Divine Authenticity of the Book of Mormon, No. 2

MOKE REVELATION IS INDISPENSABLr NECESSAEY.

1. — In the former number it has been shewn, that to expect more revelatiort is neither imscriptural nor unreasonable ; hence, there is as gi-eat a probability that more ■will be given in our day, as in any former age. The object of this number is to shew that more revelation is indispensably necessary,

FlKST, FOR THE CaI/LING OP OFFICERS IN THE ChURCH.

2. — Whenever God has called and authorized men to perform a work in any age or dispensation, it has been done by revelations, and not by mere impressions, or some undeiinable internal feelings, which leave the mind in uncertainty and doubt. No'ah was called by the word of the Lord to be a preacher of righteousness, and to build an seek. Abraham, Lot, Isaac, Jacob, and Joseph, were called by revelation to perform a great variety of duties Moses and Aaron were called to the priest's office by the word of the Great Jehovah. Seventy elders of Israel were called by revelation to assist Moses. Joshua was appointed by the word of the Lord through Moses to be his successor in leading Israel. The successors of Aaron were appointed to the priesthood by revelation. The Judges of Israel were called by visions, by angels, and by the inspiration of the Spirit. Samuel was called by the voice of the Lord. And finally, all their officers, wise men, and prophets, down to the days of Malachi, were called by new revelation.

3. — The calling of officers under the christian dispensation continued the same. John, the' forerunner of Christ, was called by the spirit of prophecy, as manifested " through the angel Gabriel and his father Zaeharias. Jesus was called by his Father, and appointed a priest for ever after the order of Melchisedec : He is termed by St. Paul, " the Apostle and High Priest of our profession." Jesus, being an apostle, called others to the same office, and said unto them, "ye have not chosen me but I have chosen you, and ordained you, that ye should go and bring forth fruit." (John XV.) When Judas fell through transgression, the apostles did not appoint another to take his bishoprick through a mere impression, but they called upon the Lord to shovr whom he had chosen ; aiid "the lot fell upon Matthias." (Acts i. 15-26.) The seventy disciples were called by the word of the Lord. Paul and Barnabas were both apostles, (see Acts xiv. 14.) and were set apart to the work of the ministry by navy. revelation through the inspired prophets and teachers, which were in the church at Antioch. (Acts xiii. 1-4.) That the elders of the church at Bphesus were called by Tevelation, is evident by the following language of Paul to them, " Take heed therefore

unto yourselves, and to all the flock over the which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers, to feed the church of God which he hath pui-chased with his own blood." (Acts XX. 28.) Timothy, the first bishop of Ephesus, was appointed by prophecy and by the laying on of hands. (1 Tim. iv. 14.) Titus, the first bishop of the Gretians, was appointed by the Apostle Paul " to ordain elders in every city ; " these elders were to be ordained after the manner, and in the way that Paul had appointed Titus. (Titus i. 6.) And we have already seen that a spirit of prophecy was necessary to ordain a bishop ; and as Bishop Titus was to ordain elders in every city after the pattern that he himself had been ordained, he must, to have carried out his instructions, have enjoyed the spirit of prophecy. If the elders of Ephesus were made overseers of the church by the revelation of the Holy Ghost, it is reasonable to infer, that revelation was necessary to the appointment of elders in all other cities. Paul says, " As God hath distributed to every man, as the Lord hath called every one, so let him walk, and so ordain I in all churches." (1 Cor. vii. 17.) Paul did not presume to ordain in all churches, only such as were called of the Lord, and he ordained them according to that calling ; and such callings could only be made known by revelation.

4. — When mankind through their apostacy lost the spirit of prophecy and revelation, they also lost the other supernatural gifts of the spirit, such as healing, mu-acles, tongues, interpretations of tongues, &c. These gifts ceased, not all at once, but by drees, until the spirit had entirely withdrawn, leaving only a powerless form. The necessity of revelations, visions, prophesyings, ministry of angels, and miraculous gifts, was never denied until mankind found themselves destitute of these promised blessings ; when it was pretended that they were only designed for the first christians; the people began by degrees to beUeve this wicked pretension, until, at length, they boldly denied the necessity of every miraculous power. Millions in every succeeding generation have continued to walk in the footsteps of the early apostates, fulfilling in every respect the prediction of Paul, that " in the last days perilous times should come ; for men should be lovers of their own selves, covetous, &c. ; " " having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof. "(2 Tim. iii. 1 — 5.) Notwithstanding the universality of this apostacy, yet the numerous religious bodies which enter into its composition, have had the daring presumption to still call themselves christians, or the church of Christ. But if they were the church of Christ, then the miraculous powers and gifts of Christ would be shown forth among them, and their ministers, as formerly, would be called by revelation. The church of Christ cannot exist on the earth without an authorized ministry. This ministry cannot be called and authorized without new revelation. " No man taketh this honor unto himself," (that is the honor of the ministry) " but he that is called of God as was Aaron." (Heb. v. iv.)

5. — Without new revelation every office in the church would necessarily become vacant. It is true, that those who held office at the time revelation ceased, would still, during their natural life, continue to retain it, unless through transgression they should be legally deprived of it. If revelation ceased at the close of the first century, it is not at all likely that any of the officers, then holding authority, would be alive a century afterwards ; and as they would have no authority to ordain others without new revelation, when they died, the authority upon the earth would neoessa rily become extinct. How overwhelming the thought ! Yet there is no conclusion more certain. If all offices became vacant there could be no additions to the diuroh by baptism ; for it would be a great sin for private member-s to assume the authority to baptize ; hence, as soon as those who had been baptized by authority were deft.d, the world would be entirely destitute of both the officers and private members of the church of Christ. But when officers and members both cease, what is left ? nothing at all. Hence, without continued revelation, the church could no more continue i;s existence on the earth, than a body could live without the spirit. Therefore, if r jveliilioa ceased with the Apostles, as the " Articles " and " Creeds " of men ddclare, every vestige of authority, as well as the church itself, must have become extinct from the earth, as early at least as the third century ; since which time the earth has been cursed with priestcraft and apostacy, and with every species of wickedness.

6. — Since the church with its authority and power has been caught away from the earth, the great " mother of harlots " with all her descendants has blasphemously assumed

the authority of administering some of the sacred ordinances of the gospel. They have blasphemed the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, by using it without authority in their ministrations. They have dbhonored the name of Christ, "by calling their powerless, apostate, filthy, and most abominable churches, the church of Christ. The whole Komuh, Greek, and Protestant ministry, from the Pope down through every grade of office, are as destitute of authority from God, as the (vil aiid his angels. The Almighty abhors all their wicked pretensions, as he does the very ' -gates of hell.

7 The great apostacy of the Christian church commenced in the first century, while there were yet inspired apostles and prophets in their midst ; hence Paul, just previously to his martyrdom, enumerates a great number who had " made ship\yredk; of their faith," and " turned aside unto vain jangling ; " teaching " that the resurrection was already past," giving " heed to fables and endless genealogies," " doting about questions and strifes of words, whereof came envyings, railings, evil surmi»> ings, perverse disputings of men of corrupt minds, and destitute of the truth, supposing that gain is godliness." This apostacy had become so general that Paul declares to Timothy, " that aU they which are in Asia be turned away from me ; " and again, he says, " At my first answer, no man stood with me, but aU men forsook me ; " he further states, that " there are many unruly and vain talkers and deceivers," " teaching things which they ought not, for filthy lucre's sake." These apostates, no doubt pretended to be very righteous ; for, says the Apostle, " they profess that they know •God ; but in works they deny him, being abominable and disobedient, and unto every good work reprobate." Near the close of the first century, the apostacy had become o universal that only seven churches throughout all Asia, Africa, and Europe, weae considered worthy of being either reproved or blessed by the voice of revelation : and even these seven were so corrupted ''by the doctrine of the Nicolaitanes, and of Ba- laam, by the fornications and adulteries of Jezebel, and by losing their "first love," and becoming " neither cold nor hot," that the Almighty considered them, with a very few exceptions, as " dead," and threatened to " sp ue them out of his mouth " — to cast •them " into great tribulation," and " kill their children with death " — to " fight against them with wie sword of his mouth" — and to "remove the candlestick" or church "out of its place." *

8.— That this apostacy, which bad become so formidable, while yet inspired apostles •were in their midst, was to greatly increase, instead of decreasing, is evident from the predictions of scripture. Paul prophesies that " the day of Christ shall not come, except there come a falling away first; " that " evil men and seducers shall wax worse and ■worse, deceiving and being deceived." As a reason for the strict charge which he ga\« to Timothy, he predicts, that " the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine ; but after their own lusts they shall heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears ; and they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto wbles." The predictions concerning the apostacy were not expressed in a vague uncertain form of language, but in the clearest and most forcible terms. " Now the Spirit speaketh expressly," says Paul, " that in the latter times some shall depart from •Uie faith, giving heed to seducing spirits and doctrines of devils, speaking Ues in hypocricy, having their conscience seared with a hot iron." Peter prophesies that " theue ■shall be' false teachers among you, who privily shall bring in damnable heresies, even denying the Lord that bought them, and bring upon themselves swift destruction ; and many shall follow their pernicious ways ; by reason of whom the way of truth shall be evil spoken of; and through covetousness shall they with feigned words make merchandise of you." (2 Peter ii. 1, 2, 3.) These "fables," " doctrines of devils," and " damnable heresies " which false teachers should introduce into the world, were to constitute the religion of future ages, rendering the state of society fearful in the «xtreme. Paul gives a prophetic description of the religion of latter times as follows : — " This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come ; for men shall be lovers (rf their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, imthankful, unholy, without natural affection, truce breakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good, traitors, heady, high-minded, lovers of pleasure more than lovers of God ; having a form of godliness, })ut denying the power thereof, from such turn away. For of thb sort are they which creep inttj

. "houses, and lead captive silly women laden with sins, led away with divers Ihsts ; ever learning, and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth. Now as Jannes atld

, Jambres withstood Moses, so do these also resist the truth : men of corrupt minds, reprobate concerning the faith. But they shall proceed no further; for their folly shall be made manifest unto all men, as their's also was " (2 Tim. iii. 1 — 9.)

9. — It seems from the' foregoing predictions, that the religion of the latter-days . -was to be most awfully corrupt ; that its teachers, instead' of bring sent by revelation from God, were to be heaped together by the people. These man-made, teaches Tvere to turn away the ears of the people from the truth, or from sound doctrine, and in its stead were to teach " fables," " doctrines of devils, " damnable heresie?," " spealdng lies in hypocrisy ;" they were to come " with feigned words, or " with great swelling words of vanity," to "make merchandise of the people ;" they were to have " a form of Godliness," liut'" the power" they were to deny : they were to mest with great success in deceiving mankind ; for " many were to follow their pernicious "ways." The people were to delight in these powerless, devilish, hypocritical, lying, damnable heresies, while the way of truth was to be evil spoken of ; and " because they received not the love of the truth," God was to " send them strong delusions, * that they should believe a lie, that they all might be damned who believed not the . truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness." Such was to be the religion of the , latter ages, as prophetically described by the ancient apostles ; and such is the religion ', of the Papal, Greek, and Protestant churches of the nineteenth century. The predictions were uttered eighteen centuries ago, and modern Christendom exhibits a most perfect fulfilment. Instead of having apostles, prophets, and other inspired men in the church now, receiving visions, dreams, revelations, ministry of angels, and prophecies for the calling of officers, and for the government of the church, — they haye a wicked, corrupt, uninspired pope, or uninspired archbishops, bishops, clergymen, ' &c., who have a gi'eat vai'iety of corrupt forms of Godliness, but utterly deny the gift of revelation, and every other miraculous power which always chai'acterised Christ's church. These man-made, powerless, hypocritical, false teachers, " make merchandise of the people," by preaching for large salaries, amounting in many instances to tens of thousands of pounds sterling annually. They and their deluded followers are reprobate concerning the faith once deliverecf to the Saints. The faith which once quenched the violence of fire, stopped the moutlis of Hons, divided waters, and controlled the powers of nature, is discarded as unnecessary. The faith that inspired men with the gift of revelation — that opened the heavens and laid hold cm mysteries that were not lawful to be uttered — that unfolded the visions of the past and future — and that called down the angels of lieaven to eat and drink with men <xi earth — is denied as being attainable in this age. The sound doctrine taught by the apostles which put mankind in the possession of these glorious gifts and powers cannot now be endured. The doctrines, commands, fables, traditions, and creeds, of uninspire<i men, are now substituted in the place of du'ect inspiration from God. " They are ever Itaraing, but are never able to come to the knowledge of the truth;" Guess work, coeijecture, opinion, and, perhaps, in some instances, a belief in regard to the truth, are all that they attain to, while a knowledge they do not obtain, because they deny nenv revelation the only means of obtaining it. This great multitude of false teacViers who have found their way into all nations, deceiving millions, " resist the truth," contend against the miraculous powers of the gospel, and reject inspired men, as " Jannes and Jambres'' — the magicians, did Moses ; but " their foUv shall ' be made mimifest unto all men, as their's also was ;" yea, all nations shall see the righteous judgments which shall speedily be executed upon them, for they shall, like- Phariioh's host, perish quickly from the earth.

10. — If the revelations contained in the si.ty-si.v books of the Old and New Testaments, are the only ones to be received, it would be impossible for any man since the apostacy, to prove from those books that he was called of Ood, The Bible contains the record of the callings and commis-sions of many who lived during the first four thousand years ! but it says not one word about the callings and commissions of those who have lived during the last seventeen centuries. Some who have seen the dilem- 1 ma in which they are placed by rejecting new revelation, have endeavoured to extricate . Jhemselves fiwn it, by pretending that the old owninissions given to the apostles are

sidficient for all present purposes. But this places them in another dilemma equally as great ; for how can any man learn whether the commiision given to the apostles is ' applicable to himself or not ? Without new revelation he could never know. Surely the apostolic commission does not authorise all mankind who should live in futiii-e, ages ; and if it authorise a part only, then it certainly would require new revelation to specify which part. Therefore, if we were to admit so absurd an idea, there still WDuld be an equal necessity for new revelation. But commissions or callings given to one man never did, nor never can, authorise another. Mankind have no more aiithority to preach, baptize, and administer the ordinances of the gospel, by virtue of the apostolic commission, than they have to ascend the throne of Great Britain by virtue of the commission given to king David.

' H. — As the Church of England and other protestants do not profess to have received any new commission by revelation, but on the contrary, require their followers to reject everything of the kind, it may be asked, how did they get their authority ? It will be repliedjithat they i-eceived it from Wickliffe, Cranmer, Luther, Calvin, and various other dissenters from the Papal chm'ch. But where did those dissenters get their's from ? They answer, from the Koman Catholics. But the Catholics excommunicated them as heretfcs ; and surely if they had power to impart authority, they h»d power to take it away. Therefore, if the Romish church had any authority, the piotestants, being excommunicated, can hold none from that source. But i f the Cathohcshold authority, they must be the true church, and consequently the protest tants must be .apostates ; but on the other hand, if the Cathohcs are not the true church, they can have no authority themselves, and therefore could not impart any to otliers. '

: 12. — Now the Church of England states in one of her homilies, " that laity and elerqy, learned and unlearned, men and women, and children of all ages, sects, and degrees, of WHOLE CHRISTENDOM, have been at once buried in THE MOST ABOMINABLE IDOLATRY, (a most dreadful thing to think,) and that for the SPACE or eioiit hdndeed years ok more." * Wesley in his 94th sermon states the same in substance ; he says, " The real cause why the extraordinary gifts oS the Holy Ghost were no longer to be found in the christian church, was, because the christians were turned heathens again, and had only a dead form left." If then, the " whole of Christendom," without one exception, have been " buried in the most abominable idolati-y for upwards of eight hundred years," as the Church of England declares, and if they, because they are destitute of the gifts, are not even now christians, but heathens as Wesley asserts, we ask where the authority was during ' this eight hundred years, and where is it now ? Surely God would hot recognise "the most abominable idolaters," as holding authority ; if so, the authority of the worr shippers of Juggernaut must be as valid as that of idolatrous Christendom. But the idolatry of " the whole of Christendom " must have been more corrupt, according to the Church of England, than that of other idolaters ; for they call it " the most abommffble idolatry," and most positively declare that there was no exception of either clergy or laity — of either man, woman, or child — all were buried in it. This bemg" the case, (and we feel no disposition to dispute it), there could have been no possible channel on the 'whole earth through which authority could have been transferred from, the apostles to our day. Therefore, as Wesley says, all Christendom are, sm'e enough, "'heathens," having no more authority nor power than the idolatrous pagans. I then, the" whole of Christendom" have been without authority and power " for eight hundred years and upwards," we ask, when was the authority restored? how was it restored ? and to what man or people was it restored? It could not have been restored to the Papal chm-ches, for they do not profess that any such restoration has been made tothem ! it could nofchavei been restored to the Church of England and other protectants, for they do not admit of any later revelation than the New Testament ; consequently their own admissions prove most clearly that the whole of Christendom are ■without an authorised ministry ; therefore it is indispensably necessary that more revelation should be given to restore the authority to the earth and call men to the minis.; ' ti again, as in ancient days.

} * Homily on the Perils of Idolatry. '

13. — More revelation is not only necessary to restore an authorised ministry, that the church may again have place on the earth, but it is indispensably necessary.

Secondly, to Point out the Duties op the Ofbiobbs op the Church.

To call men to the ministry would be of very little use, unless the persons called could have a perfect knowledge of the duties of their calling: Noah was called to preach" repentance and righteousness to the antediluvians, but vpithout fiirther revelations, he' never could have learned the will of God relative to the preservation of himself and • family, and the different kinds of beasts, fowls, and creeping things, both clean and unclean, of all flesh ; he never could have learned what amount of food of different kinds, and fresh water would be sufficient to sustain such a congregated host of living bangs for the space of one hundred and fifty days, during which time the flood wa» to prevail. Jacob, though called of God, without further revelation, never could have learned what should befall the posterity of his sons in the last days, so as to have delivered a prophetic blessing upon the head of each according to the mind of God. Moses, though called by the voice of Jehovah, without further revelation, never could have delivered Israel from bondage, and led them forty years in the vsoldemess. Aaron, though called of God to the priestly office, and in possession of the written law. never could have sat upon the judgment-seat, and decided between man and man. according to the mind of God, without the " breastplate of judgment," containing the "Urhn and Thummim," through which he could inquire of God and receive correct information relative to every case which should come before him. All the servants of God, down to the days of Malachi, were not only called by the Almighty, hut directed in all their multifarious duties to the end of their days by immediate revelation.

14. — In the christian dispensation it was the same. Every officer, after having been called, was instructed and guided by continued revelation in the various duties of his calling. John, the forerunner of Christ, was first called, and then was enabled' flurough the inspiration of the Spirit, to tell the Scribes, Pharisees, Sadducees, soldiers, and all the people, what they should do, as they came enquiring of him. Evea> Jesus himself, though he was sent by his Father, and came forth from God, did not presume to teach of himself, or perform anything pertaining to the work of the ministry, without first obtaining a revelation from the Father to direct him. He say " I have not spoken of myself ; but the Father which sent me, he gave me a commandment what I should say, and what I should speak." " Whatsoever I speak there, fore, even as the Father said unto me, so I speak." (John xii. 49, 50). Again, he says, " The words that I speak unto you, I speak not of myself,, but the Father that dwelleth in me, he doeth the work," " and as the Father gave me commandment, even so I do." (John xiv. 10, 31). He further states, " I can of my own self do nothing : as I hear I judge, and my judgment b just, because I speak not mine own will, but the will ofthe Father which hath sent me." (John v. 30). Nowif the great and gloripns Redeemer of the world could not do anything of himself pertaining to the ministry, but was dependant altogether upon the Father to give him revelation and commandment what to do, and what to speak, how much more necessary is it for poor, weafc and fallible man, after having been called of God, to be directed in all things pertaining to the duties of his calling by continued revelation. And yet, strange to say, the whole of Christendom have been without this essential qualification for centuries, and halve still dared to act as ministers in the name of the Lord. Oh, the wickedness of apostate Christendom ! Truly did the apostle behold her " full of names of blasphemy/' making all nations drunk vrith her wickedness !

16; — The example that Jesus set, not to act nor speak in the duties of his calling,, unless by new revelation, was followed by the apostles. All the' teachings which they. * had heard from the mouth of the Saviour while he was present with them, were not- ' jofficient to qualify them for their duties in his absence. As soon as he left tham, he > began to give them commandments and revelations through the Holy Ghost. (See' Acts i. 2). And -without continued revelations, they, like their Lord and Master, oould do nothing. It mattered not how much human wisttom or learning they might have acquired, nor how many revelations had previously been given ; such;

things would in no wise qualify them for the ministry ; it required constant revelation. St. Paul says, « The things of God knoweth no man, but the Spirit of God ; now we have received not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit which is of God, that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God ; which things also we speak, not in the words which man's wisdom teacheth, but which the Holy Ghost toacheth." (1 Cor. ii. 11, 12, 13). Prom these passages we learn, &"st, that no man can know the things of God only by revelation, and secondly, that no man can teach them acceptably only in the words " vvhich the Holy Ghost teacheth." Revelation, then, is necessary to call and authorise the ministry, to reveal their duties, to manifest the things of God to them, and to give them utterance, " not in the words which man's wisdom teacheth," but in the words inspired and taught by the Holy Ghost.

16. — If human wisdom and learning could qualify any one for the ministry, Paul certainly could have claimed a higher qualification than the rest of the apostles ; he was learned ; he was eloquent ; he was eminently prepared so far as the wisdom of man was available to move in the higher spheres of life, and to speak with honor and dignity in the presence of vast assemblies ; he could, through human wisdom alone, have pathetically portrayed the death and sufferings of Christ, reasoned upon the beneiits to be derived from the atonement, urged the importance of obeying the requirements of the gospel, and With all the thunders of his eloquence described the misery and wretchedness of the disobedient — yet he informs us, that he did not declare the thjflgs of God in the " words which man's wisdom teacheth." The words of man's wisdom are foolishness in the sight of God ; — they are inadequate to convey properly the things revealed by the Spirit. The Spirit not only gives the ideas, but in a measure clothes them in suitable and proper words. This is the spirit of revelation, so abundantly enjoyed by the Saints of all ages, that so enriched their minds with heavenly knowledge, aind qualified them to speak as the oracles of God, uttering words taught by the Holy Ghost. This is the spirit of revelation, rejected and done away in the "Articles" and " Creeds" of modern Christendom, and in its place are substituted "the words which man's wisdom teacheth." This is the spirit of revelation, so necessary to unfold to 'the minister of Christ, those duties which he never could learn from ancient revelation, nor from the wisdom and writings of uninspired men.

17. — Without this spirit of revelation Joshua never could have known the mind of the Lord in relation to taking the city of Jericho ; he. never could have known that it was the will of God that all Israel should mai-ch around its walls for seven days, blowing upon rams' horns. If Israel had been left to their own wisdom, it never would have entered their hearts to subdue a city by such simple expedients. Indeed, it was only necessary on that one occasion ; and that one occasion required a new revelation to manifest the mind and vrill of God. In subduing another city or nation, the Lord might have altogether a different plan, so that the rule followed in one instance, might never be applicable in another ; hence the necessity of continued revelation; for no servant of God or leader in Israel could possibly learn the mind of God without it. " God's ways are not as our ways, nor his thoughts as our thoughts." Therefore, the wisdom of man, unaided by immediate revelation, cannot perform acceptably before God any work, either in directing the movements of an army, or iii preaching the gospel of peace, or in ruling his own household, or in managing the affairs of a nation. When Israel went to battle, they first enquired of God, and then proceeded according to his du'eetion : when they anointed kings to sit upon the throne, they did it by revelation : when a city was to be warned of approaching judgment, a Lot, or a Jonah, or some inspired man was sent by revelation to do it : when Israel turned aside from the law of God, multitudes of prophets were, not only sent by revelation to rCT)rove them, but the message which they were to deliver, was given by revelation also : \i*en the Lord saw that Philip had warned the people of Samaria sufiicieiitly, he did not leave him to the Tague conjectures of his own mind where he should go next. but «ent an angel who spake unto him, saymg, " Arise, and go towards the soutihi unto the way that goeth down from Jerusalem unto Gaza, which is desert." (Acts viii.26.) If Philip had been left to his own wisdom, he never could have learned whether his niission was done in Samaria or not ; and even if he had learned this, the desert country off to the south, would have been the last place that human wisdom would ha*e guided him. But after Philip had reached this lonely solitary desert, he still needed

reyektion to direct him in regard to further duties. The next thing which we find revealed, to him was by the Spirit, which said unto him, "Go near, and join thyself to this chariot." He obeyed, and succeeded in convincing a man of great authority — a eunuch, of the truths of the gospel ; and after having baptized him, " the Spirit of the Lord caught away Pliilip, that the eunuch saw him no more."

18. — In Damascus, there was another servant of God, called Ananias ; h£ was not a protestant clergyman, for he believed in visions and revelations ; " and to him said the Lord in a vision, Ananias. And he said, behold, I am here. Lord. And the Lord said unto him. Arise, and go into the street which is called Straight, and enquire in the house of Judas for one called Saul, of Tarsus : for, behold, he prayeth, and hath seen in a vision a man named Ananias coming in, and putting his hand on him, tjifit he might receive his sight." (Acts ii. 10, 11, 12.) Here are two visionary characters, Ananias and Saul ; if they had lived in our day, they would have been considered, by new revelation deniers, as appropriate subjects for the insane hospital. It is so natural for mankind to think that their own judgment is sufficient to guide them in the way of duty, that even' Ananias himself was rather inclined to question the propriety of the revelation, and follow his own wisdom : for he answered " Lord, I have heard by many of this man, how much evil he hath done to thy saints at Jerusalem ; and here he hath authority from the chief priests to bind all that call upon thy name." (Verses 13, 14.) But the Lord not feeling disposed to be governed by the weak judgment of Ananias, commanded him again, saying, " Go thy way ; for he is a chosen vessel unto me, to bear my name before the Gentiles, and kings, and the children of Israel : for I will show him how great things he must suffer for my name's s«ice." (Verses, 15, 16.)

19. — Peter was another of these visionary characters so much despised by modern rdigionists. One of the first revelations he obtained, was about Jesus being the Christ. It seems that there was a great diversity of opinions among those who did not seek for new revelations, relative to who Jesus was ; some thought he was one of the old prophels ; some thought he was John the baptist, having risen from the dead ; the wisdom of man had imagined a vai'iety of opinions respecting him. Peter, not bein" satisfied with the conjectures of men about it, was just simple enough to ask the Father who Jesus was. The Father told him, that Jesus was " the Christ, tl» Son of the living God." Here then was certainty — conjecture and opinion had fled away. When the Saviour enquired of his disciples what their views were in relation to him, Peter could answer the question without any doubt or hesitation ; and because of this knowledge, Jesus blessed him, and said unto him, " flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but my Father which is in heaven." (Matthew xvi. 17.) The great mass of the Jews were destitute of this knowledge ; they did not seek of the Father a revelation on the subject, but depended, like this generation, on fonner revelation and their own wisdom, and therefore not knowing by new revelation the Saviour, they crucified him. Peter, having had faith sufBcient to get one revelation, the Saviour,"counted him worthy to receive more, therefore he took him up into a mountain vvith James and John, " and was transfigured before them ; and his face did shine as the sun, and his' raiment was white as the light ; and behold there appeared unto them Moses and Elias talking with Him." (Matthew xvii. 1,2,3.) These visionary perj sons could now testify to the nations what they had seen, and heard, and known, about Jesus, about God, and about angels. But such testimopies to, be given by any persons in these days, would be counted the highest blasphemy. But we ask, what dp niodern Christendom know about God? they have not heard his voice, nor received a revelation from him. What do they know about Jesus? nothing, only what they have read of the knowledge of others. What do they know about angels? ' they have never beheld them, nor heard their voice. What do they know about visions? nothing at all, for they despise all those that prbfess to have seen visions since the apostles' days. And finally, what do they know rtbout the Holy Ghost ? It has never spoken to them nor to any one else, in their estimation, for the last seventeen centuries. . They have not heai-d, seen, handled, nor known anything for themselves by revelation :, consequently, they are entirely unquaUfied to be witnesses of any' spiritual or heavenly knowledge : they loiow nothing, only what they know naturally' "as hriite beasts, made to be taken and destroyed." (See Jude lO.) Withoiit new

revelation, they are entirely unquaHficd to judge of the things of God : they would be as'-apt to call good evil and evil good, and put light for darkness and darkness for light, as ancient revelation deniers were. Their preaching would not justify nor condemn any one, because they know nothing, only what others have written, and therefore cannot testify. This is the sad, and awful, and most wretched condition of modern Christendom.

20. — Peter had another vision while he was praying upon a house top : he saw heaven opened, and all manner of beasts and fowls let down, and drawn up thrice ; and " While Peter thought on the vision, the spu-it said unto him. Behold three men seek thee, Arise, therefore, and get thee down, and go with them, doubting nothing : fot I have sent them." (Acts x. 19, 20.) Peter, through this vision, and the sayings of the spirit, leai'ned duties pertaining to hLs calling that never could have been leai-ned naturally. Peter had had a vast amount of knowledge previously revealed to him, hut that would not manifest to him his present duties. Present duties required present revelation ; and without it, no servant of God ever did, or ever can do the work of God. Without it, he does not know where to go, nor what to preach. But, says the objector, it does not matter where he preaches, for h6 cannot go amiss ; all must hare the privilege of hearing. We reply, that though all must hear, yet the Lord designed some to hear before others, as is evident from the fact that Paul and Timothy " were forbidden of the Holy Ghost to preach the word in Asia ;" and again, •' after they were come to Mysia, they assayed to go into Bithynia ; but the Spirit .suffered them not." (Acts xvi. 6, 7 ) Hence we learn, that the Lord has a choice where his servants shall go ; and that in some places where their own judgments would dictate them to go, the Lord desires they should not go, and actually forbids them to go. Now, how, without new revelation, is the servant of God to know the mind of the Lord as to where he shall or shall not go ? Would any former revelation cdmmunicate the desired intelligence unto him ? Certainly not ; former revelation contains the history of the revealed will of God to others, but it does not specify in all things the revealed will of God to us. To read of others learning the \\i\\ of God in relation to their callings and mission, and enjoying manifestations of the Spirit by lasions, dreams, angels &c. , would be of no more advantage to us, than to read of the history of a good dinner when we were hungry. It is the present enjoyment of blessings which we want, and not merely the history of others' blessings.

' 21. — How could Paul have known the mind of the Lord about going to Macedonia without being told ? Therefore, " a vision appeared to Paul in the night : There stood a man of Macedonia, and prayed him, saying. Come over into Macedonia and help us." (Acts, ivi. 9.) And again, How did Paul know that it was his duty to tai'ry in Corinth about a year and a half? He found it out by a vision. " Then spake the Lord to Paul in the night by a vision, Be not afraid, but speak, and hold not thy peace: For I am vrith thee, and no man shall set on thee, to hurt thee: for I have much people in this city." (Acts xviii". 9, 10.) How did Paul learn that it was necessary for him to depai't quickly out of Jerusalem, and go to other nations? He learned it by a vision in the temple : He says, " And it came to pass that when Iwas come again to Jerusalem, even while I prayed in the temple, I was in a trance ; and saw Him saying unto me. Make haste, and get the quickly out of Jerusalem ; for they will not receive thy testimony concerning me." (Acts xxii. 17, 18.) And when Paul reasoned with the Lord Upon the subject, as if he thought that from their acquaintance with his former course of life, they would receive his testimony, the Lord again commanded him, saying, " Depart : for I wiU send thee far hence unto the Gentiles." Thus we see how impossible it is for a minister of the gospel to leai'n what to d6, or where to go, or what to say, unless he is taught by new revelation. Without this heavenly principle, his own judgment would constMitly lead him astray. • ' 22. — New revelation is not only highly necessary to call men to the ministry, and afterwards instruct them in the various duties of their caUing, but it is indispensabjjr necessary,

TmHDLTj TO Comfort, Rej-cove, aot) Teach the Church. Jesus, before his ascension, promised the Holy Ghost to his disciples, which he calk

" the Comforter." They had previously been comforted by the words of Jesus : he had unfolded to them his parablas ; he had instructed them for three years and a half; he had given them a vast amount of information upon a great variety of subjects; and now, as he was about to be taken from them in person, he promised to send unto : them another comforter He says, " If ye love me, keep my commandments ; and I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with . you for ever ; even the spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him ; but ye know him ; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you." (John xiv. 15, 16, 17.) The reason why the Holy Ghost is called the Comforter is, because of the office which he was to perform ; he was to comfort the disciples, by revealmg to them still further knowledge of the things of God. The mind of man is too weak to receive at once, aU the knowledge which God is willing that he should know : hence Jesus says, " I have yet many things to say imto you, but ye cannot bear them now. Howbeit, when he, the Spuit of truth is come, he will guide you into all truth : for he shall not speak of himself, but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak : and he vyill shew you things to come. He shall glorify me ; for he shall receive of mine, and shall shew it unto you. All things that the Father hath, are mine : therefore, said I, that he shall take of mine, and shall shew it unto you." (John xvi. 12, 13, 14, 15.) Here we find how the disciples, after Jesus ceased peaking unto them in person, were to be continually guided by revelation. Many things which they could not then bear on account of the weakness of then: minds, were afterwards to be revealed to them through the Comforter : he was to guide them into all truth. But even the Holy Ghost was not to teach without first getting a revelation as to what he should teach, for, says Jesus, " he shall not speak of hnnself, but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak." It is strange, indeed, that the ministers of modem cbristendom dare speak of themselves, without getting any new revelation, when even Jesus and the Holy Ghost would neither of them presume to do such a, thing. The Comforter was to be the guide of the disciples, not only in this short life, but for ever. Again, Jesus says, "the Comforter, which is theoly Ghost, whom the Father wiH send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you." (John xiv. 26.)

23. — This same Comforter which was to be a constant revelator to the disciples, was promised on the day of pentecost, to all who would obey the gospel. After he, had descended upon one hundred and twenty, on the morning of that day, revealing to them, not only other tongues, but also " the wonderful wotks of God, it excited the attention of thousands, who, after learning that it was the Holy Ghost that operated so powerfully, felt extremely anxious to obtain the same gift, and they were told the conditions on which they all might receive it. " Repent," says Peter, " and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ, for the remisaon of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost." (Acts ii. 38.) Thus, we perceive, that thousands had the promise made to themon certain conditions, even the promise of the Holy Ghost, which " promise" says Peter, " is unto you, and to your children, and . to all that are afar off, even as many as the Lord our God shall call." (Verse 39.) Consequently, all persons, in all generations and ages, who will perform these requirements, have the promise of the Holy Ghost ; the same Holy Spirit that Jesus promised, and the same that was given on the day of pentecost — all could receive the spirit of revelation, and be guided into all truth. To show still further, that the Holy Ghost was to be a revelator to the church, as well as tp the apostles, we will quote the wordsof John, written to the church generally : — " Ye have an unction from the Holy One, and ye know all things." And again, " the anointing which ye have received of him, abideth in yon, and ye need not that any man teach you: but as the same anointing teacheth you of all things, and is truth, and is no lie, and even as it hath taught you, ye shall abide in him." (1 John, ii. 20 — 27.) Nothing is more certain than that the dmich, as well as the apostles, were to receive the promised Comforter, and that he was to teach all things to the church, as well as to its officers ; therefore, the revelations at the Holy Ghost, are indispensably necessary to comfort and teach the church.

24. — When certain men began- to teadj heresy, and introduce false doctrines into the church, commanding the Gentiles to be circumcised, the Holy Ghost immediately gave a revelation upon the subject, and corrected the error; thus preventing endless

eontroversies and strifes. (See Acts xv.) If this great guide and revelator of the church be rejected as unnecessary, how quicldy the body falls to ruin ! New revelation is the only principle which will preserve the unity of the church. The wisdom of inan, taken individually, or the wisdom of councils, taken collectively, is fallible, unless directed by immediate revelation, and therefore liable to err; hence all doctrines, or principles, or matters of controversy which are not clearly revealed in ancient revdation, will be continually the subjects of dispute ; and if any man or council without the iud of immediate revelation, shall undertake to decide upon such subjects, and prescribe " Articles of Faith," or " Creeds," to govern the belief, or views of others, there will be thousands of well-meaning people who will not have confidence in the productions of these fallible men, and therefore, will frame creeds of their own, which they suppose, are more consistent. In this way, contentions arise, divisions multiply, sects are formed, the church becomes rent into ten thousand fragments, and the whole world becomes a Babylon ofeon/usion. As an effectual preventative against all false doctrine, against all strips and divisions, against aU contentions and controversies in the church, God has placed within it a great and infallible teacher or revelator, called the Comforter, who cannot err, whose decision is an end of controversy, whose counsel is perfect, and whose juBlRment upon all points of doctrine cannot be otherwise than correct. Differences of opinion cannot exist in the church for any length of time ; for the Holy Ghost will decide all matters of controversy, and thus preserve the unity of the church ; while all who rebel against his decisions, will be excommimicated as heretics or apostates, and will form no part of the church of Christ, any more than the Oiinese form a part of the English government. Hence, in the church of Christ, there is a unity of faith — a oneness of spirit, such as characterises no other people. In the church of Christ, there can be no differences of opinion, in regard to baptism, or any other ordinance ; for the Holjr Ghost will guide into all truth, and teach the church all things pertaining to doctrine or ordinances, things present, or things to come. The great variety of opinions which have torn asunder modern Christendom, and bewildered the minds of millions, can have no existence in the church of Christ; for there, all matters of importance are decided by revelation, and not by creeds invented by human wisdom ; there, the deep and hidden things of God are revealed by the Spirit of truth ; there, rich treasures of vidsdom and knowledge are brought to light ; there, they have no need of uninspired councils to invent " Articles of Keligion " to fetter the mind of man ; there, the Holy Ghost takes the things of the Father, and shows them by revelation unto the church, and there, infallibilty is indelibly and unchangeably stamped upon every doctrine, principle, ordinance, and law of the church. With such a revelator, certainty and knowledge abound in every heart ; parables, mysteries, and intricate subjects are unravelled; guess work, conjectures, and opinions, flee away. With such a guide, there is no danger of being deceived. The elect, cannot be deceived ; for they have an infallible detector of all delusions, however cunningly devised : they have a test by which they can try all things, prove all things, judge aU things, and overcome all things not ordained of God ; tiiey can soar aloft to the third heavens, and gaze upon the mansions of the blessed, where the highest* order of intelligence reigns ; or they can descend in the visions of the spirit, and behold the kingdoms,, dominions, principalities, and powers, in worlds of an inferior order, in the great scaleof universal existence.

25. — When the chui'ch falls into sin, or turns aside from her duties, new revelation is necessary to repi-ove and chasten her, that she may repent and be forgiven. We have frequent examples of the people of God being reproved by the revelations of the Holy Ghost. The Corinthians were severely reproved by the Spirit of inspiration, because they had suffered contentions and divisions to get in among them, and disturb the harmony and peace of the church. Although the divisions which existed there were not in relation to doctrine, but only in relation to the talents or abilities of Paul, Apollos, and Cephas, yet even for diis they were called carnal. (See 1 Corinthians, iii. 1 — 7.) If the Corinthians were worthy of reproof because they were divided in relation to the talents or qualifications of tiie ministers of Christ, how much more worthy of censure would they have been if they had been divided in relation to doctrine, like modem Christendom ? All divisions in the church, of every kind, are- Utterly condemned by the apostle, and he pleads with them to banish all such tI)Jngs.

from their midst, and cultivate a perfect unity in all things. He says, " Now I beseech you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that ye all speak the same thing, and that there he no divisions among you, but that ye be perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment." 1(1 Corinthians, i. 10.) Are modern religionists " perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment ?" Do they " all speak the same thing ?" No ; they are far from it : they declare doctrines diametrically opposite to one another ; yet they have the presumption to acknowledge each other as Christians, enjoying the Holy Spirit.- But it is an insult to the Holy Spirit to say that two ehiirches, who are divided in doctrine, both enjoy his teachings. Where the Holy Spirit is he guides into all truth ; and where two churches believe in doctrines directly opposite, one, if not both, must be destitute of' the Spirit. The Holy Ghost must be a very uncertain guide, if he would teach one church to sprinkle infants, teach another to immerse none but adults, give the privilege to another to immerse, pour, or sprinkle the candidates just as they choose ; tell a fourth to baptize for the remission of sins, and forbid a fifth to baptize any until they gave evidence that their sins were remitted ; and teach a sixth that it is not necessary for them to be baptized at all. If all these churches, who teach and practise doctrines so very different, are in possession of the Holy Spirit, then the Holy Spirit must be divided against himself, and must come to nought. But the Holy Spirit is the Spirit of truth, and teaches the same doctrine in all places ; and wherever we find differences of opinion in doctrine, we may know most assuredly that the Spirit-guide is not there ; at least, all churches must be destitute of the Spirit but one, and even that one does not enjoy it unless she receive immediate revelation for her instruction and edification.

•26. — Some have supposed these divisions to be unavoidable, being the necessary results of the fallible judgments of men. That the judgments of men are fallible, and that division is the necessary result of fallibility, we by no means deny ; but to say tlmt they are unavoidable throws contempt and insult upon the Holy G-host, and represents him as unable to guide the church into all truth. While division is the result of fallibility, union is the result of infallibility. The Saviour prayed for the most perfect union to be in his church. He uses the following language — " Neither pray I for these alone, (meaning the apostles,) but for them also which shall believe on me through their word, (meaning the whole church,) that they all may be one ; as- thou, Father, art in me, and 1 in thee, that they also may be one in us: that the world may believe that thou hast sent me. And the glory which thou gayest me I have given them ; that they may be one even as we are one : I in them, and thou in me, that they may be made perfect in one, and that the world may know that thou last sent me, and hast loved them, as thou hast loved me." (John xvii. 20, 21, 22, 23.) The oneness hei'e prayed for was to be of the most perfect kind : there were to be" no more jars — -no more differences in sentiment than there is between the Father and the Son. Now there is no possible way to bring about this perfect oneness and , union in a church composed of imperfect beings, only through the medium of immediate revelation. This", and this alone, can accomplish the work, and perfect the Saints in knowledge, wisdom, and power. AU other substitutions wiU be found totally inadequate to the task ; for unless truth is revealed, and known, too, after it is revealed, the frail judgments of men will clash together : discordant notes will be so'anded, and disunion wiU make its appearance. And herein is the religion of heaven distinguished from all other rehgions. Continued revelation always was, and is' now, its motto, and Union, perfect Union, the necessary result ; whUe all other religions are destitute of this binding uniting principle, and will ere long vanish away and perish with all who follow them.

27. — Some of the Corinthians had fallen into another heinous sin, namely, that of fornication in its most aggravated form, — " such fornication," says Paul, " as is not so much as named among the Gentiles, that one should have his fafiier's wife." (1 Corinthians, r. 1.) Without further revelation the church would have been ignorant how to proceed in relation to such a case. Some might have supposed that the individual committing this great crime could, if he made confession, be forgiven, and be retained in the chm-ch. But the apostle, knowing the great magnitude of the ciitne, decided by the spirit of inspiration quite otherwise; therefore he commanded :

them, aayinfr, " In the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, when ye are gathered together and my spirit, with the power of our Lord Jesus Christ, to deliver such an one unto Satan for the destruction of the flesh, that the spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus." (Verses 4, 5.) Here, then, we perceive the penalty lo be inflicted fpr this particular transgression ; first, a deliverance unto Satan ; second, a destruction of the flesh ; and third, no salvation for the spirit until the day of the Lord Jesus. The wisdom of man would have been entu-ely at a loss how to have rendered a correct judgment concerning this matter, therefore it required the wisdom of God by revelation. The Corinthians themselves seem to have been ignorant of their duty on this subject ; for Paul says to them, " Ye are puffed up, and have not rather mourned,, that he that hath done this deed might be taken away from among you." (Verse 2.) Oh ! how different are the decisions of the Spirit from the decisions of fallible man t

28. — It was necessary that the Corinthians should be reproved by the voice of inspiration for going to law before unbelievei'S. They were informed that both men and angels were to be judged by the Saints, and therefore they ought to judge among themselves the smaller matters of the church pertaining to this life. It was necessary that they should be reproved for partaking of the Lord's Supper unworthily,., some using the winto excess and becoming intoxicated, " not discerning the Lord's body." Sickness and death prevailed among many of that church, the cause of which was revealed to them by the apostle : he informs them that they had not properly examined themselves previous to receiving this solemn ordinance, and " for this cause," says Paul, " many are weak and sickly among you, and many sleep." (1 Corinthians xi.) If sickness and death prevail to a great extent among modern religionists, instead of getting a revelation to know the cause, they fancy up a great variety of causes, one imagines one thing and another supposes another, and the imaginary causes are nearly as numerous as the individuals. Oh ! what a blessing it would be to modern ohiistendom had they an inspired man among them who, lilve Paul, could point out to them the very causes of the cholera and such like plagues with which they are so frequently visited ! Knowing the cause, they could, by a thorough ri*- formation, have the judgment removed from them ; but so long as they are ignorant of the cause, and depend upon their own conjectures about it, they will not be likely to repent acceptably before God so as to have these judgments remored.

29. — The seven churches of Asia were reproved by revelation for their sins, threatened with various judgments if they did not repent, and promised on certain conditions great and inestimable blessings. These threatenuigs and promises were not the same to all churches, but each had its peculiar promises and threatenings according to its works. But for centuries past the Lord has not had a church on the whole eai'th whom he considered worthy of being reproved by revelation, or of receiving any promises. None know anything about God, or heaven, or the future state, only what others have told them in the sacred scriptures. Eternal life does not abide in them ; for, says Jesus, " This is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom thou hast sent." (John xvii. 3.) The only possible way to know God is by new revelation ; for Jesus says again, " No man knoweth the Son, but the Father ; neither knoweth any man the Father, save the Sou, and he to whomsoever the Son will BE.VEAL him." (Matthew xi. 27.) Here is the most positive testimony that no man can know God without he obtains a revelation, and that no one can have eternal life without such revealed knowledge. Think of these sayings of our Saviour, all you enemies of new revelation, and tremble at your awful, benighted, and sinful condition. Remember that the only way to obtain eternal life is to know God, and the only way to know him is by New Rkvelatio.v.

.30. — Further revelation is indispensably necessary,

FODKTHLr, TO UiNFOLD TO THE ChUBCII TUB FuTURE.

In evei7 age of the world God has coasidcred a knowledge of the future of the utmost importance to his people. To impai-t this knowledge he has invariably appointed a certain office among his people, called the prophetic office. Persons holding this office were filled with the Holy Ghost who taught them, not only of doctrine and principles, but of the future. One of the eaj'liest prophets, of whom sci'ipture gives

aii account, was Abel. The Saviour ranks Abel among the prophets, when he says to the wicked Jews, that the blood of all the prophets, from that of righteous Abel to that of Zacharias, who was slain between the porch and the altar, should be required of that generation. Enoch, the seventh from Adam, predicted things which have not yet come to pass. (See Jude xiv.) Noah predicted events of the utmost importance to the generation in which he lived. All the patriarchs called of God, from Noah to Moses, were endowed with the spirit of prophecy. Moses was peculiarly blessed with a knowledge of 'future events. The Lord did not confine the spirit of prophecy to Moses alone, but poured out his spirit upon the seventy elders of Israel, and they aH prophesied. Eldad and Medad, two that, remained in the camp, prophesied, as well as those who were assembled together ; and Joshua, hearing of this, and feeling somewhat contracted in his views of this glorious gift, exclaimed, " My lord Moses, forbid them. And Moses said unto him, enviest thou for my sake ? would Grod that all the Lord's "people were prophets, and that the Lord would put his spirit upon them." (Num. 3d. 28, 29.) We have no account of the predictions uttered by these seventy prophets being written, and therefore it is not likely that they could be of any benefit to after generations : but it is very probable that the things predicted were intended to benefit more particularly that generation of Israel. Moses had hitherto the whole burden upon himself, but now it was divided among others, and in order to be qualified to take part in the teaching and leading of Israel, it was necessary that they should understand future events, that all might be prepared to act in relation to such events ; and thus, by foreseeing things, escape thousands of difficulties. All prophets do not enjoy an equal degree or measure of fore-knowledge, for the Lord said to Israel, " Hear now my words : If there be a prophet among you, I the Lord will make myself known unto him in a vision, and will speak unto him in a dream. My servant Moses is not so, who is faithful in aU mine house. With him will I speak mouth to mouth, even apparently, and not in dark speeches ; and the similitude of the Lord shall he behold." (Num. xii. 6, 7, 8.) To some prophets the Lord speaks in visions, dreams, and dark speeches ; to others, he reveals in great plainness, some prophecies are written ; others only uttered verbally.

31. — Great companies of prophets existed among Israel at difFerent times. When Saul after his first interview with Samuel the Seer, met one of these companies, *' the Spirit of God came upon him and he prophesied among them. (1 Sam. x. 10.) When he afterwards sent messengers to take David that he might slay him, they met one of these companies of prophets with Samuel over them, and the Spirit of God came upon the messengers and they prophesied also : Saul then sent a second company, and they all turned prophets ; and he sent a third, and the same thing happened to them ; and despairing of success by his messengers, he concluded to go mmself, and ■whUe on his way " the Spirit of God was upon him also, and he went on, and prophesied, until he came to Naioth in Ramah. And he stripped off his clothes also and prophesied before Samuel in like manner, and lay down' naked all that day and all that night. Wherefore they say, is Saul also among the prophets? " (1 Sam. xix. 20 — 24.) In the days of Elijah and Elisha, there was an abundance of prophets ; these prophets seemed to have a knowledge of almost every thing before it came to pass : when Elijah was about to be translated, he could not keep it a secret, though ne sought diligently to do so ; Elisha was too much of a prophet to be ignorant of ■what was about to happen, therefore he followed Elijah wherever he weiit ; and also fifty other "prophets went and stood to view afar off." (2 Kings ii. 7.) These prophets lived at various cities, and generally had masters or chief prophets over them. One company dwelt at Bamah, over whom Samuel was appointed to preside, as just mentioned ; another company dwelt at Bethel ; and another at Jericho. (See 2 Emgs S. 3 — 5.) When Jezebel cut off the prophets of the Lord, there were a hundred that Obadiah managed to save alive by hiding them in caves. (See 1 Kings xviii. 13.) Hence prophets, at times, were very numerous in Israel. And, no doubt, if we had all of their prophecies, we should have many volumes much larger than the Bible ; but their prophecies were not all vfritten, and from this fact, we have reason to believe that their gift was intended more for the benefit of themselves, and others in their dayj than for future ages. -

32. — Some have supposed that after Christ came, the christian church would not

he blessed with prophets any more, but this is a mistaken notion ; for Jesus says himself to the Jews, "Behold, I send unto you prophets, and wise men, and scribes; and some of them ye shall kill and crucify ; and some of them shall ye scourge in your synagogues, and persecute them from city to city." (Matt, xxiii. 34.) Paul also iiw forms the Bphesians, that when Christ " ascended up on high, he led captivity captive, and gave gifts unto men." And he further states, that " he gave some, apostles ; and some, prophets ; and some, evangelists ; and some, pastors and teachers. (Eph. 'iv. 8 — 11.) Prophets, then, were among the gifts which were given unto men after the ascension of our Saviour : this accords with another saying of Paul, that " God hath set some in the church, first apostles, secondly prophets, thirdly teachers," &c. ; (1 Cor. xii. 28._) and also when speaking of the diversity of gifts imparted to the church by the Spu'it, he says, to one is given wisdom ; to another, knowledge ; to another faith ; to anothr, prophecy," &c. From these passages we learn that prophets were just as much intended for the christian church as teachers, pastors, wis- 3ora, knowledge, faith, or any other gift. And yet, those who profess to have the christian religion exclude prophets from their churches ; with the same propriety, they might exclude the«gifts of wisdom, knowledge, faith, teachers, pastors, and' every other gift promised in the gospel.

33. — We shall now show that prophets and all other officers, or gifts, are indispensa(bly necessary, as expressed by Paul " For the perfecting, of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ, till we all come in the unity of flie faith, and of the Imowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ : that we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive ; but speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ; from whom the whole body fitly joined together, and compacted by that which every joint supplieth, according to the effectual working in the measure of every part, maketh increase of the bodyunto the edifying ofitselfin love." (Eph. iv. 12 — 16.) Theobject, then, of these officers and gifts, is first, "for the perfecting of the Saints ;" secondly, "lor the work of the ministry," and thirdly, " for the edifying of the body of Christ." We now ask, all Christendom who profess to be saints, whether they are perfect or imperfect ? The general answer is, " we are imperfect." How do you expect to become perfect, if you do away out of your churches inspired apostles, prophets, and other officers ? These are the only gifts and officers by which the saints can be perfected. Have you got them in your midst ? Millions answer " no : we do not believe in prophets in our day." But do you believe in "pastors and teachers?" O yes, they are necessary. Who told you to reject the most important gifts of the church and to retain the rest ? No one has told us to do this, but our ministers, and Uiey must be good men, and they say that apostles and prophets are no longer necessary, but that evangelists, pastors, and teachers are. And then you think your ministers are good men when they do away the plan established for the perfecting of the saints, and substitute the plans of men in its stead ? Does not Paul declare that any man or angel shall be cursed who preaches a different gospel from the one he preached ? And did he not include in his gospel all these gifts for the perfecting of the saints ? Most certainly he did ; and if your ministers teach you differently they are cursed, and all that follow their teachings will be cursed. Know assuredly that there never was any other plan adopted in the gospel to perfect the saints than through apostles, prophets, and other gifite. Do you need " the work of the ministry ? " All answer, jes. Kemember, then, that " for the work of the ministry," apostles, and prophets, axe declared to be as necessary as pastors and teachers. If one is unnecessary, aS are unnecessary, and the work of the ministry must cease. On the other hand, if •one is necessary, all are necessary, that the work of the ministry may continue. If God has authorized teachers among the churches of Christendom, he must, likewise, have authorized apostles and prophets ; if he has not the latter, he has not the former ; and if he has neither, he has no church on the earth. Again, does the church need to be edified in these days ? Most certainly. What is Grod's plan to edify the church ? Paul says, that he gave, not only pastors and teachers, to edify tiem, but also apostles and prophets. Where these officers have no existence there can be no

edification of the church. Any other plan of edification, however great and magnificient, will not do. God's plan is, not only superior to all others, but it is the only plan ordained "for the edifying of the body of Christ." Thus we see, that without inspired apostles, prophets, &c., there CJin be no work of the ministry — no edificatipn of the body of Christ, — no perfecting of the saints, — and consequently no church.

34. — But Paul did not leave us ignorant with regard to further duties of these inspu-ed officers. He says that they are necessary to prevent the church from being " tossed to and fro " like children, and to keep them from being " carried about by every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning ci'aftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive." The great reason why the millions are carried away and tossed about with the false and soul-destroying doctrines of the Papists and Protestants is, because they have not inspired apostles and prophets among them, ai)d, therefore, without this great preventative, the cunning craftiness of men overpowers them, and they follow the coiTupt impositions of modern religionists.

35. — These gifts were never intended to be done away from the church in this state of existence, as we have ah-eady proved in tha first number of this series. Ajid Paul corroborates this when he says, they were given " for the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, and for the edifying of the body of Christ ; lUl we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of Ood, unto a perfect man. unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ." In what state will all the Saints come in the unity of the faith ? When will they all come in the unity of the knowledge of the Son of God ? When wUl they all be perfect men ? When will they all come unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ ? The answer to all these questions is given by Paul when he says, that when that which is perfect is come, the Saints are to see the Lord face to face, and know as they are known, and see as they aj-e seen. Consequently, it will be in the next state of existence, and not in this. Therefore, in this state of existence, as the church is imperfect and needs edifying, apostles, prophets, teachers, and all other gifts which Jesus has given or promised, are indispensably necessary to aocompUgh that great and important work which cannot possibly be accomplished in any other way.

36. — In the foregoing, it will be seen, that new revelation is the very life and soul of the religion of heaven, — that it is indispensably necessary for the calling of all officers in the church, — that without it, the officers can never be instructed in the. various duties of their callings, — that where the spirit of revelation does not exist, the church cannot be comforted and taught in all wisdom and knowledge, — cannot be properly reproved and chastened according to the mind of God, — cannot obtain promises for themselves, but are dependant upon the promises made through the ancients. Without new i-evelation the people are like a blind man groping his way in total darkness, not knowing the dangers that beset his path. Without prophets and revelators, darkness hangs over the future, — no city, people, or nation, understand what awajts them. Without new revelation, no people know of the approaching earthquake — of the deadly plague — of the temble war— of the withering famine — and of the fearful judgments of the Almighty which hang over their devoted heads. When the voice of living prophets and apostles are no longer heard in the land — there is an end of perfecting and edifying the Saints— there is a speedy end to the " work of the ministry" — there is an end to the obtaining of that knowledge so necessary to eternal life — there is an end to all that is great, and grand, and glorious, pertaining to the religion of heaven — there is an end to the very existence of the church of Christ on the earth' — there is an end to salvation in the celestial kingdom. Awake then, oh, ye slumbering nations— awake from the slumber of death, and Christ shall give yjoit light by the revelations of the Holy Ghost !

■»., 15, Wilton Street, Liverpool, November 1st, 1850.

[Footnote: IIVBBPOOL : FBINTRD BT B. JAUSS, 39, SOUTH CASTLS 3TBGIST.]