LIBRARY OF THE THEOLOGICAL SEMINARY PRINCETON, N.J. The George J. Finney Collection of Shaker Literature Given in Memory of His Uncle The Rev. John Clark Finney Class of 1907 are. ks j# £777 j i me TESTIMONY OP CHRIST'S SECOND APPEARING ; CONTAINING A GENERAL STATEMENT OF ALL THINGS PERTAINING TO THE FAITH AND PRACTICE OF THE CHURCH OF GOD IN THIS LATTER DAY. PUBLISHED BY ORDER OF THE MINISTRY, IN UNION WITH THE CHURCH. M And the Lord came down to sec the city and the tower, which the children of men budded." Moses. ******* But, " Now is come salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of his Christ." Revelation. THIRD EDITION, CORRECTED AND IMPROVED UNION VILLAGE, (Ohio.) «« FISHER AND A. BURNETT, PRINTERS. TEEST TO THE READER. ' IN order to give the Reader some idea of what may be expected from this thirft edition of the Testimony of Christ's Second Appearing, it may be proper to say" something about the former editions, the first of which was printed at Lebanon,, Ohio, in the year 1808. Considering the disadvantages attending the execution of so copious a work, in so new a country, the first edition was well accepted, as containing the sum and sub.stance of all that pertained to the faith and practice of the Church, answerable to the common capacities of all believers, and well adapted to the information oi mankind in general. A number of copies were bound and circulated; but through the inattention of the book-binder, a great part remained in the sheets, for several years, till finally, one whole sheet was missing; and with this deficiency, the books bad to be finished by another hand. This, together with the various stratagems of the enemies of the cross of Christ to prevent the circulation of the books, ren- dered the first edition quite deficient in answering the demand of the public, or even affording the Believers a competent supply. The year following, (1809) preparation was made, by the parent society, at New- Lebanon, state of New-York, for a second edition: accordingly, a copy was forwarded to brother Seth Y. Wells, as principal editor, with suitable corrections and improvements, by the authors, the substance of which is pointed out, in the following extract from the Advertisement to the Second Edition " The work 'hath been carefully reviewed, and where any words or sentences were discover- ' ed that appeared not to convey a clear understanding of the sense, — they have • either been struck out, or others added, in order to render the sense more plain • to the understanding of common capacities. Some verses, not essentially con- • nected with the main subject, have been placed in the form of Notes at the bot-- 'torn of the pages; a few of less importance have been excluded, and a number 4 of new notes added. Some of the long chapters, for the sake of convenience, "4 have been divided: this improvement, together with some amendments in the ' division of the verses, hath occasioned a variation from the first copy, in the nuni- 1 bers of many of the chapters and of the verses in general; but the true sense of 4 the original is preserved entire. This is to notify the reader that this Second • edition is corrected and improved by the authors. Lone near Lebanon, in the '•' Miami country, and state of Ohio, 29th of Nov. 1809" Accordingly, the ensuing year (1810) the second edition was printed in the city of Albany, and the work completed, in a manner well deserving the title of' Se~ cond edition, Corrected and Improved:' But as only between two and three thou- sand copies were struck, it was but a short time till the necessity of another edi- tion was felt, which, however, hath been postponed till the present period. Such was the correctness of the second edition, that it was contemplated to copy it, in the present work, entire; but considering, that the work was originally adapted to the infant state of believers, a9 well as to the state of a dark world, and had, as yet, been improved only in proportion as light had increased; and that the present edition might be the last, under the special oversight of the principal and primary author; from* these considerations a variety of Lttle improvement*, have resulted, which are chiefly summed up in the following particulars: 1. In all qujtations from the Holy Scriptures, those words that have been sup* plied by the translators are put in Italic ; and in some cases, the marginal reading; ep some other, founded an $pod authority, is preferred.. TO THE READER. II. In the construction of both words and sentences, the present edition".- . .•jderablj improved, having adopted as the standard of orthography, that which < rally acknowledged to be the most perfect of any book extant in the Eng- I.Ui language, that is, the Bible. This we base strictly followed in our own dio tion, leaving quotations from authors, anal ten d. As we esteem the Bible superior to all other books, in purity of language as well as ideas, we have practically u< d it as such, altho' son:e of its terminations of verbs, and some personal pronouns may not sound quite so agreeable to some readers, of modern taste. III. In the division of the parts, the chapters, and the versos, the second edition bath been punctually followed, altho' in a few instances, the matter hath been » little transposed, and a few sentence! added; and where explanation appeared ne* cessary it ia put into the margin or in a note at the bottom of the page; and where the division of chapters had left some without appropriate titles, this lack hath been supplied. IV. As every degree of truth, in its first opening hath been necessarily vailed under some degree of obscurity, so it is readily admitted that some things in the Testimony have appeared rather ambiguous, which the sensible reader may expect in the present edition to be treated with more plainness of speech: However, the variations in this respect are so small that we deem it unnecessary here to point to particulars, but refer the reader to a little Index at the close, to point to the most ftnportant of such improvements. Seeing the work never was intended as a standard;of orthodoxy, to bind the faith or conscience of any, we have simply improved the common privilege of cor- recting and improving it, according to the faith and travel of the church; leaving; the door still open for a further increase. Note. The New-Testament writings contain an authentic account of facts, rel*> ling to the first appearing of Christ, given by living witnesses, who saw the exact fulfilment of the law and the prophets in the First FATHER of all the regenerate, and who, moreover, were inspired to prophesy how that work would terminate, and :n what manner it would be raised up again at the last day. Conformably to which, The Testimony of Christ's Second Appearing, published in the year 1808, coutain- eth as authentic an account of facts relating to the Second Appearing of the same Anointed Saviour, given by living witnesses who saw the exact accomplishment o£ the New-Testament prophesies in the First MOTHER, and who were eye-witnesses and joint-partaker3 of that resurrection-power of God by which the everlasting kingdom of righteousness and peace hath bten founded and established on earth; opening, aliedging and proving, that the present is the last display of God'9 graO» to a lost world. PREFACE. 11/1" ANY have undertaken to write and publish concerning- thes JLTJL principles and practice of a people, who, in derision, are called SHAKERS, and either through ignorance, or prejudice,- have misrepresented both: so that no true information, from this quarter, could be obtained by those who desired it: hence many have become solicitous of having, from the people themselves, a correct statement of their faith. It is, therefore, in answer to the long-repeated requests of the unprejudiced arsd candid part of mankind, that the following sheets have been prepared for th'e press. The greatest part that hath been published abroad in the world, by common fame, or through such preachers or writers as were either unacquainted with the people, or actuated by a spirit of prejudice, is too ridiculous, absurd, and contradictory, to merit the least attention; nor hath any thing, hitherto, been published that meeteth our approbation, except a small pamphlet, entitled, A concise statement of the principles of the only true Church, writ- ten to a deaf man, by particular request, and printed at Benning- ton, Vermont, in the year 1790; and a pamphlet published last year, under the title of The Kentucky Revival. Some things, however, have been published from a spirit of de- traction and slander, which are not altogether unworthy of notice, inasmuch as they have some appearance of authority, and claim for their foundation, certain well known facts, from which, undue advantage hath been taken, not only of stating facts in an imper- fect light, but also of adding the most groundless falsities. This remark will justly apply to an anonymous publication, printed in Danville, (Kentucky) 1805, said to be taken from the Theological Magazine. A specimen of this garbling writer is> thnt, "The first founder of this wild sect was one Jane Lees: "she lived in the town of Manchester, in England; was of low "parentage, and procured her living at the expense of her chas- "tity. She sustained the character of a woman of ill fame in a England, which character she supported in America until her "death.-' That God did make use of a woman to open the present Testis B2 vi PREFAt! mony of Christ, is a fact; and also that she lived in the town oi Manchester, in England, and was of low parentage: But the wri- ter unhappily mistook hoth her name and character, which may have given occasion to a thousand other mistakes, or palpable falsehoods, concerning the people. The woman whose character he hath attempted to slander, we can confidently say, upon good evidence, was a chosen vessel, or- dained of God, to convey the knowledge of his will to a lost world; and for no other cause than the purity of her life, and the pierc ing truth of the testimony w hich she bore against the hidden abo- minations of the wicked, was her chastity called in question, and all manner of evil spoken against her falsely. And her sustaining the character of " a woman of ill fame,r in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation, was one very stri- ding evidence that she was not of the world, for the world loveth its own: and in this it is very evident that she bore the more stri- king relation to the Son of God, who, as to outward appearance, was so particularly noticed for the meanness of his parentage and character; and who was well known to have been a person of ill fame, in Judea, among the Scribes and Pharisees, until he wa.* puhlicly executed as a malefactor, between two thieves. But there is, still, a more striking analogy between this anony mous libel, and the character of the Virgin Mary, given by Cel sus, the Epicurean, namely: "That the mother of Jesus, being "great with child, was put away by the carpenter, who had es- ** poused her, he having convicted her of adultery with a soldier "named Pantheras." (See Part HI. Chap. IV. v. 19.) Long experience and observation, however, have afforded suffi- cient evidence, that the most eminently virtuous and useful char- acters on earth, have been the most scandalized and traduced by the tongue of common fame; insomuch that men of prudence and candour, in many cases, are able to see through the deception and reasonably expect the best where the worst is said. Probably no work of God, in any dispensation, hath been more misrepresented than the present, nor any people more wrongly reported; yet it is no unpleasing reflection to us, that from the beginning of the work to the present day, we have never publish- ed any reply to any of those reports, (however evil and false we PREFACE. vif knew them to be) either in defence of our character, or the caus*. we have espoused; but have peaceably passed on without regard fag them any more than if they had not been; and that for the~ following reasons. First: Because the testimony which we gladly received, point ecr out to us a very strait and narrow way of selfdenial, and mor- tification to all that natural men call good and great; and opened to us that hidden treasure which we esteemed so far beyond an/ thing we possessed, or wished to possess on earth, that we were cheerfully willing to sacrifice our character and our all to obtain it; so that the world could take nothing from us that we were un- willing to part with for Christ's sake and the gospel's. Therefore, whatever evil was reported, being conscious of our innocence, it only served to increase our consolation in Christ, and afforded an increasing evidence to the candid and judicious, that we were following the despised footsteps of him who said, "Bles- sed are ye when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely for my sake." Secondly: With regard to the defence of the cause in which we were engaged: We had long been weary of those human creeds and confessions, and subtle arguments, written in defence •f divided and sub-divided parties, which, for many ages, had perplexed the human race, and in the end, left their abettors (and us with the rest) totally destitute of the real power of salvation from all sin. When, therefore, we were called by the gospel, and received that anointing power which bringeth salvation, we were led and influenced by the spirit of the work, (and found it to be a point of wisdom) first to prove the faith we had received, for ourselves^ and to manifest it by our works, as the greatest confirmation, both to ourselves and others, that the work was verily of God, before we could feel justified in giving that full and perfect information Which the weight and importance of the subject demanded.— For, until it was sufficiently proved, that the gospel which we re- ceived, was, in its own nature, productive of the works and fruit6 of righteousness, justice, mercy and peace, and that it was plant- ed by the finger of God, and nourished and supported by his wis- dom and power, separate from, and wholly independent of all h«- vui PREFACE. man laws, and creeds of men, we never could with a just conn dence and propriety say, Thus hath God wrought. The Thikd, and most weighty reason why we have never made any reply to those clamorous reports, and given a public state ment of our faith and practice, was, that we could not have done it without acting contrary to the order of God in every riirpn— n tion of his grace. It was the gift of God to Moses, long after the flood, to record the lives and transactions of the Patriarchs; and the character and works of the servants of God, always remained to be published by their successors, or those who enjoyed the fruits of their labours: for no testament is of force while the testator liveth. Christ Jesus, while engaged in the work of his ministry, strict- ly charged his disciples to tell no man that he was the Chnst And many things were said and done, which were known only to his disciples, and kept closely concealed from the vain specula- tions of the world. He well knew the inveterate malice of his enemies, who were continually watching for something whereby they might coulemn him; and even until the last, they accused and condemned him as a blasphemer, and worthy of death, for the least intimation that he was sent of God, although his works plainty declared it. It is also evident that the testimony of the apostles was verbal for many years, and nothing was written for the information of those who were unacquainted with the work of Christ, or at a distance from where the first scene was transacted, until the work of that day was fully established: and even then, their writings and sayings were far from being common, but were kept close, and spread no farther than the operation of the Spirit of God had prepared the way for them to be received by faith. Therefore it need not seem strange, if the circumstances preceding the pub- lic opening of Christ's second appearing, should be similar to those of his first appearing. The Second Appearing of Christ, commonly called the Mil- lennium, or Latter Day of Glory, hath ever been considered as a period of the greatest importance to mankind universally, inasmuch as all the prophesies of the holy scriptures were then to have their certain accomplishment; every threatening of God Preface, is lb be fully executed upon the ungodly and sinners, in the final overthrow of their unjust and oppressive governments, their false and pernicious superstitions, and all their unrighteous works. On the other hand, all the promises of God to his people, were then- to be fulfilled, in their final redemption from all the sorrowful ef- fects of the fall; in building them up in holiness, righteousness" and everlasting peace. and true felicity; and enriching them with all the fulness of temporal and eternal goodness. But it never was intended, nor could it be expected, upon an£ principle of reason or truth, that all those things should be acconi- plished at once; but according to the usual manner of God's work* i-ng, they must gradually proceed from small beginnings, and con- tinue to operate, in a progressive manner, from one degree to an- other, as a small seed planted in its proper season, springeth up, and groweth into a tree. The beginning of this great event we have stated, according to the degree and measure of what hath already taken place. And although it may appear to some as a day of small things, we are, nevertheless, persuaded, beyond a doubt, that the same who hath begun the good work, will carry it on until the whole be accomplished. It is reasonable to suppose that mankind, so long imposed upo$ by false systems, said to be of divine authority, must be very cau* tious, at this day, of receiving any thing that beareth such an ap- pearance. And therefore, through the tenderness and mercy of God, the truth and revelation of Christ is opened answerable t.o the weak and prejudiced state of the world, for the edification of the candid, and not for their destruction. And as it is the most special call of God to all who are seeking for eternal life, to free themselves from those pernicious supersti^ tions, and false doctrines of Antichrist, in order to their receiving the everlasting gospel of Christ's kingdom, therefore it is, that so great a part of the following pages is taken up in exposing the works of Antichrist, during his dark and deplorable reign of twelve hundred and sixty years, in order that souls, who are groaning under bondage, may discover the cause and be released. And truly, when the whole depth of that antichristian delusion is exposed, that saying will be fully verified: "And they that dwell gn the earth shall wonder, when Uaey behold the beast that was, and is not. and yet ip." 2 PREFAI K. Tl)is subject might have been comprised in much less room than it now occupieih, were it not that mankind have be. long deceived and led astray by a false influence, instead of being gui led try the light of truth. A particular account of the transac- tions of Antichrist, during his reign, must be sought for in the his- tory of those, who, sometime after the days of Christ and hifl apostles, took the dominion in the affair* of the Church, and es- tablished a false religion, under the pretence of being their suc- cessors. Therefore, in order fully to expose the dark reign of that power, which hath so long triumphed in disguise under the sacred name of Jesus Christ, it appeared necessary to make large extracts, from some of the most noted ecclesiastical writers, that when facts are established by the testimony of these writer?, in their own words, they need not be disputed. In treating on this dark period, we have extracted some of the most interesting facts from Mosheim's Ecclesiastical History, Robinson's Ecclesiastical Researches, and from The Works of Lakdner. And on various occasions, we have used quotations from Newton, Robertson, Edwards, Boston, Sewell, Wesley, and others.* Most of the historical writers whom we have quoted, are well known, and highly esteemed; nor have we any know- ledge that their veracity was ever called in question by the learned. The work which God purposed to do in the latter days, was not to be according to the systems of human invention known and Understood among men; but was to be a strange work; and the act which he intended to bring to pass was to be a strange act, even a marvellous work and a wonder. Neither was Christ to come in order to establish any of those systems of man's building that should be found on earth at his appearing; but in the pio- * The largest extracts are made from the three first mentioned writers, whose works are supported from the best authorities of ancient and modern history. John Lawrence Mosheim was a Lutheran priest, and Chancllor of the University of Gottingen, in Germany, the seat of the Reformation. His Ecclesiastical History was translated from the original Latin by Archibald Maclaiue, D D The extract! are from the Philadelphia Edition, printed in 1797, in six octavo \olu; from Robinson's Ecclesiastical Researches, are from a European Edition, t at Cambridge, in 1792, a very valuable production of one cpiarto volume. '1 he writings of Dr. Lardner are held in high estimation by modern historians in ral; the extracts are from the Loadou Edition of h;s Works, priutejj m 17L-S, \y- eleven octavo volumes, PREFACE. m gres3 of his strange work, he will most certainly consume them all. Therefore said the prophet, " Be ye not mockers, lest your bands be made strong: for 1 have heard from the Lord God of ho^ts a consumption, even determined upon the whole earth." And hence the warning of the apostle : " Behold, ye despisers. and wonder, and perish : for I work a work in your days, a work which ye shall in no wise helieve. though a man declare it unto you." In the time of Christ's first appearing, the Jews, who called themselves God's chosen people, were looking for a Saviour to appear in royal s\ ;.endour, surpassing all temporal monarchs; but be!';;d, he appeared io a man, and took on him the form of a ser- vant. Again, those who called themselves Christians, expected him to apf ear in the fcrm of a man. far surpassing all earthly be- ings, in pomp and grandeur, and warlike power; and behold, the humble Saviour was manifested in the form and likeness of a wo- man, and assumed the appearance of an handmaid. Thus, as the heavens are high aho\e the earth, so are the thoughts and imaginations of man above all that is called God; and as far as virtue is below vice in the eyes of the wicked, so far is the way of God below all the ways that ever man contrived, by which all the works and in\entions of man must be supplanted; and therefore, in the eyes of man, the real work of God must ap- pear strange and unaccountable. Sixty years have now passed, since the beginning of this work in England — Twenty-eight years since it began in America- Twenty years since the gathering of the Church — and sixteen years since the Church was established in her present order and spirit of government. And in all this time of sixty years, the tes- timony hath been verbal, and those who were faithful in it, have increased in further light and understanding, and in power and harmony from time to time, without any written creed, or form of government relating to themselves, or any written testimony in defence of their cause, or for the public information of others. Nor is this present publication to be considered as any creed, Or form of government, to influence the faith or practice of the Church; but as the first public testimony in writing, containing a true statement of the fundamental principles and reasons of our faith and practice, given through the order and appointment of ni preface; God, by the joint-union of the body, according to the measure oi& our present light and understanding. Whatever is written on any subject, must have respect to some foundation or first principles; and as the living power of God was first ministered, in this latter day, for the purpose of destroying the false foundation and pernicious principles of Antichrist; so the work itself appeared like madness and folly to such as stood on that foundation. And in no better light.-would any written ac- count of it have appeared, nor in truth, could any thing satisfac- tory be written, until this necessary work of preparation was ac- complished, and the substance of what was to follow had come to M sufficient degree of maturity. But since the subjects of the work have been broken off from their false foundation, and built upon the foundation of the present revelation of Christ, and are raised up in the order of a spiritual house, to that degree of righteousness, peace and union, which 4hey visibly manifest, every thing hath assumed a different ap* fl)earance : so that time and circumstances have rendered it pro- per to state those different operations and degrees of the work in their true nature. Aud, as those first operations of the power of God, in destroy- ing the foundation of error and vice, exhibited many outward ap- pearances which looked like confusion and wild disorder, owing to the mixture of human depravity, both in the subjects of the work, and in spectators, and gave occasion to innumerable false conjectures and groundless reports, which may have obtained some degree of credit at a distance; it therefore seemed neces- sary, at this time, to give this public testimony of facts, that th« 4ruth of things may be established, and every necessary satisfac- tion be afforded to mankind, upon the authority of those who have bad a perfect understanding of-the work, from its earliest rise, either from their own certain knowledge, or from their most inti- mate acquaintance and near relation with those who were eye and ear-witnesses of all the most important matters from the beginning. The present publication may serve to convey general infor- mation to the unprejudiced mind, yet certain it is, that the true knowledge and internal power by which we are saved from the torrent of human depravity, cannot be conveyed by letters, so *? PREFACE. *iii la be comprehended by the wisdom of man; neither can any at- tain that treasure through any other medium than that which is given of God m the order of his grace. Although we do not despise the rules of rhetoric established among the learned, yet we have taken no pains to adapt either our manner ot style to the refined taste of the present age. If any choose to criticise or tind fault on this account, they are at liberty, we intend neither vindication nor defence on this ground: nor do we suppose that any but vain cavillers will be carried away with empty speculations of that nature, so long as the mat- ter is clear, and the language such as sufficiently conveyeth ovtt ideas. As the unlearned cannot comprehend the learning of the learned, unless they are taught by those who are learned; so nei- ther can the learned nor unlearned comprehend the work of God, unless they are taught by those who are in it. Our principal aim hath been to open matters so as to be understood, and we think •this sufficient to satisfy every candid enquiring mind. The matters of fact which we have stated, are confirmed by three kinds of evidence: First, the holy scriptures; second, the general consent of ecclesiastical history; and third, the testimony of living witnesses, in the present day. And as all that took place from the beginning, had respect to the latter day; so it is a mat- ter of the highest importance to know what God hath actually accomplished, in the present day; and therefore the testimony of living witnesses, is considered of the highest authority, and supe- rior to any written record whatever. We are far from expecting, or even wishing any of our writings to supersede the necessity of a living testimony, or in any wise to prevent a further increase of light and understanding in the things of God. As far as the builder is superior to the thing which he buildeth, so far the living subjects of the knowledge of God, stand forever superior to any thing that they can possibly comprise in letters. The living testimony of God is not of the letter, but of the spirit: for the letter killeth, but the spirit giveth life. And as it is certain that the work of the latter day, spoken of by all the prophets, hath verily commenced; therefore we are fully persuaded that the true knowledge of God will increase, from one degree to another^ until the full manifestation of his glorj*^ And G sir PREFACE for this purpose God will continue to raise up chosen witnesses, to give the knowledge of salvation to those who sit in darkness, un- til the whole of his work be accomplished. Therefore, for the more clear and perfect understanding of many things, which are here but briefly hinted at, we refer the candid reader to those who keep the commandments of God, and have the Testimony of Jesus Christ. DAVID DARROW, JOHN MEACflAM, • BENJAMIN S. YOUNGS. Near Lebanon, Miami-Country, State ) of Ohio, 1st of December, 1803. ) .Note. DAVID DARROW, now in the 59th year of his age, was among the first in America who received the testimony of the gospel, in tiie year 1780. JOHN MEACHAM (being then a youth, under the care of his father Joseph Miachani in union with the family) received the testimony the same year, 1780. and is now in the 39th year of his age. BENJAMIN S YOUNGS received tiie tesUnionv in the year 1794, and is now in the 35th year of his age. CONTEXTS. PART I. The State of Man from his first Creation until Christ, CHAP. PAGE, I. The Order of the visible Creation. 1 II. The State of Man in his first Creation. - 5 III. The Nature and Effects of the Fall of Man, from his first Rectitude. - 11 IV. The Mystery of Iniquity, or the Man of Sin Revealed. 191 V. The Mystery of Iniquity, more fully exposed. - - 30 VI. The principal Seat of human Depravity. - - - 41 VII. The Cause of the Destruction of the Old World. - 47 VIII. The Call of God to Abraham: what it signified. - - 52 IX. The true End and Design of the Law given by Moses. 5£ X. The State of all Mankind before the appearing of Christ. 7ti PART II. The first appearing of Christ — The beginning and Work of a New Creation. I. Christ introduced by John the Baptist. - - •. 8r II. The Ministry of Jesus the Christ. - * - - 86 III. The Institution of the Primitive Church. * - - 92* IV. The Cross maintained by the Primitive Church. - 99 V. The Attainments of the Primitive Church. - -112 VI. The Order and Power of the Primitive Church. - 119 Vll. The Rise of Antichrist Predicted. - - - 120 PART III. The Rise and Progress of Antichrists Kingdom, I. The Work of Antichrist by false Teachers. - - 13! fl. The Work of Antichrist by Egyptian Philosophers. - 139 III. The first Distinction between Catholics and Heretics. 145 IV. A particular account of ancient Heretics. - - - 151 V. Antichrist Established by Roman Emperors. - - 162 VI. The true Character of Constantine and his Successors. 1G3 VII. Superstition a mark of the Religion of Antichrist. - 175 VIII Persecution a mark of the Religion of Antichrist. - 183- IX. The established Order of the Catholic Church. - 188 fc, The established Edith of the Catholic Church. * « 194 OONTENl PAKT IV. The Reign and Dominion of Antichrist. CHAP. PAGE. I. The Beginning of the Reign of Antichrist. - - 205 IJ. The Catholic Gospel propagated under the Reign of Antichrist. - 210 III. A farther account of the Means and Manner of Propa- gating the Catholic Gospel. 210 IV. The Abominations of the Mother of Harlots. - - 221 V. The abominable Cruelties of the Mother of Harlots. 230 PART V. The Grand Division in the Kingdom of Antichrist, called the Reformation. I. The Cause and first Means of Reforming the Catholic Church. ... .... 24 1 If. The Grand Division between Papists and Protestants. 249 III. The general Fruits and Effects of the Reformed Gospel. 257 IV. Reformed Churches established by the Works of An- tichrist. 264 V. Vehement Controversies among the first Reformers. 270 VI. Particular Changes effected by the Reformation. - 278 VII. The Cross Rejected by the Protestant Reformers. - 283 VIII. Particular Changes respecting Marriage, &c. - - 288 IX. Particular Changes respecting Rites, Titles, Discip- line, &c. - - : 297 X. The Persecuting Spirit of Luther and his followers. 305 XI. The Persecuting Spirit of Calvin and his followers. 314 XII. The Persecution of the Quakers in England and America. 324 PART VI. The Extent and Duration of what is called the Christian World. I. Worldly Christians contrasted with virtuous Believers in Christ. -------- 335 II. The Analogy between Virtuous Believers of every age. 340 III. Remarks on the present State of the Christian World. 348 IV. A general view of the Witnesses of Truth. - - 361 V. Particular Remarks concerning Friends, French Pro- phets, and other Modern Sects, - - • •• 37? CONTENTS, *vu PART VII. The Second Appearing of Christ — The finishing Work of the New Creation, OtfAP. PAGE. I. General Remarks on the Spirit of Prophecy, as it re- spected the Time of Christ's Second Appearing. 381 II. Further Remarks on the Spirit of Prophecy, as it re- spected the Place of Christ's Second Appearing. 387 III. Further Remarks on the Spirit of Prophecy, as it re- spected the Manner of Christ's Second Appearing. 392 IV. The true Character of the Church of Christ. - - 397 V. The Foundation Pillars of the Church of Christ. » 401 VI. The Joint-Parentage of the Church of Christ. - - 407 VII. Types or Figures fulfilled in the Two Foundation Pil- lars of the Church. ---.-.- 413 VIII. Prophesies and Promises fulfilled in the Two Founda- tion Pillars. - - . - . - - - 42& IX. Visions and Revelations, particularly relating to Mother. 432 X. Evidences accompanying the Second Appearing of Christ. - 439 XI. Remarks on the Evidence of Christ's Second Appearing. 463 XII. The Church Established in Gospel-Order. - - 459- XIII. An Explanation of the Church-Covennnt. - - - 467 XIV. Prophesies and Promises fulfilling in the present in- creasing Work of Christ. ..... 479 XV. A short Calculation of the principal Prophesies, re- lating to the latter Day. ..... 439 PART VIII. Particular Doctrines according to the presnt Appearing of Christ; I. The Perfections of Deity Revealed through Mother. 497 II. The Revelation of the Holy Ghost. - - - 506 III. The Nature and Manner of the Coming of Christ. - 513 IV. The Order of God in the Confession and Forgiveness of Sins. 522 V. The Sufferings of Christ in the Work of Regeneration. 529 VI. The Sufferings of Christ, an example to all Believers. 536 VII. The Resurrection, not Carnal, but Spiritual. - - 54® VIII. The Inconsistency of a Carnal Resurrection. - - 650 IX The Worship of God. 555 X. The Holy Scriptures. ------ 559 XI. The Conclusion, in a few thoughts addressed to Young Believers. - - - - - - „ 5(;7 C2 INTRODUCTION. WHATEVER degree of natural wisdom may be attained by those who are without Christ and without God in the world, certain it is, that the only true saving knowledge of God that ever was, or ever will be communicated to man, is by and through the revelation of Jesus Chiist: and therefore such as re- ject Christ, and take their own wisdom for their guide, never were, nor never can be saved. And in no better situation are they who profess faith in an absent Saviour, — who believe that Christ was once upon earth, but is now departed to some remote and unknown heaven, where it is impossible for the weak capacities of mortals to reach him; when in truth, nothing but the real and abiding presence of Christ, by the indwelling of his spirit, ever did, or ever could save one soul. And as Christ is the only Saviour, the only true light of the world, to lead souls into the knowledge and enjoyment of God, and as there is no other name or substance under heaven given among men, whereby any can be saved ; it followeth, beyond all contradiction, that until Christ made his appearance in the world, the world was in darkness, without the saving knowledge of God. without a Saviour, and consequently without salvation. II. Man was at first created in the image and under the gov- ernment of God; but having fallen into a contrary nature, he ne* ver could again be brought into Ijis true order and line of subjec* tion, until God sent forth his Son into the world for that purpose. It is true, a law was given to one particular nation, by which great restrictions were laid upon that lawless nature which gov- erned man in his fallen state; but it availed nothing as to the re- demption of the soul from the influence of that nature; nor could it bring any into that perfect obedience with which God was well pleased: hence it was truly said, "I gave them also statutes that were not good, and judgments whereby they should not live." But when Christ Jesus made his appearance; as a wise legislator, his first work was to reveal and establish the principles of govern- ment, proper for the subjects of his kingdom; and this he did by his exemplary life. And having passed through the world, and lived such a life as was in all points acceptable to God, he received that power and authority, as a Prince and a Saviour to the human race, by which he could righteously demand their subjection — » convince them of the evil nature of sin, and justly dispense rewards and punishments, according to their obedience or disobedience, HI. The government which Christ established in his first ap- tl INTRODUCTION. pearing, Hid not so immediately and extensively respect this pres cnt world, as it did the work! of spirits. Yet, before he could ex- tend his power and authority to the world of spirits, it was neces- sary that he should first pass through the present, and experience a feeling of all the trials that ever had been experienced by those over whom he was appointed ruler: hence he said to his disciples. "1 go to prepare a place for^ou:*' which implied that the order of his government was not yet established in the world of spiiiU. It was also necessary that Christ should open, in the pre-cnt world, such a measure of the nature and order of his government, as should subserve his future purpose, when mankind in the pie- sent state, should become the more immediate object of his labour. Hence his parable of a man going into a far country to receive a kingdom, and to return, — and giving to each of his servants a certain sum, according to their several abilities, saying. Occupy *ill 1 come. IV. puring the time of this preparatory work of Christ, in es- tablishing his order in the world of spirits, this earth was a <;eat of the most perfect confusion, injustice, deception and cruelty^ which was properly the period of Antichrist's reign and dominion. Hence that corrupt hierarchy, called the Catholic Church, which pretended to have the power of salvation, and assumed all the authority of Christ on earth, was, in reality, •• the habitation of devils, and the hold of every foul spirit, and a cage of every un- clean and hateful bird.'" — And such extravagant superstitions pre- vailed, during this period, as through the increasing work of God, have become objects of just contempt to the enlightened part of mankind. And as Christ did actually go to prepare a place, and to re- ceive a kingdom, and promised to return, and establish his king- dom of righteousness and order on this earth; so his promise is actually fulfilled; and the most striking evidence in this latter day, that he hath gained the kingdom, and begun to set it up on earth, is the manifest change in civil government, and that spirit of toleration and liberty in matters of religion, which began to take place, about the close of the seventeenth century. V. Faithful witnesses, chosen and appointed of God, had, from age to age, borne testimony against the beastly and bloody power of Antichrist, millions of whom had fallen victims to his cruelty; but under the invisible and restraining power of Christ, his influ- ence began to be cut orT, at the time appointed. The people called Quakers we e '.lie las:, who were persecuted to death, for the testimony which they held; but in process of tixae^ INTRODUCTION. xxi giving way to fhe spirit of the world, and petitioning the same anticbristian power for toleration and protection, they gained an honourable standing in the world, hut lost that degree of the light and power of God, in which they had at first set out. Soon after this, the spirit of prophecy appeared in those called French Pro^ phets, attended with the most convincing evidences of divine pow- er; but these extraordinary appearances were not of long contin- uance. p However, a few of those French prophets came over into Eng- land about the year 1706, and opened their testimony in and about London, which was a means of great awakening, and numbers re- ceived their spirit, which continued to operate, in a greater or less degree, until its principal effect was produced in a small body of people, who were gathered into a society, under the special ministry of James and Jane Wardley, among whom was a particu- lar work of preparation for the true and real manifestation of Christ. This work began in Bolton and Manchester, in the coun- ty of Lancashire, in England, about the year 1747. VI. James Wardley, a taylor by trade, and Jane his wife, who wrought at the same occupation, had belonged to the society of people called Quakers; but receiving the spirit of the French prophets, and a further degree of light and power, by which they were separated from that community, they continued for several years, disconnected from every denomination. During this time, their testimony, according to what they saw by vision, and reve- lation from God, was, That the second appearing of Christ was at hand, and that the Church was rising in her full and transcend- ent glory, which would effect the final downfall of Antichrist. From Bolton they removed to Manchester, and lived, for a num- ber of years, in Canon-street, with John Townley, who was by trade a brick-layer, and possessed considerable property. Here the number of persons which were formed into a society, were about thirty. James and Jane Wardley, as well as most of the society, were in low temporal circumstances; but as John Townley was wealthy, he contributed liberally to the support of such of the society as were needy; on which account he sustained much injury in his property, by persecutors. The meetings of the society were held both at Manchester and Bolton, (which were twelve miles apart) but more generally at Manchester. VII. John Townley had a measure of faith in the testimony oiv James Wardley; his wife was a member of the society, and had great power of God; and the gift of prophecy. — John Hocknell was xxii INTRODUCTION, her natural brother;— he liver] in Cheshire, twenty-tour unlet trfiih Manchester. — According to the account of his daughter, Mary Jlo : knell, now living at VVater-Vliet, he, having separated from the Church of England, had joined the Methodist society, had stated meetings at his house; till visiting the society at Man- chester several times, and afterwards being visited by James Wardley, about the year 1766, he received faith in his testimony. And being very zealous for the cause, and a wealthy man, a num- ber of poor members of the society, were gathered and support- ed at his house, which, at first displeased Hannah his wife, and her natural relations, (the Dickins family) who were wealthy, and a high spirited people; whereupon three of her brothers, with the assistance of a magistrate, had John put into prison at Midtlle- wich, four miles from his own house. He was tried and released, and soon after, Hannah became a member of the society, and con- tinued through all the increase of the work, till she departed this life (in America) sound in the faith. VIII. About this time, [1766] and onward, the society frequent- ly held meetings at John Partington^, in Mayor-low r>, as they passed and re-passcd from Manchester to John Hockneirs. The manner of public devotion practised by the society, while under the ministry of James Wardley. was, in divers operations of the Spirit and power of God, according as they were moved from time to time. Sometimes, after assembling together, and sitting a while in si- lent meditation, they were taken with a mighty trembling, under which they would express the indignation of God against all sin, At other times they were affected, under the power of God, with a mighty shaking; and were occasionally exercised in singing, shouting, or walking the floor, under the influence of spiritual signs, — or swiftly passing and re-passing each other, like cloud* agitated by a mighty wind. From these strange exercises, the people received the name of Shakers, and by some, were called Shaking Quakers: but from the time of James Wardley's minis- tration to the present day, they have been, most generally, known and distinguished by the name of Shakers. IX. The work which God promised to accomplish in the latter day, was eminently marked out by the prophets, to be a work of Shaking; and hence, the name (though by the world intended for derision) was very properly applied to the people, who were both, the subjects and instruments of the work of God in the latter day. Thus the Lord promised that be would shake the earth with terror. (Lowth/s translation of Isaiah ii. 19, 21.)-— That, in thai INTRODUCTION. xxiii ■day, there should be a great shaking* in the land of Israel. (Ezek. xxxviii. 19, 20.) — That he would shake the heavens and the earth, (fsai. xiii. 13. Joel, iii. 16. Hag. ii. 6, 7, 21.)— That he would shake all nations, and that the Desire of all nations should come. And according to the apostle, (Heb. xii. 26.) That yet once more, Jhe would shake not the earth onlyrbut also heaven; — signifying the removing of things that are shaken, as of things that are- made; that those things which cannot be shaken may remain. — All which, particularly alluded to the latter day, and now, in re- ality, began to be fulfilled; of which, the name itself was a strik- ing evidence, and much more the nature and operations of the work. The effects of Christ's first appearing, were far from fukilling those promises in their full extent: for in reality, that heaven which was to be shaken, had not yet been built; neither was the appearing of Christ, in the form of a man, so properly the Desire of all nations. But as his second appearing was to be manifested in that particular object, (namely, woman) which is eminently the Desire of all nations; therefore it was, that the present work of God began in shaking, both as a preparatory, and an increasing work,, for the full and final manifestation of Christ. And this par- ticular operation was a significant token, < hat God was about to shake, to the foundation, and utterly ruin ali their corrupt systems, and their false notions of the work of God, and ojf the use and end of his creatures. X. These various operations continued, with a gradual increase of light and power, until the year 1770, when the present tes- timony of salvation and eternal life was fully opened, accord- ing to the special gift and revelation of God, through Ann Lee, that extraordinary woman, concerning whom, so many strange things have been written and reported; and who, at that time, was received by the society as their spiritual Mother: — concerning whom, it may be proper, here, to state a few particulars. According to her natural genealogy, she was of the English na- tion; and according to account, was born the last day of Februa- ry 1736, in the town of Manchester, where she was also brought up. Her natural father, John Lee, lived in Toad-lane, in Man- chester, and was a blacksmith by trade, with whom she lived, until she embarked lor America. Her father, though poor, was of respectable character, moral in principle, industrious in busi- ness, honest and punctual in his dealings. Her mother was count- ed a very pious woman. As was then common in manufacturing towns, the children of poor people, were brought up to work, instead of being sen^ to xxiy INTRODUCTION. school; and thu9, Ann acquired a habit of industry, but could nei- ther lead nor write. During her childhood and youth, the employed in a cotton factory, and was afterwards a cutter of hat- ters fur. She was also, for some time employed as axook in the Manchester Infirmary, and was peculiarly distinguished for her faithfulness, neatness, prudence and economy. She had live natu ral brothers, viz. Joseph, James, Daniel, "William and George, and two sisters, Mary and Nancy. From her childhood, she had great light and conviction of the sinfulness arid depravity of human nature, which she often made known to her parents, entreating that counsel and protection, by Which she might be preserved from sin. But not having attained that knowledge of God which she early desired, nor having any to strengthen or protect her in the pursuit of that true holiness which she sought after, (Iter natural mother, who had been her principal guardian, being deceased) through the persuasions of her t elations she was married, and had four children, all of which died in infancy. Her husband, Abraham Standley, was also a black- smith by trade, and lived with her at her fathers house, while she remained in England. XI. About the year 1753, she became a subject of the work that was under the ministration of James and Jane Ward ley, and joined herself to that society of peopie, who then were called Shakers. The people of the society were known to be a people of the most blameless deportment, remarkable for the clearness of their testimony against sin, the strictness of their moral discipline, and the innocence and purity of their lives and manners. As their light extended to the confession of every known sin, and to the taking up of a cross against every thing which they knew to be evil, hence they were endowed with great power, by which Ann found that protection, which, for the time then present, was an- swerable to her faith; and in all things she conformed to the rules of discipline in the society, and was baptized into the same spirit; and by her perfect obedience to all that she was taught, she at- tained to the full knowledge and experience of those who stood in the foremost light. As the only distinction among the members of the society, was formed according to the different degrees of spiritual light and power known and felt in each, respectively, and as it was the faith of the society not to rest short of complete salvation from all sin; therefore, those who received the greatest light and pow er of God, were acknowledged as the lead; that is, the greatest light of God, in whomsoever it "was made manifest, wa9 acknow ledged and followed, as the lead> without respect to persons INTRODUCTION. xxv XII. When, therefore, Ann, by her perfect obedience, had at- tained to all that was made manifest in the leading characters of the society, and still feeling the absolute necessity of a deeper and more thorough work, she did not rest satisfied with what she had gained; but laboured in continual watchings and fastings, and in tears and incessant cries to God, day and night, for deliver- ance from the very nature of sin. And under the most severe tribulation, and violent temptations, as great as she was able to resist and endure, such was, frequently, her extreme agony of soul, as to cause a perspiration of blood through the pores of her skin. By such deep mortification and suffering, her flesh wasted .away, and she became like a skeleton, wholly incapable of help- ing herself, and was fed and nourished like an infant, although, naturally, a person of a strong and sound constitution, and invin- cible fortitude of mind. XIII. In this manner she was more or less exercised. in soul and body for about the term of nine years, during which period, the way of God, and the nature of his work, were gradually opened from one thing to another, and the light and understanding whioh she received, was gradually communicated to the society, unxil she received that manifestation of God by which the Man of Sin was revealed, and through which she discovered the transgression ef the first woman — the root and foundation cause of human de- pravity, whence all mankind were lost and separated from God.; and by special and immediate revelation, she received the testi- mony of God against the whole corruption of man, in its root and every branch; which is, properly, the Testimony against the flesh, or, the Testimony against the root of all sin. {£>= This revelation she received, in its fulness, in the year 1770, while she was con- fined in prison, for the word of God, and for the testimony which she held. Her testimony was in the power of God, attended with the word of prophecy, and with such energy of the Spirit, as penetrated into the most secret recesses of the heart, and which every honest soul felt bound, in conscience, to obey. And from the light and power of God which attended her min- istry, and the certain overcoming power unto salvation, transmit- ted to those who received, and from the heart obeyed her testi- mony, she was received and acknowledged as the First Mother, or first spiritual parent in the line of the female, and the second heir in the covenant of life, according to the present display of the gospel. Hence, among Believers, she hath been distinguished by no other name or title than that of Mother, from the period of. her full testimony to the present day. D INTRODUCTION ^ Aficr Ann- was received and acknowledged as the spintuai Mother and leader of the society, the manner of woiahip and the exercises in their publi lies, were, singing and dancing, shaking and shouting-, speaking with new tongues and Prophesy- ing, with all those various gifts of God known in the Primitive -Church. These gifts progressively increased until the establish- ment of the Church in America; and by which, all those whs were in the spirit of the work were convinced, beyond all manner of doubt or controversy, that it was verily the second appearing of Christ, and the beginning of his reign upon earth. XIV. The first full and public testimony borne by Mother against the root of human depravity, was as hath before been observed, in the year 1770; previous to which, and during the increase of the work, she suffered great persecutions. The heart-searching and convincing power of God which at- tended her words and testimony against sin, caused the formal professors, especially the established clergy, to stii up tumultuous mobs; by whom she was often shamefullv and very cruelly treat- ed, and a number of times imprisoned. The only accusation that her enemies could bring, or pretend to bring against her, for these imprisonments, was under the pre- text of her profaning the Sabbath. At a certain time, on the first day of the week, at her father's house, where the society were assembled, in an upper room, and while in the worship of God, the house was beset by a riotous lnob, at the head of which was the Warden, [John Bell.] They broke open the door, seized Mother, and dragged her down stairs by her feet; and from thence she was taken, with a number of others, and cast into the dungeon of the stone-piison. The next day, those who were confined in the dungeon with Mother, were released, and she was taken to the house of conec- tion, where she was confined for several weeks, under pretence that she was mad. But her invincible fortitude, and the convinc- ing display of her rationality, were too confounding to her per- secutors, and too evident and extensive to justify this confinement; of course she was released. Again, at the instigation of the clergy, in connection with the officers of the stone-prison, she w as put into a close and separate cell, in which she could not stand upright. Here she was confined, and secluded from the view of mortals, with the manifest inten- tion of starving her to death, or to prove, whether her God was able to keep her alive, without temporal food, being allowed nei- ther a crumb of bread, nor a drop of water, during the space of fourteen day^ INTRODUCTION xxvu But the same All-wise Being, who saved Moses in an ark of bulrushes, and fed the prophet Elijah by the ravens in the wil- derness, the same God, provided the means of subsistence for hie chosen messenger, by the hands of a youth,* who, after the first two daysT found access to the door of the cell, and putting the stem of a pipe through the key-hole, and out of a small bottle, once in twenty-four hours, he poured into the bowl of the pipe a mixture of a little milk and wine. At the end of the fourteen days, her persecutors, expecting to find her dead, came and opened the door of her prison: but she was not only alive, but came out, and walked off sprightly, and in perfect health as before her confinement, to the great astonish- ment of her persecutors, and all the beholders. These were among her latest persecutions in England: about a vear after which, she received her mission, and the revelation of God in relation to America, and by which she saw the future increase of the gospel, and the establishment and glory of Christ's kingdom, in the land which God had devoted to freedom. XV. Accordingly, as many as were able to follow her in the designed purpose of God, settled their temporal affairs in England, paid their passage at Liverpool, in the month of May, 1774, and embarked for America, in the ship Mariah, Captain Smith, of New-York. Those who embarked with Mother, for America, were Abra- ham Stanley, her husband,! William Lee, her natural brother, James Whittaker, John Hocknell, Richard Hocknell, (son of John Hocknell) James Shepherd, Mary Partington, and Nancy Lee, a niece of Mother Ann. James and Jane Wardley removed from John Townley's the same summer, into a hired house, from whence they were after- wards taken to the Alms-house, and there died. John Hocknell returned to England the next year, and came again to America, with his family and others; and those of the society who remain- ed in England, being without lead or protection, lost their power, and fell into the common course and practice of the world. XVI. The ship in which Mother came over, while on her pas- sage, sprang a leak, in an uncommon manner, so that the pumps were only sufficient to keep her above water. The seamen being- greatly discouraged, and the vessel near sinking, Mother and the * James Whittaker. t Abraham Stanley professed faith in Mother's testimony, but some time after his arrival at New-York, he renouaced hi* faith, joined himself to the world, and- topk, ao further, care of her xxviu INTRODUCTION. Elders with her. believing in Him that sent them, and connding in In- protection., put their hand* to the pumps and encouraged the seamen: so that they arrived safe at New- York on the 6th of August. 1774. The following extract of a letter, written by Mor- rell Baker, now lhing at New-Lebanon, in the state of New- York, may further serve to illu^rate this particular. " 1 had a natural brother at that time who followed the sea; his name was Jedediah Baker. He and 1 were, one day, in con\ lion together about religion, I thmk about three years after Mother landed at New- York. lie told me that he sailedVrom Liverpool, in England, to New- York, in a ship rigged in the manner of a Snow ; and there came passengers, a people who had a strange religion — were very reserved in their ways and manners; but~honest, kind and zealous — that they shook, and had operations on their bodies. He told me the danger they were in on their passage, by reason of the vessel's springing a leak. He said he believed the woman, and those who came with her, had a power above the natural powk er of man — and were the means of their ever arriving at America, This was the rirst time that I ever heard there was such a people on earth, and heard no more of them for three or four years after this conversation. But since that time, J have seen Mother, and the Elders who came with her; and have also seen one of the El- ders [James Whittaker] and the said Jedediah Baker, face to face, and they confirmed those things expressly, relating to their voyage from England to America.*' XVII. When Mother landed at Now-Y'ork, she counselled those who came with her, for a season, to seek their livelihood where they could iind employ, as they were mostly poor, and had no- thing to subsist upon but what they obtained by honest industry. Accordingly, they were all scattered in different parts of the coun- try. Mother herself remained at New-York, in a family by the name of Smith, in Queen-street, (now Pearl-street) where she was treated with great kindness, and continued there until the spring of the year 1776. She then went by water up to Albany, and from thence to Niskeuna, (now Water- Vliet) and about the month of September, fixed her residence where the Church is now es- tablished, eight measured miles North-West from ths centre of the city of Aibany. This was an obscure place in the wilderness, remote from the public eye. Here the Believers gathered as their place of resi- dence, and here they held their solemn meetings, particularly on the first day of the week, full three years and a half, until the opening of the testimony in the spring of the year 17C0. At this time various reports began to be spread abroad concerning these people. INTRODUCTION. xxi* XVIII. To such as loved the things of this present world, the testimony, and the work accompanying it, appeared like the great- est possible inconsistency and delusion. It being in the time of the American war, numerous conjectures were agitated concern- ing the people, and especially concerning Mother. By some she was suspected of witch-craft, and the old blasphemy was in sub- stance revived: She casteth out devils by Beelzebub. Others as- sumed the charge of treason, because those who received the tes- timony were averse to war, and chose rather to suffer than to re- sist wrong. But such as had any light of God, considered things in a very different light; knowing that the kingdom of Christ was not of this world, and therefore his servants would not fight; and remem- bering that it was written, " From whence come wars and fight- ings? come they not hence, even of your lusts that war in your members?" As the testimony was expressly against every lust, and all known sin, therefore, such as feared God, and whose only aim was peace and righteousness, had sufficient to engage their, attention, with- out any concern in the clamorous affairs of the world. They es- teemed it as matter of the highest gratitude to God, that they were counted worthy of the privilege of confessing their sins, and of receiving power to become separate from the spirit and prac- tice of the world, and every kind of rice, whatever degree of outward affliction might follow, on that account, through evil re- port or persecution. XIX. The first general opening of the testimony in America, was at New-Lebanon, in the township of Canaan, county of Co- lumbia, and state of New-York; in consequence of a remarkable^ religious awakening which had taken place in those parts, in the year 1779, and was intended as a work of preparation for the re- ception of the gospel, which was opened the following yeap> (1780) and received by many. As Mother, and the Elders who came from England, resided at Water- Vliet, about forty miles distant from the main body of those who had lately believed; and as great numbers from Lebanon, and other eastern parts, resorted thither for instruction and coun- sel; hence, the Believers at Lebanon, Hancock, and other places, who were able, found it necessary to take provisions thither for their support, which served as an occasion to some prejudiced persons, to misrepresent and accuse the people of being enemies to the country, and to stir up those in power to persecute and dis- tress them. XX. One particular circumstance of this kind took place in the D 2 xxx INTRODl CTluX month of Jul v. 1780. As David Darrow was on the way bet"'. Lebanon and Albany, with a tlock of sheep, which he was dr. to Water-Vliet, he was followed by a company of evil-minded men. who pretended to have authority to arrest him. Accord- . they brought him hack, with his sheep, to Lebanon, and had him before the court, under pretence of treason. But finding no * round of accusation against him, to answer their purpose, these hungry wob.es. after dividing the sheep among themsehes. sent their owner (accompanied by Joseph Meacham) under guard, to be tried by the Commissioners at Albany, which was then the highest court. Here they were brought up to the old test. — An oath of allegiance was required. But professing the faith, and being the servants of Christ, in obedience to him, they would '•swear not at all." Whereupon. David Darrow, Joseph Meacham, and Elder Joha Hocknell (who had come from Water-Vliet to Albany to meet them) were put into prison: and soon after, Hezekiah Hammond and Joel r'ratt; and then Mother, (accompanied by Mary Par- tington) and Elder William Lee, Elder James Whittaker, and Calvin Harlow, all of whom were leading characters in the work, were arrested and imprisoned at Albany. All this took place at the instigation of certain designing men in the east, who were continually stirring up those in authority, and other citizens who were otherwise well disposed. Neverthe- less, the Commissioners at Albany generally treated Mother and the Elders with kindness; and many sensible and candid men ex- pressed their displeasure at the injustice and inconsistency of im- prisoning and oppressing an innocent people for no other cause, in reality, but their peculiar faith: and especially at a time when the nation itself was struggling to get free from the oppression of a foreign yoke. XXI. But notwithstanding those outward bonds of affliction, the word of God was not bound, but even through the grates of the prison, was preached to crowded assemblies. Many received faith through the Elders, while in prison, and came and confessed their sins, and showed their deeds; and such was the convincing power of God which attended the word. that, frequently, in pres- ence of the crowd, open confessions were made of every known sin: so mightily grew the word of God and prevailed. Although the persecutors intended this imprisonment of Mother and the El- ders, for evil; yet the Lord turned it for good, while it wrought eflertually to the spreading of the gospel Felie\ers were allowed the privilege of communion wfth those in prison, and of ministering freely to their necessities. But very* INTRODUCTION. xtflf shortly after their imprisonment, Mother was separated from the rest, and taken from Albany, (accompanied by Mary Partington) with a design of banishing her to the British army, which then lay at New-York; but her persecutors failing of their purpose, she was put into prison at Poughkeepsie, where she remained un- til about the last of December, and was then released by order of Gov. Clinton, who received information of her treatment, hav- ing had no certain knowledge of the matter before. The Elders and Believers at Albany, were also released about the 20th of the same month, without any formal trial. Jt is par- ticularly worthy of observation, that in all those imprisonment.-, and the accusations against Mother and the Elders, and others of the Believers, both in England and America, no fault could ever be found, as to their lives and moral character; nor any evil al- ledged against them, but from mere slander, on account of thei? faith and testimony. Nor was ever any persecution raised against them, but by means of that false religion and spirit of oppression, which had long been established in the British dominions, and whose despotic influence had not yet ceased in America. XXII. It is unnecessary, however, to enlarge on this subject, or to state all the particulars of abuse which Mother and the El- ders, and the Believers in America, received on different occa- sions, from lawless ruffians, who were taught by the false religion of their forefathers, to commit the most scandalous outrages upon a harmless people, under pretence of suppressing error. It may here suffice, simply to observe, that Mother was the principal ob- ject at which their rage was pointed; that during the time of her ministry, she frequently suffered such cruel and shameful abuse as modesty forbiddeth to mention; and that her testimony was supported, and gained the ascendency, amidst those scenes of trial and difficulty, which, to outward appearance, were insurmounta- ble, and under which she persevered, unshaken and immoveable, with that patience and fortitude of mind which surpassed all hu- man comprehension. And although unsupported by letter-learn- ing, and independent of man's wisdom; yet she was supported by that hidden wisdom and power of God, by which she opened the scriptures, and the very nature of things, in so convincing a man- ner that none were able to gainsay or resist the force of her words, upon any principle of candour. After Mother and the Elders were released from prison, they again collected together at Water-Vliet, where they were visited by great numbers from distant parts o'f the state of New York, Massachusetts, Connecticut, New-Hampshire, and the District of Maine, who received faith; and through the power and gifts of xxxii INTRODUCTION. God, which were abundantly manifested for the destruction of sirs, and the salvation of souls, many were tilled with joy unspeakable and full of glory, and increased in their understanding of the way and work of God. XXIII. In the Fifth month, 1731, Mother and the Elders left Water-Vliet, and visited the distant parts, from place to place, where the gospel had been received ; and in all the principal places which they visited, they were resorted to from the adja- cent parts; and their ministry being every where accompanied with the gifts of the Holy Ghost, in searching out sin. and \ urging iniquity from the soul, Believers were built up in their most holy faith, received an increase of that overcoming power by which they were enabled to keep out of sin; were tilled with consolation and peace, and many more were added to the faith. Having finished their labours among the distant Believers, they returned to Water-Vliet, where they arrived in the Eighth month, 1783, — having been absent about two years and four months. — On the 21st day of July, the year following. Elder William Lee departed this life at Water-Vliet, being forty four years of age. The decease of Elder William served as a particular means of preparing the minds of Believers for a still heavier trial, in being deprived of the visible presence and protection of Mother; the thought of which seemed almost insupportable to many. But hav- ing finished the work which was given her to do, she was taken out of their sight, in the ordinary way of all living, (at Water- Vliet) on the eighth day of the Ninth month, 1784. Thus, in the early dawn of the American revolution, when the rights of conscience began to be established, the morning star of Chrises second coming, disappeared from the view of the world, to be succeeded by the increasing brightness of the Sun of right- eousness and all the promised glory of the latter day. And thus the full revelation of Christ, in its first degree, was completed; which was according to that remarkable prophecy of Christopher Love, (who was beheaded under Cromwell) ••Out of thee, O England, shall a bright star arise, whose light and voice shall make the heavens to quake, and knock under with submis- sion to the blessed Jesus." XXIV. After Mother's decease, the gift and appointment cf God, for the lead and protection of the Believers, rested upon Elder James Whittaker; under whose ministration the work con- tinued and increased, in purging away sin and uncleanness, and promoting union and harmony among those who believed and had set out to obey the gospel, in reproving the disobedient, strength* INTRODUCTION. xxxiij ening the weak, and confirming the faithful; till having finished his labours, he departed this life at Enfield, in the state of Con- necticut, on the 20th day of July, 1787, being 37 years of age. Elder John Hocknell (the last of those from Europe who were called Fathers) survived Elder James many years; and deceased at Water- Vlier, February 1799, being 76 years of age. But af- ter the decease of Elder James, the leading gift, in the visible administration, descended upon those who had received the gos* pel in America, and was particularly vested in two, namely, Jo- seph Meacham and Lucy Wright; who, according to the special gift and appointment of God, were known and acknowledged by all, to stand in the spiritual relation of a joint-parentage to the whole visible body of the Believers. Through their special la- bours, the Believers were gathered together into families, accor- ding to the revelation of God respecting the Church of Christ iQ the true order of the gospel, which order was established, in the- year 1792. About four years after, Elder Joseph (having finish- ed his work) deceased at New-Lebanon, August the 16th, 1796,, aged 54 years. XXV. From the beginning of the work in America, in the year 1780, until about the year 1787, there was little to be seen or heard but the out-cry of convicted souls, labouring under the pow- er of God, — and roaring like the sound of many waters and migh- ty thunderings against the Man of Sin, and all that is of the world, "the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life/' — shaking and trembling, — prophesying or speaking with new tongues — singing and dancing — leaping and shouting, day and night; and such various supernatural effects of the power of God, as appeared to the blind spectators of this world like the most unaccountable confusion. But such as were in the work, knew perfectly what those things meant, and felt, therein, the greatest possible order and harmony, it being to them the gift and work of God for the time then present; and which bore the strongest evidence that the world was actually come to an end, (at least, to those who were the subjects of it) and the day of judgment com- menced. But when they had found a sufficient degree of mortification and death to the life and influence of a corrupt nature, and sepa- ration from the spirit of the world, the scene changed, and such righteousness, peace, and order followed, as had never before been established on this earth, since man was created. XXVI. During the progress of this remarkable change, the testimony was entirely withdrawn from the world: and therefore. xxxiv INTRODUCTTO though the men of the work! in general, have been oMigerl i knowledge that the visible 1 raits were good. \et the real internal work from which those fruits were produced, was wholly hid from their eves. And though some have ignorantiv tried to ascribe these evidently good effects to some secret evil cause; vet every reasonable person must grant that, -an evil tree cannot bring forth good fruit.'" Consequently, that testimony which is produc- tive of faithfulness, justice, righteousness, and every virtue, both in relation to things temporal and spiritual, must have proceeded from the eternal fountain of truth and goodness: Therefore, the fruits and effects of the pre-ent gospel of Christ, are justly to be considered as a standing evidence of the real character of Moth- er and the Elders, and of all those who have been leaders in the work; whatever tricked and unreasonable men may insinuate to the contrary. The testimony was withdrawn from the world about the year 1785. and was rarely opened to any until about the year 1797; after which theie were a few small openings, in different places, to such as were in a special manner awakened; Lut nothing very remarkable hath appeared in the order of providence, to open the wav for the spreading of the gospel, until about the beginning of the present century. XXVII. In the year 1801, an extraordinary work of God be- gan in Kentucky and the adjacent states, which prepared the way for the testimony of the gospel to be opened in this Western coud try. in the year 1805. Accordingly, on the first day of January. 1805. three messen- areis, namely, John Meacham. Benjamin S. Youngs and Is^achar Bates, were chosen and sent by the gift of God, from the Church at New-Lebanon* to the people of the Revival in Kentucky and the adjacent states, and were cordially received by a number ot the iirst leading characters in the Revival, and opposed by others. A general account of this extraordinary work in Kentucky and the parts adjacent, from the year 1801. until the year 1805, may be seen in a pamphlet lately published, entitled, The Kentucky Revival', with an account of the entrance and progress of the tes- timony, and the opposition it received from false teachers. Since that time the work hath continued to increase both North and South of the river Ohio; and at present, there are in this V crn country, eleven brethren and eight sisters, sent from the Church at New-Lebanon, as labourers together in the work. XXVIII. Since the opening of the gospel in this Western coun- try, the minds of mankind have been greatly stirred up, both bj ■INTRODUCTION. m* way of opposition and enquiry; and many are struck with aston- ishment to -ee such effects produced by means which to human wisdom seem so inadequate: to see so many persona of good in formation, and ot' the most upright characters, and even eminent for their piety . renounce The honours and pleasures of the pres- ent life, with all their hopes of salvation upon their former prin- ciples, to rind their relation to a people whose faith is said to be founded upon ine testimony of a de-pised woman. But souls who are truly convinced of sin, and are willing to have salvation on any term-, will not stumble at God's manner of dispensing it; and many such there are at this day, who, like the tender branch of the good oli\e. manifest (by their fervent prayers and tears, under the pressure of an evil nature) that the summer of then redemption is nigh, even at the door. But as the fulness of eden old not be obtained until the times ap- pointed for the full manfes-ntiou of Christ; we shall, therefore, proceed to consider the various operations of God. from the first ion of man. in i elation to this important event: and — let him that reaaetii m:aei.~taud. POEM TO THE INTRODUCTION A Memorial of Mother Ann. i. LET name* and sect* and parties no longer be re* Since in the na:ue ot" Mother salvation hath aprear'd: .nted by kin heaven, the Saviour to repeal, nnrtued with an eternal seal. i She wa? the Ur-d's Anointed, to show the root o: And in iti full ;e*tru^t.on, her gospel did begin: She stript a carnal nature of all its deep disguise, An.. I iv open, before the sinners * eyes, 9. '• Sunk in your base corruptions, ye wicked and unclean! You read your sealed Bibles, but know not what thev mean Confess your filthy actions, and put your lasts awav, And live the life M Jesus: this is the only way. 4. Ye haughty kings and begrar*. come learn your equal fate! Your carnal fallen nature you have to cross and hate: " Whatever . :>ur sex or colour be, Renounce your carnal pleasures, or Christ you'll never see. 3. The way of God is holy, mark'd with Immanuels feet; annot reach mount Zion. nor stain the golden street If you will have salvation, you first must count the cosV Avl sacrifice that nature, in which the world is lost." pom -3, At Manchester, in England, this burning truth beg&tt. When Christ made his appearance, in blessed Mother Antr \ few at firtl i< ceiv'd it, and did their lust^ for*ak< ; And soon their testimony brought on a mighty shake. T. The clergy cri'd Delusion ! who can these Shakers be? Are these the wild fanatics bewitched by Ann Lee? We'll stop this noise and shaking: it shall not long prevail, "Well seiie the grand deceiver, and thrust her into jail. 3. Before their learned councils, good Mother stood her ground. And her pure testimony, their wisdom did confound; Till by her painful travail, her suff'rings and her toil, The faith of Christ was planted on the European soil. 9. Her little band of union, in apostolic life, JRemain'd a while in England, among the sons of strife : Till the .New-York Mariah, borne by an Eastern b:. Convey'd this little kingdom across the rolling seas. 10. For Mother's safe protection, good angels flew before, Towards the land of promise, Columbia's happy shore Had thou victorious gospel, and that auspicious day ' "When Mother safely landed in North America. 11. Near Albany she settled, and waited for a while, Until a great revival made all the desert smile. At length a gentle whisper the tidings did convey, And many tiock'd to Mother, to learn the living way. 12 Through storms of persecution, the truth she did maintain , And show'd how sin is concpaer'd, and how we're born agati* The old corrupted nature from place to place she trod, And, by regeneration, brought many souls to God. 13. About four years she labour'd with the attentive throng, While all their sins they open'd, and lighted ev'ry wrong. At length she clos'd her labours, and vanishd out of sight, And left her faithful children increasing in the light. 74. How much are they mistaken who think that Mother's dead When through her ministration, so many souls are fed. In union with the Father, she is the second Eve, Dispensing full salvation to all that do believe. 15'. Since Mother sent the gospel, and spread it in the West, How many little children are nourisn d from her breast! How many more conceived, and trav ling in the birth, Who yet shall reign with Mother, like princes on the earth. 16. As far as sin hath reigned, and souls have been enslav'd;— . As far as they're awaken'd, and would be truly sav'd; — As far as they're convicted, to feel the loss of man, So far shall be extended the name of MOTHER A>.\. THE TESTIMONY OF CHRIST'S SECOND APPEARING PART I. THE STATE OF MAN FROM HIS FIRST CREATION UNTIL CHRIST. CHAPTER I. The Order of the Visible Creation. A LL things were created and made for the honour CHAp and glory of the invisible First-cause, otherwise i called God ; — the Father of holy angels and the spirits of just men — a being of infinite perfections — eternal and unchangeable in his nature and purpose ; from ev- erlasting to everlasting — possessing all power and wis- dom— the centre of all goodness — the true spring of e- ternal life, and the only source of true happiness. 2. In all the works of God, throughout the visible cre- ation, there is an evident relation of one thing to an- other, as the effect is related to its cause; and we may every where see one thing springing out of another, and progressing on to still higher ends and purposes j which is manifest, not only in the works of nature but of art; and upon this principle the new is granted to be superior to the old, inasmuch as it containeth all the useful properties of the old,wi(h additional increase. 3. It is not, however, our design to reason on the works of nature or of art, any further than as they serve to illustrate the things of eternal duration. It belong- eth, more properly, to men of natural wisdom, to search out the properties and progress of that creation of which they are a part. 4. But, as God promised to create new heavens and a new earth, wherein' righteousness should dwell ; and E THE CUDER OF THE VISIBLE CREATION. P. 1. CHAP, as the new creation standoth, in a certain sense, related • to the old, being formed out of it s bo the children of God are not immediately created in that character, but have, first, a certain relation to the children of men, until by the spirit, and power of Christ, in the fulfilment of the promise pertaining to the new creation, they, gradually, rise out of the old, to higher degrees of per- fection. 5. Man, in his natural creation, was designed for a higher purpose thannierely to till up the momentary scenes of the present life : an evidence of this is im- planted in the breast of every individual possessed of common rationality. 0. The endless existence of the soul, and a future state of retribution are sentiments that recjuire no other argument for their establishment than the hopes and prospects of every rational mind. 7. Hence it is, that natural death, or the departing out of the active scenes of this world, is of all other ob- jects the most frightful, inasmuch as it appeareth to put an end to matvs existence, and is the strongest argument against the immortality of his present *tate of being. 8. On the other hand, nothing is so productive of joy and triumph, as those sensible manifestations from a world of spirits, which at times operate in the mind of man, and promise a durable felicity in a future state of existence. 9. Had man even continued in the order in which he was at first created, he could never have been establish- ed in any precise measure of that order, because the very order itself was changeable, and he must of neces- sity advance to some higher order, or sink into an mfe- ior state; much less could he or his natural posterity be supposed to stand in the highest decree of perfection, when he had fallen from God into a state of sin and misery, 10. Eternal life was but an object of hope to man in his highest state of innocence ; for if he had possessed eternal life, he must have been eternally out of the reach of death ; but his being subject to fall into a state o{ death, was an evidence that he was, as yet, on- ly in a state of probation, and of course, had not yet progressed on to the ultimate end of his creation. isa^ihlxv. 11. When God promi>o 1, saying, - Behold, I create J7 new heavens and a new earth1- and when the apostle P. I. THE ORDER OF THE VISIBLE CREATION. ?aid " We according to his promise, look for new hear- CH4P. ens and a new earth wherein dwelleth righteousness ; " L it is evident that the new heavens and earth, spoken of, 2 Pet. iii in different ages, were things yet to be created, which 13 none could possibly reach, but through those revolu- tions which should lead to that period. 12. It is certain that the matter, of which the body of man is composed, existed before the human body was formed, and that matter was incapable of comprehend- ing its intermediate state, before it was organized into human form. 13. And no better able, is the most penetrating mor- tal, to conceive of the intermediate state of man be- tween the old and new creation, until he is created anew according to the progressive work of the new crea- tion: which belongeth to God to make manifest through Christ, by the gospel, in the order of the times appointed. 14. Nothing can be created without a creator, and . he that created all things is God. "He is before all things and by him all things consist :" but every thing in its own order hath a secondary cause. 15. God always vorketh by means that are adapted to the end ; The Lord God did not form man by or out of nothing, but out of the ground ; nor are the human species created or propagated by or out of any other than the living substance of man. 16. Therefore, before a thing can be created the means of its creation must exist. And as Christ was promised to be the immediate Creator, or secondary cause of the new heavens and earth, or the beginning of the new creation ; so the future destiny of the human race was _ suspended on the coming of Christ. 17. Now the coming of Christ was not to destroy the order of the visible heavens and earth that were created very good, in the beginning ; but to form out of them a new world, or order of things, that should be of eter- nal duration, beyond the present : 18. And therefore he came into this world and passed through it as a stranger, and did not abide in it ; his work lay entirely beyond, although not far from every one of us; and having laid and completed the foundation of that order of eternal duration, his message by his . servants is, — ;; Come, for all things are now ready." 17u fr 19. It never was intended by the Creator of all things, that any part of creation should be redeemed or govern- 4 TEE OKDtK Ol Tin VIbliiLL .'RLAilON. P. \ CHIP, ed by a foreign power ; for that would have laid a four ' dation for confusion, and shown a lack whole order of things ; which may be observed in thing? that are natural : 20. But God proportioned to every part of creation its own internal government, without dependance on foreign aid, or the fear of foreign invasion. 21. And therefore, when Christ Jesus came into the world as the redeemer and ruler, he did not come, des- cending through the air from some remote part of space, but being born into the world as all other human beings are, he was qualified, commissioned and sent of God, while dwelling in the midst of those whom he came to redeem, and over whom he was appointed ruler. 22. And thus were fulfilled the words of the prophet : .viicahv. 2. "Out of thee shall he come forth unto me that is to be Ruler in Israel." Plainly showing, that in the order of things, the power of redemption would arise out of that creation itself which needed a redeemer. 23. Seeing then that the whole of God's work is con- nected like the links of a chain, and that one thing riseth out of another in an increasing line from beginning to end ; it will be proper to treat of things in their true and natural order as they arise, from age to age ; from which the appearing of Christ, first and last, may be understood in its true nature and design. P. J. THE STATE OF MAN IN HIS FIRST CREATION, < CHAPTER. II. The state of Man in his first creation. TN the beginning, God having set in order the crea- CHAP, -■■ tion of the visible heavens and the earth, " rested ' from all his works which God had created to make" : for Gen. ii.2, as a thing must be begotten and conceived, before it is 3i Heb> visibly brought forth ; so in all things, there is evident- ly a first and second cause. 2. Thus the First-cause of all things "made every Gen y 4 plant of the field before it was in the earth, and every 5. herb of the field before it grew ; for the Lord God had not caused it to rain upon the earth, and there was not a man to till the ground." 3. By which it may be understood, that the Father had reserved the times and seasons in his own power : for although it was said, "Let the earth bring forth Cha£l- grass, the herb yielding seed, and the fruit-tree yielding fruit after his kind, whose seed is in itself upon the earth; and it was so : yet it was not instantly so. 4. The earth could not bring forth grass, nor the herb yield seed, nor the fruit-tree yield fruit, any otherwise than according to the order of creation established in each particular thing, whose seed was in itself after its kind ; and according to the order of the times and sea- sons appointed by the Father, and reserved in his own power. 5. This was the order established in the vegetable creation ; and every thing was beautiful after its kind, and in its times and seasons. "And God saw that it was good." 6. No law was given from an inferior to any superior part of creation, but each part of the creation regulated according to its own order, and the whole operating and moving in one harmonious concert with the first moving cause. 7. " And God created great whales, and every living creature that moveth, which the waters brought forth abundantly after their kind, and every winged fowl af- ter his kind ; and God blessed them saying, Be fruit- ful and multiply and fill the waters in the seas, and let fowl multiply in the earth. 8. And God said, Let the earth bring forth the liv- £1en^2, E2 tt THE STATE OP MAN IN HIS FIRST CREATION. l\ T CHAP, ing creature after his kind, cattle and creeping thing;. • and beast of the earth after his kind ; and it was so."* Thus God made the animal part of the creation, which was superior to the vegetable, from the great whales in the sea to the least reptile of the earth. 9. And it is evident, that every particular part w*m created with an instinct to multiply, ^ach after its own order, and after its own kind, and in the times and sea- sons proper to each. 10. Thus the mere animal creation was set in order : and each part after its own kind, and in its own place, showed forth, the glory and power of the Creator. Gen. i, 31. "And God saw every thing that he had made, and be- hold it was very good." 11. But concerning the Man it is particularly said, ii,?- that "the Lord God formed the man of the dust of the ground, [matter the most refined,] and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and man became a living soul." That is, he became endowed with spiritual sens- es and the faculties of reason. 12. "And out of the ground the Lord God formed eve- ry beast of the field, and every fowl of the air." Also, the animal parts of the creation which were formed out of the ground, were endowed with animal faculties or bodily senses, such as hearing, seeing, feeling, tastings and smelling, which made them noble in their order. 13. And although man was formed of the ground, yet as he was made the most noble part of the creation, distinct from his living soul, he could not be deficient of such animal sensations as pertained to any of the inferi- or parts of the creation. 14. Therefore, distinct from his living soul, he was likewise endowed with those natural or bodily senses of hearing, seeing, feeling, tasting and smelling, which are called the five senses. And thus his living soul gave him the pre-eminence over the animal part of the cre- ation, and constituted him a human and rational crea- ture, more noble than the rest. 15. Again, the living soul of man being superior to his animal body, could not, therefore, be deficient in any one part or sense which pertained to the body, conse- quently, in the union of soul and body every part or sense of the body must be occupied by a corresponding part or sense of the soul. 16. And hence there was also a spiritual hearing, see? P. I. THE STATE OF MAN IN HIS FIRST CREATION. 3 ing, feeling, and so on, which being superior to all those CHAP, natural senses, were capable of dictating and ordering ' every faculty and sense of his natural body aright. 17. And thus man was created with a most noble ca- pacity, to know how to please and serve his Creator, and how to order and govern every capacity and bodily sense, for the honour and glory of the Great First Cause. 18. And as this noble and superior capacity of the living soul had the pre-eminence over all the inferior senses of his own natural frame ; therefore Man was ca- pable of having the sole dominion over all the inferior creation, and of preserving its order and harmony, for his own happiness, as »t<>ii as for ^e honour and glory of the creator. 19. But as man was formed of the ground, like the rest of the animal parts of the creation ; so like those, his natural body was created for time. And because the Lord God breathed into him the breath of life, and man became a living soul ; therefore his living soul was the image of him who is eternal, and was created for eternity. 20. " And the Lord God said, it is not good that the man should be alone ; I will make him an help meet for him.'"* For among all other living creatures that had * Het/- , yet been formed, for Adam there was not found an help like^tfmt according to that order which was before him. before him 21. And out of the man the Lord God made him an ^Jf"^* helper, who was called woman, because she was taken Gen.ii', l& out of man. Thus man was formed of two parts, male and female. These two, as to their visible form, were distinct ; but in point of nature and species they were one, constituting one entire man, complete in his order. 22. Then as the woman was formed out of the man, who was the most noble and superior part of all the cre- ation, by reason of his living soul ; so the woman also was endowed with those same rational faculties and governing powers, as a suitable help in the dominion and government of all the inferior creation. 23. But as the man was first formed, and afterwards the woman, to be an helper with the man ; therefore she was dependant on him for her counsel and instruc- tion, and was not first, but second, as to headship, in the order and government of the inferior creation. Thus the order in the first formation of man was finished. 8 THE 9TATE OP MAM EM HIS FIRST CREATION. P. 1 CHAT. 04 Also, "God made man upright, — in his own im- ' age c nale and female created he them. Reel, vii, I Ciod paid unto them, * Be ??■ . 2? tVui'lui. and multiply and replenish the earth, and sub- due it : and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the foul of the air. and over every living thing that movetli upon the earth.* 25. And as man proceeded from the fountain of all wisdom and perfection, he was without blemish, made Heb.2,7. but "a little lower than the angels f* % having dominion $*$' nUt over the creatures, and being crowned with glory and honour. 26. Thus man in his first rectitude, stoorl as sole lord of the earth, and the mn«* —**• Part of all the creation. And being endowed with a capacity to receive the law of God in his living soul, for the right ordering of all things under his dominion, he was properly the centre of order and union to all, and, comparatively, stood as a living and most noble tree, in the midst of the trees of the garden. * In accommodation to the general sense and understanding of man- kind, we have, sometimes, stated that it was a command of God to man, to " multiply and replenish the earth," before he fell. — Well, it" this was or is a real command of God, what was the penalty or punish- ment that man must receive, in case of neglect, or disobedience to that command? When was Adam or his posterity to begin to multiply? Was it as soon as they were capable of begetting children, and so con- tinue on, as long as they were able to generate? — Was this the com- mand of God to them without any restriction, leaving man to conduct in regard to the works of generation, according to his own mind and inclination? Judge ye, in yourselves, concerning this matter. Now suppose, for a moment, that it was and still is a positive com- mand to all men, to multiply after the flesh, then to break it, must be a criminal transgression ; then what punishment, must the many thou- sands of souls have, both of men and women, who have abstained front every work of the flesh, for the kingdom of heaven's sake,- Jesus Christ himself not excepted? But Jesus said, " I came not to destroy the law or the prophets, but to fulfil — all righteousness, " and it is certain that he had no wife, neither did he multiply after the flesh. Then this sup- Eosed command must either not have been a command, or Jesus must ave been a transgressor ; for. instead of keeping it, he broke it, in the very beginning of his ministry, and taught others to do the same, for he said" I have set you an example, — whosoever mil come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me,'" [that is] in the regeneration, or resurrection, where they neither marry nor are given in marriage. But we leave the reader to make the application. The first real command that we read of, in the scripture*, is this "The Lord God commanded the man, saying, Of every tree of the garden thou mayest freely eat, but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil thou shah not eat of it. for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die. " Here was a command and a penalty annexed. Let him that readeth, understand. See P. vii, Ch. v. V. 12. P. I. THE STATE OV MAN IN HIS FIRST CREATION. i 27. And while this was his standing, being the head CHAP. and centre of union to the creation, every particular „1„ part, having an order peculiar to itself, served to in- crease the glory and beauty of each other, and operate, and move in one general and harmonious concert, to show forth the glory and power of the great and first moving cause. 28. But the living soul of man was united to a mate- rial and natural body, which was of the earth, and which was possessive of its own animal and earthly instinct ; and this constituted his state of trial, and placed him as it were between two worlds, between life and death. 29. And therefore it is said, that the Lord God put Gen. a him into the garden, to dress it, and to keep it, and com- ' manded him saying, " Of every tree of the garden thou mayest freely eat ; but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it : for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die." 30. From which it may appear evident, that man was created with an inferior nature, to be kept in subjection by a superior law, in order to his becoming a just and rightful heir to any inheritance of promise, and more especially that of eternal life, which was the ultimate end of his creation. 31. It would have been contrary to the order that was established in the creation, for the Lord God imme- diately to exercise his governing power over any object which he had placed under the dominion of man. On man therefore it depended, rightly to use the powers with which he was invested by the father of his living soul, with whom he stood united. 32. Consider then, the state and order in which the man was placed. His living soul, endowed with the pow- er of reason, stood in connexion with the Father of Spir- its, and was superior to the instinct of his earthly na- ture, or the animal sensations and natural desires which might arise therefrom. And therefore he could not be influenced and governed by these, without the most pointed breach of the law and order of God, and forfeit- ure of his dominion. 33. He could not be influenced and governed by the female, although bone of his bone and flesh of his flesh, without the violation of the same law and order; be- cause he was the first, and she the second, in the order of the creation. 10 THE BTJWE OF MAN IN HIS FIRST CREATION. P. I. CHAP. 34 Either could the male nor the female, together . or separately, be influenced and governed by any infe- rior part of (he creation, whether beast, or fowl, or creeping thing, without the subversion of the order and harmony of the creation, as well as the most direct and presumptuous transgression of the law of God. 35. For, God by his righteous law, had endowed them with wisdom and power, to subdue and have the domin- ion over all the inferior creation ; therefore it was not the order of nature in any part of the inferior creation, but the law of God in the living soul, by which the con- duct of both male and female was to be directed, and all their actions disposed. This law was constituted in the ruling powers of man, and because it was given of God the father of their existence, it laid them under the strictest obligations to the most punctual obedience. 36. And while man stood in his first rectitude, and the line of order which God had placed in the creation remained entire, every part was in a condition to be regulated by a principle of justice and equity, to pro- duce the fruits of harmony and peace, and through obe- dience to answer, without obstruction, the ultimate end of its creation. Gen. ii. 37. For God saw every thing that he had made, and behold it was very good. No evil could flow from a good cause, nor could evil ensue while that cause was regarded. " And they were both naked, the man and his wife, and were not ashamed." Such were their per- fect peace and innocence. 38. It was but the beginning of man's work of selfde- niahto abstain from one particular tree. In the progress of his government, he was to subdue the earth, and have T2 20 dominion over all, and prove that his living soul had not its equal among all the beauties of nature nor in all the temporal glory of the universe. 39. But man who being in honour, and abode not, i? like the beasts that perish. P. I, THE NATURE AND EFFECTS OF &C. 11 CHAPTER III. The Nature and Effects of the Fall of Man, from his first Rectitude. BY the fall of man, is not meant any change in the C?£P' position of his body, but of his soul. His body re- _. tained its natural relation to the earth, possessed of its usual properties, and endowed with all its former natu- ral instinct, senses and faculties: 2. But his soul feil from God, by disobedience. By yielding- to the influence of an inferior attraction, he was (in his weaker part) deceived and drawn out of his proper order, in which he had been placed, by the fountain of truth. 3. And being- drawn out of his proper order, he loos- ed the bond of his union and relation to heaven, and being loose, he fell into that which attracted him, and, in that, he is a fallen creature ; }^et still retaineth his former capacities, which all the fancied pleasures of his fallen state can never fill nor satisfy. 4. According to the gift of God to man, at the begin- ning, he was to subdue and have dominion over all in- ferior things ; this was his standing, in his first recti- tude ; of course, to be subdued and overcome must be his fall. 5. The living soul of man was united to a natural bo- dy, and occupied all its natural faculties and senses, which were as a medium, through which the gift of God, implanted in his soul, might be put into action, accord- ing to the mind and will of his superior. 6. And hence, no olyect inferior to the perfect will of God, could find access to his living soul, so as to bring it into captivity and rival God's claim to his affections, otherwise than through the same medium of those pas- sions and appetites seated in bis inferior nature, which were appointed to be under the government of a supe- rior law. 7. And, therefore, any object, on which his obedience could first be proved? must be that which addressed those natural and earthly appetites, or the passions of his inferior nature ; and these could not be excited to action, without the previous consent of his soul to cast off his superior, even God, who claimed the first and principal right to all his faculties. P. I. THi: NATURE AND EFFECTS OF ( ni P **" ^erc W11S tnc state °f n's trial: And it nv . ' m.iined with him, whether he would obey his superior or inferior ; and his servant he must be, to whom he yielded obedience : 9. Therefore, in obeying his inferior he became ser- vant to that over which he was appointed ruler ; and committed sin and transgression in breaking the law and order of God, by going over the bounds prescribed bv the law-giver. 10. Now it was evident that the law and order of God, appointed for man, was good, not only from the thing considered in itself, but from the consideration that God is good, and no evil effect can flow from a good cause. 11. But as man was created in a probationary state, in order to subserve a higher purpose, of course, he was susceptible of either good or evil; the good to ensue as the effects of his obedience to his superior, or the evil might ensue, in case of neglect and disobedience. 12. Then, as man was not obedient to God his supe- rior, but yielded to be influenced, through an inferior nature, by that serpent called the Devil, who, in his na- ture, is directly opposite to all that is good, hence ensu- ed the evil. And the devil could have no influence in the creation, otherwise than by a subversion of that true order which God had placed between soul and body, male and female, man and beast. 13. And as the male was the head, and first principal agent in the order of government, and the female wmm the second and weaker part of man in the same agency ; therefore that deceiver the serpent came forth with a lie, and tempted the woman to counteract the law and order of heaven, that is, to be led by the influence of the serpent, her inferior, instead of being led by the counsel of her superior, the man. 14. "Now the serpent was more subtle than any beast of the field, which the Lord God had made" (a striking emblem of man's nature!) and therefore the most suitable to allure and deceive. "And he said unto the woman, Yea! hath God said, ye shall not eat of eve- ry tree of the garden? 15. And the woman said unto the serpent, we may eat of the fruit of the trees of the garden; but of the fruit of the tree which is in the midst of the garden, God hath said, Ye shall not eat of it, neither shall ye touch it, lest ye die. P. I. man's fall from his first rectitude. 13 16. (Thus far she exercised the rational faculties of CHAP her soul, and while she stood stedfast here, no evil could ' ensue.) And the serpent said unto the woman, Ye shall .; , iii not surely die: for God doth know, that in the day ye 1— 4>* eat thereof, then your eyes shall be opened; and ye .shall be as gods, knowing good and evil." 17. Here the woman was allured, and being allured* ■she was deceived, and being deceived, she was excited to a passion which prevailed over her reason to listen to the voice of the serpent. 18. Thus the serpent beguiled her; and being be- guiled, she distrusted the order of God which was placed in the man, as it respected her immediate safety and protection; and a contrary sense of the order of things began to take root in her animal nature, and to promise something more delightful than what she apprehended from the order and counsel of God. 19. Here the nature and disposition of the woman, which, before, were pure, innocent, and lovely, became transformed into a nature and disposition which are un- clean, wicked and deceitful. 20. The nature and quality of that disposition, with which God created man, at the beginning, being pure, innocent, and lovely, are figuratively compared to a na- tural tree of pleasant fruit, " a tree to be desired to make chap, iii, 6 one wise." 21. And had man regarded the law of God, and punc- tually obeyed it, the fruit would have been good, pure, innocent, and lovely. The tree was good only in its right use, and evil only in its wrong use. 22. Therefore the tree was called, "The tree of the Chap.n.k knowledge of good and evil:" But to the perpetual tor- ment and condemnation of men, and a heavy woe to women, they delight to chuse the knowledge of the evil ! 23. Thus it was aruoindue, unseasonable^ and inordi- nate desire of the knowledge of that nature, excited by the subtilty of the serpent, through which the woman was allured and led away out of her proper order, in- stead of being led by the gift of God, vested in the man, who was her proper head. 24. " But I would have vou know, that the head of j Cor ^ every man is Christ; avid the head of the woman is the 3. man; and the head of Christ is God." This was that line of order, which the God of all wisdom and goodness ^placed in the most noble part of the creation; • P. J 4 rBC NATURE AND EFFECTS OF P. f. ( Hi P ~5* '^^ therefore the woman's obedience to the ser- „ L_ pent was, not only contrary to the dictates of her rea- son, and inconsistent with the nature of things, but di- rectly contrary to the true order of God. And having now eaten of the forbidden fruit, that is, having receiv- ed the nature of the serpent to lule in her, "she gave aim unto her husband with her, and he did eat." 26. Thus the foul and deceitful nature of the serpent set up its growing influence in the first part of man, through the second; and by obedience to the serpent, their nature became corrupted at the root, figuratively compared to an evil tree, all the fruit of which must, consequently, forever after be corrupt, until that evil in- fluence should be broken, by obedience to Christ the seed of promise. 27. And thus the devil placed his seat of influence and dominion in the very instinct of nature, and the nature Jer.ii. 27. 0f man? which had been like "a noble vine, wholly a right seed,1' became corrupted, and turned into — " the degenerate plant of a strange vine/" nourished according to the deceitful influence of the serpent, and bringing forth fruit unto death. 28. And as the soul was united to a natural body, man 22, 23, and must either groan under the oppression of his wicked w'i. 16. master, to whom he yielded obedience, until his redemp- tion should appear, or resign up the body, and every in- ferior part of the creation to the sole dominion of evil. 29. But the purpose of God, in the creation of man. being unchangeable; therefore the devil could not sup- plant the work of God, nor destroy the creation. Never- theless the whole creation became corrupted, and its beautiful order and harmony lost in sin and confusion. 30. No sacred laws of influence, nor ruling power had any longer a free course, through the governing parts of the united creation, to govern from the superior to the inferior; but an unclean, deceitful and rebellious in- stinct, seated i n the nature of man, was now the princi- pal motive and leading object of his obedience. 31. The soul was no longer led and governed by the pure and original law of God. addressed to the mind; but by the now corrupted and growing passions of an infe- rior earthly nature, seated in the members — The male Sj? ^ohn no longer led by the law of God. but by the lusts of the devil excited by the female— The female no longer led by the law of God through the male, but by the same, Iqstsof the devil, through the serpent. P. I. MAN'S FALL FROM HIS FIRST RECTITUDE. IS? 32. Thus rebellion and confusion spread their baneful c**)p influence through the earth; and man could rise up a- 1_ gainst man, who was made in the image and after the likeness of God, and shed each other's blood. 33. The beasts of the field, and the reptiles of the ground, over which man in his state of innocence had the dominion, could now rise up against the most noble part of the creation, while man against man, and beast against beast, are dreading and devouring one another. 34. Thus man, by his disobedience, was wholly ex- cluded and shut out from the way of the tree of life, and ingrafted into an evil tree ; and all the fruits that it could produce must be like itself, the fruits of a fleshly, earth- ly, sensual, cruel and corrupt nature ; " adultery, forni- Gal. v. IP, cation, uncleanness, lasciviousness, idolatry, witchcraft, ' ' hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like." 35. Instead of purity and holiness, he bringeth forth sin and uncleanness — instead of pure natural affection, lust and wantonness — instead of condescension and obe- dience, pride and self-will — instead of tenderness and mercy, oppression and cruelty — instead of justice and equity, partiality and fraud — instead of peace and har- mony, wars and tumults, seditions and bloodshed, and all manner of sin and confusion. 36. Such are the dire consequences of man's fall. And as man was tempted and overcome by the serpent, who was below him in the order of the creation, he of course, fell below the order of the brutes, being servant Rom. VJ to that, to which he yielded himself servant to obey. 16. 37. And hence it is, that the human species are be- come devilish, beastly and unclean, in their nature and disposition. And therefore it is said of them, " Ye ser- Matt. pents ye generation of vipers!" And again, "what they xxiii. 3:f. know naturally, as brute beasts, in those things they cor- u e rupt themselves." 38. Unto whatever this subversion of the true order of God may be likened, whether to a beautiful garden that is laid waste and grown over with thorns, or to a tree that becometh degenerate and corrupt, by being neglected or transplanted into a bad soil, it is certain that the knowledge of good and evil doth exist in the mind of man. 39. For the creation remaining united in that which to THE NATU1VE AND EFFECTS OF 1\ X. CHAP, is corrupt, the soul of man, though a lo?t captive, can- not but know the difference betw een the gooti. which the dignity of his order requireth him to do, and tl« to which he is enslaved by the low and beastly appetite* of an inferior nature. 40. That which cannot bear the light of men, how •shall it bear the light of a perfectly pure and hoi) God? The soul of every rational creature must therefore as- cribe to the agency and influence of the devil, every act that will not bear the inspection of a fellow creature, as well as the nature of that insatiable propensity to such an act. 41 The soul cannot but know that a just, righteous and holy God, never was the original cause of that law- less instinct, which would destroy the dignity and supe- riority of man, and lead him to corrupt himself or others, below the order of the brutal creation. 42. And therefore, the creation groaneth in pain, un- der all these things that are unclean and abominable in the sight of the Creator. The works of men have be- Egh. v. 12. come the unfruitful works of darkness; so that, as it is written, " It is a shame even to speak of those things which are dene of them in secret." How then will eve- ry secret action appear openly in judgment? 43. It was Lust, even the Lust of the flesh, that was imbibed by obedience to the serpent, which corrupted the nature and disposition, and degraded the dignity of man. Here was the fountain head, from which all man- ner of sin and iniquity, like a mighty torrent, came roll- ing along down through the fallen race, corrupting the earth, and teeming with ten thousand evils. 44. From hence proceeded the greatest of all evils, as well as the least: and what still remaineth as the most striking evidence of man's fall and depravity, is the J.jim- iv. 1. ghedding of each other's blood. As it is written, »' From whence come wars and fightings among you? come they not hence, even of vour lu^ts that war in vcur menv- bers?-' 45. All fleshly, sensual, carnal and wanton thoughts and desires, which captivate the mind, and place it upon any other object but the perfect will of God, proceeded through the serpent, from the source of all evil, are the effects of the fall, destructive to the soul, and a fatal bar> to man's eternal peace and bappinc All sehish and fleshly gratifications, and woi I P. t. man's FALL FROJVI his first rectitude. Y? uncleanness, and all actions, of whatever shape or kind, c^p> that require to be performed secretly and in the dark, to prevent them from being seen and judged by the eye of God or man, originated with the prince of darkness, are influenced by a base and foul spirit, are the effects of guilt, entered by the fall, and degrade the dignity of man below the order of the brutes of the field. 47. And that all the hidden works of darkness are of such a base nature, would immediately appear, were all the secret actions of the human species to be performed openly and in the sight of all men. Surely then, the sins of the present generation, would be found to exceed those of Sodom, and their cry immediately ascend up to heaven ! 48. And as God is a God of perfect light and purity, and in him is no sin or darkness at all, therefore, every I. John j; work or action that requireth to be performed secretly 5 and in the dark, as well as every sin that men commit^ whether secretly or openly, are all directly contrary to his purity and holiness, are condemned by the light of his presence as evil, and exposed to his righteous indig- nation. 49. All tyranny and oppression, of whatever name or kind under heaven; all wars and fightings; all. slavery and involuntary servitude, of whatever sex, grade or colour, barbarous or civilized, proceeded from the devil, that old enemy to the peace and happiness of mankind, and entered by the fall, and are a present and direct vio- lation of the just and righteous laws of heaven. 50. And also all treachery, and breach of faith in point of office or trust, relating to the benefit of society; all negligence of moral duty in parents to children, and all disobedience in children to parents; all unjust and un- fair dealing with friend or foe; all civil fraud, and sa- cred hypocrisy; all indolence and sloth, deceit and lying. 51. All these, with every other evil, are the effects of the fall, through the violation of the righteous laws of God, are degrading to the dignity of man, and are the fruits of an evil and corrupt tree, implanted by the ser- pent in man's very heart and disposition. As it is written, 52. u Either make the tree good, and his fruit good ; 6r else make the tree corrupt, and his fruit corrupt : for Matt. xiiv the tree is known by his fruit. O generation of vipers ! 33. 34. how can ye, being evil, speak good things? for out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh." F 2 IS •THE NATURE AND EFFECTS OF, Lc I'. T. K§. u For from within, out of the heart of men, pro- tfVnP cec Rise in the Fall of Man; by the Subversion of the Ori- ginal Order and Law of God. MAN being created in the image of God, male and female, with a living soul, capable of receiving the law of an all-wise, and perfectly holy God; and be- ing united to a terrestrial body, endowed with animal faculties, senses and capacities, which all originated from the fountain of true happiness, he stood in a noble situation to honor and glorify his creator. 20 THE MYSTERY OP INIQUITY, OR P. I. Cft^P' ^- Thus, mun in his state of innocence, stood as the IV temple of God. As u i* written, "\e are the temple i Cor. iii. of the living God.*" Here were deposited hit righteous ^ ^6- laws and commands, relating to the order and govern- * i6. ' ment of the creation. 3. While as yet the man stood alone, before the wo- man was formed, the Lord God brought unto Adam eve- ry beast of the field, and every fowl of the air, and Gen. ii. 19, whatsoever he called every living creature, that wa< *° the name thereof. But among all those, for Adam there was not found an help, like that before him. 4. Now, upon the supposition that it might still have continued so, the deficiency in the order and glory ol man, would as sensibly appear as if one half of his natu- ral faculties had never been quickened or brought into action, and consequently the duties of his station would only be half performed, and his glory but half revealed. 5. But the Lord God, seeing that it was not good for the man to be alone, formed him in two parts, male and Chap, ii. female ; and these two parts constituted one entire, and ver. 21,22. compiete man, as hath been observed. 6. And in this capacity, they were endowed with co-op- erating faculties, sensations and affections; which arising from the true source of all goodness, were pure, innocent and lovely, and were thus calculated to be influence Im- proper objects, to augment their happiness, as well as the honour and visible glory of the Creator. 7. Consider then, as the living soul of man, with all its rational faculties, capable of receiving the law of God, was superior to all the animal senses and facul- ties of his natural body; therefore, sin could not enter in- to man, but by a willing sacrifice of his reason, and a di- rect violation of God's law. 8. And when man had once sacrificed his reason, and tiolated God's express command, by obeying the voice of the serpent through the woman ; then the true order of God in the obedience of the inferior to the superior, was not only subverted, but sin found an easy entrance into man, who stood as God's temple, and claimed the sole right to man's obedience, M shewing himself that he is God." 9. So that it was by the first man's disobedience, that sin entered into the world, and death by sin, forasmuch Rom. v. as death is the wages of sin. And so death passed upon H all men, in that all Adam's posterity have sinned- And P. I. THE MAN* OP SIN REVEALED. 21 therefore sin is not imputed to any, merely on account of CHAP, iv. Adam's original sin and transgression, but their own sms are impute! to them. ' The soul that sinneth it shall die.' Ezek. 10. And as by a subversion of the true order of God, *viii* 20 and the express violation of his law, sin entered into the world, so it took the possession and government of all those faculties and affections of body and mind, which had constituted man a noble creature in his state of in- nocence. 11. And thus, Sin, taking possession of all that consti- tuted man in his innocent state, constituted himself the Man of Sin, and placed Himself as God, in the highest, and most noble seat of man's affections : and there he _ sat, ever ready to oppose and exalt himself above and 2, 4, ?! aerainst every work and dispensation of God^s grace. 12. And this he did particularly in the days of Christ's first appearing, because he was essentially disturbed, As saith St. Paul, " The nrystery of iniquity doth al- ready work." 13. Here then, even in the fall of man from his first rectitude, was the rise of the Man of Sin, the Son of Per- dition; and not in some certain man, or set of men called Popes, four or rive thousand years after man had re- ceived the very nature and disposition of the serpent. Nay, when sin first entered into man, there was the be* ginning of the Man of Sin. 14. Love is the fulfilling of God's pure and perfect Rom. xiic^ law. The highest, and most noble of all the affections j j0^n jVi of man, and the chief and leading motive of all his ac- 7,8—18. , tions, was Love : And while this remained in its original Rona- v'*' purity, there could be no transgression nor any cause of fear or shame. 15. But when man rebelled against his Creator, and all his sweet and noble disposition and affections became converted into the foul and rebellious nature of the ser- pent, then was Love exchanged for Lust, which was made the principal seat, and fountain head of the whole serpent's nature and influence ; the sole leading cause of every vile affection, and of every evil work; and the primary object of man's obedience. 16. And hence it is, that Christ not only calleth the Matr- fallen race of Adam, Serpents, a "generation of vipers," xviii, 33* but further saith, " Ye are of your father the devil, and 3 :,hn viii- the lusts of your father ye will do." And hence Cruden c -ncord calleth Lust, " That original corruption which inclines Article /nen to sin and evil " lM^ £2 fnE MYSTERY OP INIQUITY, Oil $. V. CHAP. 17. And thenceforth, even from man's first rebellion, r ' the fallen posterity of Adam and Eve could call Lust, by the name of Love, with the same impropriety, and by the same old deceitful and foul spirit, by which the first deceived woman could call a murderer (the first fruit oi .G«n. iv.i. her rebellion) "A man from the Lord." 18. And herein lieth the deceitfulness of sin, and the very mystery of iniquity, in believing that to be Love, which, in truth, is nothing but Lust, and thus pretending to claim a just and innocent right to the original order of nature, as though it had never been corrupted ; which tsai. xxv. is, verily, " The face of the covering cast over all peo- h h P*e' anc^ *ne vail that is spread over all nations. " Covering6" *9. Doubtless it will be granted, that a violation of the good and wholesome laws of a nation, in a case of treason, is a political iniquity ; and that the man who either directly or indirectly, violateth the laws that are calculated to promote the peace and welfare of the na- tion, excludeth himself from any active part in the ad- ministration of those laws. 20. And further, that neither he, nor his confederates, Hot any of their descendants in the same line of treach- ery and rebellion, could ever claim any benefits arising from those laws, under any pretext whatever ; but on the contrary, the whole law must stand as a pointed testimony, to judge and condemn the delinquents, and to show them the foulness of their crime. 21. And should those traitors, after the most notori- ous violation of the laws in a case of high treason, be able to insinuate themselves into the government, and finally supplant the nation by foreign oppression, under jpretence of supporting its original rights of freedom, here indeed, would be a political Mystery of Iniquity. 22. Such is the case of which we are speaking ; and such is the nature of the laws of men, which have arisen from second causes. Then shall it be supposed, that the original and perfectly just laws of the Most High God, are of less consequence than those of men ? Shall they be violated with impunity, and that too under a pretext of obedience ? &al. vi. 7, 23 jfay verily, let it never be thought. " God is not l Cor. vi. mocked : whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also 9, 10, reap — He that soweth to his flesh, shall of the flesh reap corruption. — The unrighteous shall not inherit the king- /jj v' ' dom of God. — Though hand join in hand, the wicked shall not be unpunished." $>. I. THE MAN ©F SIN REVEAL*:!). S3 24. The command of God given to man, in his pure CHAP, and innocent state, was in itself binding, and laid man under the most solemn obligations to obedience, and that precisely according to the directions of the law-giver. 25. And as the command was perfectly consistent with the light and reason of his living soul, it must be punc- tually obeyed according to these, however contrary to the dictates of the serpent, or the animal passions of an inferior nature. 26. The violation of the law of God, which led to a total corruption of the order of nature, by Adam the first, was of the most potent and universal kind, as is abund- antly acknowledged by many sensible writers. Con- cerning which Boston hath the following expressions. 27. " Their sin was a complication of evils, a total a- * postasy from God, a violation of the whole law. By it Four-fop 'they broke all the ten commandments at once. They %a 97 iX ' chose new gods. They made their belly their god, by 4 their sensuality; self their god, by their ambition; yea, ' and the devil their god, by believing him, and disbe- lieving their Maker.,, 28. " Though they received, yet they observed not < that ordinance of God, about the forbidden fruit. They ; contemned that ordinance so plainly enjoined them, and 4 would needs carve out to themselves how to serve the 'Lord." 29. Again, saith Cruden, " The honour and majesty Concord} 4 of the whole law was violated in the breach of that pjj}. * symbolical precepi. [of eating of the forbidden fruit:] ' many sins were combined in that single act." 30. "Infidelity: This was the first step to ruin. ' When he distrusted the fountain of truth, he gave cred- * it to the father of lies. This sin included in it prodi- * Giors pride. No sooner created but he aspired to be as '-God." 31. "Horrid Ingratitude: #Now in the midst of such c variety and plenty, to be inflamed with the intemperate 'appetite of the forbidden fruit, and to break a com- ' mand so equal and easy, what was it but a despising the 'rich goodness of his great benefactor?" 32. "Unaccountable and amazing folly: What a 1 despicable acquisition tempted him out of his happiness! * — That the pleasures of taste and curiosity should out- * vie the favour of God — is the reproach of his reason, *and makes the choice so criminal." 24 THE MYSTERY OF IfllQtriTV, Oft P. I. ^VvP" ^ '""^ BLOOI,Y CRUELTY TO HIMSELF, AND TO AIL HIS _ 'posterity: Giving- a ready ear t<> tbe ten, tei. i i 'trayed his trust, and at once break* both the tables of 'the law. and becomes grjilty of the highest impiety and 'cruelty/' 34. Then certainly, it must he evident thai the sin of Adam, including his posterity, Mho still continue i ■same line of sin and rebellion, is in a sun * at least equal, if not far superior in magnitude, t' might he called the highest tieason in a j oliti 35. And therefore, the fallen and still sinnii ity of Adam, could never after the fail, claim any n.cre right to their original standing, uneerany pica I ever, than Benedict Arnold and his confederates < < "Id have claimed an active part in the fee government of America, after the most pointed violation and bieacb of national trust, by his notoriously treacherous conduct at West-Point. 36. What the sin of Adam and E\ e was. and how that sin hath been propagated by their posterity, hath iseea very pointedly hinted at by many candid and sensible SThess ii. men: but how that sin hath been kept concealed under a * vail, hath not been brought to light; nor could it be, un- til the time appointed of God. 37. At present, the strict demands of light and truth require the vail to be removed, and the mystery of sin to be revealed. Of what some have written particularly .on this sulrject, a few things may here be noticed. 38. "The scripture1' saith Cruccn. '-proves in many * places, that the sin of Adam was communicated to all ■' his posterity, (by ordinary generation and that it has Epb.ii. 3. 'infected and corrupted it. '-And are by natuie the 'children of wrath;" that is, liable to punishment, and pom.v. 12 < that hath relation to guilt. "By one man sin entered 'into the world, and death by sin. and so death p;^ed ' upon all men," as a just sentence upon the guilty, " for -Rom X1V 4' that all have sinned." Job describes this sin, "Who Job xiv. 4 k can bring a clean thing out of an unclean? not one.* ^Artide' 39- " If is tne urHVCr?al la>v of nature, that every thing* Sin. ' produces its like, not only in regard of the same nature See also * that is propagated from one individual to another, with- Artule * out a change of the species, but in respert to the quab do"1'" 'ities with which that nature is eminently affected." Sermons 40. Again, saith Davies, "flesh of flesh and sj int of 6a 4ft' ' sPint« This is according to the established laws of gen- !' J. THE MAN OF SIN REVEALEB, • eration, by which every thing- begets its like/' And c:vM' therefore by the works of generation, sin must be pro- _____ pagated, and nourished by the industry of its propaga- Hist, of tors, otherwise sin could not be in the world. Hence P-ed^mp the words of Edwards are very true, when speaking ot Adam and Eve, he saith, " Ail their posterity, by orai- •nary generation, are partakers of the fall, and of the • corruption of nature that followed from it/' 41. Again, saith Osterwald, that sin is "propagated *' by the body, which pollutes the soul, may be proved • from scripture, which ascribes the fountain of sin to the Gal. v. 16, w body, and the flesh; and therefore exhorts us to sub- &c- • due the flesh. ;< Dearly beloved — abstain from fleshly _ pet. h. n ; lusts, which war against the soul." — Adam and Eve sin- ;ned freely, and voluntarily, being deceived by the De- 6% j\}ei, • is evident, not only from the history of Adam's fall, but P- 1 -likewise from our own experience. For we sin in the \\} ,--< A 1 T 1 • 11-1 I-"*, l-lO ' same manner as Adam did. viz. against the divine law, • voluntarily, and being seduced by our own lusts." 43. Again, saith Boston. " The corruption of nature 'is the river-head, which has many particular lusts, in • which it runs.— What doth it avail to reform in other ' sin*, while the great reigning sin remains in its full •power? What though some particular lusts be broken: ; if that sin, [namely, the lust of the flesh,] the sin of :- our nature, keep the throne, it will set up another in its ; stead — and. while it stands entire, there is no victory." 44. ** It is an hereditary evil, — propagated in nature, Four-fok* • [or conveyed by natural generation.] Consider the con- S^Jj P- • fession of David, " Behold I was shapen in iniquity, and 107, lbs, ' in sin did my mother conceive me." Jrlere he ascends • from his actual sin to the fountain of it.*' 45. " By this sin." [of Adam and Eve] saith the West- minster assembly, a they fell from their original right- Confess c eousness, and communion with God, and so became dead 0I Faltn { in sin, and wholly denied in all the faculties and pari^ £of soul and body, They being the *-oot of all mankind ' — the same death, in sin and corrupted nature, was con- veyed to all their posterity, descending from them by { ordinary generation. From which original corruption. 'do proceed all actual transgressions." 46. All of which is strictly true, as they have abun- dantly proved, not only from matters of fact, but from G 15 THF MYSTERY OF INIQUITY, OR P. I. ' HAP. tht most pointed testimony of the sacred writings: such _____ as the following". in-u. ni. 7 47. u And the eyes of them both were opened, and oimm.6 ^jiey jcnew (}i;it ^ncy ^.ere oaked: and th< leave, together and marie themselves aprons. — which is born of the flesh is tle^h. — Every man il templ- ed when he is drawn away of his own fast, and enticed. Jam. 1. 14, Then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin; and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death." And many more proofs to the same purpose. 48. Certainly then, were it not that a misguided and sanctimonious priesthood had invent* ifv Lust, under the alluring and specious pretext ol ful- filling, what they call. An original law of nature, [ (o Adam in a state of innocence; it would verily - that the very seat and fountain head of all sin and cor- ruption, might have been disco\ered at once, to open view, by no more than the bare removal of a fig lent 49. For they have pointedly proved, that the sin of Adam and Eve was conveved to their posterity by the works of natural generation; that all their posterity are shapen in iniquity and conceived in sin: that the origin al corruption of Adam and Eve, which conceived and brought forth sin, was Lust; and that when Lust had con- ceived and brought forth sin. the c\ es of them both were opened, and they knew that they were naked. 50. What could they have said plainer; unless they had pointedly said, that their eating the forbidden fruit, was the very act by which Adam knew his wife, when she conceived and brought forth a murderer? 51. Here then is the Mystery of the iniquity, pointedly and clearly showing what the very root of ail sin is. and how sjn is propagated, nnd then again conceal- ing the whole matter under the s] ■ « elext of a command or an ordinance of God. >n abundantly acknow- ledged to have been most basely violated. What! is God the author of sin? Nay, in no wise; the same writers have justly proved that he is not. 52. It is certain that the oHer of nature which cre- ateth a cloud and spreadeth it over the earth, createth it for the purpose of watering the earth and causing it to be fruitful. 53. And it is equally certain, that in the pure order of nature, according to which man was created male and female, it was intended thatthey should be fruitful, and •uultiply an4 replenish the earth and subdue it P. I. THE MAN OF SiN REVEALED. 2J 54. And for this very purpose they were endowed, CHAP. like all other animals, with those faculties, which in due v; subordination to the law and command of God, might have been innocently used in the work of propagation. 55. But it is as certain and positive a truth, that those instincts of nature, or animal properties never were intended to lead and govern the soul, or even to act, without the soul's decided approbation. And there- fore, while the soul kept its first rectitude, and subdued every inferior passion, which might arise in consequence of his state of probation, there never could have been the least cause or foundation for shame. 56. And thus, while the man and woman stood in Uprightness and innocence, they were both naked and were not ashamed, " which certainly implies," saith a ^[e jf judicious author, " not only that their nakedness was no p' 70 1 just cause of shame, but that they never could have ' known it, had their innocence continued." 51. " Before the fall, they doubtless knew that they 1 had no clothing; but now their eyes were opened, and i they had acquired a criminal knowledge, and became 1 sensible of a passion, to which they had ever before 1 been strangers, namely, shame." 58. " The origin of this will be easier to account for, 1 if we suppose with some,* that the juice of this tree 1 was inebriating [i. e. intoxicating;] since we know from 4 common observation, that juices of such a quality will * excite debauchery, produce strange commotions in the ■ animal frame, and give a strong predominancy to the ' animal appetites." 59. " Under these circumstances we need not wonder ■'at the subterfuges, [tricks or evasions] to which they * ran, since it is never expected that the conduct of per- < sons under the power of intoxication, or the oppression 1 of guilt, should be perfectly consistent with the rules * of cool reflection." 60. According to the above, shame was the effect of a criminal knowledge, which is most strictly true. By eating the forbidden fruit, they knew that they were * Milton gives a striking description of the effects of the forbidden fruit on Adam and Eve, in the following lines: « But that false fruit " Carnal desire inflaming; he on Eve " Began to cast lascivious eyes, she him 11 As wantonly repaid; in lust they burn." Paradise Lost. Book IX 7] THE MT0TEY OF INKillTV, OR P. t, I hence that shameful act is 90 commonly ex- .__!_ pressed by tlie term, Knowing. 61. Atbm knew Eve his wife. DouUle-- be i well acquainted with her before; but now he hi ew her in ft shameful and criminal manner, in consequence of which they walked naked, and their shame appeared. And from hence the above author maketh the following plain observation. Hist, of 02. "It is remarkable, that the custom of covering Rcdemp. < the private par(s should so generally obtain, even 4 among barbarous nations; an entire disuse of clothing 'in both sexes, is, perhaps, no where practised, except ' where promiscuous intercourse is also allowed, and 1 men and women couple like the brutes." 63. Therefore, as shame is the effect of a criminal knowledge, and as the seat of that criminal knowledge- is manifest by the universal practice of all nations in hi- ding it; it is evident that the criminality of that know- ledge, arose from an unseasonable, and untimely use of those bodily organs and animal faculties, which were created to be under the government and direction of a superior law. 64. And as the first transgressors of the human race, covered the parts with fig-leaves, through which they had violated the command of God; so under'a specious pretext, sin hath reigned since the fall, and deceived the nations of the earth. And this is brought to light, that Isaiah hi. the words of God might be fulfilled: "The Lord will discover their secret parts." 65. And yet the Lawless and unruly passion of Lust, in polluting and corrupting the order of creation, hath claimed either the order of nature, or the express com- mand of God for its authorit}'; although it is so evident, (hat by the very first act of that kind in which man went forth, he not only corrupted the order of nature, but vi- olated God's express command. 66. k is also generally acknowledged, (as we have shown from eminent authorities,) that shame is the ef- fect of sin, and that the sin of Adam and Eve is conveyed io their posterity, by the very act of natural generation. 67. How then is it, that the fallen posterity of Adam, have under the sacred pretext of a command or ordi- nance of God, pretended to solemnize that which in it- self is profane, and to sanctify that unclean thing, out of which they have proved to a demonstration that they «an bring nothing clean? 17. t.i THE If All OF SIN REVEALED. 29 68. Well therefore said Boston: "Adam confesseth CHAP, which he could not get denied; but not *one word he says of his sins: here was the reason of Four-fold 'it, he would fain have hid it if he could. Adam's chil- sJgte;0 1 dren need not be taught this hellish policy ; for before p' ' * * they can well speak, (if they cannot get the fact de- * nied) they will cunningly lisp out something to lessen ; their fault, and lay the blame upon another!" 69. " Nay, so natural is this to men, that in the great* 1 est of sins, they will lay the fault upon God himself — 'And was not this one of Adam's tricks after his fall? :The man said, "The woman whom thou gavest to be 'with me, she gave me of the tree, and I did eat." He 4 makes his apology in the first place: and then comes 1 to his confession! His apology is long, but his confes- sion is very short! as if he was afraid his meaning - should have been mistaken!" 70. "The woman," says he, or " that woman!" as if * he would have pointed the judge to his own work— ' There was but one woman then in the world; yet she ; is as carefully marked out in his defence, as if there 1 had been ten thousand !" 71. "The woman whom thou gavest me!" Here he •speaks as if he had been ruined with God's gifts! and * to make the shift look the blacker, it is added to all 'this. "Thou gavest to be with me," to stand by me as 'a helper! as if he would have fathered an ill design *npon the Lord, in giving him this gift! 72. " He says not, " The woman gave me," but, " The e woman she gave me !" emphatically as if he had said, f She even she gave me of the tree. This much for ' his apology : But his confession is quickly over. — " And ' I did eat." And there is nothing here to point to him- 'self, and as little to shew what he had eaten: — How * natural is this black art to Adam's posterity? He that * runs may read it." 73. So plainly have discerning men pointed out the very root and foundation of all iniquity, and proved their remarks, not only from the sacred writings, but from common observation, drawn from the most noted- send universal facts. g a "I* THE MYSTERY OF INIQUITY P. I CHAPTER V. The Mystery of Iniquity, more fully exposed. CHAP. A FTER all that hath heen said concerning the root x5L_ °f human depravity, yet such is the deceitfulness of that lawless and corrupt nature of the serpent, which fnan imbibed by the fall, and such is the depth of that Mystery of Iniquity, as to claim its right of indulgence, under the covert of the original law of God! An ordi- nance of heaven! 2. And not only so, but whenever it is molested by God's claim to the principal seat in man's affections, it hath the impertinence to question: " How could Adam violate the law of nature in knowing his wife, when she was designedly made for him, and nature had furnished them with those faculties by which they came together ia that order?" 3. Those who have light and reason enough to know what the perfect law of God required, will not ask this, question, knowing that God is not the author of sin, nor of that lawless instinct which giveth the predominancy to the animal appetites, and which debaseth the dignity of man below the order of the brutes, while it is not governed by a superior law. 4. But to such as (according to what is written) know rude 10 nothing " but what they know naturally as brute beasts,11 and even " in those things corrupt themselves," and that under a pretended cloak of obeying God's command, the answer is plain and evident from the followiug natural similitudes. 5. Would it not be just and right in a wise and pru- dent parent, who had planted an apple tree among the trees of his garden, more excellent than the rest, for the express use of his children, to lay them under an entire prohibition from eating or touching that tree, un- til the fruit was fully ripe? And would it not be time enough for that prohibition to be taken off when the fruit was ready for use? 6. And should the children, through some disorderly influence upon their youthful appetites, be so deceived ^)y the appearance of the blossoms or green fruit, as to pluck^md eat them, would not this he an abuse of the order of nature, as well as a violation of the express command of their parents? . P. I. MORE SULLY" EXPG9ED. Si 7. Here then would be the deceit fulness of the trans- CHAP, gression, in corrupting their blood, and continually abus- ' ino* the tree and themselves, under the pretence that their father »ave it to them, and neither suffering their tree to bring- forth ripe fruit, nor themselves to enjoy that benefit from it which their father intended. 8. The smallest capacity may applv this to the ori- ginal and present state of man. The order of nature es- tablished in the creation of man, could not be inferior- to the order established in the tree yielding fruit, whose seed is in itself; and being regulated by the times and. seasons of God's appointment, must bring forth fruit ao cording to that appointment. 9. Thus in the creation of man, like all other ani- mals, his seed was in himself; and had his conduct been regulated according to God's appointment, he would have propagated his own species agreeably to the per- fect will of the creator, and also according to the perfect order of nature, in the times and seasons which he ap- pointed. 10. Therefore, by the very existence of the order of creation, Adam and Eve were forbidden to come to the knowledge of generation, until the time was appointed by the Creator. But as they were influenced by the serpent to counteract the express command of God, and did not like to retain God in their knowledge, hence they were unseasonably led into the knowledge of gen- eration by the devil, instead of being led or directed by the spirit of God. 1 1 . And hence all the motions and actions of man iti the works of the flesh are corrupt, and contrary to the pure law of the creator; yet deceitfully covered under the pretence of fulfilling the original law of nature; or more deceitfully and shamefully cloaked under the plausible, but hypocritical pretence of obeying the command of God, when his real command was so basely violated. 12. Again, take the following similitude : In the year 1802, the convention of the state of Ohio formed a con- stitution, in which is the following sentence: "But no Art, V1T, 'alteration of this constitution shall ever take place, so Sec>^ 1 as to introduce slavery or involuntary servitude into ' this state." 13. Then in consequence of this article, the citizens of Ohio are forever secured in the possession of their rights of liberty and freedom. 32 TIE MttVtikf OP INIQUITY P. f CHAP. 14. But should a foreign slave-holder infuse his prin- _' cipies into the governor of Ohio, and he should publish his sentiments in favour of slavery, must he not, upon the very principles of the constitution, be deposed from his office; and should he himself be determined to hold slaves, must he not go. entirely out of the state? And when he is out of the state, can he have any thing more to do with the constitution or laws of Ohio, or they with him? 15. The case is plain to a demonstration: and al- though he may do many things which appear like what the laws of Ohio enjoin, yet, while he holdeth slaves, and iiveth in a slave country, these laws can have no influ- ence upon him, because he is not under their jurisdiction 16. And should he even take a copy of the laws with him into a slave country, yet he could not enjoy the com- mon privileges of a citizen of Ohio, for the constitution Art, VIII expressly declareth that, "There shall be neither slave- ' ' 'ry nor involuntary servitude in this state.'1 And he is neither in the state of Ohio, nor subject to its laws. 17. Again, it is declared by the same constitution, " That all men have a natural and indefeasible right to 1 worship Almighty God according to the dictates of con- fbid, 'science; that no human authority can, in any case Sec, 3. 'whatever, controul or interfere with the rights of con- 'science — and that no preference shall ever be given by Maw, to any religious society or mode of worship.'1 18. Here again, the word u ever," forever secureth to the citizens of Ohio, free liberty of conscience in mat* ters of religion. 19. But should any society remove out of the bounds of the state, and form a new settlement, where they Could establish their religion by law, and institute the most cruel modes of persecution; could they claim any relation to the laws of Ohio, because they had once lived in that state, and removed out of it? The deceitfulnesS of such a pretence would be at once manifest. 20. Then what higher pretence can fallen man have" to the original constitution and commands of God which he was under before his disobedience? Did he not vio* late them, and become guilty of the highest impiety? 21. Nay, more, was he riot condemned as a traitor* Yea verily, and actually banished from any right to the tree of life. As it is written, "Therefore the Lord God sent him forth from the garden of Eden— So he drove P. 1. MORE FCLLY EXPOSED. 33 out the man ; and he placed — Cherubims * and a flam- CHAP. v. ing sword which turned every way, to keep the way of the tree of life." Gen. Hi. 22. But now Allien man, being banished from his na- 23»2^ the soil, might take with him a copy of a basely vio- lated law, together with a corrupt and deceitful spirit of the serpent whom he had obe}red; and in the same cor- rupt and deceitful spirit he might now go forth and mul- tiply, under the pretence of obeying the command of God, given in his state of innocence; and at the same time, till the earth with corruption and violence ! Blood crying unto blood ! while the beasts of the field, more orderly than he, were able to set him an example of times and seasons! 23. Now Cain also might claim his right to that ori- ginal and pure law of nature, and obey the command of God, [as they call it] to "multiply and replenish the earth," and at the same time abstract one from the num- ber, by imbruing his hands in his brother's blood! 24. So inconsistent, cruel, devilish, and supremely deceitful are the demands of lust! and yet it hath been gracefully propagated under a specious pretext, called by modern divines, "An holy ordinance of God;" or concealed under the very modest covering of a " fig- leaf," called, " The sin of our Nature!" 25. Again, take the following similitude. Dr. Buchaft observeth, that " The Jews, by their laws, were, in cer- * tain cases, forbid to have any manner of commerce Domestic with the diseased; and indeed to this all wise legisla- ^J^puM ' tors ought to have a regard. In some countries diseas-P£d. 1797 ■ • ed persons have actually been forbid to marry. This 9 is an evil of a complicated kind, a natural deformity, * and political mischief." 26. Then, admitting such a law to exist, as only per- mitted the healthy and firm to propagate the species, and some one, after obtaining licence by law, should fall under a mortal consumption, would he be actuated by a just regard to the law in going forth and begetting a son * These Cherubims, (which are the two Anointed ones mentioned Zech. iv. 14. as standing before the Lord of the whole earth, and the Two Witaesses, Rev. xi. 9.) have kept the way of the tree of life, so that none of Adam's fallen posterity can ever partake of it until they come into their footsteps, and keep their commandments, as they have kept the commandments of their Parents; then they will have a right to the tree of life, which still remrineth in the midst of the paradise of ' jod,. but never before. 34 THE MYSTERY OF INIQUITY P. f. CHAP, in his own likeness a partaker of his consumptive blood ' • . Surely not. lie must be actuated by some other motive than to fulfil the law. 27. Vet if he chose, he might cover his base motive with the licence which he had received while in a itate of health, until he was actually brought into judgment, and his character made manifest, that he is not now the person to whom the licence was first given. 28. Or should his deplorable offspring keep his licence^ and try to prove that the court had licensed them, by li- censing their once healthy father; the deceitfulness of their pretext would be still worse. And although they might say, their licence was given according to law, and therefore what they did was lawful; yet the law could never notice them, unless to reject, and cut them off from the communion of the healthy. 29. The weakest capacity may apply this case to the fall of man, and see at once the deceitfulness of sin, and and the subtle means by which, like a strong man armed, he hath kept his palace, and his goods in peace. 30. And such, verily, are the deceitful means by which sin hath been concealed in a mystery, and kept the whole creation under death and bondage; servants to sin, and those secret works of darkness which are far beneath the original order of nature, and infinitely beneath eve- ry principle of man that can possibly endure the light of presence of that God who is a consuming fire. 4 Cor.ii.9 31. It is granted that God formed u the woman for the man," and brought her to him; and admitting he had said to them, "Be fruitful" — How were they fruitful? Did God own that for good fruit which they brought forth? 32. The effect must be like its cause. "A good tree Matt. vii. cannot bring forth evil fruit." Their first fruit was a murderer, which proved that the cause from which he sprang, was something wholly different from the original and pure order of nature. As it is written. " Cain wast ]^ oho in. Q£ ^at wicked one, and slew his brother." Hence it is certain that he was not begotten of God, nor according to his will, but through the lusts of the wicked one. 33. Therefore, as the first fruit was corrupt, and prov- I Cor v 6e<^ l^se^ tne ft*1"* °f a corrupt tree; hence it followeth, beyond all contradiction, that the whole lump of the fruit which that tree brought forth ever after, was also cor- rupt. Flesh of flesh, foul spirit of foul spirit, and cor- ruption of corruption, according to the established, cor }'. I MORE FULLY EXPOSEQ. gg' i apted, and perpetually violated laws of natural gene- CHAP, ration. Hence it is, that Christ telleth the seed of Ahra- V' ham, " Ye are of your father the devil, and the luscs of your father ye will do.1' , 34. Nevertheless the order assigned to man, being, in the purpose of God, sacred and inviolable, though man was corrupted and changed, and dm en out of that order, Rom. i. the order itself could not be destroyed, but still remain- 23' 25- ed as a witness against the transgressor. A& it is written, The law is holy, and the commandment holy, and just, ^oa1, TIi' and good. 35. It was a just, holy and good God, that commanded man saying, — "of the tree of the knowledge of gojd and evil, thou shalt not eat.'1 — And as man was a pu e and innocent creature, of course the commas ,t was like him who gave it, and him to whom it was gi . 'en, and therefore required, as the fruit, perfect innoverK e aad purity, holiness, justice and goodness, without which, the end of the commandment could never be answered. 36. But when man was seduced by the nature of the serpent in the woman, he became carnal and sold un er sin, and led captive by a law in his members, which was contrary to the original law of his mind. 37. Therefore the commandment which was holy, just and good, and given to one who was pure and upright, and. called for the same kind of fruit, could never apply to one who was fallen from his first rectitude, and whose very nature was corrupt, otherwise than to expose his deplorable fall and corruption, and hold him under con- demnation. 38. Yet as the order of nature, which was intended to subserve a higher purpose, must continue until that pur- pose should be answered, and the law and commandment of God for the government of that nature, must also con- tinue; hence the old deceiver took occasion to invent the greatest possible deception; as saith St. Paul con- cerning the law of God. "Sin, taking occasion by the * Ge. commandment, wrought in me all manner of lust.* — Em^vfxt^ 39. For sin, taking occasion by the commandment,! de- J*0™- !**■ ceived me and by it slew me. — Was then that which is 22, 23. ' good made death unto me? Let it not be. But sin, that fGen. iii.; it might appear sin, working death in me by that which 12* is good; that sin by the commandment might become ex- ceeding sinful. — For I delight in the law of God after the inward man. But I see another law in my member^ • u TIIE MYSTEKY 6V INIQUITY }J. 1 • HAT. warring against the law of my mind, and bringing mo into captivity to the law of sin which «s in my meml i 40. Thus while the original outer of nature requiied upright man to be fruitful, a superior law. which ism given to protect the fruit until it came to perfects ing deceitfully perverted, could only work in fallen man 'ill manner of concupiscence. 41. For as long as he imagined, by that deceitful and corrupt nature of the serpent, that there com- mand of God to him, to multiply and : i he was essentially deceived, and the very iruit of his pretended obedience stood a idemnhim, and to pro\e that he was not the one v ho coi the requirements of a peifectl} holy ;