INTRODUCTION OF THE SUBJECT.

ISA. xlvi. 9, 10. "Remember the former things of ola. For I am God, and there is none else: I am God; and there is none like me. Declaring the end from the beginning, and from ancient times the things that are not yet done, saving, My counsei shall stand, and I will do all my pleasure."

God who at sundry times and in divers manners hath spoken to his holy prophets in ancient times, and thro' Jesus Christ to his inspired apostles, concerning the end of the glorious plan of his merciful grace, has also in the beginning of creation, declared by signs and wonders, his ultimate object and end he has in view, as it relates to the final order of the wide spread universe of intelligent nature. The LORD God hath plainly declared in the beginning, what shall be the final end of all things, when he looked upon all the works of his hands, and pronounced all very good-and also blessed the extensive whole. Now as he declared the end from the beginning, it is easy to discover, that all must be very good in the end, and receive the blessing of that same unchangeable God; and as he cursed none in the beginning, he will curse no part in the final consummation of all his created works.

God also in ancient times by the sentence upon the serpent, whose head was to be bruised by the seed of the woman; and by the cherubims and flaming sword which turned every way to keep the way of the tree of life, plainly declared the end; when there shall be no tempting serpent in the way of life, and that the way of the tree of life shall be to this end, carefully guarded.

God also, by all the signs and wonders wrought in his moral government, from Adam to Moses, declared his gracious design of mercy in the end. He chose Israel from among the nations of the earth, and consecrated Moses to be their early leader, that he might plant his name in Israel, and through their instrumentality, re

veal his power and goodness to a dark benighted world.

God also raised up inspired prophets in Israel, to explain the nature of his plan of grace, who foretold the coming of the Messiah, and the subject of his mission into the world: That it was to make an end of sin, and to finish transgression, and that the outward covenant of works should then be abolished and give place to that which is inward and spiritual, through which latter covenant, Christ would be the Light of the whole world; and by the sacred blood of it, should send forth his prisoners out of the pit wherein there is no water. And that they who sit'in darkness should see the light, and go forth.

When Jesus came agreeable to ancient prediction, he bore witness of his divine mission, by the works which he performed. He healed the sick, cast out devils and raised the dead by the word of his power; and then voluntarily laid down his life for every man; and having power to take it up again, he rose again for our justification. Thus he spoiled principalities, triumphing over death hell and the grave, making an open show of his consummate victory, through which he gains access to that within the veil of every human heart, where he makes a full atonement for sin, in the temple of humanity, and brings the soul to the birth through faith in his life, prefigured by his blood, by which the mind of man emerges from gross darkness into the glorious light of the kingdom of grace and truth, being conformed to the image of Christ. This glorious gospel of the kingdom which is to every creature in all the world, the Apostles were commanded to go and preach, as soon as they should be spiritually qualified from on high, or in other words, as soon as they should receive the spirit, of the ministry of reconciliation, to wit, that God was in Christ reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them.

When the Apostles entered upon their ministry, God did in the clearest sense of the word, declare the end from the beginning, saying by them, his counsel should

stand, and that he would do all his pleasure. For we find that when the Apostles preached to the people concerning the end, that in confirmation of their testimony, they would call the attention of the people back to what God had done in the beginning and in the ancient times of the prophets from Adam to Moses, and from Moses to the advent of Christ, &c.

This apostolic method, I shall endeavor to pursue, in showing after their example, that God's counsel shall stand, and that he will do all his pleasure. And as the apostles showed that it was God's pleasure that all should be saved in the end, I shall endeavor to throw my mite into the same scale, and I hope as they were honest and sincere in their testimony, so I shall be in mine. They taught the way of salvation, and I mean to show the same, as the word of God shall dictate.

I shall begin at creation, and so travel through all the ancient times of the holy prophets, and the days of ancient Israel down to Christ, and shall also gather much evidence concerning the end, from what Christ said and did, and from the clear testimony of his inspired apostles.

As an instrument in the hands of God, I shall endeavor to follow an easy method in arranging and dividing the subject before me. I could wish to have all parts so arranged, that he who has once read the book whether friend or foe, may easily refer to any part for discussion, or instruction.

I shall divide the book into two general parts, the first relates to the first testainent, the second to the new testament and each will be subdivided into chapters. This I do, that the subject may be more easily taken up by the candid reader, and more thoroughly investigated. So that whatever reference ne wishes to make in speaking or writing of the work, whether for or against the work in any part, he has only to refer to the chapter on the vid testament, or new.

THE

PLAIN RESTITUTIONIST.

CHAPTER 1.

ON THE CREATION OF MAN.

"GOD said, let us make man in our image, after our likeness; and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth. So God created man in his image; in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them. And God blessed them; and God said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it; and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth." Here, in this last verse, we find the first shadow of a divine law, which was ever yet expressed to man as a rule of his rioral conduct in lite. Herein, the invisible man is commanded to subdue the earth, and to have dominion over all animal nature. Which as an allegorical figure to us, signifies that we must subdue our wild earthly nature, and keep a proper dominion over all our animal passions.

This holy law was given to the spiritual man, before the earthly man was formed of the dust of the ground; it was given to that intellectual nature which was created after the likeness of God. I would here observe, that man was at first created after the similitude of the invisible God, in the following sense of the word. First,

he was created an invisible spirit; second, he was created with intellectual faculties after the likeness of God though in a finite degree. Third, he possessed, in a finite degree, governing powers of mind, or God never would have given a directing law how to govern, and subdue, &c. Fourth, in his spiritual constitution exised the breath of divine life; and this property man possessed, after the similitude of the living God.

Now let us with due reverence notice the voice of infinite wisdom, when dictating the creation of man. "God said, let us make man in our own image, after our likeness. So God created man in his own image."

Here, n the voice of God, we find the plural number applies to God, three times; and yet notwithstanding, we are not to conclude from this mode of expression, that there were a plural number of Gods engaged in the creation of man : but the attributes of God, all called into action by the voice of Wisdom. "So God created man in his own image." Here the singular number is applied to the one God. Hence I infer, that the only true and living God out of his immense fulness, created man male and female, in his own divine image. But what is meant by the image of God, in which man was cre. ated? And here on this particular point, we ought to be fully satisfied, when by a diligent search, we find that Jesus Christ is the only true image of the invisible God. For St. Paul when speaking of Christ, says, Col. 1. 15. "Who is the image of the invisible God, the first born of every creature." And again, Heb. 1. 1, 2, 3, he declares Christ to be the express image of the person of God.

Then as man was created in the image of God, he must have been created in Christ; And as Christ is the first born of every creature, he must have been the first birth of man in as full a sense, as he will be the second birth, when man is born again. For as Christ is the beginning of the creation of God." Rev. 3. 14. even so he will be found the end, in the new creation of man, even when man shall be created anew in Christ according to Eph. 2. 10. 4. 24. 2 Cor. 5. 17. Col. 3. 10.

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