theological bodies against me.-Be it so. If they could send me out of existence, the world could lose nothing, and myself but little, having had my share of life in it.-Noah, a frail infirm old man, could stand against all the world in his opinion. My trust is in his guide: on this, I shall hereafter be more explicit.

Milton, as an author, has been by many admired.— He makes Lucifer and Gabriel to meet in some of the regions of the skies:-but, by the interview, they appear to be unacquainted with each other. Lucifer he tells us, had received some information of God's having created a new world, and, he desired to know where it was hung, that he might behold it, and admire the wonderful works of God. If Milton's statement is to be depended on, poor Gabriel was deceived; no wonder that Lucifer was so successful with Eve.After the close of this meeting with Lucifer and Gabriel, he gives us this soliloquy. "So spake the "false dissembler unperceived,-for neither man or angel can discern hypocrisy,-the only evil that "walks invisible except to God alone."

If this man had an eye to see the meeting of twó spiritual beings, and an ear to hear what they said, why not others? There was one human being, that I knew nineteen years ago,-not as Paul saith "whe"ther in the body, or out of the body, I cannot tell."

He was in the body, and a volatile one it was.— One that was devoid of all seriousness, such as study or reflection, heard, in the presence of several per sons, the following language, from the spiritual world. "The heaven and earth's divine Creator, existing long, before gay nature, exulted in her blessed state was then as now Jehovah great. Heaven was his

B

"throne, the same is now; and was, ere mortal there "did bow. Thus cloth'd in light in yon bright "world, before the wicked host were hurled to hell's "dark pit, where tortures great, and lasting pains do 66 aggravate. Through countless ages bright he "shone, And glorified the only one, By all the "flaming tongues that sing,-Loud songs of praise

“

to God their King."-This only one that was glorified, I humbly presume, was this image of God, that was withdrawn from man at the fall. And which became the mediator between God and man.-This was given on Sabbath evening, February 24 1805. At morning prayer of the same family next day the following was heard, and penned from the mouth of the same youth. "With God-like wisdom he designed, "To make this earth on which you find, His hand was generous to bestow, Heavenly blessings here, be"low. Immortal pleasures, He did place, There "with every cheering grace."

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This appearing somewhat applicable to the work of creation, I've given it. Although all of us were then as ignorant of the object and design of it, as the missionaries, of the Hindoo language. Like them, we have had it all to learn by subsequent instructions before we could gain any profit from it ourselves, or use it to the advantage of others.--Before transgression, Adam was the son of God, Luke iii. 38. This sonship was lost by disobedience ;-on the nature of it, we have heard great diversity of opinion. One writer, I well remember, makes it to be illicit commerce with Lucifer. He expresses it thus,-speaking of the first pair. "Happy awhile in Paradise they lay, "but quickly woman long'd to go astray; Some "foolish new adventure she must prove, and the first

"devil she saw she chang'd her love. To his tempta"tions lewdly she inclined, Her soul, and for an ap"ple damn'd mankind."-This effusion of a poet would be unworthy of notice, was there not a body of worshippers who dwell much upon it, one of whom has been very solicitous for my reading a book in his possession. He referred me to some passages, where Cain is made the fruit of that commerce;-other passages, which speak of the sons of God going to the daughters of men, &c.—I declined the favour of a perusal, saying I had no time for reading. In the first place, I do not believe that his infernal Majesty possesses generative powers literally, -and on this account I rejected a modern Eve's report of bringing forth a Cain ten years ago. Such speculations are absurd and filthy; and but for its making a part of the professing church, would be unworthy of notice.-Sufficient for us to know, that, by transgression, sin is brought into the world.-And, to learn how it shall be (with its author) rooted out, our inquiry should be directed.-Instead of which, all are desirous of knowing how they can slip away from it, and enter heaven; and that too, with all their religious prejudices and prepossessions about them.— Nay, they think firmness to their tenets and creeds will be their passport. What such jarring and contending creatures can produce, when they leave the earth, is out of the question: it is well known that these contentions while on the earth, since the establishment of Christianity, have frequently been truly diabolical, in their persecutions of each other.-Cruelty, unknown to uncivilized nations, has sometimes been resorted to.-At present, their minds are absorbed in converting heathen nations, and to secure the means

from the people, policy may prompt them to coalesce.

But until we are converted ourselves, the work of conversion with heathens will have no better effect than with the Pharisees. And the Lord said, “Ye

compass sea and land to make one proselyte, and "when he is made, ye make him two fold more "the child of hell than yourselves." Math. xxiii.

15.

The image of God, withdrawn from man for transgression, appears to man as counsellor,- appears before God as man's pleader, saying "Deliver him from "going down to the pit, I have found a ransom."-To Adam and Eve seems to speak this language,-I could have saved you from the fall, by my power,→→→ but wisdom dictated otherwise." You were made fit to stand, but left free to fall."-In your present debased state, it is impossible you can comprehend the necessity and wisdom of this, but follow my precepts and my example, and you will rise again :-rise to a greater state of happiness, and greater state of security, than if you had never fallen.-Take, and kill some of the beasts, then you will have ocular demonstration of that death you will be subject to, till your final recovery; then make a covering for yourselves with the skins, and let them be continued to keep your fall, and recovery, in remembrance. Here was exhibited to the first pair the sacrifice that was afterwards made for sin on Mount Calvary: here was a representation of the robe of Christ's righteousness, in which we must be arrayed to come before God to cry for redemption; and that there was some understanding of this nature may be gathered by the sacrifices of their sons, Cain and Abel.-Now, in these two sons, we

see the opposite principles working: Abel yielding to the mediator, the giver of life, Cain to the destroyer, the author of death.

When the evil power so far prevailed that all were at Satan's control, God determined on the destruction of the human race; the blessed mediator allured a Noah to submission, and thereby reserved eight persons to repeople the world.-But when brought forth again they were as rebellious as before. Satan was on the point of gaining the victory,-when their language was confounded.-They were all of one speech before; that is, all were in the interest of Satan.Here, no complaint could by Satan be raised against the attribute of Justice;-for every gift man had, God bestowed on him, and if taken away, or altered, Satan could have no ground of complaint. Thus the struggle between good and evil, went on with individuals. Deists say, why all this? If God is omnipotent, why not force obedience? For this plain reason, man's a free agent: freely he gives himself to Satan, and by his own free will, he must be delivered.-Satan cannot force any to wickedness against their will, he can only entice, tempt, and allure them to it: God will not force any to good against their will, only plead, reason, show them the advantage of it. If they listen and yield, he will strengthen them with his grace, and guide them by his spirit.-If it were otherwise, why need it be said "Turn unto me, turn unto me, why will ye die?"

Two thousand years thus passed away, when the Lord called Abraham.-He obeyed the voice, either because his faith was so great that Satan dared not attack him,-or being secure in the rest of the world, he felt no concern for an individual. Abra