they shall deceive the very elect." (Matt. xxiv. 24.) Thus concurring testimonies evince, that it is the proper character of the beast, or Antichrist, to show great signs and wonders, or to work miracles, in the sight of men. And this is the character which the world try to impose on the Church of God in these days, and then reproach them as deceivers and impostors, because they do no miracles and show no signs.

It is also worthy of notice, that Jesus or his disciples never wrought a miracle to satisfy the inquiries of the curious, or to obviate the cavils of adversaries. "A wicked and adulterous generation seeketh a sign; and there shall no sign be given to it, but the sign of the prophet Jonas ;" the sign of the cross which they do not desire. "But whereto shall I liken this generation ?-For John came neither eating nor drinking, and they say, he hath a devil. The Son of man came eating and drinking, and they say, Behold a man gluttonous and a wine-bibber, a friend of publicans and sinners." (Matt. xvi. 4, and xi. 16, 18, 19.) The same generation rejected Christ, demanding of him a sign from heaven, because in their carnal sense, the miracles which he wrought were not equal to those of Moses, or more truly, because the life which he lived and the doctrines which he taught were offensive to them; as they said, "This is an hard saying; who can hear it?" (Jno. vi. 60.) He taught the destruction of the flesh, and the promotion and upbuilding of the spiritual work and kingdom of God. And for the same reason do men reject the testimony of Christ in these days, because it is offensive to their nature, being for the destruction of the flesh and the edification of the spirit.

Were all the signs given, in support of the spiritual work of Christ, which the men of this generation ask, they would be no better satisfied, for all would tend to promote the same work of God by the cross, and they would still resist, as was abundantly proved by the first ministers of the present testimony. The Jews asked signs, but when they saw them they were not relieved; these signs did not alter the nature of Christ's work, and they stubbornly resisted, saying, "What do we? for this man doeth many miracles." (Jno. xi. 47.) And when the apostles had done so notorious a miracle on the lame man that they could say nothing against it, and had no prospect of concealing it by denying, they endeavoured to crush its effects by violence, for they hated the name, work and cross of Christ, as much as ever. (Acts iv. 13-17.) In vain therefore do carnal professors call for miracles, for the nature of Christ and his work remain the same, and ever will: but wisdom is justified of all her children: honest souls have always found evidence enough in the work of Christ to satisfy them.

That Jesus and his apostles wrought miracles in confirmation of their doctrine is a fact not to be denied, according to the testimony of those who, in many cases, were eye-witnesses of the facts; but it is also undeniable that the use of them gradually subsided, no doubt, as the necessity for them ceased, and their use was superseded by the more permanent, substantial and genuine fruits and evidences of the Gospel-charity, union and good works. Accordingly in the latter part of the apostles' ministry there is much less said about working miracles than in the beginning: not denying but that the Church

in that day had the power of miracles until the falling away. In like manner, the first ministers and witnesses of the second appearance of Christ wrought miracles in the gift and power of God, in confirmation of their testimony, as it is attested to us by those who were in many cases living eye-witnesses of the facts, and many such witnesses are living to this day. But these things have greatly subsided, the use of them being superseded by the gathering together of the Church, and the manifestation of those fruits and evidences which are more substantial, genuine and abiding. At the same time, every necessary gift and power remain in and with the Church at this day, and she is not left destitute of that power of miracle which is able to silence the adversary and confirm the faithful.

CHAPTER IV.

if

MORE NEGATIVES. THE ABSENCE OF CHRIST.

COMMIT SIN.

CHRISTIANS DO NOT

GREAT contentions and animosities have subsisted, for ages, among professed Christians, respecting the Church of Christ, who they are, and with what limits circumscribed; and all about sentiments and speculative doctrines, and such other things as were in all respects foreign from real Christianity; and while these were carried on, professors, like the Jews who would strain at a gnat and swallow a camel, have missed the mark altogether-an humble submission and obedience to the example and precepts of Jesus Christ, in which it could be said, and in which alone, To me to live is Christ, and to die is gain. "Now the end of the commandment is charity, out of a pure heart, and a good conscience and faith unfeigned; from which some having swerved have turned aside to vain jangling." "Ye are my friends, ye do whatsoever I command you. " (1 Tim. i. 5, 6; Jno. xv. 14.) While men have been saying, Lo here! and lo there! and the inquiry has been made, Who of them all are the true Church? they have overlooked the simple and plain answer of Jesus Christ-None of them. "And he said to his disciples, The days will come, when ye shall desire to see one of the days of the Son of man, and ye shall not see it, And they shall say to you, See here, or see there, go not after them, nor follow them." "Then if any man shall say to you, Lo here is Christ, or there, believe it not." (Luke xvii. 22, 23; Matt. xxiv. 23.) These things prove unequivocally that the days were to come, in which Christ should not be known on the earth, and no people were to be followed, or believed-not any man, because no man in those days knew the truth or kept it for a man of truth is to be believed, and the true followers of Christ are to be followed. "Brethren, be followers together [Greek, fellow imitators] of me, and mark them who walk so, as ye have us for an example." (Phil. iii. 17.)

but

Neither did Jesus ever say anything to the contrary of this, confirmed it: "He that heareth you, heareth me." But such were the days of the false Christs and false prophets, who say, Lo here! and lo there! And the very nature of the language shows that all should be in confusion; no one knowing what was the truth, or what to tell another; none knowing where to find Christ, or where to direct the inquiring soul. This total falling away has been spoken of by the prophets, by Christ and his apostles, and by some of them as having already begun in their days.

To discuss this subject at full length would not comport with the present purpose. A few observations, however, may be for edification. As a man can receive nothing except it be given him from heaven, so the Church, having once fallen as to its true order, purity and power, and the power of the holy people having been scattered, could no more be restored without a renewed revelation and manifestation of the same power, the same Christ who first gave them birth. And this agrees with the statement of the Apostle, when speaking of the man of sin, who sat in the temple of God, there to remain until the coming of the Lord, that is, until his second appearing, for this was written after the first. Now, this mystery of iniquity, or man of sin, was to sit in the temple of God-Christ, therefore, was not in it.

But what is the temple of God? Are not his people? As it is written: "Ye are the temple of the living God; as God hath said, I will dwell in them and walk in them." "Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you?" (2 Cor. vi. 16, and 1 Cor. iii. 16.) While, therefore, the mystery of iniquity sat in the temple of God, or Church, all was in confusion, the power of the holy people was scattered, and this beast made war with the saints, and overcame them, as the Scripture expressly said he should. (Rev. xiii. 7.) Here also this wicked was to sit, making and continuing this havoc, until the second coming of the Lord, and the day of our gathering together to him, as the Apostle expressly states, speaking of that day, that it should not come, unless there came a falling away first, and also that that wicked should be revealed. Then, after describing him, and telling that he was then working, he also states the time when he should be revealed, consumed and destroyed-at the appearing of the Lord. "And now ye know what withholdeth, that he might be revealed in his time. For the mystery of iniquity doth already work only he who now letteth will let, until he be taken out of the way, [or let him who detaineth come forth out of the midst, or be born;] and then shall that wicked [avouos, lawless] be revealed, whom the Lord will consume with the spirit of his mouth, and will destroy with the brightness of his appearing." (2 Thes. ii. 6-8.) Thus it is stated by Christ Jesus, in the parable, that the time of the kingdom's being made clean is at the end of the world, which can be none else than his second coming: "So shall it be in the end of the world. The Son of Man shall send forth his angels, and they shall gather out of his kingdom all things that offend, and them that do iniquity." (Matt. xiii. 40, 41.)

Notwithstanding, the Scriptures speak abundantly of a kingdom on the earth already clean, extending itself over the whole earth, and abiding forever, even forever and ever. Yet this pure kingdom

could never commence until the coming of Christ, the second time, as already stated, which statement is corroborated by another saying of the Apostle concerning Christ: "Who shall judge the quick and the dead at his appearing, and his kingdom." (2 Tim. iv. 1.) Here, it is evident, the coming and kingdom commence together.

For the Church, after being once scattered, to arise again to its proper purity, order and power, before the revelation and appearing of Christ, would be as inconsistent as for the salt which hath lost its savour to become good without the restoration of the saltness, or for a dead man to perform the functions of life without reanimation. Accordingly, it has been found by experience, that all the laboured attempts to restore the Church to its primitive purity and order, by gathering up the scattered fragments, and putting away destructive errors, have proved abortive; and they always will, to all people, until they find the renewed revelation of Christ from heaven, in his second appearing. For, when any remarkable outpouring of the Spirit of God is known, it comes in such a manner as to show it does not spring forth out of any or all the established professions, or churches, as the law coming forth of Zion, or the word of the Lord from Jerusalem, but, on the contrary, tends to demolish, rather than upbuild, those churches of long standing. For, not unfrequently, new denominations or parties of some renewed cast spring up in remarkably great revivals, carrying off the weight and spirit of the work, and leaving the old denominations in barrenness, and in a short time those who keep the revival longest are barren also, so that nothing of the kind has ever been found abiding. These things, however, only serve to confirm a painful truth, which is the natural inference from what has been before stated; for inasmuch as the power of the holy people has been once scattered, the daily sacrifice once taken away, and the salt, which is the Church, has once lost the savour, which is the anointing, no Church can have the anointing or Spirit, who is Christ, abiding in them, until Christ is again revealed from heaven; therefore all those churches who claim their standing as being in an uninterrupted succession from the apostles, are nothing but Antichrist and false prophets, who have lost the true Christ and know not where to find him: hence they say, Lo here and lo there! in the desert and in the secret chamber. They preach and pray with such uncertainty that it can be felt by their hearers; and though they presume to be ministers of Christ, and can borrow, or, more properly, steal the words of his true ministers, not one amongst the thousands of them can tell any one soul who inquires, What shall I do to be saved? the way to find Christ and salvation, so as to prove by fact that he is a minister of Christ indeed: this truth is felt by themselves, as far as they are awake, and when weighed in the balance, they are found wanting.

That Christ is absent and not present with them their own words and works declare; for they are continually preaching and praying about his yet coming the second time. The same is farther confirmed by their perpetual fastings before eating the Lord's supper, and at other times a practice expressly predicated to be observed in the absence of Christ. It is not the habit of the followers of Christ to fast while he is present with them. "And they said unto him, Why do the disciples of John fast often, and make prayers, and likewise

the disciples of the Pharisees; but thine eat and drink? And he said to them, Can ye make the children of the bride-chamber fast while the bridegroom is with them? But the days will come, when the bridegroom shall be taken away from them, and then shall they fast in those days." (Luke v. 33, 34, 35.) It would be doing violence to these sayings of Chist to limit them to his going out of the tabernacle; for until after he had ascended and sent the Comforter they never really knew him, or began in truth to rejoice in him; with great propriety therefore they relate to that period, when the daily sacrifice was taken away, and the power and presence of Christ not known -he is absent, therefore they fast.

Eating the Lord's supper also proves the absence of Christ; "For as often as ye eat this bread and drink this cup, ye do show forth the Lord's death till he come," not afterwards. (1 Cor. xi. 26.)

An objection will here be raised, that eating the Lord's supper and fasting can afford no argument of the absence of Christ, because Jesus himself instituted the supper, and it was practised by the apostles and primitive Christians, in those times when it is not pretended that the apostacy had actually commenced, and that fasting also has the sanction of the same authority. But this objection is sufficiently obviated thus; That Jesus and his apostles knew and foretold the apostacy which actually began to appear before the close of the apostles' labours; and as it was necessary that some animating memorial of the true Christ and his Gospel should be left with the children, or friends of the Bridegroom, during his absence, to encourage them in the prospect of his return, and be a warning to his enemies, nothing could be observed with so good grace as that which had received the sanction of his own hand and his own words, "Do this in remembrance of me." And, "When the Bridegroom shall be taken away from them, then shall they fast in those days."

No allegation of insincerity is here intended against those whose real faith it is to fast or to eat the Lord's supper in remembrance of Christ, and who have not seen any farther; it is perfectly consistent with the faith of those who do not believe that he has come the second time, and it is by no means unaccountable, that the sincere lamenters of degeneracy should keep up the remembrance of former times as accurately as possible. But the most genuine sincerity, admitting it were found in all who have not the faith of Christ's second appearance, which is far from being the fact, cannot at all invalidate the argument, that these memorials of his coming prove his absence. Neither can it avail any thing for them to plead that he is with them in Spirit; for Christ is the Spirit, and where he dwells in Spirit, there he dwells in reality. The disciples knew little of Christ while they could see his body of flesh and bones, but when that was out of the way and they received him in Spirit, they had him in power, and could call him Lord by the Holy Ghost. But with the denominations in these days he is not present in Spirit, as their own words and works evince; because their most spirited cries and prayers are to this effect: That he would come and take up his abode with them; by which it would be absurd to suppose they intended any other coming than in the Spirit.

But the Church and ministers of Christ are not so; they run not as