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CHAP. yielded to the tempter, that she might be able to succour those that are tempted.

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32. And as the sufferings of Christ were not filled Rom.vii. up in his first appearing, hence said the apostle, "I 319,22, reckon that the sufferings of this present time, are

Davies'
Poems.

not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us. For the earnest expectation of the creature waiteth for the manifestation of the Sons of God. For we know that the whole creation groaneth, and travaileth in pain together until now. [That is, until this glory should be revealed, and the Sons of God manifested.] And even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting for the adoption, to wit, the redemption of our body."

33. So far then, were the apostles from teaching that any one individual suffered in the room and stead of another. They state the plain undeniable fact, confirmed by the history of all ages, that truth and virtue were never, in any degree, preserved in the earth, but through a constant succession of suffering saints and martyrs.

-34. From the blood of Abel to the blood of Zechariah, which was shed between the porch and the altar; and again, from the blood of John the Baptist, to the blood of William Robinson and others, which crieth to heaven, even from this American paradise of freedom, virtue was ever attended with a proportionable degree of sufferings.

55. Could justice be satisfied, and yet millions, from age to age, suffer and die, by increasing agonies and modes of torture before unknown? And if the groans and dying pangs--the pains and blood of "an incarnate Godhead," as Davies expresses it, could not be withstood: Or if the burning throne had been sufficiently cooled off, by the blood of Jesus, Erskine's and he had "drank hell dry," as Erskine expresses it, What then? had justice no power to stop the prosecution? Or, on the other hand, from whence could those seven vials full of the wrath of God be collected, which John saw in, vision, long after the death of Jesus, preparing to destroy the kingdom and seat of the beast?

Sonnets.

36. The truth is, justice never was, nor ever will

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be satisfied with any thing short of the total destruc- CHAP. tion of sin and therefore, while the nature of sin remained, it had to suffer in those who, after the example of Christ, took up their cross against it. And while the enmity raged in the children of disobedience, those who took up their cross against sin, had always to endure outward afflictions, and persecutions, which turned to them for a testimony, in every age.

37. And as the work of Redemption was to become full and effectual in Christ's second appearing, and the man of sin to be wholly consumed and destroyed; so in the accomplishment of that work, the sufferings of Christ must necessarily be filled up, in their full and perfect measure, through which the fruits of righteousness will appear in their full perfection, with eternal glory.

38. And as all the faithful witnesses suffered to support the cause of truth in the earth, and in confirmation of their testimony concerning that day; so justice, both in heaven and among men, is satisfied when sin and death are abolished through sufferings, and righteousness, truth, and eternal life grow up in their place.

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39. This was manifestly the apostle's meaning when he said, "The sufferings of Christ abound in 2 Cor.i. us-And whether we be afflicted, it is for your con- 2 Tim.fi solation and salvation, which is effectual in the endur- 10. ing the same sufferings, which we also suffer." And again, "I endure all things for the elect's sake, that they may also obtain the salvation which is in Christ Jesus, with eternal glory." Which is according to the words of Jesus, "Ye shall indeed drink of my Matt.xx cup, and be baptized with the baptism that I am baɲtized with."

40. Then as that Spirit of truth and holiness, which gave occasion to the sufferings of the saints, in the Hesh, continued to flow from witness to witness, and from age to age; so all the afflictions which they endured, remained as a witness with God, against those Justs and abominations of a fallen nature, by which the earth was corrupted, and against which they took up their cross.

41. And therefore, instead of using the blood of

23.

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Rev. xv. and xvi.

CHAP. Jesus, or any of his followers, to pacify an offended Deity, and reconcile him to the beast, the false prophet or the Devil; the whole of that blood is represented as stored up in seven vials, [referring to the ages,] and all of it to be poured out, to execute his righteous vengeance on the workers of iniquity; that such as had shed the blood of saints and prophets, should have blood to drink, because they are worthy. 42. Hence the proud and all that do wickedly, are compared to stubble, and it was expressly said, The Zeh day that cometh [referring to Christ's second appearing] shall burn them up, that it shall leave them neither root nor branch. A day in which God promised to open a fountain for sin and uncleanness, and bring his people through the fire, and refine them as silver is refined, and try them as gold is tried.

Mal. iv. 1

43. To this period the words of God allude by the Zech.i. prophet Zechariah: "I will pour upon the house of 10 to 14. David, and upon the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the Spirit of grace and of supplications; and they shall look upon me whom they have pierced, and they shall mourn for him."

44.In that day there shall be a great mourning in Jerusalem :-And the land shall mourn, every family apart; the family of the house of David apart, and their wives apart; the family of the house of Nathan apart, and their wives apart;-All the families that remain, every family apart, and their wives Mat.xiv apart." Here is the true cause why Christ said, Then 30. Rev. shall all the tribes of the earth mourn. 17.

45. Therefore, as Christ Jesus, and his apostles and true witnesses, patiently suffered to preserve the cause of truth and righteousness in the earth, and by sealing the truth with their blood, conveyed and confirmed the same to others, unto whom the truth was made effectual in the enduring of the same sufferings ; so all the benefit of their sufferings meet and centre in this day of full redemption, which is the end of their faith, for which they suffered, and in which every one will receive a reward according to his works.

46. Therefore, all who receive the mercy and grace of God, in this day of his final visitation, are verily benefited by the sufferings of Christ, both in

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his first and second appearing, and by the sufferings CHAP. of all the saints and martyrs who have ever suffered for their testimony, having with them obtained the end of their faith and promises, and a full and final resurrection into the kingdom of God, which is everlasting righteousness, peace and eternal life.

TH

CHAPTER VII.

The Resurrection.

HE truth of God, in all things pertaining to the salvation of Mankind, is fully established in this day of Christ's second appearing; in which all things will have their full and final accomplishment, according to all that the prophets and apostles have spoken since the world began.

2. It will be proper, therefore, to take particular notice of what the apostles taught concerning the Resurrection which, according to what hath been stated respecting the sufferings of Christ, was also founded upon the distinction between the natural body and a spiritual body, the natural world and a world of spirits.

3. The natural bodies of all men are mortal, and subject to a dissolution, like the bodies of all other animals; and when dissolved back to their native elements, they rise no more in the same form. The natural body is called the earthly house of this taber- 2 Cor. v. nacle, which is the first part of the natural man, of the earth earthy. Dust it is, and unto dust it returns.

4. But as every thing was created in its order, to serve some higher purpose than its own self-interest; and as man was peculiarly designed for the service of God, and was endowed with a reasonable soul or spirit for that purpose, capable of immortality; therefore it is the soul of man alone, that is the proper subject of the Resurrection, and is capable of being raised to a higher use, and more noble enjoyments than pertain to the present state.

1.

CHAP.

30.

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5. Every thing in nature that has life and growth, has a seed in itself, which serves a two-fold purpose; first, to promote its own species, and second, to bring forth fruit to some higher order of beings.

6. Thus God said unto man in his first creation, Gen. 1.29 Behold I have given you every herb bearing sced, and every tree, in the which is the fruit of a tree yielding seed; to you it shall be for meat. And to every beast of the earth, to every fowl of the air, and to every thing that creepeth upon the earth, wherein there is life, I have given every green herb for meat."

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7. Then as nothing liveth to itself, or merely for its own sake; so it was intended that man should live and bring forth fruit unto God; and this fruit was that which pertained to his living soul, as it is that by which God is truly worshipped and served; and therefore the apostles so frequently speak of a seed,. and of every seed having its own body.

8. All nature teaches, that the stalk or tree, which beareth seed, when it falls back to the earth, and is dissolved, the same never rises again into the same form; and no more does the natural body of man rise again.

9. And it is evident that the seed which is put into the earth, for the purpose of promoting its own species, never rises to any thing higher than it was; but that which is gathered as fruit, when it is taken and changed from its natural state, and dressed for food, in such a manner as best suits him by whom it is dressed, that alone answers the highest end for which it was created.

10. And as man, in preparing bread for his own use, does not raise up the withered stalk upon which the grain grew; but separates the pure flour from all that to which it had been united: so, in like manner, is the resurrection. It is the soul that is to be redeemed from all iniquity, and purified unto God in a peculiar manner. Thus saith Christ, I am the bread of life.-And again, the apostle, For we being many are one bread, one body: for we are all partakers of that one bread.

11. And further, as seed that falls back to the earth,

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