XI. lives, but to save; therefore his miracles, however CHAP. small in the cyes of the great, yet, to the believer, they unspeakably surpassed any thing that had ever been wrought before. 20. His gift of power was not over all winds, and seas, and fires, but over all flesh; and therefore, as far as the body of man is more noble in its creation, than the natural elements of the globe, in their inanimate state; so much more excellent were even the gifts of healing given to Christ Jesus, than any gift that ever pertained to the dispensations that were before. 21. And as much as the soul or spirit is more excellent than the body of man; so much greater is the gift and power of God, in this day of Christ's second appearance, which is a power over all spirits, and bringeth salvation to all that believe and obey. 22. Christ Jesus had a sufficient gift of power, over all winds, and seas, and natural elements, to prove to his disciples, that he descended from that God who had wrought wonders by Moses and Elias; and for a similar purpose, the same power over diseases, which Jesus and his apostles manifested, was given to Mother, with other apostolic gifts; and they sufficiently proved, to all who lay open to conviction, that her commission was from no other than the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. 23. But as Jesus neither wrought the same, nor so great miracles, in the eyes of the world, as were wrought by Moses; so neither were all the same, nor so great outward miracles, wrought by Mother, as had been wrought by Jesus and his apostles. Nothing has been exhibited in this latter day, in the opinion of the multitude, equal to raising the dead body of Lazarus from the sepulchre: hence the unbeliever may say, like the lying rich glutton in the Luke xvi parable, If one went unto them from the dead, they so. will repent. 24. But if they love not the truth, and are determined not to obey it, they have their answer in the words of Abraham, or rather of Christ: Neither will they be persuaded, though one rose from the dead. But the more the truth is confirmed, the more they CHAP. will hate and oppose it; as did the unbelieving Jews, and as many have evidently done in the present day. XI. 25. Whatever gifts have been, and still are, in the church, it is certain, that the main gift of God towards mankind, at this day, is that which respects the redemption of the soul from sin, and is therefore great, in proportion as the worth and value of the soul is great, in comparison to every other created object. And as the work of redemption is a subMark vini stance, and no sign, therefore the substance and no sign shall be given unto this adulterous generation, as evidence of the truth and reality of the work. 12. 26. That which established the testimony of Christ in his first appearing, is neither necessary nor proper to be repeated in confirmation of the work of his second appearing : but the testimony itself is a sufficient confirmation of the work; as much as the tree is a confirmation of the fruit which it bears, and not the particular operations, by which the tree was planted and established. 27. For as the tree is known by its first fruit; so the fruit of the second year, is known by its correspondence to the established tree, and its fruit of the first year. Therefore, whoever denies the fruits of righteousness, in this day of Christ's second appear. ing, must deny the doctrine and testimony of Christ in his first appearing, and every sign, wonder, and gift of God, by which that doctrine or testimony was established. 28. But he that doeth the works of Christ in this day, hath not only the immediate evidence of the word of Christ, but also the confirming truth of all the signs, miracles, and gifts of the Holy Ghost, that ever were given, in confirmation of that word, in all ages. 29. Therefore, upon the plainest principles of truth, and according to the very nature of things, it cannot be that the words of Christ are to be commended in his second appearing, by signs and wonders, for this has been sufficiently done; but his works are commended to the acceptance of mankind, by the simple authority of his doctrine or testimony, alMat. vii. ready established: A GOOD TREE CANNOT BRING 18. FORTH EVIL FRUIT. 11. XII. 30. Hence it is, that the signs and wonders of CHAP. Christ, among his followers, in this day, are not to the world; but his words are to the world, and each of his followers can say, Though ye believe not me, John x. believe the works or else believe me, FOR THE VERY 38. xiv. WORKS' SAKE: A work which has been productive of righteousness, justice and goodness, with every fruit of eternal life, by which it has been evidenced or shown out, with a continual increase, from the first visible appearance of the church, till the present day. A CHAPTER XII. The Church established in Gospel Order. S Christ Jesus came into the world, not to condemn the world, but to redeem and save the world from the nature and effects of the fall, by which their whole life and practice, stood in direct enmity against God; consequently, and of unavoidable necessity, his whole life and testimony, stood in opposition to the life and practice of the world. XV.18, 19. 2. And hence the words of Christ, The world ha- John teth me, because I testify of it, that the works there- 7. and of are evil. And as the second appearing of Christ =was to complete that which was begun in his first ap=pearing, it could not, in the nature of it, be different = from the first. 3. It was hard to the disordered senses of a lost and corrupt world, to bear the light of the divine nature manifested in Jesus, who, in a certain sense, stood remote from mankind, having descended out of the ordinary course of natural generation; and who, contrary to their exalted expectations of the Messiah, made his appearance in the form of a serAnd so trying was the manifestation, that divine wisdom saw it would not be received, without a preparatory work of the Spirit, to make ready a people prepared for the Lord. vant. CHAP. Isai.ii.11. 4. But how much more painful must it be to the disordered senses of a lost world, and how much more contrary to the exalted expectations of mankind, when the same fulness of the divine nature, is manifested through a woman, of like passions with others, and that in the form of a handmaid, for the discovery of man's total depravity, and for bringing him into judgment for every secret action of his life. 5. A manifestation of God, so near, so deep and piercing to the pride of fallen man, that nothing could seem to be left remaining, of what God had promised by the mouth of his prophets, to accomplish in the latter day, for the destruction of iniquity, and for the salvation of his people. 6. And herein may be understood the following ex9. press declarations: The lofty looks of man shall be humbled, and the haughtiness of men shall be bowed down-For the day of the Lord of hosts shall be upon every one that is proud and lofty, and upon every one that is lifted up, and he shall be brought lowThe Lord of hosts hath purposed it, to stain the pride of all glory, and to bring into contempt all the honourable of the earth. 7. And upon the same principle that a work of preparation was necessary, in order to the manifestation of Christ in his first appearing, it was required in a more extraordinary manner in his second, to convict mankind of their sins,-to break and humble themto enlighten and encourage them to look for salvation-and to bring them under a sacred obligation, from their own prayers and solemn vows, to accept of salvation in the order of God, through whatever means he would please to send it. 8. Therefore it was, that soon after our blessed Mother, and her companions, came over into America, with the treasures of the everlasting gospel, the spirit of Elijah was sent forth, and began, in a remarkable manner, to prepare the way of the Lord. 9. The work of preparation in America first began at New-Lebanon, in the county of Columbia, and state of New-York, and at Hancock, in Berkshire county, state of Massachusetts, in the year 1779, with the usual appearances of what is called a re markable revival of religion, or out-pouring of the CHAP. divine Spirit. 10. Preachers and people were generally awakened under the mighty power of God, and multitudes flocked to their assemblies, from the adjacent parts around, and were struck with conviction of their sins. Many received the gift of visions and prophecies, by which they saw and testified that the day of full redemption was at hand. 11. Their testimony was against all sin, and was attended with great power; and the various exercises and gifts of the spirit among the people, manifested the most convincing evidences of a real work of God. Some, under deep conviction of their sins, were crying for mercy; others, filled with unspeakable joy, were carried out in visions and revelations of the glory of the latter day-of the coming of Christthe setting up of his kingdom, and the nature of his government, which was to put an end to wars and fightings, and restore peace to the earth-make an end of sin-bring in everlasting righteousness, and gather the saints into one harmonious communion. 12. The subjects of this work testified, that all their former experience in religion had left them short of real salvation, that is, it had never saved them from their sins, and that nothing short of salvation could constitute a true follower of Christ; and further, that the day of judgment, the day of full redemption, and the coming of Christ were nigh, even' at the door. 13. The work among this people was powerful and swift; yet, as to outward appearance, it was of short duration. In about eight months time, their visions and prophecies ceased, and the extraordinary power of their testimony seemed to be at an end, and none of those things whereof they had testified, as yet appeared. While in this situation, they were ingreat distress, and applied to their leaders for help, who, being in the same condition, candidly confessed that they were unable to lead them any further. 14. Notwithstanding, the people retained their integrity; and in full confidence of seeing their earnest desires accomplished, they continued their assem XII. |