and that the firmament is called heaven. We are further told +concerning the firmament, that "God separated the waters that were +below the firmament, from those that were above the firmament." Hence, +when God destroyed the world with a flood, "He opened the windows of +heaven;" when the rain ceased, he "shut the windows of heaven." Now, +a word on this firmament; Where is it? "And God said, Let the waters +bring forth abundantly the moving creature that hath life, and fowl +that may fly above the earth in the open firmament of heaven." We find +out, then, from the foregoing, that the firmament is called heaven, +viz., the heaven associated with this earth; and that the firmament is +the place where the birds fly, and the rain falls from heaven; and the +scriptures say, that Jesus will come in the clouds of heaven. Matt. +xxiv. 30. Mark xiii. 26. But there are other heavens: for God created +this heaven, and this earth; and his throne existed before this world +rolled into existence, or the morning stars sang together for joy; for +"Heaven is God's throne, and the earth is his footstool." Solomon says, +"The heaven of heavens cannot contain thee." This heaven is veiled from +mortal vision; spirits abound, but we cannot see them; and angels hover +there, but to us are invisible, and can only be known or seen by the +revelation of God. Hence Paul says, he "was caught up into the _third_ +heaven." Stephen "saw the heavens opened, and Jesus sitting on the +right hand of God." Where this revelation exists, there exists without +the removal of the body a perfect knowledge of things as they are known +to God, so far as they are revealed. Thus, when John was on the Isle +of Patmos, he says, "I was in the spirit on the Lord's day, and heard +behind me a great voice, as of a trumpet, Saying, I am Alpha and Omega, +the first and the last, and What thou seest write in a book." Rev. +i. 10, 11. Then commenced the revelation. It was the same also with +Stephen. From this we gather, that there is a veil that obscures the +heavens from our sight; but when that veil is removed, and our vision +is enlightened by the spirit of God, then we can gaze upon the glories +of the eternal world, and heaven is opened for our view. + +When persons are taken from the earth, and hid from our view, it is +said they are gone to heaven. Hence it is said, that Elijah went by a +whirlwind into heaven, 2 Kings ii. 11. And it is also said of Jesus +that "while he blessed them he was parted from them, and carried up +into heaven." Luke xxiv. 51. But it is the destination of the Saints +that we have to do with; and on this I would remark, that there are +many glories, and man will be judged according to his deeds. "There is +one glory of the sun, and another glory of the moon, and another glory +of the stars; for as one star differeth from another star in glory, so +also is the resurrection." 2 Cor. xv. 41, 42. + +It would not comport with my object at the present time to enter into +the whole of the details of this subject. I would briefly remark, +however, inasmuch as I am now talking of man's body, that there is a +place called "Paradise," to which the spirits of the dead go, awaiting +the resurrection, and their reunion with the body. This was an old +doctrine of the Jews. Paul, too, "was caught up into paradise and heard +unspeakable words." 2 Cor. xii. 4. John says, "to him that overcometh +will I grant to eat of the tree of life, which is in the midst of the +paradise of God." Rev. ii. 7. This Paradise, however, is not the place +for resurrected bodies, but for departed spirits: for Jesus said to the +thief on the cross, "To day shalt thou be with me in Paradise." Luke +xxiii. 43. Two days after this, and after the resurrection of his body, +Mary was looking for the Lord, and he appeared to her: he said to her +"Touch me not, for I am not yet ascended to my Father; but go to my +brethren, and say unto them, I ascend unto my Father and your Father; +and to my God, and your God." John xx. 17. We learn here, then, that +Jesus went to Paradise, with the thief on the cross, in spirit; but +that he had not been with his body to his Father. + +We will now speak of heaven, as a place of reward for the righteous. +Daniel, in speaking of the resurrection, says, "Many of them that sleep +in the dust of the earth shall awake; some to everlasting life, and +some to shame and everlasting contempt." Dan. xii. 2. Jesus says, those +who have forsaken all and followed him, "shall inherit everlasting +life" Matt. xix. 29. + +There is also a Book of Life spoken of. Paul speaks of some whose +names were written therein. Phil. iv. 3. John also refers to the same +things: he says "He that overcometh, the same shall be clothed in white +raiment; and I will not blot out his name out of the Book of Life." +Rev. iii. 5. Again, John, in speaking of the New Jerusalem, says, There +shall not enter into it anything that worketh abomination, or maketh a +lie; but they which are written in the Lamb's Book of Life. Rev. xxi. +27. From this it would appear, that those who obey all the commandments +of God, and have their names written in the Lamb's Book of Life, shall +finally enter into the New Jerusalem. Jesus again says, "To him that +overcometh will I grant to sit with me in my throne, even as I also +overcame, and am sat down with my Father in his throne." Rev. iii. 21. +This, then, is the heaven, as far as I can conceive, that people expect +to go to. + +We will now try to find out its location. Above we have noticed that +the saints are to have everlasting life, that they are to be with +Jesus, and also in the New Jerusalem. We have now to enquire, Where +Jesus's kingdom will be, and Where will be the place of the New +Jerusalem. Daniel says, "I saw in the night visions, and behold one +like the son of man came with the clouds of heaven, and came to the +Ancient of Days, and they brought him near before him. And there was +given him dominion, and glory, and a kingdom, that all people, nations, +and languages, should serve him: his dominion is an everlasting +dominion, which shall not pass away, and his kingdom that which shall +not be destroyed." Dan. vii. 13, 14. Here, then, we find Jesus coming +to establish a kingdom. Where is that kingdom? The Scriptures say, that +all nations, languages, and tongues shall serve and obey him. Where +do those nations, languages, and tongues exist? The answer is, on the +earth. We will next enquire, Where the saints will be. Daniel says, +in the 27th verse, "And the kingdom, and dominion, and the greatness +of the kingdom under the _whole heaven_ shall be given to the people +of the saints of the Most High." Here, then, we find Jesus reigning +under the whole heaven with his saints, and all nations, dominions, and +powers, serving him. I noticed above, that those who overcame would be +with Jesus, and with him have everlasting life. Zechariah speaks of a +time when there will be a great assemblage of people against Jerusalem; +after God's ancient people, the Jews, shall have been gathered there, +and the Lord himself shall come forth to their defence. He says, "Then +shall the Lord go forth, and fight against those nations, as when he +fought in the day of battle. And his feet shall stand in that day upon +the Mount of Olives, which is before Jerusalem on the east; and the +Mount of Olives shall cleave in the midst thereof, toward the east and +toward the west, and there shall be a very great valley; and half of +the mountain shall remove toward the north, and half of it toward the +south. And ye shall flee to the valley of the mountains; for the valley +of the mountains shall reach unto Azal; yea, ye shall flee, like as ye +fled from before the earthquake in the days of Uzziah, king of Judah: +and the Lord my God shall come and all the saints with thee. And the +Lord shall be king _over all the earth_: in that day there shall be one +Lord, and his name one." xiv. 3, 4, 5, 9. Here we find that Jesus is to +come, and _all his saints_ are to come with him. And that the Lord is +to be King over _all the earth_. The question again arises, Where will +Jesus reign with his saints? the answer is, _upon the earth_. Again, +we will refer to the revelations of John. He says, "I saw the souls of +them that were beheaded for the witness of Jesus and for the word of +God .... and they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years," Rev. +xx. 4. And if we wish to know Where they will reign, we will again let +John speak: "For thou wast slain, and hast redeemed us to God by thy +blood, out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation. And +hast made us unto our God kings and priests, and we shall reign _on +the earth_." Rev. v. 9, 10. It is not necessary to quote more on this +subject; it is so plain that he that runs may read. I know that there +are those who will tell us that this is not the final destination of +the saints. I would here remark, that a great many events will take +place in regard to the renovation of the earth, which it would be +foreign to my subject at the present time to detail. I would state, +however, that when the earth shall have become pure, if people suppose +that they will then inhabit a heaven, not on the earth, they are +mistaken; for if we have the good fortune to have our names written in +the Lamb's Book of Life, and to enter into the New Jerusalem, we shall +in that very New Jerusalem have to descend to the earth. Methinks I +hear persons saying, What! shall we not, then, stay in heaven? Yes--in +heaven; but that heaven will be on the earth; for John says, "And I saw +a new heaven and a new earth; for the first heaven and the first earth +were past away (purified by fire and become celestial), and there was +no more sea. And I John saw the holy city, New Jerusalem, coming down +from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. +And I heard a great voice out of heaven, saying, Behold the tabernacle +of God is with men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his +people, and God himself shall be with them, and be their God. And God +shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more +death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more +pain; for the former things are passed away." Rev. xxi. 1-4. Here, +then, we find man's final dwelling place is the earth; and for this +purpose it was first created, and it never will fulfil the measure of +its creation until this shall take place. Nor will man ever attain to +the end for which he was created, till his spirit and his body are +purified, and he takes his proper position on the earth. + +The prophets of God, in every age, have looked forward to this time; +and while many considered them to be fools, they were laying for +themselves an eternal foundation: they looked with scorn upon the gaudy +baubles that fascinated foolish and corrupt man: they could not yield +to his chicanery and deception; but with the fear of God before their +eyes, and a knowledge of the future, they stood proudly erect, in a +consciousness of their innocence and integrity; despised alike the +praise and powers of men, endured afflictions, privations, and death; +wandered in sheep skins and goat skins, destitute, tormented, and +afflicted, for "they looked for a city which hath foundations, whose +builder and maker is God." Heb. xi. 10. Hence Job says, "I know that +my Redeemer liveth, and that he shall stand at the latter day _upon +the earth_; and though after my skin worms destroy this body, yet in +my flesh shall I see God." xix, 25, 26. Man naturally clings to this +earth; there seems to be something inherent in his nature that draws +and binds his affections to the earth; hence he strives all that lays +in his power to possess as much land as he can reasonably obtain; and +not always honestly, but wars have been waged for the acquisition of +territory, and the possessions of the earth. But what avails it all +without God! So far from benefiting man, it is an injury, if obtained +by fraud; for he has got to pass that test which none can avoid. And +if circumstances here give him the power over his brother, when he +leaves this world and appears before God, he goes to be judged for that +very act of oppression; and the thing that he so anxiously desired to +obtain in this world is his curse in the next. An honourable desire for +property is not wrong; but no man can have a lasting claim unless it is +given him of God. Lands, properties, possessions, and the blessings of +this life, are of use only as they are sanctified, and have a bearing +on the world to come. There have been hereditary laws established in +England, and I believe in other countries, securing landed possessions +to the eldest son, or heir. This has originated from the above feeling; +and partly from the customs of the ancient Israelites, as recorded in +the Scriptures; and families through this means seek to perpetuate +their names. They may do this for a season; but if man rightly +understood his true position, he would have a brighter object in view. +The Scriptures tell us, "that every good and perfect gift comes from +God;" that a man can receive nothing but what is given him from above. +Men have conquered, and taken, bought and sold, the earth without God. +But their possessions will perish with them; they may perpetuate them +by law for a season to their descendants, but the Saints of God will +finally inherit the earth for ever, in time, and in eternity. Abraham +held his possessions on a very different footing from the above. The +Lord appeared unto him, and made a covenant with him, and said, "And +I will give unto thee, and to thy seed after thee, the land wherein +thou art a stranger. All the land of Canaan for an _everlasting +possession_." Gen. xvii. 8. This covenant was an eternal one; yet +Abraham did not possess the land, for Stephen says, "he gave him none +inheritance in it, no, not so much as to set his foot on." Acts vii. +5. And Paul says, "By faith Abraham, when he was called to go out into +a place which he should after receive for an inheritance, obeyed; and +he went out, not knowing whither he went. By faith he sojourned in the +land of promise, as in a strange country, dwelling in tabernacles with +Isaac and Jacob, the heirs with him of the same promise; for he looked +for a city which hath foundations, whose builder and maker is God." +Heb. xi. 8-10. Here, then, we find land given to Abraham by promise, +a land that he did not possess; but he will do so, "for he looked for +a city which hath foundations, whose builder and maker is God." He +looked forward to the redemption of his seed, the establishment of the +kingdom of God, and the inheritance of those blessings eternally. If +any one doubts this, let them read the xxxi. chapter of Jeremiah, and +the xxxvi. to xxxix. chapters of Ezekiel; wherein it is stated that +Israel is to be gathered to their own land, that it is to become as +the Garden of Eden, and to be no more desolate. Ezekiel speaks of the +resurrection of the dead, and the coming together of the bones, flesh, +sinews, and skin, of a living army; of the uniting of the nations of +Judah, and Israel, in one; and in consequence of the great development +of the powers of God, the heathen would be filled with astonishment; +and finally, that God's tabernacle should be planted in their midst +for evermore. Then let them read from the xlvii. to the last chapter +of Ezekiel; and they will find an account, not only of the restoration +of the Jews, and ten tribes, but that the land is actually divided +to them by inheritance, in their different tribes, according to the +promise made thousands of years before to Abraham. In the 13th and 14th +verses of the xlvii. chapter, he refers to this, and says, "Thus saith +the Lord God, This shall be the border whereby ye shall inherit the +land according to the twelve tribes of Israel: Joseph shall have two +portions. And ye shall inherit it, one as well as another; concerning +the which _I lifted up mine hand to give it unto your fathers_; and +this land shall fall unto you for an inheritance." Thus we find that +the promise unto Abraham concerning territory will be literally +fulfilled. Again, I would refer my readers to the fourteenth chapter +of Zechariah. I would then turn their attention to the sealing of the +twelve tribes mentioned in the seventh chapter of Revelations, where +there are twelve thousand out of every tribe sealed; and then ask, +Where are these to reign? The answer is, _on the earth_; together with +those who have "washed their robes, and made them white in the blood of +the Lamb, out of every nation, and kindred, and people, and tongue." +Jesus says, "Abraham saw my day and was glad." What! was he glad to +see his people scattered, dispersed, and peeled; Jerusalem trodden +under foot, the Jewish nation, temple, and polity destroyed, and his +seed cursed upon the face of the earth; or was it the second coming +of Jesus, when they would be restored, Satan bound, the promises made +to him, and to his seed fulfilled, and misery and sorrow done away; +for according to the testimony of Paul, "all Israel shall be saved." +Abraham's views concerning land and possessions were not the same as +those entertained by men in our day; they were not only temporal, but +eternal; and if the world was under the guidance of the same God as +Abraham, they would be governed by the same principle; and anything +short of this is transient, temporary, short lived, and does not +accomplish the purpose of man's creation. + +I cannot conclude this subject better than by giving a quotation from +P. P. Pratt's "Voice of Warning." "By this time we begin to understand +the words of the Saviour, 'Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit +the earth.' And also the song which John heard in heaven, which ended +thus: 'We shall reign on the Earth.' Reader, do not be startled: +suppose you were to be caught up into heaven, there to stand with the +redeemed of every nation, kindred, tongue, and people, and join them +in singing, and to your astonishment, all heaven is filled with joy, +while they tune the immortal lyre, in joyful anticipation of one day +reigning on the earth; a planet now under the dominion of Satan, the +abode of wretchedness and misery, from which your glad spirit had taken +its flight, and as you supposed, an everlasting farewell. You might +perhaps be startled for a moment, and enquire within yourself, Why +have I never heard this theme sung among the churches on earth? Well, +my friend, the answer would be, because you lived in a day when people +did not understand the Scriptures. Abraham would tell you--you should +have read the promise of God to him, Gen. xvii. 8, where God not only +promised the land of Canaan to his seed for an everlasting possession, +but also to him. Then you should have read the testimony of Stephen, +Acts vii. 5, by which you would have ascertained that Abraham never had +inherited the things promised, but was still expecting to rise from +the dead, and be brought into the land of Canaan to inherit them. Yes, +says Ezekiel, if you had read the xxxvii. chapter of my Prophecies, +you would have found a positive promise that God would open the graves +of the whole house of Israel, who were dead, and gather up their dry +bones, and put them together, each to its own proper place, and even +clothe them again with flesh, sinews, and skin, and put his spirit in +them, and they should live; and then, instead of being caught up to +heaven, they should be brought into the land of Canaan, which the Lord +gave them, and they should inherit it. But, still astonished, you might +turn to Job; and he, surprised to find one unacquainted with so plain +a subject, would exclaim, did you never read my xix. chapter, from the +23rd to the 27th verses, where I declare, I wish my words were printed +in a book, saying, that my Redeemer would stand on the earth in the +latter day, and that I should see him in the flesh, for myself, and not +another; though worms should destroy this body! Even David, the sweet +singer of Israel, would call to your mind his xxxvii. Psalm, where he +repeatedly declares that the meek shall inherit the earth for ever, +after the wicked are cut off from the face thereof. And last of all, to +set the matter for ever at rest, the voice of the Saviour would mildly +fall upon your ear in his Sermon on the Mount, declaring emphatically, +'Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth.' To these +things you would answer, I have read these passages, to be sure; but +was always taught to believe that they did not mean so, therefore I +never understood them until now. Let me go and tell the people what +wonders have opened to my view, since my arrival in heaven, merely +from having heard one short song. It is true, I have heard much of the +glories of heaven described, while on earth, but never once thought of +their rejoicing in anticipation of returning to the earth. Says the +Saviour, 'They have Moses and the Prophets; if they will not believe +them, neither would they believe, although one should rise from the +dead.'"[A] + +[Footnote A: Pp. 48-50. Seventh Edition; Liverpool: F. D. Richards. +This is an excellent work, and well worthy of any one's perusal.--J. T.] + + + +Chapter VI. +------------------ + +Man's Accountability to God. + +This is a subject which it may be necessary for us to inquire into, in +order that we may find out how far man is responsible. For if man be +not a moral agent, he cannot be responsible for the present position of +the world; and it would be unjust in God to punish him for acts that +were not his, and for circumstances over which he had no control. + +By a careful examination of the Scriptures, we shall find that man has +had certain powers vested in his hands, which he holds subject to the +control and guidance of the Lord; and that if he has acted without +the counsel, guidance, or instruction of God, he has gone beyond the +limits assigned him by the Lord, and is as much culpable as a minister +plenipotentiary of any nation would be who should exceed the limits of +his instructions; or a man holding a farm, or vineyard, by a certain +lease, if he should disregard the conditions of that lease, and destroy +the farm, or vineyard; for the earth is the Lord's, and man was put +on it by the Lord. It is not man's possession, only as he holds it +from God. Man's body was given him by God, and also his spirit, for +the purpose heretofore mentioned. God had his object in view in the +creation of the world and of man (which it is not necessary here to +investigate); and if man is placed as an agent to act for the Lord, and +also for himself, and then should neglect the Lord, he would certainly +be held responsible to his Creator. That God had an object in view in +regard to the creation of the world, is evident. Or, why was there a +consultation in heaven about it? Why the beautiful regulation of sun, +moon, and stars? Why the provision made for the redemption of man +before he came here? For Christ was "the Lamb slain from before the +foundation of the world." Why the arrangement of the resurrection? +the New Jerusalem, and the reign of Jesus on the earth? Will any one +say that all these things were done, and all nature organized in its +present beauty, and order, without a design? It would be preposterous. +If God has a design in those things, and man by his wilfulness, +wickedness, corruption, and rebellion, should thwart the design of God, +and yield himself to another influence, even that of Satan, will he not +be held responsible? And whether God has a particular design or not, +does not affect the question particularly; for the earth is the Lord's, +and man also, and God has a perfect right to dictate what laws he +pleases. That the Lord looks upon the world in this manner is evident +from the words of our Saviour. "There was a certain householder which +planted a vineyard, and hedged it round about, and digged a wine-press +in it, and built a tower, and let it out to husbandmen, and went into +a far country. And when the time of the fruit drew near, he sent his +servants to the husbandmen, that they might receive the fruits of it. +And the husbandmen took his servants, and beat one, and killed another, +and stoned another. Again, he sent other servants more than the first; +and they did unto them likewise. But last of all he sent unto them his +son, saying, They will reverence my son. But when the husbandmen saw +the son, they said among themselves, This is the heir; come, let us +kill him, and let us seize on his inheritance. And they caught him, and +cast him out of the vineyard, and slew him. When the Lord, therefore, +of the vineyard cometh, what will he do unto those husbandmen? They say +unto him, He will miserably destroy those wicked men, and will let out +his vineyard unto other husbandmen, which shall render him the fruits +in their seasons. Jesus saith unto them, Did ye never read in the +Scriptures, The stone which the builders rejected, the same is become +the head of the corner: this is the Lord's doing, and it is marvellous +in our eyes? Therefore say I unto you, The kingdom of God shall be +taken from you, and given to a nation bringing forth the fruits +thereof. And whosoever shall fall on this stone shall be broken; but +on whomsoever it shall fall, it will grind him to powder." Matt. xxi. +33-44. Here, then, the thing is clearly developd: man's agency; the +abuse of that agency; the punishment inflicted for that abuse, together +with the awful consequences of resistance to the proper authority. "On +whomsoever it shall fall, it shall grind him to powder." God never +gave man unlimited control of the affairs of this world; but always +speaks of man as being under his guidance, inhabiting his territory, +and responsible to him for his acts. The world is His vineyard, and +man is the agent. Hence, when God made man, "God blessed him, and God +said unto him, Be fruitful and multiply, and replenish the earth, and +subdue it: and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the +fowl of the air, and every living thing that moveth upon the earth." +This, then, was man's dominion, _given him by the Lord_. And the word +continues: "_And God gave them_ every herb bearing seed, and every tree +in which is the fruit of a tree." These things were given by God; but +to show his power, and his right to be obeyed, and in order to test +man, he forbid his eating of a certain tree; and when he did eat of it, +and thus broke the commandment of God, he thrust him out of the garden, +and decreed that he "should eat his bread by the sweat of his brow." + +Again, God demanded worship and sacrifices, and when Cain and Abel +offered them, he received one and rejected the other; and further, when +Cain was wroth on account of his sacrifice not being accepted, the Lord +said to him, "Why art thou wroth? and why is thy countenance fallen? +If thou doest well, shalt thou not be accepted? and if thou doest not +well, sin lieth at the door." Gen. iv. 5-7. After the destruction of +the world, which was in consequence of the people sinning against God, +he blessed Noah, and spake to him, and gave him the same dominion +which had been given before to Adam; and Noah offered sacrifices to +him. The same recognition of the Almighty's power and authority was +manifested by Abraham, Moses, the Children of Israel, and the Prophets; +by Jesus also, and the primitive Christians. Man was left as a free +agent with power to act, and vested with certain powers by his Father, +and responsible to him for his acts, as a son, servant, or agent +would be to his father, master, or employer. Perhaps it would be more +correctly conveyed thus:--a man lets or rents a vineyard or farm, the +man occupying it has a certain agency and discretionary power vested +in his hands, but always subject to certain conditions imposed by the +owner of the property. Hence God made a covenant with Noah, Abraham, +the Children of Israel, and the primitive saints. The making of a +covenant naturally implies two parties: in such cases, God is one, +the people the other. If the people fulfil their covenant, the Lord +is bound to fulfil his; but if man transgresses then the Lord is not +bound to fulfil his engagement. For instance, in speaking to ancient +Israel, he said, "And it shall come to pass if thou shalt hearken +diligently unto the voice of the Lord thy God, to observe and to do all +the commandments which I command thee this day, that the Lord thy God +will set thee on high above all nations of the earth." Deut. xxviii. +1. He then describes what those blessings are; and further states, +that if they do not observe his statutes they shall be cursed. The +Lord set before them blessings and cursings; blessings if they obeyed, +but cursings if they disobeyed. Man, then, acts as a moral agent, to +improve upon the blessings which God puts within his power, or not, as +he pleases; and it is the abuse of this moral agency, which has filled +the world with misery and distress.[A] + +[Footnote A: This part of the subject is fully explained in the remarks +on the Government of Man, chap. ii.] + +Man has lost sight of the object of his creation, and his future +destiny; and losing sight of his origin, his relationship to God, +and his future destiny, he has fallen into the mazes of ignorance, +superstition, and iniquity, and is groping in the dark, and knows +not how to conduct himself in this world, or how to prepare for the +world to come. For, instead of being governed by the Spirit, Wisdom, +and Revelations of God, he is governed by the spirit of the Evil One, +"the god of this world, who rules in the hearts of the children of +disobedience." They have left God, and submitted themselves to his evil +sway, and used that agency which God has given to them, not only in +rejecting God, but in obeying Satan; and furthering his designs, which +are in opposition to those of God, the happiness of mankind, and the +salvation of the world. I know there are many who will ridicule this +idea but it is a thing which is plain in the Scriptures. The Apostle +Paul says, "The god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which +believe not, lest the light of the glorious Gospel of Christ, who is +the image of God, should shine unto them." 2 Cor. iv. 4. And if any man +thinks he is wise, he has his moral agency and the world before him; +and if he can improve the situation of the world without God, he has +ample opportunity to display his intelligence. + +I would remark, further, that so far from Satan not exercising this +power over man, he exercises it to such an extent, and he possesses +such an unbounded influence over the human family, that God's purposes +relative to man, and the earth, never can be carried out until Satan +is bound, and cast into the bottomless pit. John says, "And I saw an +angel come down from heaven, having the key of the bottomless pit, and +a great chain in his hand. And he laid hold on the Dragon, that old +serpent, which is the Devil, and Satan, and bound him a thousand years, +and cast him into the bottomless pit, and shut him up, and set a seal +upon him, that he should deceive the nations no more, till the thousand +years should be fulfilled." Rev. xx. 1-3. Here, then, he is described +as _deceiving the nations_, and his power is curtailed for a season, +that he shall not possess it. It is a difficult thing to persuade men +that they are deceived; because that very power that deceives them, +inflates the mind with self-sufficiency and assurance: but who, that +looks abroad in the world, and sees the confusion, distress, and misery +that abound, will say that man has acted wisely? + +Man, then, is a moral agent, possessing the power to do good or to do +evil; if he does well, he fulfils the measure of his creation, and +secures his happiness in time and in eternity. If he does not well, +and is involved in difficulties and misery, it is his own fault, and +he may blame himself. There are many circumstances over which man +individually has no control; but I am speaking more particularly of +nations and the world, and man's moral agency associated with them: +concerning individuals, the Lord will make his own arrangements. +The Jews are cursed nationally, on account of their fathers' +transgression, and cannot remove that curse, as a nation, until the +time come. As individuals they can receive the Gospel as well as +others. Their fathers committed grievous national offences against +God for some length of time, and finally filled up the measure of +their iniquity, in rejecting, and crucifying the Son of God. If +they killed the prophets, and stoned those whom God sent, how could +he treat with them? He could act no other way consistently than to +"destroy those husbandmen, and give the vineyard to others." For if +God be the proprietor of the vineyard, and has a right to confer +national blessings for obedience, he has also a right to visit them +with national curses for disobedience. A nation rejecting God and +his ordinances, and killing his prophets, and still professing to +be his people, act hypocritically, and impose a great curse upon +posterity. And if men will not acknowledge God, how can they expect +him to acknowledge and bless them? Again. There are heathen nations +enveloped in idolatry; and if millions of people came into the world +in those places surrounded with idolatry and superstition, it would +be unjust for them to be punished for what they did not know. Hence, +if they have no law, they will be judged without law; and God in his +own wisdom will regulate their affairs, for it is their misfortune, +not their individual offence, that has placed them in their present +position. If, however, we could trace their history, we should find, +as with the Israelites, so with them. Their present darkness and +misery originated in a departure from God; and as their fathers did +not desire to retain God in their knowledge, he gave them up to their +present darkness, confusion, and wretchedness. See Paul's remarks on +this subject, Rom. i. 21-25, 28. For nationally, the conduct of fathers +has a great influence over their children, as well as in a family +capacity. Hence the Jews will be blessed as a nation, in consequence +of the promises made to Abraham, for as I have said before, these +are eternal principles; man is an eternal being, and all his actions +have a relevancy to eternity. The actions of fathers have a bearing +and influence on their children, both as families and nations, in +time and in eternity. And those great principles that God has his eye +upon in relation to the nations, and to the world, will certainly be +accomplished. Hence the stimulus to excite men to tread in the steps +of Abraham, that like him they may obtain blessings for themselves +and their posterity. And hence the choice of Abraham by the Lord. +The Lord said, "I know him that he will command his children and his +household after him, and they shall keep the way of the Lord." Gen. +xviii. 19. And why did the Lord feel anxious about this? Because of +his own purposes in relation to the earth, and because of his parental +care of the bodies and spirits of man. For there are matters of great +importance associated with these things, as before referred to; and the +Lord has felt very anxious, for the perpetuation of correct principles. +So strong were his feelings in relation to this matter, that he gave +the following law to the children of Israel: "If thy brother, the son +of thy mother, or thy son, or thy daughter, or the wife of thy bosom, +or thy friend which is as thine own soul, entice thee secretly, saying, +Let us go and serve other gods, which thou hast not known, thou, nor +thy fathers; namely, of the gods of the people which are round about +you, nigh unto thee, or far off from thee; from the one end of the +earth even unto the other end of the earth; thou shalt not consent unto +him, nor hearken unto him; neither shalt thine eye pity him, neither +shalt thou spare, neither shalt thou conceal him; but thou shalt surely +kill him; thine hand shall be first upon him, to put him to death, and +afterwards the hand of all the people. And thou shalt stone him with +stones, that he die, because he hath sought to thrust thee away from +the Lord thy God, which brought thee out of the land of Egypt, from +the house of bondage." Deut. xiii. 6-10. Here, then, it is stated, +that if brother, son, wife, or any one, wish to lead thee from God, +thou shalt destroy them; and why? Because in forsaking God, they lose +sight of their eternal existence, corrupt themselves, and entail misery +on their posterity. Hence it was better to destroy a few individuals, +than to entail misery on many. And hence the inhabitants of the old +world and of the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah were destroyed, because +it was better for them to die, and thus be deprived of their agency, +which they abused, than entail so much misery on their posterity, and +bring ruin upon millions of unborn persons. And having thus deprived +them of their agency to act upon the earth, and punished them for their +transgressions, Jesus went "and preached unto the spirits in prison; +which sometime were disobedient, when once the long suffering of God +waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was a preparing." 1 Peter +iii. 19, 20. + +It is upon this principle that the world will be punished in the last +days for their transgressions, because they have abused their agency, +and broken the covenant that God made with them. They have yielded to +the influence of Satan, perverted the designs of Jehovah, and brought +upon themselves and posterity a curse, misery, and ruin. If any thing +further is desired upon this subject, Isaiah has described it plainly, +and has shewn the awful effects of an abuse of this moral agency and +departure from God, and the breaking of this covenant. To him I refer +the reader as a conclusion on this subject. "Behold, the Lord maketh +the earth empty, and maketh it waste, and turneth it upside down, and +scattereth abroad the inhabitants thereof. And it shall be, as with the +people, so with the priest; as with the servant, so with his master; +as with the maid, so with her mistress; as with the buyer, so with the +seller; as with the lender, so with the borrower; as with the taker of +usury, so with the giver of usury to him. The land shall be utterly +emptied, and utterly spoiled: for the Lord hath spoken this word. The +earth mourneth and fadeth away, the world languisheth and fadeth away, +the haughty people of the earth do languish. The earth also is defiled +under the inhabitants thereof; because they have transgressed the laws, +changed the ordinance, broken the everlasting covenant. Therefore hath +the curse devoured the earth, and they that dwell therein are desolate: +therefore the inhabitants of the earth are burned, and few men left." +xxiv. 1-6. + + + +Chapter VII. +------------------ + +The Lord's Course in the Moral Government of the World. + +We will now enquire, What part the Lord has ever taken in the moral +government of the world. In the last chapter I shewed that man has a +moral agency; acting under the Lord, and is, consequently, responsible +to him for his acts, as a moral agent. But does he leave him alone and +unassisted to carry out his designs? No. Looking upon man as his son, +he has from time to time offered his services and instructions, as a +father. He has given revelations, instructing and warning his people. +He has given promises to the obedient, and threatened the disobedient. +He has instructed kings, rulers, and prophets. He has also protected +the righteous, and punished, by judgments, the wicked. He has promised +to Abraham and others lands and possessions. He has held out promises +of eternal life to the faithful; but has never coerced or forced the +human mind. He destroyed the inhabitants of the old world because they +had corrupted themselves. He did not govern their minds; they might +forget God, "and every thought of their hearts be only evil, and that +continually;" but the earth was the Lord's, and he was the Father of +our spirits; and although man had an agency to propagate his species, +it was given him by God; and if he was so blind as to corrupt himself, +and entail misery upon millions of unborn beings, the God of the +universe, "the Father of Spirits," had a right to prevent him. And if +he was prostituting the use of those faculties given him by God, to +the service of Satan, and abusing the liberty which his Creator had so +liberally given, although the Lord could not control the free action +of his will, he could destroy his body, and thus prevent him from +cursing posterity. Hence, if a man transgresses the laws of the land, +he is considered a bad member of society, and is punished accordingly; +sometimes imprisoned; sometimes banished; and sometimes put to death. +Legislators assign as a reason for these things, that such persons are +injurious to society; that if crime was not punished, the virtuous and +good would be abused; the wicked would triumph; character, life, and +property would be insecure; and anarchy, confusion, and desolation +would inevitably ensue. + +I would here ask, If man acts upon this principle, has not God a right +to do so with the affairs of his government? Or should we arrogate +to ourselves privileges that we will not allow the Lord to possess? +Upon this principle the Devil and his angels were cast out of heaven. +The devil having his agency, as well as man, came here, and sought +to destroy the works of God; and succeeded so far as to obtain an +influence over man's spirit, and bring his body into subjection to +his agency; and if man was so ungrateful and corrupt as to yield to +his influence, and obey his agency, God had as much right to punish +him as he had the Devil; and as he cast the Devil and his angels out +of heaven, he also cut man off from the earth, and thus punished +the "spirits that were disobedient in the days of Noah." Satan, in +heaven, had no power over those spirits; but when they came to earth, +he gained an ascendency over them, and not having a body himself, +made use of their bodies to corrupt the world, and thus thwart the +designs of Jehovah; they must therefore bear the consequences of +their disobedience. And if I am asked by a sceptic why God destroyed +so many human beings, I answer, this was God's government, they had +transgressed his laws, were traitors to him, and he had a right to +punish them, as I before stated, to prevent them from bringing ruin +upon others, and perpetuating this misery of the human family, in time, +and in eternity. + +The Lord has given laws, and although he has not forced man to keep +them, nor coerced his will, yet he has punished him for disobedience, +as a father would a son. A father of a child can teach that child +correct principles; but unless he controls or confines the body, +he cannot force that child to observe them; he can punish him for +disobedience, however, and thus exert a moral or physical influence +over him. Our Father does the same. He punished the inhabitants of +Sodom and Gomorrah, Babylon, Ninevah, Jerusalem, and many other cities, +and will punish the world on the same principle. + +Again: he has offered rewards, and given them to the faithful, such as +Noah, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob; he protected the Children of Israel, +and blessed them with temporal and national prosperity, when they +served him, and punished their enemies; and he would have extended his +blessings to the world, if they would have been obedient to him. The +Lord has used these influences; but never coerced the will. Hence Jesus +said to the Jews, "How often _would I_ have gathered you together as a +hen gathereth her chickens under her wings, and _ye would_ not." God +would have benefitted them, but they would not be benefited. Again, +the Prophet says, "Because _I have called_, and ye _refused_, I have +stretched out my hand, and no man regarded; but ye have set at nought +all my counsel, and would none of my reproof: I also will laugh at your +calamity; I will mock when your fear cometh." Prov. i. 24-26. These +things clearly prove that man is a free, moral agent, and that God +never has controlled the human mind, and that, consequently, if man is +found in a state of wretchedness, degradation, and ruin, he has himself +to blame for it, and not the Lord. The Lord would have given him his +counsel if he had sought it; for he _did_ instruct men of God formerly, +and gave them laws, and ordinances; and he told his people that if +they called upon him "in the day of trouble, he would hear them;" and +James says, "If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, who giveth +to all men liberally, and upbraideth not, and it shall be given him." +i. 5. When the Children of Israel served God and obeyed him, they +acknowledged his authority, and said, "The Lord is our judge; the Lord +is our lawgiver; the Lord is our king; he will save us." Isaiah xxxiii. +22. If the Children of Israel had been obedient, and this principle +had extended over the earth, we should have had the Kingdom of God +established on the earth, and universal peace and happiness would have +prevailed. But man's corruption and degeneracy have destroyed the +world, and nothing but the wisdom, power, and blessings of God can +restore it. + + + +Chapter VIII. +------------------ + +Whose Right Is It to Govern the World? Who Has Governed It? + +Having traced out in the preceding chapters the nature of man, his +destiny and parentage, spiritual and temporal; what his object is in +being here; what his relation to this earth is; his moral agency; and +shown that God has never controlled his actions; we will next enquire +a little about the earth; whose right it is to govern it; and who has +governed it. + +It will not be necessary to say a great deal here about the earth, +and its organization, for we have touched on this subject before, and +it is one about which there should be no dispute among believers in +the Bible. I will briefly state, that Paul says, "For by him were all +things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and +invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or +powers: all things were created by him and for him." Colos. i. 16. This +being the case, without further investigation, we will examine whose +right it is to govern it. If the world be the Lord's, he certainly +has a right to govern it; for we have already stated that man has +no authority, except that which is delegated to him. He possesses a +moral power to govern his actions, subject at all times to the law of +God; but never is authorized to act independent of God; much less is +he authorised to rule on the earth without the call and direction of +the Lord; therefore, any rule or dominion over the earth, which is +not given by the Lord, is surreptitiously obtained, and never will be +sanctioned by him. I am aware that kings and queens are anointed and +set apart by their different ministers, according to the different +forms and creeds of the several countries over which they reign. There +are two things necessary, however, to make their authority legal, and +to authorize them to act as God's representatives on the earth. The +first is, that they should be called of God; and the second, that +the persons by whom they are anointed are duly authorised to anoint +them. First, then, it may be necessary to observe, that, if kings +and queens are of God's selection, and are his representatives, they +must themselves be appointed by him; for if not so, how can they be +considered his representatives? The prophet Hosea complains, that "they +have set up kings, but not by me; they have made princes, and I knew +it not." viii. 4. If they are sent by him, they must understand their +office and calling, and the designs of the Lord concerning the people +whom they govern, the same as a governor of a province, or a minister +plenipotentiary, receives his credentials from the prince or court +whom he serves. If, then, we examine the position of kings, and their +relationship to their divine Sovereign, we shall find that there are +only two ways for this calling to be legal. It must have been given, +either by God, through revelation to the ancestors of the reigning +kings, and handed down in an unbroken descent to the present time; +or, otherwise, given by direct revelation, and they set apart by a +prophet of the Lord God. But no nation, kingdom, or king in existence +will acknowledge either of these ways. All the kingdoms that are now +in existence were founded by the sword, without any respect to God. In +relation to their anointing, the question would naturally arise, Who +authorised the ministers to anoint those kings and queens? For if the +persons officiating have not the authority thus to anoint, and set them +apart, to execute God's law and reign over the nations, their anointing +will avail them little: it will be merely the anointing of man without +the direction and sanction of God. + +Authority to anoint kings and queens, in order that they may be the +anointed of the Lord, must be given in one of three ways. It must +first, have been given by revelation to the primitive Christian Church, +authorising them to administer in this ordinance, and empowering their +successors to do it; secondly, by direct revelation; or, otherwise, +it must have been transmitted from the ancient Jews, through a lineal +descent. In regard to the first, we find no such record in the New +Testament; neither Jesus, nor his Apostles, nor any of the seventies, +nor elders, ever administered in this ordinance, or spoke of it as +being associated with the powers of their ministry. Consequently, no +power can come from there.[A] + +[Footnote A: I am aware that the Roman Catholic ministry will tell +us, that they have traditionary authority to anoint kings, and to +perform many ordinances that are not contained in the Scriptures. +Without, however, arguing the point of their authority here, I would +briefly remark, that in order for the administration to be legal, it is +necessary that the kings themselves be called of God; that this call is +requisite, as well as the anointing; and that, if they possessed all +the power they claim, they have no more right to anoint a man to be +king, who is not called by God, in one of the two mentioned ways, than +any officer of state would be authorised to confer an office of trust +or honor on any individual, the gift of which was vested in the king +alone, if the king had never appointed the individual. All intelligent +persons must see that either appointment is illegal, and consequently +null and void. The following from a French History, is interesting, and +needs no comment: it shows clearly the design of its usage first in +France:-- + +"La ceremonie du sacre etait-elle connue en France avant l'inauguration +de Pepin? + +"R. Non; elle n'avait jamais ete employee: mais Pepin se servit de +cette ceremonie empruntee des Juifs, inconnue jusqu' alors, pour +imprimer a la royaute un caractere plus auguste; cette coutume s'est +perpetuee depuis pour tous les Rois de France. II commenca a regner, +752, A.D. + +_Nouvelle Histoire de France, par Louis Ardent, p. 47. Paris: chez +Corbet, Libraire Quai des Augustins._] + +In regard to the second position, all Christendom deny present +revelation; and thus from their own confession they have not obtained +their authority from that source; and in regard to the third, if +there was authority associated with the Jews to ordain kings, the +Christians certainly could not claim a Jewish rite; for the Jewish +nation and authority were all destroyed: "they were broken off because +of unbelief." Rom. xi. 17, 19, 20. The Christians obtained all their +authority to officiate from Jesus Christ, and not from the Jews. +Whichever way you look at it, there is no foundation for any such +authority, and consequently the anointing is all a farce, for it does +not originate with God. + +But here let us enquire a little further, Does God set up Christian +kings to fight against Christian kings? and Christian subjects to +destroy Christian subjects? I know they call upon God; but what to +do? In their wars they ask him to destroy one another. This patchwork +dominion, and mongrel Christianity, although they may be quite feasible +in the dark, yet they present a curious spectacle when brought into the +light of Truth. + +It may be asked, Has not the Lord given authority to kings to reign? +Yes; he has, to two kinds: to one, to accomplish certain purposes that +he had in view relative to the nations; to the other, to rule over his +people--these were legally called and anointed by him. Of the first +kind, was Nebuchadnezzar; he had a kingdom and dominion given to him, +so say the Scriptures, but certainly not to govern God's people, for +he made, and caused to be worshipped, a large golden Image; and put +Shadrach, Meschach, and Abednego into a furnace for not doing so. What, +then, was his calling? First, it was to govern a wicked and idolatrous +people; and secondly, to fulfil the will of God, in the punishment +of his people. As the people over whom he ruled had given themselves +up to idolatry, they had an idolatrous king given to them for their +ruler, for the Lord, never having given up his right to govern the +world, gives the people kings according to their deserts; and although +he may not give them _legal authority as His representatives_, yet +by his overruling Providence, he places wicked men in a position +that they may have power over a wicked nation, both to trouble that +nation and themselves. Such was the case with Pharaoh, king of Egypt; +and also with Salmanaser, king of Assyria, when he defied the God of +Israel. Such was the case with some of the kings of Israel, in the +rebellions of that people; and with Belshazzar, king of Babylon, who +was eating and drinking with his wives and concubines in the palace +at Babylon, when the handwriting was seen on the walls, "God hath +numbered thy kingdom, and finished it. Thou art weighed in the balances +and art found wanting." Dan. v. 26, 27. Babylon was destroyed; and +so fully have the purposes of God been accomplished in relation to +that magnificent city, that the place where it then stood is now a +desert. And such also will be the case with the nations and kings of +the earth, in the last day, as spoken of by Zechariah. "Behold, the +day of the Lord cometh . . . . . For I will gather all nations against +Jerusalem to battle . . . . . then shall the Lord go forth and fight +against those nations, as when he fought in the day of battle." xiv. +1-3: also read the 39th chapter of Ezekiel. Here, then, is a slaughter +the most terrible that could be conceived: the armies actually cover +the land, and so dreadful is the slaughter, that they cannot bury the +dead, so that their stench shall stop the noses of the passers by. The +fowls of the air are commanded also to assemble, that they may eat the +flesh of kings, captains, and mighty men; and yet those kings, princes, +and rulers will, by the providence of God, be given to the people as a +chastisement, that the Lord may punish both kings and people on account +of their iniquities. Daniel clearly exemplifies this subject in the +following words, in speaking of the judgements that should come upon +Nebuchadnezzar. He states, that these judgements were "to the intent +that the living may know that the Most High ruleth in the kingdom of +men, and giveth it to whomsoever he will, and setteth up over it the +basest of men." iv. 17. Another duty that wicked kings have to perform +on the earth is, that of being used by the Almighty as a scourge or +rod to punish nations that are corrupt. Hence when Israel had sinned +against God, and the Lord determined to chastise them, he told them, +through his prophets, that he would punish them by Nebuchadnezzar, King +of Babylon. Accordingly, Nebuchadnezzar came against Jerusalem, and +took the Children of Israel captive to Babylon, with the vessels of +silver and gold belonging to the Temple. And God afterwards punished +Babylon for its transgressions; Cyrus, king of Persia was raised up by +the Lord to chastise it. + +But did either of these kings govern God's people? or were they +ordained by the Lord? No, only as his sword to execute his judgements +on the nations. Such, also, were Alexander, Caesar, and others; and +hence Paul tells the Christians in his day to submit themselves to +kings and rulers. And why? These men were ordained for a certain +purpose, and it was not for the Christians to set in order the affairs +of God's kingdom, nor to regulate the world. The Lord would do that +in his own time and way; it was for them to wait for the time "of the +restitution of all things." + +Another order of kings were those that were anointed to reign over +God's people, the children of Israel. Such was Saul, who was anointed +by Samuel; such also were David and Solomon, and many of the kings +of Israel. Those kings that were anointed and acknowledged of the +Lord were not only kings but priests. Hence, Saul, when he had sinned +against God, and the Spirit of the Lord was withdrawn, "enquired of the +Lord, and the Lord answered him not, neither by dreams, nor by Urim, +nor by prophets." 1 Sam. xxviii. 6. David also acted as a priest, and +could obtain knowledge or revelation from God also, for when Saul was +rejected, and sought David's life, David called for the ephod, used +by the priests: see Exodus xxviii. "And David said to Abiathar the +priest, bring hither the ephod. Then said David, O Lord God of Israel, +thy servant hath certainly heard that Saul seeketh to come to Keilah +to destroy the city for my sake. Will the men of Keilah deliver me up +into his hand? Will Saul come down, as thy servant hath heard, O Lord +God of Israel? I beseech thee tell thy servant. And the Lord said, He +will come down. Then said David, Will the men of Keilah deliver me and +my men up into the hand of Saul? And the Lord said, They will deliver +thee up." 1 Sam. xxiii. 9-12. Here we find David actually enquiring of +God for direction, and obtaining information. The Lord had forsaken +Saul, and would not answer him; but he would and did answer David: see +also the xxiii. 2; and xxx. 8; and 2 Sam. ii. 1; v. 19-25; xxi. 1; 1 +Chron. xiv. 10-14. From the whole of the above we learn, that David +took no step without enquiring of the Lord. Solomon also, acted as a +priest as well as a king; and it is said of him, that Solomon loved +the Lord, walking in the statutes of David his father. And the Lord +gave him wisdom, and instructed him in the affairs of his kingdom. When +he prayed unto the Lord, and asked of him wisdom, God granted him the +desire of his heart, and gave him with wisdom, riches and honor. "And +Judah and Israel dwelt in safety, every man under his vine and fig +tree, from Dan to Beersheba, all the days of Solomon;" and when he had +finished the temple, he offered his sacrifices, and acknowledged the +God of Israel; and he prayed for the nation over which he ruled, not by +proxy, but himself. "And Solomon stood before the altar of the Lord in +the presence of all the congregation of Israel, and spread forth his +hands towards heaven;" and then he uttered a prayer for himself, his +people, and nation: see 1 Kings viii. 22. And we read that afterwards +the Lord appeared to him, and said unto him, "I have heard thy prayer +and thy supplication, that thou hast made before me: I have hallowed +this house, which thou hast built, to put my name there for ever; and +mine eyes and mine heart shall be there perpetually. And if thou wilt +walk before me, as David thy father walked, in integrity of heart, and +in uprightness, to do according to all that I have commanded thee, and +wilt keep my statutes and my judgements: then I will establish the +throne of thy kingdom upon Israel for ever, as I promised to David +thy father, saying, There shall not fail thee a man upon the throne +of Israel. But if ye shall at all turn from following me, ye or your +children, and will not keep my commandments and my statutes which I +have set before you, but go and serve other gods, and worship them: +then will I cut off Israel out of the land which I have given them; +and this house, which I have hallowed for my name, will I cast out of +my sight; and Israel shall be a proverb and a byword among all people: +and at this house, which is high, every one that passeth by it shall be +astonished, and shall hiss; and they shall say, Why hath the Lord done +thus unto this land, and to this house? And they shall answer, Because +they forsook the Lord their God, who brought forth their fathers out +of the land of Egypt, and have taken hold upon other gods, and have +worshipped them, and served them: therefore hath the Lord brought upon +them all this evil." 1 Kings ix. 3-9. + +Thus, then, these men, delegated and appointed of God, acted as his +representatives on the earth. They received their kingdoms from him. +They were anointed by prophets of God, who received the word of the +Lord concerning them, as in the case of Saul and David; and if they +departed from God, he chastised, or removed them, as in the case of +Saul and David, and of which the history of the Kings of Israel is a +striking example, and faithful commentary. Those that were faithful +among them sought to know the mind of God, and to carry out his +designs. The greatest, most powerful, and prosperous rule that ever +existed among them, as a nation, was that of Solomon, who asked, and +obtained wisdom from God; and that wisdom as a necessary consequence +brought honour, happiness, security, riches, magnificence, and power. +Thus those kings that were righteous, who received their kingdoms from +the Lord, went to war, or proclaimed peace by his directions; they +were his representatives on the earth, and governed his people as the +Lord's anointed. Yet even the monarchy of the House of Israel was +not in strict accordance with the will of God; but originated in the +rebellion and pride of the children of Israel, who, wishing to be like +the nations around them, being dissatisfied with their judges, desired +of the Lord a king. The following are their words, and the Lord's +answer: "Then all the elders of Israel gathered themselves together, +and came to Samuel unto Ramah, and said unto him, Behold thou art old, +and thy sons walk not in thy ways: now make us a king to judge us like +all the nations. But the thing displeased Samuel, when they said, Give +us a king to judge us. And Samuel prayed unto the Lord. And the Lord +said unto Samuel, Hearken unto the voice of the people in all that +they say unto thee; for they have not rejected thee, but they have +rejected me, that I should not reign over them. According to all the +works which they have done since the day that I brought them up out of +Egypt even unto this day, wherewith they have forsaken me, and served +other gods, so do they also unto thee. Now therefore hearken unto their +voice: howbeit yet protest solemnly unto them, and shew them the manner +of the king that shall reign over them. And Samuel told all the words +of the Lord unto the people that asked of him a king. And he said, +this will be the manner of the king that shall reign over you: he will +take your sons, and appoint them for himself, for his chariots, and to +be his horsemen; and some shall run before his chariots. And he will +appoint him captains over thousands, and captains over fifties; and +will set them to ear his ground, and to reap his harvest, and to make +his instruments of war, and instruments of his chariots. And he will +take your daughters to be confectionaries, and to be cooks, and to be +bakers. And he will take your fields, and your vineyards, and your +oliveyards, even the best of them, and give them to his servants. And +he will take the tenth of your seed, and of your vineyards, and give to +his officers, and to his servants. And he will take your menservants, +and your maidservants, and your goodliest young men, and your asses, +and put them to his work. He will take the tenth of your sheep; and +ye shall be his servants. And ye shall cry out in that day because of +your king which ye shall have chosen you; and the Lord will not hear +you in that day. Nevertheless the people refused to obey the voice of +Samuel; and they said, Nay; but we will have a king over us; that we +also may be like all the nations; and that our king may judge us, and +go out before us, and fight our battles. And Samuel heard all the words +of the people, and he rehearsed them in the ears of the Lord. And the +Lord said to Samuel, Hearken unto their voice, and make them a king. +And Samuel said unto the men of Israel, Go ye every man unto his city." +1 Sam. viii. 4-22. + +We find that this thing was displeasing to the Lord; they resisted the +counsel of God; but as they were the Lord's people, he listened to +their requests, and gave according to their desires; he felt bound to +fulfil his engagements, and, if they would not walk fully by the rule +that he required, to give a government of their own asking, which, if +not so good as the one he proposed, was nevertheless sanctioned by him; +and that order once established, those kings set apart, and anointed by +him, had a perfect right to look to him for his guidance, which they +did, and inasmuch as they performed his will, as his representatives, +were blessed of him. For kings could not be blamed for the order that +existed, they did not originate the government; it was the people, all +they could do was to rule according to the direction of the Lord. But +this was not a perfect government. The Lord had his eye on something +yet more glorious, something in which the salvation, and happiness of +the world were concerned; a rule of righteousness, when, not only one +nation, but the kingdoms and dominions of the whole earth, should be +given to the Son of God; and when all nations, kindreds, people, and +tongues should serve and obey him; and as the earth belonged to him, +and the people also, that he should govern them. Such will be the case +as we shall hereafter show, and a system be introduced that will not +only benefit one nation, but that will govern all nations, bless the +whole of the human family, and exalt and happify the world. All these +things that have existed, are merely temporary arrangements, adapted +to the weakness, ignorance, and wickedness of the human family, in +the times of darkness, and power of Satan. If the above is the case, +in regard to the best of these governments, even that of the House of +Israel, what is the situation of those who are governing, without even +any pretensions to have received their government and authority from +God! It may be asked, What is to be done in this state of things? how +are they to be regulated? This is worthy of our attention, but as we +shall devote some time to this hereafter, we will content ourselves +with saying, this is God's work, and not man's. He has these things in +his hands, and he must arrange them; confusion, revolt, rebellion, is +not the way to bring these things about; for if the world is already +evil, this will only make it worse. Besides, the kings and rulers of +the present day are no more responsible than others; they did not make +the nations as they are, they found them so; neither are they appointed +to govern the world, nor do any of them profess it. According to their +most extended calculation, their power would be confined to their own +nations. Some of the kings and queens of the earth seem to be actuated +by a desire to promote the happiness of the nations with which they +are associated, and over which they rule. The Queen of England is +almost universally beloved by her subjects, and that deservedly; she +has been mild and pacific in her course, and her rule and dominion +have been as near right as it is possible for a government to be under +existing circumstances. If there are evils, she did not originate +them, she found them so. She has kept her covenant that she made with +the nation, and sought the welfare of her subjects, and they owe her +fealty, and ought to render to her obedience. And as she, nor no +monarch, is set to build up the kingdom of God, or establish universal +rule, as a monarchy without authority from God, it is perhaps as good +a form as could exist. The Emperor of Russia, with all his faults of +government, nevertheless possesses many good traits; at any rate he +seems to reverence the Lord. Some time ago, when the cholera broke out +in St. Petersburgh, the inhabitants supposed that their wells had been +poisoned; a large number of people assembled for the purpose, as they +thought, of finding out, and punishing the aggressors. The excitement +was very great. The Emperor, hearing of the tumult, rushed into their +midst and said, "My children, you are mistaken in supposing that the +wells have been poisoned, and this is the cause of our affliction, this +is a judgement that has come from God, let us fall down before him, +and ask him to remove his scourge from our midst;" whereupon he fell +upon his knees in the midst of the people, and prayed to the Lord to +remove the plague from among them. He has a strong impression that God +has a work for him to do on the earth; and in this he may be right. +Although he is not delegated to establish the kingdom of God, he may +nevertheless be appointed as Caesar, Nebuchadnezzar, and others, as a +scourge to the nations, and so fulfil his destiny, for as we are on +the eve of great events, and a fearful doom awaits the nations, some +powerful means must be made use of, in this as well as in other ages, +to bring these things about. + +Some may remark on the foregoing, Does not Paul say, that "the powers +that be, are ordained of God?" Yes, and so say I; but all powers +that are ordained of God, do not rule for his glory, nor are they +all associated with his government and kingdom. Nebuchadnezzar and +Belshazzar were ordained of God, but they were both idolaters. Cyrus +was ordained of God; but he was an heathen. God regulates his own +affairs; and while the world is in a state of idolatry, apostacy, and +rebellion, he, by his providence, overrules the affairs of the nation, +as Daniel says, "to the intent that the living may know that the Most +High ruleth in the kingdom of men, and giveth it to whomsoever he will, +and setteth up over it the basest of men." Dan. iv. 17. But others will +say that Paul tells us "to be subject to the powers that be." So say I. +God will establish his own government: the cavillings, rebellions, and +contentions of men will not do it; and it is proper for well disposed +persons to wait the Lord's time, to be peaceable and quiet, and to pray +for kings, governors, and authorities. This was what Jeremiah taught +the children of Israel to do, "And seek the peace of the city wherein I +have caused you to be carried away captives, and pray unto the Lord for +it, for in the peace thereof shall you have peace." xxix. 7. It is very +evident, from what has been shown, that there is no proper government +nor rule upon the face of the earth; that there are no kings who are +anointed, or legally appointed of God; and that, however much disposed +any of them may feel to benefit the world, it is out of their power, it +exceeds the limits of their jurisdiction, it requires a power, spirit, +and intelligence, which they do not possess. We see, moreover, that +tumults, commotions, rebellions, and resistance are not the way to do +it. It requires more wisdom than that which emperors, kings, princes, +or the wisest of men possess, to bring out of the wild chaos, the +misery, and desolation that have overspread the world, that beautiful +order, peace, and happiness portrayed by the prophets as the reign of +the kingdom of God. + + + +Chapter IX. +------------------ + +Will Man Always Be Permitted to Usurp Authority Over Men, and Over the +Works of God? Will the World Remain for ever Under a Curse, and God's +Designs Be Frustrated? + +The above are grave questions, and will necessarily require +examination, for they concern the earth and its inhabitants. Their true +solution will affect man in time and in eternity. The world cannot +remain as it is, for the following reasons:-- + +First. It would be unreasonable. + +Secondly. It would be unjust. + +Thirdly. It would be unscriptural. + +Fourthly. It would frustrate the designs of God, in regard to the +spirits of the righteous; the dead; the progression of the world, and +its final exaltation; and also the exaltation of man. + +First.--It would be unreasonable for man to continue his usurped +authority. If God is interested in the welfare of his creatures, he +certainly never would permit, without some just cause, the destruction +of his works, and the misery of his creatures; and we have fully +demonstrated, that the world is full of abominations, and evils, and +that those evils can only be removed by the interposition of the Lord; +that the assumed authority of men, and the Devil, can only be checked +by a superior power. God holds that power in his hands; he holds the +life of the human family in his hands; and the world, notwithstanding +its rebellion and iniquity, has to be sustained by him from day to +day. Let him but withdraw his governing and controlling power from the +earth, and it would wander wildly through space, unblest by the genial +influences of the sun, or clash against some other system, involving +all creation in ruin: let some slight variation take place in its +diurnal motion, and the sea would leave its proper bounds, overflow the +earth, and millions of the human family would perish. Let even some +slight variation take place in the atmosphere, and the Lord withdraw +the sanitory influences that preserve the earth in its present healthy +state, and the murky atmosphere would contain contagion, and disease; +the pestiferous air would spread desolation, and death; plague and +pestilence would fill the earth; and millions of foetid loathsome +beings would be living, and dying examples, of man's impotency and +weakness. Even a small insect sent to destroy the grain, accompanied +with the blight of the potatoes, such as has already been witnessed, +would produce incalculable evil; let these things become more +universal, and the death of the human family must ensue. Even so slight +a thing as too much, or too little rain would produce uncalculated +misery. + +When we contemplate man as he is, a poor worm dependent upon God for +his daily bread, and upon how many slight contingencies the brittle +thread of life is continued, and that the least variation in the +economy of God might, in numberless ways, involve the human family in +ruin, and then notice his arrogance, pride, conceit, and rebellion; it +seems to us mysterious that the mercy of God should be so long extended +to him; and we can only account for it upon this principle, that God is +too great, wise, powerful, and magnanimous to be moved to anger by the +impotent ravings, the empty pride, the little meanness, the swelling +pusillanimity, and the utter helplessness, of the erratic, puerile, +insignificant creature, man. He lets him wallow in his corruptions, +gloat in his misery, and permits him to become a prey to Satan, for +a season, that he may feel the greatness of his fall, the extent of +his degeneracy, and the utter ruin that his own course, instigated +by the powers of the adversary, has brought upon him; that he may +afterwards learn to appreciate the mercies of God, see and understand +the delusion, and be enabled eternally to appreciate the mercies and +government of God, after having first atoned for his own acts and +transgressions. For like a wayward and disobedient child, he will be +glad to return to his father's house and friendship; and when the +vision of his mind shall be opened, which, if not done in this world, +will be in the world to come, he will be thoroughly disgusted with +himself and his acts, and will be glad on any conditions to find an +asylum with his Father. + +This state of things, then, is merely permitted for a season, to +develop the designs and influences of Satan, and their effects; to +develop the weakness of man, and his incompetency to rule and govern +himself without God; to manifest the mercy of God, in bearing with +man, in the midst of his rebellion; to show man his ingratitude, and +the depth of his depravity, in order that he may appreciate more fully +the mercy and long-suffering of God, and the purity and holiness +that reign in the eternal world. Man has tasted the misery of sin +and rebellion, and drunk of the cup of sorrow, in order that he may +appreciate more fully the joy and happiness that spring from obedience +to God, and his laws. But to think for a moment that man here will +always be permitted to subvert the designs of God, and the world be +for ever under the dominion of Satan, is the height of folly, and +only develops more fully the pride, littleness, and emptiness of man. +For notwithstanding man is a weak creature, in comparison to God, yet +he has within him the germs of greatness and immortality. God is his +Father, and though now wandering in darkness, sunk, degraded, and +fallen, he is destined, in the purposes of God, to be great, dignified, +and exalted; to occupy a glorious position in the eternal world, and +to fulfil the object of his creation. Will this design be frustrated +by the powers of darkness, or the influence of wicked and ungodly men? +Verily, no. To suppose such a thing, manifests the greatest absurdity, +which can only be equalled by the weakness and ignorance from whence +it springs. What! God, the author of the universe, and of all created +good, suffer his plans to be frustrated by the powers of the Devil? +Shall this beautiful world, and all its inhabitants, become a prey to +Satan and his influences, and those celestial, pure, principles that +exist in the eternal world, be for ever banished? Shall the earth still +be defiled under the inhabitants thereof, when God is our Father? Shall +iniquity, corruption, and depravity always spread their contaminating +influences, and this earth, that ought to have been a paradise, be a +desolate miserable wreck? Shall tyranny, oppression, and iniquity for +ever rule? Shall the neck of the righteous always be under the feet of +the ungodly? No, says every principle of reason, for the Almighty God +is its maker. No, echoes the voice of all the prophets, there shall +be a restitution of all things. No, say the Scriptures of all truth, +"The earth shall become as the Garden of Eden," the wicked shall be +rooted out of it; the time shall come when the Saints shall possess +the kingdom, and the earth shall become as the garden of the Lord. +No, responds the voice of all the dead Saints, we died in the hope of +better things, etc. No! say our later revelations-- + +"The Lord hath brought again Zion; + +"The Lord hath redeemed his people, Israel, + +"According to the election of grace, + +"Which was brought to pass by the faith + +"And covenants of their Fathers. + +"The Lord hath redeemed his people, + +"And Satan is bound, and time is no longer: + +"The Lord hath gathered all things in one; + +"The Lord hath brought down Zion from above; + +"The Lord hath brought up Zion from beneath; + +"The Earth hath travailed and brought forth her strength; + +"And truth is established in her bowels: + +"And the heavens have smiled upon her; + +"And she is clothed with the glory of her God; + +"For he stands in the midst of his people, + +"Glory, and honor, and power, and might, + +"Be ascribed to our God, for he is full of mercy, + +"Justice, grace, and truth, and peace, + +"For ever, and ever. Amen."[A] + +[Footnote A: Doctrine and Covenants, Section 84: 99-102.] + +It is therefore contrary to every principle of reason and intelligence +to suppose such a thing. + +Secondly.--It would be unjust: and "shall not the Judge of all the +earth do right?" But what right would there be in thus permitting +Satan to usurp the dominion for ever? It would be giving in the first +place to Satan that which belongs to God. This earth is not Satan's +inheritance; it is the Lord Jesus Christ's, he is the rightful owner +and proprietor. If Satan be indeed the God of this world, and rules in +the hearts of the children of disobedience, he is only an usurper. It +is not his rightful dominion, for all things were created by Christ, +and for Christ, whether they be principalities, or powers, or thrones, +or dominions, all these were created by him, and for him, and he only +has a right to rule; but Satan has subverted the ways of God, deceived +the human family, introduced misery, and confusion, and blighted +this beautiful creation with his contaminating curse. As an usurper, +it would be unjust to permit him to rule; it would be unjust to the +government of God, for, if God has a right to rule, no other power can +have that right, unless it is delegated, and if delegated, still the +right is vested in the power that delegates. + +It is therefore derogatory to God, for the world to be yielding +obedience to another power. For while God, not the Devil, provides +for, feeds, sustains, and beautifies the Universe, and nourishes the +millions of people who inhabit the earth, with his beneficent hand and +fatherly care;--for him to be neglected and despised, or forgotten, is +the height of injustice, and the very climax of perverse ingratitude. +But again, it would be unjust to the good and virtuous; this earth is +properly the dwelling place, and rightful inheritance of the Saints. +Inasmuch as it belongs to Jesus Christ, it also belongs to his servants +and followers, for we are told, "The earth is the Lord's and the +fulness thereof," and that, when things are in their proper place, +"the Saints of the Most High shall take the kingdom, and possess the +kingdom, and the greatness of the kingdom under the whole heaven, shall +be given to the saints of the Most High." Dan. vii. 18 and 27. It is +therefore their righful inheritance, and the usurpation before referred +to, while it is unjust to God, is also as unjust to his Saints. Who +can contemplate the position of the world, as it has existed, without +being struck with this fact, Where has God ever had a people but they +have been persecuted? The testimony of God has always been rejected, +and his people trodden under foot. Paul tells us that they "were +tempted, tried, sawn asunder, that they wandered about in sheep skins, +and goat skins, being destitute, afflicted, and tormented." Heb. xi. +37. And to such an extent had this prevailed among the ancient Jews, +that Stephen gravely asks the question, "Which of the prophets have +not your fathers persecuted? and they have slain them, which shewed +before, of the coming of the Just One, of whom ye have been now the +betrayers and murderers." Acts vii. 52. What did they do with Jesus! +and what with his followers! We may here ask, Is it right, is it +proper, is it just, for this state of things to continue? It is true +that the saints have had a hope of joys to come, and this state of +trial has been permitted for their ultimate good; but although this +is the case, it does not make the thing the more just. "It must needs +be," says Jesus, "that offences come, but woe to that man by whom the +offence cometh. It were better for him that a millstone were hanged +about his neck, and that he were drowned in the depth of the sea," than +that he should offend one of those little ones. Matt, xviii. "They +that touch you, touch the apple of mine eye." He has cried all along, +"Touch not mine anointed, and do my prophets no harm." The saints +have suffered and endured, but they have done it in the hopes of a +better resurrection; and as they have always looked upon this earth as +their inheritance, to deprive them of this, would be to falsify the +promises of God unto them, disappoint all their hopes, render inutile +their sufferings and fidelity on the earth; and be to them an act, +not only of temporary, but also of eternal injustice. For men of God +in former days were just as much actuated by the prospect of a reward +as a merchant, a warrior, a statesman, or any other person in search +of wealth, honor, or fame. The only difference is, the one sought it +in this life, the other in the life to come; the one looked for his +reward here, the other expected it hereafter; the one had no hope +concerning the future, the other had; the one was blinded by the God of +this world, and knew not his position, or possessed not a nobility of +soul sufficient to make him brook the world, and the scorn of men, in +search of a better inheritance; the other understood by revelation his +relationship to God, the position of the world, and his high calling, +and glorious hope; he sought the nearest way to eternal life, scorned +to be captivated by the world's tinsel show, despised the short-lived +pleasures offered by the god of this world, and possessed magnanimity +of soul sufficient to lead him to acknowledge the God of the Universe, +and to brook the scorn of empty fools, and ephemeral philosophers. +If persecution's deadly shafts, and superstition's craven hate, were +levelled against him, he dared to brook death in all its horrid forms, +and live and die an honourable man, a true philosopher, a servant of +God, and endure as seeing him who is invisible, in the hopes of a +better resurrection. Deprive him of this hope, and you rob the just of +his reward, dishonour God, and perpetuate misery and corruption in the +world. + +Thirdly.--As it would be unjust, so also it would be unscriptural. The +Scriptures are full and clear on this subject; they represent Christ as +being the rightful heir, and inheritor of this world; they represent +him as having come once to atone for the sins of the world; but that +he will afterwards come as its ruler, judge, and king; they represent +him as the "Lord of the vineyard, the rightful heir" to the earth, and +as having hitherto been dispossessed; but they again represent him +as coming to claim his rights, to dispossess the usurpers; to take +the authority, to rule, and reign, and to possess his own dominions. +They represent the earth as labouring under a curse; but speak also +of its deliverance therefrom; of its being blighted because of the +transgression of man; but that it shall again yield its increase and +become as the Garden of Eden. They represent the whole creation as +groaning and travailing in pain, but that the creature also shall be +delivered. That the Spirit of the Lord shall rest upon all flesh; that +the wolf shall lie down with the lamb, the lion eat straw with the ox, +and finally, every creature that is in the heavens, on the earth, or +under the earth, shall be heard to say, glory and honor, and power, +etc. That the law shall go forth from Zion, and the word of the Lord +from Jerusalem. That Jerusalem shall become the throne of the Lord, +and that the dead saints shall live, and reign with Christ, no longer +deprived of their rightful inheritance; but as Jesus said when here, +"Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth." + +If, then, the Scriptures are not idle phantoms, if their visions, and +prophecies were not mere phantasies, and written to deceive, we have as +much right to look for these things as we have to believe in any event +that has taken place; but lest any of my readers should be ignorant of +the Scriptures relative to these subjects, I will give a few passages +which are in themselves as clear and pointed, as any other portion of +the word of God. + +Concerning Christ being the rightful heir, it is written, "All things +were created by him, and for him, and without him was not anything made +that is made." He is the "Mighty God, the everlasting Father," &c. "For +of him, and from him, and to him are all things." "Thou sayest that I +am a king, for this end was I born, etc." "Then the Lord shall be king +over all the earth." + +The Jews made a great mistake concerning the coming of Christ before; +the Gentiles have made as great a mistake in regard to his second +coming. The Jews expected him to come as a temporal deliverer alone, +and overlooked his sufferings, trials, persecution, and death; the +Gentiles having believed in his sufferings, have lost sight of his +second coming; the promises of God made to the fathers; the redemption +of the earth, and the kingdom of God. Both are wrong; both believed in +part; neither in the whole. The Jews, in consequence of their unbelief, +were cut off; but when Christ comes again, he will come in the way that +their fathers looked for him, as a King, with power, and authority. +The Gentiles having fallen into darkness, have lost sight of the great +purposes of God, in regard to the redemption of man, and of the world; +the restitution of all things, and the coming of Christ to reign. They +have so far forgotten themselves, that they are actually fulfilling +the prophecy of Peter: "There shall come in the last days scoffers, +walking after their own lusts, and saying, Where is the promise of his +coming?" 2 iii. 4. But to return: the Scriptures represent Christ as +the lord of the vineyard, as the "heir" that was killed; as the "sower +of the seed" in the world; as the "destroyer of the wicked husbandmen;" +as coming to "rule the nations with a rod of iron," etc.; and to take +possession of the kingdom. Daniel says, "I saw in the night visions, +and behold, one like the Son of man came with the clouds of heaven, +and came to the Ancient of Days, and they brought him near before +him. And there was given him dominion, and glory, and a kingdom, that +all people, nations, and languages, should serve him; his dominion is +an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and his kingdom +that which shall not be destroyed." Dan. vii. 13, 14. Zechariah says, +"And his feet shall stand in that day upon the Mount of Olives, which +is before Jerusalem on the East; and the Mount of Olives shall cleave +in the midst thereof toward the east and toward the west, and there +shall be a very great valley; and half of the mountain shall remove +toward the north, and half of it toward the south. And ye shall flee +to the valley of the mountains; for the valley of the mountains shall +reach unto Azal; yea, ye shall flee, like as ye fled from before the +earthquake in the days of Uzziah, king of Judah: and the Lord my God +shall come, and all the saints with thee." . . . . "And the Lord shall +be king over all the earth: in that day shall there be one Lord, and +his name one." xiv. 4, 5, 9. These and many other things must be +fulfilled if the Scriptures be true. These designs of God, which were +the hope of the ancient Saints, and of which poets sung, and prophets +wrote, were the consolation of all the faithful Saints, Prophets, and +Patriarchs,--Jews and Christians. Take these away, and the world, to +the Saints, is a miserable blank; the hope of the righteous futile, and +the Word of God a farce. + +Fourthly.--It would frustrate the designs of God, in regard to the +spirits of the righteous, the dead, the progression of the world, and +its final exaltation; and also the exaltation of man. + +When the Lord created this world, as we have already stated, he had +an object in view, not only in regard to the world, and its future +destiny, but also as it regards the spirits which were then in +existence. Those great and eternal purposes which our heavenly Father, +in his consummate wisdom, had in view, when he issued his Divine +Mandate, and this world was created, cannot be frustrated unless he +cease to be God. And those enlivening hopes which cheered his sons; +those spirits that lived with him, when they saw this beautiful orb +fashioned, this earth made as the place for their habitation, as +their possession, as the place where they should take bodies, where +they should live, rule, and reign, not only in time, but in eternity, +must not, cannot be destroyed. And yet what avails it all to them, if +Satan triumph, the wicked rule, and God's kingdom be not established! +They could not "have shouted for joy" at the prospect of this world +continuing under the dominion of Satan; at the blight, degradation, +misery, and ruin that have overspread it. But if we trace the matter +still further, and look at the righteous dead, their position would +be any thing but enviable under those circumstances. It was the +hopes of the resurrection that made them endure, and it was God that +implanted them in their bosoms; but if they are not raised, and if +Christ's kingdom is not established, and they do not reign with him, +their hopes are vain, their sufferings useless, and the purposes of +God are frustrated. In vain did they bear a faithful testimony in +opposition to a depraved world; in vain they endured, as seeing him +that is invisible; in vain they wandered about in sheep skins, and in +goat skins; in vain they looked for a city which hath foundations, as +a recompense of reward; and false and deceptive are the testimonies of +all the prophets who have testified of the restitution of all things, +from the foundation of the world. Take away this, and our highest, and +most exalted hopes are blighted; we live like fools, and die like dogs. +If the world is always suffered to continue as it is, then is the hope +of the righteous vain, the promises of God fail, Satan triumphs, and +God's purposes are frustrated. + +All the designs of God concerning this world and the work of creation, +were perfected in his mind before this world rolled into existence, or +"e'er the morning stars sang together for joy." When this world was +formed, God intended it as the final dwelling place of those bodies +which should inhabit it. And when "the sons of God shouted for joy," +it was at the prospect of that exaltation, that they would be capable +of obtaining, in consequence of this creation, which they then saw +come into existence. And if, as Jesus, they had to descend below all +things, in order that they might be raised above all things; still +this was the medium, or channel, through which they were to obtain +their ultimate exaltation, and glorification. It was by the union +of their spirits, which came forth from the Father as the "Father +of Spirits," with earthly bodies, that perfect beings were formed, +capable of continued increase and eternal exaltation; that the spirit, +quick, subtle, refined, lively, animate, energetic, and eternal, might +have a body through which to operate, that might be compared to the +steam, to an engine; the electric fluid to the telegraphic wire; for, +notwithstanding that spirit, steam, or electricity are the powerful, +quickening, energetic principles, employed; yet without the engine, +the telegraphic wire, or the matter, they would be comparatively +useless; these elements might wander in empty space; spend their force +at random, or remain dormant, or useless, without those more tangible, +material objects, through which to exercise their force. When steam +was first applied to practical purposes; when the operation of the +magnetic needle, and the mode of communication through the electric +telegraph, were discovered; when railroads and steam boats were first +invented, something of importance was discovered, and of great value to +the human family. The men who made these discoveries and applications +are deservedly looked upon at the present time as men of great genius, +and as the benefactors of the world; but what was it they did? They +did not create the elements, those already existed: steam, magnetism, +electricity, iron, coals, water, existed before, and had existed from +the beginning of creation. What was it these geniuses discovered? It +was simply a method of organizing this matter, the making use of gross +inanimate materials to confine the more subtle, refined, elastic, +energetic, and powerful, that their combined power and energy might +be brought into effect; and that through the union of two powerful +agencies, which had lain dormant, their forces might be united, and be +brought into active and powerful operation. Thus, then, was the body +formed as an agent for the spirit. It was made of grosser materials +than the spirit, which proceeded from God, but was necessary as an +habitation for it that, it might be clothed with a body, perfect in +its organization, beautiful in its structure, symmetrical in its +proportions, and in every way fit for an eternal intelligent being; +that through it, it might speak, act, enjoy, and develop its power, +its intelligence, and perpetuate its species. Hence as the discoveries +of those geniuses already referred to, were hailed with pleasure by +the inhabitants of the world, on account of the benefits conferred +upon men, so when God created this earth, and organized men upon it, +"the morning stars sung together for joy;" they looked upon it as God +looked upon it, as a work perfect, magnificent, and glorious, through +which they saw their way to exaltation, glory, thrones, principalities, +powers, dominions, and eternal felicity. They had the intelligence +before, but now they saw a way through which to develop it. Through the +world's great Architect, their Father, they discovered a plan fraught +with intelligence and wisdom, reaching from eternity to eternity, +pointing out a means whereby, through obedience to celestial laws, they +might obtain the same power that he had. And if, in fallen humanity, +they might have to suffer for a while, they saw a way back to God, to +eternal exaltations, and to the multiplied, and eternally increasing +happiness of innumerable millions of beings. And if, as Jesus, they had +to descend below all things, it was that they might be raised above all +things, and take their position as sons of God, in the eternal world; +that overcoming the world they might sit down with Christ upon his +throne, as he overcame and sat down upon the Father's throne. Rev. iii. +21. + +But again; this creation is unlike the works of man, which, however +excellent, and useful, all bear the marks of humanity, all are more +or less imperfect in their structure, and liable to a thousand +contingences, are more or less clumsy, cumbrous, and unwieldy, and must +be governed by numerous very limited laws; as for instance, you can +convey intelligence, but it must be exactly on the line of the electric +wire, you cannot go beyond its limits; you can make an engine work, +but it must be stationary; or if moving, must be confined to rails, +depth of water, and a thousand other contingences. None of these things +possess intelligence, nor the principles of life within themselves, +neither can they impart, nor perpetuate it to others, they are merely +machines, to be acted upon by man, and without man they cease to exist; +when one is worn out, or broken, another must be made at the same +toil and labour; possessing not the principles of life, they cannot +impart their likeness; whereas man, beasts, fish, fowl, and all the +animate works of God can. Man's works in comparison with God's, are +like comparing a child's wooden horse to the beautiful creature God has +made, or rather his penny whistle to the music of heaven, or the larger +boy's billiards to the motions of the planetary system. They possess no +intelligence, no powers, no reflection, no agency. The works of man are +merely made to be acted upon; are short lived, temporary, perishable +things. Man, however, bears the impress of Jehovah, is made after his +image, in his likeness, and possesses the principles of intelligence +within himself, and the medium of conveying it to others. He possesses +also, power to perpetuate his species, as also to communicate his +thoughts, his intelligence, genius, and power to others, that are +formed like him. He received his intelligence, his spirit, from God, he +is a part of himself, + + A spark of Deity + Struck from the fire of his eternal blaze; + +he came from God as his son, he bears the impress of Jehovah, even +in his fallen degenerate corrupted state. His powerful intellect, +his stately genius, his grasping ambition, his soaring, and in many +instances, exalted hopes, display, though he be fallen, the mark of +greatness; he bears the impress of Deity and shows that he is of divine +origin. + +Unlike the works of man, the work of God in relation to this earth was +destined to be eternal, not subject to be controlled by any little +contingences; nor was it dependent upon fluctuation, or change. Man's +works might fluctuate, change, or be destroyed, but not so with God's, +they were, and are eternal; eternal mind, and eternal matter; organized +and created according to the unsearchable intelligence of that eternal +unfathomable mind; that fountain of intelligence, forethought, wisdom, +and energy, that dwells with God. And this earth, and man in their +destination, and all the works of this creation, are as unchangeable +as the sun, moon, or stars, and as unalterable as the throne of God. +Satan may deceive men, for a season; their minds may be blinded by the +god of this world, but God's purposes will be unchanged. Who is Satan? +A being powerful, energetic, deceptive, insinuating; and yet necessary +to develop the evil, as there are bitters, to make us appreciate the +sweet; darkness, to make us appreciate light; evil and its sorrows, +that we may appreciate the good; error that we may be enabled to +appreciate truth; misery, in order that we may appreciate happiness. +And as there are in the works of creation opposing, mineralogical +substances which in chemical processes are necessary to develop certain +properties of matter, and produce certain effects; as fire is necessary +to purify silver, gold, and the precious metals, so it is necessary to +instruct, and prepare man for his ultimate destiny--to test his virtue, +develop his folly, exhibit his weakness and prove his incompetency +without God to rule himself or the earth; or to make himself happy or +exalt himself in time, or in eternity. But again, who is Satan? He is a +being of God's own make, under his control, subject to his will, cast +out of Heaven for rebellion; and when his services can be dispensed +with, an angel will cast him into the bottomless pit. Can he fight +against and overcome God? Verily, No! Can he alter the designs of God? +Verily, No! Satan may rage; but the Lord can confine him within proper +limits. He may instigate rebellion against God, but the Lord can bind +him in chains. + +Shall the purposes of the Lord be frustrated? Verily, No! The nations +of the earth may be drunken, and rush against each other like +inebriates; but the Lord's purposes are unchanged. Thrones may be cast +down, kingdoms depopulated; and blood, sword, and famine may prevail, +yet the Lord lives, and will accomplish his own designs. Man may +forget God, but God does not forget man: man may be ignorant of his +calling, but not so with God. Man may not reflect upon the designs of +God, in relation to this earth, but God must and does; and if in man's +madness, his infidelity, his hypocrisy, or his ignorance, he cannot +find time here to reflect upon these things, he will find ample leisure +hereafter, and the purposes of God will roll on; and perhaps when he +shall be preached to, as the rebellious Antediluvians, after receiving +the punishment of his deeds, he may know something more of the power, +justice, and purposes of God, and be glad to hear the Gospel in prison +which he rejected on this earth. But to suppose that the purposes of +God will be frustrated in relation to his designs in the formation of +this earth, is altogether folly. They will roll on as steadily as the +sun or moon in their courses. And as surely as we look in the east for +the rising of the sun in the morning to display his gorgeous glory, +light up the beauties of creation, and waken sleepy man; so surely +will "the sun of righteousness arise with healing in his wings," so +surely will the sleeping dead burst from their tombs, and the glorified +bodies with their spirits re-unite, so surely will a reign of justice, +truth, equity, and happiness--the reign of God, supersede the barbarous +oppression, and corrupt governments of this world, so surely will that +long night of darkness, ignorance, crime, and error be superseded +by the glorious day of righteousness; and so surely will this earth +become as the Garden of the Lord, the kingdom and reign of God be +established, and the Saints of the Most High take the kingdom and +possess it for ever and ever. The time of the restitution of all things +will be ushered in; the earth resume its paradisiacal glory, and the +dead and the living Saints possess the full fruition of those things +for which they lived, and suffered, and died. These are the hopes that +the ancient Saints enjoyed; they possessed hopes that bloomed with +immortality and eternal life; hopes planted there by the Spirit of +God, and conferred by the ministering of Angels, the visions of the +Almighty, the opening of the Heavens, and the promises of God. They +lived and died in hopes of a better resurrection. How different to the +narrow, conceited, grovelling views of would-be philosophers, of sickly +religionists, and dreaming philanthropists! + +Therefore, as we have said, anything short of this would render inutile +the hopes of the Saints; would fail to accomplish the expectation of +millions of spirits; and cause Satan to triumph, and frustrate the +designs of God. This earth, after wading through all the corruptions +of men, being cursed for his sake, and not permitted to shed forth +its full lustre and glory, must yet take its proper place in God's +creations; be purified from that corruption under which it has groaned +for ages, and become a fit place for redeemed men, angels, and God to +dwell upon. The Lord Jesus will come and dispossess the usurper; take +possession of his own kingdom; introduce a rule of righteousness; and +reign there with his Saints, who, together with him, are the rightful +proprietors. + + + +Chapter X. +------------------ + +Will God's Kingdom Be a Literal or a Spiritual Kingdom? + +It would be almost unnecessary to answer such a question as the +above, were it not for the opinions that are entertained in the world +concerning a purely spiritual kingdom, particularly as in a preceding +chapter I have clearly pointed out a literal kingdom, rule, and reign. +But I have introduced this merely to meet some questions that exist +in the minds of many, relative to a spiritual kingdom, arising from +certain remarks of our Saviour's, where he says, "My kingdom is not of +this world;" and again, the "kingdom of heaven is not meat and drink, +but righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost;" and again, +"the kingdom of God is within (or among) you." + +The kingdom of God, as I have already stated, is the government of +God, whether in the heavens, or on the earth. Hence Jesus taught his +disciples to pray, "Thy kingdom come, thy will be done on earth, as +it is done in heaven." And when the kingdom of God is established on +the earth, and prevails universally, then will the will of God be done +on earth, and not till then; then will the reign of God exist on the +earth, as it now does in heaven. It is this reign we are speaking of, +a reign of righteousness. But whenever God's laws are established, +or his kingdom is organized, and officers selected, and men yield +obedience to the laws of the kingdom of God; to such an extent does +God's kingdom prevail. John preached the kingdom of God, or, heaven +nigh at hand. Jesus said, the kingdom of heaven is within you. Jesus +compared the kingdom of heaven to a husbandman who sowed wheat, and +when he went to his field, he found tares also. Matt. xiii. Now what +was this field? The field was the world, or in other words, God's +rightful possession, where he ought to govern; the good seed are the +children of the kingdom, or those who receive and obey the laws of the +kingdom of heaven. The tares are the children of the wicked one; or +those who rebel against God and his laws. The tares are to be gathered +out of his kingdom, and burned; and then are the righteous to shine as +the sun in the kingdom of their Father. Again, the kingdom of Heaven +is likened unto a treasure that a man found in a field, and sold all +his possessions, in order that he might possess himself of that field +and treasure; and a pearl of great price, for which a man did likewise; +thus Abraham, Noah, Lot, Moses, and many of the Prophets purchased this +treasure at the sacrifice of all things. And why? They discovered the +pearl, the treasure, and had respect unto the recompense of reward; +enduring as seeing him who is invisible. And what was it all for? For +the purpose of obtaining present blessings, earthly enjoyments, the +pleasures of sense? No! they all died in faith _not having_ received +the promises; but having seen them afar off; they knew of the treasure, +and sold all for it; they "looked for a city which hath foundations, +whose builder and maker is God." Wherefore it is said, God is not +ashamed to be called their God, for he hath prepared for them a city. +They looked for a reign of righteousness--the government of God--they +were inspired with the same hope as that of all the Prophets who had +prophesied since the world begun, viz., the hope of the restitution +of all things. John the Baptist, and Jesus would have introduced the +kingdom; but the people would not have it; still, as the apostle John +says, to as many as did believe, "to them gave he power to become the +Sons of God, even to them that believe on his name." John i. 12. They +became sons of God. Yes, say some spiritually, and I say literally +too. They made a literal covenant with God to keep his laws; they were +administered to literally by officers of the kingdom of God; they +believed literally; were baptised literally, and received the gift of +the Holy Ghost literally; and became literally the servants or sons of +God. But what was their hope? Was it in this world? Yes, but not at the +present. They expected the promise of Jesus to be fulfilled to them: +"Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth." And they +looked, with Peter, and all the ancient Saints, for a new Heaven and a +new Earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness. They looked with Paul, and +the Saints to whom he wrote, for a kingdom, not ariel or visionary, but +one "which hath foundations, whose builder and maker is God." + +The world, as we have before stated, although it belongs to God, has +never been under his control. His vineyard has brought forth briars +and thorns; tares have been sown in his field; but there has been some +wheat, and that wheat represents the children of the kingdom, who +have kept his laws and observed his ordinances; and wheresoever the +laws of his kingdom have been observed, in the same proportion has +his kingdom prevailed. Christ, therefore, organized his kingdom with +Apostles, Prophets, Pastors, Teachers, Evangelists, etc.; officers and +administrators of his laws, which laws were given by the Lord; they +baptized for the remission of sins, laid on hands for the gift of the +Holy Ghost, and introduced members into the kingdom of God on earth, +and as they were empowered to bind on earth, and in heaven, to seal on +earth, and in heaven, these persons, not only became members of the +Church here, but also of the kingdom of heaven, and participators in +all its blessings here and hereafter. They were now Sons of God; but +it did not fully appear yet what they should be, only they should be +like him. If he conquered death, so should they; if he overcame, so +should they; if he sat down upon his Father's throne, he would give to +them that overcame, power to sit down upon his throne, as he overcame +and sat down upon his Father's throne. And if Jesus comes to reign on +the earth, he will also bring his Saints with him, and they shall live +and reign with him. These things are spiritual, but they are literal; +they are temporal, but they are also spiritual and eternal. Hence with +God all things are temporal; all things are spiritual; and all things +are eternal. These are only our phrases to specify certain ideas, +which ideas in themselves are very often incorrect: we have bodies and +spirits, but it takes both to be a perfect man. We talk about time and +eternity,--what is time? A portion of eternity; eternity was, before +time was, and will continue to exist when time shall be no more. +Spiritual and temporal things are only so, as we form ideas of them. +What is our body?--temporal, material? Yes, matter; but the matter of +which it is made is eternal, and it will yet be spiritual like unto +Christ's glorious body. What is our spirit?--material, spiritual and +eternal also? But more subtle and elastic than our corporeal bodies. + +Having said so much on this subject, we now come to some of our +questions. "The kingdom of Heaven is not meat and drink, but +righteousness, and peace, and joy, in the Holy Ghost." What are +we to understand by this? that righteousness composes a kingdom? +Righteousness is an attribute, a principle, a state of being, not a +government; peace and joy are the result of this attribute. God is +righteous, and consequently righteousness flows from him. There may +be also a righteous man; but we do not say that God is a kingdom, +or that a righteous man is a kingdom, but that the kingdom of God +is a righteous kingdom. You can say a righteous kingdom, a kingdom +of righteousness; but you cannot say righteousness is a kingdom. A +kingdom may be governed by righteous laws; its laws may be righteous, +its administrators righteous, its people righteous; but to say +righteousness is a kingdom, is nonsense. The kingdom of God is a +righteous kingdom; it is made up of higher enjoyments than eating +and drinking; it is more refined and elevated; it is a kingdom of +holiness, virtue, purity; of "righteousness, and peace, and joy in the +Holy Ghost,"--principles that exist in part now, as far as the kingdom +extends. When the kingdom of God is universal, it will, like the +kingdom in the heavens, be all "righteousness, peace, and joy in the +Holy Ghost;" yet, it will have its laws, officers, and administrators, +and will be a literal, tangible thing. The Spirit of the Lord shall be +poured upon all flesh; the will of God will be done on earth as it is +in heaven, and the joy and peace which result from righteousness, will +be experienced by all the world. What did Jesus mean, then, when he +said, "The kingdom of Heaven is within you," or "among you" (marginal +reading.) Luke xvii. 20, 21. There certainly must be some mistake +here, for Jesus was speaking to Pharisees, whom he had denounced as +corrupt men, hypocrites, whited walls, painted sepulchres, etc. Now, +who will say they had the kingdom of God within them? The kingdom of +God was among them. And it did not come with observation, nor with +ostentation or pomp; they might have seen it, but their eyes were +blinded, that they could not see; their ears were stopped that they +could not hear. Many of us suppose that if we had lived in their day, +we should have recognized it among the miracles, signs, and powers that +were manifested by him. But Jesus said, "My sheep hear my voice, and +know me, and follow me, but others do not." If any man do his will, +says Jesus, "he shall know of the doctrine whether it be of God, or +whether I speak of myself." John vii. 17. But if they do not, what +then? They have eyes, but see not; ears, but hear not. The God of this +world blinds their eyes, lest the light of the gospel should shine in +upon them. Jesus says, "Except a man be born again; he cannot see the +kingdom of God." And "except he is born of water and the spirit, he +cannot enter into it." John iii. 3 and 5. It therefore cometh not with +observation; the Scriptures are clear on the point, and show to the +last that when God's kingdom shall be more fully established on the +earth, the inhabitants of the earth will be as ignorant of it as the +Jews were, that Jesus was the Messiah; for the nations of the earth, +with their kings, will yet be gathered together against the people of +the Lord, to battle, when the Lord himself will go and fight against +them, and there will be one of the most terrible slaughters that ever +took place on the earth. It cometh _not with observation_. It is a +righteous kingdom, and righteous men can see it, and appreciate it, and +those only. + +I have demonstrated, in a preceding chapter, to which I refer my +readers, more fully on this subject, that the kingdom of God would be +literally established on the earth; it will not be an ariel phantom, +according to some visionaries, but a substantial reality. It will be +established, as before said, on a literal earth, and will be composed +of literal men, women, and children; of living saints who keep the +commandments of God, and of resurrected bodies who shall actually come +out of their graves, and live on the earth. The Lord will be king over +all the earth, and all mankind literally under his sovereignty, and +every nation under the heavens will have to acknowledge his authority, +and bow to his sceptre. Those who serve him in righteousness will have +communications with God, and with Jesus; will have the ministering of +Angels, and will know the past, the present, and the future; and other +people, who may not yield full obedience to his laws, nor be fully +instructed in his covenants, will, nevertheless, have to yield full +obedience to his government. For it will be the reign of God upon the +earth, and he will enforce his laws, and command that obedience from +the nations of the world which is legitimately his right. Satan will +not then be permitted to control its inhabitants, for the Lord God +will be king over all the earth, and the kingdom and greatness of the +kingdom under the whole heaven will be given to the saints. This may +properly be called the day of reckoning, the time when the world's +accounts will be settled; when things that have been going wrong for +ages, will be put right; when injustice and misrule will no more be +permitted; when the usurper shall be cast out; when the rightful heir +shall possess the kingdom; when unrighteousness will be banished, and +justice and judgement bear sway; when the wicked shall be rooted out +of the earth, and the saints possess it; when God's designs shall be +accomplished on the earth, and men resume their proper position. It +is the fulfilment of the promises of the Lord to his people, or in +scriptural words, "The dispensation of the fulness of times, when God +will gather together all things in one." Satan has had his dominion, +and has deceived, corrupted, and cursed the human family; but then his +dominion will be destroyed, and he will be cast into the bottomless +pit; men will no longer be under the influence of his spirit, be +decoyed by his wiles, or imposed upon by his deceptions. Religion, and +the fear of God, will no longer be painted in dismal colours, or be +dressed in the sable drapery of sanctimonious priests, or sacerdotal +gloom; nor yet in the forbidding costumes of hermits, monks, and +nuns. But, stript of all this religious masquerade, and superstitious +mummery, the fear of God, and the observance of his laws, will be +looked upon in their proper light. God will be seen, feared, and +worshipped as our Father, Friend, and Benefactor; his laws will be kept +as being those framed by infinite wisdom, and the most conducive to +the happiness of the human family. Virtue, truth, and righteousness, +will appear in their native loveliness, beauty, simplicity, glory, and +magnificence, for God alone will be exalted in that day. + + + +Chapter XI. +------------------ + +The Establishment of the Kingdom of God upon the Earth. + +How will the kingdom of God be established? We have already shown +very clearly, that none of the means which are now used among men are +commensurate with the object designed, and that all the combined wisdom +of man must, and will fail, in the accomplishment of this object; that +the present forms of political and religious rule cannot effect it; +that philosophy is quite as impotent; and that as these have all failed +for ages, as a natural consequence they must continue to fail. We have +portrayed the world broken, corrupted, fallen, degraded and ruined; and +shown that nothing but a world's God can put it right. + +The question is, what course will God take for the accomplishment of +this thing? and as this is a matter that requires more than human +reason, and as we are left entirely to Revelation, either past, +present, or to come, it is to this only that we can apply. We will +enquire, therefore, what the Scriptures say on this subject. It is +called the kingdom of God, or the kingdom of heaven. If, therefore, it +is the kingdom of heaven, it must receive its _laws, organization,_ +and _government,_ from heaven; for if they were earthly, then would +they be like those on the earth. The kingdom of heaven must therefore +be the government, and laws of heaven, on the earth. If the government +and laws of heaven are known and observed on the earth, they must be +communicated, or revealed from the heavens to the earth. These things +are plain and evident, if we are to have any kingdom of heaven, for +it is very clear, that if it is not God's rule, it cannot be his +_government,_ and it is as evident that if it is not revealed from +heaven it cannot be the _kingdom of heaven_. That such a kingdom will +be set up is evident from the following, "And in the days of these +kings shall the God of Heaven set up a kingdom, which shall never be +destroyed, and the kingdom shall not be left to other people." Dan. ii. +44; and again, "I saw in the night visions, and behold one like the Son +of man came with the clouds of Heaven, and came to the Ancient of Days; +and they brought him near before him. And there was given him dominion, +and glory, and a kingdom that all people, nations, and languages, +should serve him; his dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall +not pass away; and his kingdom that which shall not be destroyed." +Dan. vii 13, 14. From the above we learn two things: First--that God +will set up a kingdom which shall be universal; and, that that kingdom +shall not be given into the hands of other people; and secondly--that +the Saints of God shall take possession of that kingdom. The Angel +which announced to Mary the birth of Jesus said, "He shall be great, +and shall be called the Son of the Highest; and the Lord God shall give +unto him the throne of his Father David; and he shall reign over the +house of Jacob for ever, and of his kingdom there shall be no end." +Luke i. 32, 33. + +It may not be improper here to notice an opinion that has very +generally prevailed throughout the Christian world, that Christ's +kingdom was a spiritual kingdom; that it was set up at the time our +Saviour was upon the earth; and that Christianity as it now exists, +is that kingdom. After what I have already written on the subject of +a literal reign and kingdom, this would seem superfluous; but as this +opinion is almost universal in the Christian world, my readers must +excuse me, if, in this instance, I digress a little. Several writers in +the Catholic church, as well as the Rev. David Simpson, M. A., Bishop +Burnett, the Rev. John Wesley, and many others among the Protestants, +have advocated the above opinion. The substance of their ideas is as +follows: that Daniel, by the figure of an image of gold, silver, brass, +iron, clay, in chap. ii.--and by the figures of the four beasts, in +chap, vii., represented a spiritual kingdom; that this kingdom was set +up in the days of the Saviour, and his disciples; that Christianity, as +it now exists, is that kingdom, and that it will become universal over +all the earth. They state that the four great empires, the Babylonian, +Persian, Grecian, and Roman, are represented by the head, breast, +belly, and legs of the Image, and by the four Beasts, in chapter vii; +and that the kingdom of God was to be set up under the dominion of the +fourth, which, as they correctly state, was the Roman. They state, +moreover, that the declaration and prophecy of the Angel to Mary, +above quoted, were also fulfilled in the first coming of the Messiah; +in his preaching, in his gospel, and in the organizing of the church, +etc. Many other passages are made to bear the same signification, +which it would be foreign from my present purpose to notice. I have +referred to the above, as some of the most prominent. Now, with all +deference to the gentlemen who have written on this subject (and +education, respectability, and talent, entitle their opinions to some +respect) I must beg leave to differ from them, and consider, that in +trying to support a favorite dogma, they have been led into error; +for it seems to me that nothing can be more foreign to the meaning +of these scriptures than the above interpretation. Now concerning +the four great monarchies being represented as above, I consider it +is perfectly correct; but to state that the kingdom was to be set up +under the fourth monarchy, or under the dominion of the fourth beast, +is stretching the thing too far; and putting a construction upon it +which it evidently will not bear. The text reads, "in the days of those +kings shall the God of Heaven set up a kingdom." The question is, What +kings? I am answered, during the reign of one of the four; and that +as Christ came during the reign, and dominion of the Roman empire, it +evidently refers to that. But let me again ask a question, Under the +reign of what kings was this kingdom to be set up? Under the reign of +the fourth? Verily, No. Let Daniel speak for himself. After describing +the fourth kingdom, which was the Roman, which is compared to iron, +and which in the Image was represented by the legs, he then refers to +other kingdoms and powers, as being compared to iron and clay. There +were also feet and toes, as well as a _body_, which were compared to +powers or kings. This is clearly exemplified in the seventh chapter of +Daniel, for after speaking of the four kings, he describes ten horns, +of which the ten toes in the Image above referred to, are typical. +Those ten horns, he says, are ten kings. It was, then, in the days of +those kings, or while those kingdoms should be in existence, that the +God of Heaven should set up a kingdom; and not during the power of the +fourth kingdom; to which, with any degree of truthfulness, the figure +could not apply in either case. But again, it could not apply to the +first coming of our Saviour for the following reasons:-- + +First.--The stone hewn out of the mountain without hands was to smite +the Image on the toes; whereas, according to the interpretation of the +divines before referred to, the toes were not yet in existence, for +they state that this kingdom was set up during the fourth monarchy, +which was the Roman, and which is represented in the legs of the Image. +Now, as the powers composing the feet and toes were not yet formed, +how could the little stone smite that which was not in existence? For +it will be observed that after the whole Image was made, the stone was +hewn out of the mountains without hands which smote it. + +Secondly.--When this kingdom is set up, it is stated "it _shall not be +left to other people;_" but we are told in Dan. vii. chap., that after +the fourth monarchy which was the time, according to the aforesaid +interpretation, for the setting up of the kingdom of God, a certain +"horn," or king, should make war with the Saints, and prevail against +them; and that "he should think to change times and laws--and that +they should be _given into his hand_." Nothing can be more obvious than +this; for this power, after the first coming of the Messiah, not only +thinks to change times and laws, but "they" are actually "given into +his hand," which will not be the case, when the kingdom above referred +to is set up. + +Thirdly.--When the kingdom of God was to be set up, it was to be +"given to the Saints of the Most High;" and all nations, kindreds, +people, and tongues, were to obey the Lord, which has not taken place, +and never can under the present state of things. + +Fourthly.--There is no more similarity between Christianity, as it now +exists, with all its superstitions, corruptions, jargons, contentions, +divisions, weakness, and imbecility, and this KINGDOM OF GOD, as spoken +of in the Scriptures, than there is between light and darkness; and it +would no more compare with things to come, than an orange would compare +with the earth, or a taper with the glorious luminary of day. + +Fifthly.--The kingdom of God, as spoken of by Daniel, was to become +universal, which Christianity has not, and cannot, as it now exists. + +Sixthly.--The Angel's testimony to Mary has not yet been fulfilled. It +is stated, that "The Lord shall give unto him the throne of his father +David, and he shall reign over the House of Jacob for ever, and of his +kingdom there shall be no end;" whereas he did not sit upon David's +throne, nor does he now; he did not reign over the house of Jacob, nor +does he now, for the ten tribes are yet outcasts; "the house of Judah +is scattered and without a king," and Jesus himself, when asked to +divide an inheritance, demanded, "Who made me a ruler or king." He, +indeed was a king; "but in his humiliation his judgement was taken +away." + +From the whole of the above it is very evident that the kingdom, of +which these divines speak, was not, and could not be the one referred +to by Daniel, or by the angel to Mary; as we have before stated, it was +a literal kingdom, and not a spiritual one only. I would further remark +here, that a certain power was to "make war with the Saints, and to +prevail against them until the Ancient of Days came;" and then, and not +till then, was "judgement given to the Saints of the Most High." + +We will now return from our digression, and after stating that the +kingdom of God is a literal kingdom; that it will be great, powerful, +glorious, and universal, and that it will extend from sea to sea, and +from the rivers unto the ends of the earth; that all kingdoms will +be in subjection to it, and all powers obey it, we will proceed to +examine how it will be established. It is compared to a small stone +"hewn out of the mountain without hands," and yet the God of Heaven +is to set up this kingdom. Isaiah, in his eleventh chapter, to which +I refer my readers, in speaking of the establishment of this kingdom, +says, "In that day there shall be a root of Jesse, which shall stand +for an ensign of the people; to it shall the Gentiles seek, and his +rest shall be glorious. And it shall come to pass in that day, that the +Lord shall set his hand again the second time to recover the remnant +of his people, which shall be left, from Assyria, and from Egypt, and +from Pathros, and from Cush, and from Elam, and from Shinar, and from +Hamath, and from the islands of the sea. And he shall set up an ensign +for the nations, and shall assemble the outcasts of Israel, and gather +together the dispersed of Judah from the four corners of the earth." +10-12. From the above it would seem, that an ensign or standard is to +be raised to the nations; that the Gentiles shall seek to it; and that +the ten tribes return, as well as the Jews to their land; that the +dispersed of Judah, and the outcasts of Israel are to return. Now, a +standard, or ensign, is a nation's colours, flag, or rallying point; +it is one of those appendages to a kingdom that is always respected by +its inhabitants. It is used in a variety of ways, and for different +purposes; sometimes by the emperor, king, governor, or general, to +signify his presence; sometimes by vessels to specify their nation; +and sometimes by estates, cities, corporations, or clubs: and always +by armies and navies, to represent whom they belong to. If a king had +a proclamation to make, and wished to rally his subjects, or try their +fidelity, he might send a flag, or standard, and all that rallied to it +would be considered his liege subjects. + +But here the God of Heaven sets up a standard. The world, as we have +before stated, is his; it is his right to possess it. Satan has held +the dominion for some time, and the Lord now comes to dispossess +him, to take possession of his rightful inheritance, and to rule +his own kingdom. In order to do this, he issues his mandate, makes +a proclamation, lifts up a standard, and invites all to join it. +Those who do may be considered as his servants, as the citizens of +his kingdom; those who do not, as being in opposition to him, his +government, and laws. As the Father of the human family, as the prince +and king, he lifts up an ensign, and calls the world's attention. Now +the only rational way for the Lord to accomplish this, is to form a +communication with man, and to make him acquainted with his laws. We +cannot conceive of him thundering from the heavens and terrifying the +inhabitants of the earth, nor yet sending angels with flaming swords +to coerce obedience. This would be using physical power to control the +mind; but as man is a free agent, he uses other means to act upon his +mind, his judgement, and his will; and by the beauty and loveliness +of virtue, purity, holiness, and the fear of God, to captivate his +feelings, control his judgement, and influence him to render that +obedience to God which is justly his due; not until these means fail, +will others be exercised. + +As the world are ignorant of God and his laws, not having had any +communication with him for eighteen hundred years; and as all those +great and important events must transpire, and as the Lord says he +will "do nothing but what he reveals to his servants the Prophets," +it follows, that there must be revelations made from God; and if +so, as a necessary consequence, there must be prophets to reveal +them to. How did God ever reveal his will, and purposes to Enoch, +Noah, Abraham, Moses, the Prophets, Jesus, and his Disciples, and +they to the people? God's messengers made known his will, and the +people obeyed, or rejected it. If they were punished by floods, fire, +plagues, pestilence, dispersions, death, etc., it was in consequence +of their disobedience. As God has dealt in former times, so will he +in the latter, with this difference, that he will accomplish his +purposes in the last days; he will set up his kingdom; he will protect +the righteous, _destroy_ Satan, and his works, purge the earth from +wickedness, and bring in the restitution of all things. The above, +while it is the only rational way, is evidently the only just, and +scriptural way. Some people talk about the world being burned up, about +plagues, pestilence, famine, sword, and ruin, and all these things +being instantaneous. Now it would not be just for the Lord to punish +the inhabitants of the earth without warning. For if the world are +ignorant of God, they cannot altogether be blamed for it; if they are +made the dupes of false systems, and false principles, they cannot +help it; many of them are doing as well as they can while, as we have +before stated, it would be unjust for the world to continue as it is. +It would at the same time be as unjust to punish the inhabitants of +the world for things that they are ignorant of, or for things over +which they have no control. Before the Lord destroyed the inhabitants +of the old world, he sent Enoch and Noah to warn them. Before the Lord +destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah, he sent Lot into their midst. Before +the Children of Israel were carried captive to Babylon, they were +warned of it by the Prophets; and before Jerusalem was destroyed, +the inhabitants had the testimony of our Lord, and his Disciples. +And so will it be in the last days; and as it is the world that is +concerned, the world will have to be warned. We will therefore proceed +to examine the scriptural testimony on this subject. John says in the +Revelations, "And I saw another angel fly in the midst of Heaven, +having the everlasting gospel to preach unto them, that dwell on the +earth; and to every nation, and kindred, tongue, and people, saying +with a loud voice, Fear God, and give glory to him, for the hour of +his judgement is come, and worship him that made heaven and earth, the +sea, and the fountains of waters. And there followed another angel, +saying, Bahylon the great is fallen." xiv. 6-8. Here, then, a light +bursts forth from the heavens; a celestial messenger is deputed to +convey to men tidings of salvation; the everlasting gospel is again +to be proclaimed to the children of men; The proclamation is to be +made to "every nation, kindred, people, and tongue." Associated with +this, was to be another declaration, "Fear God, and give glory to him, +for the hour of his judgement is come." Thus, all were to have a fair +warning, and afterwards Babylon falls--not before. From the above it is +evident, that the everlasting gospel will be restored, accompanied with +a warning to the world. Now, if the everlasting gospel is restored, +there must be the same principles, laws, officers, or administrators, +and ordinances. If, before, they had Apostles, they will again have +them; the same laws and ordinances will be introduced, and the same +method for receiving members into the kingdom. They will also have +Prophets, Pastors, Teachers, and Evangelists. If they baptised by +immersion for the remission of sins, and laid on hands for the gift of +the Holy Ghost, they will again do the same things. If the gift of the +Holy Ghost formerly brought things past to the saints' remembrance, led +them into all truth, and showed them things to come, it will do the +same again, for it is the everlasting gospel. If formerly it caused +men to dream dreams, and to see visions, it will do the same again; if +to one was given the gift of tongues, to another the gift of healing, +to another power to work miracles, to another the gift of wisdom, the +same will exist in latter days, for it is the everlasting gospel which +is to be restored. If it put men in possession of a knowledge of God, +and of his purposes, and brought life and immortality to light in +former days, it will do the same again. If it dispelled the clouds of +darkness, unveiled the heavens, put men in possession of certainty, and +gave them a hope that bloomed with immortality and eternal life, it +will do the same again. If it caused men to know the object of their +creation, their relationship to God, their position on the earth, and +their final exaltation and glory, it will do the same again, for it +is the everlasting Gospel. In short, it is the will of God to man, +the government of God among men, and a portion of that light, glory +and intelligence, which exist with God and angels, communicated to +mortals, and obtained through obedience to his laws and ordinances. If +the Gospel formerly was to be proclaimed to all nations, so it is now, +with this difference associated with it, there is to be a cry, "Fear +God, and give glory to him, for the hour of His judgement is come." +From this, then, we may expect a proclamation to be made to all people; +messengers to go forth to every nation, and the same principles which +once existed to be again restored in all their fulness, power, glory, +and blessings. The above is the way pointed out in the Scriptures, and +is the only just and rational way to deal with rational, intelligent +beings; for intelligence must be appealed to by intelligence, and it +would be unjust to punish the world indiscriminately, without first +appealing to their reason, judgement, and intelligence. But not only +will the everlasting Gospel be again restored, and be preached in +its fulness as formerly, and go as a messenger to all the world; not +only will there be a spiritual kingdom and organization; but there +will also be a literal kingdom, a nation, or nations, a Zion, and the +people will gather to that. We will here insert a prophecy of David +on this subject: "But thou, O Lord, shalt endure for ever; and thy +remembrance unto all generations. Thou shalt arise, and have mercy upon +Zion: for the time to favor her, yea, the set time, is come. For thy +servants take pleasure in her stones, and favor the dust thereof. So +the heathen shall fear the name of the Lord, and all the kings of the +earth thy glory. When the Lord shall build up Zion, he shall appear in +his glory. He will regard the prayer of the destitute, and not despise +their prayer. This shall be written for the generation to come: and +the people which shall be created shall praise the Lord. For he hath +looked down from the height of his sanctuary; from heaven did the Lord +behold the earth; to hear the groaning of the prisoner; to loose those +that are appointed to death; to declare the name of the Lord in Zion, +and his praise in Jerusalem; when the people are gathered together, and +the kingdoms to serve the Lord." Psalm cii. 12-22. Here we find, First, +that a literal Zion is to be built up; Secondly, that when that Zion +is built up, the Lord will come--will appear in his glory; Thirdly, +that it is something which concerns the nations of the earth, and the +whole world, for there shall the people be gathered together, and the +kingdoms to serve the Lord. + +It may be proper here to remark, that there will be two places of +gathering, or Zions; the one in Jerusalem, the other in another place; +the one is a place where the Jews will gather to, and the other a mixed +multitude of all nations. Concerning the house of Israel, Jeremiah +says, "Therefore, behold, the days come, saith the Lord, that it shall +no more be said, The Lord liveth, that brought up the children of +Israel out of the land of Egypt; but, the Lord liveth, that brought up +the children of Israel from the land of the north, and from all the +lands whither he had driven them: and I will bring them again into +their land that I gave unto their fathers," xvi. 14, 15. According to +this passage, and many others, there will evidently be a great display +of the power of God manifested towards the house of Israel in their +restitution to their former habitations. Another Scripture says, that +"Jerusalem shall be inhabited in her own place, even in Jerusalem." +Here I would remark, that there was a Zion formerly in Jerusalem; +but there is also another spoken of in the Scriptures. Hence, in +the passage which we quoted from the Psalms, the Kingdoms are to be +gathered together in Zion, and the people to serve the Lord; and not +only the Jews, but the Heathens are to fear the name of the Lord, and +all the kings of the earth his glory. The law is to issue from Zion, +and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem. Again--"The Lord God that +gathereth the outcasts of Israel, says, yet will I gather others unto +me besides these." It is very evident from these passages that there +are two places of gathering, as well as from many others that might +be quoted. For example, Joel, in speaking of the troubles of the last +days, says, There shall in the last days be deliverance in Mount Zion, +and in Jerusalem. Now, he never could say with propriety in Mount Zion, +and in Jerusalem, if these were not two places. The ancient Zion was +in Jerusalem. It would not be proper to say in London, and in London; +but you could say in London and in Edinburgh, in New York and in +Philadelphia, in Frankfort and in Brussels; and so you can say in Zion +and in Jerusalem. But again, the Jews are to be gathered to Jerusalem +in unbelief, as spoken of in Zechariah; and when the Messiah appears +among them, being ignorant of Jesus, they shall ask, "What are these +wounds in thy hands?" Then he shall answer, "Those with which I was +wounded in the house of my friends." xiii. 6. And then a fountain shall +be opened for the house of David, and the inhabitants of Jerusalem, and +they will enter into the covenant by baptism, xiii. 1. But the people +of Zion the Lord will take them one of a city, and two of a family, +and bring them there, and give them pastors after his own heart, that +shall feed them with knowledge and understanding. Jer. iii. 14, 15. +The people there are to be all righteous. It is the last Zion that we +wish more particularly to speak of at present, as associated with the +kingdom of God; and, as we are now searching out the manner in which +the kingdom of God will be established, it is to us a matter of great +importance. There are very great judgements spoken of in the last days, +as the consequence of man's departure from God; these we have already +referred to in part; but as we have mentioned, the Gospel must again +be preached as a warning unto all nations, and accompanied with it is +to be a proclamation, "Fear God, and give glory to him, for the hour +of his judgement is come." Rev. xiv. 7. But the people would very +reasonably be heard to enquire, what can we do? What hope have we? +If war comes, we cannot either prevent or avoid it. If plague stalks +through the earth, what guarantee have we of deliverance. You say you +have come as messengers of mercy to us, and as the messengers of the +nations. What shall we do? Let Isaiah answer: he has told the tale of +war, and defined the remedy. This shall be the answer of the messenger +of the nations, that "the Lord hath founded Zion, and the poor of his +people shall trust in it." xiv. 32. Yes, says Joel, when this great and +terrible day of the Lord comes, there shall be deliverance in Mount +Zion, and in Jerusalem, as the Lord hath said, and in the remnant whom +the Lord shall call. ii. 32. Yes, says Jeremiah, He will take them +one of a city, and two of a family, and bring them to Zion, and give +them pastors after his own heart, that shall feed them with knowledge +and understanding, iii. 14, 15. The proclamation to the world will be +the means of establishing this Zion, by gathering together multitudes +of people from among all nations. For there are multitudes among all +nations who are sincerely desirous to do the will of God, when they +are made acquainted with it; but having been cajoled with priestcraft +and abominations so long, they know not which course to steer, and are +jealous of almost everything. As it was formerly, so will it be in the +latter times. Jesus said, "My sheep hear my voice, and know me, and +follow me, and a stranger they will not follow, for they know not the +voice of strangers." Those who love truth, and desire to be governed by +it, will embrace it, and enter into the covenant which the Lord will +make with his people in the last days, and be gathered with them; they +will be taught of the Lord in Zion, will form his kingdom on the earth, +and will be prepared for the Lord when he comes to take possession of +his kingdom. For "when the Lord shall build up Zion, he shall appear +in his glory," and not before. But if Zion is never built up, the Lord +never will come, for he must have a people, and a place to come to. The +prophets hailed this day with pleasure, as the ushering in of those +glorious times, which were to follow. Micah says, "But in the last days +it shall come to pass, that the mountain of the house of the Lord shall +be established in the top of the mountains, and it shall be exalted +above the hills; and people shall flow unto it. And many nations shall +come, and say, Come, and let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, and +to the house of the God of Jacob; and he will teach us of his ways, and +we will walk in his paths; for the law shall go forth of Zion, and the +word of the Lord from Jerusalem." iv. 1, 2. Isaiah with rapture gazed +upon the scene, and in ecstacy cried out, "Who are these that fly as a +cloud, and as the doves to their windows? Surely the isles shall wait +for me, and the ships of Tarshish first, to bring thy sons from afar, +their silver and their gold with them, unto the name of the Lord thy +God, and to the Holy One of Israel, because he hath glorified thee. And +the sons of strangers shall build up thy walls, and their kings shall +minister unto thee." lx. 8-10. You will find by reading the 14th verse, +that this place is to be called "The City of the Lord; the Zion of the +Holy One of Israel." Here then we find, that the Lord will have a house +built; that it shall be upon the tops of the mountains, and be exalted +above the hills; that many nations shall go there, to learn the will of +the Lord, and that the law shall go forth from Zion. That the people +shall come as clouds to it; that they shall take their silver and gold +with them. That God's worship will be known, and the religion of the +Lord will lose its forbidding aspect. And God, and his religion, be +popular among the nations of the earth. + +This brings us to another means that will be made use of, for the +establishment of the kingdom of God; for, before this, he will rebuke +strong nations that are _afar off. And before they "beat their swords +into ploughshares, and their spears into pruning hooks, and nations +shall have war no more._"[A] there will be a time of terrible trouble, +and distress, of war and calamity, such as never has been before on +the earth. Having noticed in the above that a standard will be raised +to the nations, that the Gospel will be preached again to all people +and a proclamation be made to all nations; that a literal Zion will be +built; that the righteous will flock to that Zion, and be taught of +the Lord, and be prepared for his coming; that great multitudes will +flow to Zion, and the blessing of God dwell there; we now come to point +out another way that the kingdom of God will be established, viz., +by judgements, that the nations may be purified and prepared for an +universal reign. + +[Footnote A: If any one wish further information on this subject, I +refer them to O. Pratt's "New Jerusalem."--Liverpool: S. W. Richards.] + +Before the Lord destroyed the old world, he directed Noah to prepare an +ark; before the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah were destroyed, he told +Lot to "flee to the mountains;" before Jerusalem was destroyed, Jesus +gave his disciples warning, and told them to "flee out of it;" and +before the destruction of the world, a message is sent; after this, the +nations will be judged, for God is now preparing his own kingdom for +his own reign, and will not be thwarted by any conflicting influence, +or opposing power. The testimony of God is first to be made known, the +standard is to be raised; the Gospel of the kingdom is to be preached +to all nations, the world is to be warned, and then come the troubles. +The whole world is in confusion, morally, politically, and religiously; +but a voice was to be heard, "Come out of her, my people, that you +partake not of her sins, and that ye receive not of her plagues." John +saw an angel having the everlasting Gospel to preach to every nation, +kindred, people, and tongue. And afterwards there was another cried, +"Babylon is fallen." Isaiah, after describing some of the most terrible +calamities that should overtake that people, says, "The noise of a +multitude in the mountains, like as of a great people; a tumultuous +noise of the kingdoms of nations gathered together: the Lord of hosts +mustereth the host of the battle .... Pangs shall take hold of them, +and they shall be in pain, as a woman that travaileth." That "the day +of the Lord cometh, cruel both with wrath and fierce anger, to lay the +land desolate, and shall destroy the sinners thereof out of it; for the +stars of heaven, and the constellations thereof, shall not give their +light: the sun shall be darkened in his going forth; and the moon shall +not cause her light to shine. And I will punish the world for their +evil, and the wicked for their iniquity, and I will cause the arrogancy +of the proud to cease, and will lay low the haughtiness of the +terrible. I will make a man more precious than fine gold." xiii. 4-12. +After enumerating many other things concerning Babylon and Assyria, +as types of things to come, he says, "This is the purpose that is +purposed upon the whole earth: and this is the hand that is stretched +out upon all the nations." xiv. 26. He says again, "Behold the Lord +maketh the earth empty, and maketh it waste, and turneth it upside +down, and scattereth abroad the inhabitants thereof. And it shall be, +as with the people so with the priest; as with the servant, so with his +master.... The land shall be utterly emptied, and utterly spoiled: for +the Lord hath spoken this word... The earth also is defiled under the +inhabitants thereof, because they have transgressed the laws, changed +the ordinance, broken the everlasting covenant." xxiv. 1-5. From the +above, it would seem that terrible judgements await the inhabitants of +the world; that there will be a general destruction; the world will be +full of war, and confusion, the nations of the earth will be convulsed, +and the wicked hurled out of it. Jesus said, when on the earth, "For +nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom; and +there shall be famines and pestilences and earthquakes in divers +places; men's hearts shall fail them for fear of those things that are +coming on the earth." Jesus came first as the babe of Bethlehem; he +will come again, "and rule nations with a rod of iron, and dash them in +pieces like a potter's vessel." Isaiah says, "There shall come forth +a rod out of the stem of Jesse, and a Branch shall grow out of his +roots. And the Spirit of the Lord shall rest upon him, the spirit of +wisdom and understanding, the spirit of counsel and might, the spirit +of knowledge and of the fear of the Lord; and shall make him of quick +understanding in the fear of the Lord; and he shall not judge after the +sight of his eyes, neither reprove after the hearing of his ears; but +with righteousness shall he judge the poor, and reprove with equity for +the meek of the earth; and he shall smite the earth with the rod of his +mouth, and with the breath of his lips shall he slay the wicked, and +righteousness shall be the girdle of his loins, and faithfulness the +girdle of his reins." xi. 1-5. The first of this was fulfilled when our +Saviour came on this earth before; the second will be when he comes +again, "he will smite the earth with the rod of his mouth, and with the +breath of his lips will he slay the wicked." The spirit of the Lord +will be withdrawn from the nations, and after rejecting the truth, they +will be left in darkness, to grope their way, and being full of the +spirit of wickedness, they will rage and war against each other, and +finally, after dreadful struggles, plagues, pestilence, famine, etc., +instigated by the powers of darkness, there will be a great gathering +of the nations against Jerusalem, for they will be infuriated against +its inhabitants, and mighty hosts will assemble, so that they will be +like a cloud to cover the land, and the Lord will appear himself to the +deliverance of his people and the destruction of the wicked. Zech xiv. +Let any one compare this chapter with Ezekiel xxxviii. and xxxix., and +he will find one of the most terrible destructions described, that is +possible to conceive of; and then turn to the second Psalm, where David +describes the kings of the earth taking counsel against the Lord, and +against his anointed. He says, He that sitteth in the heavens shall +laugh; the Lord shall have them in derision.... That he will set his +king upon his holy hill in Zion, that he will give him the heathen +for his inheritance, and the uttermost parts of the earth for his +possession.... That he will break them with a rod of iron, and dash +them in pieces like a potter's vessel; and then he concludes by saying, +Be wise, therefore, O ye kings; be instructed, ye judges of the earth, +serve the Lord with fear, and rejoice with trembling; kiss the son, +lest he be angry, and ye perish from the way, when his wrath is kindled +but a little. + +In making a brief summary of what we have said before in relation to +the means to be employed for the establishment of the Kingdom of God, +we find the following:-- + +1st.--That it will be not only a spiritual kingdom, but a temporal and +literal one also. + +2nd.--That if it is the Kingdom of Heaven, it must be revealed from the +heavens. + +3rd.--That a standard is to be lifted up, by the Lord, to the nations. + +4th.--That an Angel is to come with the everlasting Gospel, which is +to be proclaimed to every nation, kindred, people, and tongue; that +it is to be the same as the ancient one, and that the same powers and +blessings will attend it. + +5th.--That not only will the Ancient Gospel be preached, but there will +accompany it a declaration of judgement to the nations. + +6th.--That there will be a literal Zion, or gathering of the Saints to +Zion, as well as a gathering of the Jews to Jerusalem. + +7th.--That when this has taken place, the Spirit of God will be +withdrawn from the nations, and they will war with and destroy each +other. + +8th.--That judgements will also overtake them, from the Lord, plague, +pestilence, famine, etc. + +9th.--That the nations, having lost the Spirit of God, will assemble +to fight against the Lord's people, being full of the spirit of +unrighteousness, and opposed to the rule and government of God. + +10th.--That when they do, the Lord will come and fight against them +himself; overthrow their armies, assert his own right, rule the +nations with a rod of iron, root the wicked out of the earth, and take +possession of his own kingdom. I might here further state, that when +the Lord does come to exercise judgement upon the ungodly, to make an +end of sin, and bring in everlasting righteousness, he will establish +his own laws, demand universal obedience, and cause wickedness and +misrule to cease. He will issue his commands, and they must be obeyed; +and if the nations of the earth observe not his laws, "they will have +no rain." And they will be taught by more forcible means than moral +suasion, that they are dependant upon God; for the Lord will demand +obedience, and the Scriptures say, time and again, that the wicked +shall be rooted out of the land, and the righteous and the meek shall +inherit the earth. The Lord, after trying man's rule for thousands of +years, now takes the reins of government into his own hands, and makes +use of the only possible means of asserting his rights. For if the +wicked never were cut off, the righteous never could rule; and if the +Devil was still suffered to bear rule, God could not, at the same time; +consequently after long delay, he whose right it is, takes possession +of the kingdom; and the kingdom, and the greatness of the kingdom under +the whole heavens, shall be given to the Saints of the Most High God; +and the world will assume that position for which it was made. A King +shall rule in righteousness, and Princes shall decree judgement. The +knowledge of the Lord will spread, and extend under the auspices of +this government. Guided by his counsels, and under his direction, all +those, purposes designed of Him, from the commencement, in relation to +both living and dead, will be in a fair way for their accomplishment. + + + +Chapter XII. +------------------ + +The Effects of the Establishment of Christ's Kingdom, or the Reign of +God upon the Earth. + +Having said so much pertaining to the Kingdom, we come to our last +proposition, and enquire, What will be the effects of the establishment +of Christ's kingdom, or the reign of God on the earth? + +This is, indeed, a grand and important question, and requires our +most serious and calm deliberation. If, after all this distress, +tribulation, war, bloodshed, and sacrifice of human life, the condition +of the world is no better, man is certainly in a most unhappy, hopeless +situation. If it is nothing more than some of the changes contemplated +by man, from one species of government to another, and we must still +have war, bloodshed, and disorder, and be subject to the caprices of +tyrants, or the anarchy of mobs, our prospects are indeed gloomy, and +our hopes vain; we may as well "eat and drink, for tomorrow we die;" +for, as we have already proven, under the most improved state of human +governments we should still be subject to all the ills which flesh +is heir to, without any redeeming hope. But this is not a transient, +short-lived change; it is something decreed by God in relation to +the earth and man, from before the commencement of the world; even +the dispossessing of Satan, the destruction of the ungodly, and the +reign of God; or in other words, putting the moral world in the same +position in which the physical world is--under the direction of the +Almighty. It is the doing away with war, bloodshed, misery, disease, +and sin, and the ushering in of a kingdom of peace, righteousness, +justice, happiness, and prosperity. It is the restoration of the earth +and man to their primeval glory, and pristine excellence; in fact, the +"restitution of all things spoken of by all the prophets since the +world began." + +Now, restoration signifies a bringing back, and must refer to something +which existed before; for if it did not exist before, it could not +be restored. I cannot describe this better than Parley P. Pratt has +done in his "Voice of Warning," and shall therefore make the following +extract:-- + +"This is one of the most important subjects upon which the human mind +can contemplate; and one perhaps as little understood, in the present +age, as any other now lying over the face of prophecy. But however +neglected at the present time, it was once the ground-work of the +faith, hope, and joy of the Saints. It was a correct understanding +of this subject, and firm belief in it, that influenced all their +movements. Their minds once fastening upon it, they could not be shaken +from their purposes; their faith was firm, their joy constant, and +their hope like an anchor to the soul, both sure and stedfast, reaching +to that within the veil. It was this that enabled them to rejoice in +the midst of tribulation, persecution, sword, and flame; and in view +of this, they took joyfully the spoiling of their goods, and gladly +wandered as strangers and pilgrims on the earth. For they sought a +country, a city, and an inheritance, that none but a Saint ever thought +of, understood, or even hoped for. + +"Now, we can never understand precisely what is meant by restoration, +unless we understand what is lost or taken away; for instance, when we +offer to restore any thing to a man, it is as much as to say he once +possessed it, but had lost it, and we propose to replace or put him +in possession of that which he once had; therefore, when a prophet +speaks of the restoration of all things, he means that all things have +undergone a change, and are to be again restored to their primitive +order, even as they first existed. + +"First, then, it becomes necessary for us to take a view of creation, +as it rolled in purity from the hand of its Creator; and if we can +discover the true state in which it then existed, and understand +the changes that have taken place since, then we shall be able to +understand what is to be restored; and thus our minds being prepared, +we shall be looking for the very things which will come, and shall +be in no danger of lifting our puny arm, in ignorance, to oppose the +things of God. + +"First, then, we will take a view of the earth, as to its surface, +local situation, and productions. + +"When God had created the heavens and the earth, and separated the +light from the darkness, his next great command was to the waters, +Gen. i. 9,--'And God said, let the waters under the heaven be gathered +together into _one place_, and let the dry land appear: and it was +so.' From this we learn a marvellous fact, which very few have ever +realized or believed in this benighted age; we learn that the waters, +which are now divided into oceans, seas, and lakes, were then all +gathered together, into _one_ vast ocean; and, consequently, that +the land, which is now torn asunder, and divided into continents and +islands, almost innumerable, was then _one_ vast continent or body, not +separated as it is now. + +"Second, we hear the Lord God pronounce the earth, as well as every +thing else, very good. From this we learn that there were neither +deserts, barren places, stagnant swamps, rough, broken, rugged hills, +nor vast mountains covered with eternal snow; and no part of it was +located in the frigid zone, so as to render its climate dreary and +unproductive, subject to eternal frost, or everlasting chains of ice,-- + + Where no sweet flowers the dreary landscape cheer, + Nor plenteous harvests crown the passing year; + +but the whole earth was probably one vast plain, or interspersed +with gently rising hills, and sloping vales, well calculated for +cultivation; while its climate was delightfully varied, with the +moderate changes of heat and cold, of wet and dry, which only tended +to crown the varied year, with the greater variety of productions, +all for the good of man, animal, fowl, or creeping thing; while from +the flowery plain, or spicy grove, sweet odours were wafted on every +breeze; and all the vast creation of animated being breathed nought but +health, and peace, and joy. + +"Next, we learn from Gen. i. 29, 30,--'And God said, Behold, I have +given you every herb bearing seed, which is upon the face of all the +earth, and every tree, in which is the fruit of a tree, yielding seed; +to you it shall be for meat. And to every beast of the earth, and to +every fowl of the air, and to every thing that creepeth upon the earth, +wherein there is life, I have given every green herb for meat: and it +was so.' From these verses we learn, that the earth yielded neither +nauseous weeds nor poisonous plants, nor useless thorns and thistles; +indeed, every thing that grew was just calculated for the food of man, +beast, fowl, and creeping thing; and their food was all vegetable; +flesh and blood were never sacrificed to glut their souls, or gratify +their appetites; the beasts of the earth were all in perfect harmony +with each other; the lion ate straw like the ox--the wolf dwelt with +the lamb--the leopard lay down with the kid--the cow and bear fed +together, in the same pasture, while their young ones reposed, in +perfect security, under the shade of the same trees; all was peace and +harmony, and nothing to hurt nor disturb, in all the holy mountain. + +"And to crown the whole, we behold man created in the image of God, +and exalted in dignity and power, having dominion over all the vast +creation of animated beings, which swarmed through the earth, while, +at the same time, he inhabits a beautiful and well-watered garden, in +the midst of which stood the tree of life, to which he had free access; +while he stood in the presence of his Maker, conversed with him face +to face, and gazed upon his glory, without a dimming veil between. O +reader, contemplate, for a moment, this beautiful creation, clothed +with peace and plenty; the earth teeming, with harmless animals, +rejoicing over all the plain; the air swarming with delightful birds, +whose never ceasing notes filled the air with varied melody; and all in +subjection to their rightful sovereign who rejoiced over them; while, +in a delightful garden--the capitol of creation,--man was seated on the +throne of his vast empire, swaying his sceptre over all the earth, with +undisputed right; while legions of angels encamped round about him, and +joined their glad voices, in grateful songs of praise, and shouts of +joy; neither a sigh nor groan was heard, throughout the vast expanse; +neither was there sorrow, tears, pain, weeping, sickness, nor death; +neither contentions, wars, nor bloodshed; but peace crowned the seasons +as they rolled, and life, joy, and love, reigned over all his works. +But, O! how changed the scene. + +"It now becomes my painful duty, to trace some of the important +changes, which have taken place, and the causes which have conspired to +reduce the earth and its inhabitants to their present state. + +"First, man fell from his standing before God, by giving heed to +temptation; and this fall affected the whole creation, as well as +man, and caused various changes to take place; he was banished from +the presence of his Creator, and a veil was drawn between them, and +he was driven from the garden of Eden, to till the earth, which was +then cursed for man's sake, and should begin to bring forth thorns and +thistles: and with the sweat of his face he should earn his bread, and +in sorrow eat of it, all the days of his life, and finally return to +dust. But as to Eve, her curse was a great multiplicity of sorrow and +conception; and between her seed, and the seed of the serpent, there +was to be a constant enmity; it should bruise the serpent's head, and +the serpent should bruise his heel. + +"Now, reader, contemplate the change. This scene, which was so +beautiful a little before, had now become the abode of sorrow and +toil, of death and mourning: the earth groaning with its production +of accursed thorns and thistles; man and beast at enmity; the serpent +slily creeping away, fearing lest his head should got the deadly +bruise; and man startling amid the thorny path, in fear, lest the +serpent's fangs should pierce his heel; while the lamb yields his blood +upon the smoking altar. Soon man begins to persecute, hate, and murder +his fellow; until at length the earth is filled with violence; all +flesh becomes corrupt, the powers of darkness prevail; and it repented +Noah that God had made man, and it grieved him at his heart, because +the Lord should come out in vengeance, and cleanse the earth by water. + +"How far the flood may have contributed, to produce the various +changes, as to the division of the earth into broken fragments, islands +and continents, mountains and valleys, we have not been informed; the +change must have been considerable. But after the flood, in the days of +Peleg, the earth was divided.--See Gen. x. 25,--a short history, to be +sure, of so great an event; but still it will account for the mighty +revolution, which rolled the sea from its own place in the north, and +brought it to interpose between different portions of the earth, which +were thus parted asunder, and moved into something near their present +form; this, together with the earthquakes, revolutions, and commotions +which have since taken place, have all contributed to reduce the face +of the earth to its present state; while the great curses which have +fallen upon different portions, because of the wickedness of men, will +account for the stagnant swamps, the sunken lakes, the dead seas, and +great deserts. + +"Witness, for instance, the denunciations of the prophets upon +Babylon, how it was to become perpetual desolations, a den of wild +beasts, a dwelling of unclean and hateful birds, a place for owls; and +should never be inhabited, but should lie desolate from generation +to generation. Witness also the plains of Sodom, filled with towns, +cities, and flourishing gardens, well watered: but O, how changed! a +vast sea of stagnant water alone marks the place. Witness the land +of Palestine; in the days of Solomon it was capable of sustaining +millions of people, besides a surplus of wheat, and other productions, +which were exchanged with the neighbouring nations; whereas, now it is +desolate, and hardly capable of sustaining a few miserable inhabitants. +And when I cast mine eyes over our own land, and see the numerous +swamps, lakes, and ponds of stagnant waters, together with the vast +mountains and innumerable rough places; rocks having been rent, and +torn asunder, from centre to circumference; I exclaim, Whence all this? + +"When I read the Book of Mormon, it informs me, that while Christ was +crucified among the Jews, this whole American continent was shaken +to its foundation, that many cities were sunk, and waters came up in +their places; that the rocks were all rent in twain; that mountains +were thrown up to an exceeding height; and other mountains became +vallies: the level roads spoiled; and the whole face of the land +changed.--I then exclaim, These things are no longer a mystery; I have +now learned to account for the many wonders, which I everywhere behold, +throughout our whole country; when I am passing a ledge of rocks, and +see they have all been rent and torn asunder, while some huge fragments +are found deeply imbedded in the earth, some rods from whence they +were torn, I exclaim, with astonishment, These were the groans! the +convulsive throes of agonizing nature! while the Son of God suffered +upon the cross! + +"But men have degenerated, and greatly changed, as well as the earth. +The sins, the abominations, and the many evil habits of the latter +ages, have added to the miseries, toils, and sufferings of human life. +The idleness, extravagance, pride, covetousness, drunkenness, and other +abominations, which are characteristics of the latter times, have +all combined to sink mankind to the lowest state of wretchedness and +degradation; while priestcraft and false doctrines, have greatly tended +to lull mankind to sleep, and caused them to rest, infinitely short of +the powers and attainments which the ancients did enjoy, and which are +alone calculated to exalt the intellectual powers of the human mind, +to establish noble and generous sentiments, to enlarge the heart, and +to expand the soul to the utmost extent of its capacity. Witness the +ancients, conversing with the Great Jehovah, learning lessons from +the angels, and receiving instruction by the Holy Ghost, in dreams by +night, and visions by day, until at length the veil is taken off, and +they permitted to gaze, with wonder and admiration, upon all things +past and future; yea, even to soar aloft amid unnumbered worlds; +while the vast expanse of eternity stands open before them, and they +contemplate the mighty works of the Great I AM, until they know as they +are known, and see as they are seen. + +"Compare this intelligence, with the low smatterings of education +and worldly wisdom, which seem to satisfy the narrow mind of man in +our generation; yea, behold the narrow-minded, calculating, trading, +overreaching, penurious sycophant, of the nineteenth century, who +dreams of nothing here, but how to increase his goods, or take +advantage of his neighbour; and whose only religious exercises or +duties consist of going to meeting, paying the priest his hire, +or praying to his God, without expecting to be heard or answered, +supposing that God has been deaf and dumb for many centuries, or +altogether stupid and indifferent like himself. And having seen the two +contrasted, you will be able to form some idea of the vast elevation +from which man has fallen; you will also learn, how infinitely beneath +his former glory and dignity, he is now living, and your heart will +mourn, and be exceedingly sorrowful, when you contemplate him in his +low estate--and then think he is your brother; and you will be ready +to exclaim, with wonder and astonishment, O man! how art thou fallen! +once thou wast the favourite of Heaven; thy Maker delighted to converse +with thee, and angels and the spirits of just men made perfect were +thy companions; but now thou art degraded, and brought down on a level +with the beasts; yea, far beneath them, for they look with horror and +affright at your vain amusements, your sports and your drunkenness, +and thus often set an example worthy of your imitation. Well did the +apostle Peter say of you, that you know nothing, only what you know +naturally as brute beasts, made to be taken and destroyed. And thus you +perish, from generation to generation. While all creation groans under +its pollution; and sorrow and death, mourning and weeping, fill up the +measure of the days of man. But O my soul, dwell no longer on this +awful scene: let it suffice, to have discovered in some degree, what is +lost. Let us turn our attention to what the Prophets have said should +be restored. + +"The Apostle Peter, while preaching to the Jews, says, 'And he shall +send Jesus Christ, which before was preached unto you, whom the +heavens must receive, until the times of restitution (restoration) +of all things which God hath spoken, by the mouth of all the holy +prophets, since the world began.' It appears from the above, that all +the holy prophets from Adam, and those that follow after, have had +their eyes upon a certain time, when all things should be restored to +their primitive beauty and excellence. We also learn, that the time of +restitution was to be at or near the time of Christ's second coming; +for the heavens are to receive him, until the times of restitution, and +then the Father shall send him again to the earth. + +"We will now proceed to notice Isaiah xl. 1-5. 'Comfort ye, comfort +ye my people, saith your God. Speak ye comfortably to Jerusalem, and +cry unto her, that her warfare is accomplished, that her iniquity is +pardoned: for she hath received of the Lord's hand, double for all her +sins. The voice of him that crieth in the wilderness, Prepare ye the +way of the Lord, make straight in the desert a highway for our God. +Every valley shall be exalted, and every mountain and hill shall be +made low: and the crooked shall be made straight, and the rough places +plain: and the glory of the Lord shall be revealed, and all flesh shall +see it together: for the mouth of the Lord hath spoken it.' + +"From these verses we learn, first, that the voice of one shall be +heard in the wilderness, to prepare the way of the Lord, just at the +time when Jerusalem has been trodden down of the Gentiles long enough +to have received, at the Lord's hand, double for all her sins, yea, +when the warfare of Jerusalem is accomplished, and her iniquities +pardoned; then shall this proclamation be made as it was before by +John, yea, a second proclamation, to prepare the way of the Lord, for +his second coming; and about that time every valley shall be exalted, +and every mountain and hill shall be made low, and the crooked shall be +made straight, and rough places plain, and then the glory of the Lord +shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together, for the mouth +of the Lord hath spoken it. + +"Thus you see, every mountain being laid low, and every valley exalted, +and the rough places being made plain, and the crooked places straight, +that these mighty revolutions will begin to restore the face of the +earth to its former beauty. But all this done, we have not yet gone +through our restoration; there are many more great things to be done, +in order to restore all things. + +"Our next is Isaiah 35th chapter, where we again read of the Lord's +second coming, and of the mighty works which attend it. The barren +desert should abound with pools and springs of living water, and should +produce grass, with flowers blooming and blossoming as the rose, and +that, too, about the time of the coming of their God, with vengeance +and recompense, which must allude to his second coming; and Israel is +to come at the same time to Zion, with songs of everlasting joy, and +sorrow and sighing shall flee away. Here, then, we have the curse taken +off from the deserts, and they become a fruitful, well-watered country. + +"We will now inquire whether the islands return again to the +continents, from which they were once separated. For this subject +we refer you to Revelation vi. 14,--'And every mountain and island +were moved out of their places.' From this we learn that they moved +somewhere; and as it is the time of restoring what had been lost, they +accordingly return and join themselves to the land whence they came. + +"Our next is Isaiah xiii. 13, 14, where 'The earth shall move out of +her place, and be like a chased roe which no man taketh up.' Also, +Isaiah lxii. 4, 'Thou shalt no more be termed forsaken; neither +shall thy land any more be termed desolate; but thou shalt be called +Hephzibah, and thy land Beulah: for the Lord delighteth in thee, and +thy land shall be married.' + +"In the first instance, we have the earth on a move like a chased roe; +and in the second place, we have it married. And from the whole, and +various Scriptures, we learn, that the continents and islands shall be +united in one, as they were on the morn of creation, and the sea shall +retire and assemble in its own place, where it was before; and all +these scenes shall take place during the mighty convulsion of nature, +about the time of the coming of the Lord. + + "Behold! the Mount of Olives rend in twain; + While on its top he sets his feet again, + The islands at his word, obedient, flee; + While to the north, he rolls the mighty sea; + Restores the earth in one, as at the first, + With all its blessings, and removes the curse. + +"Having restored the earth to the same glorious state in which it first +existed; levelling the mountains, exalting the valleys, smoothing +the rough places, making the deserts fruitful, and bringing all +the continents and islands together, causing the curse to be taken +off, that it shall no longer produce noxious weeds, and thorns, and +thistles; the next thing is to regulate and restore the brute creation +to their former state of peace and glory, causing all enmity to cease +from off the earth. But this will never be done until there is a +general destruction poured out upon man, which will entirely cleanse +the earth, and sweep all wickedness from its face. This will be done +by the rod of his mouth, and by the breath of his lips; or, in other +words, by fire as universal as the flood. Isaiah xi. 4, 6-9, 'But with +righteousness shall he judge the poor, and reprove with equity for +the meek of the earth: and he shall smite the earth with the rod of +his mouth, and with the breath of his lips shall he slay the wicked. +The wolf also shall dwell with the lamb, and the leopard shall lie +down with the kid; and the calf, and the young lion, and the fatling +together; and a little child shall lead them. And the cow and the +bear shall feed; their young ones shall lie down together; and the +lion shall eat straw like the ox. And the sucking child shall play +on the hole of the asp, and the weaned child shall put his hand on +the cockatrice's den. They shall not hurt nor destroy in all my holy +mountain: for the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the Lord, as +the waters cover the sea.' + +"Thus, having cleansed the earth, and glorified it with the knowledge +of God, as the waters cover the sea, and having poured out his Spirit +upon all flesh, both man and beast becoming perfectly harmless, as +they were in the beginning, and feeding on vegetable food only, while +nothing is left to hurt or destroy in all the vast creation, the +prophets then proceed to give us many glorious descriptions of the +enjoyments of its inhabitants. 'They shall build houses and inhabit +them; they shall plant vineyards, and drink the wine of them; they +shall plant gardens and eat the fruit of them; they shall not build +and another inhabit; they shall not plant and another eat; for as the +days of a tree are the days of my people, and mine elect shall long +enjoy the work of their hands. They shall not labour in vain, nor bring +forth in trouble; for they are the seed of the blessed of the Lord, and +their offspring with them; and it shall come to pass, that before they +call I will answer, and while they are yet speaking I will hear.' In +this happy state of existence it seems that all people will live to the +full age of a tree, and this too without pain or sorrow, and whatsoever +they ask will be immediately answered, and even all their wants will be +anticipated. Of course, then, none of them will sleep in the dust, for +they will prefer to be translated; that is, changed in the twinkling +of an eye, from mortal to immortal; after which they will continue to +reign with Jesus on the earth." Pp. 110-122. + +A great council will then be held to adjust the affairs of the world, +from the commencement, over which Father Adam will preside as head +and representative of the human family. There have been, in different +ages of the world, communications opened between the heavens and the +earth. Those powers have been separated, and have acted in different +spheres, until the present. The kingdom of God on the earth has been +small, weak, unpopular, trampled under foot of men, and none but men +of noble minds, firm hopes, and daring resolution, have advocated its +principles. These men, being possessed of intelligence from the heavens +by the ministering of angels, the communications of the spirits of the +just, and the manifestation of eternal things, knew of the approaching +day of glory, the reign of God on the earth; they understood their +destiny, and lived, and died, in the hopes of inheriting these things. +Those communications from the heavens developd the purposes of God to +them; and in all their moves, they were regulated by the prospect of +the future. In the Mosaic Dispensation they had to make earthly things +according to the pattern of heavenly. Hence it was said to Moses, "See +that thou make all things according to the pattern shewn thee in the +Mount." The ark was made, therefore, after a heavenly pattern, and so +was the Temple of Jerusalem. Jerusalem was a figure of the heavenly. +The sacrifices of the Aaronic Priesthood referred to the expiation of +Christ, who appears as the earthly High Priest of the Jews, and as our +eternal High Priest and Intercessor in the heavens. His Priesthood +was an eternal one, and is after the order of Melchisedek, and +Melchisedek's was after his order, and they both were after the order +that exists in the heavens. This priesthood with the Gospel, brought +life and immortality to light, put men in possession of certainty, and +unveiled the future; they knew the divine laws and ordinances, and +acted with a reference to them; and being commissioned of God, they had +power to bind and loose, etc. + +Then they will assemble to regulate all these affairs, and all that +held keys of authority to administer, will then represent their earthly +course. And, as this authority has been handed down from one to another +in different ages, and in different dispensations, a full reckoning +will have to be made by all. All who have held keys of Priesthood, +will then have to give an account to those from whom they received +them. Those that were in the heavens, have been assisting those that +were upon the earth; but then, they will unite together in a general +council to give an account of their stewardships, and as in the +various ages men have received their power to administer, from those +who had previously held the keys thereof, there will be a general +account. Those, under the authorities of the Church of Jesus Christ +of Latter-day Saints, have to give an account of their transactions +to those who direct them in the Priesthood; hence the Elders give an +account to Presidents of Conferences; and Presidents of Conferences +to Presidents of Nations. Those Presidents and the Seventies give an +account to the Twelve Apostles; the Twelve to the First Presidency; +and they to Joseph, from whom they, and the Twelve, received +their Priesthood. This will include the arrangements of the last +dispensation. Joseph delivers his authority to Peter, who held the keys +before him, and delivered them to him; and Peter to Moses and Elias, +who endued him with this authority on the Mount; and they to those from +whom they received them. And thus the world's affairs will be regulated +and put right, the restitution of all things be accomplished, and the +Kingdom of God be ushered in. The earth will be delivered from under +the curse, resume its paradisiacal glory, and all things pertaining to +its restoration be fulfilled. + +Not only will the earth be restored, but also man; and those promises +which, long ago, were the hope of the saints, will be realised. The +faithful servants of God who have lived in every age, will then come +forth and experience the full fruition of that joy, for which they +lived, and hoped, and suffered, and died. The tombs will deliver up +their captives, and re-united with the spirits which once animated, +vivified, cheered, and sustained them while in this vale of tears, +these bodies will be like unto Christ's glorious body. They will then +rejoice in that resurrection for which they lived, while they sojourned +below. Adam, Seth, Enoch, and the faithful who lived before the flood, +will possess their proper inheritance. Noah and Melchisedek will stand +in their proper places. Abraham, with Isaac and Jacob, heirs with him +of the same promise, will come forward at the head of innumerable +multitudes, and possess that land which God gave unto them for an +everlasting inheritance. The faithful, on the continent of America, +will also stand in their proper place; but, as this will be the time +of the restitution of all things, and all things will not be fully +restored at once; there will be a distinction between the resurrected +bodies, and those that have not been resurrected; and as the Scriptures +say that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God, neither +doth corruption inherit incorruption; and although the world will +enjoy just laws--an equitable administration, and universal peace and +happiness prevail as the result of this righteousness; yet, there will +be a peculiar habitation for the resurrected bodies. This habitation +may be compared to Paradise, from whence man, in the beginning, was +driven. + +When Adam was driven from the Garden, an angel was placed with a +naming sword to guard the way of the tree of life, lest man should +eat of it, and become immortal in his degenerate state, and thus be +incapable of obtaining that exaltation, which he would be capable of +enjoying through the redemption of Jesus Christ, and the power of the +resurrection, with his renewed and glorified body. Having tasted of the +nature of the fall, and having grappled with sin and misery, knowing +like the gods both good and evil, having like Jesus overcome the evil, +and through the power of the atonement, having conquered death, hell, +and the grave, he regains that Paradise, from which he was banished, +not in the capacity of ignorant man, unacquinted with evil, but like +unto a god. He can now stretch forth, and partake of the tree of life, +and eat of its fruits, and live and flourish eternally in possession of +that immortality which Jesus long ago promised to the faithful: "To him +that overcomes, will I grant to sit with me in my throne; and eat of +the tree of life which is in the midst of the Paradise of God." + + +Production Credits +------------------ + +This electronic edition was produced by the Mormon Texts Project. +Volunteers who helped with this book include: Tanya Ross, Meridith +Crowder, Tod Robbins, Ben Crowder, Bryce Beattie, Stephen Cranney, +Tyler Thorsted, Eric Heaps, Jason Barron, Jean-Michel Carter, David +Willde, and Tom Nysetvold. Special thanks to Trevor Nysetvold for his +complete proof of the final version. + +It was produced using scans generously made available by Archive.org. + +Email Tom Nysetvold (tomnysetvold@gmail.com) to report errors or to +participate in proofreading similar early books of The Church of Jesus +Christ of Latter-Day Saints. + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of The Government of God, by John Taylor + +*** END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 44941 *** |