ON THE GOVERNMENT OF GOD.

The government of God is a holy and wise polity, inclu ding sovereignty, necessity and free agency in his subjects. I am persuaded, it would be impossible to conceive of a well organized government without these three particulars. A government founded altogether on sovereignty is despotic, and precludes the necessity of laws, and destroys the freedom of its subjects. The design of laws, is, that the subjects may shape their characters by them.-But in a government possessing nothing but sovereignty, neither law nor subjects can have any thing to do in forming characters. Sovereignty alone does this. Then, why are laws necessary, and on what principle can subjects, in this case, either be accountable or punishable? It is neither an action nor the consequences of an action, abstractly considered, that render the subject of it guilty; but the exercise of free agency, in the perpetration of that action. Punishment then becomes necessary, and this prepares the way for the exercise of sovereignty. Thus, you see how these three particulars harmonize in a well organized govern

ment.

ON THE LAW of God.

There is a universal and immutable law, generally called moral, which is not dependent on sovereign power for its existence, but grows out of the eternal reason of things, and regards all circumstances of intelligent beings, and enjoins the duties which they owe to God and each other. Without such a universal standard of right and wrong, there could be no distinction between virtue and vice.

This law is the great plat-form on which heaven itself is built, and on which Adam was placed in his state of innocence: but while on trial, he fell from this plat-form, and can never return to it again by any efforts of his own. he is ever brought up to the righteousness and holy nature of the law, it must be by the aid of another. For this pur

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pose, the gospel scheme has been introduced, which serves as a ladder on which fallen man may not only return to that state of holiness and happiness, possessed by Adam before he fell, but to that confirmed state, which he would have enjoyed, had he sustained his trial. But the gospel is not designed to destroy the law, any more than the making of a ladder to reach a plat-form, is designed to de stroy that plat-form.

If a sinner would ascend to this desirable plat-form, he must climb the gospel ladder, by repentance and faith.

Every one must conform to this law that would be happy; and it is not material how many rational beings there are, nor where they reside, nor how many peculiarities attend them, if they be conformed to it, they will be happy; for they all harmonize: and without a universal and immutable law, or standard of moral rectitude, they would not, and could not harmonize. This is evident, even from the law of matter. If, for instance, one particle of matter be under a different law from another, how could they harmonize? If Mercury were under a different law from Venus, or the Earth, how could there be harmony in the solar system? There is harmony in the solar system; therefore, there is an immutable, and universal law of matter: and it is by the same law, that the lofty pine falls, that the autumnal leaf drops to the ground. And so we may suppose, not only of a great number of bodies of matter, but of a great number of peculiar systems of matter; yet as far as matter extends, the immutable law by which it is governed, is founded: hence, there is general harmony throughout the natural world. Just so in art: if you wish to build an edifice, it is not important where you prepare the materials, provided you make every part according to an immutable rule: when put together each joint will fit and all will harmonize. But if you were to make one part according to one rule, and another according to another rule, your building would neither possess wisdom, strength nor beauty.

The same will apply to civil matters. I et the law of virtue be immutable, and millions of rational beings be governed by it, and general harmony will prevail; but if they were to be governed by laws differing in principle from each other, it is evident a harmonious system could not be formed. For example: Life and liberty are the

natural rights of all men. On this principle the Constitu tion of the thirteen United States was adopted; yet each State was tolerated to have a constitution of its own, adapt ed to its local circumstances, but could not introduce a single article contrary to the principles of the general constitution. This would have destroyed the harmony of the several states.

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In ecclesiastical affairs, harmony is also based upon: certain immutable principles. Love to God and each other, should constitute the grand principles of our church government. Embracing these principles of government. the church may be divided into several territories, and each one introduce a discipline adopted to its own peculiar situation; yet if the grand principles (love to God and each other,) be preserved, all can unite and form one harmonious body. But wherever these immutable principles are touched by a Creed or Discipline, that denomination holding such, can never be received into the union by the Great Head of the church.

Then, my brethren, let us be careful not to introduce such rules in our churches as would destroy love to the brethren, and produce distraction in the body of Chris We are all one in Christ Jesus: let us therefore keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace..

ON THE FALL OF MAN.

Man, though made upright, was not confirmed. To create an intelligent being in a confirmed state, would des troy his agency; but to create him pure and free, and give him a probation, in which his fidelity can be tested, if he prove faithful, he can then be confirmed according to character formed during the trial. The condition on which man was to be confirmed, was obedience to a positive command founded on the moral law. His agency in this state of trial was tested in a very simple manner. God commanded him not to eat of the fruit of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, and enforced the prohibition, by the threatening of death to himself and posterity. But promised life in case of obedience:

That Adam might have a view of the state in which he was placed, and, also, of that which was promised him, God placed two trees before him, viz. the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, which represented that the condition in which he was then placed admitted of his acting so as to know good and evil; and the tree of life, representing, that if he obeyed the positive precept, he shouldbe confirmed in a state of complete happiness.

After man had violated the positive command, God placed a cherubim with a flaming sword, which turned every way, to guard the tree of life, lest man should put forth his hand and eat and live forever, or be confirmed in a state of sin and misery.

ON THE CHARACTER OF THE MEDIATOR.

Jesus Christ possesses three simple distinct natures, viz: Supreme divinity, spirit and matter. These three natures though united in one person, are not amalgamated. Man has two simple natures-spirit and matter. Spirit can suffer, but cannot die; matter can both suffer and dic. In addition to these two natures, Jesus Christ has divine nature, which can neither suffer nor die. These three, constitute him a complete Mediator for man. Like man, for whose benefit he came into our world, he had a nature that could suffer and die; a nature that could suffer, but could not die; and as God, he had a nature that could neither suffer nor die. This nature gave worth or virtue, to the obedience and sufferings of his soul and body: so that a temporary suffering, on his part, was of more value, in the eye of the law, than eternal suffering on our part could have been. The soul and body being united to the divine nature, in person, it was impossible for the one always to suffer, or for the other to remain under the power of death. He, therefore, as our Mediator, took away the sting of death and the power of the grave, and brought life and immortality to light.

Man's death is a doctrine founded on the law: his resurrection is a doctrine founded on the gospel-For as in.

Adam all died, even so, in Christ shall all be made alive. As Christ arose for all men, he must have died for all; for the resurrection of all, is founded on his rising for all; and his rising for all, is founded on his having died for all: for he could not rise for any for whom he did not die.

ON THE EXTENT OF THE ATONEMENT.

All agree, that Jesus Christ died for sinners; but wheth er he died only for a part, or the whole of mankind, we differ. Those, who contend, that Christ only died for a part of the human family, maintain, that that part was elected from eternity, to everlasting life, and that the rest of mankind, were fore-ordained to everlasting death. Others, believe that the death of Christ, was a governmental thing, intended merely to restore the honors of the law, by which all legal barriers have been removed, and that God may, upon the principles of justice, save all the human family; yet he only designs to save a part of mankind, whose hearts he changes by a sovereign act, without considering unbelief as a legal barrier, or sufficient to deprive the sinner of the blessing of regeneration.

On this subject, I will also give mine opinion. I believe, that Jesus Christ was chosen as the second head, and representative for all that were involved by the first Adam; that all the guilty, depraved sons and daughters of the first representative, were chosen in the second, not first to a state of glory, but to a state of trial. If they, during this state of probation, obtain a freedom from guilt, and a right to life eternal, then they are appointed to a state of glory. All mankind, by virtue of the atonement, have a personal opportunity of becoming confirmed for a state of happiness.

The gospel is proposed to us, as a covenant, in which we are made a party. We now have the terms of this covenant under consideration. But the gospel would be vague, if no time was specified, in which these terms must be complied with. It is necessary for the will of man to determine, while the condition of this covenant is before him.