,,twenty-,,four ,,short ,,sermons ,,on  
,,the ,,doctrine ,,of ,,universal       
,,salvation  ,by ,john ,bovee ,dods     
,pastor of the ,first ,universalist     
,society1 in ,taunton1 ,massachusetts4  
,boston3 ,printed ,by ,g4 ,w4           
,bazin4444,trumpet ,office #ahcb4       
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9999999999999999  ,,sermon ,i  ,what man
 is he that desireth life1 and loveth   
many days that he may see good8 ,keep   
thy tongue from evil1 and thy lips from 
speaking guile2 depart from evil and do 
good2 seek peace and pursue it4 ,psalm  
xxxiv3#ab-ad4  ,self-preservation and   
the desire of protracting the momentary 
span of life is the first principle of  
our nature1 or is at least so intimately
 interwoven with our constitution as to 
appear inherent4 ,so powerful is this   
desire1 that in defiance of pain and    
misery1 it seldom quits us to the last  
moments of our existence4 ,to endeavor  

to lengthen out our lives is not only   
desirable1 but is a duty enjoined upon  
us in the scriptures1 and is most       
beautifully and forcibly expressed in   
our text4  ,we might here introduce many
 observations of a philosophical        
character on air and climate1 meat and  
drink1 motion and rest1 sleeping and    
watching1 c4 and show how sensibly they 
contribute to health2 and we might      
furnish many examples of long life1 but 
we pass these1 and proceed to notice the
 affections of the mind upon which our  
text is grounded4  ,the due regulation  
of the passions contributes more to     
health and longevity than climate1 or   
even the observance of any course of    
diet4 ,our ,creator has so constituted  
our natures1 that duty1 health1         
happiness and longevity are inseparably 
blended in the same cup4 ,to suppress1  
and finally subdue all the passions of  
malice1 anger1 envy1 jealousy1 hatred   
and revenge1 and to exercise 7till they 
become familiar7 all the noble passions 

of tenderness1 compassion1 love1 hope   
and joy1 is a duty that heaven solemnly 
enjoins upon us1 and in the performance 
of which our years will be multiplied4  
,but we must guard not only our moral   
natures from the ravages of the         
corroding and revengeful passions1 but  
also our physical natures by observing  
the strictest rules of temperance in    
eating1 drinking1 cleanliness and       
exercise4  ,the book of ,god commands us
 to be temperate in all things4 ,the    
observance of this duty gives us a firm 
constitution1 robust health1 and        
prepares us to participate in all the   
innocent and rational enjoyments of     
life4 ,here we may witness the goodness 
of the ,divine ,being in uniting our    
duty1 happiness and interest in one2 and
 so firmly are they wedded together1 and
 so absolutely does each depend upon the
 other that they cannot exist alone4    
,they are alike laid in ruins the moment
 they are separated4 ,if we trace this  
idea still further1 we witness the same 

wise arrangement1 and the same          
incomprehensible skill and goodness of  
the ,author of our being in the         
constitution of our mental natures4 ,in 
these also he has wholly united our     
duty1 happiness and longevity in one4   
,jesus says1 ,love your enemies2 bless  
them that curse you1 do good to them    
that hate you1 and pray for them that   
despitefully use you1 and persecute you1
 that ye may be the children of your    
,father in heaven4 ,paul says--,let all 
bitterness and wrath and anger and      
clamor and evil speaking be put away    
from you1 with all malice1 and be ye    
kind one to another1 tender hearted1    
forgiving one another even as ,god for  
,christ's sake hath forgiven you4  ,here
 then is our duty plainly pointed out4  
,if we will exercise this spirit of     
benignity to our enemies1 subdue all our
 revengeful passions1 and indulge a     
spirit of love and friendship1 of       
meekness and cheerfulness towards our   
friends and neighbors1 we shall not only

 be happy as our natures can bear1 not  
only revel in all the rational          
enjoyments this life can impart1 but we 
shall in the common course of providence
 live to old age4 ,all those1 with very 
few exceptions1 who have lived to #hj1  
#ij1 and #ajj years1 have been remarked 
for their equanimity4 ,they were mild   
spirited1 kind1 cheerful1 and of such a 
temperament1 that neither misfortune1   
nor any outward circumstances1 that     
agitated the world1 could disturb their 
heaven-born repose4  ,thus we see that  
the path of duty1 enjoined in the sacred
 scriptures1 is not only the path of    
peace and joy1 but conducts to a good   
old age4 ,the goodness of the ,divine   
,being is most strikingly exemplified in
 uniting health and temperance1         
happiness and longevity1 and our duty to
 our fellow creatures1 all in one4      
,long life and good days1 however1      
depend more upon the state of our minds 
than upon almost any other circumstance4
 ,he who lives in fear and trouble      

arising from any cause whatever2 whether
 from contemplation of endless misery in
 the future world1 or from the          
apprehension that his earthly prospects 
will be blasted and his fortune laid in 
ruins--or if he is continually involved 
in quarrels1 broils and tumults with his
 neighbors1 has but little prospect of  
living to old age1 and certainly no hope
 of seeing good days4 ,he is in a       
constant hell4 ,here then we see the    
beauty and propriety of our text3 ,what 
man is he that desireth life and loveth 
many days that he may see good8 ,keep   
thy tongue from evil and thy lips from  
speaking guile2 depart from evil and do 
good2 seek peace and pursue it4  ,the   
first condition for a long life is1 keep
 thy tongue from evil and thy lips from 
speaking guile4 ,but the question       
arises1 in what sense can the violation 
of that condition have any effect upon  
the length of life8 ,the answer is at   
hand--the slanderer is ever a busy body 
in other men's matters4 ,he is secretly 

endeavoring to injure his neighbors4 ,he
 circulates falsehoods about them from  
house to house4 ,one and another hears  
the reports put into circulation4 ,they 
call upon the author for an explanation 
of his conduct4 ,involved in trouble1   
arising from fear1 guilt and            
mortification1 he tells a thousand      
falsehoods to clear up one4 ,all this   
preys upon his inmost vitals1 while     
perhaps with another1 whom he has       
slandered1 he is involved in a quarrel1 
and it terminates in a settled hatred2  
and a third case becomes an incurable   
distemper of rancour and revenge4 ,here 
is a man who by slander has rendered his
 existence wretched4 ,he is like the    
troubled ocean whose waters find no     
rest4  ,there is but little hope of his 
reaching the common age of man4 ,instead
 of seeing good days he is walking in   
the regions of night and wo4 ,says the  
wise man1 where there is no fuel the    
fire goeth out1 so where there is no    
tattler1 strife ceaseth4 ,yes1 where    

there is envying and strife1 there is   
confusion and every evil work4  ,violent
 anger excites powerfully the caloric in
 the human system1 boils the blood1 and 
in this state throws it suddenly upon   
the brain4 ,the powerful shock propels  
it instantly to the exterior surface1   
and torrent-like contracts it back again
 in redoubled fury upon the brain1 and  
leaves the countenance pale and ghastly4
 ,it deranges in a great measure the    
mind1 and unfits it for useful action4  
,it darts its electric fire of vengeance
 along the optic nerve1 expands the     
retina1 and gives to every object a     
magnified and false appearance1 while   
the very eye-balls by a wild and savage 
glare proclaim the dreadful storm that  
is raging within1 and pouring the       
poisonous streams of premature death    
through all the healthful channels of   
existence6 ,it suddenly braces the      
nervous system1 and then on the opposite
 extreme leaves it depressed and        
weakened4 ,it gradually brings on       

rheumatic complaints1 and lays the whole
 system open to the most formidable and 
painful disorders that afflict the human
 race4 ,it cannot have escaped medical  
observation that fevers and consumptions
 are much more frequent among persons   
who are very irritable and exercise     
little or no rule over their passions1  
than among those who are of a mild      
temperament1 either naturally1 or from  
early restraint and education4  ,there  
is a connexion between the mind and the 
body so subtle that it has hitherto     
eluded the eagle-eye of ,physiology1 and
 will perhaps remain inscrutible forever
 to human comprehension4 ,but that this 
connexion exists is fully demonstrated  
by medical experience1 and observation4 
,many bodily disorders derange the mind1
 and have in many instances totally     
destroyed it4 ,so on the other hand     
diseases of the mind effect the body in 
return1 and grief1 despair and          
melancholy have so preyed upon the      
vitals as to emaciate the body1 and     

bring it to the grave4 ,it is not       
uncommon that consumptions are brought  
on by trouble of mind1 by guilt1 and by 
melancholy and grief4 ,and many         
instances have occurred1 where persons  
in excessive violent anger have dropped 
down dead4 ,what is so dreadful1 when   
carried to extreme1 must be very        
injurious to health1 and long life1 when
 indulged frequently and even           
moderately4  ,there being then such an  
intimate connexion between the mind and 
body1 and so many thousands of ways in  
which one alternately acts upon1 and    
effects the other1 and brings millions  
to an untimely grave1 we see at once the
 propriety of not only guarding our     
health by temperance in eating and      
drinking1 but more particularly by      
avoiding troubles of a mental character4
 ,these are generally brought upon      
individuals1 families and neighborhoods1
 by the bad use of the tongue4 ,would   
you live long that you may see good     
days8 ,then keep thy tongue from evil1  

and thy lips from speaking guile1 seek  
peace and pursue it4 ,avoid every       
species of iniquity that would have a   
tendency to blast your own or the peace 
of others4 ,avoid it as you would the   
poisonous exhalations of the ,bohon     
,upas1 and fly it as you would the      
dreadful ,samiel of the ,arabian desert4
  ,,sermon ,,ii  ,what man is he that   
desireth life and loveth many days that 
he may see good8 ,keep thy tongue from  
evil1 and thy lips from speaking guile2 
depart from evil and do good1 seek peace
 and pursue it4 ,psalm xxxiv3#ab-ad4    
,we have shown in our last number that  
the truth of this text is based upon    
philosophy1 and verified by experience  
and observation3 that nothing is more   
destructive to health and longevity than
 to indulge in the revengeful passions  
of our nature2 and that constant fear1  
grief and melancholy are also           
destructive to the human constitution1  
and withering to the dearest joys of    
life4 ,we have shown that violent anger1

 revenge and most of the malignant      
passions originate from the bad use of  
the tongue2 and that if we would live   
long and see good1 we must give heed to 
our ways by following the injunctions of
 the text4 ,we now propose a further    
discussion of this subject1 addressed   
particularly to the young4  ,a single   
spark of fire has often wrapped a city  
in conflagration4 ,great effects not    
unfrequently flow from small causes4    
,the apostle ,james says1 see chap4     
iii--,behold also the ships1 which      
though they be so great1 and are driven 
of fierce winds1 yet they are turned    
about with a very small helm            
whithersoever the governor listeth4     
,even so the tongue is a little member  
and boasteth great things4 ,behold how  
great a matter a little fire kindleth6  
,and the tongue is a fire1 a world of   
iniquity2 so is the tongue among our    
members1 that it defileth the whole     
body1 and setteth on fire the course of 
nature1 and is set on fire of hell4 ,for

 every kind of beasts and of birds1 and 
of serpents1 and of things in the sea is
 tamed1 and hath been tamed of mankind4 
,but the tongue can no man tame2 it is  
an unruly member full of deadly poison4 
,the apostle1 in the above quotation1   
has reference to those who have so long 
indulged in evil speaking that it has   
become1 as it were1 an incurable habit4 
,if any man makes a practice of         
slandering his neighbors1 and disturbing
 the peace of the community1 it is      
immaterial to what church he may belong1
 or what os-tentatious professions he   
may make1 he is1 notwithstanding all    
this1 destitute of christianity4  ,it is
 a painful fact that the religion of the
 present day is too much accommodated to
 the fashions and customs of the world4 
,let a man1 for instance1 use profane   
language1 or get intoxicated1 and he    
will readily be suspended from the      
communion of the church4 ,but let him   
slander his neighbors1 and little or no 
notice is taken of his conduct4 ,and let

 him slander other denominations2 and it
 becomes1 as it were1 a virtue2 whereas 
the fact is that the latter1 according  
to the book of ,god1 is much the        
greatest crime4 ,it is therefore wise to
 lay1 in early youth1 a foundation for a
 tranquil1 virtuous and long life4      
,thus you see my young friends that     
virtue and happiness1 temperance1       
prosperity and longevity are inseparably
 connected by the ,author of our being1 
who has made them to depend in a great  
measure upon our conduct4 ,you have also
 seen that sin and misery1 intemperance 
in body1 and also intemperance in mind1 
such as evil speaking1 violent anger1   
commotions1 griefs and troubles1 and a  
premature grave1 are likewise           
inseparably and wisely connected4  ,and 
now1 my young friends1 which will you   
choose8 ,if you love life and desire to 
see many days1 let me exhort you to     
choose the former1 and to drink freely  
out of that golden cup in which every   
earthly joy of unbroken felicity is     

mingled by the unerring hand of divine  
mercy2 and let me warn you to reject the
 latter1 for in it are mingled the      
bitter drugs of misery4 ,be temperate in
 eating and drinking4 ,be temperate in  
all your pursuits in life1 and in all   
your desires4 ,be temperate in your     
conduct2 and 7as an able writer         
observes7 pitch upon that course of life
 which is the most excellent1 and habit 
will soon render it the most delightful4
 ,avoid not only every word and action  
that may lead to discord and contention1
 but1 as our text says1 depart from evil
 and do good1 seek peace1 and pursue it4
 ,let us do good to all our fellow      
creatures1 and endeavor to overcome     
their hatred with love1 and their evil  
with good4  ,yes1 my young friends1     
affectionately and solemnly would ,i    
urge you to begin early to curb your    
passions1 and to study sweetness of     
disposition4 ,it will soon become to you
 perfectly natural1 and thus you will   
lay the foundation for a virtuous and   

tranquil old age4 ,but1 asks the youth1 
shall ,i live longer for subduing my    
passions and doing good1 for seeking    
peace and pursuing it8 ,certainly4 ,our 
text teaches this2 so does philosophy1  
and the scriptures generally4 ,jesus    
,christ says1 ,blessed are the meek1 for
 they shall inherit the earth4 ,that is1
 they shall long enjoy it4 ,blessed are 
the peace-makers for they shall be      
called the children of ,god4 ,the fifth 
,commandment says1 ,honor thy father and
 thy mother1 that thy days may be long  
upon the land which the ,lord thy ,god  
giveth thee4 ,by honoring our parents1  
we are to understand a filial and       
submissive obedience to their precepts  
by not departing from that way in which 
with many exhortations1 prayers and     
tears1 they sought to train us up4 ,in  
this case1 honoring them would of course
 require us to walk in the paths of     
virtue and temperance1 and to live an   
honest1 quiet and peaceable life which  
would ensure the promise1 and give us   

many days4  ,not only do the scriptures 
promise long life to the peaceable1     
temperate and meek1 but they on the     
other hand just as solemnly declare that
 the wicked shall not live out half     
their days4 ,this passage has occasioned
 much dispute among religious           
denominations2 one affirming that every 
man's time is appointed in the counsels 
of heaven by the decree of ,god1 who    
declares the end from the beginning2 and
 another affirming that it is not1 for  
the above passage teaches that the life 
of man may be shortened4 ,but there is  
no occasion for dispute on this point1  
for they are both right1 as we have seen
 in the course of our remarks4 ,this    
passage is but the counterpart of our   
text4 ,it is the decree of ,god that the
 wicked1 the abandoned shall not reach  
the extreme of human life1 because they 
indulge in those very crimes1 which1 in 
the constitution of things1 must        
inevitably carry them to an early tomb4 
,of the truth of this we see thousands  

of instances in the world4 ,and ,god has
 decreed that the meek1 the peaceable   
shall reach the extreme of life1 because
 they pitch upon that happy course of   
conduct which naturally leads to it4    
,all that we are to understand by his   
decree1 is that he has inseparably      
connected the end with the means by so  
constituting our natures1 and so        
ordering his providence that sin1       
dissipation1 anger1 and revenge shall   
not only destroy happiness1 but shorten 
life1 so certain as men pursue such a   
wretched course4 ,and that the opposite 
course of conduct shall not only        
communicate happiness1 but protract life
 so certain as they engage in it4  ,here
 then1 my young friends1 you may readily
 perceive how ,god punishes vice and    
rewards virtue4 ,he does not do it by   
any abstract law1 or arbitrary mode of  
procedure1 but lie has in infinite      
wisdom interwoven1 the whole in the very
 constitution of our natures1 so that   
the wicked cannot go unpunished1 nor the

 righteous unrewarded4 ,to teach that   
man can indulge in vice1 and yet escape 
its punishment by future repentance1 is 
not only dangerous to the morals of     
society1 but is a direct impeachment of 
the divine administration1 as it must in
 such case1 be defective4 ,and to teach 
that men may live righteously and godly 
and yet go unrewarded1 is equally       
dangerous to the morals of the          
community1 as it is but discouraging    
them from engaging in a virtuous course 
of conduct4 ,to teach that men are to be
 rewarded in a future world for their   
goodness here1 is but in substance      
saying that virtue is attended with     
mental misery1 and so far as it fails of
 rewarding its possessor here1 the      
balance is to be made up hereafter4 ,and
 to teach that men are to be punished in
 a future state for their badness here1 
is but in substance saying1 that vice is
 attended with some mental joys1 and so 
far as it fails of punishing its        
possessor here1 the balance is to be    

made up hereafter4  ,it is readily      
granted that the righteous may suffer4  
,but we ought ever to make a plain      
distinction between afflictions and     
punishments1 for the ,bible does this4  
,it is impossible in the nature of      
things that punishment can exist except 
in connexion with guilt4 ,paul and      
,silas were cast into prison and        
fastened in the stocks1 on account of   
their religion4 ,but nothing could      
disturb their mental peace--their       
heaven-born repose4 ,they joyfully sung 
psalms1 and lifted up their voices in   
prayer to ,god in the calm enjoyment of 
a pure unsullied conscience4 ,they      
suffered afflictions that were1 under   
the government of ,god1 to work out for 
their good4 ,there were no doubt others 
in that prison justly suffering for     
their crimes4 ,to them it was           
punishment4 ,because the former were    
suffering affliction1 the latter1       
punishment4 ,the scriptures say1 ,great 
peace have they that love thy law2 and  

nothing shall offend them4 ,there is no 
peace1 saith my ,god1 to the wicked2 and
 he who says there is1 contradicts      
,jehovah4  ,if you would1 my young      
friends1 avoid punishment1 avoid sin4   
,if you would be happy1 and enjoy a long
 and tranquil life1 follow carefully the
 directions of our text2 for rest       
assured that a contrary course of       
conduct will not only involve you in    
misery and wretchedness1 but bring you  
to a premature grave4 ,let us then take 
warning1 and not become our own         
executioners4 ,let us make the most of  
life we may1 and not turn our present   
existence1 which is one of heaven's     
choicest blessings1 into a curse4 ,let  
us do good in our day and generation1   
and render ourselves blessings to       
mankind1 by living soberly1 righteously 
and peaceably in the world8 ,let us do  
justly1 love mercy1 and walk humbly with
 ,god--visit the widow and the          
fatherless in their affliction1 and keep
 ourselves unspotted from the world4    

,,sermon ,,iii  ,and they shall drive   
thee from men1 and thy dwelling shall be
 with the beasts of the field1 and they 
shall make thee to eat grass as oxen1   
and seven times shall pass over thee    
until thou know that the ,most ,high    
ruleth in the kingdom of1 men1 and      
giveth it to whomsoever he will4 ,daniel
 iv3#cb4  ,that reason1 as well as      
revelation1 teaches an overruling       
providence1 very few deny4 ,there must  
exist in nature an omnipotent and       
benevolent ,being to keep all her works 
in harmony--to touch the most secret and
 subtle springs of the vast machinery of
 the universe--to regulate seed time and
 harvest1 summer and winter1 day and    
night2 and to throw the enrapturing     
charms of countless variety not only    
over the landscape1 but over all that we
 behold in the heavens above1 or in the 
earth beneath4 ,globes roll in the paths
 assigned them1 and by some unseen hand 
are wisely kept from interfering in     
their orbits1 and disturbing each       

other's motions4 ,these facts           
demonstrate the existence of an         
omniscient1 omnipotent1 and ,benevolent 
,being2 and every event1 transpiring in 
the government of the world1 proclaims  
an omnipresent ,jehovah4  ,he not only  
works in the majesty of the lightning1  
and in the grandeur of the storm        
regulating and directing the whole in   
its sublime career1 but he notices the  
fall of a sparrow1 and numbers the very 
hairs of our head4 ,events1 the most    
trivial in their nature1 are the objects
 of his notice1 as well as those of the 
most momentous character4 ,were not this
 the case1 universal disorder and ruin  
would soon find their way into his      
works1 break the chain of events1 and   
reduce all1 that we now admire1 from its
 present harmony and glory1 down to its 
general confusion and chaos4 ,this      
conclusion is unavoidable1 because some 
of the greatest events that have        
transpired in the world1 owe their      
existence to something of a very trivial

 nature4  ,if ,god did not1 in the      
general government of the world1 direct 
also small events1 then he could not be 
the author of those great events which  
flow from them4 ,on this principle there
 might transpire countless events of the
 greatest magnitude without the         
direction and superintendance of ,deity4
 ,the admission of this is but practical
 ,atheism4 ,it is acknowledging a ,god  
in words1 but in works denying him4 ,it 
alike makes chance the governor of the  
world to those who acknowledge such a   
,god1 as to those who wholly deny his   
existence4  ,in our text a presiding    
,deity is solemnly recognized by the    
prophet ,daniel1 and his supremacy over 
the affairs of men is throughout the    
whole chapter most strikingly set forth 
before the ,assyrian king4 ,he had      
dreamed a dream which none of the wise  
men of ,babylon were able to interpret4 
,daniel was called to him2 who after    
making known to that proud monarch his  
destiny involved in that dream1         

expostulates with him on his conduct4   
,he did not threaten him with endless   
punishment in tile immortal world1 but  
informed him that there was a ,god that 
ruled the heavens1 and presided over the
 affairs of men2 and exhorted him to    
forsake his iniquities4 ,this is his    
language3 ,and whereas they commanded to
 leave the stump of the tree roots1 thy 
kingdom shall be sure unto thee1 after  
thou shalt have known that the heavens  
do rule4 ,wherefore1 ,o king6 ,let my   
counsel be acceptable unto thee1 and    
break off thy sins by righteousness1 and
 thine iniquities by showing mercy to   
the poor1 if it may be a lengthening of 
thy tranquillity4 ,all this came upon   
the king ,nebuchadnezzar4 ,at the end of
 twelve months1 he walked in the palace 
of the kingdom of ,babylon4 ,the king   
spake1 and said1 ,is not this great     
,babylon1 that ,i have built for the    
house of my kingdom1 by the might of my 
power and for the honor of my majesty8  
,while the word was in the king's mouth1

 there fell a voice from heaven1 saying1
 ,o king ,nebuchadnezzar6 ,to thee it is
 spoken2 the kingdom is departed from   
thee4 ,and they shall drive thee from   
men1 and thy dwelling shall be with the 
beasts of the field2 they shall make    
thee to eat grass as oxen1 and seven    
times shall pass over thee1 until thou  
know that the ,most ,high ruleth in the 
kingdom of men1 and giveth it to        
whomsoever he will4  ,nebuchadnezzar was
 the ,son of ,nabopolasser1 and the     
second king of ,assyria4 ,he was ,regent
 with his father in the ,empire #fjg    
years before the birth of our ,lord1 and
 the next year1 he raised a powerful    
army1 marched against ,jerusalem1 and   
took ,jehoiakim1 king of ,judah1        
prisoner4 ,while making preparations to 
carry him and his subjects into         
captivity1 in ,babylon1 ,jehoiakim      
solemnly promised submission1 and begged
 the privilege of holding his throne    
under the sceptre of ,nebuchadnezzar4   
,this favor was granted1 and he was     

permitted to remain at ,jerusalem4      
,three years after this1 he made an     
unsuccessful attempt to throw off the   
,assyrian yoke and regain his former    
independence4 ,this brought on the      
general captivity of the ,jewish nation1
 which lasted #gj years4                
,nebuchadnezzar extended his conquests  
till he subjugated the ,ethiopians1     
,arabians1 ,idumeans1 ,philistines1     
,syrians1 ,persians1 ,medes1 ,assyrians1
 and nearly all ,asia to his sceptre4   
,these splendid conquests1 and being now
 king of kings1 lifted up his heart with
 pride1 that he caused a golden image to
 be reared on the plains of ,dura4 ,he  
issued a royal edict1 and commanded the 
princes and rulers of all these nations 
as well as their principal subjects to  
assemble2 and being assembled1 he       
commanded them to fall down and worship 
his golden god4 ,daniel's companions    
refused to do this1 and were cast into  
the fiery furnace4  ,from this          
circumstance he was brought to          

acknowledge a ,supreme ,being1 and even 
issued a decree that any one who spoke  
amiss against the ,god of ,shadrach1    
,meshach and ,abednego should be cut in 
pieces4 ,but as he was gazing upon the  
massy walls of ,babylon--a work of      
gigantic achievement2 as he was         
surveying1 from the height of his       
palace1 the hanging gardens and lofty   
towers1 7an aerial world67 as he was    
admiring his own magnificence1 by the   
sentence of that ,god whom he had       
glorified1 he was driven from men1 and  
in the ,hebrew style of expression1 is  
said to have eaten grass like oxen4 ,by 
this we are to understand that he was   
suddenly seized with a disease called by
 the ,greeks lycanthropy1 and which is  
known among physicians at the present   
day by the name of hypochondria4 ,it is 
a species of madness that causes persons
 to run into the fields and streets in  
the night1 and sometimes to suppose     
themselves to have the heads of oxen1   
horses1 dogs1 or fancy themselves to be 

like some other animal1 and doomed to   
fare like them4 ,and some have imagined 
themselves to be made of glass4 ,at the 
end of seven years ,nebuchadnezzar's    
understanding returned to him1 and he   
was restored to his throne and glory4   
,he died #efb years before ,christ in   
the #dcrd year of his reign4  ,it is our
 intention to consider this text in a   
moral point of view1 as applicable to   
all men of all ages1 and in all         
conditions in life4 ,while pursuing the 
various occupations to which our        
inclination1 or fancy may lead1 we are  
too apt to lose sight of that ,being who
 holds our destinies in his hand2 and   
more particularly so in seasons of      
prosperity1 when blest with health and  
other sublunary enjoyments4 ,strange as 
it may seem1 yet it is substantially    
true1 that in proportion as man is      
successful in the accomplishment of his 
plans1 he becomes arrogant and haughty  
in his feelings1 and instead of         
acknowledging his dependence on ,god1   

and feeling the bursts of gratitude for 
the favors and enjoyments heaven        
scatters in his path1 he loses sight of 
the benign hand that blesses him1 and1  
like the proud ,assyrian monarch1       
ascribes all his prosperity to his own  
plans1 and to the effect of his own     
peculiar management4 ,he surveys the    
lands he has purchased1 the beautiful   
buildings he has erected1 the wealth he 
has accumulated1 and in view of these   
achievements of his hand1 as he is      
floating on the full tide of prosperity1
 he is ready to breathe out in          
exultation1--is not this great ,babylon 
which ,i have built for the house of my 
kingdom1 by the might of my power and   
for the honor of my majesty4  ,when     
success becomes common1 man forgets his 
dependence on ,him who rules in the     
armies of heaven1 and over the affairs  
of men4 ,it is our duty as intelligent  
creatures to exercise our reason in     
viewing things as they really are4 ,he1 
who will not do this1 but goes through  

life thoughtless1 so far resigns the    
man1 and assumes the brute4 ,even some1 
who bear the christian name1 proclaim   
against reason1 call her carnal1 and    
prostrate her as it were at the shrine  
of enthusiasm4 ,they lean upon certain  
frames and feelings of the animal       
nature4 ,they are so far driven from    
men4 ,i say it is our duty as rational  
intelligences to hold our station in the
 scale of being1 and to exercise our    
reason in viewing things as they are4   
,we ought candidly and solemnly to weigh
 the blessings of ,god1 and consider the
 relation in which we stand to him as   
our ,creator and ,benefactor4 ,who can  
tell the value of existence1 or number  
its countless joys8 ,what a wonderful   
production is man6 ,he has given us the 
most beautiful symmetry of parts1--has  
moulded our limbs with accuracy1 and    
freely bestowed these admirable         
lineaments of form6 ,he has formed the  
ear for sound1 and awakened in its vocal
 chambers the flowing charms of music1  

the harmony of rejoicing nature1 the    
dear voices of parents and children1 and
 the sweet whisperings of love and      
friendship6 ,he has moulded the         
transparent eye1 bedded it in its bony  
socket1 and on its retina painted the   
universe6 ,he has bid it not only to    
disclose1 all the varied passions of the
 soul1 but to roll with softness and    
affection on the fond companion of our  
ways1 on the countless beauties of      
nature1 and bid it with infinite ease   
sweep the entire vault of heaven4 ,he   
has set in motion the warm current of   
life that rolls through our veins1      
pouring nourishment1 health and         
animation through all the channels of   
existence4 ,it is he who throbs the     
heart1 who heaves the lungs1 and who    
bids the ten thousand complicated parts 
of this organized frame move on4 ,in all
 this1 his goodness is every moment     
felt1 and yet we are thoughtless of     
these manifestations of his loving      
kindness4 ,they are so common that we   

have ceased to prize them4 ,when        
sickness and distress come upon us1 it  
is then we learn the value of health and
 ease1 and are often awakened to the    
reality that the ,most ,high rules4  ,in
 view of the trials incident to life1 we
 hear the ,psalmist exclaim ,before ,i  
was afflicted ,i went astray1 but now   
have ,i kept thy word4 ,this seems to be
 the lamentable condition of man4 ,when 
rolling in the calm tide of             
uninterrupted prosperity1 and rejoicing 
in the vigor of health1 he forgets there
 is a ,god1 or becomes thoughtless that 
the heavens do rule1 and begins1 like   
the king of ,babylon1 to ascribe all his
 success to his own power1 foresight and
 management1 and is practically an      
atheist4 ,but however thoughtless men   
may be1 yet there is a ,god who governs 
the world1 and will so order and direct 
his providence1 that every one who goes 
counter to the principles of rectitude  
is doomed1 inevitably doomed1 to suffer 
the consequences4  ,there is too much   

practical atheism in the world4 ,by this
 we mean that there are too many of     
those who acknowledge a ,god in words1  
that deny him in conduct4 ,every one1   
who lives upon the bounties of heaven1  
who enjoys the sweets of existence1 and 
remains thoughtless of ,god1 is         
practically an atheist4 ,as saith ,paul1
 ,they profess that they know ,god1 but 
in works they deny him1 being abominable
 and disobedient1 and unto every good   
work reprobate4 ,he1 who goes on in the 
ways of transgression and multiplies his
 iniquities1 must either believe there  
is no ,god1 or else conclude that he    
does not rule over the affairs of men2  
and on this ground flatters himself that
 he shall escape punishment4 ,and not   
only so1 but in opposition to the       
express declaration of ,jehovah1 he     
believes that he shall enjoy a degree of
 happiness in the indulgence of sin4    
,all such are driven from those rational
 reflections and moral principles1 which
 virtually constitute the man1 and have 

yet to learn1 that the heavens do rule4 
,,sermon ,,iv  ,and they shall drive    
thee from men1 and thy dwelling shall be
 with the beasts of the field1 and they 
shall make thee to eat grass as oxen1   
and seven times shall pass over thee    
until thou know that the ,most ,high    
ruleth in the kingdom of1 men1 and      
giveth it to whomsoever he will4 ,daniel
 iv3#cb4  ,every man1 who believes that 
the path of virtue is thorny1 and that  
of vice is pleasurable1 is not only     
deceived1 but has not yet learned that  
the ,most ,high holds the reins of      
government1 and dispenses to his        
creatures their rewards and punishments4
 ,it is evident1 if every man solemnly  
believed that a course of sin would     
bring upon him certain and unavoidable  
misery--and that every species of       
dishonesty would lessen his fortune in  
the world1 he would abandon his course1 
and turn his feet to the testimonies of 
,god4 ,the transgressor is therefore    
deceiving himself1 is resting under a   

strong delusion1 and is yet ignorant    
that the ,almighty rules throughout his 
vast dominions4 ,certain it is that a   
wicked man was never happy while        
remaining in that condition1 and it is  
equally certain that no one ever yet    
went unpunished4  ,to this point we     
intend to invite your serious attention 
in this discourse4 ,the expression in   
our text1 till thou know that the ,most 
,high ruleth in the kingdom of men1 does
 not only imply a knowledge of the      
existence of a ,supreme ,intelligence1  
who governs the world1 but an obedience 
to the moral laws of his empire4 ,on    
this proposition we purpose to offer a  
few rational1 and not only rational1 but
 irresistible arguments4 ,we will first 
notice the condition of those who are   
guilty of heinous crimes1 and then come 
down to the common walks of life1 and   
bestow a few remarks on those who are   
indifferent about their condition1 and  
only guard their conduct so far as      
comports with the customs and manners of

 that portion of the community1 who have
 no higher principle of action than to  
be considered respectable among men4    
,though we come before the public to    
defend the doctrines of ,christ1 yet1 my
 friends1 you will bear in mind that it 
is also our duty to enforce his         
precepts1 and exhort to the obedience of
 the gospel4 ,that we should point out  
the road of sin1 error and misery1 and  
also endeavor to throw the light of     
heavenly truth on the pathway of human  
life4  ,we will begin with the murderer1
 who wantonly embrues his hands in the  
blood of his fellow4 ,so far as he has  
violated the laws of his country1 he is 
a subject for public execution1 and has 
nothing to hope for1 at the tribunal of 
human justice4 ,his misery1 whether it  
arise from the contemplation of an      
ignominious death1 from the fear of     
detection1 or from the consciousness of 
having violated the moral principles of 
his nature1 is alike insupportable1 as  
well as indescribable4  ,is he detected8

 ,shut out from the world and confined  
in his loathsome cell1 he is left to his
 own reflections1 and to all the horrors
 of the gathering storm4 ,but even      
admitting that he should escape         
detection1 and be left to his own       
meditations on his deed of blood1 he    
would1 like ,cain1 breathe out in agony 
of soul1 my punishment is greater than  
,i can bear6 ,he might1 indeed1 mingle  
with the busy throng--he might even     
smile1 and wear a face of pleasure1 but 
behind this mantled mask he would       
conceal a heart of pain4 ,he might1     
indeed1 gaze upon the landscape1 listen 
to the songs of the grove1 and          
contemplate the glories of nature1 but  
the charm1 that once gave him ecstatic  
delight and solid joy1 is vanished from 
his sight2 and all1 that once was fair  
and lovely1 wears the frown of darkness 
and indignation4 ,he gazes upon little  
children1 and hears their artless and   
innocent prattle1 reflects what he once 
was1 and every joy1 that sparkles in    

their eyes1 sends a dagger to his heart4
 ,the rustling of a leaf strikes him    
with terror and alarm1 and every passing
 breeze bears to his tormented soul the 
groans of the dying man1 and conscience 
forces him to listen to the             
heart-rending tale of wo4 ,fain would he
 fly from himself1 and enjoy one hour's 
repose2 but alas6 ,that ,god1 who rules 
in the kingdom of men1 has written a law
 in his heart1 where he reads and feels 
his condemnation1 and where conscience  
sits on the judgment seat1 constantly   
holds him arraigned at her tribunal1 and
 fans up in his bosom the burning flames
 of hell6 ,he may lie down on his       
pillow1 but spectres haunt his brain2   
and awake1 asleep1 at home1 abroad1 he  
finds that he has rendered his own      
existence a curse4 ,he lives in misery1 
and in darkness expires4  ,let us next  
notice the thief1 who plunders our      
property4 ,his crime is of less         
magnitude than the above1 but his guilt 
is in proportion4 ,no one by such means 

has ever enriched himself4 ,he1 who     
obtains property by dishonorable means1 
is ignorant of its value1 and will      
dishonorably spend it4 ,he has forgotten
 that ,god governs the world4 ,our      
state-prisons and penitentiaries not    
only 7so far as human laws are          
concerned7 reveal his fate1 but speak   
his woes4 ,but suppose he escape        
detection1 and is only exposed to the   
naked and fearful grandeur of that law  
which ,god has written in the heart4 ,he
 hears its thunders1 and he feels its   
fires4 ,he his taken from some fellow   
being his hard earnings2 and sees him   
and perhaps his children mourning their 
misfortune and suffering the miseries of
 adversity4 ,guilt takes possession of  
his soul1 and misery1 which the hand of 
time cannot extinguish1 rolls its dark  
waves of damnation upon him1 and drowns 
his dearest joys1 while poverty marks   
him for her own4  ,god has so           
constituted his plans in the government 
of the world that the plunderer cannot  

prosper4 ,inward horrors and fears of   
detection abstract his mind from the    
proper duties of life1 so that          
misfortune and defeat find their way    
into his plans1 which might otherwise by
 calm deliberation have succeeded1 and  
disappointment and misery1 satiety and  
disgust1 and all the evils that are the 
offspring of his iniquity1 commingling  
in a thousand ways1 render his existence
 wretched4 ,relying upon dishonesty for 
support1 he becomes but a midnight      
beggar4 ,his slumbers are haunted by    
frightful dreams2 and fear of detection1
 prisons and dungeons are torturing his 
imagination and incessantly sporting    
with his broken peace4 ,he is a stranger
 to those solid joys arising from the   
practice of virtue1 is doomed to        
encounter all the miseries that attend  
his ill-chosen career1 and to drink     
every drug of wormwood and gall that    
heaven has mingled in the cup of        
dishonor4 ,he lives a nuisance and pest 
to society1 and dies covered with       

infamy4  ,in all this we shall see the  
truth of our text exemplified1 that ,god
 rules in the kingdom of men1 and brings
 punishment1 not only upon a haughty    
monarch seated on the throne of nations1
 but upon every transgressor however    
obscure may be his condition in the     
walks of private life4 ,the sovereign   
decree of his empire is--,,though ,,hand
 ,,join ,,in ,,hand1 ,,yet ,,shall ,,the
 ,,wicked ,,not ,,go ,,unpunished4  ,but
 we take our leave of flagitious crimes 
and proceed to notice men in the common 
walks of life4 ,every man who makes     
riches1 or public honors the chief end  
of all his pursuits1 and gives all his  
attention to the attainment of his      
object1 and over-reaches in bargains    
whenever an opportunity offers1 or sets 
various prices on his merchandise1      
according to the person with whom he    
deals--such a man will never feel       
himself filled with riches1 nor         
satisfied with honors4 ,the reasons are 
obvious4 ,he commences his career under 

the impression that happiness1          
contentment and all the rational        
enjoyments of life consist in wealth1   
and in human greatness4 ,he soon finds  
himself in possession of as large a     
fortune as he first supposed would make 
him happy4 ,but his desires for more1   
having imperceptibly expanded1 he finds 
within an increased restlessness1 and   
even greater desires for more than when 
he first set out4 ,he still believes1   
according to his original impression1   
that happiness lies in gold2 and that   
the only reason why he has not obtained 
those solid joys in possession which he 
first anticipated1 is because he still  
needs more4 ,but though wealth may flow 
upon him in oceans1 his cravings for    
more will ever swell beyond what earth  
can give1 and leave him a more wretched 
being than he was at the commencement of
 his course4 ,here is his loss--here is 
his punishment4 ,god has not placed     
happiness in wealth4 ,a competence is   
all we can enjoy1 ,o1 be content where  

heaven can give no more4  ,or let him   
rise to that station of honor1 which he 
now believes will satisfy him1 and his  
ambition would aspire to one more       
exalted4 ,let him govern one kingdom1   
and he would desire to subjugate another
 till the whole world bowed to his nod4 
,and were every star an inhabited world1
 and did he possess means to invade     
them1 his ambition would continue to    
soar till he ruled the universe1 and    
were there no object left to which he   
might still direct his ambition and     
continue to soar1 he would set down in  
despair1 and1 like ,alexander the       
,great1 weep and sigh for more worlds to
 conquer4  ,all this restlessness and   
misery arise from false notions of3     
happiness--from not realizing that the  
,most ,high rules in the kingdom of     
men--and from a want of confidence in   
his word1 which points the rich and the 
poor alike to that noble path of virtue 
and religion1 where true happiness and  
unbroken peace forever reign4 ,by men   

embracing virtue1 and in their feelings 
and actions ever acknowledging the      
supremacy of ,jehovah1 inevitably leads 
to happiness and contentment4 ,but in   
doing this we are not to deprive        
ourselves of the enjoyment of honest    
gotten wealth1 nor of the rational      
pursuits and interchanges of social and 
domestic life4 ,religion was not given  
to deprive us of the common comforts and
 conveniences of life1 but to sweeten   
them4 ,our ,redeemer says1 seek first   
the kingdom of ,god and his             
righteousness2 and all these things     
shall be added unto you4 ,sin and misery
 in this world are inseparable3 so are  
righteousness and happiness4 ,if they   
are not1 then it remains for the        
advocates for a future retribution to   
show how men are to be sufficiently     
rewarded and punished in the future     
world4  ,there is my friends no solid   
happiness1 no permanent satisfaction    
only in the contemplation that ,god     
governs the world1 and in the practice  

of pure and rational piety4 ,this you   
may know by studying your own bosom4    
,have any of you thus far spent your    
days in striving to find perfect bliss  
in the various pursuits of life8 ,have  
you aspired to one object1 abandoned it1
 and taken up another8 ,if so1 can you  
say that you have found the happiness   
you anticipated1 and so earnestly       
sought8 ,no6 ,what is the reason8 ,there
 is one thing needful4 ,whatever may be 
your pursuit1 if you are thoughtless    
that ,god governs the world1 and if     
instead of rendering him the homage of a
 grateful heart1 you blaspheme his name1
 or are selfish and regardless of the   
happiness of your fellow creatures1 you 
must1 according to the established laws 
of his empire1 remain in that same      
restless and dissatisfied condition till
 you know by experience that the heavens
 do rule--till you bow to the sublime   
requirements of his word4 ,that         
dissatisfaction varied according to the 
condition of moral character is the     

punishment ,god sends upon us for our   
indifference4 ,from this indifference we
 may rise to that unquenchable thirst   
for riches1 already noticed1 and our    
sufferings will receive new accessions  
according to our moral light4 ,and from 
this we may rise to a desire for honour 
and power1 till we are hurried on by    
ambition to conquest and slaughter where
 we are doomed to suffer all the        
miseries a ,buonaparte endured4 ,from   
this we may rise to dishonour1 fraud and
 theft2 and as we rise in crime1 our    
miseries increase in degree1 till we    
imbrue our hands in innocent blood1 and 
thus render our bosoms a hell and our   
very existence a burthen4  ,every man is
 in a condition of uneasiness1          
suffering1 guilt1 hardness of heart and 
blindness of mind exactly in proportion 
to his moral conduct4 ,let us then be   
wise2--and if we desire happiness1 let  
us seek it in that course where the     
unerring word of ,god assures us it can 
alone be found4 ,let us acknowledge that

 the heavens do rule1 and rest assured  
that ,he1 who notices the fall of a     
sparrow1 will not wink at our evil      
doings4  ,,sermon ,v  ,for what if some 
did not believe1 shall their unbelief   
make the faith of ,god without effect8  
,god forbid2 yea let ,god be true1 but  
every man a liar4 ,romans iii3#c1 #d4   
,the doctrine of salvation by ,jesus    
,christ1 is worthy the solemn           
consideration of all men4 ,it is this1  
that rendered a revelation necessary4   
,it is this that kindled the flame of   
transport in celestial bosoms1 and      
raised that triumphant song1 glory to   
,god in the highest1 on earth peace1    
good will towards men4 ,salvation is the
 doctrine of the ,bible1 and ought ever 
to be the theme of the pulpit4          
,salvation is the oracle of heaven      
around which all denominations assemble1
 receive their instructions1 and believe
 according to the force of evidence4    
,prefaced with these remarks1 we will   
now proceed to state what we conceive to

 be the law and gospel--point out the   
distinction between them1 and defend the
 gospel doctrine of salvation of faith4 
,the law was a conditional covenant     
between ,god and man4 ,it was predicated
 on works4 ,under this covenant1 if a   
man were strictly moral in his external 
deportment--if he lived up to its       
letter1 he was considered righteous4    
,this covenant was imperfect1 because it
 could be kept externally without       
reaching the heart4 ,they could exclaim 
like the young man1 who came to         
,jesus--all these things have ,i kept   
from my youth up1 and still lack the one
 great point1 charity4 ,therefore by the
 deeds of the law no flesh could be     
justified in the sight of ,god4 ,the    
law1 being temporary in its nature1 had 
nothing to do with eternal things4      
,paul says1 sin is the transgression of 
the law4 ,where there is no law there is
 not the knowledge of sin4 ,from this it
 appears that sin1 being a transgression
 of that law1 which was given us for the

 regulation of our conduct in this life1
 can receive no punishment in the future
 world4 ,if sin should be committed in  
the future state1 then in the future    
state it would be punished4 ,the same   
argument will apply to our obedience to 
the law1 which can receive1 for the same
 reason1 no reward in that world4 ,no   
flesh shall be justified by the deeds of
 the law4 ,eternal life is the gift of  
,god4 ,if so1 then it cannot be of      
works1 lest any man should boast4 ,god1 
being infinite in wisdom1 could not have
 failed to enact a law so perfect1 and  
so exactly adapted to the nature of man1
 that obedience would render him a rich 
reward1 and disobedience a condign      
punishment4 ,the wise man says that the 
righteous shall be recompensed in the   
earth2 much more the wicked and the     
sinner4  ,we now turn to the spirit of  
the law4--,to love the ,lord thy ,god   
with all thy heart1 and thy neighbor as 
thyself is the fulfillment of the law2  
and if we are not to be saved by the    

law1 then our love to ,god and each     
other cannot save us2 for that is the   
law4 ,by what then are we to be saved8  
,answer3 by the gospel1 which is ,god's 
love manifested to his creatures4 ,the  
conclusion then is that we are not to be
 saved by our love to ,god1 but by      
,god's love to us4 ,this1 ,i presume1 no
 one will dispute4 ,here then we discern
 the difference between the law and the 
gospel4 ,god's love is the cause of     
salvation--human love is the effect4    
,herein 7says ,john7 is love2 not that  
we loved ,god1 but that he loved us4 ,we
 love him because he first loved us4    
,how many did he love8 ,he so loved the 
world who were dead in trespasses and   
sins1 that he freely delivered up his   
,son for us all--he by the grace of ,god
 tasted death for every man4 ,this is   
the gospel-love that ,god commendeth    
towards us1 and the love that will      
finally save us4  ,many persons contend 
that we must love ,god and do certain   
duties1 or we cannot be saved4 ,this is 

preaching ourselves4 ,it is preaching   
the love of man as the cause of his     
salvation1 instead of the love of ,god4 
,and while thus preaching1 they will    
perhaps at the same time tell the sinner
 that ,god is his enemy4 ,but will the  
sinner's love make ,god his friend--will
 it cause his ,creator to love him8 ,no2
 right the reverse of this is the       
doctrine of ,christ4 ,we love ,god      
because he first loved us4 ,if we deny  
,god's first love to the sinner1 we then
 destroy the very cause by which alone  
the sinner can be made to love ,god4 ,if
 we make men believe that ,god is their 
enemy and hates them1 then we use all   
the means in our power to drive them    
from the bosom of their ,father1 and    
keep them in darkness and sin4  ,the    
sinner1 in this situation1 can never be 
made to serve ,god1 only by being driven
 to it by terror1 the same as some      
wretched slave is made to cower and     
submit in fear and dread to some        
revengeful tyrant4 ,but this is not the 

service ,god requires4 ,he requires a   
service which is delightful1 and in     
which his creature feels an abundant    
reward4 ,we grant that men1 under the   
first covenant1 were called upon to fear
 ,god4 ,the reason of this obvious1 when
 we reflect that ,god had covenanted to 
bestow certain blessings upon them1     
providing they would do their duty4 ,if 
they failed1 then he would execute the  
temporal judgments upon them1 which the 
law points out1 and threatens4 ,under   
this covenant men had just as much      
reason to fear1 as they were liable to  
transgress it4  ,but when an angel      
announced the dawn of a better covenant2
 he said fear not1 for behold ,i bring  
you glad tidings of great joy4 ,in this 
is nothing to be feared4 ,all the fear  
lies in the first1 and thunders out to  
ever sinner1 cursed is every one that   
continueth not in all things written in 
the law to do them8 ,but ,john1 speaking
 in view of the second covenant1 says1  
there is no fear in love2 but perfect   

love casteth out fear1 because fear hath
 torment4 ,he that feareth is not made  
perfect in love4 ,the first covenant is 
founded on works1 and is                
conditional2--but the second is founded 
on the immutable promise of ,god1 and is
 unconditional4 ,in the law1 we are     
commanded to do according to the        
reasonableness of its requirements2 but 
in the gospel we are exhorted to believe
 in view of evidence and fact4 ,and as  
no man can believe1 or disbelieve what  
he pleases1 therefore conditions are    
excluded4  ,what is the meaning of      
gospel8 ,it is good tidings of great    
joy4 ,it is life and immortality brought
 to light at the appearing of our ,lord 
and ,saviour1 ,jesus ,christ1 who has   
abolished death by giving us the        
assurance of a resurrection from        
corruption to incorruption and glory4   
,it is news4 ,in view of news1 what is  
the first thing necessary8 ,answer1     
belief4 ,it is impossible to work news2 
therefore the gospel is not of works4   

,in the law1 the first requirement is to
 do2--but in the gospel the first       
requirement is to believe4 ,the         
law-covenant is therefore temporary1    
fallible and uncertain2 but the         
gospel-covenant is eternal1 infallible1 
and in all things well ordered and sure4
 ,the first rests on the obedience of   
the creature1 but the second on the     
promises of ,jehovah4 ,paul therefore   
calls it a better covenant established  
upon better promises4  ,perhaps someone 
may feel disposed to ask--whether faith 
is all that is necessary8 ,we reply that
 it is the cause which produces its     
effect4 ,paul answers this question     
thus--,we conclude that a man is        
justified by faith without the deeds of 
the law1 ,do we then make void the law  
through faith8 ,god forbid2 yea we      
establish the law4 ,here let the        
question be asked2--how do we establish 
the law by faith8 ,answer1 ,faith will  
have its perfect work4 ,but what is that
 perfect work1 which faith produces8    

,ans4 ,faith works love in the soul2 and
 if we love ,god1 we will keep his      
commandments4 ,and faith1 love and      
keeping the commandments are the three  
exercises1 that form the christian      
character4 ,faith is the foundation2    
works are not4 ,we cannot begin to build
 on works4 ,instead of being the first1 
they are the last christian grace4 ,they
 are the visible effects of an inward1  
living faith4  ,faith and faith only is 
the seed rooted and grounded in the     
truth1 and 7to use a ,bible figure7 it  
becometh a tree1 and produces all the   
fruits of the spirit-love1 joy1         
meekness1 temperance1 long-suffering1   
forbearance4 ,this is what the apostle  
calls the righteousness of faith in     
contradistinction to the righteousness  
of the law1 produced by fear4 ,paul     
compares faith to a good olive tree4    
,the ,jews through unbelief were broken 
off1 and thou 7the ,gentile7 standest by
 faith4 ,jesus says2 if ye have faith as
 a grain of mustard-seed1 ye shall say  

unto this mountain1 remove hence to     
yonder place1 and it shall remove4      
,here1 in parable1 faith is represented 
as removing mountains of sin4 ,he       
further says--,thy faith hath made thee 
whole2--not thy works4 ,paul exclaims1  
,faith works by love1 purifies the heart
 and overcomes the world4 ,john says1   
and this is the victory that overcometh 
the world even our faith4  ,it is a     
certain fact1 that none of these        
salutary effects are ascribed to human  
works4 ,the apostles in no instance say1
 that works purify the heart1 or        
overcome the world--or that this is the 
victory1 even your works2 ,the whole is 
ascribed to faith2 because that is the  
living tree on which the good fruits    
grow4 ,works are1 in scripture1 called  
fruits4 ,by their fruits ye shall know  
them--that is by their works4 ,a good   
tree cannot bring forth evil fruit4 ,to 
carry out this figure1 we would remark  
that1 fruit can have no existence till  
the tree is first produced4 ,therefore  

in a gospel sense1 no good works1       
acceptable to ,god1 can be produced     
without a true and living faith4 ,the   
apostle declares1 without faith it is   
impossible to please ,god4 ,the gospel  
being good tidings1 or news1 are you    
satisfied that thing necessary8 ,i      
presume all denominations will assent to
 the fact1 that faith is the first      
religious exercise of the creature4 ,we 
shall then obey the command of the      
apostle1 and contend earnestly for the  
faith once delivered to the saints4     
,but asks the reader1 what matter is it 
which is first in order1 whether love1  
faith or works8 ,i reply that it is a   
matter of vast importance1 and without  
understanding this fact1 we cannot come 
to the knowledge of the truth1 even     
though we should be ever learning4 ,if  
these three christian graces faith1 love
 and works1 are preached in a confused  
and mixed manner1 we cannot arrive at a 
true understanding of a gospel          
salvation1 neither can we tell the      

difference between law and gospel4 ,the 
law is of works1 and the gospel is of   
faith4 ,and no man can fulfill the      
spirit of the law without faith in the  
gospel4 ,when the sinner exercises faith
 in the love and goodness of ,god in    
freely giving him eternal life1 which   
infinitely transcends all other         
blessings--that moment faith works love 
in his heart1 and causes him to rejoice 
with joy unspeakable and full of glory4 
,he then loves ,god because ,god first  
loved him4 ,and when the sinner loves   
,god1 he is passed from death unto life1
 and that love is the fulfillment of the
 law4  ,we are now led to see the       
consistency of faith being the first    
step4 ,it is the very cause that        
produces love to ,god1 and love induces 
us to keep the commandments4 ,faith     
works by love1 and if ye love me1 says  
,jesus1 ye will keep my commandments4   
,we will now introduce an example1 which
 will plainly show the distinction      
between the law and gospel and in what  

manner they affect the sinner4 ,suppose 
a king sentences six of his subjects to 
imprisonment during life1 and commands  
them to spend their days in hard labor4 
,they are put in confinement1 refuse to 
obey his commands-- refuse to labor1 and
 in the midst of their miseries curse   
his name4 ,they are now in disobedience 
under the condemnation of the law4  ,the
 king says to his only ,son1 ,i love    
those subjects and ,i covenant with you 
to set them free in three years4 ,the   
,son says1 ,father ,i delight to do thy 
will4 ,let me go and reveal to them1 the
 glad tidings of this covenant promise4 
,the king answers--my ,son1 in the      
fullness of time ,i will send you4 ,let 
them remain1 one year1 under the law4   
,but says the ,son1 they are now        
transgressing your law1 and need        
instruction4 ,the king replies1 ,i will 
send my servant to enforce that law4    
,let him go and inform the prisoners1   
that ,i am angry with them for their    
conduct2 and if they will obey my       

commands1 and labor faithfully1 they    
shall have excellent food and good      
clothing as a reward4 ,but if they will 
not comply1 they shall be chained1 and  
kept on bread and water as a punishment 
for their disobedience4  ,the servant   
goes and delivers to them this message4 
,three of those subjects1 for fear of   
the punishment and in hope of the       
reward1 obey the king1 and outwardly    
respect his commands1 but perhaps have  
little1 or no love for him4 7,here we   
see the righteousness of the law which  
is not acceptable to ,god47 ,they       
accordingly receive1 day by day1 the    
promised reward4 ,but the other three   
prisoners despise these conditions and  
refuse to obey4 ,they are chained1 fed  
on bread and water1 and meet their      
deserts4  ,here1 then1 are six prisoners
 laboring under the law1 and groaning in
 bondage with no hopes of deliverance4  
,the law knows of no deliverance --no   
redemption4 ,it simply serves as a      
school master to teach them the         

difference between right and wrong--to  
teach them the will of the king1 and    
thus prepare them to receive a better   
covenant1 which is to be revealed to    
them by the king's ,son4 ,but under the 
covenant they now are1 they have no     
motives to prompt them to obedience1 but
 the fear of punishment and the hope of 
reward4 ,in our next1 this will be fully
 illustrated4  ,,sermon ,,vi  ,for what 
if some did not believe1 shall their    
unbelief make the faith of ,god without 
effect8 ,god forbid2 yea let ,god be    
true1 but every man a liar4 ,romans     
iii3#c1 #d4  ,we resume the argument1 in
 this discourse1 concerning those       
prisoners brought forward in our last4  
,we left them in bondage under the      
sentence of the law with no hopes of    
deliverance4 ,the first year rolls away4
 ,the king says1 my son1 the time has   
come--go1 and reveal my love to the     
prisoners by bringing the promise of    
their redemption to light4 ,the son     
flies on wings of love1 enters the      

prison and exclaims--,i bring you good  
tidings of great joy4 ,my father1 the   
king1 is your friend4 ,he loves you2 and
 that love has induced him to proclaim  
your liberation as a free gift4 ,he has 
promised 7and he cannot lie7 that in two
 years from this day you shall be free4 
,this covenant1 so far as concerns its  
fulfillment1 is unconditional4 ,believe1
 and you will be saved1 by faith in the 
promise1 from your present fears1 and   
condemnation under the law4  ,those     
stubborn prisoners see a sufficiency of 
evidence to believe the promise4 ,they  
exercise unshaken faith in this second  
covenant between the father and son4    
,this faith works by love in their      
hearts1 and purifies them from          
disobedience4 ,their souls melt in view 
of the love and goodness of the king    
revealed to them by his son4 ,in fine1  
they love him because he first loved    
them4 ,they are now saved by faith in   
his promise from not only all their     
miseries and sorrows1 but from their    

disobedience1 and look forward with joy 
to the day of redemption4 ,here we      
perceive the righteousness of faith1    
which far exceeds the righteousness of  
the law4 ,they now delight to obey the  
king because they are under the         
influence of love4  ,here let the       
question be asked--are these three men  
to be let out of prison at the appointed
 time because they believe the promise1 
or love and obey the king8 ,they are    
not4 ,their redemption depended on the  
truth and faithfulness of the king's    
promise which he made to his son1 and   
that promise would have been fulfilled1 
even if it had not been revealed to them
 till the day of their deliverance4     
,they are not to be set free as a reward
 for their faith1 love and obedience4   
,they have great peace and joy in       
believing that promise4 ,they are in the
 happy enjoyment of a salvation by      
faith1 and that is all the reward they  
deserve1 or have reason to expect4 ,we  
here perceive that these three men are  

made to establish the law of their king 
by faith in the good news he sent them  
by his son1 which is to them a gospel4  
,we now see the propriety of the        
apostle's language--,we conclude that a 
man is justified by faith without the   
deeds of the law4 ,do we then make void 
the law through faith8 ,god forbid2 yea 
we establish the law4 ,we also perceive 
that these three men are not to be      
liberated from prison because they      
believe the promise1 or love and obey   
the king4 ,but on the contrary it is the
 king's love and promise to them which  
sets them free4  ,let us now notice the 
other three prisoners4 ,one says ,i do  
not believe that we shall ever be       
released from prison4 ,it is too good   
news to be true4 ,well1 shall his       
unbelief make the king's promise of none
 effect8 ,the king forbid2 yea let the  
king be true1 but that man a liar4 ,but 
let it be remembered that he cannot be  
proved a liar unless he is liberated4   
,would you now go and tell that man-sir1

 because you will not believe1 you shall
 never come forth from prison8 ,but do  
you not perceive that by so doing you   
would give the king the lie8 ,it would  
be saying that his promise was good for 
nothing unless the man would believe it4
 ,it would be contending that the       
unbelief of this prisoner will make the 
king's promise of none effect4  ,the    
other two prisoners exclaim--we believe 
this second covenant1 but it must bear  
some resemblance to the first which is  
conditional4 ,we believe that we shall  
get out of this prison if we continue to
 serve the king as1 we have heretofore1 
by keeping his commandments4-- ,here are
 two men trusting in the first covenant 
for deliverance4 ,they are trusting in  
the law4 ,they are depending on their   
own love and faithfulness to the king   
for redemption1 and not on the king's   
love1 promise and faithfulness to them4 
,here then we see the righteousness of  
the law in those two prisoners2 in      
another we see the effect of unbelief2  

and in those three who remained         
disobedient under the first covenant1 we
 see the righteousness which is of faith
 when they heard the glad tidings of    
redemption in the second covenant4  ,at 
length the day of their redemption      
dawns4 ,they are all brought to the     
knowledge of the truth4 ,those three    
prisoners1 who were saved by faith in   
the promise during those two years of   
suspense1 now find their faith lost in  
certainty4 ,their salvation1 by faith   
has come to an end4 ,and so has the     
unbelief1 condemnation and doubtings of 
the other three prisoners4 ,in one      
word--the belief and unbelief of the six
 are lost in knowledge1 and they burst  
out in songs of deliverance ,so we      
perceive that a salvation by faith1 and 
a condemnation in unbelief can last no  
longer than till we come to the         
knowledge of the truth4  ,let us now    
apply this to the scriptures4 ,man      
sinned1 and not only involved himself in
 guilt and misery1 but was sentenced to 

that very death with which ,god         
threatened him--,dust thou art and unto 
dust shalt thou return4 ,here was the   
end of the first covenant1 and the      
termination of all the miseries of life4
 ,it is evident from revelation as well 
as reason that man at death drops to a  
state of insensibility1 and knows no    
more till he is made alive in ,christ1  
who is himself the second covenant4 ,the
 language of scripture is1 the dead know
 not any thing--they sleep--and the     
apostle 7in #a ,cor4 xv ,chap47 reasons 
that if there be no resurrection1 then  
there will be no future existence-- that
 they which are fallen asleep in ,christ
 are perished--that preaching was       
vain--faith was also vain1 and that the 
christians were yet in their sins4 ,on  
such language as this1 ,i can put no    
other construction than that the        
resurrection is our salvation and       
eternal life1 our deliverance from sin  
and imperfection4 ,under the first      
covenant the resurrection in ,christ was

 not revealed to the human family1 and  
they remained of course under the       
sentence of condemnation with no hopes  
of a future existence4 ,by the offense  
of one judgment came upon all men to    
condemnation4 ,obedience to the law was 
enforced by threatenings on the one     
hand1 and promises of temporal rewards  
on the other1 which were communicated to
 the fathers by the prophets4  ,but ,god
 has in these latter days spoken unto us
 by his ,son1 and through him revealed  
the second covenant in which he gave him
 the heathen for an inheritance1 and the
 utter most parts of the earth for a    
possession1 and declared him to be the  
resurrection and life of the world4 ,if 
in the divine counsels no ,christ had   
been provided1 the human family it      
appears would have remained in eternal  
slumber4 ,they would have known but one 
covenant1 which would have rewarded and 
punished them according to their deeds1 
and consigned them to the regions of the
 dead4 ,but since by man came death1 by 

man came also the resurrection of the   
dead4  ,god saw fit to keep the human   
family for four thousand years under the
 first covenant1 without the knowledge  
of eternal life through the resurrection
 of the dead4 ,but it was1 at length1   
made manifest by the appearing of our   
,saviour ,jesus ,christ1 who hath       
abolished death1 and brought life and   
immortality to light through the gospel4
 ,yes1 he first brought it to light1 and
 through his apostle declared ,in hope  
of eternal life which ,god that cannot  
lie promised before the world began1 but
 hath in due time manifested his word   
through preaching4 ,this promise of     
eternal life1 all men are called upon to
 believe4 ,the moment they believe1 they
 are saved by faith1 and are at peace2  
and they that doubt are damned--they are
 already under condemnation4 ,but shall 
their unbelief make ,god's promise of   
eternal life of none effect8 ,god       
forbid2 yea let ,god be true but every  
man a liar4 ,for he hath concluded them 

all in unbelief that he might have mercy
 upon all4  ,we have now noticed the two
 covenants--the law and gospel--have    
pointed out the distinction between     
them--shown that all conditions are     
confined to the law1 and that the gospel
 is unconditional1 and justly requires  
our faith and confidence4 ,we will now  
bring to view the scripture doctrine of 
salvation by faith1 and show that divine
 truth must have an existence before we 
can be called upon to believe4  ,all    
scripture is given by inspiration of    
,god and is based upon eternal and      
unchanging truth4 ,truth is one of the  
attributes of ,jehovah and the unshaken 
pillar that supports the throne of      
eternity4 ,in truth and righteousness he
 governs the world1 and by an omnipotent
 arm wields the destinies of men4 ,truth
 is the sun of divine revelation pouring
 its beams on intelligent creation and  
calling upon all men to believe4 ,if a  
man assert that which does exist1 it is 
a truth2 but if he assert that which    

does not exist1 it is a falsehood4      
,whatever has an existence in the       
compass of reality is a truth to be     
believed1 and whatever has no such      
existence is a falsehood not to be      
believed4 ,it is beyond the power of man
 to create one solitary divine truth4   
,all that he can do is to declare the   
existence of that which may be hidden   
from others1 or relate some             
circumstances respecting that which does
 absolutely exist4 ,an absolute truth   
must1 therefore1 be presented to the    
understandings of men before they can be
 called upon to believe it1 or before   
they can be called believers for        
embracing it1 or unbelievers for        
rejecting it4 ,no man can be an         
unbeliever for rejecting that which does
 not exist4  ,we now commence plain     
argument by using great plainness of    
speech4 ,in preaching the gospel of     
,jesus ,christ truth must be the        
foundation4 ,if then truth must exist   
before men can be called upon to        

believe1 the question arises what is    
that truth which the second covenant    
reveals for the belief of mankind8      
,answer1 it is the record ,god hath     
given of his ,son4 ,but what is the     
record8 ,let ,john answer--this is the  
record1 ,god hath given us eternal life1
 and this life is in his ,son4 ,it then 
follows that we are to believe that ,god
 has given us eternal life in his ,son  
before the world began1 and unchangeably
 promised it4 ,paul says--,in hope of   
eternal life which ,god that cannot lie 
promised before the world began4 ,if we 
believe the record1 we are in the       
scriptures recognized as believers and  
are saved by faith1 and will of course  
exhibit in our life and conversation the
 righteousness of faith4  ,the great    
error of any who read the ,bible1       
consists in supposing there is but one  
salvation4 ,but there are two4 ,the     
first is a special salvation by belief  
in the promise1 and the second is our   
eternal salvation beyond the grave1     

where we shall be brought to the        
knowledge of the truth involved in the  
promise1 and to know shall be life      
eternal4 ,faith shall then be lost in   
certainty4 ,now if we disbelieve the    
record will that make it false8 ,no2 our
 unbelief cannot alter the fact4 ,let   
the record then be proclaimed to every  
creature--saying ,god has promised and  
given you eternal life in ,christ before
 the world began1 and calls upon all to 
believe it4 ,but suppose they should all
 reject it saying we do not believe one 
word of it1 would their unbelief make   
the promise or record false8 ,no4 ,would
 not then the record prove true8 ,it    
would4 ,then the whole world would1 of  
course1 receive that eternal life which 
is promised and given them in ,christ4  
,no1 says the objector1 they will not   
believe4 ,but can their unbelief make   
,god's promise of none effect8 ,can it  
put that truth out of existence and make
 it a falsehood8 ,we would ask the      
objector1 what will they not believe8   

,answer2 they will not believe that ,god
 has given them eternal life in his     
,son4 ,very well1--then the whole amount
 of the objection is that ,god has given
 them eternal life in ,christ1 but they 
will not believe it1 and because they   
will not believe it1 they never shall   
obtain it6 ,then we must contend 7if    
they never obtain it7 that it was never 
given to them1 and if not given1 then   
the record is false2 because the record 
declares that ,god has given them       
eternal life in his ,son4 ,it then      
follows that their unbelief can make the
 faithfulness of ,god without effect by 
rendering the word1 he has given1 false4
  ,but says the objector it ought to be 
stated conditionally as follows-- ,god  
first calls upon men to believe1 and if 
they will believe1 then ,christ will    
become their ,saviour1 and then they    
will receive eternal life in him and not
 before4 ,but does not the objector see 
that he has stated no fact for them to  
believe in order to make ,christ their  

,saviour8 ,i ask what does ,god call    
upon them to believe8 ,there must be    
some truth presented before men can be  
called upon to believe4 ,god calls upon 
men to believe1 what--,that ,christ is  
their ,saviour8 ,but you said he was not
 their ,saviour till after they         
believed4 ,it then follows1 according to
 the objector's statement1 that he is   
not the ,saviour of unbelievers4 ,now do
 you not perceive that if you should    
call upon them to believe that he was   
their ,saviour1 you would call upon them
 to believe a lie--that you would call  
upon them to believe what did not exist8
 ,and what does not exist cannot be     
true4 ,grant says the objector that he  
is the ,saviour of the world1 still as  
many as do not believe in him shall     
never be saved4 ,but how can he be the  
,saviour of a man1 he never saves8 ,two 
individuals are drowning in the water2  
you exert all your power to save them1  
but fail4 ,can you call yourself the    
saviour of those two men from temporal  

death8 ,impossible4 ,in order for       
,christ to be called the ,saviour of the
 world1 he must save the world2         
otherwise there is not a shadow of      
propriety in giving him that name4 ,and 
,john says ,we have seen and do testify 
that the ,father sent the ,son to be the
 ,saviour of the world4--,we know1      
indeed1 that this is the ,messiah the   
,saviour of the world4  ,in our next1 we
 will conclude this subject1 and trust  
we shall do it to the satisfaction of   
our readers4  ,,sermon ,,vii  ,for what 
if some did not believe1 shall their    
unbelief make the faith of ,god without 
effect8 ,god forbid2 yea let ,god be    
true1 but every man a liar4 ,romans     
iii3#c1 #d4  ,we now resume the argument
 in reference to ,christ the ,saviour of
 men1 as we proposed in our last4 ,we   
here inquire of the objector--do you    
then grant that he is the ,saviour of   
all men--the ,saviour of the world as   
the scriptures declare8 ,if so1 we      
assure you that1 he will save the number

 of whom he is declared to be the       
,saviour4 ,but1 replies the objector1 he
 is not the ,saviour of any man till he 
believes4 ,we ask-- till he believes    
what8 ,why1 replies the objector1 till  
he believes that ,christ is his         
,saviour--if he believes so1 it will be 
so4 ,let us understand this--you say he 
is not the ,saviour of an unbeliever1   
still he must believe that he is1 and   
that will make him so4 ,then he must    
first believe a lie and that will create
 a truth4 ,this is 7as ,paul says7      
turning the truth of ,god into a lie4   
,but let us notice the record4 ,this is 
the record1 ,god hath given us eternal  
life1 and this life is in his ,son4 ,do 
you grant1 that ,god has given eternal  
life in ,christ to every man8 ,no1 says 
the objector4 ,very well1 then they     
cannot be called upon to believe it4    
,finally1 says the objector1 grant that 
he has4 ,this being granted1 we would   
ask1 whether they will not come in      
possession of it1 if ,god's promise     

stands8 ,certainly4 ,but1 replies the   
objector1 it is not theirs1 till they   
believe4 ,then the record is not true   
till they believe it2 because1 on this  
principle1 they must first believe1 that
 they have eternal life in ,christ      
before it exists1 and believing this lie
 will create it4  ,but1 replies the     
objector1 it is impossible that any man 
has eternal life given him in ,christ1  
till he believes4 ,we then ask1 what    
truth do you wish him to believe1 so    
that he may obtain this eternal life8   
,the fact is1 there is none4 ,he must   
believe this truth1 itself because it is
 the record1 but this1 you have taken   
from him4 ,you cannot call upon a man to
 believe1 till you admit the existence  
of that very truth you wish him to      
believe4 ,in order fully to expose the  
inconsistency of this conditional       
salvation1 we will introduce an example4
 ,suppose a father tell his servant1 ,i 
have a son in ,london1 nineteen years of
 age1 who is in poverty and distress4 ,i

 have given him in my will five thousand
 dollars1 and ,i promise that it shall  
be put into his possession in two years4
 ,it is recorded and that record is     
true4 ,go my servant1 and proclaim to   
him glad tidings of great joy1 and call 
upon him to believe1 so that he may     
enjoy a salvation by faith during those 
two years of suspense1 and be made happy
 even amidst his wants by looking       
forward to when it shall be put into his
 possession4  ,the servant sets out on  
his mission1 and believes that he       
understands his errand4 ,being arrived1 
he addresses him as follows--,son1 your 
father is very rich1 and he has not     
willed you five thousand dollars1 nor   
given it to you on record2 and he never 
will1 unless you first believe that he  
has4 ,but1 replies the son1 according to
 your message1 if ,i should believe that
 he has given me five thousand dollars1 
,i should believe a lie4 ,let my father 
give the money1 deposit it in some bank2
 send me evidence of the fact1 and with 

joy ,i will believe him4 ,well replies  
the servant you are a disobedient1      
stubborn unbeliever6 ,because1 if you   
would only believe so1 it would be so1  
and you would have the money in two     
years4  ,you perceive 7dear reader7 that
 this servant has presented no truth for
 this son to believe4 ,he wishes to give
 this son the impression that the       
obtaining of this fortune depends on his
 believing1 and not on the testament    
record1 and faithfulness of his father4 
,in fact1 he denies the existence of the
 father's will1 and the record1 and     
requires the son to believe a lie so as 
to create the truth4 ,the servant does  
not understand his message1 and the son 
does not know on what certainty to rest 
for the money4  ,in the same manner we  
are called upon to secure an            
interest--an eternal life in the        
,saviour4 ,they will not admit its      
existence till we believe4 ,then belief 
must create it4 ,but may we spend our   
last breath in convincing poor sinners  

that it is already secured in ,christ   
for them1 so that they may believe1 and 
live by faith on the son of ,god4  ,this
 father sends another messenger4 ,he    
tells this son of the goodness of his   
father1 and that he has willed him five 
thousand dollars1 that the will is put  
on record1 and that this fortune will be
 put into his possession in two years4  
,the son does not believe it4 ,now he is
 an unbeliever4 ,but does his unbelief  
alter the truth of the will or of the   
record4 ,no4 ,the certainty1 of his     
obtaining the money1 rests on the       
faithfulness of his kind parent4 ,this  
servant perseveres1 uses convincing     
arguments and the son at length believes
 he is saved by faith from all his      
miseries1 and he rejoices with joy      
unspeakable4 ,but his believing does not
 make the record any more true than it  
was before he believed it4 ,it simply   
alters his present condition by kindling
 in his bosom the joys arising from     
faith and anticipation4-- ,we have now  

answered the objections that would      
naturally be brought forward by those   
who believe that our eternal salvation  
is predicated on conditions4 ,as works  
are not the requirements of the gospel  
only so far as they flow from faith in  
the truth1 and as faith must precede    
works1 therefore the truth of our       
eternal life in ,christ1 must exist     
previous to our believing4 ,consequently
 all conditions are excluded from the   
gospel covenant4  ,we will now meet the 
objector on the doctrine of election and
 reprobation1 the substance of which is 
as follows--,after man fell1 ,god was   
pleased to provide a ,saviour for a part
 of the human family4 ,that elect number
 he chose in ,christ before the         
foundation of the world1 gave them      
eternal life in him1 and for them only  
he tasted death4 ,the gospel is now to  
be preached to the whole world1 and as  
long as they reject it1 they are        
unbelievers4 ,but the elect shall       
sooner1 or later1 all be brought to     

believe4  ,we will examine the          
foundation on which this statement      
rests4 ,to bring it clearly before you1 
we will take an example4 ,suppose there 
is a congregation of one hundred        
persons4 ,fifty of them were elected to 
everlasting life before the foundation  
of the world--were secured by a         
,saviour1 and the rest were reprobated  
to endless wo4 ,for them no ,saviour was
 designed1 and no eternal life ever has1
 or ever will be given them in him4     
,suppose a sermon is preached to those  
one hundred2 and the fifty1 who are     
elected1 believe the record of their    
eternal life1 are brought to the        
obedience of faith1 while the other     
fifty remain unmoved4 ,the preacher     
turns upon them and pronounces them     
unbelievers4 ,but ,in what sense are    
they unbelievers8 ,there has been no    
truth presented to them1 which they     
disbelieve4 ,must they believe that     
,christ is their ,saviour1 or that they 
have an eternal life in him8 ,but they  

would in such case believe a lie4 ,if   
they believed right the reverse of the  
elect1--believed that ,god was their    
enemy and that ,christ was not their    
,saviour1 they would be believers4 ,but 
if they believed what the fifty converts
 did1 they would be unbelievers4 ,we    
here repeat one premise laid down in our
 last discourse--viz4 ,in order for any 
man to be styled a believer or          
unbeliever1 there must first be         
presented some truth for him to embrace 
or reject4  ,now either ,god has given  
us eternal life in ,christ before the   
world began1 or he has not4 ,if he has1 
then we are unbelievers if we reject it4
 ,if he has not given it1 and should we 
still believe that he has1 we would then
 believe a lie4 ,but neither our belief1
 or unbelief can ever alter the fact4   
,god has chosen us in ,christ before the
 foundation of the world that we should 
be holy and without blame before him in 
love2 having predestinated us unto the  
adoption of children by ,jesus ,christ  

to himself according to the good        
pleasure of his will4 99 99 99 ,having  
made known unto us the mystery of his   
will according to his good pleasure     
which he hath purposed in himself2 that 
in the dispensation of the fullness of  
times1 he might gather together1 in one1
 all things in ,christ1 both which are  
in heaven and which are on earth1 even  
in him4 ,some apply the above to the    
elect4 ,but it embraces all things in   
heaven and earth1 which are to be       
gathered together in ,christ1 and be new
 creatures4 ,in addition to this we will
 introduce two more passages ,who hath  
saved us1 and called us with a holy     
calling1 not according to our works1 but
 according to his own purpose and grace 
which was given us in ,christ ,jesus    
before the world began4 ,in hope of     
eternal life1 which ,god1 that cannot   
lie1 promised before the world began4   
,in these scriptures we are assured     
first1 that ,god chose us in ,christ1   
before the foundation of the            

world--second1 that he saved us         
according to his own purpose and grace  
before the world began1 and third that  
he promised eternal life before the     
world began4 ,these things being        
embraced in his original plan1 and      
purpose1 their performance is therefore 
certain as that the whole plan of ,god  
will be carried unto execution4  ,there 
is1 in my humble opinion1 a strange     
inconsistency in the common doctrine4   
,they contend that on account of the    
transgression of our first parent1 all  
mankind were fallen creatures and even  
came into existence totally depraved4   
,to show the justice of ,god in the     
constitution of our nature1 they contend
 that ,adam was our covenant head1 and  
had he maintained his original purity1  
we would also have stood perfect in     
holiness1 and no one would have had any 
reason to complain4 ,now since ,adam has
 fallen1 and involved us in ruin1 it is 
equally just in ,god that we should     
share the fate of our covenant head in  

the one instance as in the other4 ,but  
if we make use of this same argument in 
relation to ,christ1 the second         
,adam--if we contend that he was the    
covenant head of every man1 that the    
covenant was not made for this1 but for 
the future world--that this covenant of 
grace being made between the ,father and
 the ,son1 was to stand independent of  
man-- that eternal life was promised and
 given us in him before the world       
began--that as our covenant head1 he    
resisted all temptations1 and perfectly 
fulfilled the law--that he died1 and    
appeared alive beyond the tomb free from
 temptation1 and in a holy and immortal 
constitution4 ,if we contend for this1  
making use of their own arguments1      
saying that it is just as rational that 
we should appear in the image of ,christ
 in the future world as that we should  
come into this world in the image of    
,adam1 they will pronounce the argument 
so far as applicable to ,adam1 sound    
logic1 but so far as this same argument 

of theirs is applied by ,universalists  
to ,christ1 they pronounce it perfect   
jargon4  ,but1 says the objector1 there 
is one point you have not settled1 and  
,i will here rest the whole of my       
argument upon it4 ,it is this--,god has1
 in no instance1 promised eternal to    
unbelievers2 and unless you can prove   
that the promise does extend to them1   
your arguments must fall like rottenness
 to the ground4 ,we have certainly      
proved this1 and to attend to the       
objector's request would but be1 in some
 measure1 going over the ground already 
occupied4 ,we will1 however1 just touch 
this point again4 ,we will introduce the
 following words of ,paul to ,titus4 ,in
 hope of eternal life which ,god that   
cannot lie promised before the world    
began4  ,if ,god promised his creatures 
eternal life before the world began1    
will they not obtain it8 ,they will for 
this passage says that he cannot lie4   
,but says the objector1 he has not      
promised it to the unbeliever4 ,we would

 then inquire1 what is it that          
constitutes him an unbeliever8 ,why do  
you call him an unbeliever8 ,do you say 
because he disbelieves the truth of     
,god's promise8 ,then you must1 of      
course1 admit the truth of ,god's       
promise to him4 ,if so1 it must stand1  
for ,god cannot lie4 ,you cannot call   
upon a sinner to believe1 until you     
admit the existence of that very truth1 
you wish him to believe1 ,god's promise 
of eternal life in ,christ1 is the      
gospel we are called upon to believe    
with a sincere heart4 ,if you contend   
that it is promised to an elect number  
only1 and not to the reprobates1 then if
 they should all be brought to the      
knowledge of the truth1 what would they 
believe8 ,ans4 ,the elect would believe 
the promise of eternal life was made to 
them1 the reprobates would believe right
 the reverse of the elect1 and all would
 be believers4 ,no1 says the objector1  
the reprobates ought to believe just as 
the elect do4 ,but in this case1 they   

would believe that they also have the   
promise of eternal life4 ,this would be 
believing a lie1 because you say that   
,god has not made them that promise8    
,how would you preach to such persons8  
,if you called upon them to believe the 
truth of the gospel1 which is eternal   
life1 you would call upon them to       
believe a lie4 ,how can you extricate   
yourself from this difficulty8 ,but     
inquires the objector1 how do you know  
that ,god has promised eternal life to  
all8 ,ans4 ,because the scriptures do   
call all men either believers1 or       
unbelievers1 in view of the promise that
 ,god has made4 ,take away that promise 
and belief or unbelief respecting it can
 no longer have an existence--          
,believers and unbelievers would be no  
more4  ,but says the objector this is   
not proof that eternal life is promised 
to an unbeliever4 ,well ,i am surprised 
at this assertion of my opponent6       
,first1 ,i ask1 what do you call a      
believer8 ,ans4 ,one who believes that  

,god has promised1 and given him eternal
 life in ,christ before the world began4
 ,then1 of course1 an unbeliever must be
 one1 to whom ,god has also promised and
 given eternal life in ,christ before   
the world1 but will not believe it4 ,but
 says the objector this cannot be4 ,i   
would then ask whether eternal life was 
not promised1 and given in ,christ to   
the believer before he believed it8     
,certainly4 ,it must have been the truth
 before he could believe4 ,well1 what   
was he at that time8 ,an unbeliever of  
course4 ,then eternal life is promised  
to all1 because it is the lack of faith 
in that never failing promise of        
,jehovah that constitutes an unbeliever4
 ,but says the objector--a man must do  
so and so1 or he cannot be saved4 ,this 
is not correct2 he must believe1 or he  
cannot be saved4 ,we are saved by faith 
in the promise and are permitted to look
 forward with satisfaction and joy to an
 immortal existence where we shall be   
free from sin1 sorrow and pain4 ,this   

faith and hope fill the soul with love  
to ,god1 and induce us to break off our 
sins by righteousness4 ,so a salvation  
by faith can only be enjoyed in this    
life1 and is to end when faith and hope 
are lost in certainty and in joy4       
,though only few are saved by faith1 yet
 all shall know the ,lord from the      
greatest to the least1 whom to know is  
life eternal4  ,,sermon ,,viii  ,jesus  
answered and said unto him1 ,verily1    
verily1 ,i say unto thee1 ,except a man 
be born again1 he cannot see the kingdom
 of ,god4 ,john iii4 #c4  ,as we have in
 the last three sermons dwelt           
particularly on a salvation by faith1 we
 will take the liberty to introduce the 
subject of the new birth next in order1 
as it will be1 more readily1 retained by
 the reader1 in this connexion than     
otherwise4 ,indeed1 it hears a strong   
resemblance to them so far as the       
subject of faith is concerned in our    
present exposition4 ,but whoever is a   
careful reader of the ,new ,testament1  

will discover that the subject of faith1
 and the genuine repentance which that  
faith produces1 is not of trivial       
moment4  ,there is no subject of divine 
revelation1 on which more has been said1
 preached and written than the one1     
which we are now about to consider4 ,it 
has been brought forward by men of      
talents and erudition as an insuperable 
barrier against ,universal ,salvation1  
and their several adherents have taken  
it for granted1 that it can never be    
explained in harmony with the sentiment1
 that all men shall eventually obtain   
eternal life through the ,redeemer of   
men4 ,but these impressions have arisen 
from the fact1 that they have taken     
their own views and explanations to be  
scripturally correct1 and from these    
premises1 they have drawn conclusions   
utterly opposed to the final holiness   
and happiness of ,god's intelligent     
creation4 ,they have supposed the new   
birth to be some mysterious change      
produced by some mysterious operation of

 the divine spirit on the mind1 and that
 it is in substance a miracle4  ,one    
denomination has contended that if a man
 once obtained this change1 he was safe1
 could never finally fall from grace1   
but would eventually land in the kingdom
 of immortal glory4 ,several other      
denominations admit the new birth to be 
the same change already noticed1 but    
contend that the subject may fall from  
grace1 and be finally lost4 ,here then  
the man1 who was1 according to their    
views1 born again1 might still never see
 the kingdom of ,god beyond the grave4  
,on this principle the new birth would  
be no security1 that any one would      
obtain heaven4 ,according to this       
sentiment1 a man might be born again1   
fall away1 and be born again until seven
 times1 and in the end not see the      
kingdom of ,god4 ,those1 who advocate   
this sentiment1 believe that faith and  
repentance prerequisites to the new     
birth1 and also believe in the salvation
 of infants4  ,this being so1 it will   

come to pass that half of the world will
 be saved1 inasmuch as about that number
 die in what may be1 justly termed an   
infant state4 ,but of those1 who come to
 years of accountability1 they believe  
but few will be saved4 ,so the greater  
proportion of those1 who will finally   
surround the throne of ,god1 will be    
those1 who have never been born again   
according to their views4 ,it will not1 
,i presume1 be contended1 that infants  
who1 they believe1 are totally depraved1
 ever exercise faith1 or experience the 
new birth in this life4  ,from the above
 views1 ,i shall take the liberty to    
dissent1 and may probably differ some   
from the expositions given by others4   
,it is evident that ,jesus ,christ in   
his instructions frequently brought     
forward some natural facts plainly      
understood by those whom he addressed1  
in order more clearly to illustrate his 
subject1 and then made his illustrations
 so nearly resemble that natural fact1  
that no man could possible misunderstand

 him1 unless he had been led into       
tradition by blind guides4 ,in the      
context1 he makes allusion to natural   
birth1 of which every man knows the     
meaning1 and says to ,nicodemus1 that   
which is born of the flesh is flesh1 and
 that which is born of the spirit is    
spirit4  ,natural birth pre-supposes the
 perfect formation of the human body by 
that secret energy of nature1 ,god only 
can comprehend4 ,but that formation1    
itself1 is not birth4 ,birth is that    
operation1 that introduced us into this 
world4 ,we are now flesh and blood1     
which cannot inherit the kingdom4 ,what 
is born of the flesh is flesh4 ,we must 
now be born again from mortal to        
immortality1 otherwise we could not see 
the kingdom of ,god4  ,must not man be  
born of a woman in order to see this    
world8 ,can he look upon the beautiful  
objects of creation1 or contemplate     
these countless wonders of the ,almighty
 before he is born into being8 ,he      
cannot4 ,all without exception will     

admit1 that it is impossible for any man
 to enter this natural world1 in which  
we live1 without birth4 ,so it is       
equally impossible to enter the kingdom 
of ,god without being born again in the 
strictest sense of the word4 ,a man     
cannot be born again ten1 or twenty     
years1 nor even one day before he sees  
the kingdom of ,god1 any more than he   
could be born twenty days before he came
 forth out of the womb4 ,as natural     
birth cannot take place any given time  
before we enter this world1 but is the  
circumstance that introduces us1 so a   
second birth cannot take place any given
 time before we enter the kingdom of    
,god in the next world but is the very  
thing1 that shall introduce us into it2 
and the moment we are born again1 we    
shall see it1--we shall be spirit1 and  
beyond the dominion of death and sin4   
,he that is born of the flesh1 is flesh1
 so long as he lives2 and he that is    
born of the spirit is spirit4 ,as we now
 bear the image of the earthly through a

 natural birth1 so we shall also bear   
the image of the heavenly through a     
spiritual birth4 ,and as no man in this 
world is a spirit1 so no man has in     
reality passed the new birth4 ,when we  
were born into this world1 we were      
brought from insensibility to an        
existence entirely new4 ,so in order to 
enter the kingdom of ,god1 which is not 
of this world1 we must be born again    
from the insensibility of death into a  
new and happy existence beyond the      
grave4  ,the question now arises1 when  
does this new birth take place8 ,we     
reply when this mortal puts on          
immortality through a resurrection4     
,when we shall be aroused from the sleep
 of death to a precipient existence in  
heaven--when we shall awake satisfied   
with the likeness of ,god4 ,paul1 in the
 xv4 ,chap4 #a ,cor4 ,plainly states    
that the spiritual body is prepared and 
put on after death4 ,birth then must    
follow1 not precede that spiritual body4
 ,it is impossible that birth should    

take place1 till the body is first      
prepared4 ,man's natural body is        
organized in the womb1 and then born    
into this world4 ,he drops to a state of
 insensibility in death1 a              
reorganization of the spiritual body    
takes place to the natural eye          
imperceptible1 and its nature           
indestructible4 ,it is gradually brought
 forward through a resurrection similar 
to the grain of wheat to which ,paul    
compares it1 is awakened to a conscious 
existence1 and bears the image of the   
heavenly as it once bore the image of   
the earthy4 ,the resurrection is        
therefore every moment progressing1 and 
every man is raised in his own order of 
time4  ,but says the reader1 if the     
resurrection be the new birth1 then     
,christ1 himself must have been born    
again1 in order to enter the kingdom of 
,god6 ,certainly4 ,but inquires the     
reader1 where do the scriptures teach   
that ,christ was ever born again8 ,in   
,colossians chap4 i3#ae4 are these      

words--,who ,christ is the image of the 
invisible ,god1 the first born of every 
creature4 ,this cannot mean that he was 
the first born into this state of       
existence2 but he was the first one whom
 human eyes ever saw alive beyond the   
destruction of death to die no more1 and
 the only one that mortal eye will ever 
see1 for he arose in his natural body1  
7being the only true witness1 appointed 
of ,god17 to bring life and immortality 
to light through the gospel4  ,but that 
passage1 says the reader1 does not      
satisfy me1 that ,christ was born again4
 ,then listen once more--verse #ah--who 
is the beginning1 the first born from   
the dead that in all things he might    
have the pre-eminence4 ,rev4 chap4 i4   
#e4 ,jesus ,christ the faithful witness1
 and the first begotten from the dead4  
,here it is plainly stated that he is   
the first born from the dead the first  
begotten from the dead ,these scriptures
 in connexion with several others1 that 
might be quoted1 prove that ,christ was 

born again1 and that the resurrection is
 called birth4  ,it is evident that man 
falls to a state of insensibility in    
death1 and remains in sleep while the   
spiritual body is forming out of those  
subtle materials1 that at death pass    
into hades2 and when the reorganization 
is completed1 the new being is born into
 the kingdom of immortal glory4 ,a      
drowning man1 we know1 falls to a state 
of unconsciousness4 ,fainting--yes1 even
 a night's sleep proves that the mind is
 susceptible of falling into            
insensibility1 or suspending its mental 
operations1 and disproves the notion of 
its entering a future state1 only       
through a resurrection of the dead4     
,this fact is not only substantiated by 
reason1 but it is the doctrine of       
,revelation4 ,the wise man says1 the    
dead know not any thing4 ,paul1 in the  
xv4 ,chap4 #a ,cor4 ,predicates the     
truth of our resurrection on the fact   
that ,christ rose from the dead2 and on 
this ground he reasons1 that if there be

 no resurrection1 then preaching is     
vain1 faith is also vain1 the christians
 were yet in their sins1 and they that  
were fallen asleep in ,christ were      
perished1 and concludes by saying1 let  
us eat1 drink1 for tomorrow we die4     
,suppose a christian should this moment 
die1 and1 according to common opinion1  
enter immediately on an immortal        
existence4 ,could we now say--if there  
be no resurrection1 he is fallen asleep 
in ,christ and perished8 ,no1 because1  
instead of being perished1 i4e4         
,annihilated1 he would remain in        
infinite happiness and glory1 even if   
there should1 never1 be any             
resurrection4 ,so you perceive that     
,paul did not believe any one could     
enter eternity only through a           
resurrection4 ,he believed1 they would  
fall asleep in ,christ1 and in that     
sleep remain till in ,christ they were  
made alive4 ,he embraces the whole in   
the following words--,since by man came 
death1 by man came also the resurrection

 of the dead4  ,when the sentence of    
death was pronounced upon ,adam1 which  
was to pass upon all men1 the promise of
 a ,saviour then made1 was1 it appears1 
not understood4 ,their posterity looked 
forward for a temporal king1 and had no 
idea of an immortal existence beyond the
 narrow house4 ,death the king of       
terrors1 was not yet disarmed of his    
sting by the resurrection of our        
triumphant ,redeemer4 ,this truth was   
not yet revealed to men4 ,here the human
 family were without hope1 and trembling
 at the darkness--the seven fold        
darkness of the tomb4 ,no ray of light  
and joy beamed from that cheerless      
mansion to ease the aching heart1 or    
dispel that melancholy gloom1 which     
pervaded the parental bosom when gazing 
for the last time upon the struggles of 
a dying child4  ,here was a world born  
into existence under the certain        
sentence of death1 and groaning in the  
bondage of corruption1 without any hope 
of being delivered from it1 by an       

immortal birth1 into the glorious       
liberty of the children of ,god4 ,in    
this period of anxiety and distress1 the
 glad tidings were proclaimed to the    
shepherds on the plains of ,judea1      
announcing the birth of the ,saviour of 
the world4 ,a new birth1 which is not   
mentioned in the old ,testament1 was at 
length proclaimed by a ,saviour in the  
new4 ,he died on the cross1 and was the 
first born from the dead4  ,he is the   
head of every man1 by the grace of ,god 
tasted death for every man1 and rose    
again for their justification4 ,the     
scriptures declare that we shall be     
saved by his life that he is the bread  
of ,god that cometh down from heaven and
 giveth life to the world4 ,he is our   
way1 our truth and life1 and because he 
lives we shall live also4 ,as in ,adam  
all die1 even so in ,christ shall all be
 made alive1 or born from the dead4 ,and
 he that is made alive in ,christ is a  
new creature1 old things are passed     
away--all things are become new4  ,but  

says the reader1 though the resurrection
 of ,jesus is set forth by a birth from 
death1 yet the resurrection of the human
 family is never so represented4 ,you   
mistake4 ,out of the many passage that  
might be adduced1 we have room1 in this 
discourse1 for only one4 ,it shall1     
however1 be satisfactory4 ,in ,romans1  
#hth chapter1 ,paul says1 ,because the  
creature itself also1 shall be delivered
 from the bondage of corruption into the
 glorious liberty of the children of    
,god2 for we know that the whole        
creation groaneth and travaileth in pain
 together until now4 ,we would remark1  
that the word creature1 is ktisis in the
 ,greek1 and is the same that is        
rendered creation in the next verse4 ,in
 this quotation1 you perceive1 that     
,paul represents the whole creation as  
groaning in travail pains1 and declares 
that the whole creation shall be        
delivered from the bondage of corruption
 into the glorious liberty of the sons  
of ,god4 ,he compares them to a woman in

 pain ready for delivery2 and that they 
are delivered from corruption to        
incorruption at the resurrection is     
certain4 ,see #a ,cor4 xv3#db4  ,you now
 understand what ,i mean by the new     
birth4 ,it is to pass from death to life
 and immortality1 in ,christ1 beyond the
 grave1 where flesh and blood can never 
enter4 ,for that which is born of the   
flesh is flesh1 and that which is born  
of the spirit is spirit4  ,we have now  
pointed out the new birth1 and shown    
that it bears some resemblance to the   
natural birth1 with which ,jesus        
compared it4 ,and how truly sublime and 
cheering the thought1 that the great    
family of man1 who are all born into    
existence under the certain sentence of 
death1 are to receive a second birth    
into an existence entirely new1 and the 
whole of his dying family are to be made
 the children of ,jesus ,christ by      
adoption4  ,in our next1 we shall notice
 the change we experience in this life1 
called in scripture the new birth1 and  

explain the term1 kingdom of ,god4      
,,sermon ,,ix  ,jesus answered and said 
unto him1 verily1 verily1 ,i say unto   
thee1 except a man be born again1 he    
cannot see the kingdom of ,god4 ,john   
iii4 #c4  ,in our last1 we have shown1  
that the spiritual birth bears some     
resemblance to a natural birth with     
which ,jesus compared it--and as the    
first introduces us into this world1 so 
the second will introduce us into the   
future and immortal world at the        
resurrection1 where we shall be as the  
angels of ,god in heaven1 and be the    
children of ,god being the children of  
the resurrection4 ,there we shall be    
completely free from sin and pain4      
,there the gushing tear of sorrow shall 
cease to flow1 and the brow of          
disconsolate humanity be ruffled no     
more4  ,we will now attend to the       
present effects that the truth of this  
birth has upon us here1 and notice at   
the same the phrase1 kingdom of ,god4   
,the question now arises2 do not some   

experience the new birth in this life8  
,they do4 ,but in what sense do they    
experience it8 ,ans4 ,by faith4 ,in this
 world we pass from death to life3 not  
that we have actually been in the grave 
and brought to life beyond it2 but the  
believer experiences this by faith4 ,and
 this faith has a most powerful and     
happifying influence on his affections1 
and consequently on his life and        
conduct4 ,all1 that ,god has revealed   
for the salvation of the world--our     
justification1 our sanctification1 our  
new birth1 our heaven1 our all--yes1 all
 these important and heavenly changes   
are summed up1 and embraced in our      
immortal resurrection1 will actually    
take place through death2 and while in  
this world we can embrace them1 only by 
faith4  ,the scriptures declare that we 
walk by faith and1 not by sight4 ,paul  
says1 the life which ,i now live in the 
flesh ,i live by the faith of the ,son  
of ,god1 who loved me1 and gave himself 
for me4 ,paul knew that he had eternal  

life given him in ,christ1 before the   
world began1 and faith in that glorious 
truth produced a happiness--a divine    
life in his heart1 called the kingdom of
 ,god within4 ,let us notice these      
several points4  #a4 ,first2 ,christ    
rose again for our justification4 ,our  
justification then exists in our        
resurrection state1 and will there in   
all its reality take place4 ,but cannot 
a man be justified here8 ,yes2 he can be
 justified through faith in that truth4 
#b4 ,second2 ,by the which will1 we are 
sanctified through the offering of the  
body of ,jesus ,christ once for all4    
,our sanctification then1 by the will of
 ,god1 will take place through death4   
,but cannot a man be sanctified while   
here8 ,yes2 he can be sanctified through
 faith in that truth6  #c4 ,third2      
,christ was put to death in the flesh1  
but quickened by the spirit4 ,so in his 
resurrection he passed from death to    
life1 and thus revealed the truth that  
we shall also pass from death to life by

 the power of ,god1 and be like him who 
is the first fruits4 ,but cannot a man  
pass from death to life while on earth8 
,yes2 he can pass from death to life    
through faith in that truth4 ,jesus     
says--,he that heareth my word and      
believeth on him that sent me hath      
everlasting life and shall not come into
 condemnation but is passed from death  
unto life4  #d4 ,fourth2 our eternal    
life will be realized beyond death4 ,the
 things that are not seen are spiritual 
and eternal4 ,but can we not enjoy it   
here8 ,yes2 ,he that believeth on the   
,son hath everlasting life2-- that is1  
he enjoys it faith4  #e4 ,fifth2 ,christ
 was the first born from the dead4 ,so  
we also shall pass the reality of the   
new birth by faith4 ,but can we not     
enjoy it here8 ,john says--,for         
whatsoever is born of ,god overcometh   
the world1 and this is the victory that 
overcometh world even our faith4  ,thus 
it is evident that a man may in this    
life be justified1 sanctified1 pass from

 death to life1 may enjoy eternal life1 
and be born again through faith in these
 several correspondent facts4 ,his      
faith1 however1 can make them no more   
certain2 because they must exist1 and be
 solemn and unalterable facts before he 
can be called upon to believe them4 ,the
 truth of the above five facts1 we      
perceive1 are embraced in our           
resurrection4 ,if we are not1 in our    
resurrection1 to be justified1          
sanctified1 born again1 and obtain      
eternal life1 then we cannot be         
justified1 sanctified or born again here
 through faith in those truths2--because
 there would be no such truths in       
existence for us to exercise faith in4  
,if the objector will not allow these   
facts unalterably to exist previous to  
believing1 what then will he call upon  
us to believe8 ,will he call upon us to 
believe that we have an eternal life in 
,christ when no such fact exists1 and   
contend that our believing this lie will
 create the fact8 ,this would be the    

most ridiculous absurdity4  ,but the    
truth exists1 and the believer by faith 
enjoys it before hand4 ,he enjoys it by 
anticipation1 not in reality4 ,it can be
 brought to his understanding or        
experience no other way1 only through   
the gospel medium of faith4 ,i challenge
 the objector to show me between the    
lids of the new ,testament1 any         
regeneration1 new birth1 justification1 
or sanctification1 that has already     
taken place in any other sense than     
through faith4 ,all these things in     
their reality are to take place in our  
resurrection1 when we shall be like the 
angels of ,god and by faith we bring    
them present to our minds and enjoy them
 here4 ,dr4 ,watts says--,faith brings  
distant prospects home1 ,of things a    
thousand years ago1 ,or thousand years  
to come4 ,paul1 therefore1 exhorts us to
 forget the things that are behind1 and 
reach forward to those that are         
before--to press to the mark c4 because 
the reality--the object of our faith    

lies before us4 ,but persons1 who do not
 understand the operations of faith on  
the mind in view of its correspondent   
truth1 and who honestly believe that the
 new birth has in reality already taken 
place with them1 are always looking back
 to the time they were born again1 and  
telling over their old experiences ,now 
this is right in them1 if they have     
passed through the reality2 for every   
man ought to look to the substance in   
which he exercises faith and hope4 ,but 
certainly the scriptures exhort us to   
look forward1 and anchor our faith and  
hope within the vail1 where our         
forerunner hath for us entered4 ,it is  
therefore certain that the reality      
exists there1 and is yet to come4 ,such 
persons then1 in looking back to their  
experience1 are mistaking the birth     
produced by faith for the real birth    
itself4 ,this is just as unreasonable as
 it would be to suppose that the        
foretaste1 we sometimes enjoy of        
immortal life1 was that life itself4 ,it

 is true we at times enjoy a heaven on  
earth4 ,but as it respects the kingdom  
of immortal glory1 eye hath not seen1   
ear heard1 neither hath it entered into 
the heart of man to conceive the glory  
that shall be revealed in us4 ,the      
reality is therefore yet to come1 and by
 faith we receive only an antepast of   
its joys4  ,from the above observation  
we infer that1 the resurrection is the  
only gospel faith and hope of a future1 
happy conscious state of being4 ,when   
our minds are enlightened to see the    
mighty changes1 that we mortals are     
represented1 in the scriptures of truth1
 as destined to experience by being     
raised in a holy and deathless          
constitution1 we are then led to        
consider the resurrection of embracing  
all those realities that we are called  
upon by ,jesus ,christ and his apostles 
to embrace by faith and enjoy in this   
life4 ,so great and sublime is the gift 
of ,god1 and so far surpassing thought  
does it magnify the perfections of the  

divine character1 and in so amiable a   
light does it manifest his love to the  
children of men1 that a living faith in 
its reality cannot but obtain a salutary
 influence on our life and conversation4
 ,so much stress did the apostles lay   
upon its importance1 that they went     
every where preaching the resurrection  
of the dead1 as the gospel of ,christ4  
,there is one point we will here notice4
 ,all denominations acknowledge that for
 any man by faith to pass from death to 
life is a change for the better4 ,if so1
 then the reality1 namely to pass from  
the sleep of death to an immortal       
existence1 must be a change for the     
better4 ,because it is by believing that
 future reality we are said to have     
passed from death to life here4 ,the    
conclusion is unavoidable that the      
reality must correspond with its        
antepast by faith4 ,to understand this  
let us reverse it4 ,suppose it should be
 an established law in the nature and   
constitution of things that all mankind 

should pass from death to immortal      
misery in the future world4 ,let this be
 revealed and proclaimed as an          
unchanging truth4 ,as many as believed  
it would of course pass from death to   
immortal misery in faith1 which would   
lead them to curse the being who made   
them1 and destined them to this unhappy 
end4 ,it would be a change for the      
worse4  ,our subject is now so far plain
 7according to our views7 that the      
phrase kingdom of ,god will be readily  
understood4 ,though it has1 by different
 writers1 been made to bear many        
different significations1 yet we shall  
take the liberty to contend that it     
simply means as follows--#a4 ,first an  
immortal existence beyond the grave     
brought to light by the resurrection of 
,christ2--and #b4 ,second a belief in   
that reality is the kingdom of ,god we  
here enter and enjoy by faith4 ,into    
this kingdom1 infants1 idiots and       
heathen and unbelievers do not enter1   
because faith is the only condition4    

,this is the kingdom of heaven that men1
 blind leaders of the blind1 shut up4   
,they neither enter themselves1 nor     
suffer those that would enter to go in4 
,they keep the evidence of the reality  
out of sight so that men cannot look    
beyond the vail to its brighter glories 
and enjoy its peaceful reign in their   
hearts by faith4 ,when faith is lost in 
certainty1 then this kingdom will be    
delivered up1 and to know shall be life 
eternal4 ,this definition we believe    
will hold good1 and apply to any passage
 in the ,new ,testament where it may    
occur4 ,though some contend that it very
 seldom has reference to an immortal    
existence1 yet we strenuously contend   
that there is no propriety in the phrase
 only in connexion with such an         
existence4 ,we cannot enter or be born  
into the kingdom of ,god by faith1      
unless we admit the reality in the first
 place to have an existence1 any more   
than we could1 by faith1 enjoy eternal  
life unless there is such a reality as  

eternal life beyond the grave4 ,the     
above1 the reader will please to fix in 
his mind4  ,we now perceive that man    
drops into the sleep of death1 and that 
the resurrection1 or new birth is his   
only hope of a future happy state of    
existence1 and is the only change that  
can free him from imperfection1 and sin1
 and make him a new creature in a new   
and immortal existence beyond the grave4
  ,we will here introduce an example to 
make our argument so far plain4 ,suppose
 you were now in ignorance respecting   
the doctrine of life and immortality    
through a resurrection4 ,you know you   
must die1 and sincerely think that death
 will terminate your existence forever4 
,you see your children one after another
 laid upon their dying bed1 and with    
distraction shake the farewell hand of  
eternal separation1 and with the most   
solemn melancholy and wo1 look forward  
to the period when you must follow them 
down to the chambers of eternal silence1
 and cease to be4  ,in this moment of   

dread solemnity and gloom1 suppose some 
kind angel should appear at the bed-side
 of your expiring child1 and kindly     
inquire1 why are you troubled8 ,you     
answer1 because my children have        
fallen6--the last of my infant train    
lies panting for breath1 and the        
dreadful hour has come when all those   
silken affections1 that build our hearts
 love1 must be rent assunder1 and in the
 awful bosom of death1 be extinguished  
forever6--,suppose your guardian angel  
smiling over the ruins of death1 should 
point you far beyond these changing     
scenes1 and with rapture exclaim1 you   
shall meet this darling child again and 
commingle with your little fallen flock 
in glory6 ,you and they and all mankind 
shall be born from the dead into the    
kingdom of ,god1 and be new creatures   
free from sin and pain1 and be the      
children of ,god being the children of  
the resurrection4 ,jesus your ,lord was 
the first born from the dead1 and you   
shall pass from death to life and live  

forever4  ,now suppose you positively   
believed his words2 could you not say in
 the scripture form of the expression   
that through faith you was already      
passed from death to life8--that you was
 born of faith1 and by faith was in the 
kingdom of ,god8 ,you certainly could1  
and it would in every sense of the word 
be true4 ,through faith1 you would be   
justified1 through faith sanctified2    
through faith you would enjoy eternal   
life--in fine1 through faith you would  
be saved4 ,this faith would give love   
unmeasured to your ,creator1 and fill   
your soul with joy unspeakable and full 
of glory4 ,faith works by love1 purifies
 the heart and overcomes the world4     
,reader1 do you not love the ,lord for  
his wonderful goodness to his children8 
,what glorious hopes are here6 and he   
that hath this hope in him purifieth    
himself even as he is pure--you now see 
why the gospel rings with the word faith
 from one end to the other4  ,the world 
previous to the coming of ,jesus ,christ

 had no knowledge of immortality through
 a resurrection1 into the kingdom of    
,god4 ,the phrase born again is not     
mentioned in the ,old ,testament1 and of
 course means something more than a     
conversion4 ,this subject will be       
continued in our next4  ,,sermon ,x     
,jesus answered and said unto him1      
verily1 verily1 ,i say unto thee1 except
 a man be born again1 he cannot see the 
kingdom of ,god4 ,john iii4 #c4  ,the   
literal rendering of this passage seems 
to be--except a man be born above4 ,the 
word above being substituted for again  
more forcibly demonstrates the          
correctness of my views in the two      
former discourses4  ,many charge the    
,universalists with denying the         
necessity of a new birth1 or            
regeneration4 ,but take from me my faith
 and hope in that glorious truth1 and ,i
 must at that moment resign the         
salvation of every human being4         
,convince me that not another child will
 be born into this world1 and you will  

at once convince me that this world will
 shortly be destitute of a solitary     
inhabitant4 ,convince me that a man will
 not be born again1 and you will not    
only convince me that no one will ever  
enter the kingdom of ,god1 but that the 
many worlds1 that have already passed   
from the stage of mortal being1 and     
those that shall hereafter follow1 will 
alike be consigned to eternal silence6  
,endless misery is out of the question4 
,that could have had no existence even  
had there been no resurrection in ,him  
who is the life of the world2 but death 
would have terminated the existence of  
all4 ,such a punishment is not          
threatened in all the writings of ,moses
 and the prophets4 ,and we cannot       
reasonably suppose1 if such were a      
principal truth in revelation1 that ,god
 would suffer four thousand years to    
elapse without warning his creatures of 
such an awful doom4 ,upon our first     
parents1 for transgressing the law1 he  
pronounced all the miseries of life1 and

 uttered the closing sentence1 ,dust    
thou art and unto dust shalt thou       
return4 ,here the doctrine of endless   
misery 7if that be the sentence of the  
violated law7 ought to have been clearly
 stated to the covenant head of our     
race1 so that the same sentence might   
pass upon all that have sinned1 unless  
they complied with the conditions set   
before them4  ,but we leave this point1 
and will notice the #eth verse which    
may1 perhaps1 be considered as an       
objection to my views1 and urged as     
proof that the new birth is wholly      
confined to this life4 ,except a man be 
born of water1 and of the spirit1 c4    
,what is here meant by water8 ,ans4     
,baptism by immersion4 ,this1 instead of
 being an objection to my views1 will   
strengthen them4 ,baptism in water is   
nothing more than a figure of our death 
and resurrection1 by which we manifest  
our faith in the resurrection of the    
dead1 by which faith our hearts are     
baptized into the spirit and truth of   

the gospel of ,christ4  ,paul says1 ,i  
,cor4 xv3#bi ,else what shall they do1  
which are baptized for the dead1 if the 
dead rise not at all8 ,why are they then
 baptized for the dead8 ,baptism being  
only a figure of our death and          
resurrection1 is perhaps1 in a gospel   
sense1 of but little consequence to     
christians in the present day4  ,christ 
went to ,john and was baptized of him in
 ,jordan4 ,his being put under water    
signified his death1 when the condemning
 power of the law under the first       
dispensation should lose its force--and 
his being raised out of the water       
signified his resurrection from the cold
 ,jordan of death to immortal life in   
the kingdom of ,god1 where the victory  
shall be sung over death and sin2 and   
over the law which is the strength of   
sin4 ,having passed in figure through   
his own death and resurrection1 and     
having manifested to man that he was    
baptized by the ,holy ,spirit into the  
faith and powers of the world to come1  

he perfectly lived up to his obligation1
 by never committing one sin4 ,he went  
through life free from transgression as 
though he were already in eternity4     
,when his crucifixion hour approached1  
he said1 ,luke xii3#ej ,i have a baptism
 to be baptized with1 and how am ,i     
straitened ,greek--pained till it be    
accomplished4 ,here he had reference to 
his being buried in death1 7which was to
 be attended with extreme sufferings7   
and rising again from it1 which would be
 the reality of which his baptism in    
,jordan was but a figure4  ,to be put   
under water signifies our death1 and to 
be raised out again signifies our       
resurrection4 ,a person1 who is         
baptized1 ought therefore1 to endeavor1 
as much as in him lies1 to live as      
though he were already in his           
resurrection state4 ,enjoying in faith  
the baptism of the ,holy ,spirit and of 
fire1 he ought to consider himself as   
dead to the world and alive to ,god     
walking in newness of life4  ,let us    

introduce ,rom4 vi3#c1 #d4 ,know ye not 
that so many of us as were baptized into
 ,jesus ,christ1 were baptized into his 
death8 ,therefore we are buried with him
 by baptism into death2 that like as    
,christ was raised up from the dead by  
the glory of the ,father1 even so we    
also should walk in newness of life4    
,here we perceive they were baptized    
into his death1 and were rejoicing in   
hope of the resurrection1 having their  
hearts purified faith in the reality1   
,acts xxii4 #af ,and now why tarriest   
thou8 ,arise1 and be baptized1 and wash 
away thy sins1 c4 ,now1 it is not only a
 scripture doctrine1 but all            
denominations acknowledge1 that baptism 
in water is an emblem of the washing    
away of our sins4 ,we then ask--are our 
sins to be wished in a stream of water8 
,no4 ,where then8 ,the objector says1   
our sins are taken away in this life by 
the baptism of the ,holy ,spirit and    
with fire4 ,this cannot be2 because     
,paul told the believers that if there  

were no resurrection1 their faith was   
vain1 and they were yet in their sins4  
,see ,i4 ,cor4 xv4 #ag4 ,this proves    
that believers receive the forgiveness  
of their sins in this life by faith     
only1 not in reality4  ,the question    
returns1 are our sins washed away in a  
stream of water8 ,no4 ,where then8 ,ans4
 ,through death and the resurrection1   
for that is the real baptism4 ,and it is
 certain that the reality must embrace  
all that the figure in water teaches4   
,we then solemnly ask the reader1--if   
baptism in water is a figure of our     
death and resurrection1 and if that     
water baptism signifies the washing away
 of our sins1 will not then our sins be 
washed away through death and the       
resurrection8 ,yes2 otherwise the figure
 in water has no meaning4  ,thus we     
perceive that being born of the water is
 no objection to our views of the new   
birth1 but affords them an unshaken     
support4 ,if any one contend that the   
sins of our race are not to be taken    

away through death1 we would then ask1  
where will the christian's sins be      
washed away8 ,the scriptures declare    
that there is not a just man upon earth 
that doeth good and sinneth not1--and if
 there is no change through death then  
there will not be a just man beyond the 
grave that doeth good and sinneth not4  
,but the baptism with the ,holy ,spirit 
and with fire in all its solemn and     
interesting reality will take place in  
death and the resurrection1 and to      
exercise a living faith in that truth1  
so as to influence our life and conduct 
according to the spirit of the gospel1  
is what the scriptures term being       
baptized with the spirit and with fire  
in this life4 ,but this present         
enjoyment is not the reality1 but an    
antepast of that reality2 because we    
walk by faith and not by sight4 ,it is  
immaterial whether the scripture speaks 
of pardon1 of justification2 of         
sanctification1 of redemption1 of       
regeneration1 or baptism with the ,holy 

,spirit and with fire1 it simply means  
that those facts in the divine counsels 
unchangeably exist1 and will burst upon 
the whole groaning creation in the      
resurrection world1 while the believer  
only enjoys them in this state of being 
through faith1 which baptizes him into  
the spirit of ,christ4 ,but if there be 
no resurrection1 and nought is presented
 to our anticipation but the dreary     
prospect of a beamless eternity1 then   
preaching is vain1 faith is also vain1  
christians are yet in their sins1 and   
they that are fallen asleep in ,christ  
are perished4  ,the taking away the sin 
of the world by the ,lamb of ,god1 who  
is the resurrection and the life1 is    
through death4 ,through death1 to our   
faith and hope1 he has destroyed him who
 hath the power of death1 that is the   
devil4 ,the washing away of all sin1 by 
the power of ,god1 is through death and 
the resurrection4 ,then and not till    
then shall the song of triumph be sung  
by redeemed millions--,o death6 ,where  

is thy sting8 ,o grave6 ,where is thy   
victory8 ,the sting of death is sin1 and
 the strength of sin is the law1 c4     
,all the figures of baptism point to    
death--all the sacrifices for sin1 slain
 under the law for #djjj years1 point to
 death1 declaring that without the      
shedding of blood there is no remission4
 ,there the reality lies4 ,there we are 
called upon to anchor our faith and hope
 even within the veil4 ,and it must be a
 certain truth that our sins are to be  
washed away through the ,jordan of      
death1 before we can be called upon to  
believe it4 ,it must be a certain       
reality that sin is there to be purged  
away1 before we could1 with any         
propriety1 use baptism in water as a    
shadow of it2 because the shadow cannot 
create the substance4  ,we have now     
shown that as man is naturally born into
 this world1 so he shall be spiritually 
born into the kingdom of ,god4 ,we have 
shown by comparison that except a man be
 born of a woman1 he cannot see this    

world2 and as this does not mean that he
 must be born twenty days before he     
comes forth from the womb1 as a         
preparation for entering this world1 so 
the expression1 except a man be born    
again he cannot see the kingdom of ,god1
 does not mean that he must be born     
twenty days before death as a           
preparation for entering a future       
existence4 ,the new birth1 no more means
 a reality that is to transpire here1   
than natural birth means some change we 
underwent prior to our being brought    
forth into life4  ,i believe in all the 
reformation or new birth here that      
others do1 and believe in much more to  
come4 ,that change here1 which they call
 the new birth1 ,i call the new birth in
 faith1 or being born of faith1 while   
the solemn reality is yet to transpire1 
and that is to be born from the dead in 
,christ our head4 ,these facts we will  
now make plain to every reader by the   
following example1 so that our views on 
this subject may not be misrepresented4 

,suppose that before we were born1 we   
had been able to conceive ideas4 ,and   
suppose it had been spoken to us by the 
,son of ,god--except you are born of the
 flesh1 you cannot see the natural      
world1 which is most beautiful to to    
behold1 having sun1 moon1 and stars1 and
 songsters1 fields and groves4 ,it has  
never entered your heart to conceive the
 glory to be revealed in you4 ,now      
suppose some of us had believed this    
revelation1 we would that moment1 have  
been born of faith1 and rejoiced in hope
 of the glory to be revealed in us2 and 
by faith have looked forward to the     
reality4 ,this1 however1 would not have 
made our birth any more certain1 because
 it must have been an absolute truth    
before we could have1 with any          
propriety1 believed it4 ,suppose1       
further1 that some of us had rejected   
it2 would this circumstance have        
prevented our being born8 ,certainly    
not4 ,all of us1 who believed1 would    
have been born of faith1 having an      

earnest of the reality1 and the         
unbelievers would have come short of    
that enjoyment by faith2 but their      
unbelief could in no sense make the     
truth of none effect4 ,the moment we    
were born1 belief and unbelief would be 
lost in certainty4  ,now suppose that   
some of had said--the ,son of ,god has  
declared except we are born of the      
flesh1 we cannot see the natural world4 
,this must mean some great change we are
 to experience in the womb--we must be  
born some number of days before we enter
 the natural world1 as a preparation1   
otherwise we can never see it4  ,we now 
ask the reader1 whether it would not be 
folly to give to the word birth such an 
explanation8 ,the ,conclusion is        
unavoidable4 ,we then ask1 whether it   
does not involve the same folly to      
contend1 in view of our text1 7except a 
man be born again1 he cannot enter into 
the kingdom of ,god7 that it means1 he  
must be born again in this world1 as a  
preparation for another8 ,it certainly  

does4  ,we once more repeat it--that as 
natural birth was the very thing that   
introduced us all into this world of    
imperfection1 sorrow and pain2 so the   
spiritual birth will be the very thing1 
that shall introduce us all into        
another1 where1 imperfection1 sorrow and
 pain shall be no more4  ,the poor      
heathen1 and infants1 and all1 will     
therefore be born again into the kingdom
 of ,god1 and be equal unto the angels1 
die no more1 and be the children of     
,god1 being the children of the         
resurrection4 ,the only advantage we    
enjoy above them is1 that we have heard 
the good news1 believed it1 are born    
again1 not of corruptible seed1 but of  
incorruptible1 by the word of ,god which
 liveth and abideth forever1 and have   
entered into rest4 ,we are rejoicing in 
hope of the glory of ,god to be revealed
 in us1 while they are groping in       
darkness1 inasmuch1 as they cannot      
believe in him of whom they have not    
heard4  ,in our next1 we shall close    

this subject by urging the importance of
 the new birth through faith in the     
truth4  ,,sermon ,,xi  ,jesus answered  
and said unto him1 verily1 verily1 ,i   
say unto thee1 except a man be born     
again1 he cannot see the kingdom of     
,god4 ,john iii4 #c4  ,in our last three
 discourses we have endeavoured to lay  
our views of the new birth thus far     
plainly before the reader1 and wish him 
to bear in mind that the three sermons1 
preceding those on the new birth1 are   
also to be read1 and carefully kept in  
view1 so that1 from the whole connexion1
 the gospel doctrine of salvation by    
faith may be made clear to his          
understanding4 ,we dwelt so long1 and   
laid so much stress upon faith1 because 
it is the first christian grace1 we are 
exhorted to put on1 and is the first    
assent of the mind to the great and     
interesting truth revealed in the gospel
 of ,jesus ,christ1 which is life and   
immortality for the human family4  ,we  
have shown that the new birth has a     

higher signification than simply to be  
converted from the evil of our doings1  
as was required under the first         
dispensation4 ,the new birth1 so far as 
it concerns the present existence1      
embraces not only conversion1 but the   
whole spiritual life of the christian's 
soul1 denominated the kingdom of heaven 
within4 ,this mental felicity--this     
weight of glory1 cannot be enjoyed1 but 
by the exercise of a living faith in    
,christ4 ,such a faith begets a sincere 
obedience in our life and conversation4 
,it is a faith that works by love1      
purifies the heart and overcomes the    
world4 ,the great apostle to the        
,gentiles exclaims--the life that ,i now
 live in the flesh1 ,i live by the faith
 of ,son of ,god1 who loved me and gave 
himself for me4 ,we therefore walk by   
faith1 not by sight4  ,we have shown    
that ,christ was the first born from the
 dead to show light to the people and to
 the ,gentiles1 and that the whole      
creation is groaning in travail-pains1  

and that it shall be delivered from the 
bondage of corruption into the glorious 
liberty of the children of ,god1 and    
that we shall then be as the angels of  
,god in heaven4 ,we have shown that all 
mankind--infants1 idiots and heathen1   
shall be brought to realize this birth1 
and that the believer1 only1 can only   
enjoy it in this state of existence     
through faith in the truth1 and that    
this faith has a most powerful influence
 on his life and conversation1 being    
born of incorruptible seed by the word  
of ,god that liveth and abideth forever4
 ,we have shown that neither this birth1
 nor any of the spiritual changes1 can  
be experienced in this life only through
 faith in their correspondent truths1   
even as they are revealed to us in the  
gospel of ,christ4 ,we have shown that  
by the phrase1 kingdom of heaven we were
 to understand1 first1 a holy1 happy and
 immortal existence beyond the grave1   
incorruptible1 undefiled and that fadeth
 not away1 reserved for us in heaven1   

and which1 with all its perfections and 
joys1 was revealed to us by ,jesus      
,christ2 and second1 a sincere and      
living faith in this interesting        
reality1 produced that divine enjoyment1
 called the kingdom of heaven within us1
 the kingdom of heaven among men1 c4    
,this kingdom the ,pharisees shut       
up--they neither entered it themselves1 
nor suffered those that were entering to
 go in4 ,that is--they prevented the    
people from believing those interesting 
realities--those sublime doctrines of a 
future world that their ,messiah had    
brought to light through the gospel for 
the present happiness of men4  ,we have 
shown that water baptism is but a       
figure1 a shadow of our death and       
resurrection1 or of the washing of      
regeneration and renewing of the ,holy  
,spirit1 and that this figure is of but 
little consequence to us in this present
 day4 ,in fine we have shown that if    
there were no future existence--if      
nought were held up to man but the      

dreary prospect of a beamless eternity1 
he could not be justified1 sanctified1  
born again1 pass from death to life or  
enter the kingdom of ,god through faith1
 because in such case the objects of his
 faith and hope would be annihilated1   
his faith would be vain1 he would be yet
 in his sins4 ,in this view of our      
subject1 we perceive that ,christ is but
 the author and finisher of our faith1  
having been ordained of ,god to bring   
life and immortality to light1 to set us
 an example for our imitation and       
happiness here below--and to die and    
rise in attestation of the truth        
involved in his mission4 ,consequently  
his kingdom will be delivered up when   
faith and hope shall be lost in         
certainty and joy4  ,it now remains that
 we urge the importance of the new birth
 through faith in the truth4 ,and here  
we shall probably meet with one         
objection from the reader1 viz4 ,as we  
argued in sermons1 ,no4 #e1 #f1 and #g1 
that faith was the first exercise of the

 creature1 and that no one could believe
 or disbelieve what he pleased1 the     
reader may then ask1 what necessity is  
there of urging the importance of the   
new birth through faith in the truth1 in
 as much as faith cannot be exercised at
 the pleasure or simply at the will of  
man8 ,and here we would remark-- that   
the guilt of unbelief does not consist  
in rejecting a fact after patient       
investigation1 by collecting all the    
evidences in our reach1 but it consists 
in rejecting a fact without examination 
of its truth4 ,for instance2 let the    
gospel be preached to a heathen1 who    
rejects it without attempting to        
acquaint himself with the evidences upon
 which its truth is based4 ,he is       
condemned for not believing1 because he 
neglects the only means by which he     
might be convinced of the truth4 ,he    
declines searching for evidence4 ,of the
 truth of this remark we have a striking
 instance in the scriptures4 ,paul      
preached at ,thessalonica1 but they     

heeded not his words4 ,he preached also 
at ,berea1 and the inspired penman says1
 ,these were more noble than those in   
,thessalonica1 in that they received the
 word with all readiness of mind1 and   
searched the scriptures daily whether   
these things were so4 ,it is our duty to
 search the scriptures prayerfully and  
labor to enter into that rest that      
remains to the people of ,god1 lest any 
of us through unbelief should seem to   
come short of it4 ,it is our duty to    
search for evidence of the fact1 at     
least on all subjects relating to our   
present happiness1 and particularly     
those that appertain to the future      
world4 ,they are too momentous to be    
treated with indifference4  ,there is   
nothing more important than that we     
should exercise a living faith in a     
future and happy existence beyond the   
grave4 ,this alone can afford the mind  
joy unspeakable and full of glory4      
,there is in every human bosom an       
unceasing uneasiness1 an aching void    

that nothing on earth can satisfy or    
fill4 ,old and young1 ignorant and      
learned1 heathen and christian feel the 
same dissatisfaction with the objects of
 momentary duration4 ,the heathen1 in   
the midst of all his self-denials and   
self-tortures to appease his gods1 and  
in the conscientious discharge of all   
his devotional duties1 is still a       
dissatisfied and miserable being4 ,god  
has so constituted the human mind that  
it cannot repose in error1 however      
sincere may be the faith it exercises4  
,there is still a growing vacuum within 
that nothing but the powers of truth can
 fill4 ,philosophy has endeavoured to   
search out that system of moral duties1 
in the rigid performance of which1 that 
happiness1 peace and joy might be found1
 for which all mortal beings pant with  
the same aspirations of strong desire1  
but has sought in vain4 ,from the       
earliest ages1 one system after another 
has been invented1 and in succession    
abandoned1 but all have come short of   

discovering any thing solid on which to 
rest their hopes of earthly felicity4   
,jesus ,christ1 the author and finisher 
of our faith1 has alone accomplished    
what all the penetration of ,pythagoras 
and all the moral lessons of ,seneca and
 ,socrates failed to discover4 ,with a  
bold1 firm and untrembling hand he has  
drawn aside the curtains of the tomb1   
and pointed the human family to a second
 birth from the dark womb of death into 
mansions of incorruptible felicity in   
the kingdom of ,god1 where they shall   
die no more1 and where all the          
inquietudes1 appertaining to this       
fleeing existence1 shall be unknown4    
,this future state of being1 he has not 
only revealed1 but has demonstrated its 
certainty by those incontestable        
evidences1 which can never be shaken by 
all the powers of infidelity combined4  
,he has burst the icy bands of death and
 risen triumphant beyond its solemn     
shade1 and begot in us those lively     
hopes1 those fond desires1 that ease the

 aching heart--that communicate unbroken
 peace amidst the various ills of life1 
and afford it divine consolation and joy
 in the trying moment of death4 ,in     
those interesting truths the believer   
confides1 and in every condition in life
 is enabled to rejoice in the hope that 
when this earthly tabernacle is         
dissolved1 he has a building of ,god1 a 
house not made with hands eternal in the
 heavens4 ,in this faith1 man's         
countless wants are satisfied1 inasmuch 
as ,god has secured his dearest         
interest4 ,in this faith the believer is
 entered into rest1 is born of ,god1 and
 is translated into his kingdom4 ,he    
knows that by faith he has passed from  
death unto life1 for his soul is filled 
with love to ,god and man4 ,this love1  
this divine enjoyment1 is the natural   
effect of faith1 inasmuch as it works by
 love1 purifies the heart and overcomes1
 the world4 ,he is not only at rest     
respecting himself1 but at rest         
respecting his children and dear        

friends1 whom he may be called to follow
 to the land of silence and the shadow  
of death4 ,he stands at their dying bed 
and whispers to them consolation1 in the
 joyful assurance1 that he shall meet   
them again beyond the dominion of death 
and pain in the regions of glory4 ,his  
bosom is the mansion of those pure and  
holy affections and of those sublime    
hopes1 that none can know but those who 
are thus born into the kingdom of ,god4 
,reader1 you must die4 ,how important   
then that you should faithfully and     
prayerfully examine the scriptures so   
that tormenting fears1 distraction and  
despair may not in that solemn moment   
rend the peace of your bosom to atoms4  
,a sweet peace and composure of soul in 
that trying hour1 are of incalculable   
worth4 ,it is enough to struggle with   
physical pain without the addition of   
mental woes1 which present neglect1 and 
your ignorance of the truth and         
consolations of the gospel of ,christ1  
are sure to bring upon you4 ,perhaps you

 are a father1 and may be called to     
stand at the death-bed of a beloved     
child4 ,that child may call upon you as 
a parent to administer consolation to   
its departing spirit4 ,he clings to     
life1 or ardently desires to live       
forever in the mansions of rest beyond  
the grave4 ,but what consolation can you
 impart1 if you are yourself ignorant of
 the doctrines of the gospel of ,christ8
 ,the heart-rending prospect of endless 
wo1 or the gloomy horrors of            
annihilation1 could afford no           
consolation to that mind1 which has the 
principles of glory deeply rooted in its
 nature and which nothing but the       
continuance of existence can rationally 
satisfy4 ,as you value unbroken peace in
 the hour of dissolution1 and as you    
value the happiness of these dear       
pledges heaven has lent you1 study for  
the evidence of christian truth1 search 
the scriptures1 and labor to enter into 
that rest that remains here to the      
believing people of ,god1 who are born  

again and specially saved through faith 
in the truth4  ,this labor is not only  
important in view of the solemn hour of 
death1 but important in view of the life
 you here live in the flesh4 ,happiness 
is the ultimate pursuit of all mortal   
beings4 ,they vainly imagine that it can
 be found in riches1 honors and         
titles--yes1 even imagine that it can be
 found in the hard ways of the          
transgressor4 ,though sensible that     
worlds before them have failed1 and gone
 down to the grave with the pangs of    
disappointed hope1 yet man is so        
strangely inconsistent as still to      
believe1 that these earthly pursuits    
contain some hidden charm which he      
flatters himself he shall find even     
though all before him have failed4 ,here
 is the delusion1 kind reader1 of which 
you are cautioned to beware4 ,there is  
no happiness but in the path where the  
hand of mercy has sown it--no happiness 
but in the objects where ,god has placed
 it4 ,it is no where to be found but in 

the enjoyment of the religion of        
,christ4 ,this will sweeten every       
earthly pursuit1 make every burden      
light1 afford solid enjoyment in life   
and divine consolation in the hour of   
death4 ,flatter not yourself that there 
is any happiness beneath the sun aside  
from this4 ,there is no peace saith my  
,god to the wicked1 and1 he who says    
there is1 contradicts ,jehovah1 and is  
yet in the gall of bitterness and in the
 bond of iniquity4 ,a speculative faith 
is of but little consequence1 so long as
 it does not influence our life and     
conversation for the better4 ,we must   
believe to the saving of the soul from  
the evil of the world4 ,then shall thy  
light break forth as the morning1 and   
thy righteousness shall go before thee1 
and the glory of the ,lord shall be thy 
reward4  ,,sermon ,,xii  ,a good name is
 rather to be chosen than great riches1 
and loving favor rather than silver and 
gold4 ,prov4 xxii3#a4  ,a good name     
involves all that can render man exalted

 and amiable1 or life desirable4 ,the   
good opinion of mankind has1 in all     
ages1 been considered as a blessing of  
the first magnitude1 and has1 in various
 ways1 been sought for by all4 ,there is
 no man so dishonest1 but what labors to
 impress upon others the conviction of  
his honesty2 no man so deceptive1 but   
what wishes to be considered sincere2   
nor cowardly1 but desires to be reputed 
brave2 and no man is so abandonedly     
vicious1 but what desires to be         
considered virtuous by his fellow       
creatures4 ,all choose a good name in   
preference to a bad one4 ,this being a  
fact the appearance of virtue is kept up
 where the reality is wanting1 and the  
shadow is often mistaken for the        
substance4  ,there are many1 that are1  
at heart1 insincere and false1 who pass 
in society generally for persons of     
sincerity1 candor and virtue1 while     
their real principles are known only in 
their own families and among their      
confidential friends4 ,they desire a    

good name and outwardly maintain it1    
while they in reality but little deserve
 it4 ,in order to know what a man really
 is1 we must be acquainted1 not only    
with his public1 but his private        
character4 ,in his own family1 every man
 appears what he really is4 ,there the  
heart1 word and action art in unison4   
,they embrace each other4 ,in public1   
they too often separate2 and the word1  
or action1 speaks what its divorced     
companion1 the heart does not feel4     
,such not only literally choose1 but    
often bear a good name4 ,but this is not
 the choice suggested by the text4 ,all 
men1 even the most vicious1 in some     
sense or other1 choose a good name4 ,but
 the passage under consideration has a  
higher1 a nobler aim1 than a mere choice
 unconnected with virtuous principle and
 action4 ,it has a higher aim1 than to  
encourage men to be rotten at heart1 and
 by an outward1 hypocritical maneuver1  
maintain a good name among their fellow 
creatures4 ,by the text1 we are to      

understand1 that a man should early     
cultivate1 in his heart1 a virtuous     
principle1 as the pure source from which
 all those outward actions spring that  
justly merit the esteem of mankind1     
force approbation even from the vicious1
 and thus entitle him to that good name 
which is far above all price4 ,this will
 not only afford its possessor unbroken 
peace arising from the inward           
consolations and joys of virtuous       
sincerity1 but it will also open to him 
another rich fountain of felicity1      
arising from the consideration1 that he 
enjoys the confidence and esteem of the 
great and the good1 with whom he is     
conversant in life1 of his intimate     
friends1 of his companion and children1 
and above all the smiles of kind heaven 
and the approbation of his ,god4 ,his   
life is calm2 his sleep is sweet and    
associated with golden dreams4 ,no      
fearful spectres haunt his brain1 but   
the kind angel of mercy is ever at his  
side4 ,he looks forward to death        

undismayed1 yes1 with satisfaction and  
composure looks beyond that dark scene1 
to brighter worlds and more substantial 
joys4 ,he feels the assurance1 that even
 when he shall be here no more1 his name
 shall live in the hearts of those he   
left behind1 be embalmed in the memory  
of the just1 and that it is beyond the  
power of rolling ages to sully it4 ,this
 is what we understand by choosing a    
good name as stated in our text4  ,of   
the truth of this1 there can arise no   
misapprehension when we compare it with 
the subsequent phrase with which it is  
contrasted--a good name is rather to be 
chosen than great riches1 and loving    
favor than silver and gold4 ,by the     
choosing of riches1 we are to           
understand1 not only a desire to obtain 
them1 but that this desire shall be     
sufficiently strong to prompt us to use 
all the honorable and efficient means in
 our power to accumulate them4 ,the wise
 man did not mean that every man had the
 offer of a fortune1 and could possess  

himself of it by simply making choice of
 it independent of means4 ,no-- his     
choice must be manifested by industry   
and economy4 ,the means must be used to 
secure the end4 ,just so in acquiring a 
good name4 ,the person desirous of      
obtaining it1 must pursue that upright  
and virtuous course of conduct1 which   
alone could insure it4 ,and just as well
 might a man expect riches by being     
indolent and extravagant1 as to expect a
 good name by indulging in every species
 of vice4 ,we are therefore to          
understand our text thus--,a good name1 
through pursuing a virtuous course of   
conduct1 is rather to be chosen than    
great riches1 through the plans and     
means by which they are obtained4  ,man 
is a being of many wants1 and to supply 
them he is too much inclined to forsake 
the path of virtue and resort to        
dishonorable means to obtain wealth4    
,in view of this master-passion for     
earthly splendor and greatness1 ,solomon
 uttered the words of our text to recall

 the giddy mind from its chase of       
shadows1 sad turn it to the only source 
of unmingled felicity in the pursuit of 
virtue4 ,this would afford the mind     
those rational delights that wealth1    
with all its dazzling splendors1 cannot 
impart4 ,it does not possess the charm  
to convey unbroken peace to the heart4  
,but there is a strong inducement to    
engage in a virtuous course1 because it 
is the surest road to wealth and honor4 
,the thief and robber were never rich1  
nor nor could they be happy if they     
were4 ,an excellent writer1             
observes--the importance of a good      
character in the commerce of life1 seems
 to be universally acknowledged4 ,to    
those who are to make their own way     
either to wealth or honors1 a good      
character is as necessary as address and
 ability4 ,though human nature is often 
degenerate1 and corrupts itself by many 
inventions1 yet it usually retains to   
the last an esteem for excellence4 ,but 
even if we arrive at such an extreme    

degree of depravity as to have lost our 
native reverence for virtue1 yet a      
regard to our own interest and safety   
will lead us to apply for aid1 in all   
important transactions1 to men whose    
integrity is unimpeached4 ,when we      
choose an assistant or a partner1 our   
first inquiry is concerning his         
character4 ,when we have occasion for a 
counsellor1 an attorney1 or a physician1
 whatever we may be ourselves1 we always
 choose to trust our property and lives 
to men of the best character4 ,when we  
fix on the tradesman1 who is to supply  
us with necessaries1 we are we are      
influenced by fair reputation and       
honorable dealing4 ,young men1          
therefore1 whose characters are yet     
unfixed1 and who consequently may render
 them just such as they wish1 ought to  
pay great attention to the first steps  
they take on entrance into life4 ,they  
are usually careless and inattentive to 
this object4 ,they pursue their own     
plans with ardor1 and neglect the       

opinions which others entertain of them4
 ,by some thoughtless action or         
expression1 they suffer a mark to be    
impressed upon them1 which no subsequent
 merit can entirely erase4 ,every man   
will find some persons who1 though they 
are not professed enemies1 yet view him 
with an eye of envy1 and who would      
gladly revive any tale to which truth   
has given the slightest foundation4     
,though a good name is rather to be     
chosen than great riches1 and is the    
surest road to wealth1 yet there are    
thousands1 who pay but little attention 
to possess themselves of so valuable a  
treasure4 ,they turn a deaf ear to that 
hallowed voice1 which pleads with them  
in behalf of their dearest interest1 and
 take the downward road to dissipation  
and vice1 and1 by their wretched        
example1 lead other thousands to the    
dark abodes of sorrow1 grief and pain4  
,enchanted by the siren voice of false  
and fleeting pleasure1 they hurry to the
 tremendous precipice1 where reputation 

and fortune lie in broken ruins4 ,there 
they drag out a wretched existence in   
disappointed hope1 satiety and disgust4 
,they pay their devotions at the shrine 
of ignominy1 where the dark and stagnant
 waters of guilt and condemnation roll4 
,there the sweet voice of heaven-born   
peace was never heard1 and the beauteous
 feet of religion never trod4 ,there    
dwells the family of pain--there is the 
hell we are cautioned to avoid4 ,this is
 not an illusion of fancy--it is no     
reverie of the brain1 but a reality too 
visible in the pathway of human life4   
,thousands1 in this condition1 are      
hurrying to a premature grave1 and go   
down to that dark abode covered with    
infamy1 having robbed themselves of all 
the substantial joys1 that a virtuous   
conduct1 and a good unsullied name are  
calculated to awaken in the heart4      
,dissipation darkens the brightest      
prospects of life4 ,it rolls its floods 
of misery indiscriminately over the     
dearest earthly hopes of companions1    

children and friends1 and paralyzes     
every pulse of joy that beats in the    
human bosom4 ,many a child has been     
spurned from the presence of its brutal 
father1 and been beaten for asking bread
 to satisfy its hunger4 ,intemperance   
stupefies man to the moral impressions  
of the gospel1 and hardens the heart    
with the touch of its benumbing powers4 
,it is the giant of human wo that slays 
his thousands and prostrates the        
happiness of man4 ,this champion of     
human war draws his sword of vengeance  
against the balmy repose of public and  
private life1 and his fatal touch       
withers the brightest flowers of        
domestic hope and joy1 and mingles the  
poisonous bowl with the bitter drugs of 
misery4 ,his government is absolute     
monarchy1 and his subjects the most     
contemptible slaves4 ,when he lays upon 
them his cursed hand1 they reel to the  
ground4 ,when he strikes the stunning   
blow1 they drop insensibly to the earth4
 ,the oppressions and scourges of the   

most wretched slave are enviable in     
comparison with those severe wounds     
inflicted by this merciless tyrant1 this
 infernal scourge of the human race4    
,intemperance is a monster that may well
 be personified4 ,he frolicks through   
the blood1 preys upon the vitals1       
ploughs up the brain1 dethrones reason  
and laughs at the feeble resistance of  
the best constitution1 and finally bears
 down all opposition before him4 ,like  
the devouring flame1 he presses on with 
irresistible force1 urging his deadly   
siege1 till he consumes all that is fair
 and lovely in the eye of virtue4 ,his  
present gifts are poverty misery and    
distress1 and his capital prize1 a      
premature grave4  ,this champion is     
ravaging our beloved country1 and       
seducing her sons of freedom to the     
disgraceful ranks of slavery and        
oppression4 ,intemperance is that tyrant
 that has under his control many        
formidable evils that infest the world4 
,his boasted labor is to hurry on       

thousands of victims to the commission  
of crime1 and bring down upon them the  
many misfortunes that attend man in this
 mutable world4 ,intemperance involves  
public broils1 tumults and disturbances1
 and domestic discord1 misery and       
strife4  ,we trust the number among our 
readers is small1 who are so regardless 
of a good name as to have abandoned     
themselves to the intoxicating bowl1 or 
who have sundered all the ties of moral 
obligation1 determined to tread the     
downward path of vice to a disgraceful  
tomb4 ,we hope they have a higher regard
 to the invaluable worth of a good name2
 and we pray that they may venerate its 
price far above the momentary glitter of
 silver and gold4 ,that shall live1 when
 wealth shall have lost its lustre1 and 
flourish immortal1 when gold shall have 
corroded to dust4  ,blasphemy is another
 unreasonable vice against which the    
public speaker or writer should raise   
his voice4 ,and let no one flatter      
himself because we believe in the       

universal and unbounded goodness of     
,god1 that a man may go on as he please4
 ,so long as a ,being of infinite wisdom
 is enthroned in the heavens and governs
 the universe1 so long he can never fail
 to measure out to every offence its    
adequate punishment1 and has all the    
means at his disposal to bring it       
unavoidably upon the head of every      
transgressor4 ,he1 who flatters himself 
that he can sin with impunity1 is       
ignorant of the government of his ,god1 
and has never reflected upon human life 
in all its varied lights and shades4 ,do
 you profess to be a ,universalist1 and 
yet treat with irreverence the name of  
,,him who made you1 and whom you        
acknowledge to be a faithful            
,creator--an indulgent ,father8 ,your   
professions are nothing4 ,he that hath  
this hope in him purifieth himself even 
as he is pure4 ,that very breath by     
which he inflates the lungs1 can you    
breathe it back in blasphemies against  
his holy name1 which angels never       

pronounce but with veneration and awe8  
,choose1 ,o choose a good name1 which   
can only be obtained by choosing a      
virtuous course of conduct4 ,however    
lightly you may treat your own station  
in life1 or however much you may        
disregard the dignity of your nature1   
yet remember the station you hold1      
however obscure1 is stamped with        
responsibility4 ,you are surrounded by a
 generation of youth1 among whom are    
your own children1 ready to imitate your
 example4 ,do you wish them well6 ,then 
guard your heart and life by setting a  
reasonable value on a good name1 and    
remember you cannot move without        
touching some string that may vibrate   
long after your head rests on its cold  
pillow of earth4  ,,sermon ,,xiii  ,a   
good name is rather to be chosen than   
great riches1 and loving favor rather   
than silver and gold4 ,prov4 xxii3#a4   
,in this discourse we shall more fully  
show why a good name is rather to be    
chosen than great riches4  ,though      

wealth is desirable1 and in many        
instances conducive to human happiness1 
because it puts it in our power to      
relieve the wants and distresses of our 
fellow creatures1 yet it does not       
possess the charm to convey unbroken    
peace or solid joy to any bosom4 ,the   
value1 of anything within the range of  
human action1 is to be estimated by its 
usefulness in promoting the happiness of
 man4 ,that1 which pours the most       
numerous and refined enjoyments into the
 soul1 is to be considered of the       
greatest worth2 and that1 which has a   
tendency to bring upon us the most      
alarming miseries1 misfortunes and woes1
 is of course the most worthless4 ,the  
one is to be fondly chosen and pursued  
in proportion to its worth in           
administering to our enjoyments1 and the
 other is to be avoided in proportion to
 its unhappy effects in multiplying our 
sorrows4 ,this being an undeniable fact1
 the superlative value of a good name1  
procured by a virtuous course of        

conduct1 appears1 at once1 to transcend 
all other considerations3 ,a pure       
unsullied conscience before heaven is   
the most permanent bliss that a rational
 being can enjoy1 and is of that        
enduring nature which no earthly power  
or misfortune can destroy4 ,it supports 
us in the hour of adversity and trial2  
it comforts us in the dark hour of      
sorrow2 it remains unmoved amids the    
storms of life1 and lights up the smile 
of satisfaction on the lips of the      
dying4  ,nor is this all4 ,it affords us
 other unruffled streams of unmingled   
felicity in the common intercourse of   
life4 ,the approbation of the wise and  
the good1 the confidence and esteem of  
our friends and associates1 and the good
 opinion even of the vicious1 are       
considerations of no ordinary moment4   
,they awaken emotions in the heart of   
the most pleasing gratification1 and    
open in the soul all the avenues of     
heaven-born felicity1 imparting that    
peace1 which this world can neither give

 nor take away4 ,but as it respects     
wealth1 we would remark1 that though it 
may communicate happiness by enabling us
 to relieve the wants of our fellow     
creatures1 and afford us many joys in   
the indulgence of our benevolence1 yet  
it cannot of itself communicate         
happiness1 but virtue can4 ,a wicked and
 unprincipled man is wretched1 though he
 roll in all the wealth and splendors   
that earth can give4 ,he feels in his   
bosom a burning flame1 that all the     
streams of wealth can never quench1 and 
a craving desire1 that nought on earth  
can gratify4 ,if his great riches afford
 him any enjoyments1 yet these are by no
 means permanent and lasting4 ,the      
desolating flame may lay them in        
ruins--the storms on the ocean may sink 
them in its waves--the famine or        
blighting mildew may wither them        
forever1 and leave him stript of all his
 fancied joys4 ,but nothing of this can 
happen to virtue4 ,that remains forever 
unharmed amidst the shocks of earth4 ,a 

good name is1 therefore1 of             
inconceivably more value than riches and
 rather to be chosen than silver and    
gold4  ,we are formed for society4 ,god 
in beginning said1 it is not good that  
man should be alone4 ,this being a fact1
 which all past experience1 and the     
history of our whole race demonstrate1  
it is1 therefore1 equally true1 that our
 dearest enjoyments flow from the social
 affections and from a sincere          
cultivation of the social intercourse of
 life4 ,there is1 perhaps1 not a human  
being in existence1 who would accept of 
all the wealth of the ,indies on the    
condition that he should not be         
respected by a single individual on     
earth4 ,this circumstance shows us1 in  
noonday light1 the superior value of a  
good name above all the glittering      
appendages of wealth4 ,every man is     
beloved and esteemed in proportion to   
his goodness and usefulness in the      
world1 particularly by those with whom  
he associate in life4 ,if then to love  

and be beloved depend on our conduct in 
the world1 and if at the same time1 our 
happiness is derived from the exercise  
of reciprocal affection1 we see the     
importance of pitching upon that course 
of life1 which alone can secure those   
solid pleasures resulting from a well   
spent life4  ,too many persons suppose1 
they can be happy in sin2 yes1 even in  
criminal indulgence4 ,but that          
transgressor was never yet found1 who   
could point to a single wicked act in   
his life1 the remembrance of which ever 
imparted one solitary gleam of joy to   
his heart4 ,they may fancy there is     
happiness in sin2 but here is the       
deception4 ,it is immaterial what some  
may preach about the pleasures of sin1  
and the satisfaction the transgressor   
often takes in a wicked course1 yet all 
this amounts to nothing so long as the  
voice of heaven declares1 ,,there ,,is  
,,no ,,peace1 ,,saith ,,my ,,god1 ,,to  
,,the ,,wicked4 ,infinite wisdom must   
know1 and infinite wisdom1 has given the

 decision1 and that decision is stamped 
with immortality1 and from it there is  
no appeal4 ,if we impress the sinner    
with the idea that he is not punished   
and rewarded here1 but that the whole is
 to be settled in the future world1 then
 we1 in the same proportion1 weaken the 
force of virtue and strengthen the cause
 of vice4 ,and this is one obvious      
reason1 why men continue in sin1 as long
 as they dare1 expecting at some future 
day to repent and escape all punishment4
 ,they go on from day to day1 and from  
year to year1 with all the thunders of  
endless and immortal pain sounded in    
their ears1 and even believing it true1 
yet continue to indulge in sin4 ,would  
they run such an awful risk1 unless1 by 
a certain course of education1 they had 
been made to believe that there was     
happiness in transgression8 ,no4 ,if    
they believed that sin had nought to    
impart but misery1 they would abandon it
 for its own sake2 because happiness is 
the object of all men4 ,they have1      

therefore1 by some means or other1 been 
led to the strange infatuation1 that sin
 possesses some secret charm to         
communicate that happiness to the soul1 
for which every bosom throbs4 ,this     
fancied happiness1 they vainly imagine1 
they can obtain by wallowing in the dark
 waters of iniquity1 be happy here1 then
 repent at last1 and be happy hereafter4
 ,as they pass along in their wretched  
career1 expecting every moment to grasp 
the fancied pleasure1 yet the fond1     
anticipated phantom flies from their    
embrace and leaves them in the ruin of  
their joy4 ,though disappointed again   
and again1 yet firmly believing that    
there is happiness in sin1 they again   
push on1 and thus far attribute their   
want of success to some miscalculation4 
,insensible of the nature of sin1       
blinded and self-deceived1 they go on in
 pursuit of pleasure1 while golden      
dreams of false felicity fire their     
imaginations1 till at last1 age places  
them on the verge of the grave2 their   

object no nearer attained than it was   
the day they set out1 while habit has   
fixed them in a course1 that has yielded
 them nothing but sorrow and pain1 and  
vanity and vexation of spirit4 ,stung   
with remorse1 and pierced through with  
many sorrows1 they breathe a repentance1
 which1 the nature of their condition1  
forces upon them1 are perhaps pronounced
 converted1 and they sink into the      
darkness of death6 ,their names1 covered
 with infamy1 are soon blotted from the 
remembrance of the living6  ,we         
observed1 a moment ago1 that the idea1  
of holding up a retribution in the      
future world1 weakens the force of      
virtue1 and strengthens the cause of    
vice4 ,this has1 perhaps1 been          
abundantly shown in the arguments       
already offered as being manifest in the
 daily conduct of men2 yet we will1 in a
 word1 bring the subject plainly before 
you4 ,to persuade a sinner that he is to
 be punished in the future world for his
 sins in this1 is plainly saying that   

sin has many pleasures and conveniences 
here1 and so far as it failed of        
rendering him his due desert1 the       
balance is to be made up in another     
state of being4 ,because the balance of 
punishment due him there1 is to make up 
the deficiency of punishment1 which sin 
did not pay him here4 ,and certainly1 so
 far as sin did not pay him here1 he    
must have been happy in its commission4 
,and the expectation1 that he should be 
happy in it here1 was the very cause    
that induced him to continue in         
transgression1 with the expectation of  
repenting and escaping punishment       
hereafter4 ,thus he flattered himself1  
that he could sin with impunity1 and    
escape its punishment in this world and 
the world to come4  ,and to satisfy a   
man that he is to be rewarded in the    
future world for his righteousness in   
this but persuading him1 that virtue is 
attended with misery1 and that so far as
 it failed to reward here1 the balance  
is to be made up hereafter4 ,because the

 balance of happiness due to him there1 
is to make up the deficiency of         
happiness which virtue did not pay him  
here4 ,and so far as virtue did not pay 
him here1 must have been miserable in   
its practice4 ,and the impression that  
sin is productive of many enjoyments1   
and that righteousness is attended with 
misery1 has a tendency to make him      
choose the former and reject the latter1
 and trust to a future repentance4  ,we 
often hear it proclaimed by those1 who  
profess to be the guardians of the      
public morals1 that the righteous have a
 hard course in warring against the     
corruptions of their heart1 in the      
service of ,god1 while the sinner goes  
on unconcerned and easy in the pleasures
 of sin4 ,in doing this they defeat the 
very object1 they are striving to       
obtain1 which is the conversion of the  
sinner4 ,these very impressions are one 
obvious reason why so many continue in  
sin and reject the path of righteousness
 and peace1 which alone conducts to a   

good name1 that is of more worth than   
great riches1 and more durable than     
silver and gold4  ,as then there is no  
happiness in vice1 as all its           
allurements are deceptive and vain1 how 
important that we should shun it1 and   
pursue that bright path of virtue and   
peace1 which will lead to the invaluable
 possession of a good name4 ,engaging in
 the cultivation of all the better      
affections of the heart1 we shall by    
habit so refine our natures1 that loving
 favor will take entire possession of   
our minds1 and mould them into the      
spotless image of heaven4 ,this loving  
favor is rather to be chosen than silver
 and gold1 for these will corrupt1 and  
at last crumble into dust1 while this   
shall survive the ruins of death1 and   
flourish in those peaceful realms1 where
 our felicity will be unbroken and      
perpetual4  ,flatter not yourselves with
 the vain hope1 that there is one       
solitary thrill of joy in the indulgence
 of sin4 ,he1 who indulges in           

dissipation and vice--he1 who slanders  
his neighbor1 who wrongs his fellow men1
 or even utters one oath against the    
unsullied name of his ,maker1 is a most 
profound unbeliever in the sentiment we 
proclaim4 ,he1 who possesses a hope so  
full of immortality as to believe1 that 
,god will finally save from sin1 and    
bless him and all his fellow men1 will  
cleanse his hands and wash them in      
innocency4 ,tell me not that you are a  
,universalist1 when the very oceans of  
,god's goodness do not affect your      
heart1 nor lead you to repentance4 ,he1 
who is satisfied that there is no       
happiness in sin1 will abandon it4 ,he1 
who deliberately pursues a vicious      
course1 expects to find happiness in it2
 and it is impossible that he believes  
in ,god's universal grace4 ,it is       
absolutely impossible in the very nature
 of things1 that he can be a            
,,universalist4 ,a salvation from sin is
 the doctrine of the ,bible1 and        
holiness itself heaven4 ,he1 who        

believes such a salvation to be         
happifying1 will abandon sin1 as the    
enemy of his peace1 and seek            
righteousness1 which alone can afford   
him tranquillity4 ,jesus says1 the      
kingdom of heaven is righteousness and  
peace4 ,if you wish to satisfy men that 
you really desire the whole human family
 to meet in heaven1 then show your      
sincerity by being righteous yourself4  
,a sincere ,universalist believes sin to
 be the cause of many mental woes that  
darken the world1 and the principal     
cause of the greater proportion of      
sufferings that fall to the lot of man4 
,he believes that a virtuous course of  
conduct1 guided by the burning lamp of  
revelation1 leads to those joys that    
time cannot sully1 nor the hand of death
 extinguish4 ,a conviction of this truth
 leads him to hate sin1 to forsake its  
dark dominions1 and enter those fields  
of felicity1 where the brilliant beams  
of virtue shed a cloudless day4 ,here he
 walks and enjoys an antepast of heaven4

 ,its paths are the paths of peace4 ,all
 its ways are pleasantness and delight4 
,its crystal streams are pure and sweet2
 its breezes healthful and its fruits   
delicious4 ,he believes ,god to be the  
father of his creatures--that he governs
 the world in wisdom and mercy--that he 
created with a benevolent intention1 and
 that he is not disappointed in the     
workmanship of his hand1 but presides   
over just such a world as he designed it
 should be4 ,he believes that this order
 of things1 though dark to him1 is      
designed for good1 and shall terminate  
in the happiness of all4 ,he believes   
that all rewards and punishments are    
instituted for some benevolent end1 and 
that this end1 will be brought about in 
such a manner as to manifest to all1 the
 divine perfections in the clearest     
light1 and shed unfading glory on the   
supreme ,majesty of heaven4 ,this faith 
gives him confidence in his heavenly    
,father1 and fills his heart with       
gratitude and veneration4 ,it leads him 

to look upon the human family as his    
brethren1 and to do them good4 ,he seeks
 their happiness1 and thus chooses and  
merits a good name4  ,at peace with all 
mankind1 his mind irradiated with light 
and enlarged with the most noble        
conceptions of the divine character and 
government1 bout1 he at length lies down
 in peace and composure upon his dying  
bed1 and gently breathes out--          
,farewell conflicting joys and fears1   
,where light and shade alternatedwell2  
,a brighter1 purer scene appears1       
,farewell inconstant world1 farewell6   
,he sweetly sinks to rest1 and leaves   
behind him a good name1 that can never  
die1 and an example1 for others to      
imitate1 worth more than fortunes in    
gold4 ,his memory shall survive1 when   
the tomb1 on which it is inscribed1     
shall crumble into ruin1 and his example
 be a light to future generations4      
,,sermon ,,xiv  ,be of the same mind one
 towards another4 ,mind not high things1
 but condescend to men of low estate4   

,romans xii4 #af4  ,that mysterious and 
incomprehensible ,being1 who gave us    
existence1 has sown in our nature the   
seeds of mortality4 ,by the irresistible
 laws of his empire which he has1 from  
the beginning1 established for the      
regulating of the animal creation1 we   
are soon to be carried to the silent    
grave4 ,all1 without exception1 are     
formed out of equal clay1 are subject to
 the same hopes and fears1 joys and     
sorrows while on earth1 and are all     
destined to the slumbers of death1 where
 we must exhibit the emblem of perfect  
equality4 ,immaterial how far one may   
exalt himself above another while       
passing through this momentary          
existence--immaterial how far he may    
rise above his fellow men in the scale  
of intellect and refinement--immaterial 
how exalted the station he may have     
obtained--how brilliant the powers of   
his imagination may sparkle1 or how soft
 and sublime his eloquence may          
flow--immaterial how nobly soever he may

 dazzle in the sunny smiles of fortune1 
or how secure he may repose in the fond 
embrace of friends1 yet it is a         
melancholy truth1 that he must1 sooner  
or later1 resign the whole1 let go his  
eager grasp on all those pleasing joys1 
bid an everlasting farewell to those    
exalted splendors1 and descend to the   
dark shades of death1 where the rich and
 the poor1 the servant and his master1  
the oppressor and oppressed1 all lie    
mouldering and forgotten together4      
,this solemn consideration1 it seems1   
when forcibly presented to the mind1    
ought to be sufficient to check the     
levity of man--to soften his bosom to   
his fellow beings--to moderate his      
desire in pursuit of wealth and         
greatness1 and completely to unarm him  
of all hostile feelings towards those   
with whom he associates1 and with whom  
he is so soon to lie down in death4     
,this1 it seems1 is sufficient to make  
us of one heart and mind in promoting   
each other's happiness and welfare in   

the world1 and to make us obedient to   
the exhortation of the text1 not to mind
 the high things of earth1 but to       
condescend to men of low estate4 ,but   
such is the strange infatuation of man1 
that he acts as though his residence on 
earth were eternal1 and as though the   
whole errand of life consisted in       
providing for an eternity below4  ,we   
are capacitated for enjoyments of a     
higher and more perfect nature than we  
can attain to on earth4 ,of this we are 
sensible from the fact1 that there is no
 condition in which we can be placed    
here below1 that is so adapted to our   
nature as to afford us permanent        
satisfaction4 ,uninterrupted felicity is
 not a plant of earth4 ,it cannot       
flourish in a clime where the blighting 
storms of malice and envy wither all    
that is fair1 sweet and blooming4 ,and  
though we are sensible that such is the 
fact1 yet1 deaf to all that experience1 
example and observation conspire to     
teach1 we are exerting all our powers to

 obtain it here below1 where the united 
voice of earth and heaven assure us it  
cannot be found4 ,we cast our eyes      
around us1 and see the human family in  
every varied condition of life from the 
beggar on his bed of straw1 up to the   
king in regal splendor on the throne of 
nations2 but in defiance of this immense
 distinction1 they alike breathe the    
deep sigh of discontent4 ,we also cast  
our eyes over the historic page1 and    
scan the general fate of man in by-gone 
ages2 but here too1 we learn the same   
lesson1 that no external condition has  
ever added to the rational enjoyments of
 the soul4 ,we see the same uneasiness1 
the same longing desires pervade every  
bosom4 ,our object is happiness2 and    
amidst all the various pursuits of life1
 what is the reason so many fail of     
obtaining it8 ,the answer is readily    
given4 ,we make riches1 honors and the  
high things of the earth our chief      
pursuit and aim1 and fondly imagine that
 our happiness lies in them4 ,here is   

our error4 ,man is destined to a world  
of mental felicity1 where those external
 pursuits of fortune will be unknown2   
where all that he here pursues with so  
much eagerness will be removed from his 
desires forever1 and where all the      
channels of the soul will be opened to  
the true fountain of felicity and       
completely ravished in its flowing      
streams4 ,in order1 therefore1 to enjoy 
that happiness1 in this momentary state 
of being1 which ,god has placed within  
our reach1 we must make mental felcity  
the main pursuit of life1 and the riches
 and conveniences of earth our secondary
 pursuit4 ,we must completely reverse   
our conduct in order to obtain those    
rational enjoyments1 that flow from the 
virtuous habits and dispositions4 ,we   
must1 as ,jesus says1 seek first the    
kingdom of ,god and his righteousness   
and all these things shall be added unto
 you4  ,food and raiment are all that we
 can enjoy of the external comforts of  
life4 ,all other enjoyments must be of a

 mental character4 ,secure first your   
mental joys1 a pure unsullied conscience
 in the punctual discharge of all your  
social and relative duties to mankind1  
and be you rich or poor1 you will be    
happy4 ,the righteous discharge of this 
first great duty will not embarrass you 
in obtaining the comforts of life1 but  
on the contrary aid you4 ,a peaceable   
and honest course of conduct towards    
others--a condescension to men of low   
estate--a due respect for the opinions  
and rights of others1 will endear you to
 all1 and not only foster in your bosom 
the seeds of peace and contentment1 but 
will conduct you in the surest path to  
wealth and honor4 ,the mental powers of 
the soul are all that exalt our capacity
 for happiness above a brutal creation4 
,and if our chief happiness lies in     
gold1 which can only minister to our    
animal wants1 then the brutes can vie   
with us in all the solid enjoyments of  
life4 ,in fact1 they can go beyond us4  
,they graze the turf1 and drink the     

unmingled stream free from anxiety and  
care4 ,while man1 the lord of this lower
 creation1 has to toil and gain the same
 enjoyments by the sweat of his brow4   
,but what a groveling thought to bring  
our exalted natures and capacities for  
happiness down to a level with theirs6  
,on this principle1 he who is the most  
wealthy is the most happy4 ,virtue is   
but a name1 and all the exalted         
principles of noble and godlike action  
are but the reveries of fancy1 and to   
practice them is but a visionary dream4 
,no1 my friends1 wealth supplies our    
animal wants1 and if virtue be wanting1 
it leaves our minds in wretched         
starvation and our brightest joys in    
night6 ,happiness is equally attainable 
by the rich and the poor4 ,it consists  
in a union of heart among mankind1 in a 
union of action in the pursuit of       
virtue1 and in the kindlier feelings of 
our nature4 ,in fine1 it consists in a  
willing obedience to the exhortations of
 our text3 ,be of the same mind one     

towards another4 ,mind not high things1 
but condescend to men of low estate4    
,to each of these exhortations1 we will 
give a candid and solemn consideration4 
,in this sermon1 we will attend to the  
exhortation--,be of the same mind one   
towards another4 ,by this1 we are not to
 understand that men are to be of one   
heart and mind in pursuing the same     
occupation or profession in life1 but of
 one mind in endeavoring to promote each
 other's happiness in every condition in
 which they may be placed--of one mind  
in the practice of christian duty1 and  
in the exercise of charity4 ,selfishness
 produces many jarring interests among  
mankind1 bursts the bands of brotherhood
 asunder1 and weakens the strength of   
that nation1 society or family among    
which it exists1 and in proportion to   
the opposition it produces among its    
individual members4 ,united1 we stand1  
divided we fall1 is a maxim full of     
wisdom1 and is not only applicable to   
nations1 but to communities1 societies1 

and even to families4  ,a family in     
discord is a sight over which angels    
might weep1 but when united in one heart
 and mind1 it is a picture over which   
heaven smiles4 ,the fond and doating    
father1 the tender and affectionate     
mother1 and obedient children1 all      
united in peace and harmony1 present to 
the mind those pleasing conceptions of  
the reconciled family immortal1 that    
cause us to feel all the burning        
emotions of which the heart is          
susceptible4 ,in such society as this1  
are enjoyed the happiest moments of our 
existence--moments unmingled with the   
bitterness of regret1 unsullied by the  
corroding hand of time1 unruffled by the
 perplexing cares of life1 and          
undarkened by the tempests of           
indisposition4 ,is such a father        
absent--far distant on land or ocean    
where duty calls8 ,the heart of his     
family goes with him1 and he too leaves 
his heart lingering behind4 ,his        
companion counts the moments as they    

slowly roll--is faithful to his         
interests--makes preparation to receive 
him--sighs for his safe return1 and     
welcomes him home with those emotions of
 ecstatic joy1 that cause him to forget 
his past labors1 toils and dangers4 ,is 
he stretched upon a bed of pain8        
,unwearied she sits beside him1 hushes  
every sound that might interrupt his    
broken slumbers1 and watches every      
breath he draws4 ,she whispers to him   
the soothing words of encouragement and 
consolation-- gives neither sleep to her
 eyes1 nor slumber to her eyelids1 but  
is the guardian angel of his pillow4    
,when all human aid has failed--when the
 pulse beats faint--the once sparkling  
eye grows dim and rolls faint and       
languid in its socket1 she stands mute  
and pensive at his dying bed4 ,her whole
 soul is absorbed in the interest of the
 scene and rent with agony4 ,she wipes  
the cold sweat of death from his face1  
gazes with exquisite anxiety till the   
last dreadlful struggle is over1 and    

breathes to the throne of mercy the     
prayer of affection for the repose of   
his spirit4 ,and so feels the kind      
husband over his companion1 indulgent   
parents over their dying children1 and  
dutiful children over their parents4    
,but it is a lamentable circumstance1 a 
painful consideration1 that there are   
too many unhappy divisions in the       
domestic circle4 ,yes1 it is a painful  
consideration indeed1 that those1 who   
are so nearly allied to each other1     
should1 even for one moment1 indulge in 
feelings of acrimony4 ,it is but a short
 time1 at longest1 that we can be       
together1 and such unhappy divisions    
must render the parting scene1 at the   
bed of death1 doubly painful4           
,thoughtless1 giddy or oppressive as we 
may be to those1 who are near to us in  
life1 while blooming health is their    
lot1 yet righteous heaven has so        
constituted our natures1 that the most  
painful reminiscences will force        
themselves upon the mind when the       

injured object1 to whom we have given   
distress1 is upon a dying bed4 ,every   
unkind word1 every harsh treatment1 the 
whole dark picture our ungenerous       
conduct will present itself to the      
imagination in all its naked woes4 ,and 
be that dying one a parent1 a companion1
 a child1 their very silence1 as thy    
turn upon us a languid eye fading in    
death1 will harrow up every painful     
recollection4 ,o6 if we wish to tread   
upon their graves with an unsullied     
conscience before heaven1 let us be of  
one mind1 live in peace1 and discharge1 
to them1 those sacred duties of kindness
 and affection1 which the ties1 that    
bind them to us1 enjoin4  ,this world is
 too much made up of appearances4 ,many 
a family1 which we suppose to be the    
abode of union1 peace and joy1 is       
distracted with the voice of discord1   
and is dragging out an existence in     
secret1 concealed grief4 ,many a husband
 and wife1 who1 we suppose1 are of one  
heart and mind and passing their days in

 the sunshine of peace and love1 are    
torn by secret broils1 and whose mansion
 stands overcast with the dark shadows  
of discontent and misery4 ,little do we 
dream of the secret woes1 that rend many
 a worthy heart concealed behind a      
smiling countenance4 ,the husband is    
perhaps stern and unrelenting--and will1
 in no case1 yield to the wishes of his 
companion4 ,discouragement and anger may
 perhaps at times take possession of the
 heart4 ,in such a case1 instead of     
treating her kindly1 he rouses into a   
passion himself1 and a private          
contention ensues4 ,this is a wretched  
practice1 for instead of extinguishing  
the flame1 it adds fuel to the fire1 and
 consumes all that is fair and lovely in
 matrimonial and domestic life4 ,much   
misery might be avoided by observing the
 following rule4 ,when the one is       
melancholy1 let the other be rationally 
cheerful1 and endeavor to divert the    
attention from the subject that causes  
gloom4 ,when the one is angry1 let the  

other keep a perfect equanimity and a   
benign composure of countenance4 ,then  
watch the opportunity1 and in some      
future day1 when the offended one is    
most cheerful and kind1 then bring      
forward the subject1 and expostulate    
most feelingly on the impropriety of    
indulging a wrathful spirit to a bosom  
friend4 ,speak of the shortness of life 
and point each other to the silent grave
 and to the parting scene1 and          
vengeance1 anger and discontent will    
soon be strangers in your habitation4   
,your dear children1 from the very      
dawnings of intellect1 will take the    
example1 grow up in harmony and         
affection with perfect rule over their  
spirit1 and thus you will not only      
secure your own domestic peace1 but will
 bequeath those sacred enjoyments to    
your posterity--enjoyments that         
infinitely outweigh a thousand fortunes 
in gold6 ,let others toil to leave their
 offspring wealth1 we ours the joy to   
bequeath them this4 ,we ask no more4    

,we are not only to be of the same mind 
one towards another in our families but 
in our religious societies4 ,here all   
selfishness ought to be discarded1 all  
private interests sacrificed1 all       
hostile feelings subdued1 and the whole 
offered on the altar of genuine good1   
and thus the harmony1 peace and         
prosperity of the whole body consulted4 
,the permanent security of these depend 
on the individual conduct of the        
members4 ,by uniting ourselves in a     
religious body1 we express the necessity
 of living a sober life1 maintaining a  
union of heart and a respectful         
conversation towards all with whom we   
associate in life4 ,let us not dream    
that heaven will prosper us above       
others1 if we also blaspheme the name of
 ,him who gave us life and sustains us  
in being4 ,let us lay aside every evil1 
that has a tendency to disunion1 and    
live soberly and righteously in the     
world1 doing good unto all as we have   
opportunity4  ,the reader will find this

 subject continued in our next number4  
,,sermon ,,xv  ,be of the same mind one 
towards another4 ,mind not high things1 
but condescend to men of low estate4    
,romans xii4 #af4  ,having from the     
commencement of these sermons confined  
myself to prescribed limits1 ,i had no  
room in my last to pursue the first     
division of my subject so far as ,i     
intended4 ,i will therefore here resume 
it4  ,be of the same mind1 one towards  
another4 ,we have thus far confined our 
attention to family union1 and have just
 glanced at the necessity of union in   
religious societies4 ,this is a day of  
inquiry and light when the most keen and
 searching glances are sent into every  
creed4 ,many denominations that have    
walked together heart and hand for many 
years1 each repelling the assaults of   
those1 who attempted to extinguish their
 ism1 have at length been separated by  
internal divisions and formed two       
opposing parties1 even though they once 
believed the same creed1 and advocated  

the same church government4 ,the present
 is a trying period1 and it stands us in
 hand to endeavor to keep the unity of  
the spirit in the bonds of peace4 ,let  
us not dream of religious union1 and    
prosperity1 unless we allow each one to 
think for himself in matters of         
scripture interpretation4 ,nor let us   
dream of prosperity1 if there is among  
us more theory than practice4 ,it is    
true1 ,universalists are as moral as any
 other denomination2 but this is not    
enough4 ,they ought in kindness and     
benevolence to transcend other          
denominations as far1 as their doctrine 
of universal beniguity transcends the   
doctrine of unending wo4  ,neither are  
we to dream of religious union and      
prosperity1 unless we raise our united  
voices against those who revel over the 
flowing cup of intoxication1 which pours
 so many streams of misery and disunion 
on the world4 ,let no one fancy to      
himself that the drunkards toast1 here  
is health and success to us6 has any    

charm to avert his ruin1 or to stay the 
judgment of heaven4 ,the more frequently
 that toast has been uttered1 while     
smiling upon the cup of inebriation held
 in a trembling hand1 the farther have  
health and success been removed from the
 deluded victim1 and the more swift and 
deadly have misfortune1 sickness1       
distress and pain fallen upon him4      
,intemperance is a demon1 that sows the 
seeds of discord among all ranks1 orders
 and conditions of men4 ,beneath his    
crushing hand creation reels1 and       
fortunes fall in broken ruins6 ,and     
peace the sweet angel of mercy flies    
these turbulent skies1 and lights on    
realms unmoved by the hand of commotion 
and discord4 ,at his approach1 blooming 
health is driven back from its warm     
abode and the fairest flowers of        
domestic love1 hope and joy are withered
 forever6 ,let this frightful foe of    
discord and confusion be barred from our
 sacred heritage and peace be within our
 borders4  ,we are not only to be of one

 heart and one mind in resisting        
profanity and intemperance1 but in      
resisting tale-bearing4 ,let us not     
speak evil of others4 ,this is beneath  
the character of a gentleman1 and       
certainly beneath that of a christian3  
consequently no gentleman or christian  
will indulge in it4 ,it is the          
employment of low1 ill-bred minds1 and  
therefore none will engage in it1 but   
those who are destitute of reputation   
themselves4 ,this vice has no excuse1   
and must therefore originate in the     
basest motives4 ,they intend to bring   
their fellow creatures down to a level  
with themselves1 and thus lessen them in
 the good opinion of others1 and destroy
 their peace4 ,and though they may      
effect their object so far as the good  
opinion of the virtuous is calculated to
 give us happiness1 yet the approbation 
of a good conscience1 arising from the  
conviction of innocency1 can never he   
rooted from the heart of its possessor  
by all the calumnies of earth4 ,this    

,god has secured in all the secret      
chambers of the soul1 and forever barred
 it against the breath of slander4      
,there he takes up his abode and holds  
communion with the contrite spirit4 ,the
 real merits and consolations of virtue 
are secured to its possessor by the     
impartial legislation of righteous      
heaven4 ,intemperance in its effects1   
compared with slandering1 is harmless2  
at least so far as producing discord is 
concerned4 ,the peaceable drunkard1     
compared even with that church member1  
who is continually sowing discord in    
society1 is an angel4 ,slander is but   
the infectious breath or a foul spirit1 
that poisons the healthful atmosphere   
wherever it is breathed1 and breaks the 
quiet repose--the calm serenity of      
neighborhoods and families1 as it were1 
with an electric shock4  ,political     
slander is as infectious and destructive
 to the harmony of the nation1 and the  
security of our government1 as private  
slander is to neighborhoods and         

societies4 ,no sooner is a candidate    
held up for office1 than all the party  
dogs of war on both sides are let loose 
and set to barking4 ,immaterial how fair
 may be his character1 how inviolable   
his veracity1 or how unsullied his honor
 and integrity1 they will make him      
appear to be an outcast from society1   
covered with the darkest blots of       
infamy4 ,immaterial how great may be his
 qualifications1 or how splendid his    
talents1 they will1 by that species of  
logic for which slanderers are famous1  
prove him to be a fool4 ,these          
dissentions do not expire when the      
candidates are elected4 ,they are       
carried to the capitol of our common    
country and blown out in more than wordy
 war4 ,there1 we have reason to fear1   
the volcano is gathering1 and that the  
day is not distant when it will         
disembogue in more than the thunders of 
,etna1 wrap our political heavens in a  
blaze1 and melt its elements with       
fervent heat4 ,anarchy and confusion    

will seize the reins of government1 and 
drive us to the oblivious shades of     
departed empires4 ,if we continue to go 
on in our political slanders as a       
nation1 losing sight of our common      
welfare1 and sacrificing the general1 on
 the altar of partial interest1 the day 
of our ruin is not remote4 ,its awful   
morn1 has1 already1 it seems1 dawned    
with streaks of malignant light1 and    
7like ill fated ,troy7 ominous of the   
purple streams1 the crimson blood1 that 
watered the ,trojan plains where mighty 
,sarpedon fell1 where ,hector lay slain 
by the sword of ,achilles4 ,heaven      
forbid that our national sun1 that rose 
so fair1 should go down in blood1 and   
shroud our temple of ,liberty in        
everlasting night6 ,to avert such a     
catastrophe let us reform1 and do our   
duty as individuals4 ,the safety of any 
body politic depends on the conduct of  
the individuals that compose it4 ,and   
,god grant that these dissentions may   
cease1 that political peace and harmony 

may become perfect1 and our government  
may stand immoveable on its basis1 like 
the rock that remains unshaken by the   
furious storms that agitate the ocean4  
,may we1 as a nation1 be of one mind in 
resisting every species of immorality1  
in studying the happiness of our fellow 
creatures--of one mind in obtaining a   
knowledge of the character of our       
,creator1 in studying his parental and  
benign government1 and his divine       
attributes and unchanging               
perfections--and be of one mind in      
acquainting ourselves with his beautiful
 works that swarm around us and afford  
us so many rational delights4 ,let us   
store our minds with useful knowledge1  
practice the precept of ,christ1 labor  
for mental emancipation1 and contentment
 and peace will be our lot4  ,in the    
great duties of religious obligation1   
let us be of one heart and mind4 ,let us
 live like brethren1 not only among     
ourselves1 but among other              
denominations4 ,it is not long that we  

are to be together4 ,we are fading like 
the flower of the field1 and ought to   
bear in mind that death will soon lay   
our heads equally low in the dust1 and  
the worms shall cover us4 ,we glitter   
for a moment like the bubbles borne on  
the bosom of the ocean2 they break and  
mingle again with the parent fountain4  
,we toil and heap up wealth1 pass like  
empty shadows over the plain and vanish 
forever6 ,generations1 that covered the 
earth1 are gone1 and unremembered by the
 living4 ,they strove to gather wealth  
and honors--they met each other in the  
hostile field--rolled garments in blood1
 bedewed the widow's and the orphan's   
cheek with tears1 and filled their      
peaceful habitations with the voice of  
lamentation and wo4 ,thousands lived in 
clamors and discord1 and one seemed     
destined to be oppressed by another4    
,but the fields of war are still1 the   
noise of battle is hushed1 and the voice
 of lamentation and wo is heard no more6
 ,hark6 ,all is still as the chambers of

 eternal silence6 ,where are they8 ,in  
the shades of death6 ,kind reader1 this 
is the doom of us all6 ,and so it will  
soon be said of you and me6 ,let us then
 be of one mind4 ,let us do good by     
visiting the fatherless in their        
affliction and keeping ourselves        
unspotted from the world4  ,we have now 
considered the fact1 that real felicity 
consists in mental pleasures and        
gratifications1 and that these alone    
exalt our nature and capacity for       
happiness above the brute creation1 and 
have directed your attention to virtue  
and peace as the only condition in which
 that happiness can be found4 ,we have  
brought to view the propriety of being  
of one heart and mind towards each other
 in our families1 in our religious      
societies1 in the community and in our  
national concerns4 ,we have set before  
you the evils resulting from            
intemperance1 and from private and      
political slander4  ,we will now1 in the
 second place1 take into consideration  

the negative and affirmative consequence
 resulting from them on the morals of   
the community so far as the causes      
leading to intemperance and crime are   
concerned4  ,many discourses have been  
delivered1 during the three past years1 
on intemperance pointing out its ruinous
 effects on the morals of society1 while
 but few discourses have been put into  
the hands of the public pointing out the
 causes leading to this destructful     
vice1 and those few have not in my      
humble opinion traced it to its true    
source4 ,much has also been said about  
intemperance leading to crime1 which in 
many respects is true4 ,but all this is 
not coming to the fountainhead from     
whence these turbid streams flow4 ,we   
will take the liberty to differ on this 
subject with all that has as yet fallen 
upon our ear1 and independently give our
 opinion1 as to what we conceive to be  
the original cause from whence these    
baneful effects spring4 ,we will        
endeavor to show that the poorer class  

of society are driven to intemperance   
and crime by the conduct of the rich    
7those whom the fashion of the world    
calls respectable and great7 yes1 by the
 conduct of too many1 who are even      
attempting to reform them4  ,first1 then
 we would remark2 that man is a creature
 of want1 which is the first cause of   
all action4 ,had he no wants1 he would  
never seek to supply them1 either by    
honorable or dishonorable means4 ,to    
this self-evident proposition1 all will 
without hesitation assent4 ,we will now 
attend to our general character as a    
nation1 for it will be admitted1 on all 
hands1 that actions speak louder than   
words4 ,as a nation1 we enjoy much      
liberty2 but public opinion1 either of a
 political or religious character1 may  
become so popular as to erect itself    
into an engine of oppression1 and so    
formidable1 that many an honest man dare
 not dissent1 nor independently raise   
his voice in defence of what he believes
 to be truth1 but will tamely submit    

himself a slave to the opinions and     
doctrines of others4 ,this is probably  
the case with the greater proportion of 
the ,american people4  ,again1 though we
 profess to value every man by his      
integrity or moral worth1 yet it is a   
fact1 that in conduct we make a man's   
reputation depend principally on his    
purse4 ,i yield the point without       
controversy that in books1 in           
news-papers1 in preaching and in words1 
we profess to esteem a man and rate his 
standing in society by his integrity4   
,but what do words and books1 and       
news-papers and preaching amount to1    
while mankind in conduct practice right 
the contrary of all these ostentatious  
professions8 ,they amount to nothing but
 hypocrisy1 or ridiculous nonsense4     
,does a man's standing1 in these days1  
depend on his conduct6 ,by no means4    
,let us introduce an example4 ,suppose  
there were two individuals of equal     
talents1 and both possessed an equal    
education4 ,their moral characters are  

the same4 ,but one of them falls in     
possession of an immense fortune1 while 
the other is poor indeed4 ,now will     
public conduct place them on an         
equality8 ,no4 ,will they both move in  
the same social circle8 ,no4 ,will they 
both be treated with the same politeness
 and attention by their neighbors8 ,no4 
,should they propose a public measure   
for the good of the town1 would the one 
be listened to1 with the same attention 
as the other8 ,no4 ,would he possess so 
much influence in society8 ,no4 ,well1  
what can be assigned as the reason1 why 
this rich man stands so far above the   
other in the public opinion8 ,ans4 ,it  
is because his character is measured by 
the length of his purse1 and the weight 
of his influence is determined by the   
weight of his gold4  ,it is not a thing 
of rare occurrence1 that the rich are   
thus distinguished from the poor1 but it
 is a fact so notorious that it has long
 since passed into a proverb4 ,this     
being the course of conduct which men   

practice1 the impression has therefore  
become general that reputation1         
influence and power depend on wealth4   
,hence the great inquiry1 uppermost in  
every mind1 is how shall ,i get rich1 so
 that ,i may stand high in the          
estimation of men1 and exert a powerful 
influence in society1 and be numbered   
among those who move in the higher      
circles of life8 ,concluded in our next4
  ,,sermon ,,xvi  ,be of the same mind  
one towards another4 ,mind not high     
things1 but condescend to men of low    
estate4 ,romans xii3#ab4  ,even a man1  
who is in many things unprincipled1 if  
he is at the same time wealthy1 takes a 
station in the higher circles of life1  
where the poor1 but honest man1 would   
not be admitted4 ,this course of conduct
 is not only practised by what are      
called men of the world1 but by         
professors of religion of about all     
denominations1 by both preachers and    
people4  ,the middling1 and the poor    
class1 seeing no encouragement1 or even 

possibility1 of rising so as to         
associate with those1 who move in the   
higher circles of life1 by any virtuous 
conduct they may pursue1 and sensible   
that wealth alone possesses the charm to
 give them virtue and notice in the     
world1 they are thus driven to various1 
dishonorable means to obtain it4        
,multitudes are driven to the crimes of 
counterfeiting1 theft1 and even robbery 
and piracy4 ,they commence their        
wretched course1 with the intention to  
abandon it1 as soon as a competent      
fortune is obtained4 ,other thousands   
are driven to gambling2 and even those1 
who are called respectable1 take every  
possible advantage in trade and         
bargaining4 ,their pursuits are various1
 but their object is one and the        
same--viz3 to gain wealth1 so that they 
may obtain a high standing and influence
 in society4 ,thousands thus driven into
 crime1 are detected1 lose their        
reputation1 and abandon themselves to   
intemperance4 ,their evil example has a 

pernicious influence on the morals of   
those children and youth1 who may1 by   
various circumstances1 be placed in     
their society1 and thus the pestilence1 
in all its frightful horrors1 gathers   
force and spreads4  ,there are thousands
 of virtuous persons1 whom poverty      
excludes from the higher ranks of life1 
who are doomed to seek the converse of  
those1 who are in a measure corrupted1  
and1 by associating with them on public 
occasions1 often in taverns and         
alehouses1 are soon involved in habits  
of dissipation and obscenity4 ,man is a 
social being1 loves society1 and1 rather
 than spend his life in solitude1 will  
seek the converse of the vicious4  ,if  
we would obey the injunction of the     
text--,mind not high things1 but        
condescend to men of low estate1 these  
evils would be in a great measure       
removed4 ,if we1 as a community1 would  
strip away the fancied reputation1 which
 wealth attaches to the human character1
 and1 independent of property1 place    

every man on an equal footing1 according
 to their moral and mental worth1 and   
let their power and influence in        
society1 be according to their conduct1 
it would give a noble tone to public    
feeling and moral grandeur4  ,by the    
high things1 mentioned in our text1 we  
are to understand that vain popularity  
which one man wishes to enjoy above     
another1 in a religious or political    
sense4 ,it is one of the ruling passions
 of the day1 in which we live1 to be    
considered of high standing among our   
fellow creatures1 and to possess a      
larger share of influence over the minds
 and opinions of men1 than those whom we
 consider our rivals4 ,those1 who       
possess this desire1 and at the same    
time feel a haughty spirit towards      
those1 whom they consider in the humble 
walks of life1 are certainly not the    
men1 who are entitled to our esteem1 nor
 are they to be looked up to1 as        
examples of magnanimity4 ,so far from   
possessing true greatness of soul1 or   

being entitled to veneration1 they are  
certainly below those whom they affect  
to despise4 ,a truly great and good man 
has no desire to dazzle1 but to be      
useful in the world4 ,he sees the       
miseries under which thousands groan1   
and desires to relieve them1 but with no
 wish to be considered great for        
discharging those duties of kindness and
 humanity4 ,but it is a lamentable      
consideration1 that too many1 in        
performing those acts of mercy1 seek to 
stand on an eminence above the crowd    
they wish to benefit1 and proclaim their
 intentions to men through the loud     
sounding trumpet of fame1 but1 at the   
same time1 will not even stoop to       
converse with the very beings they      
profess such a warm desire to aid4      
,every thing must be done on a high     
scale1 and in the manner they dictate1  
otherwise they have no wish it should be
 done at all4 ,it is a matter of regret1
 that this spirit1 so desirous of       
minding high things1 has been carried   

into the sanctuary--in fact1 has been   
carried to the solemn gates of          
death--yes1 even into eternity4  ,we    
have witnessed what are commonly called 
revivals of religion1 in which two or   
more denominations united1 apparently1  
heart and hand4 ,they publicly declared1
 that as they saw their fellow creatures
 exposed to the burning wrath of ,god in
 the future world1 they had no motive in
 view1 but their conversion and escape  
from that awful doom-- that it was1 to  
them1 a matter of indifference with what
 church they united themselves1         
provided1 they would only repent and    
turn to ,god4 ,all this passed on well  
till the reformation ceased4 ,the next  
thing1 to be determined1 was1 what      
doctrine do you believe1 and what church
 will you join8 ,this was a trying      
point1 and its settlement filled them   
with animosity towards each other4 ,and 
why8 ,because each desired the honor of 
converting them to their faith1 and of  
bringing them into their church1 or     

else1 that they should not be converted 
at all4 ,though this has been done by   
some1 yet it is no evidence1 that all   
will do this1 or even approve it4 ,there
 are those1 who1 we believe1 are        
actuated by nobler motives than in the  
cause of truth1 and who are not aspiring
 to stand high1 nor striving who shall  
be greatest4 ,one denomination has      
labored to assume the entire honor of   
reforming the public morals--has labored
 to become incorporated by an act of    
,legislature into an ,american          
,temperance ,society1 and were unwilling
 to admit ,universalists and ,unitarians
 to co-operate with them in this work of
 reform4 ,this is but aspiring after    
high things1 instead of manifesting the 
meek and lowly spirit of ,christ4  ,but 
we would more particularly remark that1 
it is this very course of conduct of any
 man1 or class of men exalting          
themselves above others in account of   
their wealth1 or external circumstances1
 that discourages the poor1 who are not 

only called1 but treated as the lower   
order of society1 and drives thousands  
of them to the intoxicating cup1 as a   
relief from the mortifications of       
poverty1 and drives other thousands into
 crime1 as the only means to obtain that
 wealth by the omnipotence of which1    
they alone can rise to eminence1        
respectability1 and influence among men4
 ,preachers of the gospel1 as well as   
others1 give sanction by their conduct  
to these false notions of respectability
 and greatness4 ,they will seek the     
society1 and court the favor of the rich
 in preference to the poor1 even though 
the latter may exceed the former in     
integrity and moral worth4 ,this1 we    
say1 is the most powerful incentive to  
drive men into a state of encouragement1
 intemperance and crime4 ,it is a       
fearful precipice on which we stand1 as 
a religious community4 ,instead of      
estimating a man's standing by his      
virtuous principles1 it is too much     
estimated by his dollars4  ,so did not  

,jesus ,christ our great example4 ,he   
mingled with the lowest class of        
society4 ,he associated with1 and       
visited most among those he wished to   
reform1 so that his meek1 mild and      
heavenly example might exert a salutary 
influence upon their hearts1 and cast a 
restraint upon their conduct4 ,he was a 
friend to publicans and sinners1 and ate
 and drank with them4 ,he went among    
them1 as a physician1 to give them life 
and health1 to conduct them by          
encouragement and persuasion to the     
paths of righteousness and peace4 ,his  
presence was not needed among those who 
were whole4 ,he was of course seldom    
found in their society4 ,he did not     
desire to rank with the rich1           
self-righteous pharisee4 ,so ought      
those1 who profess to be the servants of
 ,christ1 to go among them1 who are most
 in need of their aid4 ,the servant is  
not above his ,master4 ,they ought1     
therefore1 to condescend to men of low  
estate1 and visit the abodes of poverty 

and want4  ,but instead of this1 they   
stand aloof1 even from the respectable1 
because they are poor1 and instead of   
visiting those1 who indulge in          
dissipation and vice1 and trying to lead
 them to the paths of virtue and peace1 
are heaping upon them the most          
opprobrious epithets4 ,by esteeming the 
rich and associating with them1 they    
practice a course of conduct1 which has 
rooted the impression deep in every     
mind1 that to be esteemed1 and to rank  
with them in the social circle1 they    
must be rich4 ,this has driven many a   
virtuous man into crime1 many into bad  
company1 and finally into discouragement
 and intoxication4 ,this no one can     
deny4 ,what1 we ask1 is the reason1 that
 there is so large a proportion of the  
middle and lower class of society1      
compared with the rich1 who indulge in  
crimes and intemperance8 ,why is it when
 misfortune falls upon the rich1 that   
they1 so often1 resort to the           
intoxicating draught8 ,the mystery can  

only be unriddled in the stubborn fact1 
that wealth1 more than virtue1 gives a  
man a reputation in the world1 and this 
destructive vice involves thousands in  
ruin4  ,if every man were assured that1 
be he rich or poor1 he could associate  
with those who are wealthy and          
respected1 and move in the higher ranks 
of life1 if he only maintained his      
integrity1 and that he would be esteemed
 in proportion to his moral virtues and 
mental acquirements1 every man would be 
induced to merit a good name2 and their 
good opinion would operate as a constant
 check upon his conduct4 ,every man1 by 
early attention to his deportment1 can  
become respectable1 but every man cannot
 become wealthy4  ,did the rich esteem  
the poor1 and admit them into their     
social circle solely on the ground of   
moral worth1 there would be but little  
danger of these poor ever forfeiting    
their standing1 by plunging into the    
floods of intemperance and crime4 ,and  
did they reject from their circle the   

rich1 who were vicious until            
reformed--in fine1 did they only strip  
away from wealth its fancied charm1 to  
make them either respectable1 or        
influential1 did they confine it to its 
due limits1 as being only necessary to  
satisfy our animal wants1 and did they  
with one consent declare that an        
improved mind and virtuous worth should 
be the only criterion by which men      
should take their stations in social    
life1 intemperance and crime would soon 
cease4 ,men would then be as much       
engaged in striving to merit a fair     
reputation1 as they are how in striving 
to obtain wealth4 ,it is1 therefore1 the
 conduct of the great by falsely        
attaching character and influence to    
wealth1 that is driving their fellow    
creatures into crimes to obtain it1 and 
other thousands into discouragement and 
intemperance4 ,from this charge         
preachers are not exempt4 ,they too     
respect1 and visit the rich more than   
the poor1 and thus indirectly lend their

 influence to drive them from virtuous  
life to a course of dissipation and     
crime4 ,and when once they get them     
there1 then they wish to devise some    
great means to bring them back to the   
paths of sobriety and virtue4 ,do they  
endeavor to effect this1 by ceasing to  
mind high things1 and by condescending  
to men of low estate8 ,no--but instead  
of going among them1 and taking this    
unhappy class of our fellow creatures by
 the hand1 and leading them by          
encouragement and persuasion to the     
paths of temperance and reformation1    
they have1 in substance1 said1 stand by 
thyself1 ,i am holier than thou4 ,they  
have minded high things1 by placing     
themselves on an elevation above them1  
and made them out to be worse than      
murderers1 thieves and robbers1 by      
ascribing all the crimes1 that are      
committed1 to the use of rum6 ,this has 
discouraged and exasperated many1 and   
made them feel that reformation would be
 of no avail to raise them to be the    

associates of those1 who appeared so    
anxious to reform them4 ,their language 
has1 in substance1 been--you must       
reform1 give us the credit1 but must    
stand where you are in the lower circles
 of life1 obey our exhortations1 and    
look up to us as your benefactors1 but  
you cannot expect to rank with us1      
because you have no cash to introduce   
yourselves into our circles4 ,and as all
 men desire society1 they have remained 
with their companions in iniquity4  ,for
 any class of society to take a station 
above others1 and endeavor to force men 
to abandon the cup by passing votes or  
enacting by-laws1 that no spirits shall 
be sold them1 is but exciting their     
rage1 and causing the intemperate to    
drink the more out of revenge1 and      
causing those1 that are already         
temperate1 to increase the quantity as  
an act of defiance4 ,it is a fearful    
precipice on which we stand as a        
religious community4 ,estimating a man's
 standing in society by his immense     

wealth1 or learned profession1 rather   
than by his integrity and virtue1 is    
attended with the most dangerous        
circumstances1 as we have already       
noticed4 ,men cannot be reformed by     
force1 nor by declaiming what a low1    
mean1 unworthy1 degraded part of the    
human race they are4  ,there is too much
 pride in our world4 ,we ought to bear  
in mind that death will soon lay our    
heads equally low in the dust1 and the  
worms shall cover us6 ,o the folly of   
human pretensions to greatness6 ,let us 
not mind high things1 but condescend to 
men of low estate4 ,by preachers and    
people of all denominations obeying the 
exhortations of our text1 mankind would1
 in a great measure1 be restrained from 
crime1 and certainly from being openly  
intemperate4 ,if then1 we sincerely     
desire to reform them1 and to hold a    
powerful check upon their conduct1 and  
prove ourselves the benefactors of our  
race1 let us begin the work1 by adhering
 most scrupulously to our text1 which   

exhorts us to be of the same mind one   
towards another1 to mind not high       
things1 but to condescend to men of low 
estate4  ,it is the duty of preachers1  
in particular1 to be meek and lowly in  
spirit--to be humble and watch over the 
moral maladies of mankind--to break down
 the arrogant distinctions1 which the   
fashions and riches of the world have   
set up--to esteem men purely for their  
moral and intellectual worth1           
independent of the gifts of fortune1 and
 to visit those1 who are given to       
intemperance1 and1 by gentle persuasive 
measures1 endeavor to lead them to      
habits of sobriety4 ,and when this is   
effected1 treat them according to that  
respect1 which their virtues merit4 ,god
 is kind to the evil and to the         
unthankful1 and ought we to be unkind to
 them8 ,heaven forbid4  ,we have now set
 before you1 what we conceive to be the 
principal cause leading to intemperance1
 dishonesty1 and crime4 ,true1 there may
 be some exceptions to this1 but we are 

conscious1 that it is the conduct of    
those very men1 who are declaiming      
against intemperance and crime1 that    
first drives their fellow creatures into
 those deplorable haunts of vice4 ,they 
do this indirectly1 and perhaps         
innocently4 ,they do it by giving too   
much reputation and influence to the    
wealthy class of the community1 by      
paying too much homage and respect to   
gold1 and by withholding1 from the      
virtuous poor1 that respect which their 
conduct merits4 ,we cannot set this     
truth before you in a more forcible     
light1 than by relating1 from memory1 an
 anecdote of ,dr4 ,franklin1 with which 
we will conclude4 ,the rich merchants   
and professional men in ,philadelphia   
proposed to form themselves into a      
social circle from which all mechanics  
were to be excluded4 ,the paper1 drawn  
up for the purpose1 was presented to    
,dr4 ,franklin for his signature4 ,on   
examining its contents1 he remarked that
 he could not consent to unite his name 

inasmuch as by excluding mechanics from 
their circle1 they had excluded ,god    
,almighty1 who was the greatest mechanic
 in the universe6  ,,sermon ,,xvii  ,and
 be ye kind one to another1 tender      
hearted1 forgiving one another1 even as 
,god for ,christ's sake hath forgiven   
you4 ,ephesians iv4 #cb4  ,a tender     
heart is the kind boon of heaven1 and   
forgiveness is a virtue too little      
exercised in the common intercourse of  
life4 ,men are too apt to be in         
character ,pharisees4 ,they are too apt 
to love those that love them1 and hate  
their enemies4 ,retaliation is          
inconsistent with the spirit of the     
gospel1 and is a vice deeply to be      
stigmatized and deprecated by all lovers
 of peace and morality4 ,by retaliation1
 we are to understand the injuring of   
another because he has injured us4 ,this
 spirit of revenge betrays a contracted 
mind in which the feelings of compassion
 and forbearance never found a permanent
 abode4 ,a man of a peevish1 irritable  

and revengeful temperament1 is to be    
pitied1 instead of being injured in     
return4 ,by retaliating the evil he may 
have done1 you involve yourself in the  
same condition of meanness1 and in your 
turn become the injurer4  ,all those    
men1 whose names are rendered           
illustrious and immortal1 have been     
distinguished for a spirit of           
forbearance1 kindness and mercy4 ,were  
there no examples of rashness--no       
failings and imperfections among men1   
there would1 then1 be no opportunity to 
distinguish ourselves by a spirit of    
forgiveness4 ,god has so constituted the
 present existence of his creatures1    
that the perfections of his divine      
character might be manifested to them in
 the unchanging exercise of his paternal
 compassion and forgiveness2 and thus   
afford them an opportunity to imitate   
himself in the exercise of those exalted
 feelings1 which emanate from heaven4   
,we are not1 however1 to understand that
 tenderness of heart and forgiveness are

 to be exercised to the utter exclusion 
of the principles of honor and justice4 
,if our children offend1 or our dearest 
earthly friend do wrong1 we are to      
manifest the feelings of tenderness and 
forgiveness1 but these ought not to     
induce us to overlook their crimes or   
faults1 by remaining silent in regard to
 their vices4 ,this would be suffering  
our compassion to degenerate into       
weakness4 ,it would in fact be hardness 
of heart4 ,it would betray a spirit of  
indifference to their dearest interest1 
as by our silence1 they might remain in 
blindness to the demerit of their deeds1
 and hurry on to the ruin of their      
reputation1 and consequently1 of their  
earthly happiness4 ,true tenderness of  
heart makes us watchful over the conduct
 of those we love1 and with whom we are 
connected in life-- moves us to lay     
naked before them their faults1 so that 
they may early correct them1 and thus   
inspires their hearts with tenderness1  
and prompts them to regard the          

happiness1 feelings and welfare of      
others4 ,it is immaterial how near and  
dear your friend may be1 you should1 by 
the feelings of mercy1 be induced to    
tell him his faults1 however much it may
 wound his heart4 ,the wise man says the
 wounds of a friend are faithful2 but   
the kisses of an enemy are deceitful4   
,too many parents1 for want of          
determination of character1 and for     
suffering their compassion to degenerate
 into weakness and remaining blind to   
the faults of their children1 having    
seen them come to some disgraceful      
end--a state prison1 or even the        
gallows4 ,this1 instead of being true   
tenderness of heart1 was infatuation and
 the worst species of hardness and      
insensibility to the welfare of their   
offspring4 ,on the other hand1 we ought 
never to suffer a spirit of revengeful  
indignation to slumber in our bosoms1   
ready on every trivial occasion to awake
 into resentment and retaliation4 ,in   
fine1 we ought to imitate our ,god in   

feelings and conduct towards each other1
 as it is expressed in our text4 ,but   
many suppose that ,god is filled with   
feelings of revengeful indignation      
towards his creatures1 and that the     
period is rolling on when he will cease 
to be merciful1 and will commence       
torturing us in the future world for the
 sins committed in this1 and that too1  
when punishment can do no good to the   
sufferer--when reformation will be out  
of his reach4 ,to torment a frail       
dependent creature1 under such          
circumstances1 would be the most        
degrading species of revenge4 ,and if   
this is the conduct of ,god1 then we    
must practice the same1 because we are  
commanded to imitate him4 ,our text     
says--,be yea kind one to another1      
tender-hearted1 forgiving one another2  
even as ,god for ,christ's sake hath    
forgiven you4  ,in this passage1 our    
,father in heaven is held up to the     
world as the model of kindness          
tenderness and forgiveness1 that mortals

 are to imitate4 ,god is the moral      
standard to which every bosom ought to  
aspire4 ,the highest perfection and     
loveliness of man fall infinitely short 
of the intrinsic loveliness and divine  
perfection's of ,jehovah4  ,if he is the
 standard of moral excellence which we  
are to imitate1 then we must admit that 
the copy far exceeds the imitation4 ,if 
man is called upon to act like ,god in  
order to improve his character and      
affections1 then ,god is better than    
man1 and every opposing objection must1 
forever1 fall to the ground4 ,perhaps it
 may be said1 that all denominations of 
men allow him to be so4 ,this is not    
correct4 ,it is true1 they say this in  
so many words4 ,but words are one thing1
 and what a doctrine involves is quite  
another4 ,i might believe1 and most     
rigidly maintain1 that an earthly father
 had prepared a palace of comfort for   
his five obedient children1 and a       
furnace of fire to torture his five     
disobedient children2 and suppose he had

 dealt with his ten children as above   
stated2--with what propriety could ,i   
step before the public1 and contend that
 he was the best man in ,america8 ,even 
were ,i persuaded1 in my own mind1 and  
firmly believed him to be the best man  
in existence1 would either my belief or 
acknowledgment make it a fact8 ,no2     
every man of common sense1 and common   
humanity would think me deranged4 ,my   
saying that he was good1 and even       
believing him so1 could not alter the   
awful reality1 but would be an evidence 
of my want of consistency and propriety4
 ,he would still be a bad unfeeling man1
 and in no comparative sense so good as 
that father1 who should punish his      
children in mercy1 and for their future 
amendment and benefit4  ,but what is all
 this compared with the character that  
thousands ascribe to the ,god1 who rules
 above8 ,it is no more than the drop to 
the unmeasured ocean3 because those five
 children would soon cease to suffer2   
but ,god1 they contend1 will torture    

without mercy or end1 millions on       
millions of his poor dependent creatures
 for the sins of a short life6 ,the most
 abandoned1 and unrelenting savage1 that
 roams the ,american forest--the worst  
wretch in human form would not do this1 
but release1 at length1 the sufferer    
from pain4 ,and those1 who contend that 
,god will not release1 but on the       
contrary involve the victim of his ire  
deeper in who1 attribute to him a       
character infinitely worse1 than the    
most cruel and degraded of our race1 and
 no argument1 to the contrary1 can be   
for one moment maintained4 ,if a man    
desire the holiness and happiness of all
 his fellow creatures1 and would bring  
them to a glorified state of beatitude  
in heaven1 had he the power1 and still  
contends that ,god will not1 it is      
elevating his goodness far above the    
goodness of ,god4 ,and for any man to   
come forward with this acknowledgment on
 his lips1 and yet address the benignant
 ,parent of all1 and1 in prayer1        

acknowledge him to be the best of all   
beings1 is only using words without     
propriety or meaning4 ,there is no      
sense1 no reason in such logic4 ,it     
completely contradicts itself1 and what 
is contradictory cannot be true4  ,would
 you save all men from sin and its      
attendant misery if you could8 ,o yes1  
is the answer1 ,i would1 and carry them 
all in the arms of unbounded benevolence
 to glory4 ,well1 has ,god the power to 
do it8 ,yes1 is the reply4 ,but do you  
believe that he will exert his power so 
as to accomplish it8 ,no says the       
objector1 ,i believe that he will       
sentence a large portion of his erring  
offspring to endless and inconceivable  
wo4 ,very well2 then you are the best   
being of the two4 ,and it is a          
melancholy circumstance to these        
unfortunate beings1 that you are not on 
the throne of the universe4 ,if this be 
so1 then our text ought to be reversed4 
,god ought to copy your tenderness1 and 
forgive men as you do6 ,we are certainly

 called upon to conform our conduct to  
the best standard1 and to imitate the   
best being4 ,if you are the best1 then  
,god and man ought to be called upon1   
and entreated to imitate you6 ,no2 says 
the objector1 ,god is superlatively the 
best being in the universe4 ,you may    
talk1 and tell me so1 till the morning  
sun sinks beyond the western hills1 and 
yet your creed will contradict every    
word you utter4 ,what you have just     
acknowledged1 unchangeably stares you in
 the face4 ,you say1 that you would     
forgive all1 save them from sin1 and    
raise them to a blessed eternity1 if you
 had the power4 ,this power1 you say1   
,god possesses1 and yet you believe1 and
 that he will not do it4 ,it is         
certainly an unfortunate circumstance to
 the human family1 if their ,father in  
heaven is destitute of that goodness    
which you feel6 ,from whom did you      
receive all those compassionate feelings
 of heart8 ,why says the objector1 ,god 
gave them to me4 ,but how can ,god give 

you what he has not himself8 ,if you    
possess more benevolence than ,god1 you 
could not have received it from him2    
because on this principal he did not    
have it in possession to give4 ,surely  
he could not communicate to you1 or any 
other being1 what he did not originally 
possess4 ,from what source1 then1 did   
you derive so much tenderness and love8 
,there must1 certainly1 be some being in
 the universe in whose bosom is rooted  
as much benevolence and love as you     
feel1 or how could it have been         
communicated to you from another8 ,now1 
where did you get it8 ,god gave it to   
me1 says the objector4 ,this cannot be1 
because your doctrine proves1 that you  
have more love than the ,god who made   
you6 ,if you insist that he has given it
 to you1 has he not in such case1 given 
you more than he originally possessed8  
,he has4 ,if so1 endless misery may be  
true2 for on this principle he has none 
left6  ,the scriptures teach that ,god  
is love2 and all his works speak the    

same language--saying1 the ,lord is     
good1 and his mercies endure forever4   
,but how good is he8 ,the doctrine of   
endless wrath says1 he is not as good as
 you4 ,you are but a small stream from  
an infinite ocean of love2 and yet this 
little stream is greater than the ocean 
from which it issues1 and rises far     
above its fountain head6 ,can this be   
true8 ,impossible4 ,o1 do you not       
perceive how your own feelings1 which   
you daily experience1 contradict your   
creed6 ,you feel1 desire1 and pray for  
the salvation of all men1 and if you had
 the power1 all your feelings1 prayers  
and desires would be carried into       
execution4 ,and yet your doctrine       
denies1 that ,god1 the fountain1 in     
which all your affections originate and 
live1 will do it2--and at the same time 
you say1 that you have no love only what
 he gave you6 ,what inconsistencies1    
contradictions and blindness are here6  
,man1 a small drop1 from the benevolent 
fountain ,god1 is willing to do1 what   

the source from whence he came is       
unwilling to do6 ,then a drop of love1  
in the human bosom1 is more tender and  
benevolent than an ocean in the ,god1   
who placed it there6  ,we all know1 that
 the fountain must be more extensive    
than the stream it sends forth--yea1    
larger1 than all its running streams put
 together4 ,this we know to be correct1 
as well as we know1 that the sun        
enlightens the world4 ,let us then      
collect these little streams into one4  
,bring1 if you please1 into one body1   
the love and benevolence of men and     
angels1 of cherubim and                 
seraphim--stretch your thoughts to      
unnumbered worlds1 extract the love from
 countless bosoms1 and condense the     
whole into one being4 ,how great1       
lovely1 and adorable1 would that        
creature be6 ,then1 let the question be 
put to him--from whence did you derive  
all those noble qualities of love1 mercy
 and goodness8 ,he replies1 from my     
,father ,god6 ,now1 we must grant1 that 

,god far exceeds him in goodness1       
because this noble creature is but an   
emanation from him--and the good desires
 of this creature would be equal to the 
good desires of the countless millions  
of men and angels in all worlds2 and    
could have no other intentions only     
those1 which goodness and mercy         
dictate--and goodness itself can do     
nothing contrary to its own nature1 any 
more than ice can burn or fire freeze4  
,this creature would desire the         
happiness of all2 and yet even he is but
 a small rivulet flowing from the       
crystal fountain of life and being6     
,this creature would institute a        
government perfectly merciful2 and mercy
 would1 of course1 require1 that the    
disobedient should be punished to bring 
them to obedience1 and perfect them in  
the same state of glorification and love
 with that being itself4  ,god is love1 
and it1 therefore1 follows that he is   
love to every creature he has made1 and 
it is utterly impossible that he can do 

any thing contrary to his own nature4   
,he cannot deny himself4 ,he will1      
therefore1 do all that love dictates4   
,it is consistent with parental love to 
punish for the good of its offspring1   
but not to punish unmercifully4 ,but    
inquires the objector1 does ,god punish 
for the good of his creatures8 ,we will 
let ,paul settle this question--,heb4   
,xii4 ,chap4 ,for whom the ,lord loveth 
he chasteneth1 and scourgeth every son  
whom he receiveth4 ,but if ye be without
 chastisement1 whereof all are          
partakers1 then are ye bastards and not 
sons4 ,furthermore1 we have had fathers 
of our flesh which corrected us1 and we 
gave them reverence2 shall we not much  
rather be in subjection unto the ,father
 of spirits and live8 ,for they verily  
for a few days chastened us after their 
own pleasure1 but he for our profit that
 we might be partakers of his holiness4 
,now no chastening for the present      
seemeth to be joyous1 but grievous2     
nevertheless afterward it yieldeth the  

peaceably fruit of righteousness unto   
them that are exercised thereby4 ,now   
show us1 if you can1 any punishment     
which ,god inflicts1 that contradicts   
his paternal goodness4 ,it cannot be    
done4 ,he has threatened and inflicted  
everlasting punishment upon nations1 as 
such1 but not a solitary passage can be 
produced from ,genesis to ,revelations1 
where he has threatened any individual  
with everlasting punishment4  ,god is   
the adorable fountain of all tenderness1
 love1 and compassion1 and no mother's  
son was imbued in the fount of mercy    
like his1 who was the brightness of his 
glory and the express image of his      
perfections4 ,true1 her yearnings over  
the babe of her bosom are great2 still  
they bear but little comparison to him  
who breathed those feelings there4 ,god 
compares himself to the mother4 ,can a  
woman forget her sucking child8 ,woman1 
being of a more delicate formation than 
man1 possesses a mind susceptible of    
more fine1 deep1 and lasting impressions

 than his4 ,the affections of her soul1 
when fully roused into action1 and fixed
 upon their object1 are deeper than     
those of man1 extend far beyond the     
compass line of his1 and nobly range    
those sequestered haunts--those         
delightful fields of mental felicity1   
where his finest affections never       
penetrated4 ,let her heart once become  
fixed upon its darling object1 and it is
 immaterial in what situation in life we
 contemplate her--whether prosperous or 
adverse1 we behold the same unshaken    
constancy1 the same bright and burning  
flame4 ,her love to her children is pure
 as the dew-drops of the morning1 high  
as the heavens and unchanging as the    
sun4 ,it scorns dictation1 bids defiance
 to oppression1 and never for one moment
 loses sight of its object4 ,no         
disappointments that cross her path1 no 
scenes of adverse fortune that darken   
her sky1 can wrench it from her grasp1  
obscure it from her vision1 or tear     
assunder the silken cord that binds it  

to her heart4  ,the truth of these      
remarks we see verified in that         
unwearied watchfulness and care1 which  
she exercises over her children in      
supplying their countless1 and ever     
varied little wants2 in allaying their  
little griefs1 in soothing their tender 
hearts by the soft whispers of          
encouragement and love2 in hushing them 
to repose and in watching over the      
slumbers of their pillow4 ,are her      
children exposed to danger1 and full in 
her view8 ,then no devouring flame1 that
 wraps her dwelling in destruction--no  
rolling surges that lash the foaming    
main1 can1 in such a moment of peril1   
over-awe her spirit1 or deter her from  
rushing into the very jaws of death to  
save them4 ,are they sick8 ,sleepless   
she sits beside their bed1 and watches  
every breath they draw4 ,are they racked
 with pain8 ,her soul inhales the pang2 
and freely drinks at the same fount of  
agony1 and breathes over them the prayer
 of mercy4 ,love is that attribute in   

her nature to which all the others are  
subservient4 ,it is the shrine at which 
they all bow1 the centre to which they  
all gravitate4 ,if her children do      
wrong1 she freely forgives4  ,has ,god  
given the mother all these noble        
affections1 and does he feel less to his
 helpless1 sinful and erring children8  
,let ,god answer--,can a woman forget   
her sucking child1 that she should not  
have compassion on the son of her womb8 
,yea1 they may forget1 yet will not ,i  
forget thee4  ,concluded in our next4   
,,sermon ,,xviii  ,and be ye kind one to
 another1 tender hearted1 forgiving one 
another1 even as ,god for ,christ's sake
 hath forgiven you4 ,ephesians iv4 #cb4 
,in our last1 we showed that that       
compassion1 tenderness1 and love of our 
,father in heaven1 are the origin of all
 the sublime affections in the human    
bosom1 and from this acknowledged fact1 
have shown that he is infinitely more   
regardful of the welfare of his         
offspring than the tender mother1 with  

whom he compares himself2 is of the     
welfare of her sucking child4 ,we now   
resume the subject4  ,in our text1 we   
are called upon to forgive one another1 
as ,god has forgiven us4 ,in examining  
this point1 we are to be guided by what 
he has revealed4 ,the question here     
arises1 how many does ,god command us to
 forgive8 ,he commands us to forgive    
all1 even our enemies4 ,this then must  
be forgiving them as he does4 ,he       
therefore forgives all4 ,he commands us 
to bless them that curse us1 and to pray
 for them that despitefully use us1 and 
persecute us1 that we may be the        
children of our ,father in heaven4 ,does
 ,god command us to do more than he is  
willing to do himself8 ,no1 he lives up 
to his own command4 ,if ,god requires us
 to forgive1 even as he does1 and then  
commands us to love and forgive all1    
then he loves1 and forgives all1        
otherwise he would violate his own      
command2 and then there would be no     
resemblance between his forgiveness and 

ours4 ,even as ,god1 for ,christ's sake 
hath forgiven you1 so ought ye also to  
forgive one another4  ,would you forgive
 all1 and bring them home to glory8     
,yes4 ,will ,god8 ,no1 says the         
objector1 he will not forgive his       
enemies1 but his friends only4 ,then you
 must not forgive all4 ,do you ask why  
not8 ,because you are to forgive1 even  
as ,god4 ,he is the standard you are to 
imitate4 ,if you forgive more than ,god1
 you are better than he4 ,he cannot     
command you to do different from        
himself4 ,if ,god requires you to love  
and forgive all1 while he himself will  
forgive only a part1 then ,god acts     
contrary to his own command4 ,we are    
exhorted in the text to be kind1        
tender-hearted and forgiving even as he 
is4 ,do your kindness1 tenderness1 and  
forgiveness extend to all1 and desire   
the happiness of the universe8 ,yes4    
,then also does that of ,god1 or else   
you are1 in every sense of the word1    
better than he4 ,you differ from1       

instead of imitating ,god4 ,if so1 you  
are doing wrong1 because you are        
violating the text4 ,he commands you to 
be kind1 tender1 and forgiving only as  
he is2--and you contend that his        
kindness1 tenderness and forgiveness1   
extend to a part only1 and that all the 
rest he will torture world without end4 
,but1 says the objector1 ,god is now    
kind1 tender1 forgiving1 and merciful to
 all2 but he will not be so1 when they  
enter eternity1 for the doors of mercy  
will then be shut4 ,how do you know     
that--who told you so8 ,will ,god change
 in some future day8 ,if he change1 he  
will not be the same being1 he is now4  
,i thought1 he was the same yesterday1  
today1 and forever1 without variableness
 or even the shadow of turning4 ,i      
thought he was the same ,jehovah in all 
worlds4 ,do you intend to make him kind1
 tender1 and forgiving here1 but unkind1
 unforgiving1 and hard-hearted to a part
 of his offspring hereafter8 ,if you    
intend to change both the nature and    

character of the ,almighty in the future
 world1 then you and myself are done    
arguing4 ,that doctrine is1 certainly in
 a pitiful condition1 which drives its  
advocate to the necessity of changing   
the ,almighty wholly into another being 
to support it4 ,god so loved the world1 
even when dead in trespasses and sins1  
as to deliver up his ,son to taste death
 for every man4 ,and being unchangeable1
 he could never hate them4 ,in our text1
 ,god commands us to forgive as he has  
forgiven4 ,how many does ,god forgive8  
,ans4 ,as many as he commands you to    
forgive4 ,how many is that8 ,all1 even  
your enemies--to bless and curse not4   
,we will now introduce the question--,if
 ,god has not forgiven a man today1 will
 he ever forgive him8 ,i answer no1 for 
he is unchangeable4 ,we are to apt to   
think that our ,creator is altogether   
such an one as ourselves--that he loves 
one day1 and hates the next--that he is 
in reality angry one hour1 and pleased  
the next--or that he holds a grudge one 

moment and forgives the next1 if we will
 only ask him to do so4 ,but all such   
ideas are calculated for children--for  
babes in ,christ4 ,the scriptures come  
down to the weakest capacity2 but this  
is no reason we should always continue  
children1 but rise in knowledge to the  
strength of manhood4 ,we ought not to be
 ever learning and never able to come to
 the knowledge of the truth4 ,paul said 
to his brethren when for the time ye    
ought to be teachers1 ye have need that 
one teach you c4 ,when ,i was a child1  
,i spake as a child1 ,i understood as a 
child1 ,i thought as a child2 but when  
,i became a man1 ,i put away childish   
things4  ,the ,scriptures are calculated
 for every capacity--for a child as well
 as a philosopher4 ,we must rise from   
one degree of glory to another4 ,we are 
not to fasten our minds down on the     
inventions of men1 and live and die     
children4 ,no--we must forget the things
 that are behind1 and reach forward to  
those that are before4 ,as full grown   

men1 we are not to suppose that prayer  
of any mortal can move the ,almighty to 
pardon him4 ,but says the objector1 if  
we sincerely ask ,god to do thus and so1
 he will certainly grant our request4   
,very well1 admit this for a moment4    
,god1 you say1 will answer every sincere
 prayer4 ,now suppose two armies are to 
meet in battle1 one from ,france and the
 other from ,holland4 ,the hour when the
 engagement is to commence is precisely 
one month from tomorrow noon4 ,every    
day1 there are millions of sincere      
prayers offered to ,god to give them the
 day4 ,holland1 with one voice1 prays   
for victory and for the preservation of 
her subjects2 and ,france1 with united  
supplication1 prays right the contrary4 
,how1 we ask1 are all those sincere     
opposing petitions to be answered8      
,impossible4 ,again--one denomination   
prays for the prosperity of its cause1  
and the destruction of error4 ,and as   
each believes all others to be in error1
 of course pray for their downfall4 ,if 

the ,lord answered their petitions1 all 
denominations1 of course1 of course     
would fall6 ,one man prays far rain1 and
 another1 that it may not rain4 ,if ,god
 answered all these petitions1 he would 
be as changeable1 not as one man1 but as
 the whole human family together4  ,as  
it respects ,god's pardoning the human  
race1 ,i contend that this pardon       
existed from the beginning4 ,do not the 
,scriptures declare that ,god chose us  
in ,christ before the foundation of the 
world8 ,yes1 for he calleth those things
 which be not as though they were4      
,well1 could we be chosen in ,christ    
without being pardoned8 ,no1 for the    
apostle says1 he that is in ,christ is a
 new creature2 and1 certainly1 a man    
cannot be a new creature in ,christ     
without being pardoned in the mind of   
,deity4 ,if then in the omniscient mind 
of ,god1 to whom there is no future1    
they were chosen in ,christ before the  
foundation of the world1 then in his    
mind1 they must also have been pardoned 

before the world began4 ,god never does 
a new act4 ,by pardon we are not to     
understand the clearing of a guilty man 
from deserved punishment1 but an entire 
deliverance from a disposition to sin4  
,the period1 when we are to be released 
from sin1 is through death1 where the   
earthly nature1 with all its wants and  
temptations to sin1 falls1 and the      
heavenly nature rises in incorruption   
and glory through a resurrection from   
the dead4 ,is not this the day of       
redemption when we are set free8 ,yes1  
so saith the ,scripture4 ,well do not   
redemption1 remission1 and forgiveness  
mean the same thing8 ,they do4 ,then our
 pardon1 remission or redemption will be
 realized through death and the         
resurrection4 ,we will produce the      
,scriptures in whom we have redemption  
through his blood1 even the forgiveness 
of sins according to the riches of his  
grace4 ,here forgiveness and redemption 
are used synonymous1 and are declared to
 be through the blood of ,christ--that  

is1 through his death1 as a sacrifice   
for sin4 ,sin cannot exist beyond the   
sacrifice designed to take it away4 ,he 
is represented as taking away the sin of
 the world under the figure of a ,lamb4 
,sin will come to a finish1 under the   
first covenant1 exactly where ,christ   
said it is finished1 at which moment the
 vail1 concealing the holy of holies1   
will be rent in twain1 and the second   
covenant be opened4 ,if we step beyond  
what ,christ has said1 we may as well   
give up the ,scriptures1 and trust to   
our own vain imaginations4 ,there sin   
will end2 and that is dismission1 pardon
 or redemption from it4 ,o death6 ,where
 is thy sting8 ,o grave6 ,where is thy  
victory8 ,the sting of death is sin1 and
 the strength of sin is the law --but   
thanks be to ,god1 who giveth us the    
victory1 through our ,lord ,jesus       
,christ4  ,now1 here it is represented1 
that our victory1 over sin and death1 is
 when we rise to immortal glory4 ,our   
victory over sin is at the same instant 

with our victory over death2 and who    
will deny that our victory over death   
will be at the resurrection8 ,the       
objector may as well deny our victory   
over death at the resurrection1 as to   
deny our victory over sin at that       
period4 ,the whole is said to be through
 ,christ4 ,he was our forerunner and    
first fruits to represent our condition 
there4 ,when he expired1 he was free    
from pain1 and when he arose1 he was    
free from temptation4 ,so when we pass  
the same scene1 we shall be like him1   
who is our resurrection and life1       
otherwise the harvest will not be like  
the first fruits4  ,god1 then pardoned  
the human race1 in ,christ1 when he made
 them4 ,how8 ,ans4 ,by ordering their   
existence in such a manner1 that they   
should be freed from sin through death  
and the resurrection4 ,that is the day  
of our final discharge--the day1 when   
the prisoner shall be set free--the day1
 when our redemption shall come4 ,but   
asks the objector1 are we not to realize

 our pardon in this world8 ,ans4 ,only  
through faith in the reality4 ,we look  
forward1 and anchor our hope within the 
veil of death1 and enjoy our pardon1 or 
redemption1 only by an eye of faith4    
,this faith works by love and purifies  
the heart4 ,it causes us1 in a great    
measure1 to break off our sins by       
righteousness4 ,but this has no         
influence1 whatever1 over the sins      
already committed4 ,for them1 we must   
still continue to feel miserable4       
,punishment is certain4 ,from the sins  
that are committed1 we only enjoy our   
pardon or redemption from them through  
faith in ,christ the resurrection4 ,paul
 told the believers1 that if there were 
no resurrection1 their faith was vain1  
they were yet in their sins4 ,this      
proves that they only enjoyed the pardon
 of their sins through faith in the     
resurrection1 otherwise ,i see no force 
in his language4  ,but inquires1 the    
reader1 why do you pray that ,god would 
pardon our sins8 ,ans4 ,i do not pray to

 turn the ,almighty from his will and   
purpose2 but humbly trust1 that ,i spend
 my days in searching out what that     
perfect will of ,god is1 and then pray  
in reconciliation to his revealed will4 
,it is wicked to pray what we do not    
believe4 ,whatsoever is not of faith is 
sin4 ,i believe that ,god pardoned us   
from the beginning1 and that this pardon
 will be realized through death and the 
resurrection4 ,and when ,i pray that    
,god would pardon our sins1 ,i mean that
 he would grant us an evidence of that  
pardon1 which unchangeably existed in   
his eternal mind1 by enlightening our   
understanding in the ,scriptures of     
truth1 and giving us correct views of   
his character as a ,being of tenderness 
and compassion to the children of men4  
,so when we say1 ,god has pardoned us1  
we do not mean that he has been moved by
 our petitions to do a new act2 but that
 through the appointed means1 he has so 
far enlightened our minds1 that we have 
received an evidence of that pardon     

which existed with him from the         
beginning1 and by faith we look forward1
 believing it will take place through   
death and the resurrection1 as ,christ  
has proved4 ,by this faith we perceive  
the love of ,god1 and break off our sins
 by righteousness4 ,but while in the    
flesh1 we feel a thorn--a hell of       
conscious guilt for the sins we have    
committed1 and though the penitent may  
beseech ,god1 that this messenger of    
satan1 buffeting him1 may depart from   
him1 yet the answer will be1 my grace is
 sufficient for thee4  ,we now perceive 
how ,god pardons sin1 and yet punishes  
us for it4 ,the misery1 sin brings upon 
us1 is our just punishment1 and to be   
released from it1 by the free grace of  
,god1 through death and the             
resurrection1 is our pardon and         
redemption--,for example--we say1 in a  
cloudy day1 the sun does not shine2 but 
still he does4 ,the clouds1 just above  
our heads1 prevent his rays from shining
 upon us4 ,the change is not in the sun4

 ,the clouds disperse1 and we say1 the  
sun shines1 while in fact he is ever the
 same4 ,the ,scriptures say1 our ,god is
 a sun4 ,he is unchangeably the same in 
all his brilliant perfections4 ,sin like
 a cloud1 and transgression like a thick
 cloud1 rise over the mind and darken   
the understanding4 ,through this dark   
medium we look up to ,god1 and think he 
has changed--that he is angry1 and      
thunders are rolling from his hand1     
while in fact the whole change is in us4
 ,the moment our minds are enlightened  
by the beams of truth we rejoice1 and   
say ,god has forgiven us4 ,we receive an
 evidence of pardon1 and enjoy it       
through faith1 while ,god has remained  
unchangeably the same4  ,while we are   
children in christianity1 we speak and  
act like children2 and think if we join 
together1 and pray as loud as we can as 
though the ,lord were deaf1 or all      
asleep or on a journey1 that we can     
prevail1 and make him do as we wish4    
,and while we are children1 if we sin1  

we think the ,lord is our enemy1 and is 
angry4 ,now1 this is all well enough for
 those whose experience has gone no     
further4 ,we are not to despise the day 
of small things1 but kindly receive such
 an one as a babe in ,christ1 and feed  
him with milk4 ,but still it does appear
 to be a pity that thousands1 under the 
gospel1 should live and die children4   
,be ye kind one to another1             
tender-hearted1 forgiving one another1  
even as ,god for ,christ's sake hath    
forgiven you4 ,now1 we are to forgive as
 ,god does4 ,how is that--,to hold a    
grudge one day1 and if they ask our     
pardon1 to forgive them the next8 ,no1  
we must uniformly possess a kind1       
tender-hearted1 forgiving spirit1 laying
 up nought against any one4 ,forgiveness
 does not consist in laying up a store  
of malice and vengeance1 till our enemy 
come1 and formally ask our forgiveness4 
,no--he might never come1 and then we   
could never forgive him4 ,we are        
commanded to love and forgive our       

enemies whether they ask it1 or not4 ,so
 did our ,saviour on the cross1 and we  
are to exercise the same spirit of      
benevolence and meekness4 ,we must1 as  
our context says--put away all malice1  
wrath1 and evil speaking from among us1 
and be kind1 tender-hearted and         
forgiving4  ,our ,father in heaven is   
the most lovely and adorable of all     
beings6 ,under the light of his         
character1 every uncomfortable thought  
vanishes1 and the dawn of a blessed     
eternity bursts upon us in a flood of   
glory4 ,by faith we penetrate the veil  
of immortality1 and read our pardon1 and
 justification in letters of blood4     
,within that veil1 we anchor our hope4  
,faith triumphs over the ruins of death1
 smiles at the darkness of the tomb1 and
 through ,christ within1 the hope of    
glory1 bids defiance to the crushing    
hand of death1 and lights up its dreary 
mansions with the cheering beams of     
immortal day4  ,,sermon ,,xix  ,for the 
time is come that judgment must begin at

 the house of ,god2 and if it first     
begin at us1 what shall the end be of   
them that obey not the gospel of ,god8  
,and if the righteous scarcely be saved1
 where shall the ungodly and the sinner 
appear8 #a ,peter iv3#ag1 #ah4  ,upon   
this passage1 the believers in endless  
misery lean for the support of that     
sentiment1 and on many occasions it is  
quoted with an air of triumph as though 
the passage itself1 without comment1    
were sufficient to silence all          
objections4 ,here they have one         
advantage of ,universalists2 and of this
 advantage they do not forget to avail  
themselves--viz3 the prejudices of early
 education4 ,but we sincerely call their
 application of this passage in         
question1 and shall stand forth in      
defense of the triumphs of ,jesus       
,christ over all sin1 and pain and      
death1 fully believing that the hand of 
heaven shall wipe tears from off all    
faces4 ,we will attempt to show1--      
,first--,what we are to understand by   

judgment beginning at the house of ,god4
  ,second--,who were the righteous1 and 
in what sense they were scarcely saved4 
,third--,show who were the ungodly1 and 
where they appeared4  ,first--,what we  
are to understand by judgment beginning 
at the house of ,god4 ,jesus ,christ    
chose him twelve disciples and commenced
 the great work the ,father sent him to 
do4 ,to them he disclosed many events1  
that ,god would in a future day bring   
upon the world4 ,he pointed them forward
 with more than human accuracy into the 
approaching revolutions of time1 and    
painted out in noon-day light those     
astonishing disasters that would one day
 burst like a thunderclap on the        
thoughtless nations4 ,he marked their   
certainty1 and warned them accordingly4 
,among the many things1 that lay buried 
in the vista of future years1 was the   
destruction of ,jerusalem4 ,this was a  
point that most solemnly concerned the  
disciples of ,jesus4 ,it was no less    
than the destruction of their nation4   

,christ was with his disciples in the   
temple1 that splendid edifice which was 
forty and six years in building1 and1 in
 their presence and for the last time1  
addressed the stubborn ,jews4 ,he       
pointed out the many crimes of which    
they and their fathers had been guilty  
in shedding the blood of the prophets1  
and persecuting those who were sent unto
 them as the messengers of ,jehovah4    
,they had also made void the law of ,god
 through their traditions4 ,while       
pointing out these things1 and setting  
them home like a thunderbolt to their   
hearts1 he pronounced them hypocrites1  
blind guides1 devourers of widows'      
houses1 and declared that all the       
righteous blood shed upon the earth     
should be required of of that           
generation4 ,while rehearsing these     
things to them1 ,jesus had a perfect    
view of all their approaching           
sufferings4 ,many of them were to be    
starved to death4 ,he saw by a prophetic
 eye the indulgent father and fond      

mother weeping over their infant train1 
who were begging for bread1 but no way  
to procure it4 ,eleven hundred thousand 
he saw in a state of starvation1 who    
were to fall by famine1 sword and       
pestilence4 ,he saw their cruel enemies 
surround the walls of their city1 who   
would allow no sustenance to be given   
them1 but determined to reduce them by  
hunger and sword to one common grave4   
,all these things1 that were coming upon
 them1 rushed at once upon the mind of  
the compassionate ,redeemer of the      
world4 ,the affecting scene moved so    
strongly upon his heavenly feelings1    
that he dropped the the melancholy      
subject and burst into a flood of tears4
 ,he beheld the city and wept over      
it--,o ,jerusalem6 ,jerusalem6 ,thou    
that killest the prophets and stonest   
them which are sent unto thee1 how often
 would ,i have gathered thy children    
together1 even as a hen gathereth her   
chickens under her wings1 but ye would  
not6 ,he then left the temple for the   

last time2 but as he was departing from 
it1 his disciples1 astonished at his    
denunciation1 and regretting that such a
 magnificent edifice should be          
destroyed1 exclaimed--,master1 see what 
manner of stones and what buildings are 
here6 ,and he said unto them there shall
 not be left here one stone upon another
 that shall not be thrown down4 ,the    
disciples immediately asked him saying1 
tell us when shall these things be1 and 
what shall be the sign of thy coming and
 of the end of the world8 ,by the end of
 the world we are to understand the end 
of the ,jewish age4 ,as they asked him  
the signs portending this terrible      
destruction1 so that they might know    
when it was nigh at hand1 he immediately
 proceeded to point them out1 and warned
 them to flee to the mountains of ,judea
 for safety4  ,the signs are as         
follows--many false ,christs should     
arise1 there should be wars and rumors  
of wars1 nation should rise against     
nation1 kingdom against kingdom1 and    

there should be famines1 pestilences and
 earthquakes in diverse places4 ,then   
shall they deliver you up to be         
afflicted1 and shall kill you1 and ye   
shall be hated of all nations for my    
name sake4 ,then shall there be great   
tribulation such as was not since the   
beginning of the world to this time1 no 
nor ever shall be4 ,the most prominent  
sign he gave them1 and one that more    
immediately concerned his disciples1 was
 that they should deliver them up to be 
afflicted1 and they should be brought   
before kings and governors for his      
name's sake4 ,but1 7says ,jesus7 when   
they persecute you in one city1 then    
flee ye to another4  ,christ gave his   
disciples plainly to understand1 that   
when the ,jews began their persecutions 
against his followers1 then the         
destruction of ,jerusalem was nigh at   
hand4 ,after giving these instructions  
to his disciples1 he laid down his life1
 and on the third day he arose1         
triumphing over death and leading       

captivity captive4 ,his disciples soon  
after commenced the spread of the gospel
 of peace1 and waived the banners of the
 cross over kings and subjects1 calling 
upon them to bow to the reign of ,jesus 
,christ1 who was ,king of kings1 and    
,lord of lords4 ,they proclaimed a      
religion so contrary to the partial     
notions of the ,jews and the traditions 
of the ,elders1 that it began at length 
to meet with violent opposition4 ,the   
disciples agreeably to the direction of 
,jesus fled for safety from city to     
city1 till the tumult and opposition    
became general4 ,christianity gathered  
force and popularity so rapidly1 that   
the ,romans1 it appears1 gave permission
 to the ,jews to imprison and take life4
 ,the disciples and christians had now  
no place of safety to flee to1 from the 
gathering storm of persecution and      
death4 ,amidst these disastrous scenes1 
,peter called to mind the warnings and  
signs his risen ,lord had pointed out as
 a solemn premonition that the          

destruction of ,jerusalem and of their  
persecutors1 was nigh at hand1 and in   
view of the approaching calamity over   
which ,jesus wept1 ,peter exclaims1 ,the
 time is come that judgment must begin  
at the house of ,god1 and if it begin   
first at us1 what shall the end be of   
them that obey not the gospel of ,god8  
,thus we1 see that what is meant by     
judgment beginning at the house of ,god1
 is persecution beginning at the        
christians1 which persecution was a sign
 to them that the destruction of that   
nation was nigh at hand4 ,the reader    
will perceive that what the apostle     
calls house of ,god1 he afterwards calls
 us1 in the same sentence1 and must     
refer to the christians1 who are in many
 scriptures called the house1 temple1   
and building of ,god4 ,see ,heb4 iii3#f4
 ,eph4 ii3#ba1 #bb4 ,that the           
persecutions were stated by ,christ as a
 sign of the impending judgment of ,god 
upon the ,jews1 is evident from the     
words of ,paul1 #b ,thess4 i3#e1 where  

he calls them a manifest token of the   
righteous judgment of ,god upon the     
unbelieving ,jews1 the persecutors of   
the christians4  ,second--,who were the 
righteous1 and in what sense they were  
scarcely saved4 ,the righteous1         
mentioned in the #ahth verse1 mean the  
same persons called the house of ,god1  
and us1 in verse #agth1 and has         
reference to those christians only1 who 
lived previous to the destruction of the
 temple1 and not to any christians that 
lived subsequent to that event1 much    
less does it refer to all the righteous 
that have ever existed or shall         
hereafter exist1 as common opinion      
asserts4  ,under this head1 we were also
 to show in what sense these righteous  
were scarcely saved4 ,it could not mean 
that their salvation in the future world
 was scarce or uncertain2 for it is     
certain in the counsels of ,god1 and in 
all things well ordered and sure4 ,he   
has given to his ,son the heathen for an
 inheritance and the uttermost parts of 

the earth for a possession4 ,and all the
 ,father hath given him shall come unto 
him1 and he will raise them up the last 
day4 ,he is mighty to save to the       
uttermost all that come unto ,god by    
him2 and no one will deny that the      
righteous come unto him4 ,how then can  
their eternal salvation be denominated  
scarce8 ,impossible4 ,how then are the  
scriptures to be reconciled with our    
text1 when they declare eternal life to 
be the gift of ,god--that we are saved  
by grace--that help is laid upon one    
mighty to save--that his arm is not     
shortened that it cannot save2 and that 
the power of ,god is to be exerted at   
the resurrection in making them equal   
unto the angels8 ,the answer is easily  
given--our text has no reference        
whatever to the immortal world1 to a    
judgment at the end of time1 nor to the 
final condition of the human family2 but
 simply refers to the narrow escape of  
the christians from the destruction of  
,jerusalem1 when they fled with their   

lives in their hands to the mountains of
 ,judea for safety4  ,in the #bdth      
chapter of ,matthew ,jesus clearly      
describes the dreadful scene4 ,he       
says--,then let them which be in ,judea 
flee into the mountains4 ,let him which 
is on the house top not come down to    
take any thing out of his house4 ,and   
woe unto them that are with children and
 to them that give suck in those days6  
,why8 ,because they could not remain in 
the mountains during the period that the
 city was besieged by the ,romans4 ,but 
pray ye that your flight be not in the  
winter neither on the ,sabbath day4     
,why8 ,because in the winter you would  
perish with cold--and if your flight    
from the city be on the ,sabbath day1   
the ,jews will stone you to death for   
traveling more than three miles4 ,for   
there shall be great tribulation1 such  
as was not since the beginning of the   
world to this time1 no1 nor ever shall  
be4 ,and except those days should be    
shortened there should no flesh be      

saved2 ,saved from what8 ,ans4 ,from    
death4 but for the elect's sake those   
days shall be shortened4 ,that is1 for  
the sake of the christians who fled to  
the mountains1 ,god shortened the days  
of the siege4 ,let us hear ,dr4 ,adam   
,clarke1 a ,methodist ,commentator1 on  
this--,josephus computes the number of  
those who perished in the siege at      
eleven hundred thousand1 besides those  
who were slain in other places2 and if  
the ,romans had gone on destroying in   
this manner1 the whole nation of the    
,jews would in a short time have been   
entirely extirpated destroy completely1 
as if down to the roots2 but for the    
sake of the elect1 the ,jews1 that they 
might not be utterly destroyed1 and for 
the christians particularly1 the days   
were shortened4 ,these partly through   
the fury of the zealots on the one hand1
 and the hatred of the ,romans on the   
other2 and partly through the difficulty
 of subsisting in the mountains without 
houses or provisions1 would in all      

probability1 have all been destroyed1   
either by sword or famine1 if the days  
had not been shortened4  ,let us hear   
,clarke explain how these christians    
were scarcely saved4 ,but he that shall 
endure unto the end1 the same shall be  
saved4 ,it is very remarkable that not a
 single christian perished in the       
destruction of ,jerusalem1 though there 
were many there when ,cestius ,gallus   
invested the city2 and had he persevered
 in the siege1 he would soon have       
rendered himself master of it2 but when 
he unexpectedly and unaccountably raised
 the siege1 the christians took that    
opportunity to escape4 ,clarke says unto
 the end means to the destruction of the
 ,jewish polity4 ,therefore when ,peter 
says1 the righteous are scarcely saved1 
he had reference to the dreadful        
judgment which was coming upon the      
wicked and ungodly inhabitants of       
,jerusalem for shedding the blood of the
 righteous1 and from this destruction   
the christians escaped with their lives 

in their hands to the mountains of      
,judea for safety as ,jesus had directed
 them4 ,they but just escape-- they were
 scarcely saved4  ,the christians also  
suffered persecution from the ,jews2 and
 ,peter draws this inference from       
it--,if we1 who obey the gospel of ,god1
 have to endure so many persecutions    
from the ,jews--if this judgment begins 
at us1 how much sorer punishment will   
our enemies have to endure1 who obey not
 the gospel of ,god8 ,and if we the     
righteous are scarcely saved from this  
long-predicted destruction1 where will  
the ungodly and the sinner appear8 ,but 
how did ,peter know that it was at hand8
 ,because the persecutions1 which ,jesus
 had given them as a sign or token had  
then commenced at the house of ,god4    
,the reader will now perceive that      
,peter was not speaking of a judgment at
 the end of time1 because the judgment  
of which he was speaking had then       
commenced--,the time is come4 ,neither  
was he speaking of christians generally1

 nor of salvation in the future world2  
but of those christians only who lived  
previous to the destruction of the      
,jewish polity1 and of their being saved
 with difficulty by watching the signs  
and fleeing to the mountains of ,judea  
as ,jesus had forewarned them4  ,luke   
records the language of ,christ more    
plainly to be comprehended than that of 
,matthew4 ,in your patience possess ye  
your souls4 ,and when ye shall see      
,jerusalem encompassed with armies1 then
 know that the desolation thereof is    
nigh4 ,then let them which be in ,judea 
flee into the mountains1 and let them   
which are in the midst of it depart out1
 c4 ,we should be led to suppose that1  
after the walls of the city were        
surrounded by an army1 it would then    
have been too late for the christians to
 save themselves4 ,but ,christ as a     
prophet knew that ,cestius ,gallus would
 raise the siege1 and fall back to make 
preparations for a more decisive attack1
 and thus afford the christians an      

opportunity to escape4 ,it is evident to
 every candid reader that ,luke         
expresses in chap4 #bast1 all that      
,matthew does in chap #bdth and #beth4  
,and that ,luke does not refer to a     
judgment at the end of time is certain  
from the manner in which he concludes1  
which is as follows3 ,and take heed lest
 at any time your hearts be overcharged 
with surfeiting and drunkenness1 and the
 cares of this life1 and so that day    
come upon you unawares 99 99 99 ,watch  
ye1 therefore1 and pray always that ye  
may be accounted worthy to escape all   
these things that shall come to pass and
 to stand before the ,son of man4 ,here 
we perceive that not the least allusion 
is made to a judgment at the end of     
time2 because there would be no         
propriety in warning his disciples not  
to be drunk or overcharged with the     
cares of life at a judgment day         
thousands of years after their death4   
,the day when the christians were to    
stand before the ,son of man was at the 

destruction of the ,jewish polity1 and  
it was to take place in the life time of
 some of the disciples4 ,christ says1   
there be some standing here that shall  
not taste of death till they see the    
,son of man coming in his kingdom4 ,the 
day of ,christ was therefore at hand1   
and the apostles were warned to keep it 
in view1 and watch the signs that were  
to precede it4 ,peter was faithful to   
these warnings1 and when he saw the     
signs1 presaging its near approach1 he  
exclaimed--,the time is come1 c4 ,this  
was the day of tribulation1 when the    
christians were scarcely saved from the 
dreadful fate that overtook their own   
countrymen1 who remained blind till the 
things that made for their peace as a   
nation were hidden from their eyes4     
,concluded in our next4  ,,sermon ,,xx  
,for the time is come that judgment must
 begin at the house of ,god2 and if it  
first begin at us1 what shall the end be
 of them that obey not the gospel of    
,god8 ,and if the righteous scarcely be 

saved1 where shall the ungodly and the  
sinner appear8 #a ,peter iv3#ag1 #ah4   
,in our last we have attended to the    
first two divisions of our subject--viz3
 what we were to understand by judgment 
beginning at the house of ,god1 and who 
were the righteous1 and in what sense   
they were scarcely saved4 ,we now invite
 the attention of the reader to the     
remaining division of the subject4      
,third--who were the ungodly1 and where 
they appeared4 ,by the ungodly and the  
sinner1 we are to understand the        
unbelieving ,jews1 the murderers of     
,christ and the persecutors of his      
followers4 ,it has exclusive reference  
to them and not to the ungodly who lived
 subsequent to the destruction of       
,jerusalem1 much less does it refer to  
all the wicked that have ever existed1  
or shall hereafter exist1 as common     
opinion asserts4 ,this needs no further 
explanation4  ,under this head1 we were 
also to show where the ungodly and the  
sinner appeared4 ,we have already had   

occasion to state1 that ,peter in our   
text refers to the destruction coming   
upon the ,jews4 ,the time was come when 
that judgment of persecution1 which     
began at the christians1 was to be      
returned upon the heads of their        
persecutors in seven fold vengeance and 
suffering4 ,their city and nation were  
to be destroyed1 and their magnificent  
temple1 where their devotions were      
offered1 was to be laid even with the   
ground4 ,not one stone was to be left   
upon another1 but the whole become one  
general heap of ruins4 ,then according  
to the prediction of ,jesus1 was there  
to be great tribulation1 such as was not
 since the beginning of the world to    
this time1 no1 nor ever shall be4 ,then 
was wrath to come upon them to the      
uttermost4 ,then was he to take         
vengeance on them that know not ,god1   
and obey not the gospel of our ,lord    
,jesus ,christ4 ,then were the children 
of the kingdom to be cast out into outer
 darkness where there was wailing and   

gnashing of teeth4 ,then1 as a nation1  
were they to go away into everlasting   
punishment2 for these were the days of  
vengeance when all things1 that were    
written1 might be fulfilled1 and all the
 righteous blood shed upon the earth1   
from the blood of ,abel to the blood of 
,zacharias1 should come upon that       
generation4  ,titus led the ,roman army 
against them1 surrounded the walls of   
the city on the day of the ,passover1   
where a great part of the ,jewish nation
 were then assembled1 and to which      
others had fled for refuge1 being driven
 by the terror of his arms like chaff   
before the whirlwind4 ,here they        
appeared6 ,husbands and wives1 parents  
and children1 brothers and sisters1 7one
 promiscuous throng7 were gazing in     
breathless solicitude1 while            
consternation and dismay were depicted  
in every countenance1 and fearful       
expectation pervaded every bosom6       
,death1 a long lingering death1 was     
gathering around them in all its        

horrors6 ,old men and young1 maidens1   
matrons and little children poured forth
 their lamentations to heaven1 invoking 
the protection of the ,god of ,israel4  
,but1 alas6 the things1 that made for   
their peace 7as ,jesus forewarned them7 
were hidden from their eyes6 ,their hour
 was come1 and the triumphant shouts of 
the enemy were heard around their       
stubborn walls1 which 7massy as they    
were7 dropped to the ground under the   
subduing power of the battering-rams of 
war4 ,with these massive engines of     
destruction1 they laid the two first    
walls in ruin6 ,but the third and last  
wall it was not in the power of the     
enemy to gain4 ,the ,jews fought with   
desperation1 and by valiant exertions   
kept the enemy at bay1 and for a while  
seemed to triumph in the fond hope of   
victory over the foe4 ,the ,roman army  
was driven to great extremity1 and even 
to hesitation1 while many of their most 
valiant men fell in action1 and         
impending victory seemed to hang        

doubtful4 ,in this moment of suspense1  
they came to a determination to make no 
further attack upon the city1 but guard 
it and reduce its inhabitants to        
submission by famine4 ,all supplies were
 accordingly cut off1 and every avenue  
blocked up by the vigilant ,romans4 ,in 
addition to this1 intestine divisions1  
civil wars and pestilence raged within  
the walls of the city4 ,having no       
employment in fighting the enemy1 they  
fell to butchering each other4 ,these   
things proved their ruin1 and their     
national sun went down in blood4 ,every 
day thousands closed their eyes in death
 through famine and pestilence2 and     
thousands by endeavoring to escape to   
the enemy and surrender themselves up as
 prisoners for safety and protection1   
were either cut down by the ,roman      
sword1 or met the same fate from their  
own countrymen4 ,here they appeared6    
,all hopes of life cut off1 nothing     
presented itself to their view1 to end  
their woes1 but the certain prospect of 

an untimely tomb6 ,fathers1 mothers1    
brothers1 sisters1 gazing upon each     
other in silent expectation1 saw death  
gradually advancing in all its horrors4 
,they were driven to the most dreadful  
extremities1 until 7is ,josephus informs
 us7 they devoured whatever came in     
their way2 mice1 rats1 serpents1        
lizards1 even to the spider--and lastly 
mothers were driven to eat the flesh of 
their own children6 ,here were          
lamentation and wo indeed6 ,such        
tribulation as our ,saviour says never  
was1 and never will be4 ,in imagination 
the mind runs back to the period1 and to
 the fatal spot4 ,it surveys the painful
 scene1 characterized by nought but     
moral and physical woes--madness and    
revenge1 cruelty and carnage1 pestilence
 and famine1 and all the mingled horrors
 of war6 ,it surveys the starving child 
clinging to the maternal bosom for help 
and protection1 but alas6 ,that bosom   
becomes its grave4 ,here the ungodly and
 the sinner appeared in deep despair6   

,unfeeling mortal1 do you say that their
 punishment and sufferings were not     
sufficiently great1 without adding that 
of immortal pain in the future world8   
,are you not satisfied without arguing  
that they ought to suffer endless misery
 in addition to their woes8 ,look with  
an unjaundiced eye over this scene of   
distress2 and as you gaze let justice   
7if not compassion7 once more take the  
throne of the heart1 and then pronounce 
the shocking sentence of your creed if  
you can4  ,that their sufferings were   
overwhelming is evident from scripture  
as well as from history4 ,in ,lam4 iv4  
,the prophet ,jeremiah says--,the hands 
of the pitiful women have sodden their  
own children1 they were their meat in   
the destruction of the daughter of my   
people4 ,in ,lev4 ,xxvi4 ,moses         
describes their sufferings as           
follows--,and ,i will bring a sword upon
 you1 that shall avenge the quarrel of  
my covenant3 and when ye are gathered   
together within your cities1 ,i will    

send the pestilence among you1 that     
shall make you few in number2 and ye    
shall be delivered into the hand of the 
enemy4 ,and when ,i have broken the     
staff of your bread ten women shall bake
 your bread in one oven1 and they shall 
deliver you your bread again by weight2 
and ye shall eat and not be satisfied4  
,and if ye will not for all this hearken
 unto me but walk contrary unto me2 then
 ,i will walk contrary unto you also in 
fury2 and ,i1 even ,i1 will chastise you
 seven times for your sins4 ,and ye     
shall eat the flesh of your sons1 and   
the flesh of your daughters shall ye    
eat4 ,this did come upon the sinner and 
the ungodly1 and it was according to    
their sins4 ,moses1 ,jeremiah1 and      
,jesus spake particularly of the        
sufferings of the ,jews in the          
destruction of their city and they all  
agree in concluding their chapters4     
,moses in conclusion says1 and they     
shall accept of the punishment of their 
iniquities1 even because they despised  

my judgments1 and because their soul    
abhorred my statutes2 and yet for all   
that ,i will not cast them away neither 
will ,i abhor them to destroy them      
utterly and to break my covenant with   
them1 for ,i am the ,lord their ,god4   
,and ,jeremiah1 after describing their  
sufferings in the #dth chapter of       
,lamentations concludes with these      
words--,the punishment of thine iniquity
 is accomplished1 ,o daughter of ,zion1 
c4 ,and ,jesus1 after denouncing upon   
them the judgments of heaven in ,matt4  
xxiii4 ,concludes thus3 ,for ,i say unto
 you1 ye shall not see me henceforth1   
till ye shall say1 blessed is he that   
cometh in the name of the ,lord4 ,thus  
we see that they agree in testifying to 
the same fact1 that the punishment of   
the ungodly and the sinner1 which mean1 
no other than the ,jewish nation in     
their overthrow and dispersion as we    
have already noticed1 shall end4  ,i see
 therefore no arguments1 that can be    
drawn from our text1 to prove a future  

judgment or endless misery in the       
immortal world4 ,if the objector can see
 a shadow of evidence in this passage to
 support such a sentiment1 yet ,i must  
frankly acknowledge that1 for myself1 ,i
 cannot4 ,there is certainly no word in 
the text1 that has the most distant     
allusion to the final condition of man4 
,the judgment began at the apostles and 
christians4 ,but is the last judgment to
 begin at them8 ,certainly not4 ,but    
admit that it is2 we would further      
inquire1 did the last judgment begin as 
early as the days of ,peter8            
,impossible4 ,then he could certainly   
not have had any allusion to such a day1
 for he exclaims3 the time is come that 
judgment must begin at the house of     
,god4 ,here the judgment to which he    
refers had commenced1 or at least the   
signs portending it had commenced1 and  
it was to end upon the ungodly          
inhabitants of ,jerusalem4 ,this fact is
 evident from the context--,beloved1    
think it not strange concerning the     

fiery trial which is to try you1 as     
though some strange thing had happened  
unto you2 but rejoice1 inasmuch as ye   
are partakers of ,christ's sufferings1  
that when his glory shall be revealed ye
 may be glad also with exceeding joy4   
,from this quotation there can arise no 
misapprehension as to ,peter's          
application of the text1 nor of the     
persons it involves4 ,they were the     
persecutors of the christians1 and no   
one will dispute that these were the    
,jews4  ,if then this judgment was at   
hand1 it cannot of course refer to a    
period at the end of time2 and it is in 
this case equally certain1 that the     
scarce salvation of the christians can  
have no reference to the immortal world4
 ,these facts being irresistible1 the   
argument must be wholly given up that   
the ungodly and the sinner were to      
appear in a state of inconceivable      
torment beyond the grave1 because the   
condition of the ungodly stands in      
contrast with the scarce salvation of   

the righteous1 and this salvation or    
deliverance was to be in a day nigh at  
hand1 and from a tribulation or judgment
 in which their adversaries and         
persecutors were to be involved1 and the
 signs1 by which the apostle was        
admonished of its proximity1 had already
 appeared when he wrote the words of our
 text4 ,the meaning of his words1 ,i    
humbly conceive1 is simply this--,the   
time is come when the persecutions1     
predicted by ,christ as a sign of the   
approaching destruction of ,jerusalem1  
must begin at us4 ,and if we the        
righteous who are innocent1 have to     
endure so many fiery trials1 what will  
the dreadful punishment be of our       
disobedient persecutors8 ,and if we are 
scarcely saved from this impending      
destruction1 by fleeing to the mountains
 of ,judea1 where will our thoughtless  
and sinful appear8 ,we have endeavored  
to show you where they appeared--have   
pointed out the narrow escape of the    
christians1 who were scarcely saved1 and

 referred you to the signs by which     
,peter knew this judgment was at hand4  
,it is therefore unnecessary to offer   
any thing further in defense of our     
views1 as the text is1 no doubt1 plainly
 understood by every reader4  ,we close 
this discourse by noticing one very     
common objection1 made by our religious 
opposers1 to our application of several 
scriptures4 ,i do this1 because ,i am   
not aware that it has been done by any  
,universalist as a designed answer to   
the objection4 ,the substance of the    
objection is this3--  ,there is not a   
passage in the ,new ,testament which    
speaks of a day of judgment1 of the end 
of the world and of the coming of       
,christ1 but what ,universalists apply  
to the destruction of ,jerusalem4 ,then1
 they contend1 every man was rewarded   
according to his works1 consequently all
 subsequent nations are not to be       
rewarded1 nor are they to experience a  
day of judgment4  ,in reply to this     
objection ,i would remark1 that we are  

not answerable for the many passages    
which the ,saviour and his apostles     
applied to that event4 ,but if we make a
 wrong application of any scripture1 why
 do not our opposers point out the      
error8 ,we will now show why the        
apostles wrote so much in reference to  
that period4 ,they do not so frequently 
speak of that event merely on account of
 the destruction of their temple city   
and nation1 7though that might justify  
their frequent reference to it7 but     
there were circumstances of a more      
imposing and momentous character to     
attract their attention to that         
catastrophe4 ,these were the abrogation 
of the ,mosaic rituals and the          
introduction of a new order of things by
 ,jesus ,christ of whom ,moses and the  
prophets wrote4 ,this was a period when 
every christian was to be delivered from
 the persecution of the ,jews1 and the  
spread of the gospel was to be retarded 
no longer by their opposition4 ,the     
,jews as a nation were to be punished   

for their deeds of blood1 and that      
spiritual reign or judgment commence    
which should pass upon all subsequent   
generations of men1 rewarding every man 
according to his works4  ,the gospel    
reign is called the judgment of the     
world by ,jesus ,christ1 in the same    
sense that ,moses judged the world two  
thousand years by the law4 ,jesus says1 
,think not that ,i will accuse you to   
the ,father1 for there is one that      
judgeth you even ,moses in whom ye      
trust4 ,from this it is evident that    
,moses was then judging the ,jews4 ,but 
this covenant was abolished at the      
destruction of ,jerusalem4 ,paul says1  
he taketh away the first that he may    
establish the second4 ,the word of ,god1
 in this covenant1 is spiritual and     
sharper than any two-edged sword--it is 
a discerner of the thoughts and intents 
of the heart1 while that of ,moses was  
outward1 and took cognizance of the     
conduct only4 ,the objections of our    
opposers are therefore unsound4 ,and    

though we apply those passages1 which   
speak of a judgment1 to the destruction 
of the ,jews1 yet that judgment or reign
 of ,christ which then commenced1 is yet
 going on1 and will continue till all   
are subdued to himself4 ,he then came in
 his kingdom1 and will continue to      
reward every man according to his deeds 
till his kingdom ends4 ,so we this day  
experience the effects of his coming1   
and of his judgment or reign1 and are   
justified or condemned according as we  
embrace or reject the words of          
everlasting life4 ,we see therefore the 
propriety of the apostles dwelling so   
much upon that great event1 which should
 witness the passing away of the types  
and shadows and the establishment of the
 gospel of ,jesus ,christ4  ,,sermon    
,,xxi  ,for as in ,adam all die1 even so
 in ,christ shall all be made alive4 #a 
,cor4 xv3#bj4  ,the death and           
resurrection of all mankind are a theme 
of no ordinary moment1 and have given   
birth to many theories and speculations 

among the advocates of ,christianity4   
,the common opinion is that one portion 
of our race will be raised to immortal  
life and glory in the future world1 and 
the other to immortal damnation and     
dishonor--that at the same instant the  
living will be changed and that the     
whole human family will1 in this        
condition1 be arraigned before the      
,judge of quick and dead1 and receive   
their irrevocable sentence for endless  
joy or endless wo4 ,others believe1 in  
opposition to these limited views of the
 divine character1 that the resurrection
 is the closing scene of the great plan 
of salvation1 and that no judgment is to
 succeed it4 ,this resurrection1 they   
believe1 will introduce the numerous    
posterity of ,adam into the same        
condition of immortal glory and honor1  
being made1 by the power of ,god1 equal 
unto the angels1 and be the children of 
,god being the children of the          
resurrection4 ,as to the judgment day1  
they do not believe1 that the whole     

human family will be congregated in one 
amazing throng at one period of time1   
but that the judgment of the world1 by  
,jesus ,christ1 commenced at the        
destruction of ,jerusalem1 when the     
,mosaic dispensation1 with all its      
imposing rituals1 passed away1 and that 
this judgment1 or in other words1 this  
gospel reign of ,christ1 is still       
progressing1 and will completely        
terminate before the resurrection takes 
place4 ,notwithstanding this view of the
 day of judgment1 yet they suppose that 
the resurrection day is a designated    
period when the cerement of the dead    
shall burst1 and all the slumbering     
nations1 simultaneously1 start up from  
their beds of clay1 the living at the   
same instant be changed to immortal     
beings1 and this countless throng1 in   
one unbroken strain1 shout--,o death6   
,where is thy sting8 ,o grave6 ,where is
 thy victory8  ,though this scene would 
be full1 and immortally sublime1 and    
disclose a grandeur which a seraph's    

eloquence never can describe1 yet ,i    
take the liberty to dissent from this   
long and fondly cherished opinion1 and  
will humbly endeavor to present you my  
views on the immortal resurrection of   
the human dead4 ,the ideas ,i have      
advanced in my sermons on the new birth1
 require me to do this4 ,and no one has 
more occasion to rejoice than myself1   
that we are bound by no creeds1 and that
 the preachers of our order encourage   
and cherish free investigation4 ,among  
such able and benevolent theologians1 ,i
 feel conscious1 if ,i err1 that they   
will endeavor1 in the spirit of         
meekness1 to set me right4 ,i therefore 
hold no one responsible for the ideas ,i
 am now about to advance4 ,i am by no   
means in favor of new theories built    
upon mere human speculations1 nor do ,i 
deem it an enviable task to make        
innovations on the long and universally 
established opinions of the christian   
community4 ,i shall simply appeal to the
 scriptures to sustain me in my present 

exposition1 and by that standard ,i am  
willing my views should be tried1 for by
 that alone1 they must ultimately stand 
or fall4  ,from the text we have        
selected1 it might1 perhaps1 be         
expected1 that we should proceed to     
prove the final holiness and happiness  
of the human family by showing1 that he 
who is made alive in ,christ is a new   
creature2 but as this has1 heretofore   
been done so often and so ably1 we shall
 confine our attention1 principally1 to 
the different scripture accounts of the 
resurrection of the dead1 and endeavor  
to ascertain whether it is indeed1 to   
take place at the end of time and be    
general1 or whether it is continually   
transpiring as gradual as the successive
 deaths of our race in ,adam4  ,and here
 ,i would distinctly remark1 that the   
dead are represented as being raised at 
the coming of ,christ4 ,this is admitted
 and believed by all4 ,but where1 ,i    
ask1 is there in the ,book of ,god one  
passage to prove any coming of ,christ  

after the destruction of the ,jewish    
polity when he commenced his gospel     
reign1 called the judgment of the world8
 ,this was his second coming2 but where 
but where is there a scrap of scripture 
to prove his third coming at the end of 
time8 ,for one1 ,i have searched in vain
 for such testimony4 ,that ,christ came 
in his kingdom1 during the life time of 
the persons he addressed1 and then      
commenced the judgment of the world1 is 
certain4 ,this is not1 however1 admitted
 to be that coming of ,christ when the  
dead will be raised immortal4 ,where    
then is revealed that third coming of   
our ,lord1 at the end of time1 to raise 
the dead8 ,i think it will be an        
unsuccessful task for any man to search 
it out and bring it forward4  ,i would  
not be understood to say1 that no       
destruction will attend this earth4 ,on 
the contrary philosophy seems to warrant
 the idea4 ,but the scriptures no not1  
in my apprehension1 reveal such a       
catastrophe1 nor a third coming of      

,christ1 nor a general resurrection at  
that period4 ,the reader may1 perhaps1  
here inquire whether the scriptures do  
not clearly describe the resurrection of
 all mankind to be at one instant of    
time8 ,i answer1 no more than they      
describe the judgment of all mankind to 
be at the same instant4 ,but1 says the  
reader1 the resurrection is to be at the
 coming of ,christ1 which must be at    
some designated period4 ,very well2 the 
judgment was to be at the coming of     
,christ to the destruction of the       
,jewish state1 and does not this        
designate some particular period8 ,if   
so1 how are we judged in the present    
day8 ,if the judgment day1 which then   
commenced1 has not yet ended1 why may   
not the resurrection day be still       
progressing8 ,if you contend1 that the  
dead were all to rise at once1 then by  
the same mode of scripture              
interpretation1 ,i can prove that all   
the living were to be judged at once4   
,acts xvii4 #ca4 ,because he hath       

appointed ,a ,,day in the which1 he will
 judge the world in righteousness by    
that man whom he hath ordained1 whereof 
he hath given this assurance unto all   
men1 in that he hath raised him from the
 dead4 #b ,cor4 v4#aj4 ,for we must all 
appear before the judgment seat of      
,christ1 that every one may receive the 
things in body1 according to that he    
hath done1 whether good or bad4  ,though
 this event is represented as           
transpiring in one day1 and as though   
all men were literally arraigned at the 
same instant1 still all ,universalist   
admit1 that it commenced at the         
destruction of ,jerusalem1 has passed   
upon succeeding generations1 and will   
continue from the present down to       
subsequent ages1 so long as human beings
 shall have a habitation on earth4 ,this
 is called the last day4 ,jesus         
says--the word that ,i have spoken1 the 
same shall judge him in the last day4   
,so ,i contend1 that though the         
resurrection is also called the last    

day1 and represented as raising all     
mankind at one instant of time1 still   
simply means1 that the doctrine of      
,christ 7viz4 ,the judgment and         
resurrection7 should1 at his coming in  
his kingdom1 be fully revealed to the   
living by their seeing his prophesies   
fulfilled in the abrogation of the      
ceremonial law1 and this doctrine of    
life and immortality be permanently     
established and commence its sway over  
the living1 as the last and best system 
of ,god to man1 and this resurrection   
day continue down to all subsequent     
generations of slumbering dead1 raising 
every man in incorruption and glory4    
,the judgment and resurrection of the   
world are therefore both progressing1   
for these two constitute the gospel     
reign of ,christ4 ,he is the            
resurrection and life of the world1 as  
well as judge of quick and dead4 ,both  
are to be accomplished in the last day1 
and that day is now progressing4 ,a     
general resurrection1 at the last       

vibrating pendulum of time1 cannot ,i   
humbly conceive1 be substantiated by the
 oracles of truth1 any more than a      
general judgment4 ,i am rather inclined 
to think that the judgment of the world 
by ,jesus ,christ expresses the whole1  
including the resurrection and all2 even
 as the high priest1 clothed with the   
breastplate of judgment on the day of   
atonement1 closed his services by       
raising the nation into the holy of     
holies1 which was a pattern of things in
 the heavens4  ,if the ,scriptures      
afford us any evidence of the third     
coming of ,christ1 to raise the dead1   
for one1 ,i must acknowledge my utter   
ignorance of the fact4 ,in ,john 7chap4 
vi47 ,jesus several times uses the      
expression1 and ,i will raise him up at 
the last day4 ,if others contend that   
this has reference to the last day of   
the last generation of the human race on
 the earth1 yet ,i must candidly        
acknowledge1 that ,i cannot see a shadow
 of evidence to prove this position4    

,the last day in this instance1 refers  
to the gospel dispensation1 which       
commenced at the destruction of the     
temple1 and involves the whole reign of 
,christ4 ,it is synonymous with the day 
of ,christ and the day of the ,lord     
mentioned in several places by the      
apostles4 ,nor do ,i conceive it means1 
that ,christ would raise them up by his 
own immediate power1 but that ,god would
 raise the dead according to that       
doctrine1 which he sent his ,son to     
reveal to men1 and this would be fully  
established in the world1 and be        
believed and felt by ,jew and ,gentile  
,christians at the coming of ,christ in 
his kingdom1 at the end of that         
dispensation4 ,then and not till then   
were the predictions of ,christ         
fulfilled1 and then were those          
,christians1 who had not seen ,jesus    
after his resurrection1 made perfect in 
faith4  ,the dead are to be raised at   
the last trump2 by which ,i understand  
the seventh1 for no other last is       

revealed4 ,this trump is mentioned by   
our ,saviour 7,matt4 xxiv4 #ca47 and is 
the gospel trump which was to commence  
its sound at the destruction of         
,jerusalem4 ,in ,rev4 chap4 viii1 seven 
trumpets were given to seven angels1 who
 are represented as sounding them in    
succession1 and increasing woes         
following1 till the sixth trumpet       
sounded4 ,but when the seventh angel    
sounded and the last dreadful wo passed 
away1 a very different order of things  
followed4 ,rev4 x4 #g4 ,but in the days 
of the voice of the seventh angel when  
he shall begin to sound1 the mystery of 
,god should be finished as he hath      
declared to his servants the prophets4  
,rev4 xi4 #ae4 ,and the seventh angel   
sounded1 and there were great voices in 
heaven1 saying1 the kingdoms of this    
world are become the kingdoms of our    
,lord and of his ,christ1 and he shall  
reign forever and ever4 ,now compare    
these woes and this subsequent order of 
things with the tribulations ,christ    

described in ,matt xxiv chap4 ,and the  
subsequent life the righteous entered   
into1 and you will readily perceive that
 both refer to the destruction of       
,jerusalem and the commencement of      
,christ's auspicious reign4 7,the       
,revelations were certainly written     
before that event47 ,when the seventh   
angel sounded1 ,christ came in his      
kingdom and began his reign2 and that he
 began his reign when the trumpet       
sounded1 and the woes recorded in ,matt4
 ,xxiv4 ,and xxv4 ,chapters took place1 
will not be denied4 ,this settles the   
point that the seventh or last trump was
 not to sound at the close of ,christ's 
reign1 but at its commencement4 ,and    
under this last sounding trump the dead 
were to be raised immortal1 and those   
who were alive when it commenced its    
sound1 were to be suddenly changed in   
their circumstances and feelings as     
described in the context4 ,it was the   
day of their redemption from all their  
trials and persecutions1 and doubts and 

fears4  ,that this was the period when  
the ,christians entered the resurrection
 day as well as the judgment day under  
,christ is certain4 ,they entered into  
the full enjoyment of that most sublime 
of all doctrines in the faith of which  
they not only saw the dead raised       
immortal and free from pain1 but felt   
themselves new beings4 ,they were       
exalted from the dust to high and       
heavenly places in ,christ1 were caught 
up to meet the ,lord in the air1 were   
seated on thrones and made priests and  
kings to ,god and reigned with ,christ4 
,there they shone like the brightness of
 the firmament and the stars forever and
 ever1 recognized the goodness of ,god  
in redeeming love1 and sang the song of 
certain victory over death and ,hades4  
,then the kingdom and dominion and the  
greatness of the kingdom under the whole
 heaven was given to the saints of the  
,,most ,,high1 and in this kingdom of   
their ,father they shone forth like the 
sun4 ,the above promiscuous quotations  

from ,scripture justify the expression1 
that the living were changed in a moment
 at the last trump1 which announced to  
the world the immortal resurrection of  
the dead4 ,that this trump1 whose sound 
proclaims the resurrection of all       
mankind1 is the gospel trump1 the       
doctrine of ,christ1 we cannot doubt4   
,that the change of the living1 in the  
context1 has any reference to changing  
them into immortal beings1 ,i cannot    
admit without further evidence4 ,it is  
contrary to the whole tenor of          
revelation--it is contrary to our text1 
which declares that all1 who are made   
alive in ,christ first die in ,adam4 ,as
 the change of the living is an         
important point in our present          
investigation1 we will give it further  
attention4 ,that the ,christians were to
 experience a great and sudden change at
 the destruction of ,jerusalem is       
certain4 ,they were to be delivered from
 all their trials and persecutions1 and 
be raised into the full and felicitous  

enjoyment of the reign of ,christ4      
,those ,christians1 who had not seen our
 ,saviour alive from the dead1 who had  
believed on the testimony of his        
apostles and of the five hundred        
brethren1 were delivered from all their 
doubts and fears on seeing his          
predictions fulfilled1 were perfected in
 faith1 and their hearts established    
unblamable in holiness4 ,this was to    
them a resurrection day1 not only in    
reviving their faith and hope in the    
doctrine of the immortal resurrection of
 all that died in ,adam1 but in         
delivering them from their sufferings1  
and raising them into the sublime       
enjoyments of the reign of ,christ4 ,in 
reference to this period1 ,jesus says1  
thou shalt be recompensed at the        
resurrection of the just4 ,and ,paul    
says1 ,if by any means ,i might attain  
unto the resurrection of the dead1 not  
as though ,i had already attained1      
either were already perfect4 ,what sense
 would there be in his saying--if by any

 means ,i might1 by my exertions1 become
 an immortal being1 not as though ,i had
 already attained to immortal existence8
 ,no sense at all4 ,but the apostles    
meaning is clear1 if we render it       
thus--,if by any means ,i might continue
 faithful unto the end1 and obtain a    
crown of life in the first resurrection 
at that day when ,christ shall come in  
his kingdom to destroy his enemies and  
to deliver and elevate ,christians to   
honor4 ,we shall notice this more       
particularly in our next when we come to
 comment on ,philippians iii4 ,chap4    
,again he says--,who concerning the     
truth have erred1 saying the            
resurrection is past already1 and       
overthrow the faith of some4 ,that is1  
to make the ,christians believe that    
their promised deliverance was past1    
while they were yet in the midst of     
their sufferings1 was calculated to     
overthrow their faith4 ,we will notice  
the change of the living still further4 
,jesus says1 that those1 who were in    

their graves1 and had done good1 should 
come forth to the resurrection of life4 
,and ,daniel says1 that many of them who
 sleep in the dust of the earth should  
awake to everlasting life1 and those1   
who were wise1 should shine as the      
brightness of the firmament1 and they   
that turned many to righteousness as the
 stars forever and ever4 ,here ,daniel  
and ,jesus represent the low1 suffering1
 and distressed condition of the        
,christians previous to the destruction 
of ,jerusalem1 and their final          
deliverance and exaltation at that      
period1 by sleeping in the dust1 being  
dead in their graves1 and suddenly      
coming forth to life and shining like   
the brightness of the firmament and the 
stars forever and ever4 ,this is        
equivalent with being caught up in the  
clouds to meet the ,lord in the air4    
,the above changes are as great and as  
in instantaneous1 as the apostle        
represents in the context1--,we shall   
all be changed in a moment1 in the      

twinkling of an eye at the last trump2  
for the trumpet shall sound and the dead
 shall be raised incorruptible and we   
shall be changed4 ,as if he had said we 
shall suddenly enter into the full      
fruition of that glorious gospel        
kingdom1 whose trump shall then begin1  
and continue to sound down to the       
remotest periods of that last day       
proclaiming the incorruptible           
resurrection of all the dead1 and at the
 same time changing the living from the 
low1 sorrowful1 and groveling thoughts  
of earth to the sublime and joyful      
contemplations of life and immortality  
brought to light through the gospel4 ,so
 the last day1 in which the last trump  
sounds1 and the dead are raised1        
embraces the whole gospel reign of      
,christ4 ,the resurrection is coeval in 
duration with the judgment of the world2
 for both are called the last day1 and  
both are represented as involving all   
mankind in one assemblage to be judged  
and in one assemblage to be raised4  ,to

 be continued4  ,,sermon ,,xxii  ,for as
 in ,adam all die1 even so in ,christ   
shall all be made alive4 #a ,cor4       
xv3#bj4  ,we have already shown that the
 judgment of the world is called the    
last day1 in which all human beings are 
to stand at the ,judgment ,seat of      
,christ1 and receive according to their 
deeds4 ,we have shown1 that this day    
commenced at the end of the ,jewish age1
 and is to continue down to all         
succeeding generations1 so long as human
 beings shall have a habitation on      
earth4 ,we have shown that the          
resurrection is also called the last    
day1 in which all the dead are to be    
raised immortal4 ,we have shown that1 as
 a doctrine of ,god1 it was permanently 
established in the world at the end of  
the ,jewish dispensation--that the last 
or gospel trump then commenced its      
sound1 proclaiming the immortal         
resurrection of all who die in ,adam1   
and at the same time changed those who  
were then alive--and that it shall      

continue to sound to the remotest       
periods of this last day1 proclaiming   
the resurrection of the dead and        
changing or reforming the living4 ,we   
have shown that the judgment and        
resurrection constitute the gospel      
doctrine of ,christ1 and1 as such1 both 
were established in the world at the    
same time1 and are both called the last 
day1 in which all men are in succession 
to be judged1 and raised immortal4 ,the 
apostle ,paul1 when discussing to his   
hearers1 either the judgment or the     
resurrection1 looked forward to that    
interesting period1 when they were to be
 established in the world1 and1 with a  
giant effort1 grasped in one view1 the  
beginning and end of this brilliant1    
sublime1 and everlasting ,,day1 and     
presented it in mental vision to his    
persecuted and almost desponding        
brethren as one instantaneous1          
transporting and triumphant event1 in   
which the world was to be judged1 the   
living changed1 the dead raised immortal

 and incorruptible1 and the rapturous   
song of final victory was to be sung    
over death1 its sting and the grave4    
,we will now proceed to notice those    
passages1 which are applied to the      
immortal and general resurrection of the
 dead1 point out their misapplication1  
and reconcile them with the views we    
have advanced4 ,we will first notice our
 context4 ,and here it will be necessary
 to ascertain the condition of those    
whom ,paul addresses4 ,he introduces the
 chapter by referring to the many       
witnesses of ,christ's resurrection1 and
 commences his argument in proof of this
 fact1 and against those christians1 who
 had not been eye-witnesses1 but who had
 professed faith in his resurrection    
merely on the testimony of the apostles4
 ,these christians were suffering       
persecution1 and were1 of all men most  
miserable if ,christ were not risen from
 the dead2 as in such case1 their future
 deliverance and exaltation at his      
predicted coming1 were but a visionary  

dream4 ,and as their ,lord seemed to    
delay his coming1 some among them 7being
 discouraged7 began to say1 there was no
 resurrection of the dead4 ,the great   
evidence1 to which they were looking for
 the final proof of his being the true  
,messiah was the fulfillment of all     
which the prophets had written of the   
daily sacrifice being taken away1 the   
holy people being scattered and of the  
glory of the ,messiah's kingdom and     
reign1 and of all1 which ,jesus himself 
had predicted of his coming to destroy  
their persecutors1 to put an end to the 
,mosaic dispensation1 and to raise them 
to a state of exaltation in his kingdom4
 ,they had not seen ,jesus alive from   
the dead as had the apostles2 and       
however much they might be inclined to  
credit their testimony1 yet their severe
 persecutions and sufferings1 and the   
protracted period of his coming would1  
very naturally1 create1 in their hearts 
many doubts and fears as to its truth4  
,these are the persons1 whom ,paul      

addresses in our context1 and labors to 
keep them in the faith by presenting the
 whole weight of testimony in favor of  
the resurrection of ,christ1 on which he
 hinged the resurrection of man4 ,he    
summons before them more than five      
hundred eye-witnesses1 of whom himself  
was one1 to satisfy them of the fact1   
and summons all the powers of philosophy
 in nature4 ,he refers them to grain    
sown in the earth1 and its coming forth 
in a new body4 ,he refers them to all   
the various species of flesh1 of men1   
beasts and birds on the earth1 and to   
the glory of the sun1 moon and stars in 
the heavens --all differing from one    
another--to prove that ,god is able to  
prepare an immortal body1 differing from
 all these1 and raise man immortal6 ,as 
he passes on1 reveling in the greatness 
of his strength1 and absorbed in the    
immensity of his theme1 his argument    
gathers force1 till earth and heaven    
appear to be in motion before him6 ,he  
ranges the universe1 summons to his aid 

the power of ,god1 lays his masterly    
hand upon every fact1 gathers them in   
his grasp1 condenses them before his    
hearers1 and1 in one overwhelming burst 
of eloquence1 makes the whole bear upon 
the resurrection of ,christ and of man6 
,he refers them to the coming of his    
,lord1 at which time will be the end of 
the ,jewish age4 ,then their sufferings 
and persecutions terminate1 their       
darkness1 fears and doubts will be      
removed1 they will be ushered into the  
glorious reign of ,christ1 behold this  
last and brightest day1 hear the last   
joyful trump sounding1 see the dead by  
an eye of faith arising1 and themselves 
as living men changed4 ,these would be  
,christ's at his coming4 ,then he would 
receive his kingdom and begin his       
auspicious reign4  ,no fact is more     
certain than that ,christ was to        
commence his reign at the sound of the  
last trump4 ,not an instance can be     
produced1 where ,jesus has revealed to  
his apostles1 that any trump was to     

sound subsequent to the one1 which      
announced his coming in his kingdom at  
the end of the ,jewish age4 ,if any one 
can produce scripture authority where a 
trump is to sound at the close of his   
reign1 or at the end of time1 or even   
produce testimony to prove the end of   
time1 ,i will publicly and gratefully   
acknowledge the favor4 ,perhaps the     
#bdth verse of the context will be      
brought forward for this purpose3 ,then 
cometh the end1 when he shall have      
delivered up the kingdom to ,god1 even  
the ,father2 when he shall have put down
 all rule1 and all authority1 and power4
 ,this1 as it reads1 is no objection to 
my views2 but ,i contend that this is   
not a correct rendering of the passage4 
,every careful reader will perceive1    
that it stands in perfect contradiction 
with verse #bhth3 ,and when 7notice the 
word when7 all things shall be subdued  
unto him1 then shall the ,son himself   
also be subject unto him that put all   
things under him1 that ,god may be all  

in all4 ,this verse teaches a future    
reign and future subjection1 after the  
kingdom is delivered up to ,god4 ,what  
propriety is there in saying1 when all  
things are subdued unto him1 after he   
has resigned his kingdom8 ,what has he  
to subdue1 after the kingdom is         
delivered up to ,god1 even the ,father4 
,certainly nothing4 ,i readily grant1   
that in the modern edition of the ,greek
 ,testament ,i have before me1 it is    
rendered in the dative case1 teen       
basileian to ,theo kai ,patri2 the      
kingdom to ,god even the ,father4 ,but  
,i perused1 several years since1 a short
 criticism by an ,english writer 7whose 
name ,i cannot recall1 nor the          
periodical which contained it7 on this  
very phrase in which the author stated  
that in an early ,greek manuscript1 he  
had in his possession1 it was rendered  
in the nominative case1 teen basileian  
ho ,theos kai ,pater4 ,this would       
reverse the present translation1 and    
cause it to read--,then cometh the end  

when ,god even the ,father shall deliver
 to him 7,christ7 the kingdom4 ,the     
writer however argued1 that as the      
chapter referred to the general         
resurrection at the end of time1 it     
seemed to read far better as ,christ's  
mediatoriol kingdom would then          
terminate4 ,this is mere assertion      
founded upon preconceived opinions4  ,i 
will1 however1 produce direct authority 
to support my views4 ,i will here       
present the reader with ,wakefield's    
translation of this passage1 whose      
scholarship will be doubted by none3    
,then will the end be1 when ,god the    
,father delivereth up the kingdom to    
him1 during which he will destroy all   
dominion1 and all authority and power2  
for he will reign till he hath put every
 enemy under his feet2 and so the enemy 
death will be destroyed at last4  ,here1
 then1 we perceive that instead of its  
referring to the end of time1 and to the
 ,son's delivering up the kingdom to the
 ,father1 it simply refers to the end of

 the ,jewish dispensation1 when the     
,father delivered to his ,son a kingdom1
 and when he commenced his reign4 ,this 
gives harmony1 strength and consistency1
 to the whole connection closing with   
the #bhth verse1 and is in perfect      
agreement with the whole tenor of       
revelation1 which no where speaks of the
 end of time4 ,but according to the     
received translation1 he first delivers 
up the kingdom to ,god1 then commences  
his reign1 subdues all things1 destroys 
death1 and is then subject to the       
,father6 ,let it be distinctly noticed  
that this end is at ,christ's coming4   
,but where1 ,i again ask1 is revealed a 
third coming of our ,saviour8  ,but     
again--,the ,ethiopic version also      
supports this rendering of the above    
passage1 in agreement with ,wakefield1  
which ,i consider as sufficient         
authority to settle the question1 at    
least in my own mind4 ,but even were    
there no other authority1 than the      
general tenor of revelation1 ,i should  

feel justified in my present exposition4
 ,to contend for a general resurrection1
 we are in the same predicament with the
 orthodox in contending for a general   
judgment4  ,the above harmonizes 7in my 
apprehension7 with every other part of  
divine revelation1 which embraces the   
testimony of the prophets1 and of ,jesus
 ,christ and his apostles1 who all speak
 of the end as referring exclusively to 
the termination of the ,jewish age1 at  
which time he should come in his kingdom
 and commence his reign4 ,they also     
speak of the glory which should follow1 
and of the success that should attend   
it4 ,but not an instance can be         
produced1 where they speak of the end of
 time4 ,he is to destroy the last enemy 
death2 and this work is effected        
progressively in this last day1 as      
individuals are in succession raised    
from death1 and established in their    
final and blissful condition affording  
us no revelation when this order of     
things will terminate4 ,if it is a fact1

 that ,god the ,father1 at the sound of 
the last trump1 delivered to his ,son   
the kingdom--if this be the correct     
rendering of the passage1 as the whole  
tenor of revelation seems to justify1   
then it was at the commencement of his  
reign2 and our views of the resurrection
 day are irresistible4 ,the apostle     
grasps1 in mental vision1 the whole     
subject1 and represents it as one great 
and interesting event1 big with         
sentiments of light and life1 in the    
same sense that he does the judgment of 
the world1 which revolved in his        
capacious soul as but one single day4   
,the sudden and interesting change he   
represents as taking place in the       
living1 has reference to the unexpected 
manner in which this sublime scene would
 burst on the world4 ,in this he but    
follows the example of his ,lord1 who   
declared he would come as a thief in the
 night--that he would come quickly1 and 
in an hour they were not aware1 and     
exhorted his disciples to watch4  ,we   

will notice one more passage in the     
context1 which may be urged as an       
objection4 ,behold ,i show you a        
mystery2 we shall not all sleep1 but we 
shall all be changed in a moment1 in the
 twinkling of an eye at the last trump2 
for the trumpet shall sound and the dead
 shall be raised incorruptible and we   
shall be changed4 ,the mystery1 here    
mentioned1 refers to the change of      
those1 who should be found alive at the 
coming of ,christ in his kingdom1       
produced by the full revelation and     
establishment of that doctrine1 which   
proclaims the immortal resurrection of  
all mankind by being made alive in      
,christ4 ,it is the fulfillment of the  
following scriptures--,eph4 i           
#i1aj--;,having made known unto us the  
mystery of his will--that in the        
dispensation of the fullness of times he
 might gather together in one all things
 in ,christ1 both which are in heaven   
and which are on earth1 even in him4    
,this mystery was then finished in the  

full revelation of his will to the      
doubting christians1 whom ,paul         
addresses in the context4 ,this is      
evident from ,rev4 x3#g--;,but in the   
days of the voice of the seventh angel  
when he shall begin to sound1 the       
mystery of ,god should be finished1 as  
he hath declared to his servants the    
prophets4 ,and that he began his reign  
when the mystery was finished is certain
 from ,rev4 xi4 #ae--;,and the seventh  
angel sounded2 and there were great     
voices in heaven saying the kingdoms of 
this world are become the kingdoms of   
our ,lord and his ,christ1 and he shall 
reign forever and ever4 ,here we        
perceive that this mystery of ,god's    
will was to be finished at the sound of 
the seventh or last trump1 which will   
is1 to gather or make alive all things  
in ,christ4 ,and at this time he was to 
receive his kingdom and reign forever   
and ever4 ,we shall not all sleep1 but  
we shall all be changed1 has reference  
to those persecuted christians1 who were

 not to taste of death till they saw the
 ,son of man coming in his kingdom4     
,phil4 iii3#bj1 #bl--,for our           
conversation is in heaven1 from whence  
we look for the ,saviour1 the ,lord     
,jesus ,christ2 who shall change our    
vile body1 that it may be fashioned like
 unto his glorious body according to the
 working whereby he is able even to     
subdue all things unto himself4 ,that   
this passage has reference to changing  
our natural into immortal bodies at the 
resurrection1 ,i see not a shadow of    
evidence to prove1 either in established
 in their final and blissful condition  
the passage itself1 nor in the context4 
,the context we have already noticed by 
pointing out the resurrection to which  
,paul desired to attain4 ,chap4         
i3#f--;,he1 that hath begun a good work 
in you1 will perform it until the day of
 ,jesus ,christ4 ,chap4 iv3#e--,let your
 moderation be known unto all men4 ,the 
,lord is at hand4 ,the day of ,jesus    
,christ and the ,lord is at hand refer  

to his coming at the end of the ,jewish 
age1 and not to a resurrection at the   
end of time4 ,paul gave the ,philippians
 notice of no other coming of ,christ4  
,the passage has reference to the change
 the living were to experience1 at this 
coming of our ,lord in his kingdom1 by  
being delivered from their persecutions1
 doubts and fears1 perfected in faith1  
and established unblamable in holiness  
before ,god1 so as to resemble in a     
moral and exalted sense those immortal  
beings in heaven who are here called the
 glorious body of ,christ4 ,the body to 
be changed embraces both ,jew and       
,gentile christians1 who were at that   
time to be raised from their lowly      
condition into his gospel kingdom and   
shine forth like the sun4 ,this is      
evident from the manner in which he     
commences3 ,for our conversation is in  
heaven1 from whence we look for the     
,saviour1 the ,lord ,jesus ,christ1 who 
shall change our lowly body that it     
maybe fashioned like unto his glorious  

body4 ,he contrasts the low and         
oppressed condition of the whole        
christian body with what will be their  
exalted condition at the coming of      
,christ1 and that exalted condition will
 assemble that glorified body of beings 
in heaven who died in his cause1 and    
with whom they had their conversation1  
and from whence they were expecting the 
,saviour4 ,it has reference1 ,i         
conceive1 to the body in which ,christ  
arose4 ,the church is the body of       
,christ1 and it is to be presented to   
himself a glorious body1 not having     
spot1 wrinkle1 or any such thing4 ,the  
,greek word tapeinos rendered vile1     
should be rendered lowly or humble4  ,it
 will be noticed1 by the reader1 that   
the word body is used in the singular   
number and not in the plural1 as some   
have quoted it in their writings4 ,but  
if it refer to individual forms1 it     
ought to be rendered in the plural--who 
shall change our vile bodies4 ,but it   
means the whole church or body of       

believers--a collective body of         
individuals4 ,in this sense the ,greek  
word1 soma1 here rendered body is       
frequently used in the ,new ,testament4 
,that the apostle does not refer to all 
mankind is evident from the fact1 that  
after the vile body is changed according
 to the working1 he adds--whereby he is 
able even to subdue all things unto     
himself--,that is1 able even to subdue  
all things as well as to change that    
body4 ,if the passage refer to an       
immortal and general resurrection1 or   
rather to the change of all the living  
into immortal beings1 then there would  
be none to subdue after that period4    
,but if we apply it to the coming of    
,christ in that generation1 and to the  
change of the whole christian body1 then
 all is plain and in perfect agreement  
with the preceding and succeeding       
context2 also with #a ,cor4 #aeth       
chapter1 and with the whole tenor of    
revelation1 which speaks of but one     
coming of our ,saviour in his kingdom1  

and which shows that the work of        
subjection commenced after the change of
 the living at the last trump1 whose    
sound announced the commencement of his 
reign4 ,the word kai1 rendered even1    
should probably have been rendered also4
 ,who shall change our lowly            
body--according to the working whereby  
he is able also to subdue all things to 
himself4 ,the whole context1 however1   
justifies the above exposition because  
the christians were looking for the     
coming of ,christ at the end of that    
age1 and exclaimed1 the ,lord is at     
hand4  ,to be continued4  ,,sermon      
,,xxiii  ,for as in ,adam all die1 even 
so in ,christ shall all be made alive4  
#a ,cor4 xv3#bj4  ,in our last we       
noticed the context1 and also taken into
 consideration the language of ,paul on 
the coming of ,christ and the change of 
the living in ,phil4 iii3#bj1 #ba4      
,this1 we have shown1 has no reference  
to the mortal bodies of men being       
changed to immortal bodies1 so as to    

resemble the personal form of ,jesus    
,christ4 ,if it refer to ,jesus1 still  
the resemblance would be moral1 not     
personal1 for no where do the scriptures
 teach1 that we are in our personal     
appearance to be like our ,saviour4 ,but
 in a moral sense1 we shall be like him1
 for we shall see him as he is4 ,i do   
not say1 that there will be no personal 
resemblance between immortal beings and 
,christ4 ,i fully believe there will be2
 but ,i mean that this personal         
resemblance is more a matter of course1 
than a doctrine of divine revelation4 ,i
 do not read of the glorious body of    
,jesus in his immortal resurrection     
state4 ,but the scriptures do compare   
the moral body of ,christians on earth  
with the glorified body of holy beings  
in heaven1 ,heb4 xii3#bb1 #bc--;,but ye 
are come unto mount ,zion1 and unto the 
city of the living ,god1 the heavenly   
,jerusalem1 and to an in-numerable      
company of angels to the general        
assembly and church of the first-born1  

which are written in heaven1 and to ,god
 the judge of all1 and to the spirits of
 just men made made perfect4 ,so far as 
the ,christians were established        
unblamable in holiness before ,god even 
our ,father at the coming of our ,lord  
,jesus ,christ with all his saints so   
far as they were elevated to shine as   
the brightness of the firmament and as  
the stars forever so far as their moral 
condition and enjoyments were improved  
and enlarged1 thus far1 of course1 the  
lowly body of the church on earth would 
be changed into a moral resemblance of  
that glorious body of ,christ1 who were 
praising him in heaven4 ,in heaven the  
,christians had their conversation1 from
 whence they were looking for the       
,saviour1 as shortly to come1 and       
fashion them into a moral resemblance of
 those saints above1 who had died in his
 cause1 and who were to come with him4  
,from the whole context1 the conclusion 
is irresistible that this change of the 
vile body was at the coming of the ,lord

 then at hand1 and not at the end of    
time1 as some imagine4  ,another        
scripture commonly applied to the       
general resurrection of the dead1 and a 
change of all the living is recorded in 
#a ,thess4 iv3#ae1 #af1 #ag--;,for this 
we say unto you by the word of the      
,lord1 that we which are alive and      
remain unto the coming of the ,lord     
shall not be before them that are       
asleep4 ,for the ,lord himself shall    
descend from heaven with a shout1 with  
the voice of the archangel and the trump
 of ,god2 and the dead in ,christ shall 
rise first4 ,then we which are alive and
 remain shall be caught up together with
 them in the clouds to meet the ,lord in
 air1 and so we shall be evermore with  
the ,lord4 ,that ,paul here refers to   
the coming of ,christ in his kingdom to 
establish his reign1 and to elevate the 
,christians who were alive at that      
period1 the preceding and succeeding    
contexts fully justify4 ,and so ,i must 
understand his language1 till some one  

can prove a third coming of ,christ1 and
 an eighth sounding trump at the end of 
time4 ,in the two preceding chapters1 he
 dwells largely upon the persecutions of
 the ,christians1 exhorts them to be    
faithful1 expresses his desire to       
perfect that which is lacking in their  
faith1 and concludes by saying--,to the 
end he may establish your hearts        
unblamable in holiness before ,god1 even
 our ,father1 at the coming of our ,lord
 ,jesus ,christ with all his saints4 ,no
 one will deny that this has reference  
to his coming at the end of the ,jewish 
age4 ,now would it not be doing         
injustice to this powerful and cogent   
reasoner to say1 that he suddenly drops 
this subject without giving his brethren
 any warning1 and runs off to the end of
 time1 speaks of another coming of'     
,christ at which he is to raise1 at the 
same instant1 all the dead and change   
the living to immortal beings8 ,and that
 he should again1 as suddenly1 drop this
 subject1 and hasten right back to the  

coming of ,christ at the destruction of 
,jerusalem8 ,to charge him with this is 
certainly ungenerous4  ,after stating   
that ,christ should descend with a      
shout1 with the voice of the archangel  
and the trump of ,god to exalt the dead 
and living1 he adds--,but of the times  
and seasons1 brethren1 ye have no need  
that ,i write for yourselves perfectly  
know that the day of the ,lord so cometh
 as a thief in the night4 ,for when they
 shall say peace and safety then sudden 
destruction cometh upon them1 and they  
shall not escape4 ,there is no resisting
 the conclusion1 that the day of the    
,lord in this passage refers to the same
 period when the ,lord himself shall    
descend from heaven in the passage      
above2 which must be at the destruction 
of ,jerusalem4 ,he quotes ,christ's own 
language1 ,matt4 xxiv3#dc4 ,see also #b 
,peter iii3#aj4 ,in both places1 the    
sudden coming of ,jesus is compared to a
 thief in the night4 ,but where is a    
general resurrection1 at the end of     

time1 clearly stated1 that he had no    
need to inform them of the times and    
seasons1 because they already perfectly 
knew8 ,where is sudden destruction to   
come upon any in that day8 ,for one1 ,i 
find no such revelation4  ,though the   
doctrine of immortal resurrection of all
 mankind was fully revealed1 and        
established in the world at the coming  
of ,christ in his kingdom2 yet that     
particular point is not argued by the   
apostle in the scripture on which we are
 commenting4 ,he is not speaking of all 
mankind1 nor of the immortal            
resurrection2 but as in ,phil4 iii3#bj1 
#ba1 so here he is speaking of the      
,christians only who should be alive    
when that scene burst and of those dead 
only who had died in the cause of       
,christ4 ,the dead in ,christ cannot    
possibly include those who died previous
 to his birth1 but those only who died  
in the faith of his doctrine previous to
 his coming in his kingdom4 ,we might   
reason this point at large1 but deem it 

unnecessary till some one proves how    
those1 who never heard of a ,saviour1   
could be said to die in ,christ1 or to  
be dead in him4 ,i would1 however1      
remark that the ,greek preposition en   
may be rendered1 on account of4 ,the    
phrase would then read thus--the dead on
 account of ,christ4 ,wakefield renders 
it thus--they who have died in the cause
 of ,christ4 ,that this is its true     
sense1 ,i have not a doubt4  ,let one   
thing here be distinctly noticed3 ,paul 
says--,for this we say unto you by the  
word of the ,lord1 that we which are    
alive and remain1 c4 ,now where has our 
,lord ever said1 when speaking of the   
immortal resurrection1 that some would  
be alive1 and be changed to immortal    
beings8 ,nowhere4 ,this single          
circumstance ought to make every man    
pause before he asserts such a change to
 be true4 ,read ,christ's language in   
all three of the ,evangelists where he  
addresses the ,sadducees2 and he speaks 
only of the dead being raised1 but not  

of any one being changed4 ,read his     
language1 ,john vi3#ci--;,and this is   
the ,father's will which hath sent me1  
that of all which he hath given me ,i   
should lose nothing1 but raise it up    
again at the last day4 ,nothing is here 
said about changing the living to       
immortal beings4 ,the ,father has given 
all into the hands of his ,son2 and if  
he is to raise them up at the last day1 
then all must die1 for the change of the
 living is not the resurrection of the  
dead4 ,how then could ,paul tell his    
brethren1 by the word of the ,lord1 that
 they were to be thus changed8 ,he could
 not because there is not a thus saith  
the ,lord to support it4 ,but ,paul had 
the word of the ,lord support the change
 in the living which we have pointed    
out4 ,christ said1 the righteous should 
go into life eternal1 they that endured 
unto the end should be saved that they  
should shine like the sun in the kingdom
 of their ,father1 and that they should 
be recompensed at the resurrection of   

the just4  ,but1 inquires the reader1   
were those who died in the cause of     
,christ raised immortal at his coming8  
,no1 they were not4 ,it simply means    
that they were in that day to receive   
their elevated stations of glory and and
 honor in the gospel kingdom1 so much   
so1 as if they had been alive4 ,the     
living ,christians1 in this respect1    
were not to be before them4 ,having     
suffered and died in the cause of       
,christ1 they were in the minds of the  
living to shine as the stars forever and
 ever in the kingdom of ,christ1 because
 they had turned many to righteousness4 
,the ,lord had1 as it were1 delayed his 
coming1 and many had given up faith in  
,christ's resurrection1 and were        
sorrowing without hope over their       
friends who had fallen asleep in his    
cause4 ,they of course had no faith in  
the immortal resurrection of their      
friends1 nor in the fulfillment of      
,christ's predicted coming to raise     
their names to unfading honor for having

 labored and died in his cause4 ,we are 
not to understand that those departed   
saints were literally exalted to        
elevated stations in ,christ's kingdom  
on earth1 any more than ,christ         
literally came4 ,but as ,jesus was in   
that day1 at the end of the ,jewish age1
 crowned with glory and honor1 as king  
on the mediatorial throne of the        
universe1 so were his apostles elevated 
on thrones of glory with him4 ,jesus    
says1 when the ,son of man shall sit on 
his throne of glory1 ye also shall also 
sit upon twelve thrones1 judging the    
twelve tribes of ,israel4  ,now certain 
it is1 that ,jesus did take his throne1 
when he came in his glory1 at the       
destruction of the temple4 ,then it is  
equally certain1 that the apostles and  
martyrs also took their's at the same   
period and in the same sense4 ,then     
,christ came and his holy angels and all
 the saints came with him2 not          
literally1 but in the same sense that he
 himself came4 ,luke ix3#bf1 #bg--;,for 

whosoever shall be ashamed of me and of 
my words1 of him shall the ,son of ,man 
be ashamed when he shall come in his own
 glory and of his ,father's and of the  
holy angels2 but ,i tell you of a truth 
there be some standing here which shall 
not taste death till they see the       
kingdom of ,god4 ,i ,thess4 iii3#ac--,to
 the end he may establish your hearts   
unblamable in holiness before ,god our  
,lord even our ,father1 at the coming of
 our ,lord ,jesus ,christ with all his  
saints4 ,here we perceive1 that he was  
to come with all his saints and holy    
angels4 ,by his holy angels1 we are to  
understand his gospel messengers or     
martyred apostles and by his saints1    
those who had died in his cause4 ,these 
are the persons who are said to be dead 
in ,christ1 and asleep in ,jesus4 ,by   
the words dead and asleep we are not to 
understand their present extinction of  
existence in contrast with their        
immortal resurrection1 but the supposed 
low and disgraceful cause in which they 

died1 or for which they were put to     
death by their persecutors1 as          
malefactors4 ,this disgraceful          
condition1 in which their murderers     
viewed them as unchangeably sleeping1   
stands in contrast with their triumphant
 exaltation at the coming of ,christ4   
,their enemies would then look upon them
 as having come forth from the dust of  
the earth and shining as the brightness 
of the firmament and as the stars       
forever and ever1 and not as sleeping in
 perpetual infamy and dishonor4 ,see    
,daniel xii #b1 #c1 and ,john v3#bh1    
#bi4 ,their enemies 7whether dead or    
alive7 were to come forth to shame1     
contempt1 and condemnation1 which stand 
in contrast with the glory and honor to 
which the ,christians 7whether dead or  
alive in ,christ7 were to be raised in  
the minds of the living even to         
succeeding generations4  ,let it be     
distinctly noticed that these dead in   
,christ are not said to be raised       
incorruptible and immortal1 but only    

caught up with the living ,christians in
 the clouds to meet the ,lord in the    
air--not literally1 but in the same     
sense that the living saw the ,son of   
man coming in the clouds of heaven1 so  
should they see his saints and holy     
angels raised from the slumber of       
infamy1 and1 together with the          
,christians who remained alive at that  
day1 be exalted with him in the air4    
,see ,matt4 xxiv3#cj1 #ca--,mark        
xiii3#bf1 #bg--,luke xxi3#bg1 #bh1 and  
,rev4 i3#g4 ,in these passages he is    
represented as coming in the clouds with
 his angels1 who gathered1 with a great 
sound of the trumpet1 his elect1 and    
raised them to honor in his kingdom4    
,and let me add--this is all the change 
,christ has ever said should take place 
in the living at the sound of the       
,trumpet4 ,i have no doubt that the     
,apostle had his eye upon the above     
words of our ,lord when he said1 we     
shall be caught up in the clouds to meet
 the ,lord in the air4 ,it will here be 

plainly seen in what sense those who had
 died in the cause of ,christ were first
 raised4 ,they are represented as coming
 with him at the destruction of the     
temple1 and after that event the whole  
body was exalted together4 ,the vile    
body of ,christians on earth 7vile      
indeed in the eyes of their enemies7 was
 then fashioned like unto his glorious  
body of saints and angels in heaven who 
had died in his cause4  ,that we have   
given a correct exposition of #a ,thess4
 iv3#ae1 #af1 #ag1 is evident from      
,paul's words #b ,tim4 iv3#g1 #h--;,i   
have fought the good fight1 ,i have     
finished my course1 ,i have kept the    
faith4 ,henceforth there is laid up for 
me a crown of righteousness1 which the  
,lord1 the righteous ,judge shall give  
me at that day1 c4 ,the phrase that day 
means not the day of ,paul's death1 but 
the day ,christ should appear in the    
clouds of heaven at the end of the      
,jewish age4 ,his crown was merited for 
having fought the good fight and kept   

the faith4 ,the crown means that exalted
 honor he should then receive for having
 turned many to righteousness4 ,and not 
only himself1 but all1 who love the     
appearing of ,christ1 should shine as   
the brightness of the firmament and as  
the stars forever and ever in his gospel
 kingdom among men4 ,we this day look   
upon the martyrs and apostles as the    
lights of the ,christian world and as   
occupying1 on the sacred page1 stations 
far more exalted than any ever conferred
 upon the greatest men of the universe4 
,they are made priests and kings to ,god
 for dying in his cause1 and thus       
establishing the truth of ,christianity4
  ,this was the first resurrection1 and 
these were the persons who had a part in
 it1 which no subsequent christians can 
ever can have4 ,rev4 xx3#f--;,blessed   
and holy is he that hath part in the    
first resurrection1 on such the second  
death hath no power1 but they shall be  
priests of ,god and of ,christ1 and     
shall reign with him a thousand years4  

,but if ,christ had not come in his     
kingdom at the end of the ,jewish age1  
as the prophets and himself had         
declared1 then the whole ,christian     
system must have fallen and the names of
 its martyrs and apostles remained      
buried in perpetual infamy as a set of  
deluded men and impostors4 ,but1 blessed
 be ,god1 it is not so4 ,they1 by their 
faithfulness1 have attained unto the    
first resurrection and thus broken the  
dark chains of infidelity into          
fragments4 ,this is the resurrection and
 change referred to in ,phil4 iii3#bj1  
#ba1 and #a ,thess4 iv3#ae1 #af1 #ag1 on
 which we have commented4  ,we have     
intentionally omitted till now ,phil4   
iii3#aa1 #ab1 as our ideas will be more 
readily comprehended here than in our   
introductory discourse1 where we simply 
adverted to these words of ,paul--,if by
 any means ,i might attain unto the     
resurrection of the dead--,not as though
 ,i had already attained either were    
already perfect1 c4 ,here we perceive   

that the resurrection unto which he     
desired to attain depended on his       
exertions in the cause of ,christ1 and  
being faithful unto the end4 ,he says   
7verse #ad7--;,i press towards the mark 
for the prize of the high calling of    
,god in ,christ ,jesus4 ,but what prize 
was this8 ,ans4 ,it was a part in the   
first resurrection to which he desired  
to attain 7verse #aa7 and he was not    
perfect1 he feared lest after having    
preached to others himself might be a   
cast-away4 ,he feared that he might not 
endure faithful unto the end4 ,he was   
well aware that the promise was--,be    
thou faithful unto death and ,i will    
give thee a crown of life4 ,to obtain   
this crown of life in the first         
resurrection1 was the highest prize1 the
 highest calling of ,god1 ever suspended
 upon human merits6 ,paul did continue  
faithful1 and as he was led to the      
thought of death1 with composure and    
satisfaction exclaimed--,for ,i am now  
ready to be offered2 and the time of my 

departure is at hand4 ,i have fought the
 good fight1 ,i have finished my course1
 ,i have kept the faith2 henceforth     
there is laid up for me a crown of      
righteousness1 which the ,lord the      
righteous ,judge shall give me at that  
day1 and not to me only1 but unto all   
them also1 that love his appearing4     
,here we perceive that ,paul had        
continued faithful1 and was entitled to 
the promised crown1 which was awarded to
 him1 and to all the dead in ,christ1   
who1 on account of their faithfulness1  
had a part in the first                 
resurrection--when he came in the clouds
 of heaven to establish his kingdom4 ,it
 has nothing to do with the immortal    
resurrection of the dead1 for that is   
not the reward of merit1 but the gift of
 ,god4 ,to that all shall attain who die
 in ,adam4 ,but in the first            
resurrection none had a part except     
those who died in the cause of ,christ1 
and the living who continued faithful to
 the day of his appearing4 ,on them and 

them only devolved the honor of         
establishing the truth of ,christianity 
for the happiness of future generations1
 by not only testifying that they had   
seen ,jesus alive from the dead1 but by 
cheerfully submitting to death1 and     
showing themselves miracles of suffering
 in his cause4 ,both the departed and   
those that remained alive1 attained to  
the first resurrection1 were glorified  
together1 and their crowns shall shine  
in the gospel heavens with undiminished 
splendor long after those of kings and  
tyrants shall be dimmed and lost in the 
vortex of revolutions4  ,he concludes   
the chapter by noticing the change of   
the vile body which we have explained4  
,here then is no evidence of a general  
resurrection1 nor of the end of time4   
,the context1 the silence of ,jesus     
about the change of the living into     
immortal beings1 and the whole tenor of 
revelation combine to set it at         
defiance4 ,of one thing ,i am satisfied2
 that no man ever has1 and ,i believe1  

no man ever can reconcile the change of 
the living and the resurrection of the  
dead recorded in ,philippians and #a    
,thessalonians with their respective    
contexts1 so as to prove a general and  
immortal resurrection at the end of     
time4 ,as ,i have traveled in an        
untrodden path1 ,i do not know but that 
,i may have erred in some minor points1 
but am satisfied that my general        
positions are sound and tenable4  ,to be
 continued4  ,,sermon ,,xxiv  ,for as in
 ,adam all die1 even so in ,christ shall
 all be made alive4 #a ,cor4 xv3#bj4    
,we have now come to that point in our  
subject where it will be necessary to   
cite a few passages to prove that the   
immortal resurrection is successive1 not
 general1 and will conclude by          
considering some of the principal texts1
 which may be urged as objections4  ,we 
have already shown that the resurrection
 of the dead was to be at the sound of  
the last trump4 ,and as that trump      
commenced sounding at the end of the    

,jewish age1 when ,christ came in his   
kingdom1 ,i deem it sufficient to       
establish the fact that the dead are    
continually rising in this last1 this   
gospel day4 ,but the question presents  
itself-- were any of the human family   
raised immortal before that period8 ,to 
this question ,i give an affirmative    
answer4 ,i firmly believe1 that the dead
 have been rising immortal from ,adam to
 the present day1 for ,god has never    
changed the established order of the    
universe4 ,i believe that the dead are  
raised without any miracle1 in the      
common acceptance of that term1 as much 
as ,i believe that we are born1 and die1
 not by a miracle1 but according to that
 constitution of things which ,god has  
immutably established from the          
beginning4 ,i believe this doctrine of  
,christ to be founded upon the          
unchanging principles of philosophy but 
so mysterious1 that man in his present  
existence cannot comprehend the subtle  
causes and effects by which he shall put

 on immortality4 ,it was1 therefore1    
necessary that this sublime truth should
 be established in the world by the     
miracles ,jesus wrought and by the      
miraculous power of ,god in raising him 
from death4 ,the first man ,adam was    
made by a miracle1 while his posterity  
are naturally born into life1 according 
to that constitution of things which    
,god has established4 ,so ,christ1 the  
second ,adam1 was born from the dead by 
a miracle1 while mankind from the       
beginning1 have1 in succession1 been    
born from the dead according to that    
constitution of things which he has     
established4  ,on this principle1 it may
 be stated as an objection1 that as none
 of ,adam's posterity could be born till
 their parent was created by a miracle1 
so none of the human family could be    
born from the dead1 till ,christ the    
second ,adam were raised immortal by the
 miraculous power of ,god4 ,this        
objection is futile unless it can be    
proved that ,christ creates life and    

immortality4 ,in fact1 it would even    
then fail2-- because ,christ1 as our    
sacrifice1 was slain from the foundation
 of the world in the offerings made to  
,god in his stead4 ,the atonement1 made 
by the high priest throughout the whole 
,mosaic dispensation1 concluded by      
raising the ,jewish nation in figure on 
his breast-plate of judgment into the   
holy of holies1 which was a pattern of  
things in the heavens4 ,the atonement   
always involved the resurrection4 ,the  
judgment of the ,jews1 for two thousand 
years1 by ,moses only pointed out the   
resurrection of man in figure1 but      
,christ proved the reality by a tangible
 fact1 and thus revealed it to the      
living as the doctrine of ,god of which 
the world had been ignorant4 ,so what   
the judgment of the world by ,moses     
taught in figure1 the judgment of the   
world by ,christ teaches in reality4 ,my
 limits will not allow me to argue this 
point at large4 ,i have already         
remarked1 that ,i believe the judgment  

of the world expresses the whole reign  
of ,christ including the resurrection4  
,we now proceed to notice the           
,scriptures4 ,matt4 xxii4 #ca1 #cb4     
,but as touching the resurrection of the
 dead1 have ye not read that which was  
spoken unto you by ,god1 saying1 ,i am  
the ,god of ,abraham1 the ,god of ,isaac
 and the ,god of ,jacob8 ,god is not the
 ,god of the dead1 but of the living4   
,to this ,luke adds1 for all live unto  
him4 ,in order to make these words of   
,jesus refer to a general resurrection  
at the end of time1 all writers have    
availed themselves of this last clause  
in ,luke 7on which ,matthew and ,mark   
are silent7 and contend that it         
means--all live unto ,god who in his    
counsels views the future resurrection  
as present4 ,but this exposition by no  
means satisfies my mind4 ,if ,abraham1  
,issac and ,jacob are not raised--if    
they are yet wrapped in the             
insensibility of death1 then ,god during
 that period is not their ,god4  ,to    

illustrate this1 we would remark1 that  
,jehovah could not be ,creator till     
something were created by him4 ,he could
 not be ,father till he had an          
offspring4 ,he could not be ,lord till  
he possessed property2-- neither could  
he be ,god till there were a worshipper4
 ,jehovah is the only abstract name he  
could possess1 were he solitary and     
without a universe4 ,all the other names
 ascribed to him are relative4 ,the name
 ,god as much pre-supposes the actual   
existence of a worshipper as that of    
father does the actual existence of a   
child4 ,remove the child1 and the once  
doating parent is no longer to him a    
father4 ,god is not1 therefore1 the ,god
 of the dead1 for as such1 they could   
not worship him4 ,he is1 however1 ,lord 
of both the dead and the living claiming
 them as his property4 ,abraham1 ,issac 
and ,jacob were therefore alive1 and    
worshipping him when those words were   
spoken to ,moses1 for in no other sense 
could he have been their ,god any more  

than he was before they were born4 ,the 
phrase for all live unto him1 may1 in   
this instance1 embrace only the three   
patriarchs1 as no others are involved in
 the quotation4 ,the ,sadducees believed
 in the writings of ,moses only1 and it 
is not at all probable1 that ,jesus     
referred to any persons1 not mentioned  
by ,moses1 as it would have been no     
proof to the ,sadducees4 ,his argument  
is1 to prove that the three patriarchs1 
are raised according to their own       
writings1 not shall be raised4 ,now that
 the dead are raised ,moses showed at   
the bush when he called ,god the ,god of
 ,abraham1 ,isaac and ,jacob4 ,here we  
perceive that the dead refers to the    
three persons whom ,moses showed were   
raised4 ,he then adds--for he is not the
 ,god of the dead but of the living1 for
 all live unto him--that is1 the three  
patriarchs all live to him4 ,if the     
phrase embrace any others1 it must be   
the living in eternity1 not the living  
in the flesh nor the dead as such4 ,it  

would make ,jesus contradict himself in 
the same breath4 ,he is not the ,god of 
the dead1 but of the living2 for all    
live unto him4 ,to whom does this all   
refer8 ,to the living2 not the dead1 for
 in that case he would be the ,god of   
the dead4  ,luke ix4 #cj4 ,and behold   
there talked with him two men1 which    
were ,moses and ,elias4 ,the            
transfiguration of our ,lord is recorded
 also by both ,matthew and ,mark1 and it
 is plainly stated that the disciples   
saw his glory and the two men that stood
 with him4 ,if ,moses and ,elias were   
dead1 their bodies crumbled to dust1 and
 their minds in a state of              
insensibility1 then they were not ,moses
 and ,elias who talked with him4 ,even  
if ,god had represented those two       
persons by other forms1 they could no   
more have been ,moses and ,elias than   
,adam and ,noah4 ,it is consciousness   
and memory which constitute personal    
identity2 and if a conversation was     
carried on with ,jesus by any means that

 human ingenuity can invent1 while      
,moses and ,elias were wrapped in as    
profound insensibility as the dust with 
which their bodies mingled1 then it     
could not have been ,moses and ,elias   
who conversed with ,jesus any more than 
if they had never had an existence4     
,perhaps it may be said that1 as it is  
called a vision by ,matthew1 it might   
have been nothing real4 ,but as the word
 horama means a sight as well as vision1
 and as the other ,evangelists do       
represent it as an actual appearance and
 nothing visionary1 it is to be taken in
 this sense4 ,was it not a reality that 
the three disciples saw ,jesus          
transfigured1 and though in that        
condition was it not still their        
identical ,lord8 ,certainly4 ,then the  
vision was so far real1 and ,i see no   
ground on which the other personages can
 be considered phantoms4 ,mark says1 he 
charged them that they should tell no   
man what things they had seen1 c4 ,see  
also ,luke ix4 #cf4 ,here it is made    

certain that it was not an appearance in
 a dream1 but a real and visible sight  
of three persons whose names are given4 
,consequently ,moses and ,elias were    
there as certain as was ,jesus ,christ4 
,if so1 they must have been raised from 
the dead1 for man can have no conscious 
existence hereafter in a disembodied    
state4 ,the scriptures teach that the   
resurrection is our only hope of a      
future conscious state of being4 ,as to 
the translation of ,elijah we shall not 
here notice it4  ,phil4 i4 #bc1 #bd4    
,for ,i am in a strait betwixt two1     
having a desire to depart and be with   
,christ which is far better2            
nevertheless to abide in the flesh is   
more needful for you4 ,to depart and be 
with ,christ must1 ,i conceive1 mean in 
the resurrection world1 for in no other 
sense could he be with ,christ so as to 
render his condition far better4        
,nothing can be good or bad for a man in
 a state of perfect insensibility1 any  
more than for a man unborn--,neither    

could he be with ,christ in such a      
,state1 any more than before he existed4
 ,between the condition of a man in     
non-existence pardon the expression and 
in life1 no comparison as to enjoyment  
or suffering can possibly be drawn4 ,the
 apostle therefore draws a comparison   
between his present condition of        
conscious existence with his brethren1  
and his future condition of conscious   
existence with ,christ which was far    
better4  ,that ,paul has reference1 in  
the above1 to an immortal existence in  
the resurrection1 is evident from #b    
,cor4 v4 #a1 #b1 #c1 #d4  ,for we know  
that if our earthly house of this       
tabernacle were dissolved1 we have a    
building of ,god1 a house not made with 
hands eternal in the heavens4 ,for in   
this we groan1 earnestly desiring to be 
clothed upon with our house which is    
from heaven4 ,if so be that being       
clothed we shall not be found naked4    
,for we that are in this tabernacle do  
groan1 being burdened1 not for that we  

would be unclothed1 but clothed upon1   
that mortality might be swallowed up of 
life4  ,if the above do not prove that  
the apostle expected to be clothed upon 
with his house from heaven shortly after
 his earthly tabernacle were dissolved1 
then ,i must acknowledge my ignorance of
 his meaning4 ,he desires not to be     
unclothed so as to be found naked at the
 coming of ,christ4 ,by this ,i         
understand that between death and the   
resurrection there is a state of        
insensibility of several days duration1 
while the spiritual body is putting on1 
and if he died so near the coming of    
,christ1 that the process was not       
completed1 and mortality not swallowed  
up of life1 he would be found naked1    
i4e4 ,in the state of the dead4 ,he     
therefore expresses no desire to be     
found unclothed at that period but      
clothed upon and present with ,christ4  
,this is evident from verses #f1 and #g4
  ,therefore we are always confident1   
knowing that whilst we are at home in   

the body we are absent from the ,lord4  
,we are confident1 ,i say1 and willing  
rather to be absent from the body and   
present with the ,lord4  ,while in the  
body1 though they had many consolations 
in the faith of ,christ1 though he was  
with them always even unto the end of   
the age1 though to live was ,christ1 yet
 this condition he terms being absent   
from the ,lord in comparison to being   
present with him1 which cannot mean in  
the unclothed state of insensibility1   
but where mortality is swallowed up of  
life4  ,let it be distinctly noticed1   
that the apostle is speaking of three   
states--  #ast4 as being in this earthly
 house or body where they were absent   
from the ,lord--  #bnd4 as being        
unclothed and found naked at his coming 
for which they had no desire--  #crd4   
,as being absent from the body and      
present with the ,lord where they should
 be clothed upon with their house from  
heaven that mortality might be swallowed
 up of life1 for which they had a       

desire4  ,verse #i4 ,wherefore we labor 
that whether present or absent we may be
 accepted of him4 ,here we perceive that
 they did not labor to obtain entrance  
into his presence1 because the immortal 
resurrection is the gift of ,god4 ,but  
they labored1 whether alive on earth or 
immortal in heaven1 that they might be  
accepted among those1 who were worthy to
 obtain a crown of righteousness in the 
first resurrection for having continued 
faithful unto the end--that they might  
be worthy to form a part of that        
glorious body of witnesses in heaven who
 were slain for the testimony of ,jesus4
 ,and the body of christians on earth1  
who continued faithful to the coming of 
,christ1 were to be fashioned like those
 above1 and receive the same exalted    
honor in his gospel kingdom1 and the    
whole compose one bright body of        
infallible witnesses1 whose testimony   
can never be shaken by all the powers   
infidelity4 ,to depart and be with      
,christ which is far better must mean in

 an immortal existence4  ,we cannot1 for
 want of room1 argue this part of our   
subject at large2 --but the above is in 
perfect agreement with the philosophy of
 ,st4 ,paul1 7#a ,cor4 #ae17 where he   
compares the raising of the spiritual   
body to a grain of wheat sown in the    
earth4 ,i would not be understood to say
 that this natural body of flesh and    
blood is ever to rise4 ,no one1 ,i      
presume1 will contend that infants1     
youth and decrepid age1 and those who   
are born deformed will be raised in that
 condition and all retain their various 
complexions4 ,i believe1 however1 that  
there are those subtle materials in the 
natural body which1 when extricated from
 the earthly tenement1 and completely   
developed1 shall produce the immortal   
being2 and that these are as perfect in 
the infant as in the man4  ,we will now 
conclude by anticipating and answering  
one or two principal objections4 ,it may
 be objected that1 if any one arose     
immortal before ,christ1 he could not   

have been the first-born from the dead  
as stated in ,col4 i4 #ah4 ,this does   
not mean first in the order of time1 but
 in rank4 ,it means principal1 and is   
explained by the connecting phrase--that
 in all things he might have the        
pre-eminence4 ,it is more particularly  
explained in ,rev4 i4 #e4 ,jesus ,christ
 the faithful witness and the           
first-begotten of the dead and the      
,prince of the kings of the earth4 ,in  
connexion with this1 we will introduce  
#a ,cor4 xv4 #bj4 ,but now is ,christ   
risen from the dead and become          
first-fruits of them that slept4 ,this  
also has reference to rank and not to   
first in the order of time4 ,in evidence
 of this1 we will quote ,cruden1--,the  
day after the feast of the ,passover1   
they brought a sheaf into the temple the
 first-fruits of the barley-harvest4    
,the sheaf was threshed in the court1   
and of the grain that came out they took
 a full homer2 i4e4 ,about three pints4 
,after it had been well winnowed1       

parched and bruised1 they sprinkled over
 it a log of oil2 i4e4 ,near a pint4    
,they added to it a handful of incense2 
and the priest that received this       
offering shook it before the ,lord      
towards the four quarters of the world2 
he cast part of it upon the altar and   
the rest was his own4 ,after this every 
one might begin their harvest4 ,this was
 offered in the name of the whole       
nation1 and by this the harvest was     
sanctified unto them4  ,here let the    
question be asked--,was this sheaf      
called the first-fruits because it was  
ripe before the whole harvest8 ,no2 it  
was not cut till the harvest was ripe4  
,was it called first because the harvest
 would be second in following it to the 
temple to be presented to ,god1 by the  
priest1 in the presence of the people8  
,no2 it was not to be carried to the    
temple1 nor would the priest or the     
people ever see the whole harvest thus  
dedicated to ,god4 ,but it was called   
the first of the ripe fruits1 because it

 was offered to ,god in the presence of 
the people as an evidence of the        
consecration of the whole harvest       
throughout the nation4 ,it was first in 
distinction1 or importance without any  
allusion whatever to first in the order 
of time4  ,so ,christ was the chosen of 
,god1 the elect precious1 and the ,son  
consecrated forevermore4 ,he was the    
chief among ten thousand and proved to  
be the ,son of ,god with power by a     
resurrection from the dead without      
seeing corruption4 ,in this condition he
 was presented to the people as an      
evidence of the resurrection and        
consecration of all mankind4 ,in this he
 was first and last--that is1 the       
principal1 the chief1 the head1 and in  
this he never has had1 and never will   
have a second in the order of time4     
,this is no evidence therefore that he  
was the first one who ever rose to an   
immortal existence4 ,we have positive   
proof that ,moses and ,elias were raised
 from the dead1 an in a state of        

conscious existence for they conversed  
with our ,lord in the presence of three 
of his disciples4 ,they appeared in     
glory1 and were two as real personages  
on the one part1 as was our ,saviour on 
the other4  ,acts xxvi4 #bc4 ,that      
,christ should suffer1 and that he      
should be the first that should rise    
from the dead1 and should shew light to 
the people and to the ,gentiles4 ,this  
passage contains1 perhaps1 as plausible 
an objection against my views as any    
that can be produced4 ,but this passage 
means1 that ,christ should be the first 
who should show light to the ,jews and  
,gentiles through a resurrection from   
the dead4 ,the ,greek word1 here        
rendered should rise1 is anastaseos from
 anastasis4 ,it is a substantive1 not a 
verb4 ,professor ,leusden1 in his ,latin
 ,testament1 renders it ex resurrectione
 mortuorum--by a resurrection from the  
dead4 ,the verb1 to raise1 is egeiro1   
and is six times applied to the raising 
of ,christ from the dead in #a ,cor xv4 

,anistemi also means to rise and is     
applied to raising the dead to life4    
,but neither--anistemi nor egeiro are   
used in the verse1 but                  
anastaseos--,consequently it cannot     
literally be rendered should rise1 but  
resurrection4 ,wakefield translates it  
thus--,that ,christ would suffer death  
and would be the first to proclaim      
salvation to this people and the        
,gentiles by a resurrection from the    
dead4 ,this is evidently the real sense 
of the passage1 and ,i shall offer upon 
it no further comment4