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Full text of "The world turned upside down, or heaven on earth the material universe is eternal. - Immortal man has flesh and bones. - Earth is his everlasting inheritance. - To this bear all the prophets and apostles witness by P.P. Pratt"

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C     2. 


WORLD  TURNED  UPSIDE  DOWN, 


HEAVEN  ON  EARTH. 


THE     MATERIAL   UNIVERSE    IS    ETERNAL. — IMMORTAL    MAN 

HAS  FLESH  AND  BONES. — EARTH  IS  HIS  EVERLASTING 

INHERITANCE. — TO   THIS  BEAR   ALL   THE 

PROPHETS  AND  APOSTLES  WITNESS. 


?KF.    PHYSICAL  WORLDS  WERE   NOT  FORMED   FOR    ANNIHILATION,  BUT  FOR  TH» 
PLEASURE  OF  GOD  THEY  ARE    AND  WERE  CREATED. 


BY  P.  P.  PRATT. 


PUBLISHED  AT  THE  MILLENNIAL  STAR  OFFICE,  36,  CHAPEL- 
STREET,  LIVERPOOL,  AND  SOLD  BY  THE  BOOKSELLERS. 


PRINTED  BY  JAMES   AND   WOODBURN,  14,  HANOVHR-STRBBr. 


~r" 


PREFACE. 

We  do  not  enter  upon  this  boundless  subject  m  a. 
matter  of  speculative  philosophy,  calculated  in  its  nature 
merely  to  charm  the  imagination,  to  interest  the  curious,  or 
to  please  the  learned.  So  far  from  this,  we  consider  it  a 
subject  of  deep  and  thrilling  interest  to  all  the  human 
family.  All  are  journeying  swiftly  through  time,  and  are 
bound  to  eternity  ;  all  are  lovers  of  life  and  happiness  ;  all 
are  looking  forward  with  inexpressible  anxiety  to  the  unex- 
plored regions  of  futurity. 

The  Jew,  in  view  of  death  and  eternity,  is  comforted  with 
the  expectation  of  rising  from  the  dead,  with  all  the  chosen 
•race — of  being  clothed  again  with  flesh,  and  restored  again 
to  that  land  which  was  given  to  them  and  their  fathers,  for 
an  everlasting  inheritance  ;  while  David  takes  his  seat  in 
the  holy  city,  and  reigns  over  the  twelve  tribes  for  ever 
and  ever. 

Many  modern  Christians,  in  view  of  hereafter,  comfort 
themselves  with  the  hope  of  a  spiritual  existence  in  a  world 
far  distant  from  their  native  earth,  and  far  beyond  the 
bounds  of  time  and  space — where  spirits  mingle  in  eternal 
joy  and  everlasting  song.  And,  although  the  body  should 
rise  from  the  dead,  yet  they  suppose  that  the  whole  will  be- 
come spirit  unconnected  with  matter,  and  soar  away  to 
worlds  on  high,  free  from  all  the  elements  of  which  their 
nature  was  composed  in  this  life ;  and  thus  enjoy  eternal 
life  and  happiness,  while  matter, 

Animate  and  inanimate  shall  cease  to  be, 
Nor  place  be  found  for  heaven,  earth,  or  sea. 

Or,  in  the  language  of  a  modern  Christian  poet, — 

"  Where  is  heaven  ?    Beyond  all  space, 
The  distance  mind  can  never  trace." 

The  Mahometan,  in  turn,  looks  for  a  paradise  of  sensual 
pleasures ;  where,  with  all  his  faithful  friends,  he  expects  to 
bask  for  ever  in  all  the  enjoyments  of  sensuality.  He  dreams 
of  trees  loaded  with  delicious  fruits,  and  bending  their 
branches  invitingly  to  his  appetite ;  of  gardens  and  plea- 
sure grounds,  adorned  with  pleasant  walks ;  with  cooling 
shades,  and  blooming  sweets  which  perfume  the  air ;  and 
turrounded  with  fields  of  spices  more  delicious  than  all  the 
productions  of  Arabia ;  while  his  golden  palaces  and  serag- 
lios are  thronged  with  myriads  of  delightful  virgins,  more 
pure  and  beautiful  than  the  fairest  daughters  of  Circassia. 
With  these  he  hopes  to  spend  a  life  of  pleasure  for  evermore. 

The  Pagan,  too,  in  turn,  when  bowed  down  with  grief 

A 


*v 


IV 

and  sorrow,  finds  same  relief  in  anticipation  of  a  future  ex- 
istence!— some  shady  forest  filled  with  game,  some  delightful 
prairie  of  blooming  flowers,  "  some  humble  heaven  behind 
the  cloud-topped  hill,"  where  he  hopes  to  join  his  wife  and 
children,  his  brothers  and  his  fathers ;  and  in  their  society 
to  spend  a  peaceful  eternity,  in  all  the  enjoyments  of 
domestic  life,  while  his  faithful  horse  and  dog  shall  bear 
him  company. 

These  are  the  hopes  and  anticipations  which  serve  to  dry 
his  tears,  to  calm  his  heaving  bosom,  and  to  his  troubled 
spirit  whisper  peace. 

How  desirable,  then,  is  a  just  and  correct  knowledge  on 
this  all  important  subject !  Who  does  not  desire  to  become 
acquainted,  as  far  as  possible,  with  the  nature  of  that  eternal 
state  of  existence  to  which  we  are  all  hastening  ? 

We  are  dependent  alone  on  the  light  of  revelation  and 
reason,  for  any  just  and  correct  information  on  this  subject. 

The  sacred  volume  opens  with  a  paradise  on  earth;  the 
tree  of  life  was  growing  in  the  midst — man  was  immortal, 
and  creation  very  good. 

Adam  fell.  "  Sin  entered  into  the  world,  and  death  by 
sin." 

"  All  creation  groaneth  and  travelleth  in  pain  together, 
waiting  for  the  adoption,  to-wit,  the 

THE   REDEMPTION   OF   THE   BODY." 

"Christ  came  to  destroy  him  who  had  the  power  of 
death — that  is,  the  devil ;  and  to  deliver  those  who,  through 
fear  of  death,  were  all  their  lifetime  subject  to  bondage." 

"  As  in  Adam  all  die  ;  even  so  in  Christ  shall  all  be  made 
alive." 

Isaiah  and  David  promise  a  renewal  of  the  earth.  Christ 
has  said,  the  meek  shall  inherit  it.  John  closes  the  volume, 
by  leaving  immortal  man  in  possession  of  it,  as  an  eternal 
inheritance,  while  the  paradise  of  God  and  the  tree  of  life 
are  in  the  midst,  as  at  the  beginning,  and  man  has  free  access 
thereunto. 

Thus,  creation  is  to  be  restored,  death  destroyed,  man 
immortalised,  earth  renewed,  and  paradise  returned,  through 
the  mediation  of  the  Son  of  God. 

To  examine  the  original  creation — the  fall  of  man,  the 
effects  of  sin,  the  nature  and  object  of  redemption,  and  the 
final  restoration  of  all  things  spoken  of  by  the  prophets ; 
with  the  circumstances,  time,  manner,  and  means  of  this 
restoration,  and  its  happy  effects  upon  the  physical  and 
moral  world  is  the  design  of  the  following  treatise. 

THE  AUTHOR. 


HEAVEN  ON  EARTH. 


Matter  and  Spirit  are  the  two  great  principles  of  all  exist- 
ence. Every  thing  animate  and  inanimate  is  composed  of 
one  or  the  other,  or  both  of  these  eternal  principles  I  say 
eternal,  because  the  elements  are  as  durable  as  the  quicken- 
ing power  which  exists  in  them.  Matter  and  spirit  are  of 
equal  duration ;  both  are  self-existent, — they  never  began  to 
exist,  and  they  never  can  be  annihilated. 

From  the  Mosaic  account  of  the  creation,  many  have 
gathered  the  idea  that  God  created  all  things  out  of  non- 
entity,— that  solid  matter  sprung  from  nothing.  But  this  is 
for  want  of  reflection,  or  an  exercise  of  reason  on  the 
subject;  for  instance,  when  a  child  inquires  of  its  father, 
saying,  father,  who  made  this  house  ?  the  father  replies,  the 
carpenter  made  it.  Again,  the  child  inquires,  who  made 
me  ?  the  father  replies,  the  Lord  made  you.  Again,  the 
child  inquires,  who  made  the  earth  ?  the  father  replies,  the 
Lord  made  the  earth,  and  all  things  upon  the  face  thereof. 
Now  the  child  might  suppose  that  the  carpenter  created  the 
house  without  any  materials;  that  he  brought  it  into 
existence  from  nothing ;  and  so  with  equal  propriety,  he 
might  suppose  that  he  was  formed  from  nothing  ;  when  in 
fact  he  was  formed  of  materials  which  grew  out  of  the  earth. 
And  with  the  same  degree  of  impropriety  we  might  suppose 
that  God  made  the  earth  from  nothing,  when  in  fact  he  made 
it  out  of  self-existing  element. 

It  is  impossible  for  a  mechanic  to  make  any  thing  what- 
ever without  materials.  So  it  is  equally  impossible  for  God 
to  bring  forth  matter  from  nonentity,-  or  to  originate  ele- 
ment from  nothing,  because  this  would  contradict  the  law  of 
truth,  and  destroy  himself.  We  might  as  well  say,  that 
God  can  add  two  and  three  together,  and  the  product  will 
be  twelve  ;  or  that  he  can  subtract  five  from  ten  and  leave 
eight,  as  to  say  that  he  can  originate  matter  from  nonentity ; 
because  these  are  principles  of  eternal  truth,  they  are  laws 
which  cannot  be  broken,  that  two  and  three  are  five,  that 
five  from  ten  leaves  five,  and  that  nought  from  nought  leaves 
nought ;  and  a  hundred  noughts  added  together  is  nothing 
▲  2 

/ 


/ 


still.  In  all  these,  the  product  is  determined  by  unchange- 
able laws,  whether  the  reckoning  be  calculated  by  the  Al- 
mighty, or  by  man,  the  result  is  precisely  the  same. 

Here  then,  is  demonstration  that  it  is  not  in  the  power  of 
any  being  to  originate  matter.  Hence  we  conclude  that 
matter  as  well  as  spirit  is  eternal,  uncreated,  self-existing. 
However  infinite  the  variety  of  its  changes,  forms  and 
shapes  ; — however  vast  and  varying  the  parts  it  has  to  act 
in  the  great  theatre  of  the  universe  ; — whatever  sphere  its 
several  parts  may  be  destined  to  fill  in  the  boundless  orga- 
nization of  infinite  wisdom,  yet  it  is  there,  durable  as  the 
throne  of  Jehovah.  And  Eternity  is  inscribed  in  indelible 
characters  on  every  particle.  Revolution  may  succeed  re- 
volution,— vegetation  may  bloom  and  flourish,  and  fall  again 
to  decay  in  the  revolving  seasons — generation  upon  genera- 
tion may  pass  away  and  others  still  succeed — empires  may  fall 
to  ruin,  and  moulder  to  the  dust  and  be  forgotten,  the  marble 
monuments  of  antiquity  may  crumble  to  atoms  and  mingle 
in  the  common  ruin — the  mightiest  works  of  art,  with  all 
their  glory,  may  sink  in  oblivion  and  be  remembered  no 
more — worlds  may  startle  from  their  orbits,  and  hurling 
from  their  spheres,'  run  lawless  on  each  other  in  inconceivable 
confusion — element  may  war  with  element  in  awful  majesty, 
while  thunders  roll  from  sky  to  sky,  and  arrows  of  lightning 
break  the  mountains  asunder — scatter  the  rocks  like  hail- 
stones— set  worlds  on  fire,  and  melt  the  elements  with 
fervent  heat,  and  yet*  not  one  grain  can  be  lost — not  one 
particle  can  be  annihilated.  All  these  revolutions  and  con- 
vulsions of  nature  will  only  serve  to  refine,  purify,  and 
finally  restore  and  renew  the  elements  upon  which  they  act. 
And  like  the  sunshine  after  a  storm,  or  like  gold  seven  times 
tried  in  the  fire,  they  will  shine  forth  with  additional  lustre  a* 
they  roll  in  their  eternal  spheres,  in  their  glory,  in  the  midst 
of  the  power  of  God. 

When  in  the  progress  of  the  endless  works  of  Deity,  the 
full  time  had  arrived  for  infinite  wisdom  to  organize  this 
sphere,  and  its  attendant  worlds,  and  to  set  them  in  motion 
ia  their  order  amid  the  vast  machinery  of  the  universe, — 
when  first  the  morning  stars  sang  together,  and  all  the  sons 
of  God  shouted  for  joy,  at  the  grand  occasion  of  the  acqui- 
sition of  a  n&w  system  to  the  boundless  variety  of  his  works, 
all  was  pronounced  very  good. 

The  Waters  obedient  to  his  word,  retired  within  their 
respective  limits,  and  filled  with  the  quickening,  or  life- 
giving  principle,  which  we  call  spirit,  they  produced  living 
creatures  in  abundance,  and  very  soon  the  vast  deep  was* 


found  teeming  with  animal  life  in  countless  variety,  and 
in  regular  gradation,  from  the  monster  Leviathan  to  the 
minutest  speck  which  is  only  to  be  discerned  by  the  aid  of 
powerful  glasses.  The  air  swarmed  with  an  almost  infinite 
variety  of  animal  life,  from  the  lofty  and  aspiring  eagle 
which  soars  on  high,  and  seems  to  dip  his  wing  in  ether  blue, 
to  the  humming  bird  which  darts  from  flower  to  flower,  and 
hides  itself  amid  the  blooming  sweets  of  spring ;  or  descending 
still,  to  the  puny  nations  of  insects  which  swarm  in  clouds 
of  blue  on  the  summer  breath  of  morn :  all,  all  the  air  seemed 
life  and  happiness. 

The  Dby  Land,  organized  in  its  own  proper  sphere, 
presented  a  surface  every  where  well  watered,  abounding  in 
springs,  streams  and  rivulets,  and  uninterrupted  by  any 
of  the  rough,  broken,  rugged  deformities  which  now  pre- 
sent themselves  on  every  side.  Its  surface  was  smooth,  or 
gently  undulating,  and  delightfully  varied.  Its  soil  enriched 
by  the  dew  of  heaven,  and  impregnated  with  the  spirit  of 
animal  and  vegetable  life,  soon  powered  forth  a  luxuriant 
growth,  not  of  noxious  weeds,  and  thorns  and  thistles,  but 
of  fruit  trees,  and  herbs,  all  useful  for  the  food  of  man  or 
animal,  fowl  or  creeping  thing.  And  soon,  too,  it  brought 
forth  from  its  bosom  every  varied  species  of  animal  race, 
from  the  ponderous  mammoth  or  the  mighty  elephant,  down 
to  the  smallest  creeping  thing  that  specks  the  surface  of  the 
rock,  or  mantles  the  standing  pool  with  varied  life. 

Its  Climate,  free  alike  from  the  noxious  vapours  and 
melting  heats  of  the  torrid  zone,  and  the  chilling  blasts  of 
the  polar  regions,  was  delightfully  varied  by  the  moderate 
changes  of  heat  and  cold  which  only  tended  to  crown  the 
varied  year  with  the  greater  variety  of  productions.  Streams 
of  life,  and  odours  of  healthful  sweets  came  floating  on  every 
breeze.  Thus  earth,  so  lately  a  vast  scene  of  emptiness  and 
desolation,  burst  from  its  solitude  arrayed  in  its  robes  of 
splendour ;  and  where  silence  had  reigned  through  the  vast 
expanse,  innumerable  sounds  now  reverberated  on  the  air, 
and  melting  strains  of  music  re-echoing  in  the  distant  groves, 
stole  upon  the  ears  of  admiring  angel3,  and  proclaimed  the 
gladsome  news  of  a  new  world  of  animated  life  and  joy. 

Thus  all  was  prepared  and  finished,  and  creation  complete. 
All  save  the  great  masterpiece,  the  head  and  governor,  who 
was  destined  to  rule  or  preside  over  this  new  kingdom. 
This  personage,  designed  as  the  noblest  of  all  the  works  of 
Deity,  was  formed  of  earth  by  the  immediate  hand  of  God, 
being  fashioned  in  the  express  likeness  and  image  of  the 
Father  and  the  Son,  while  the  breath  of  the  Almighty  breath- 


8 

ed  into  his  nostrils, — quickened  him  with  life  and  animation. 
Thus  formed  of  no')le  principles,  and  bearing  in  his  godlike 
features  the  emblems  of  authority  and  dominion,  he  was 
placed  on  the  throne  of  power,  in  the  midst  of  the  paradise 
of  God,  and  to  him  was  committed  power,  and  glory,  and 
dominion,  and  the  kingdom,  and  the  greatness  of  the  king- 
dom under  the  whole  heaven.  From  the  bosom  of  this 
noble  being,  or  rather  from  his  side  emanated  woman. 
Being  composed  or  fashioned  from  his  bone  and  from  his 
flesh,  and  undergoing  another  process  of  refinement  in  her 
formation,  she  became  more  exquisitely  fine,  beautiful  and 
delightsome ;  combining  in  her  person  and  features  the  noble 
and  majestic  expression  of  manhood,  with  the  soft  and  gen- 
tle, the  modest  and  retiring  graces  of  angelic  sweetness  and 
purity,  as  if  destined  to  grace  the  dignity  of  manhood, — to 
heighten  the  charms  of  domestic  life, — to  delight  the  heart 
of  her  lord,  and  to  share  with  him  the  enjoyments  of  life,  as 
well  as  to  nourish  and  sustain  the  embryo,  and  rear  the 
tender  offspring  of  her  species,  and  thus  fill  the  earth  with 
myriads  of  happy  and  intelligent  beings.  O  reader,  con- 
template with  me  the  beauty,  the  glory,  the  excellence,  the 
perfection  of  the  works  of  creation  as  they  rolled  from  the 
hand  of  omnipotent  power  and  wisdom,  and  were  pronounced 
good — very  good,  by  him  whose  hand  had  formed  them,  and 
whose  eye  surveyed  them  at  a  single  glance.  Tell  me,  O 
man,  which  of  all  these  works  was  formed  for  decay  ?  and 
which  in  themselves  possessed  the  seeds  of  mortality,  the 
principles  of  dissolution  and  destruction?  Tell  me,  was 
there  any  curse,  or  poison,  or  death  inherent  in  or  appertain- 
ing to  any  department  of  existing  matter  ?  Tell  me,  were 
any  of  these  works  so  calculated  in  their  physical  construc- 
tion as  to  be  incapable  of  eternal  duration  ?  Was  there  any 
death,  or  sorrow,  pain  or  sickness,  sighing,  groaning,  tears 
or  weeping  ?  Was  there  any  thing  to  hurt  or  destroy  in  all 
the  holy  mountain  ?  The  answer  to  all  these  questions  is 
plain,  positive  and  definite,  if  the  sacred  writings  may  be 
relied  on  as  decisive  evidence.  We  are  informed  in  scrip- 
ture that  sin  entered  into  the  world,  and  Death  by  sin. 
That  by  one  man  came  death,  and  that  the  devil  had  the 
power  of  death.  We  are  also  informed  that  the  ground  was 
cursed  for  man's  sake,  and  its  productions  materially  changed. 
In  short,  the  great  head  and  ruler,  with  his  fair  consort  weffe 
subjected  to  many  curses  and  troubles  while  in  life,  and  with 
them  all  the  productions  of  the  animal  and  vegetable  king- 
doms, together  with  the  earth  itself  were  subjected  to  the 
dominion  of  the  curse.  Thus  creation  felt  the  blow  to  its  ut- 


most  verge,  and  has  groaned  in  pain  for  deliverance  until  now. 
From  all  these  declarations  of  holy  writ,  and  from  many 
other  proofs  which  might  be  easily  adduced,  we  feel  ourselves 
safe  in  saying  that  Sin  is  the  sole  cause  of  decay  or  death. 
If  there  had  been  no  sin,  there  would  have  been  no  death, 
no  dissolution,  no  disorganization,  no  decay,  no  sorrow  and 
groaning,  tears  or  weeping  ;  neither  would  there  have  been 
any  pain,  but  creation  would  have  continued  in  the  same 
state  to  an  endless  duration. 

O  sin,  what  hast  thou  done !  Thou  hast  hurled  man  from 
his  blissful  domain,  and  hast  reduced  him  from  a  throne  of 
power  and  dominion  to  a  state  of  servitude,  where  sunk  in 
sorrow  and  misery  he  groans  out  a  wretched  existence,  which 
terminates  in  painful  dissolution,  and  he  mingles  with  his 
mother  earth  and  is  forgotten  and  lost  amid  the  general  ruin. 

Thou  hast  converted  a  garden  of  delicious  fruits  and 
blooming  flowers  into  a  gloomy  forest  of  thorns  and  thistles. 
Thou  hast  transformed  a  world  of  life,  joy  and  happiness 
into  the  abodes  of  wretchedness  and  misery,  where  sighing, 
groaning,  tears  and  weeping  are  mingled  in  almost  every 
cup.  By  thee  the  earth  has  been  filled  with  violence  and 
oppression ;  and  man,  moved  by  hatred,  envy,  avarice,  or 
ambition,  has  often  embrued  his  hands  in  the  blood  of  his 
fellow  man,  by  which  the  fairest  portions  of  the  earth  have 
been  made  desolate, — the  abodes  of  domestic  happiness  turned 
to  sorrow  and  loneliness, — the  happy  wife  and  tender  off- 
spring have  become  widows  and  orphans — the  bride  has  been 
left  to  mourn  in  irretrievable  anguish,  and  the  virgin  to  drop 
a  silent  tear  over  the  ruined  fragments  of  departed  loveli- 
ness. By  thee  the  world  has  been  deluged  with  a  flood  of 
waters,  and  unnumbered  millions  swept  at  once  from  the 
stage  of  action  and  mingled  in  the  common  ruin,  unwept 
and  unlamented  save  by  the  tears  of  heaven,  or  by  the  eight 
solitary  inhabitants  of  the  ark  who  alone  escaped  to  tell  the 
news.  By  thy  ravages  empires  have  fallen  to  ruin,  and 
cities  become  heaps.  The  fruitful  plains  of  Shinar,  and  the 
splendid  palaces  of  Babylon  have  been  doomed  to  perpetual 
waste  and  irretrievable  desolation,  never  to  be  inhabited ; 
not  even  as  a  temporary  residence  for  the  wandering  Arab. 
(And  the  Arabian  shall  not  pitch  tent  there.  See  Isaiah 
xiii.  20.)  By  thee  the  cities  of  Sodom  and  Gomorrah,  and 
the  flourishing  country  about  them,  once  extremely  fertile, 
and  watered  as  the  garden  of  Eden,  have  been  desolated  by 
fire,  and  perhaps  overwhelmed  by  a  sea  of  stagnant  waters. 
By  thee  the  land  of  Edom,  once  a  flourishing  empire,  pos- 
sessing a  productive  and  well  cultivated  soil,  and  every 


10 

where  adorned  with  flourishing  villages,  and  splendid  cities, 
has  become  desolate,  without  inhabitants ;  and  the  Lord  has 
cast  upon  it  the  stones  of  emptiness,  and  the  line  of  confu- 
sion. It  has  lain  waste  from  generation  to  generation,  as  a 
haunt  for  wild  beasts  of  the  desert,  a  court  for  owls,  and  a 
place  for  the  cormorant  and  bittern.  On  account  of  thee, 
the  city  of  Jerusalem  has  long  lain  in  ruins,  the  land  of 
Judea  is  desolate,  and  their  holy  and  beautiful  house  where 
their  fathers  praised  Jehovah  is  burned  with  fire  ;  while  the 
Jews  have  long  remained  in  exile  among  the  nations,  in  ful- 
filment of  that  awful  imprecation,  "  his  blood  be  upon  us 
and  our  children."  By  thy  power  the  once  mighty  empires 
of  Greece  and  Rome  have  been  shaken  to  the  centre,  and 
have  fallen  to  rise  no  more ;  and  before  thy  desolating  blast, 
almost  innumerable  provinces  lay  in  ruin.  The  waste 
deserts  of  burning  sand — the  sunken  and  stagnant  lakes 
and  miry  swamps — the  innumerable  rocky,  barren,  and 
mountainous  steeps — the  desolate  and  dreary  wastes  of  the 
polar  regions — these  all  present  but  so  many  monuments  to 
thy  memory — they  speak  in  language  not  to  be  misunder- 
stood, that  sin  has  been  there,  with  its  dreadful  train  of 
curses,  under  which  they  groan  in  pain  to  be  delivered. 

The  solid  rocks  have  burst  asunder  at  thy  withering 
touch ;  they  have  been  rent  in  twain,  and  hurled  from  their 
firm  foundations  by  thy  mighty  power  ;  and  they  lay  scat- 
tered in  broken  fragments  and  ruined  heaps  as  monuments 
of  agonizing  nature;  and  as  a  testimony  of  the  heaving 
sighs,  the  convulsive  quakings,  and  dreadful  groanings  of 
the  earth  itself,  while  by  wicked  hands  the  great  Messiah 
was  slain.  And  what  shall  I  say  more  ?  for  the  time  would 
fail  me  to  innumerate  the  evils  of  intemperance,  dissipation, 
debauchery,  pride,  luxury,  idleness,  extravagance,  avarice 
and  ambition,  hatred  and  envy,  priestcraft  and  persecution, 
with  all  their  attendant  train  of  troubles,  miseries,  pains, 
diseases,  and  deaths ;  which  have  all  contributed  to  reduce 
mankind  to  a  state  of  wretchedness  and  sorrow  indescrib- 
able. The  noble  and  majestic  features  of  manhood  have 
often  been  transformed  by  these  vices  into  the  frightful  and 
disgusting  image  of  demoniac  furies — the  angelic  beauties 
of  earth's  fairest  daughters  as  often  transformed  by  vice  into 
objects  of  mingled  pity  and  contempt :  but  cease  my  soul, 
no  longer  dwell  on  these  awful  scenes ;  my  heart  is  faint, 
my  soul  is  sick,  my  spirit  grieves  within  me ;  and  mine  eyes 
are  suffused  with  tears  while  contemplating  upon  the  scenes 
of  wretchedness  and  misery  which  sin  has  produced  in  our 
world.       O  misery,  how  hast  thou  triumphed!     0  death, 


11 

how  many  are  thy  victories !  Thrones  and  dominions— prin- 
cipalities and  powers— kingdoms  and  empires  have  sunk 
beneath  thine  all  conquering  arm,— their  kings,  nobles, 
princes,  and  lords, — their  orators  and  statesmen,  beneath  the 
blast  of  thy  breath  have  found  one  common  grave. 

The  dignity  of  age, — the  playful  innocence  of  youth,  or 
the  charms  of  beauty  cannot  save  from  thy  cruel  grasp, — 
thou  hast  swallowed  up  the  nations  as  water,  and  thou  art 
an  hungered  still, — thou  hast  drunk  rivers  of  blood,  and 
hast  bathed  in  oceans  of  tears,  and  thy  thirst  is  still  raging 
with  unabating  fury.  Whither,  ah!  whither  shall  I  turn 
for  comfort  ?  in  what  secret  chamber  shall  I  hide  myself  to 
elude  thy  swift  pursuit  ?  If  I  would  heap  up  gold  as  dust  I 
cannot  bribe  thee.  If  I  would  fortify  my  habitation  with 
the  munitions  of  rocks,  thine  arrows  would  pierce  them  as  the 
spider's  web,  and  find  then-  way  to  my  heart.  If  I  would 
soar  on  high  as  the  eagle,  or  fly  to  the  most  secret  haunts  of 
the  desert,  or  hide  myself  in  the  gloomy  thicket  with  the 
solitary  bird  of  night;  or  retire  with  the  bat,  to  the 
inmost  recesses  of  the  cavern,  yet  thy  footsteps  would  pur- 
sue me,  and  thy  vigilence  would  search  me  out.  No  argu- 
ments of  the  wise — no  talents  of  the  eloquent  can  prevail 
with  thee.  The  tears  of  the  widow,  the  cries  of  the  father- 
less; or  the  broken-hearted  anguish  of  the  lover  cannot 
move  thee  to  pity  :  thou  mockest  at  the  groans  and  tears  of 
humanity,  thou  scornest  the  pure  affections  of  love  and  ten- 
derness ;  and  thou  delight  est  to  tear  asunder  the  silken  cords 
of  conjugal  affection,  and  all  the  tender  ties  of  love  and 
endearment  which  twine  around  the  virtuous  heart,  and 
which  serve  to  cement  society,  and  to  administer  joy  and 
happiness  in  every  department  of  life.  What  mighty  power 
shall  check  thy  grand  career,  and  set  bounds  o'er  which  thou 
canst  not  pass  ?  Whose  mighty  voice  shall  command,  saying 
"  thus  far,  no  father  shalt  thou  go,  and  here  let  thy  proud 
waves  be  stayed  ? "  What  almighty  conqueror  shall  lead  thee 
captive — shall  burst  thy  chains — throw  open  the  doors  of 
thy  gloomy  cells,  and  set  the  unnumbered  millions  of  thy 
prisoners  free  ?  — who  shall  bind  up  the  broken-hearted — 
comfort  the  mourners, — dry  the  tears  of  sorrow — open  the 
prison  to  them  that  are  bound — set  the  captives  free — make 
an  end  of  sin  and  oppression — bring  in  everlasting  righteous- 
ness—swallow up  death  in  victory — restore  creation  to  its 
primitive  beauty,  glory,  excellence,  and  perfection ;  "  and 
destroy  him  who  has  the  power  of  death,  that  is  the  devil, 
and  deliver  those  who  through  fear  of  death  were  all  their 
lifetime  subject  to  bondage?"  but  hark — 


12 

On  the  plains  of  Judea  methinks  I  hear 
The  melting  strains  of  the  lonely  shepherd's 
Midnight  song,  as  it  echoes  among  the  hills 
And  vales,  and  dies  away  in  the  distance. 

Its  heavenly  melody  betokens 
A  theme  of  joy  such  as  the  sons  of  earth 
Have  seldom  heard, — some  heavenly  theme,  as  if 
The  choirs  of  angels — mingling  their  music 
With  the  sons  of  earth,  conspired  to  celebrate 
Some  new  event — some  jubilee  of  rest — 
Some  grand  release  from  servitude  and  woe. 

But  see — ah  see !  the  opening  heavens  around 
Them  shine ;  a  glorious  train  of  angels  bright, 
Ascending,  fill  the  air  : — it  is  indeed 
A  more  than  mortal  theme.     But  hark  again — 
Methinks  I  understand  the  words, — they 
Celebrate  the  birth  of  king  Messiah, 
The  mighty  prince  who  soon  shall  conquer  death 
With  all  his  legions,  and  reign  triumphant 
Over  all,  as  king  of  kings,  and  lord  of  lords. 
Their  chorus  ends  with  peace  on  earth,  good  will 
To  men.     O,  monster,  death,  I  now  behold 
Thy  conqueror  !  Jesus  of  Nazareth — 
The  babe  of  Bethlehem — the  son  of  God. 
He  comes  to  earth,  and  takes  upon  him  flesh  and  blood, — 
even  the  seed  of  Abraham  ;  and  this  for  the  express  purpose 
of  conquering  sin  and  death,  and  restoring  a  lost  and  fallen 
world  to  its  former  perfection  that  it  may  be  capable  of 
eternal  life  and  happiness. 

"  As  in  Adam  all  die  even  so  in  Christ  shall  all  be  made 
alive."  Now  let  the  reader  endeavour  in  particular  to 
understand  the  precise  object  of  the  mission  of  Jesus  Christ 
into  our  world ;  and  what  was  to  be  accomplished  by  his 
death  and  resurrection.  We  have  already  endeavoured  to 
show  the  effect  of  Adam's  transgression  in  a  physical  as 
well  as  moral  point  of  view  ;  we  have  seen  that  sin  materally 
affected  the  earth  itself,  as  well  as  all  its  animal  and  vegeta- 
ble productions.  Now  the  object  of  a  Saviour  to  bleed  and 
die  as  a  sacrifice  and  attonement  for  sin,  was  not  only  to  re- 
deem man  in  a  moral  sense,  from  his  lost  and  fallen  state, 
but  it  was  also  to  restore  the  physical  world  from  all  the  ef- 
fects of  the  fall ;  to  purify  the  elements  ;  and  to  present  the 
earth  in  spotless  purity  before  the  throne  of  God,  clothed  in 
celestial  glory,  as  a  fit  inheritance  for  the  ransomed  throng 
who  are  destined  to  inherit  it  in  eternity.  If  the  question 
be  asked  for  what  Christ  died  ?  the  answer  is,  first,  he  died 


13 

for  all  Adam's  race.     Secondly,  for  all  the  animal  and  vege- 
table productions  of  the  earth,  as  far  as  they  were  affected 
by  the  fall  of  man.     The  lion,  the  wolf;  the  leopard  and  the 
bear ;  and  even  the  serpent,  will  finally  feel  and  enjoy  the 
effects  of  this  great  restoration,  precisely  in  the  same  degree 
in  which  they  were  affected  by  the  fall.      Thirdly,   Christ 
died  for  the  earth  itself,  to  redeem  it  from  all  the  effects  of 
the  fall,  that  it  might  be  cleansed  from  sin  and  have  eternal 
life.     Now  this  atonement  which  was  made  by  Jesus  Christ 
was  universal,  so  far  as  it  relates  to  the  effects  of  Adam's 
transgression  :  and  this  without  any  conditions  on  the  part  of 
the  creature.      All  that  was  lost,  or  in  the  least  affected  by 
the  fall  of  man,  will  finally  be  restored  by  Jesus  Christ, — 
the  whole  creation  will  be  delivered  from  its  dreadful  curse, 
and  all  mankind  redeemed  from,  death,  and  all  the  dreadful 
effects  of  the  transgression  of  Uheir  first  parents ;   and  this 
without  any  conditions  of  faith  "and  repentance ;  or  any  act 
on  the  part  of  the  creature ;  for  precisely  what  is  lost  in 
Adam's  transgression  without   our  agency,  is  restored  by 
Jesus  Christ  without  our  agency.     Thus  all  will  be  raised 
from  the  dead,  and  the  body  and  the  spirit  will  be  reunited  ; 
the  whole  will  become  immortal,  no  more  to  be  separated,  or 
to  undergo  dissolution.     This  salvation  being  universal,  I  am 
a  universalist  in  this  respect, — this  salvation  being  a  universal 
restoration  from  the  fall,  I  am  a  restorationer, —  this  salva- 
tion being  without  works,  or  without  any  conditions  except 
the  atonement  of  Jesus  Christ,  I  am  in  this  respect  a  believ- 
er in  free  grace  alone,  without  works  ;  this  salvation,  redeem- 
ing  all   infants  from  original  sin,  without  any  change  of 
heart,  new  birth,  or  baptism,  and  the  infant,  not  being  capable 
of  actual  transgression,  and  needing  no  salvation  from  any 
personal  sin,  is  therefore  in  a  state  of  salvation,  and  not  of 
depravity  ;  and  therefore  of  such  is  the  kingdom  of  God : 
and  in  their  infancy  they  need  no  ordinances,  or  gospel  to 
save  them,  for  they  are  already  saved  through  the  atone- 
ment, therefore  the  gospel  and  its  ordinances  are  only  for 
those  who  have  come  to  years  of  understanding.  But  while  on 
the  subject  of  redemption,  I  must  not  pass  without  noticing 
another  and  very  different  part  of  the  subject,  viz — After 
all  men  are  redeemed  from  the  fall  and  raised  from  the  dead, 
their  spirits  and  bodies  being  reunited  and  the  whole  becom- 
ing eternal  no  more  to  see  corruption,  they  are  to  be  judged 
according  to  their  own  individual  deeds  done  in  the  body  ; 
not  according  to  Adam's  trangression ;    nor   according  to 
sovereign,  unconditional  grace.      Here  ends,  universalism  ; 
here  ends  Calvinism;    here  ends  salvation  without  works  — 

B 


14 

here  is  introduced  the  necessity  of  a  salvation  from  actual 

sjn from  individual  transgression,  from  which  no  man  can 

be 'redeemed  short  of  the  blood  of  Jesus  Christ  applied  to 
each  individual  transgressor  ;  and  which  can  only  be  applied 
on  the  conditions  of  faith,  repentance,  and  obedience  to  the 
gospel.  Now  all  who  neglect  to  fulfil  the  conditions  of  the 
gospelj  will  be  condemned  at  the  judgment  day,  not  for 
Adam's  fall,  but  for  their  own  sins.  But  as  our  subject  is 
more  particularly  confined  to  the  salvation  and  durability  of 
the  physical  world,  the  renovation  and  regeneration  of  matter, 
and  the  restoration  of  the  elements,  to  a  state  of  eternal  and 
unchangeable  purity,  we  must  leave  the  further  prosecution 
of  these  often  contested  points  of  theology  to  be  pursued  in 
their  usual  channel,  and  come  directly  to  the  merits  of  the 
great  subject  which  we  have  undertaken.  Let  us  now  ex- 
amine, more  closely  the  physical  structure  and  properties  of 
the  resurrected,  immortal  body  ;  endeavour  to  ascertain  in 
positive,  definite  terms,  whether  it  does  really  consist  of  flesh 
and  bones, —  of  matter  as  well  as  spirit :  and  if  so,  endea- 
vour to  learn  something  of  its  place  of  residence  or  final 
destiny.  Christ  being. the  first  fruits  from  the  dead,  and  the 
only  person  whose  history  after  their  resurrection  has  come 
down  to  us ;  and  he  being  the  great  head  and  pattern  of  the 
resurrection,  we  shall  endeavour  to  ascertain  all  the  particu- 
lars which  will  serve  to  throw  light  on  the  subject,  as  to  the 
physical  nature  of  his  body,  both  before  and  after  he  arose 
from  the  dead.  His  mother  was  a  virgin,  a  chosen  vessel  of 
the  Lord,  who  conceived  by  the  power  of  the  Holy  Ghost 
and  brought  forth  a  child,  who  was  composed  of  flesh  and 
blood ;  and  in  his  physical  organization  differing  nothing  in 
any  respect  from  other  children  of  the  seed  of  Abraham. 
Like  other  children  in  their  infant  state,  he  no  doubt  received 
his  nourishment  from  the  breasts  of  his  mother ;  like  all 
others,  he  was  helpless  and  dependent  for  care  and  protection 
on  his  parents,  who  by  the  command  of  God  fled  into  Egypt 
in  order  to  preserve  him  from  the  cruel  sword  of  Herod, 
who  feared  a  rival  in  the  person  of  the  babe  of  Bethlehem  : 
like  all  others  he  grew  in  stature  by  means  of  the  food  re- 
ceived into  the  stomach,  and  its  strength  diffused  through 
the  physical  system  ;  and  when  grown  to  manhood  his  sys- 
tem was  composed  of  the  same  earthly  particles,  or  the  same 
elements  which  constitute  the  human  system  in  general. 
He  was  every  way  subject  to  the  infirmities,  passions,  pie** 
sures,  pains,  griefs,  sorrows  and  temptations  which  are 
common  to  the  constitution  of  man  ;  hence  we  find  him  sor- 
rowing, weeping,  mourning,  rejoicing,  lamenting,  grieving, 


15 

as  well  as  suffering  hunger,  thirst,  fatigue,  temptation,  &c, 
and  we  also  find  him  possessed  of  the  most  refined  sensibili- 
ties of  natural  affection,  and  susceptibilities  for  close  and 
intimate  friendship.  This  is  abundantly  illustrated  in  his 
close  and  intimate  friendship  with  Lazarus  of  Bethany,  and 
his  kind-hearted  and  benevolent  sisters,  Martha  and  Mary. 
He  wept  with  the  tears  of  fond  affection  over  the  grave  of  his 
departed  friend  Lazarus,  and  mingled  his  tears  with  the  sor- 
rowful and  disconsolate  sisters,  as  if  to  sympathize  with  them 
and  help  to  bear  their  grief,  insomuch  that  the  Jews  exclaim- 
ed, "  behold  how  he  loved  him."  Another  striking  example 
of  this  natural  affection  is  illustrated  in  his  close  intimacy 
with  his  beloved  disciple  John.  This  apostle  was  his  most 
intimate  friend  who  leaned  on  his  breast  at  supper ;  and  who 
was  employed  to  ask  questions  on  subjects  in  which  the 
others  felt  a  delicacy :  he  is  frequently  called  "  that  disciple 
whom  Jesus  loved."  Now  we  must  think  that  Jesus  loved 
them  all  as  disciples  and  followers  of  the  Lamb ;  but  as  to 
natural  affection  John  was  his  peculiar  favorite  ;  to  him  he 
committed  his  sorrowing  and  disconsolate  mother,  as  he  was 
about  to  expire  on  the  cross,  and  from  that  time,  Mary,  the 
mother  of  Jesus,  became  a  member  of  John's  family.  He 
took  her  home  to  his  own  house.  Jesus  having  taken  af- 
fectionate leave  of  his  sorrowing  friends,  at  length  yielded 
up  the  ghost,  and  his  disembodied  spirit  took  its  rest  in 
Paradise ;  while  his  lifeless  corpse  was  carefully  wrapped  in 
linen  and  laid  in  a  sepulchre  ;  but  for  fear  of  some  imposi- 
tion being  practised  by  his  disconsolate  and  sorrowing  disci- 
ples, the  door  of  the  sepulchre  was  secured  with  a  great 
stone,  and  sealed  with  the  initials  of  kingly  authority,  besides 
a  strong  guard  of  Roman  soldiers  who  watched  around  the 
door  by  day  and  by  night.  But  early  on  the  morning  of 
the  third  day,  an  angel  descended,  at  the  glory  of  whose 
presence  the  soldiers  fell  back  as  dead  men.  The  seal  was 
broken,  the  great  stone  rolled  away,  the  door  of  the  sepul- 
chre was  opened,  and  his  body  re-animated  by  the  returning 
spirit,  awoke  from  its  slumbers  and  came  forth  in  triumph 
from  the  mansions  of  the  dead.  Now  when  his  friends  and 
disciples  came  to  the  sepulchre  and  found  not  his  body  but 
saw  his  grave  clothes  lying  useless,  they  were  troubled,  sup- 
posing that  he  had  been  moved  to  some  other  place ;  but 
the  angel  of  the  Lord  said  unto  them :  "  He  is  not  here,  but 
is  risen,"  and  called  them  to  come  and  see  the  place  where 
he  had  lain.  Now  let  us  bear  in  mind,  that  it  was  the  same 
corporeal  system, —  the  same  flesh  and  bones,  which  had 
gelded  up  the  ghost  on  the  cross,  and  which  had  been  wrap, 
eg 


16 

ped  in  linen  and  laid  in  the  tomb,  that  now  came  forth  from 
the  dead,  to  die  no  more.  Now  in  order  to  assist  his  disci- 
ples in  understanding  this  subject,  that  they  might  know  the 
difference  between  disembodied  spirits  and  resurrected  bodies, 
he  not  only  eat  and  drank  with  them,  but  called  upon  them 
to  handle  him  and  see ;  for  said  he,  "  A  spirit  hath  not  flesh 
and  bones  as  ye  see  me  have."  On  another  occasion,  he  ex- 
hibited his  wounded  side  and  hands,  and  called  upon  Thomas 
to  put  his  finger  into  the  prints  of  the  nails,  and  to  thrust 
his  hand  into  his  side,  where  once  the  spear  had  pierced ;  and 
finally,  after  being  seen  of  them  forty  days,  he  led  them 
out  as  far  as  Bethany,  and  there  he  was  taken  up  into 
heaven  from  their  presence,  and  a  cloud  received  him  out  of 
their  sight. 

Now  let  us  inquire,  what  was  the  physical  difference  be- 
tween the  mortal  body  of  Jesus  Christ  and  his  resurrected 
body  ?  They  are  both  the  same  flesh,  the  same  bones,  the 
same  joints,  the  same  sinews,  the  same  skin,  the  same  hair, 
the  same  likeness,  or  physical  features,  and  the  same  ele- 
ment, or  matter  ;  but  the  former  was  quickened  by  the  prin- 
ciples of  the  natural  life,  which  was  the  blood,  and  the  latter 
is  quickened  solely  by  the  spirit,  and  not  by  blood,  and  there- 
fore is  not  subject  unto  death,  but  lives  foreverrnore.  With 
this  glorious  body  he  ascended  to  the  Father,  and  with  this 
glorious  body  he  will  come  again  to  earth  to  reign  with  his 
people.  This  view  of  the  resurrection  is  clearly  exemplified 
in  the  persons  of  Enoch  and  Elijah,  who  never  tasted  death, 
but  were  changed  instantaneously  from  mortal  to  immortal, 
and  were  caught  up  into  the  heavens,  both  body  and  spirit. 
This  change  upon  their  physical  systems  was  equivalent  to 
death  and  the  resurrection.  It  was  the  same  as  if  they  had 
slept  in  the  grave  for  thousands  of  years,  and  then  been 
raised  and  restored  to  eternal  life.  When  Elijah,  for  in- 
stance, was  taken  into  the  chariot  of  fire,  and  carried  from 
the  presence  of  Elisha,  he  did  not  drop  his  body,  but  only 
his  mantle ;  for  if  he  had  dropped  his  body,  the  sons  of  the 
prophets  would  have  attended  to  his  burial,  instead  of  rang- 
ing the  mountains  in  search  of  him.  This  same  subject  is 
made  equally  plain  in  the  writings  of  Job,  who  declares, 
saying,  "  I  know  that  my  Redeemer  lives,  and  that  he  will 
stand  in  the  latter  day  upon  earth :  and  though  after  my 
skin  worms  destroy  this  body,  yet  in  my  flesh  shall  I  see 
God."  The  Jewish  prophets  also  understood  this  matter  hr 
its  clearest  light.  Isaiah  declares,  "  Thy  dead  men  shall 
live, — together  with  my  DEAD  BODY  shall  they  arise."  Daniel 
speaks  plainly  of  the  awaking  of  them  that  sleep  in  the  dust.. 


17 

Ezekiel  illustrates  the  subject  very  clearly  in  his  vision  of 
the  dry  bones.  (See  Ezekiel  xxxvii.)  He  not-only  mentions 
their  being  raised  from  the  dead,  but  the  bones,  the  sinews, 
the  flesh,  the  skin,  and  the  spirit  by  which  they  will  be  re- 
animated, are  all  brought  to  view  in  a  clear,  plain,  and  posi- 
tive manner.  The  writings  of  the  apostles  abound  with 
clear  elucidations  of  the  physical  nature  of  the  resurrection  : 
for  on  this  one  point  depended  the  whole  foundation  of  the 
christian  system.  Hence  Paul  argues,  that  if  there  is  no 
resurrection,  then  Christ  is  not  risen ;  and  if  Christ  be  not 
risen,  then  their  preaching  was  vain  ;  and  their  faith  and 
joy  was  vain ;  they  were  yet  in  their  sins,  and  the  apostles 
were  false  witnesses ;  and  they  were  of  all  men  most  misera- 
ble. But  there  is  one  view  which  Paul  takes  of  the  subject 
that  will  serve  to  carry  out  our  present  theory  in  a  most 
conclusive  manner.  It  is  this :  in  opening  to  his  disciples 
the  mysteries  of  the  second  advent  of  the  Messiah,  and  the 
great  restitution  of  all  things  spoken  by  the  prophets,  he  de- 
clares, that  the  saints  would  not  all  sleep,  (in  death)  but  that 
they  which  were  alive  and  remained  until  the  coming  of 
Christ,  should  be  changed  in  a  moment,  in  the  twinkling  of 
an  eye,  and  be  caught  up  to  meet  the  Lord  in  the  air,  and 
so  should  be  forever  with  him.  Here,  then,  is  demonstra- 
tion, that  tens  of  thousands  of  the  saints — indeed  all  the 
saints  who  live  at  a  certain  period  of  time  will  be  translated 
after  the  pattern  of  Enoch  and  Elijah,  and  their  spirits  and 
bodies  never  be  separated  by  death !  Such,  then,  is  the 
resurrection ;  and  such  the  lively  views  which  inspired  the 
prophets,  apostles,  and  saints  of  former  times,  and  having 
this  hope  they  could  with  propriety  say,  "  O  death,  where  is 
thy  sting  ;  O  grave,  where  is  thy  victory  ? "  O,  the  deep- 
rooted  blindness  of  early  tradition  and  superstition,  how  art 
thou  interwoven  with  all  our  powers  of  intellect !  and  how 
hast  thou  benumbed  and  blunted  every  faculty  of  our  under- 
standing. From  early  youth  the  principles  have  been  in- 
stilled into  our  minds  that  all  must  die  and  moulder  to  cor- 
ruption— that  Enoch  and  Elijah  were  the  only  persons  who 
were,  or  ever  would  be  translated  without  seeing  death ; 
when,  in  fact,  tens  of  thousands,  as  I  said  before,  are  yet  to 
arrive  by  faith  to  this  inconceivable  fullness  and  consumma- 
tion of  eternal  life  and  happiness  without  tasting  death,  and 
without  even  a  momentary  separation  of  soul  and  body  ;  the 
transition  from  mortality  to  immortality  being  instantaneous. 
And  yet,  strange  as  it  may  seem,  none  will  ever  attain  to 
this  blessing  except  such  as  firmly  believe  in  and  expect  it, 
fur,  like  all  other  blessings,  it  is  only  to  be  obtained  by  faith 


18 

and  prayer.  But  how  shall  we  believe  in,  and  seek  for  s 
blessing  of  which  we  have  no  idea  ?  or  how  shall  we  believe 
in  that  which  we  have  not  heard,  and  how  shall  we  hear 
without  a  teacher  ? 

From  all  these  considerations  it  appears  evident  that  these 
principles  must  necessarily  be  revived  so  as  to  become  a  con- 
spicuous part  of  modern  theology.  They  must  be  taught  to 
the  people,  and  the  people  must  believe  them  ;  insomuch  that 
every  saint  on  earth  will  be  looking  for  the  great  day  of  the 
Lord,  and  expecting  to  be  caught  up  to  meet  him  in  the  air ; 
for  if  the  great  day  of  the  Lord  should  come  at  a  time  when 
these  principles  were  neither  taught  nor  believed,  surely 
there  would  be  none  prepared  for  translation  :  consequently 
there  would  be  no  saints  to  be  caught  up  to  meet  the  Lord 
in  the  air  ;  and  if  so,  the  words  of  the  Lord  by  Paul  would 
become  of  none  effect.  I  have  made  the  above  remarks  in 
order  to  impress  deeply  upon  the  minds  of  our  modern 
preachers  and  learners  the  importance  of  arousing  from  the 
slumber  of  ages  on  this  subject,  and  of  ceasing  to  teach  and 
impress  upon  the  youthful  mind  the  gloomy  thoughts  of 
death,  and  the  melancholy  forebodings  of  a  long  slumber  in 
the  grave;  in  order  to  inspire  them  with  solemn  fear  and 
dread,  and  thus  move  them  to  the  duties  of  religion  and 
morality.  Experience  has  proved,  in  innumerable  instances, 
that  this  course  is  insufficient  to  restrain  vice,  and  to  lead  to 
the  practice  of  virtue  and  religion.  The  wayward  and  buoy- 
ant spirits  of  youth  feel  weighed  down  and  oppressed,  when 
oft  reminded  of  such  gloomy  and  melancholy  subjects.  All 
the  more  cheerful  faculties  of  the  soul  are  thus  paralyzed,  or 
more  or  less  obstructed  in  their  operations ;  the  fine-toned 
energies  of  the  mind  cease  to  act  with  their  accustomed 
vigour,  the  charms  of  nature  seem  clothed  in  mourning  and 
.sackcloth.  We  conceive  a  distaste  for  the  duties  as  well  as 
the  enjoyments  of  life.  Courage,  fortitude,  ambition,  and 
all  the  stimulants  which  move  man  to  act  well  his  part  in 
human  society,  are  impaired  and  weakened  in  their  opera- 
tions, and  the  mind,  thus  soured  and  sickened,  finds  itself 
sinking  under  deep  melancholy  and  settled  gloom,  which 
soon  becomes  insupportable.  He  at  length  sinks  in  despair, 
— becomes  insane,  or  groans  under  various  diseases  brought 
upon  his  physical  system  by  the  anguish  of  his  mind ;  or, 
with  a  desperate  effort,  tears  himself  from  friends  and  society, 
and  from  all  the  social  duties  and  enjoyments  of  life,  to  lead 
a  life  of  solitude  within  the  walls  of  a  convent,  or  in  the 
gloomy  caverns  of  the  monk.  But  more  frequently  the 
youthful  mind  when  labouring  under  these  gloomy  impres- 


19 

sions,  makes  a  desperate  effort  to  free  itself  from  its  dreadful 
burthen,  by  plunging  into  all  the  allurements  of  vice  and 
dissipation  ;  endeavouring  by  these  means  to  drive  from  them 
the  memory  of  all  these  gloomy  impressions,  and  to  lose  sight 
of,  or  cease  to  realize,  the  sure  and  certain  approach  of  death. 

Let  us  then  cease  to  give  lessons  on  death  and  the  grave 
to  the  rising  generation,  and  confine  ourselves  more  exclu- 
sively to  the  proclamation  of  eternal  life.  What  a  glorious 
field  of  intelligence  now  lies  before  us,  yet  but  partially  ex- 
plored. What  a  boundless  expanse  for  contemplation  and 
reflection  now  opens  to  our  astonished  vision.  What  an  in- 
tellectual banquet  spreads  itself  invitingly  to  our  appetite, 
calling  into  lively  exercise  every  power  and  faculty  of  the 
mind,  and  giving  full  scope  to  all  the  great  and  ennobling 
passions  of  the  soul.  Love,  joy,  hope,  ambition,  faith,  and 
all  the  virtuous  principles  of  the  human  mind  may  here  ex- 
pand and  grow,  and  flourish,  unchecked  by  any  painful 
emotions  or  gloomy  fears.  Here  the  youthful  mind  may 
expand  its  utmost  energies,  and  revel,  uncontrolled  by  re- 
morse, unchecked  by  time  or  decay,  in  the  never-fading 
sweets  of  eternity,  and  bask  for  ever  in  the  boundless  ocean 
of  delight. 

This  course  of  instruction  followed  out  in  demonstration 
of  the  spirit  and  of  power,  would  serve  to  check  the  allure- 
ments of  vice,  and  would  greatly  tend  to  lead  and  encourage 
the  mind  in  the  practice  of  virtue  and  religion,  and  would 
cheer  and  stimulate  the  saint  in  all  the  laborious  duties  of 
life.  It  would  remove  the  fear  and  dread  of  death.  It 
would  bind  up  the  broken-hearted,  and  administer  consola- 
tion to  the  afflicted.  It  would  enable  man  to  endure  with 
patience  and  fortitude  all  the  multiplied  afflictions,  misfor- 
tunes and  ills  to  which  they  are  subject  in  this  momentary  | 
life.  It  would  almost  banish  the  baneful  effects  of  fear  and 
gloom,  and  melancholy  from  the  earth,  and  thus  give  new 
tone  and  energy  to  all  the  various  departments  of  society. 
The  long  night  of  darkness  and  superstition  is  now  far  spent. 
The  truth,  revived  in  its  primitive  simplicity  and  purity,  like 
the  day  star  of  the  horizon,  lights  up  the  dawn  of  that  efful- 
gent morn  when  the  knowledge  of  God  will  cover  the  earth 
as  the  waters  cover  the  sea.  With  what  propriety,  then, 
may  the  rising  generation  look  forward  with  a  well-grounded 
hope,  that  they  or  their  children  may  be  of  that  unspeakably 
happy  number,  who  will  live  to  be  caught  up  to  meet  the 
Lord  in  the  air,  and  like  Enoch  and  Elijah,  escape  the  pangs 
of  dissolution,  and  the  long  imprisonment  of  the  grave.  Or, 
with  still  more  certainty,  they  may  hope  that  if  they  sleep  in 


20 

the  dust,  it  will  only  be  of  short  duration,  and  then  they  will 
rise  again  to  enjoy  the  pleasures  of  life  for  evermore.  Pa- 
rents, do  you  love  your  children  ?  Does  it  grieve  you  to  see 
their  lifeless  bodies  laid  in  the  tomb,  and  shut,  as  it  were, 
forever  from  your  society?  Children,  have  you  ever 
been  called  to  bid  farewell  to  your  beloved  and  venerable 
parents,  and  to  grieve  with  heart-broken  anguish,  as  their 
bodies  were  deposited  in  the  cold  and  silent  grave,  and  you 
left  as  orphans  upon  the  dreary  world?  Husbands  and  wives, 
do  you  love  your  companions,  and  often  wish  that  you  both 
might  live  in  the  body  for  ever,  and  enjoy  each  others  society, 
without  undergoing  a  painful  separation  by  the  monster, 
death  ?  Be  careful,  then,  to  secure  a  part  in  the  first  resur- 
rection, that  you  and  your  friends  may  live  and  reign  with 
Christ  on  earth  a  thousand  yearc . 

O  thou  broken-hearted  and  disconsolate  widow,  thou  hast 
been  called  to  part  with  the  bosom  friend  of  thy  youth,  and 
to  see  thy  beloved  shut  from  thy  presence  in  the  dreary  man- 
sions of  the  dead.  Have  you  ever  been  comforted  with  the 
reflection  that  the  tomb  will  burst  asunder  in  the  morning  of 
the  resurrection — that  these  once  active  limbs,  now  cold  in 
death — these  bones  and  joints,  and  sinews,  with  the  flesh 
and  skin  will  come  forth,  and  be  again  quickened  with  the 
spirit  of  life  and  motion ;  and  that  this  cold  and  silent  bosom 
will  again  beat  with  the  most  animated  and  happy  sensations 
of  pure  love  and  kindred  affection  ? 

Parents  and  children,  husbands  and  wives,  brothers  and 
sisters,  have  these  thoughts  sunk  deep  into  your  hearts  in 
the  hour  of  sorrow,  and  served  to  comfort,  to  soothe  and 
support  your  sinking  spirits  in  the  hour  of  keenest  distress  ? 
or  have,  you  imagined  to  yourselves  some  spiritual  existence 
beyond  the  bounds  of  time  and  space ;  some  shadow  without 
substance,  some  fairy  world  of  spirits  bright,  far  from  earth 
your  native  home ;  and  at  a  distance  from  all  the  associa- 
tions, affections  and  endearments  which  are  interwoven  with 
your  very  existence  here ;  and  in  which  were  mingled  all  the 
sweets  of  life  ?  No  wonder,  then,  that  such  should  cling  to 
life,  and  shrink  from  death  with  terror  and  dismay ;  no  won- 
der that  such  should  feel  insupportable  and  overwhelming- 
grief  at  the  loss  of  friends ;  for  who  can  bear  the  thoughts 
of  eternal  separation  from  those  lovely  scenes  with  which 
they  have  been  accustomed  to  associate  from  early  infancy  ? 
Who  can  endure  to  be  torn  from  those  they  love  dearer  than 
life,  and  to  have  all  the  tender  cords  of  affection  which  twine 
around  the  heart  with  mutual  endearment,  severed  and  des- 
troyed for  ever. 


21 

Let  us  then  endeavour  to  inspire  the  minds  of  those  who  are 
placed  under  our  care  and  instruction,  with  a  firm  faith  in 
and  lively  sense  of  this  the  most  important  of  all  subjects, 
the  resurrection  of  the  body,  and  eternal  life ;  and  thus  en- 
courage them  with  the  greatest  of  all  inducements  to  lead  a 
life  of  righteousness,  such  as  will  secure  to  them  a  part  in 
the  first  resurrection,  and  a  happy  immortality  in  the  society 
and  friendship  of  the  ransomed  throng  who  are  arrayed  in 
spotless  white,  and  who  reign  on  earth  with  the  blessed  Re- 
deemer. 

Having  now  shown  clearly  that  the  resurrection  of  the 
body  is  a  complete  restoration  and  reorganization  of  the 
physical  system  of  man  ;  and  that  the  elements  of  which  his 
body  is  composed  are  eternal  in  their  duration ;  and  that 
they  form  the  tabernacle  —  the  everlasting  habitation  of  that 
spirit  which  animated  them  in  this  life ;  and  that  the  spirits 
and  bodies  of  men  are  of  equal  importance  and  destined  to 
form  an  eternal  and  inseperable  union  with  each  other ;  we 
must  now  return  to  our  research,  as  to  the  final  destiny  of 
the  earth  and  its  productions  of  animal  and  vegetable  life. 

We  have  already  shown  that  the  earth  itself,  and  all  its 
productions  were  deeply  affected  by  the  fall,  and  by  the  sins 
of  the  children  of  men :  that  the  atonement  which  was 
made  by  Jesus  Christ  was  not  only  for  man,  but  also  for  the 
earth  and  all  the  fulness  thereof :  and  all  things  were  re- 
deemed from  the  fall,  and  would  finally  be  restored  from  all 
the  dreadful  effects  thereof;  and  be  regenerated,  sanctified 
and  renewed  after  the  pattern,  and  in  the  likeness  and  image 
of  its  first  creation ;  partaking  of  the  same  beauty,  glory 
excellency  and  perfection  it  had  in  the  beginning.  But  it  is 
evident  that  this  restitution  did  not  take  place  at  the1  first 
advent  of  the  Messiah ;  and  that  it  has  not  taken  place  at 
any  time  since :  therefore  it  is  yet  future,  and  must  be  ful- 
filled at  a  certain  time  which  is  appointed  by  infinite  wisdom. 
This  certain  time  is  called  in  holy  writ,  "  the  times  of  resti- 
tution of  all  things  which  G-od  hath  spoken  by  the  mouth  of 
all  his  holy  prophets  since  the  world  began."  Now  this 
restitution  is  to  be  accomplished  by  nothing  short  of  a 
second  advent  of  the  Messiah.  He  must  again  d^jend  from 
heaven  to  earth  in  like  manner  as  he  ascended,  rhis  second 
advent  of  Messiah,  and  the  grand  events  connected  with  it, 
is  a  theme  which  all  the  prophets  and  apostles  have  dwelt  on 
more  fully  in  their  writings  than  they  have  on  any  other 
subject  whatever.  If  I  would  quote  proofs  on  this  subject, 
I  might  begin  with  Enoch  the  seventh  from  Adam,  who  ex- 
claims, "  Behold  the  Lord  cometh  with  ten  thousand  of  his 


22 

jiaints,"  &c,  and  end  with  the  revelation  of  Jesus  Christ  to 
his  servant  John,  "  Behold !  he  coraeth  with  clouds,  and 
•very  eye  shall  see  him ;  and  they  also  which  pierced  him, 
and  all  the  kindreds  of  the  earth  shall  wail  because  of  him." 
This  glorious  advent  of  the  Messiah  was  the  comfort  of  Job 
in  his  extreme  affliction  ;  he  could  lift  up  his  sorrowful  eye* 
from  the  midst  of  sackcloth  and  ashes,  and  exclaim  "  I  know 
that  my  Redeemer  liveth,  and  that  he  will  stand  at  the  latter 
day  upon  the  earth  ;  and  though  after  my  skin,  worms  de- 
stroy this  body,  yet  in  my  flesh  shall  I  see  God,"  &c.  This 
was  the  solace  of  Daniel  in  his  captivity.  He  could  exclaim, 
"  I  saw  in  the  night,  visions,  and  behold,  one  like  the  son  of 
man  came  with  the  clouds  of  heaven,"  &c.  This  same 
theme  often  inspired  Isaiah,  and  David,  with  ecstasy  of  ad- 
miration and  delight,  and  caused  them  to  pour  forth  their 
Sweetest  strains, —  their  sublimest  effusions  of  poetic  inspira- 
tion; and  this  same  subject  seems  interwoven  with  almost 
every  page  of  the  New  Testament  writings.  Indeed  it 
formed  a  kind  of  centre,  or  rallying  point,  around  which 
hovered  all  the  hopes,  joys,  anticipations  and  comforts  of  the 
former  day  saints.  In  bonds  or  imprisonments,  in  persecu- 
tions and  afflictions,  in  tortures  or  in  flames ;  they  could 
look  forward  to  the  coming  of  the  Lord  in  joyful  anticipa- 
tion of  a  resurrection  and  reward. 

It  is  this  glorious  advent  of  the  Messiah,  and  the  great 
restitution  connected  with  it  which  has  ever  formed  the  hope 
of  the  Jews ;  on  this  one  point  hangs  the  destiny  of  that 
long  dispersed  nation,  in  their  final  restoration  to  the  favour 
of  God,  and  to  the  land  of  their  fathers,  and  to  their 
beloved  city  Jerusalem. 

This  advent  is  what  Paul  had  allusion  to  in  his  writings 
to  the  Romans  when  he  said,  "  As  it  is  written  there  shall 
come  out  of  Zion  a  deliverer,  who  shall  turn  away  ungodli- 
ness from  Jacob."  This  second  advent,  is  what  Peter  meant 
when  he  said  to  the  Jews,  (see  Acts  iii. )  "  And  he  shall  send 
Jesus  Christ,  which  before  was  preached  unto  you,  whom 
the  heavens  must  receive  until  the  times  of  restitution,"  &c, 
It  seems  evident  then,  that  Jesus  Christ  is  to  come  again  at 
the  times  of  restitution ;  at  which  time  a  trump  shall  sound, 
at  the  voice  of  which  the  graves  of  the  saints  will  be  opened, 
and  they  arise  from  the  dead,  and  are  caught  up  to  gather 
with  those  who  are  alive  and  remain,  to  meet  the  Lord  in 
the  air. 

In  the  mean  time  the  earth  will  be  terribly  convulsed  ;  the 
mountains  will  sink,  the  valleys  rise,  the  rough  places 
become  smooth;  while  a  fire  will  pass  over  the  surface  ef 


23 

the  earth,  and  consume  the  proud  and  all  that  do  wickedly, 
as  the  cities  of  Sodom  and  Gomorrah  were  destroyed  in  the 
days  of  Abraham  :  and  thus  after  the  earth  is  cleansed  by 
fire,  from  all  its  wicked  inhabitants,  as  it  once  was  by  water, 
and  after  its  mighty  convulsions  have  restored  it  to  its  former 
shape  and  surface,  it  becomes  a  fit  residence  for  Jesus  Christ 
and  his  saints.  The  Jews  behold  their  long  —  long  expected 
Messiah,  and  come  to  the  knowledge  that  he  is  that  Jesus 
whom  their  fathers  crucified  ;  they  are  cleansed  from  their 
sins  through  his  most  precious  blood  ;  their  holy  city  Jeru- 
salem becomes  a  place  of  holiness  indeed,  and  a  seat  of 
government ;  where  will  be  the  tabernacle  and  throne  of 
Messiah ;  and  where  the  nations  of  them  that  are  saved  will 
resort  from  year  to  year,  from  all  the  adjoining  countries  to 
worship  the  king,  the  Lord  of  hosts ;  and  to  keep  the  feast 
of  tabernacles :  and  thus,  there  will  be  one  Lord,  and  his 
name  one  ;  and  he  will  be  king  over  all  the  earth.  "  Bles- 
sed are  the  meek  for  they  shall  inherit  the  earth."  This 
promise  made  by  the  Saviour  while  on  the  mount,  will  then 
be  fulfilled.  (See  also,  xxxvii  Psalm;  and  also  Ezekiel 
xxxvii.) 

The  curses  which  came  upon  the  earth  by  reason  of  sin 
will  then  be  taken  off.  It  will  no  longer  bring  forth  thorns 
and  thistles,  but  its  productions  will  be  as  they  were  before 
the  fall.  The  barren  deserts  will  become  fruitful,  the 
thirsty  land  will  abound  with  springs  of  water,  men  will 
then  plant  gardens  and  eat  the  fruit  of  them,  they  will  plant 
vineyards  and  drink  the  wine  of  them,  they  will  build  houses 
and  cities,  and  inhabit  them,  and  the  Lord's  elect  will  long 
enjoy  the  work  of  their  hands.  All  the  earth  will  then  be 
at  rest  under  one  sovereign.  Swords  will  then  be  beaten 
into  ploughshares,  and  spears  into  pruning  hooks,  and  the 
nations  shall  learn  war  no  more.  The  very  beasts  of  prey 
will  then  lose  their  thirst  for  blood,  and  their  enmity  will 
cease.  The  lion  will  eat  herbs  instead  of  preying  upon  flesh, 
and  all  the  animal  creation  will  become  perfectly  harmless  as 
they  were  in  the  beginning,  while  perfect  peace  will  cover 
the  eai*th,  as  the  waters  cover  the  sea ;  while  all  the  ancient 
prophets,  apostles,  saints  and  martyrs  with  all  our  friends 
who  have  fallen  asleep  in  Jesus  will  be  on  earth,  with  their 
glorified,  immortal  bodies,  to  sing  the  song  of  victory,  and 
to  praise  the  great  Messiah  who  reigns  in  the  midst  of  his 
people.  O  reader,  this  is  the  first  resurrection !  "  Blessed 
and  holy  is  he  that  hath  part  in  the  first  resurrection." 

O  reader,  this  is  the  great  sabbath  of  creation  ;  the  thou- 
**nd  years  of  rest  and  peace  ;  the  long  expected  Millennium. 


24 

Wouldst  thou  live  in  the  flesh,  and  have  part  in  it  ?  wouldst 
thou  again  enjoy  the  society  of  thy  friends  who  were  so  near 
and  dear  to  thy  heart  in  this  life  ?  wouldst  thou  inherit  the 
earth,  and  be  free  for  ever  from  the  grave  ?  Remember  — 
remember,  that  meekness  and  holiness  of  life  are  the  con- 
ditions. That  it  is  the  meek  only  who  then  inherit  the 
earth.  That  it  is  the  saints  only  who  then  possess  the  king- 
dom, and  the  greatness  of  the  kingdom  under  the  whole 
heaven.  In  this  delightful  sabbath  of  creation,  earth  and 
its  inhabitants  will  rest  one  thousand  years  from  all  the  pains, 
and  woes,  and  sorrows  they  have  undergone  during  six 
thousand  years  of  labour,  toil  and  suffering. 

After  this  thousand  years  is  ended,  the  last  resurrection 
will  soon  come,  together  with  the  judgment  day.  These 
grand  events  will  be  ushered  in  by  the  sounding  of  the  last 
trump,  which  will  call  forth  the  wicked  from  their  long  con- 
finement in  the  grave,  and  they  will  be  judged  according  to 
their  works,  and  will  then  depart  from  the  presence  of  the 
Lord  to  the  place  appointed  for  them.  At  that  time  the 
heavens  and  earth  will  undergo  their  last  and  final  change. 
They  die,  and  rise  again  from  the  dead  ;  or,  in  other  words, 
the  elements  are  changed  from  their  temporal  to  their  eternal 
state ;  being  renewed,  purified,  and  brought  to  the  highest 
state  of  perfection  and  refinement  which  it  is  possible  for 
them  to  receive. 

The  earth  being  thus  renewed  and  purified,  is  no  more  to 
be  changed  or  shaken.  It  will  then  roll  its  eternal  rounds 
amidst  the  unnumbered  systems  of  the  universe ;  being 
clothed  with  celestial  glory,  and  inhabited  by  immortal  and 
celestial  beings  who  were  redeemed  from  sin  and  raised 
from  the  dead  by  the  blood  of  Jesus  Christ  and  the  power 
of  his  resurrection,  and  who  are  clothed  in  white  raiment 
with  crowns  upon  their  heads  in  glory  ;  being  kings  and 
priests  unto  God  and  to  the  Lamb  with  whom  they  reign  on 
earth  for  ever  and  ever ;  for  there  will  be  the  holy  city,  New 
Jerusalem,  the  place  of  his  throne  ;  and  his  tabernacle  will 
be  with  man,  and  he  will  dwell  with  them  and  be  their  God ; 
and  he  will  wipe  away  all  tears  from  their  eyes,  and  there 
will  be  no  more  death,  neither  sorrow  nor  groaning:  neither 
shall  there  be  any  more  pain,  for  the  old  order  of  things  will 
have  passed  away  and  all  things  will  have  become  new^ 

Reader,  wouldst  thou  leave  thy  native  earth,  an^soar. 
'away  to  worlds  on  high,  and  be  at  rest  ?  thou  mayest  do  so 
until  the  great  restitution  of  all  things  spoken  by  the  pro- 
phets ;  for  Christ  and  the  saints  have  gone  to  worlds  on  high, 
and  have  entered  in  before  thee.       But  remember,  that  in' 


25 

the  worlds  on  high  thy  stay  is  short.  Jesus  and  the  saints 
are  only  there  to  await  the  full  time  for  earth  to  be  cleansed 
and  prepared  for  their  reception,  and  they  will  all  come 
home  again  to  their  native  planet ;  and  even  while  they  are 
in  heaven  and  absent  from  the  earth,  they  look  forward  with 
joyful  anticipation  to  the  time  of  their  return  to  the  place 
of  their  nativity.  The  joyful  theme  of  reigning  on  the  earth 
inspires  the  music  of  their  heavenly  song  ;  for  proof  of 
this  the  reader  is  referred  to  Rev.  v.  9,  10,  he  there  records 
a  song  which  he  heard  sung  by  the  hosts  of  heaven,  which 
closes  with  the  following  words,  "  We  shall  reign  on  the 
earth." 

If  man  would  enjoy  a  heaven  beyond  the  bounds  of  space 
peopled  only  by  spirits :  if  he  would  desire  to  be  for  ever 
free  from  the  earth,  and  absent  from  the  body  of  his  flesh, 
and  from  his  native  planet,  he  will  be  under  the  necessity  of 
embracing  the  doctrines  of  the  Alcoran,  or  some  of  the 
fables  of  the  heathen  mytholgy,  where,  in  the  boundless 
fields  of  fancy,  or  amid  the  romantic  wilds  of  imagination 
and  fanaticism,  the  mind  roams  unchecked  by  reason,  and 
loses  itself  from  all  the  realities  of  rational  existence ;  in  a 
land  of  shadows,  a  world  of  phantoms,  from  which  it  will 
only  awake  in  disappointment  by  the  sound  of  the  last  trump, 
and  at  last  find  itself  constrained  to  acknowledge  that  eter- 
nity as  well  as  time,  is  occupied  in  realities,  and  by  beings  of 
a  physical  as  well  as  spiritual  existence  for  the  inspired 
writers,  one  and  all  have  agreed,  that  the  earth  is  destined  for 
the  eternal  inheritance  of  the  saints.  The  sacred  volume 
opens  with  a  paradise  on  earth,  and  closes  with  a  paradise  on 
earth.  Moses  introduces  us  to  a  world  of  beauty,  glory, 
excellency  and  perfection  in  the  beginning.  And  John  closes 
the  volume  by  leaving  man  in  possession  of  an  eternal  habi- 
tation in  his  immortal  body,  in  the  holy  city  ;  and  upon  the 
very  planet  that  first  gave  him  being  :  and  this  is  the  end  of 
the  matter. 


Liverpool:  Juries  and  Woodbum,  Printers,  14,  Hanover  Street .