ELPIS ISRAEL
by Dr John Thomas
VOLUME # 1
PART FIRST
THE RUDIMENTS OF THE WORLD
THE NECESSITY OF A REVELATION
The necessity of a Revelation to make known the origin, reason, and tendency of things in relation to man and the world around him.
-An intelligible mystery, and the only source of true wisdom but practically repudiated by the Moderns-The study of the Bible urged. to facilitate and promote which is the object of this volume .. #I
CHAPTER II
THE CREATION OF THE EARTH AND MAN
The earth before the creation of Adam the habitation of the angels who kept not their first estate-A geological error corrected-The Sabbath day and the Lord's day-The formation of man and woman-The "great mystery" of her formation out of man explained Eden-The Garden of Eden-The original and future paradises considered-Man's primitive dominion confined to the inferior creatures and his own immediate family-Of the two trees of the garden-And man in his original estate .. . ' ' ' . . .
Page 10
CHAPTER III
GOD'S LAW, AND HOW SIN ENTERED INTO THE WORLD
Probation before exaltation, the law of the moral universe of God-The temptation of the Lord Jesus by Satan, the trial of his faith by the Father-The Temptation explained-God's foreknowledge does not necessitate nor does He justify, or condemn, by anticipation-The Serpent an intellectual animal. but not a moral agent, nor inspired-He deceives the woman-The nature of the transgression-Eve becomes the tempter to Adam-The transgression consummated in the conception of Cain-A good conscience, and an evil conscience, defined-Man cannot cover his own sin-The carnal mind illustrated by 'the reasoning of the Serpent-It is metaphorically the Serpent in the flesh-God's truth the only rule of right and wrong-The Serpent in the flesh is manifested in the wickedness of individuals; and in the spiritual and temporal institutions of the world-Serpent-sin in the flesh identified with " the Wicked One "-the Prince of the World-The Kingdom of Satan and the World identical-The Wiles of the Devil-The " Prince " shown to be sin, working and reigning in all sinners How he was " cast out" by Jesus" The works of the Devil "-" Bound of Satan"; delivering to Satan-The Great Dragon-The Devil and Satan-The Man of Sin .. 74
THE SENTENCE OF DEATH-THE RUIN OF THE OLD WORLD
AND THE PRESERVATION OF A REMNANT
The Trial of the Transgressor-Of the Literal and the Allegorical-The sentence upon the Serpent particularized-The " Peace and Safety" cry-Jesus came not to send peace. but a sword-The Peace Society the enemy of God-Cain, Abel, and Seth-Atheism defined-Cain rejected as the progenitor of the Woman's Seed, and Seth appointed
-The Antediluvian apostasy-The Caiuites and Setbites distinct Societiey Their union the ruin of the old world. of which eight sons of Seth only survived The Foundation of the World-The sentence upon Woman-Her social position defined-The sentence upon Adam
-The Constitution of Sin-Of sin as a physical quality of the flesh-Of the hereditary nature of Jesus-Of " original sin' '-Men, sinners in a two-fold sense-The constitution of Righteousness-Men become saints by adoption-The Three Witnesses The "new birth" explained-The Two Principle-Of "the light within "-The scripture revelation the divine principle of illumination-The awful condition of " the church "-Of the Hidden Man of the Heart 107
CHAPTER V
IMMORTALITY-RELIGION-" CLERGY" AND "LAITY"
Immortality in the present state a positive evil Immortality in misery unscriptural-The professing world religious from fear-The world's religions useful as a system of Ecclesiastical Police The Religion of Christ destitute of all worldly goods till his return, when it will possess all things. The doctrine of immortality a divine revelation-The Heathens baffled in their endeavors to discover it-The Mosaic Cherubim God's throne in Israel-The Cherubim of Ezekiel and John-The Cherubic Veil-The Faces of the Lord-The Flaming Sword-Illustrated by Ezekiel's description of the glory of the GOD of Israel-The brightness of the Spiritual Body-The Way of the Tree of Life-The etymology of the word RELIGION-False religion based upon the idea of appeasing the wrath of God-God already reconciled to the world-The " Word of Reconciliation" committed to the apostles in the beginning-The apostles the only ambassadors of Christ-" The word " preached by the apostles entrusted to the disciples of Christ-" Clergy" and " Laity" distinctions of the apostasy-Religion defined-Its grand desideratum-No true religion without belief of the truth-The word "faith" scripturally defined-How faith comes-The "religious world " infidel of " the faith---Love" scripturally defined by "obedience "-The religious world destitute of the Spirit of God-Religion contemporary only with sin-Summary of principles '' '' 143
CHAPTER VI
THE PRESENT WORLD IN RELATION TO THE
WORLD TO COME
God the builder of all thing. Nothing elaborated by chance, but all things the result of divine premeditation-Whatever exists He created for His own pleasure and glory-The purpose of God' in the work of creation and providence, revealed in the scriptures-The present order of things merely provisional-The economy of the fulness of appointed times the true " Intermediate State " of a thousand years' duration
-The tower of Babel builders, peace-men, and socialists-The principle upon which men attain to the angelic nature and dignity defined God's two-fold purpose in the foundation of the world stated-The means by which it is accomplishing-Dissertation on the Elohim................168
viii CONTENTS
PART SECOND
THE THINGS OF THE KINGDOM OF
GOD, AND THE NAME OF JESUS CHRIST
CHAPTER I
THE GOSPEL OF THE KINGDOM IN RELATION TO ISRAEL
AND THE GENTILES
The truth indicated-None but the believers of the truth can inherit the Kingdom of God-Abraham " the Heir of the World "-To inherit with him, men must believe what he believed ; and become his children by adoption through Jesus Christ-The gospel and the things of the Kingdom one and the same-It was preached to Abraham, Israel, and the Gentiles, by the Lord God, by Moses, by Jesus, and by the Apostles-Gospel things susceptible of a threefold classification-The Keys of the Kingdom-Entrusted only to Peter-The Mystery of the Kingdom-The Fellowship of the Mystery-" Apostolic Succession
Qualifications of an apostle of Christ-Import of the phrase " the end of the world "-" The sign " of its approach-The Gospel preached to every creature by the Apostles-Modern missionaryism inadequate to the end proposed .' '' .. 188
CHAPTER II
THE GOSPEL PREACHED TO ABRAHAM:
HIS FAITH AND WORKS
Five points of prophetic testimony-The general elements of a kingdom constituents of the kingdom of Christ-The promise made of God to the fathers, the hope of Israel, and the gospel, the same-Who the fathers are ---Abraham originally from Babel. and an idolater-The Lord preaches the gospel to him in Mesopotamia-He believes it, and emigrates westward in consequence-Becomes a wanderer in the land of Canaan, which is promised to him and Christ for ever-His falth counted to him for righteousness. The promise of a resurrection to eternal life-Confirmation of the covenant of promise The extent of the land defined in the covenant-The personal reappearance of Christ necessitated by the nature of thing~The phrases "in thee "in him", and "in thy seed ", explained-The nations God's people in no sense---Abraham, Christ, and the saints, " heirs of the world--The token of the covenant-The signification of circumcision-Modern Israel under the curse of the law circumcision of the heart-The Allegory-The two seeds-Parable of the Seed-Summary of Abraham's faith ., 219
THE GOSPEL PREACHED TO ISAAC AND JACOB:
THE SCRIPTURE DOCTRINE OF ELECTION
The gospel preached to Isaac-The election of Jacob The scripture doctrine of election-Not according to popular tradition-How men are elected, and how they may know it-Esau hated-Vision of Jacob's Ladder-Jacob's care for his body after death-Joseph's anxiety about his bones-Jacob's prophecy of the Last Days-Summary of "the faith" at Joseph's death-Things established-Chronology of the age before the Law ·, .. 262
CHAPTER IV
THE GOSPEL IN RELATION TO THE MOSAIC ECONOMY
State of Egypt and Israel before the exodus The time of the promises arrives call of Moses~ God's everlasting memorial-Moses is sent to Israel-He is accepted as a ruler and deliverer-He declares glad tidings to them ; but they refuse to listen-The Exodus-Israel baptized unto Moses-The song of victory-They are fed with angel's food-The Lord's passover-How to be fulfilled in the kingdom of God-The Lord's supper-The Twelve Tribes constituted the kingdom of God-The Gospel preached to Israel-They reject it Of the Rest-The Royal House of the Kingdom-" The sure mercies of David "-The kingdom and throne of David-David's kingdom also God's kingdom under its first constitution ,, 286
CHAPTER V
THINGS CONCERNING THE NAME OF JESUS CHRIST
Israel unable to redeem themselves; and the nations equally powerless to their own regeneration-The reconstruction of the social fabric the work of Omnipotence by the hand of the Lord Jesus at his approaching manifestation-He will re-establish the kingdom and throne of David-The priesthood of Shiloh-The Ezekiel temple to be built by Christ-Of the Name of Jesus Of repentance, remission of sins, and eternal life-Death-bed, and gaol, repentance 308
PART THIRD
THE KINGDOMS OF THE WORLD IN
THEIR RELATION TO THE KINGDOM
OF GOD
CHAPTER I
NEBUCHADNEZZAR'S IMAGE-THE HAND OF GOD
IN HUMAN HISTORY
The pandemonianism of the world-The Press, its organ to a great extent-Its conductors greatly deficient in political prevision-A divine agency the real source of the world's revolution. God hath revealed what shall come to pass-Nebuchadnezzar's Image explained-It represents an autocracy to be manifested in these Latter Days-The Toe-Kingdoms enumerated-The Vision of the Four Beasts-Of the Saints and the two Witnesses ,. '' , 321
ROMAN BABYLON AND THE RESURRECTION
OF THE WITNESSES
The Sin-power in its war against the seed of the woman in the West, symbolized by the Beasts and their Image-God will surely avenge His saints --The crimes for which the nations are to be judged, stated--The geography of the " Lake of Fire" where the judgment sits The saints the executioners of the Little Horn-They are raised from political death for this purpose-Events connected with their resurrection-The three days and a half of the unburied state, explained-Their ascension-End of 1,260 year. Of the time of the Beast 351
CHAPTER III
THE "VIALS OF THE WRATH OF GOD "-ARMAGEDDON
Doings of the Witnesses when invested with power-They execute justice on their enemies A great earthquake The seventh trumpet-Divided into seven vial-periods-The third, fourth, and fifth vials, and Napoleon-England and the second vial-Turkey and the sixth vial -All Europe and the seventh vial-The prophecy of the Frogs explained-The mission of the unclean spirits Their operation the sign of Christ's stealthy and sudden return-The great desideratum in view of the Advent '. '· '. '. 363
CHAPTER IV
THE EASTERN QUESTION BEFORE CHRIST
The vision and prophecy of the East of the Ram and the Unicorn-The Four Horns of the Goat of the Fifth, or Little, Horn-Of the Seventy Weeks of the 1,290 year Summary of the eleventh of
Daniel-Paraphrase of the first thirty-five verses of Dan, 1 l of the king and the strange god-Mahuzzim- Bazaars '' 390
CHAPTER V
THE EASTERN QUESTION IN "THE TIME OF THE END"
It is impossible that the Holy Land can be for ever subject to the Gentile~It is to be wrested from them in the crisis of " the time of the end "of Daniel's 2,400 days-Of the beginning of "the time of the end "of the king of the south at that time-The Autocrat of Russia the king of the north in "the time of the end "-England and the Jews-Of Gogue and Magogue-Ezekiel's and John's two different and remote confederacies-Daniel's king of the north of "the time of the end", and Gogue of "the latter days", the same-The Gogue of Ezekiel proved to be Emperor of Germany and Autocrat of all the Russias Gomer and the French-Sheba, Dedan, the Merchants of Tarshish and its young lions, identified as the British power ., '' '. '. ,. ,, 413
CHAPTER VI
THE RESURRECTION OF ISRAEL-THE SECOND EXODUS
-THE MILLENNIUM-" THE END"
The restoration of Israel indispensable to the setting up of the kingdom of God-Israel to be grafted into their own olive on a principle of faith-Not by Gentile agency, but by Jesus Christ, will God graft them in again-Britain, the protector of the Jews, as indicated by Isaiah 18,-The British power in the south, the Moab, etc,, of "the latter days "-The second exodus of Israel-The nations of the Image to be subdued by Israel to the dominion of their king-The New Covenant delivered to Judah, and the kingdom of God set up in Judea-The returning of the Ten Tribes to Canaan will occupy forty yeas -Elijah's Mission-Israel re-assembled in Egypt-They cross the Nile, and pass through the Red Sea, on foot-They march into Canaan, receive the New Covenant, and, re-united to Judah, form one nation and kingdom under Christ for 1,000 years-The blessedness of the nations, and their loyalty to Israel's king Of the end of the thousand years , .' "438
BIOGRAPHICAL NOTES
JOHN THOMAS was born in Hoxton Square. London, on April 12th. 1805. Information concerning his ancestry is meagre, and interest centres more in his work than in his extraction. He studied medicine at an early age in Chorley and London, and contributed to The Lancet occasionally as far back as 1830. His English degree. of that year's date, is M.R.C.S., his M.D. being an American degree of date 1848. Some insinuations of unfriendly critics have been met by the brief statement of facts that appears in The Christadeiphian for April. 1886, page 152.
In 1832 Dr. Thomas emigrated to America, making the passage as surgeon to the ship Marquis of Wellesley. The vessel ran ashore on Sable Island, and it was supposed she would be lost with all hands. Dr, Thomas was naturally exercised as to the future state, and finding himself in a state of hopeless ignorance on the matter, resolved, if his life should be spared. that he would end the uncertainty and search out the truth upon the matter.
On getting safely ashore he did not forget this resolution; and in the course of his travels, having been introduced to Mr. Walter Scott, of Campbellite " associations, and by him convinced of the necessity of baptism, he submitted to immersion as an ordinance appointed of God. From this time onward be became involved with Campbellism and the theological expositions and discussions which were altogether distasteful to him, and from which he would fain have escaped. But it was not to be. At Wellsburg, Va., in 1833. he made the acquaintance of Alexander Campbell. and was by him constrained to speak in his meeting-place; which he did, on Daniel's prophecies, and on the subject of The Apostasy spoken of by Paul.
From this time forth wherever he went he was in demand in this connection. At Baltimore, Md., and at Philadelphia, Pa., he was likewise constrained to set forth what he then believed to be the truth. At Philadelphia he set up as a medical practitioner; but his practice was somewhat hampered by the Biblical studies and speaking in which he had become involved.
In 1834 Dr. Thomas started a month~ magazine called The Aposrtolic-Advocate, in the pages of which he manifested an understanding of the Scriptures. and especially of the Apocalypse, that was rare in those times (and. indeed. in any). and gave promise of the fruit of after years. of which
Elpis Israel is a good sample.
About this time, by the growing influence of " the Word". Dr, Thomas was rapidly becoming " wiser than his teachers". and trouble ensued, He perceived that the knowledge and belief of the gospel must in God's appointments precede baptism, and was thereupon re-immersed upon the belief of what he then supposed to be the gospel. and which was certainly much nearer to it than the very rudimentary belief with which he had been immersed a few years previously. Upon this there naturally arose a cry against what Alexander Campbell and his followers called "Anabaptism". Mr. Campbell controverted Dr, Thomas in The Millennial Harbinger. and he replied vigorously in The Apostolic Advocate, in which, in December, 1835, he published an article in all good faith under the heading, "Information Wanted", putting forward a series of 34 questions intended to elucidate the Scriptural doctrines of eternal life, the Kingdom of God, and related topics.
This was treated by Campbellism as heretical speculation, and a rupture followed which was never healed.
In 1839. becoming tired of theological strife, Dr. Thomas
migrated westward into the State of Illinois, and settled at Longrove upon some
300 acres of land and took to farming, with experiences of an arduous and
sometimes amusing character. 1841 found
him editing a weekly newspaper at St. Charles, and in 1842 a monthly magazine
called The Investigator.
About this time a taste of Job's experience befell him, for, having removed to Louisville, Va., and determined to sell the farm in Illinois, he intrusted the sale to an agent who absconded with the proceeds, leaving Dr. Thomas not only minus the price but saddled with debt as well.
In 1844 he started a monthly magazine called The Herald of the Future Age, and settled at Richmond, Va., and soon after finally broke with Campbellism, the oppositions of which had done so much to force his attention to the accurate and thorough study of the Scriptures.
In 1847 he had elaborated from the Scriptures the doctrines that find such lucid and ample exhibition in Elpis Israel; and, perceiving that he had after all only just arrived at "the truth of the gospel". he published in March, 1847. "A Confession and Abjuration" of past erroneous belief and contentions, and was re-immersed for "the hope of Israel". which Paul preached to the Jews at Rome. About this time also he paid a visit to New York, where afterwards he was to settle. Also about this time he proposed to Alexander Campbell a full and exhaustive written discussion upon the immortality of the soul and related topics. The proposal, however, met with so contemptuous a refusal that several of Mr. Campbell's friends were alienated by his manner.
An interesting episode occurred also about this time, namely, the phrenological examination of both Alexander Campbell and John Thomas by Mr. L. N. Fowler, of New York. It was a quite independent examination and interestingly illustrated the natural tendencies of the disputants, and is strikingly borne out by the portraits of each.
In 1848 Dr. Thomas visited Britain. He was deeply stirred by the revolutionary upheavals of the time, and before his departure wrote on the subject to the New York Sear, which, in publishing his letter, spoke of him as "A Missionary for Europe", which indeed he was, but of an unusual type. Arriving at Liverpool in June, 1848, he made his way South and by a series of providences a door of utterance was opened for him by the interactions of Campbellite rivalries. He travelled through Notting'nam, Darby. Birmingham, Plymouth. Lincoln, Newark, and other places, speaking upon the gospel of the Kingdom of God as occasion offered. Afterwards he made his way to Glasgow, and lectured there, and at Paisley, attracting much attention by his expositions of the prophetic word in its bearings upon the signs of the times.
Elpis Israel itself came out of this visit, as is explained by Dr. Thomas himself in the subjoined PREFACE.
Returning to London, he occupied some months in writing Elpis Israel. and during the time attended a Peace meeting in the British Institution, Cowper Street, at which he moved an amendment to the effect that war was a divine institution in this age of sin and death, and that the coming years were by the prophetic word defined to be a time of war", and not " a time of peace". The amendment was derisively rejected; but the past hundred years have only too sadly well attested the soundness of Dr. Thomas' views.
Having completed Elpis
Israel, Dr. Thomas made a second journey through England and Scotland.
among other things contributing a pamphlet to " the Gorham
controversy", under the title Clerical
Theology Unscriptural, now out of print ;
and, in a breezy dialogue between "Boanerges " and "
Heresian ", exhibits the Bible truth concerning original sin",
"remission of sins", etc.. as graphically set forth in other style in
Elpis Israel.
After over two years' absence from America, Dr. Thomas returned, and resumed the publication of The Herald of the Kingdom, which he continued for eleven years, until the outbreak of the American Civil War in l860-61 brought about its suspension.
In 1862 Dr. Thomas revisited Britain and found that, notwithstanding the fact that Elpis Israel had in many cases been burnt in disgust upon its receipt by subscribers, some small communities of believers of the gospel had arisen. For the edification of these, he travelled and lectured through the country once more, returning to America shortly afterwards.
His next, and greatest and last work, was Eureka, an exposition of the Apocalypse, in three volumes (over 2,000 pages), published by subscription, of which the first volume was published in 1862, and the third in 1868. It is a work which none of " the servants of God" should fail to possess.
In 1864, as The Herald of the Kingdom had been suspended. and Dr. Thomas was engaged upon Eureka, at his suggestion The Ambassador of the Coming Age was started under the editorship of the late Robert Roberts, of Birmingham, England, who continued it (as The Chistadelphian) to the day of his death in September, 1898.
The progress of the American Civil War bore hardly upon the brethren of Christ, who were found in both the opposing camps, and who abhorred the taking of the sword as a thing forbidden by their Lord and Master, whose dictum is,,' All they that take the sword, shall perish with the sword". In their extremity they desired Dr. Thomas to formulate some appeal to the authorities for exemption from military service on account of their conscientious objections, and subject to such conditions as might be thought fit to he imposed. To save his friends from being called Thomasites. it was necessary to adopt some distinctive name. The name Christian, as Dr. Thomas pointed out, had been appropriated by every Anti-Christian thing under the sun, and was no longer distinctive as it was in the first century. So Dr. Thomas hit upon the name CHRISTADELPHIAN, which, after many years "earnest contention for the faith ·, conquered for itself a recognition in the allotment of about three inches of space in the Encyclopaedia Britannica, after this manner .' -
CHRISTADELPHIANS (Xoi~TOV dce). a community founded by John Thomas (1848), who studied medicine in London and then migrated to America There he first joined the Campbellites ', but afterwards struck out independently, preaching largely on the application of Hebrew prophecy and of the language of the Apocalypse to current and future political events In America and in Great Britain he gathered a number of adherents and formed a community which is said to have extended to most English speaking countries. It consists of exclusive ' Ecclesias with neither ministry nor organization. The members meet on Sundays to ' break bread ' and discuss the Bible. Their theology is strongly Millenarian centering in the hope of a world-wide theocracy, with its seat at Jerusalem They believe that they alone have the true exegesis of Scripture, and that the faith of Christendom ' is ' compounded of the fables predicted by Paul no statistics are published."
In 1869 after the completion of Eureka, Dr. Thomas visited Britain for the last time He found that the truth had taken root through his labours, and decided to transfer his residence to England for the rest of his days. But it was riot to be Upon his advice the name of The Ambassador was changed to The CIiristadelphian, which it still bears. After travelling and lecturing among the people created by '' the truth " llustrated bv his writings, Dr. Thomas returned to New York, but was soon afterwards attacked by illness, and died March 5th, 1871. He is buried in Greenwood Cemetery, Brooklyn, where, by a remarkable coincidence, the late Robert Roberts. who for many years continued his work, was laid - beside him in September, 1898.
Of the correctness of Dr. Thomas' political anticipations from the prophets, the following is offered as proof, in addition to what may be found in the text and footnotes of this edition of Elpis Israel. The sub-joined extract is from Dr, Thomas : His Life and Work, a biography by the late Robert Roberts, with copious extracts from Dr. Thomas' letters and articles.
Dr. Thomas' political prognostications, based on prophecy. have been too signally realized to admit of the supposition that he was radically mistaken in his chronological scheme. He predicted the failure of the Hungarian revolt (Herald of the Kingdom, vol. i., p. 98); the uprise of Napoleon III, without mentioning his name Herald of the Future Age, vol. iv., p. 48) ; the political and war-developing ascendancy of France under him for a series of years (Herald of the Kingdom, vol. ii,. p. 37 ; vol. iii., p. 16); his interference in the affairs of Italy (Herald of the Future Age, vol. iii., p. 262); his expulsion of the Austrians from that country (vol. v., p.205) ; the war between Austria and Italy, resulting in Austria losing her hold on Italy (vol. iii.' p. 262) ; the dismemberment of the Austrian Empire by France (it)id., p. 263) ; the downfall of the French Empire (Herald of the Kingdom, vol. iii., p. 17); the co-existence of the Pope and King of Italy in Rome (Herald of the Future Age. vol. iii,, p, 238) and a number of other things, such as the efforts of Egypt for independence, the attempt of Russia on Turkey in 1854, etc,, etc, -Dr, Thomas His Life and Work, page 316,
AUTHOR'S PREFACE
THE year 1848 has been well and truly styled the Annus Mirabilis or Wonderful Year. So, indeed, it proved it self in Europe for though this division of the globe was overspread with numerous large well appointed and highly-disciplined armies, maintained to uphold what remained of the work of the Congress of Vienna in 1815 and to prevent the rising of the people against their destroyers, yet did the wild and ill armed Democracy of Europe break their bonds asunder as a rotten thread and shake its kingdoms to their foundations.
Great excitement was produced in the United States by the news of what was going on in Europe. Many who had for years before been predicting " the end of all things " were now persuaded that it had come at last. Others cams to a different conclusion, and rejoiced in the supposition that the kingdoms of the world were about to become republics. after the model of the United States. Both these imaginations, however, serve to show how little the " sure word of prophecy " was understood. or heeded by the people. The author endeavoured. as far as he could obtain the ears of the public. to disabuse it of these vain conceits. He opposed to them " the testimony of God ", which testifies the continuance of " the times of the Gentiles " until Nebuchadnezzar's Image be broken to pieces upon the mountains of Israel and the perpetuity of the kingdoms until after this event, when Christ shall encounter their kings in battle, and annex their realms to his kingdom by conquest; for, by his kingdom, and not by popular violence, will he break in pieces and consume them all. But the author was as one that spoke parables in the ears of the deaf. Time, however, has verified his interpretation in part. Though terribly shaken, the kingdoms still exist. and republics are at a discount and the " Order ", in which God's enemies rejoice, has been provisionally Re-established.
The events in 1848 caused many in the United States to revisit their native lands. Among these was the author of this volume. Believing he could irradiate the light of the prophetic word upon the political tragedies of the time, and, by so doing, be of use to those who desire to know the truth, he determined to intermit his labours in America, where he had been operating for about sixteen years in the same vocation, and to see if " a door of utterance might not be opened in England for the same purpose. He was the more induced to take this step by a desire to be nearer the scene of action, that he might avail himself of the more frequent and copious details furnished by the British than the American Press, to the end that he might as speedily as possible obtain a comprehensive view of the crisis; which is the most important that
xviii AUTHOR'S PREFACE
has yet happened to the world, because it is pregnant of consequences for good and evil, which will leave their mark upon society for a thousand years.
Having made his arrangements accordingly, he arrived in London, June 28th, 1848; and in July following he received an invitation to visit Nottingham, and to deliver a course of lectures upon the times, in connection with the prophetic word, The interest created during his short stay was great and encouraging, and became the occasion of invitation to visit other towns and cities also. During this tour he visited Derby, Belper, Lincoln, Edinburgh, Glasgow, and Paisley. and addressed thousands of the people, who heard him gladly. Those who opened the way for him were neither the rich nor the noble, but intelligent men of industrious and steady habits, who desired to know and disseminate the truth according to their means. As the author's labours were gratuitous. they were the better able to afford him facilities; and he would add here the testimony of his experience, that not only is the gospel, when preached, preached to the poor ", and received by them, but it is the poor also who devote themselves to its proclamation, and who do most for its support. if it had not been for the poor and humble during the last 1,849 years, the gospel would have perished from the earth ; for the rich have not been the persons to leave the comforts of their homes, and to go forth, without fee or reward, to enlighten their fellow men, for the truth's sake.
It is a gratification to the author to be able to say that he has left his home, 4,000 miles in the south-west; that he has travelled twice through Britain ; delivered 170 addresses to the people; sat up early and late conversing with them on the things of the kingdom. and written this work, that he may leave a testimony behind him, and as yet has received no more than four shillings over his travelling expenses. He mentions this that the reader may be able to acquit him of being a trader in religion ; and that what he says in this hook concerning " spiritual merchants" may not lose its point. under the supposition that he is also one of the wealthy and thriving firm. Rich men have not yet learned to " make themselves friends of the mammon of unrighteousness ; that when they fail, they may receive them into everlasting habitations". All the opposition the author has had to contend against since his arrival in Britain has proceeded from them : but he is gratified in being able to state, that they have failed to obstruct him, and their waywardness has recoiled on their own pates.
The interest created in the thousands who listened to the author's discourses has originated the work now offered to the world, A request was publicly made to him in Edinburgh and Glasgow, that what had been spoken should be printed ; and that, as it was not to be expected that he should publish at a mere venture, committees would be formed to promote a subscription, Although the author had concluded to return to America in October or November, he could not find it in his heart to leave his work unfinished, seeing that such a volume was now desired. Trusting. therefore, to the good faith of those who had become interested in the truth, he acceded to their request, and on his return to London entered upon the labour, which has proved sufficiently laborious by the close application required to do much in a limited time,
Having at length finished the manuscript. the author made a second tour in June, 1849. In addition to the former places, he visited Birmingham, Newark, Dundee, Aberdeen and Liverpool. The result of his labours was a list of upwards of a. thousand subscribers. which encouraged him to go to press on his return to London in September. But on revising the manuscript, he found some things omitted. others touched too lightly, and other parts too diffuse; so that, upon the whole, he condemned it as unsuitable, and imposed upon himself the task of writing it over again-which, after four months he has accomplished. and now offers it to the public for its " edification, exhortation, and comfort,"
The nature of the work is indicated on the title-page. It is a work showing what the Bible teaches as a whole, and not the elaboration of a new or fantastical theological theory, or the new vamping of an old one. It demonstrates the great subject of the Scriptures, namely " the
Kingdom of God and of His Anointed", without which they would be as a nut whose kernel had perished. It is a book for all classes, lay and clerical, without respect of persons, for all are concluded under sin, being all ignorant of " the gospel of the kingdom ". Judging from the lucubrations of public writers of the ministerial class, the nature of the times demands something out of the ordinary periodical and public routine to awake " the churches " to spiritual life, lest they sleep the sleep of death. They are truly in a Laodicean state, and already spued out of the mouth of the Lord. They say they are " rich and increased in goods, and have need of nothing" ; but some of their doctors have discernment enough to see that they are " wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked". But, alas for them, they know not how to remedy the evil They do not perceive that the fault is in their systems, which have made them what they are, and which they are pledged to support on pain of suffering the loss of all things."
The great desideratum of the crisis is the Gospel of the Kingdom. The State-clergy and the Dissenting-ministry are ignorant of the Gospel; and " like priest like people ". " The churches " are full of darkness, for the Gospel doth not shine into them being neither believed nor preached among them, Here, then, is a book peculiarly adapted to the times. It will show the people what the gospel is--what is the obedience it requires and enable them to discern the times; that the Lord may not come upon them at unawares, and take them unprepared. it is a book, not for these times only, but for all the years preceding " the time of the end", and thence to the epoch of the restoration of the kingdom and throne of David, It is named ELPIS ISRAEL, or Israel's Hope: for the kingdom of which it treats is that which is longed for by all intelligent Israelites, and for which, said Paul, " I am bound with this chain,"
Elpis Israel's subject-matter is national, not sectarian, - It treats of a nation, and of its civil and ecclesiastical institutions in a past and future age. It is designed to enlighten both Jews and Gentiles in Israel's Hope, that by conforming to the proclamation of their King. they may be prepared for the administration of its affairs in concert with him, when all nations shall be as politically subject to his dominion, as Hindostan and Britain are to Queen Victoria's. It is designed to show men how they may attain to eternal life in this theocracy, and obtain a crown which shall never fade away. To accomplish this, the reader must, in justice to himself and the truth, study it with the Bible at his right hand, for he will find hot few pages in which frequent reference is not made to its authority, and without which nothing can or ought to be determined.
A copy of this work has been ordered for presentation to the Autocrat of All the Russias. He will find in it much concerning his dominions. The high priest of the Jews showed Alexander the Great the prophecy in Daniel concerning himself and although it spoke of his power being broken, the knowledge of it did not deter him from endeavouring to found a universal dominion, So it will he with the Autocrat He will, doubtless, receive all that speaks of the extension of his Empire over Europe and Turkey, because his ambition will be flattered by it but being impressed with the idea of his being God's Vicegerent upon eartli, he will probably disregard what relates to the breaking of his power on the Mountains of Israel by the Lord from heaven arguing, as a natural man, that it is not likely that God will destroy His Grand Vizier among the nations. But whatever the Autocrat may think of the destiny marked out for him, the reader's attention is particularly invited to what is said respecting it in this volume. The future movements of Russia are notable signs of the times, because they are predicted in the Scriptures of truth. The Russian Autocracy in its plenitude, and on the verge of dissolution, is the Image of Nebuchadnezzar standing upon the Mountains of Israel, ready to be smitten by the Stone. When Russia makes its grand move for the building-up of its Image-empire then let the reader know that the end of all things, as at present constituted, is at hand. The long-expected, but stealthy, advent of the King of Israel will be on the eve of becoming a fact and salvation will be to those who not only looked for it, but have trimmed their lamps by believing the gospel of the kingdom unto the obedience of faith, and the perfection thereof in ''fruits meet for repentance'.
As to the reviewers, the author presents his compliments to them, and respectfully invites them to examine this work impartially. While he has no wish to propitiate them, it would afford him great pleasure to turn them to what he believes to be " the truth as it is in Jesus ", as opposed to the dogmas of their creeds. It is not to be expected that they can approve the work, seeing that, if the things exhibited be received, Sectarianism is dethroned, at least in the hearts of those who receive the principles inculcated. By Sectarianism the author means everything professedly Christian, not according to " the law and the testimony ". He therefore uses the word as representative of all state religions, as well as of the forms opposed to them. Being the echo of no living sect, but the advocate only of what is written in the oracles of God, of the faith arid practice of that " sect" which in Paul's time "was everywhere spoken against", he has shown no favour to the Heresies (aloepe£;) which destroy it, and therefore he expects none, The perils to which he is exposed are only to be despised by those whose houses are founded upon the rock. The author is free to admit his weakness and inferiority in every respect that can be imagined In one thing however he feels strong, and armed at all points for a conflict with the giants he knows what is written in '' ihe law and the testimony and he understands the meaning of it, If they undertake to review this work tliey must put it through the evolutions of the Spirit and if they enter into combat with it, he would advise them to throw away their wooden swords and encounter it with '' the two-edged sword of the Spirit which is the Word of God " for no other weapon can do more than raise the Author's mirth.
But perhaps prudence, which is sometimes the better part of valour, may dictate the expediency of saying nothing about it. This might be very good policy if Elpis Israel were born from the press only to gasp and die. But editors must remember that, before a single copy' reaches them, it will be in the hands of upwards of a thousand people. This is a fact not to be despised. Such a number (if intelligent persons is calculated to make a troublesome impression upon the public mind and if the press do not check it, there is no telling whereunto the evil may grow Let " the Ministry " be up and doing It is not the infidel their influence hath to fear but the Word of the Iiving God under stood by the people. The author has some of them among his subscribers. He trusts that for their own sakes they will read this work with candour, impartiality, and tranquillity of mind As individuals he has no Controversy with them. His opposition is to their systems, which he trusts they will abandon for the gospel of the kingdom. If Elpis Israel conviuces them of error, then, like the apostle, may they esteem their worldly honors and profits as mere dross for the excellency of the truth. Let them leave the fat thiisgs pf the apostasy to those who mind earthly things '' and let them put on the whole armour of God, and go forth among the people with the two-edged sword of the Spirit, and do battle for the truth.
In conclusion, then, the author respectfully hands over to the subscribers this work, as an ample fulfilment of his part of the covenant between them. They can now form their own judgment of its merits or defects, according to the evidence a candid persual may afford and may God Almighty bless their honest endeavours to know and under stand His truth, which is intrinsically invincible and needs only to come in contact with " good and honest hearts to become triumphantly, defiant of all the wiles and " power of the enemy ". May the spirit of the truth enter into them, and lead them into its liberty and fraternity that at the coining of the Son of Man in celestial majesty arid power, they may share with him in his joy, and inherit the kingdom of God with eternal glory,
London, January 1, 1850,
xxvi PUBLISHER'S NOTES
that his impressions on this matter are derived from Dr, Thomas' other expositions.
On page 234, the author speaks of the Lord's" covenant with Abraham and a footnote gives the publisher's reasons for retaining this scriptural term and rejecting " will " and " testament " in the argument following. For the expression " substitutional testator " (page 239), the publisher has substituted the term" Mediator", which is the true equivalent of the inspired original. Those who choose to compare closely the old and new editions of Elpis Israel in these pages, will see that the author's argument gains in lucidity and force by the change.
On pages 357, 358, paragraphs indicated which were either lacking in clearness, or rendered erroneous by lapse of time, have been re-written on the basis of later expositions by the author.
There are very few EXPUNGED ERRORS, Among these is the erroneous paraphrase of Christ's reply to the thief on the cross (omitted in this edition from the exposition on page 60), and mentioned here only because it has, unfortunately, gained considerable currency.
On page 294, the erroneous supposition that Ex. 17 and Num. 20 refer to one and the same incident (the smiting of the rock by Moses), is corrected by a slight change in the wording. The first incident was before the giving of the law, in Horeb, and the smiting was in obedience to a command of God. The second incident was nearly forty years later, at Kadesh, about 150 miles north of Horeb, and smiting was not commanded-only speaking to the rock.
From pages 361, 414 and 416, some erroneous anticipations that the efflux of time has manifested concerning the end of the age, have been omitted as a matter of course.
A more agreeable class of notes is that referring to the author's wonderful POLITICAL PREVISION on the basis of the prophecies. A mere reference to some of the footnotes in this edition will suffice for illustration. See pages 115, 333, 374, 376, 382, 383, etc. Also the paragraph at the end of the preceding" Biographical Notes."
C.C. Walker, Birmingham, July, 1924.
The present edition (reset) is a reprint of that of 1924, with minor verbal revisions.
Pg 1
ELPIS ISRAEL
PART FIRST
THE RUDIMENTS OF THE WORLD
CHAPTER I.
THE NECESSITY OF A REVELATION.
The necessity of a Revelation to make known the Origin, reason, and tendency of things in relation to man and the world around him
-An intelligible Mystery, and the only source of true wisdom; but practically repudiated by the Moderns The study of the Bible urged, to facilitate and promote which is the object of this volume.
REVOLVING upon its own axis, and describing an ample circuit through the boundless fields of space, is a planet of the solar system bearing upon its surface a population of over a thousand millions subject to sin, disease, and death, This orb of the starry heavens shines with a glory similar to that of its kindred spheres. Viewed from them, it is seen sparkling "like a diamond in the sky" ; and with the rest of the heavens, declares the glory of God, and shows forth the handiwork of Him that did create it.
This celestial orb, which is a world or system of itself, is styled THE EARTH. It is the habitation of races of animals which graze its fields, lurk in its forests, soar through its atmosphere, and pass through the paths of its seas. At the head of all these is a creature like themselves, animal, sensual and mortal. He is called MAN. He has replenished the earth and subdued it, and filled it with his renown. His crimes, however, rather than his virtues, have illustrated and distinguished him with an unhappy pre-eminence above all other created things. His heart is evil and, left to its uncontrolled impulses, he becomes licentious, merciless, and more cruel than the fiercest beast of prey.
Such is the being that claims the independent sovereignty of the globe. He has founded dominions, principalities, and powers; he has built great cities, and vaunted himself in the works of his
pg 2 RUDIMENTS OF THE WORLD
hands, saying, "Are not these by the might of my power, and for the honour of my majesty? " He repudiates all lordship over him, and claims the inalienable and inherent right of self-government, and of establishing whatever civil and ecclesiastical institutions are best suited to his sensuality and caprice. Hence, at successive periods, the earth has become the arena of fierce and pandemoniac conflicts ; its tragedies have baptized its soil in blood, and the mingled cries of the oppressor and the victim have ascended to the throne of the Most High.
Skilled in the wisdom which comes from beneath, he is by nature ignorant of that which is " first pure, and then peaceable, gentle, and easy to be entreated, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality and without hypocrisy". This is a disposition to which the animal man under the guidance of his fleshly mind has no affinity. His propensity is to obey the lust of his nature; and to do its evil works, " which are adultery, fornication, unclean-ness, lasciviousness, idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, sects, envying, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like "(a) All these make up the character of the world, " the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eye, and the pride of life ", upon which is enstamped the seal of God's eternal reprobation. " They who do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God," but " they shall die
Such is the world of human kind The great and impious enemy of God upon the earth. Its mind is not subject to His law, neither indeed can it be. What shall we say to these things ? Is the world as we behold it a finality? Are generations of men, rebellious against God, and destroyers of the earth, to occupy it successively through an endless series of ages ? Are men to repeat the history of the past for ever ? Is the earth always to be cursed, and sin and death to reign victorious? Who can answer these inquiries ? If we survey the starry canopy, thence no sign or voice is given expressive of the truth. They declare the eternal power and divinity of their Creator, but they speak not of the destiny of the earth or of man upon it. If we question the mountains and hills, the plains and valleys, the rivers, seas, and oceans of the earth, and demand their origin, why they were produced, to what end they were created ; their rocks, their strata, their fossils, or deposits, afford us no response. Turn we to man and ask him, "Whence comest thou, and what is thy destiny? Whence all the evil of thy nature, why art thou mortal, who made thee, who involved thee in the wide-spread ruin and calamity on every side ?
Ask an infant of days the history of the past, and he can as well detail it, as man can answer these inquiries without a revelation from Him who is before all, and to whom is known from the
a Gal. 5 :19.
AN INTELLIGIBLE MYSTERY
Pg 3
beginning all He intends shall come to pass. So true is it, that, unaided by light from heaven, "since the beginning of the world men have not heard, nor perceived by the ear, neither hath the eye seen, 0 God, beside thee, what is prepared for him that waiteth for him" ; but, adds the apostle in his comment upon these words of the prophet, "God hath revealed these things unto us by his spirit . . which things we (apostles) speak, not in the words which man's wisdom teacheth, but which the holy spirit teacheth ; interpreting spiritual things in spiritual words. "(a)
To the Bible, then, all must come at last if they would be truly wise in spiritual things. This is a great truth which few of the sons of men have learned to appreciate according to its importance. A man may be a theologian profoundly skilled in all questions of " divinity" ; he may be well versed in the mythology of the heathen world; be able to speak all languages of the nations; compute the distances of orb from orb, and weigh them in the scales of rigid calculation; he may know all science and be able to solve all mysteries,-but if, with all this, he be ignorant of the things of the spirit ; if he know not the true meaning of the Bible ; he seemeth only to be wise, while he is, in fact, a fool. Therefore, the apostle saith, " let no man deceive himself. If any man among you seemeth to be wise in this world, let him become a fool, that he may be wise. For the wisdom of this world is foolishness with God. For it is written, He taketh the wise in their own craftiness. And again, the Lord knoweth the thoughts of the wise, that they are vain. Therefore let no man glory in men "(b) If our contemporaries could only attain to the adoption of this great precept " let no man glory in men ", they would have overleaped a barrier which as a fatal obstacle prevents myriads from understanding and obeying the truth.
But while God lightly esteems the wisdom of the reputed wise, there is a wisdom which He invites all men to embrace. This is styled "the wisdom of God in a mystery " ; it is also termed " the hidden wisdom which God ordained before the world which none of the princes of this world knew ". It is said to be hidden in a mystery, because until the apostolic age, it was not clearly made known. This will appear from the following texts: "Now to him that is of power to establish you according to the revelation of THE MYSTERY, which was kept secret in the times of the ages, but now (in the time, or age, of the apostles) is made manifest, and by the scriptures of the prophets made known to all nations for the obedience of faith."(c) " By revelation God made known unto me, Paul, THE MYSTERY, which in other ages (former ages under the law of Moses) was not made known unto the sons of men as it is now revealed unto the holy apostles and prophets
a I Cor. 2 :9, 10, 13. b 1 Cor. 3:18-21. c Rom. 16 :25, 26.
Pg 4 RUDIMENTS OF THE WORLD
by the spirit, that the Gentiles should be fellow heirs,
and of the same body, and partakers of his promise in Christ by the gospel.' '(a)
Here is "the knowledge of God", in which are contained "exceeding great and precious promises", the understanding of which is able to make a man wise, and "a partaker of the divine nature". Now, although these hidden things have been clearly made known, they still continued to be styled the mystery; not because of their unintelligibility, but because they were once secret. Hence, the things preached unto the Gentiles, and by them believed, are styled by Paul, "the mystery of the faith", and "the mystery of godliness", some of the items of which he enumerates; such as, "God manifest in the flesh, justified by the spirit, seen of angels, preached unto the Gentiles, believed on in the world, received up in glory "(b) Thus an intelligible mystery characterizes the once hidden wisdom of God, and becomes the subject matter of an enlightened faith. This, however, is not the case with regard to religious systems which are not of the truth. Unintelligible mystery is the ultima ratio for all difficulties which are insoluble by the symbols of ecclesiastical communities, whose text of universal application is, that "secret things belong to God, but the things which are revealed, to us and to our children". This is true; but, then, these things which were secret in the days of Moses, have been revealed by God to the apostles and prophets for our information.
No one has any right to set up his own ignorance as the limit of what God hath revealed. A thing may be unknown to such a man, but it doth not therefore follow that it is either absolutely unintelligible or a secret. He may not know of it, or, if explained to him, he may not have intellect enough to comprehend it, or his prejudices, or sectarian bias may darken his understanding-this by no means makes the thing unintelligible or mysterious to other people. All that such persons have a right to say is, "We do not know anything about it,'. They may confess their own ignorance, and resolve to look into the matter, or not; but they are presumptuously overstepping the bounds of propriety to venture to do more. Those who have no secondary interests to subserve apart from the truth only desire to know that they may believe and do. But where to know more would jeopardize the " vested interests" of a sect, and extort the confessions of its leaders and members that they were in error and knew not the truth, investigation is discouraged, and the things proscribed as too speculative and mysterious for comprehension, or, if understood, of no practical utility. In this way mankind infold themselves as in the mantle of their self-esteem. They repress all progress, and glorify their own ignorance by detracting from things which they fear to look into, or apprehend are far above their reach.
a Eph.3.3,5,6. b 1Tim.3:9. 16.
"THE MYSTERY OF INIQUITY"
pg 5
Beside glorying in men, this unfortunate peculiarity of the human mind has developed the organization of a system of things impiously hostile to the institutions and wisdom of Jehovah. It is a system of many subordinate parts. It is animated by one spirit which, under various modifications, pervades and actuates the whole. It is an evil spirit, and may be detected wherever the dogma of unintelligible mystery is at work. The name of this system is " MYSTERY". Its baneful effects began to be visible in the apostolic age. It was then styled, "the Mystery of iniquity", which, as was predicted, has, like a cancer, eaten out the truth, and submitted in place thereof a civil and ecclesiastical constitution, styled" Harlots and the Abominations of the Earth ",such as we behold on every side.
"Wisdom", say the scriptures, "is the principal thing; therefore get wisdom; and with all thy getting get understanding. Exalt her, and she shall promote thee: she shall bring thee to honour, when thou dost embrace her. She shall give to thy head an ornament of grace ; a crown of glory shall she deliver to thee." If thou wouldst, 0 reader, get this wisdom, happy art thou if thou findest it. " For the merchandise of it is better than the merchandise of silver, and the gain thereof than fine gold. She is more precious than rubies, and all things thou canst desire are not to be compared to her. Length of days is in her right hand; and in her left hand riches and honour. Her ways are ways of pleasantness, and all her paths are peace. She is A TREE OF LIFE to them that lay hold upon her; and happy is every one that retaineth her.( a)
Before the Son of God sent forth his apostles to proclaim the gospel of the kingdom in his name, " He opened their understanding that they might understand the scriptures". If thou wouldst gain the knowledge of the wisdom of God which is so inestimable, and which is contained in the word they preached, thou must also be the subject of the same illumination. This is indispensable for there is no obtaining of this commodity except through the scriptures of truth. These " are able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus. For all scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for teaching, for conviction, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: that the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works "~(b) What more dost thou want than perfection, and a crown of life and glory in the age to come? Search the scriptures with the teachableness of a little child, and thy labour will not be in vain. Cast away to the owls and to the bats the traditions of men, and the prejudices indoctrinated into thy mind by their means; make a whole burnt offering of their creeds, confessions, catechisms, and articles of religion; and, after the example of the Ephesian disciples, hand over your books of curious theological
a Prov. 3:14-18. b 2 Tim. 3 :15-17.
Pg 6 RUDIMENTS OF THE WORLD
arts, and burn them before all.' These mountain's of rubbish have served the purpose of a dark and barbarous age ; the word, the word of the living God alone, can meet the necessities of the times.
Let the example of the noble-minded Bereans be ours. They searched the scriptures daily to see if the things taught by the apostles were worthy of belief " therefore they believed "~(b) If, then, not even the preaching of an apostle was credited unaccompanied by scriptural investigation, is it not infinitely more incumbent on us that we should bring to a like test the opinions and precepts of the uninspired and fallible professional theologists of our day? Let us believe nothing that comes from " the pulpit", the altar", or the press, not demonstrated by the grammatical sense of the Scriptures. Let us be contented with nothing less than a " thus it is written", and a" thus saith the Lord" ; for He has laid it down in His law, that no one is worthy of belief who does not speak after His rule. "To the law and to the testimony if they speak not according to THIS WORD, it is because there is no light in them.' (c) If then their light be darkness, how great is that darkness.
The scriptures can do everything for us in relation to the light. This is known, felt, and keenly appreciated by all interested in the support of error. Hence, in the days of Diocletian, one of the pagan predecessors of Constantine, a decree was issued commanding the surrender of all copies of the Holy Scriptures for it was found that so long as they obtained circulation the Christian doctrine could never be suppressed. The Popes, as deadly, and more insidious, enemies of the truth than the pagan Roman emperors, followed the example of Diocletian. The Bible and popery are as mutually hostile as the light of the sun and the thick darkness of Egypt that might be felt. But it is not paganism and popery alone that are practically hostile to a free and untrammelled investigation of the word of God. The Protestant world, while it deludes itself with the conceit that " the Bible, the Bible alone is the religion of Protestants "-while it spends its thousands for its circulation among the nations in their native tongues-is itself hostile to the belief and practice of what it proclaims. The " Bible alone " is not its religion ; for if it were, why encumber its professors with the "Common Prayer", Thirty-nine Articles and all the other "notions" of a similar kind? To believe and practise the Bible alone would be a sufficient ground of exclusion from all "orthodox churches". When Chillingworth uttered the sentiment, there was more truth in it than at this day; but now it is as far from the fact as that Protestantism is the religion of Christ.
To protest against an error, such as Romanism, and to affirm that every man has a right to worship God according to the dictates
a Acts 19:19. b Acts 17 :11, 12. c 1saiah 8-20.
Pg 7
THE BIBLE AND THE CREEDS
of his own conscience, is a very different thing to believing and obeying the gospel of the Kingdom of God, and walking in all the institutions of the Lord blameless. To do this would unchristianize a man in the estimation of State churches and sectarian denominations ; for the Bible religion requires a man to "contend earnestly for the faith once delivered to the saints" ,(a) which in these times cannot be done without upheaving the very foundations of the self-complacent, self-glorifying, and self-laudatory communions of the antipapal constitution of things. It is true that no man or power has a right to interfere between God and the conscience; but it is also true that no man has a right to worship God as he pleases. This is a Protestant fallacy. Man has a right to worship God only in the way God has Himself appointed. "In vain do ye worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men." This is the judgment pronounced by the wisdom of God upon all worship which He has not instituted. He declares it to be vain worship ; concerning which the apostle to the Gentiles says: " Let no man judge you in meat, or in drink, or in respect of a holy-day, or of the new moon, or of the Sabbath; let no man beguile you of your reward in a voluntary humility and worshipping of angels. Be not subject to dogmatisms ~ after the commandments and traditions of men; which things have indeed a show of wisdom in WILL-WORSHIP and humility.
These exhortations apply to all faith and worship, Papal and Protestant. If Popery judges men in meats, Protestantism doth the same in drinks, and in the Sabbath; they both judge men in holy-days and "movable feasts"; and though Protestantism repudiates the worshipping of angels, it proclaims in its "fasts", "preparations", " concerts", etc., a voluntary humility, and celebration of "saints and martyrs", renowned in legendary tales for " the pride that apes humility ". Let the reader search the scriptures from beginning to end, and he will nowhere find such systems of faith and worship as those comprehended in the Papal and Protestant systems. The gospel of the Kingdom of God in the name of Jesus is not preached among them; they are communions which are uncircumcised of heart; theological dissertations on texts, called " sermons", are substituted for "reasoning out of the scriptures "-for "expounding and testifying the Kingdom of God, and persuading men concerning Jesus, both out of the law of Moses, and out of the prophets "(c) Puseyism, Swedenborgianism, and all sorts of isms, to which in apostolic times the world was a total stranger, run riot among them; the lusts of the flesh, of the eye, and of the pride of life have extinguished even the energy and zeal of the antipapal rebellion out of which they have arisen; they are dead, twice dead, plucked up by the roots, and therefore the time is come to cut them off as a rotten branch from the good olive tree.(d) Let
a Jude 3. b Col2: 16-23. 'c Acts 28:23, 31.' d Romans 11: 17, 20, 22,
pg 8 RUDIMENTS OF THE WORLD
therefore every man that would eschew the wrath which is begun, and who would become an heir of the kingdom of God, save himself from the unholy, lifeless, and effete denominations of these "Latter Days". By remaining in them, a man partakes of their evil deeds, and subjects himself to their evil influences. The word of man has silenced the word of God in their midst; and religion has degenerated into a professional commodity sold for cash according to the taste which most prevails in the soul-makers of the world.
Let us then " cease from men, whose breath is in their nostrils: for wherein are they to be accounted of ?" "They be blind leaders of the blind ", in whom is no light, because they speak not according to the law and the testimony of God. Let us repudiate their dogmatisms ; let us renounce their mysteries ; and let us declare our independence of all human authority in matters of faith and practice outside the word of God. The scriptures are able to make us wise, which the traditions of "divines" are not. Let us then come to these scriptures, for we have the assurance that he who seeks shall find. But we must seek by the light of scripture, and not permit that light to be obscured by high thoughts and vain imaginations which exalt themselves against the knowledge of God. Great is the consolation that "the wise shall understand", and "shall shine as the brightness of the firmament". Be this then our happiness, to understand, believe, and do, that we may be blessed in our deed, and attain to the glorious liberty and manifestation of the sons of God.
To the Bible then let us turn, as to "a light shining in a dark place", and, with humility, teachableness, and independence of mind, let us diligently inquire into the things which it reveals for the obedience and confirmation of faith. The object before us then will be, to present such a connected view of this truthful and wonderful book as will open the reader's eyes, and enable him to understand it, and expound it to others, that he may become "a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth"; and be able intelligently to "contend for the faith"; and by "turuing many to righteousness, to shine as the stars for ever and ever
In effecting this purpose, we must proceed as we would with any other book, or in teaching any of the arts and sciences; namely, begin at the beginning, or with the elements of things. This was the method adopted by the spirit of God in the instruction of the Israelites by Moses. He began His revelations by giving them, and us through them, an aocount of the creation of the heavens and the earth; of animals; and of man. 'This then would seem to be the proper place for us to start from; and as we have the system completely revealed, which they had not, we may extend our enquiries into the reason, or philosophy of things farther than they. Be this, then, our commencement; and may
Pg 9 PROTESTANT FALLACIES: AN EXHORTATION
the Lord himself prosper our endeavours to decipher and understand His word, and to disentangle it from the crude traditions and dogmatisms of contemporary theologies, useful in their beginnings as "oppositions" to the Mystery of Iniquity, but now "waxed old and ready to vanish away" with the thing they have antagonized; but which, though consumptive of the civil and ecclesiastical tyranny of the Image of the Beast, have by their glosses in effect taken from the people "the Key of Knowledge", and thus shut up the Kingdom of Heaven against men. Our endeavour will be to restore this "Key", that they may understand "the mysteries of the kingdom", and "have right to the tree of life, and enter in through the gates into the city". And this we will do if God permit.
a Rev~ 22:14.
Pg 10 RUDIMENTS OF THE WORLD
CHAPTER II.
The earth before the creation of Adam the habitation of the angels who kept not their first estate-A geological error corrected-The Sabbath day and the Lord's day-The formation of man and woman -The " great mystery " of her formation out of man expIained-Eden-The Garden of Eden-The original and future paradises considered-Man's primitive dominion confined to the inferior creatures and his own immediate family-Of the two trees of the garden-and man in his original estate.
THE general account of the work of the six days is contained in the first chapter of Genesis ; while in the second is presented among other things, a more particular narrative of the work of the sixth day in the formation of the first human pair.
Let the reader peruse the history of the creation as a revelation to himself as an inhabitant of the earth. It informs him of the order in which the things narrated would have developed themselves to his view, had he been placed on some projecting rock, the spectator of the events detailed. He must remember this. The Mosaic account is not a revelation to the inhabitants of other orbs remote from the earth of the formation of the boundless universe; hut to man, as a constituent of the terrestrial system. This will explain why light is said to have been created four days before the sun, moon, and stars. To an observer on the earth this was the order of their appearance; and in relation to him a primary creation, though absolutely pre-existent for millions of ages before the Adamic era.
The duration of the earth's revolutions round the sun previous to the work of the first day is not revealed: but the evidences produced by the strata of our globe show that the period was long continued. There are indeed hints, casually dropped in the scriptures, which would seem to indicate that our planet was inhabited by a race of beings anterior to the formation of man. The apostle Peter, speaking of the " false teachers " that would arise among Christians "by reason of whom the way of truth would be evil spoken of" illustrates the certainty of their "damnation" by citing three cases in point; namely, that of certain angels; that of the antediluvian world; and that of Sodom and Gomorrah. Now the earth, we know, was the place of judgment to the contemporaries of Noah and Lot, and seeing that these three are warnings to inhabitants of earth, it is probable that they are all related to things pertaining to our globe in the order of their enumeration-first, judgment upon its
Pg 11
THE PRE-ADAMIC WORLD
pre-Adamic inhabitants; secondly, upon the antediluvian world, which succeeded them; and thirdly, upon Sodom after the flood.
Peter says that "the Angels", or pre-Adamic inhabitants of the Earth, "sinned"; and Jude, in speaking of the same subject, reveals to us the nature of their transgression. He says, verse 6, the angels maintained not their original state, but forsook their own habitation". From which it would appear that they had the ability to leave their dwelling if they pleased; secondly, that they -were sometimes employed as messengers to other parts of the universe; this their name (dyyeAo:, angelos, one sent) implies; thirdly, that they were forbidden to leave their habitation without special command to do so; and fourthly, that they violated this injunction and left it. Having transgressed the divine law, God would not forgive them; "but casting them down", or driving them back, "he committed them to everlasting chains of intense darkness to he reserved for judgment ".(a) Hence, it is clear, when they were driven back to their habitation, some further catastrophe befell them by which their committal to darkness was effected. This probably consisted in the total wreck of their abode, and their entire submergence, with all the mammoths of their estate, under the waters of an overwhelming flood. Reduced to this extremity, the earth became "without form and empty; and darkness overspread the deep waters "~(b) Its mountains, hills, valleys, plains, seas, rivers, and fountains of waters, which gave diversity of "form" to the surface of our globe, all disappeared; and it became "void", or empty, no living creatures, angels, quadrupeds, birds, or fishes, being found any more upon it.
Fragments, however, of the wreck of this pre-Adamic world have been brought to light by geological research, to the records of which we refer the reader, for a detailed account of its discoveries, with this remark, that its organic remains, coal fields, and strata, belong to the ages before the formation of man, rather than to the· · era of the creation, or the Noachic flood. This view of the matter will remove a host of difficulties, which have hitherto disturbed the harmony between the conclusions of geologists and the Mosaic account of the physical constitution of our globe.
Geologists have endeavoured to extend the six days into six thousand years. But this, with the scriptural data we have adduced, is quite unnecessary. Instead of six thousand, they can avail themselves of sixty thousand; for the scriptures reveal no length of time during which the terrene angels dwelt upon our globe. The six days of Genesis were unquestionably six diurnal revolutions of the earth upon its axis. This is clear from the tenor of the sabbath law. "Six days shalt thou labour (0 Israel) and do all thy work; but the seventh day is the sabbath of the Lord thy God: in it thou shalt not do any work: for in six days the Lord made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is, and rested the seventh
a 2 Peter 2 : 4 b
Genesis 1:2.
Pg 12 RUDIMENTS OF THE WORLD
day: wherefore the Lord blessed the sabbath day, and hallowed it." Would it be any fit reason that, because the Lord worked six periods of a thousand or more years each, and had ceased about two thousand until the giving of the law, therefore the Israelites were to work six periods of twelve hours, and do no work on a seventh period or day of like duration? Would any Israelite or Gentile, unspoiled by vain philosophy, come to the conclusion of the geologists by reading the sabbath law? We believe not. Six days of ordinary length were ample time for Omnipotence, with all the power of the universe at command, to re-form the earth, and to place the few animals upon it necessary for the beginning of a new order of things upon the globe.
But what is to become of the Evil Angels in everlasting chains of darkness, and who shall be their judge? Jude says, they were committed "for the judgment of THE GREAT DAY". He alludes to this great day in his quotation of the prophecy of Enoch, saying:
"Behold, the Lord cometh with ten thousand of his Holy Ones (angels of his might-2 Thess. 1: 7) to execute judgment upon all", etc. This coming of the Lord to judgment is termed by Paul, "the Day of Christ "-" A DAY in which he will judge the world in righteousness by Jesus Christ "during which, the saints, with angels ministering to them, having lived again, will reign with Christ a thousand years on the earth.(a) This is the Great Day of Judgment, a period of one thousand years, in which Christ and his saints will govern the nations righteously; judge the raised dead in his kingdom according to their works; and award to the rebel angels the recompense awaiting their transgression. "Know ye not", saith Paul, "that we (the saints) shall judge angels? How much more, things that pertain to this life? "(b) From these data, then, we conclude that these angels will be judged in the Day of Christ by Jesus and the saints.
In the period between the wreck of the globe as the habitation of the rebel angels and the epoch of the first day, the earth was as described in Gen. 1: 2, "without form and void, and darkness upon the face of the deep "-a globe of mineral structure, sub-merged in water, and mantled in impenetrable night. Out of these crude materials, a new habitation was constructed, and adapted to the abode of new races of living creatures. On the first day, light was caused to shine through the darkness, and disclose the face of the waters; on the second, the atmosphere called Heaven was formed, by which the fog was enabled to float in masses above the deep; on the third, the waters were gathered together into seas, and the dryland, called the Earth, appeared. It was then clothed with verdure, and with fruit and forest trees, preparatory to the introduction of herbivorous creatures to inhabit it. On the fourth day, the expanded atmosphere became transparent, and the shining orbs of the universe could be seen from the surface of the
a2 Thess. 2:2; Rev. 5:10; 20:4,11-15. b I Cor. 6:3.
Pg 13 THE SABBATH DAY
earth. Our globe was then placed in such astronomical relation to them as to be subjected by their influences to the vicissitudes of day and night, summer and winter; and that they might serve for signs, and for years. Thus, the sun, moon, and stars which God had made, by giving the earth's axis a certain inclination to the plane of the ecliptic, became diffusive of the most genial influences over the land and sea. It was now a fit and beautiful abode for animals of every kind. The dwelling-place was perfected, well aired, and gloriously illuminated by the lights of heaven; food was abundantly provided; and the mansional estate waited only a joyous tenantry to be complete.
This was the work of the fifth and sixth days. On the fifth, fish and water-fowl were produced from the teeming waters; and on the sixth, cattle, reptiles, land-fowl, and the beasts of the earth, came out of" the dust of the ground ", male and female, after their several kinds.(a)
But among all these there was not one fit to exercise dominion over the animal world, or to reflect the divine attributes. Therefore the Elohim said, "Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the living creatures". So Elohim created man in His image; male and female created He them. Further details concerning the formation of the human pair are given in the second chapter of Genesis, verses 7, 18, 21-25. These passages belong to the work of the sixth day; while that from verse 8 to 14 pertains to the record of the third; and from 15 to 17 is parallel with chapter 1: ~31, which completes the history of the sixth.
"Thus the
heavens and the earth were finished, and all the host of them"; and the
Jehovah Elohim, on reviewing the stupendous and glorious creation elaborated by
the Spirit pronounced it "VERY GOOD". Then the Elohim or"
Morning Stars sang together, and all the sons of God shouted for joy "~(b)
OF THE SABBATH DAY
On the seventh day, which was neither longer nor shorter than the days which preceded it, "God ended his work which he had made"; and because of this notable event, "he blessed and sanctified it',. A day is blessed, because of what is or will be imparted to those who are commanded to observe it. The sanctification of the day implies the setting of it apart that it might be kept in some way different from other days. The manner of its original observance may be inferred from the law concerning it when it was enjoined upon the Israelites. To them it was said, "Remember the sabbath day to keep it holy". If it be asked, how was it to be kept holy ? the answer is, " in it thou shalt not do any work, thou, nor any one or thing belonging to thee"; and the reason for this
a Gen.1 :20-25:2:19. b Job38:4-7.
pg14 RUDIMENTS OF THE WORLD
total abstinence from work is referred to the Lord's own example in that " he rested the seventh day". The nature of its observance in the ages and generations, and the recompense thereof, is well expressed in the words of Isaiah :-" If thou turn away thy foot from the sabbath from doing thy pleasure on my holy day and call the sabbath a delight, the holy of the Lord, honourable: and shalt honour him, not doing thine own ways, nor finding thine own pleasure, nor speaking thine own words: then shalt thou delight thyself in the Lord, and I will cause thee to ride upon the high places of the earth, and feed thee with the heritage of Jacob thy father: for the mouth of the Lord hath spoken it."(a)
In this passage, the conditions are stated upon which faithful Israelites might inherit the blessing typified by the rest of the seventh day. They were joyfully to devote themselves to the way of the Lord. They were not simply to abstain from work, yawning and grumbling over the tediousness of the day, and wishing it were gone, that they might return to their ordinary course of life but they were to esteem it as a delightful, holy, and honourable day. Their pleasure was to consist in doing what the Lord required, and in talking of "the exceeding great and precious promises" He had made. To do this was "not speaking their own words" but the Lord's words. Such an observance as this, however, of the sabbath day, implies a faithful mind and a gracious disposition as the result of knowing the truth. Neither antediluvian nor postdiluvian could "call the sabbath a delight" who was either ignorant or faithless of the import of the promise, "thou shalt delight thyself in the Lord, and ride upon the high places of the earth, and feed with the heritage of Jacob". A man who simply looked at the seventh day as a sabbath in which he was interdicted from pleasures, and conversation agreeable to him, and from the money-making pursuits in which he delighted, would regard the day more as a weekly punishment, than as joyous and honourable. Though he might mechanically abstain from work, he did not keep it so as to be entitled to the blessing which belonged to the observance of the day of the Lord. It was irksome to him, because, being faithless, he perceived no reward in keeping it; and "with out faith it is impossible to please God".
The reward to antediluvian and postdiluvian patriarchs and Israelites, for a faithful observance, or commemoration of Jehovah's rest from His creation-work, was "delight in the Lord, riding upon the high places of the earth, and feeding with the heritage of Jacob". This was neither more nor less than a promise of inheriting the Kingdom of God, which is a summary of "the things hoped for and the things unseen", or the subject matter of the faith that pleases God. When that kingdom is established, all who are accounted worthy of it will "delight or joy in the Lord" ; and occupy "the high places of the earth", ruling
a Isaiah 58 13,14.
SUMMARY CONCERNING THE SABBATH pg 15
over the nations as His associate kings and priests; and share in the new heavens and earth," in which dwells righteousness, when Jerusalem shall be made a rejoicing, and her people Israel a joy,(a) The knowledge and belief of these things was the powerful and transforming motive which caused Abel, Abraham, Moses, Jesus, etc., to "call the sabbath a delight, holy of the Lord, and honourable"; and to observe it as the sons of Belial cannot possibly do. But while this was the motive, even faith, which actuated the sons of God in their keeping holy the seventh day, Jehovah did not permit the faithless to transgress or desecrate it with impunity. We know not what penalty if any was attached to its violation before the flood; but its desecration under the Mosaic constitution was attended with signal and summary vengeance, as will appear from the following testimonies
1. "And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying, Speak thou unto the children of Israel, saying, Verily my sabbaths ye shall keep; for it is a sign between me and you throughout your generations; that ye may know that I am the Lord that doth sanctify you. Ye shall keep the sabbath therefore for it is holy unto you. Every one that defileth it shall surely be put to death for whosoever doeth any work therein that soul shall be cut off from among his people. Six days may work be done but in the seventh is the sabbath of rest holy to the Lord; whosoever doeth any work on the sabbath day shall surely be put to death- wherefore
the children of Israel
shall keep the sabbath to observe
the sabbath throughout their
generations, for a perpetual covenant. It is a sign between me and the children of Israel for ever; for in six
days the Lord made heaven and earth, and on the seventh day he rested and was refreshed.'
'(b)
2. " Remember (0 Israel), that thou wast a servant in the land of Egypt, and the Lord thy God brought thee out thence through a mighty hand and by a stretched out aim; therefore the Lord thy God commanded thee to keep the sabbath day."(c)
3. "Six days shall work be done, but on the
seventh day there shall be to you a
holy day, a sabbath of rest to the Lord; whosoever doeth work therein shall be
put to death. Ye shall kindle no fire throughout your habitations on the sabbath day.
"(d)
4. " And while the children of Israel were in the 'wilderness they found a man that gathered sticks upon the sabbath day. And they that found him gathering sticks brought him unto Moses and Aaron, and unto all the congregation. And they put him in ward, because it was not declared what should be done to him. And the Lord said unto Moses, The man shall surely be put to death; all the congregation shall stone him with stones without the camp. And all the congregation brought him without the camp, and
a Matt. 25: 23, 24 ; Rev. 2 : 26, 27; 3 : 21; 5 : 9, 10; 20 : 4;
Dan. 7 : 18, 22, 27 ; Isaiah 65 : 17,18.
b Exodus 31: 12-17. c Deut. 5 :15. d Exodus 35 : 2, 3.
Pg 16 RUDIMENT5 OF THE WORLD
stoned him with
stones, and he died; as the Lord commanded Moses."(a)
5. "Thus saith the Lord; Take heed to yourselves, and bear no burden on the sabbath day, nor bring it in by the gates of Jerusalem neither carry forth a burden out of your houses on the sabbath day, neither do ye any work, but hallow ye the sabbath day, as I commanded your fathers. . . And it shall come to pass, if ye diligently hearken unto me, saith the Lord, to bring in no burden through the gates of this city on the sabbath day, to do no work therein : then shall there enter into the gates of this city kings and princes sitting upon the throne of David, riding in chariots and upon horses, they, and their princes, the men of Judah, and the inhabitants of Jerusalem: and this city shall remain for ever. And they shall come from the cities of Judah, and from the places about Jerusalem, and from the land of Benjamin and from the plain, and from the mountains, and from the south, bringing burnt-offerings, and sacrifices, and meat-offerings, and incense, and bringing sacrifices of praise, unto the temple of the Lord. But if ye will not hearken unto me to hallow the sabbath day, and not to bear a burden, even entering in at the gates of Jerusalem on the sabbath day; then I will kindle a fire in the gates thereof, and it shall devour the palaces of Jerusalem, and it shall not be quenched.(b)
6. "Abide ye every man in his place; let no man go out of his place on the seventh day. So the people rested on the seventh day."' (c)
From these testimonies it is clear that it was unlawful for servants in the families of Israel to light fires, cook dinners, harness horses, drive out families to the synagogues, or priests to the temple to officiate in the service of the Lord. The visiting of families on the sabbath day, the taking of excursions for health or for preaching, and conversing about worldly, or family, or any kind of secular affairs, was also illegal, and punishable with death. The law, it will be observed also, had regard to the seventh, and to no other day of the week. It was lawful to do all these things on the first or eighth day (some particular ones, however, excepted), but not on the seventh. On this day, however, it was "lawful to do good"; but then, this good was not arbitrary. Neither the priests nor the people were the judges of the good or evil, but the law only which defined it. "On the sabbath days the priests in the temple profaned the sabbath, and were blameless" ;(d) for the law enjoined them to offer "two lambs of the first year, without spot, as the burnt-offering of every sabbath".(e) This was a profanation of the seventh-day law, which prohibited "any work" from being done; and had not God commanded it, they would have been "guilty of death". It was upon this: ground
a Numb. 15: 82-36. b Jer. 17 : 21-27. c Exodus 16 : 29, 30.
d Matt. 12:5. e Num. 28:9-10.
"THE WEAK AND BEGGARLY ELEMENTS" pg 17
that~ Jesus was ".guiltless"; for he did the work of God on that day in healing the sick as the Father had commanded him.
"The sabbath was made for man, and not man for the sabbath: therefore", said Jesus, "the Son of Man is Lord also of the sabbath Day ".(a) It was a wise and beneficent institution. It prevented the Israelites from wearing out themselves and their dependents by incessant toil; and revived in them a weekly remembrance of the law and promises of God. It was, however, only " a SHADOW of things to come", the substance of which is found in the things which pertain to the Anointed One of God (.b) It was a part of "the rudiments of the world" inscribed on "the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us", and which the Lord Jesus "took out of the way, nailing it to his cross". when he lay entombed he rested from his labours, abiding in his place all the seventh day. Having ended his work, he arose on the eighth day, "and was refreshed". The shadowy sabbath disappeared before the brightness of the rising of the sun of righteousness; who, having become the accursed of the law, delivered his brethren from its sentence upon all.
The ordinances of the law of Moses are styled by Paul "the rudiments", or "elements of the world", which, in Galatians, he also terms "weak and beggarly elements, whereunto they desired again to be in bondage". They evinced this desire by "observing days, and months, and times, and years";)c) not being satisfied with the things of Christ, but seeking to combine the Mosaic institutions with the gospel. This was Judaizing, and the first step to that awful apostasy by which the world has been cursed for so many ages. When the Mosaic constitution, as "the representation of the knowledge and the truth", had "waxed old" by the manifestation of the substance to a sufficient extent to nullify it, it "vanished away" by being "cast down to the gr6und" by the Roman power, and with it the law of the seventh day. Even before its abolition, Paul expressed his fear of the Galatians, "lest he should have bestowed labour upon them in vain", seeing that they were becoming zealous of the ordinances of the law. They seemed not to understand that the Mosaic economy was only a temporary constitution of things, "added because of transgressions t:ll the seed should come" ; that when he came, "he redeemed them from the curse of the law, being made a curse for them; and that therefore they had nothing to fear nor to hope for from keeping or transgressing its methods. They had got it into their heads that "except they were circumcised and kept the law of Moses ",as well as believed and obeyed the gospel of the kingdom they could not be saved'(d) Therefore they "desired to be under the law", and began to busy themselves about "keeping the sabbath", and doing other works which Mose
a Mark 2 : 27. b Col. 2:14, 16-17. C Gal. 4 : 3, 5, 9, 10. d Acts 15.1, 5.
Pg 18 RUDIMENTS OF THE WORLD
had enjoined upon Israel. Paul was very much distressed at this, and describes himself as "travailing in birth again until Christ be formed in them". They had been delivered from "the yoke of bondage", by putting on Christ; but by seeking to renew their connexion with Moses' law, they were selling their birth-right for a mess of pottage. "I say unto you , saith Paul, "that if ye be circumcised, Christ shall profit you nothing. For I testify again to every man that is circumcised, that he is a debtor to do the whole law. Christ is become of no effect unto you, whosoever of you are justified by the law; ye are fallen from grace". A partial observance of the law can do no one any good. If he kept the sabbath in the most approved manner, but neglected the sacrifices, or ate swine's flesh, he was as accursed as a thief or a robber; for to one under the law it saith, "Cursed is every one that continueth not in all things which are written in the book of the law to do them" ; hence even the sinless Jesus was cursed by it, because he was crucified; for it is written, "Cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree ".(a) What hope then is there for Jew or Gentile of escaping the curse of the law, seeing that from the very nature of things connected with the present state of Jerusalem it is impossible to observe it, save in the few particulars of " meat and drink, or in respect of the sabbath" partially, etc. The observance of the seventh day was regulated by the Mosaic law, and the penalties due to its "desecration", or "profanation", are pronounced by it alone; but it is clear that the law being taken out of the way, or abolished, by Jesus, who nailed it to his cross, there remain no more retributions for the non-observance of its appointments; and therefore there is no transgression in working or pleasure taking, or in speaking one's own words on the seventh day.
On the first day of the creation-week God
said, "Let there be light, and there was light"; so.. on, the first
day of the week "THE TRUE LIGHT" came forth from the
"darkness"' of the tomb "like dew from the womb of the morning
". It is a day to be much
remembered by his people, because it assures them of their justification
"in him", of their own resurrection to life, and of the certainty of
his ruling or "judging the world in righteousness" as Jehovah's king,
when they shall also reign with him as kings and priests to God(.b) This day is
also notable on account of the special interviews which occurred between Jesus
and his disciples after his resurrection.(c) He ascended to .heaven on this
day, even the forty-third from his crucifixion and, seven days after,, that is
the fiftieth, being '' the "Day of Pentecost" the gift of the Holy
Spirit was poured out upon the apostles',a nd the gospel of the kingdom
preached for the first time in his name.
a Ga1.3:4; 5:4. b Rom 4 :25; 8-11 ; I Co'. 15:14, 20
Acts 17 : 31; Rev. 5
: 9, l0. c John '20 :19,26
ASSEMBLY ON THE FIRST DAY OF THE WEEK pg 19
Power being in the hands of their enemies, the Christians of the Hebrew nation still continued to observe the seventh day according to the custom. Hence we find the apostles frequenting the synagogues on the sabbath days and reasoning with the people out of the scriptures.(a) To have done otherwise would have been to create an unnecessary prejudice, and to let slip one of the best opportunities of introducing the gospel to the attention of the Jewish public. They did not forsake the synagogues until they were expelled. While they frequented these, however, on the seventh day, they assembled themselves together with the disciples whose assemblies constituted the churches of the saints and of God. They ordained elder's over these societies, and "taught them to observe all things whatsoever Jesus had commanded them' '(b) In his letter to the Hebrew Christians, Paul exhorts them "not to forsake the assembling of themselves together ".(c) Such an exhortation as this implies a stated time and place of assembly. On what day, then, did the churches of the saints meet to exhort :one another so as to provoke to love and to good works? Certainly not on the seventh dav, for then the apostles were in the synagogues. What day then more appropriate than the first dav of the week? Now it cannot be affirmed that the saints were commanded to meet on this day, because there is no testimony to that effect in the New Testament. But it is beyond dispute that they did assemble themselves together on the first day of the week, and the most reasonable inference is that they did so in obedience to the instruction of the apostles, from whose teaching they derived all their faith and practice, which constituted them the disciples of Jesus.
To keep the first day of the week to the Lord is possible only for the saints. There is no law, except the emperor Constantine's, that commands sinners to keep holy the first, or eighth, day, or Sunday, as the Gentiles term it. For a sinner to keep this day unto the Lord he must become one of the Lord's people. He must believe the gospel of the kingdom and name of Christ, and become obedient to it, before any religious service he can offer will be accepted. He must come under law to Christ by putting on Christ before he can keep the Lord's day. Having become a Christian, if he would keep the day to the Lord, he must assemble with a congregation of New Testament saints, and assist in edifying and provoking them to love and good works, in showing forth the death of Jesus, in giving thanks to the Father, in celebrating the resurrection of Christ, and in praising and blessing God. Under the gospel, or "law of liberty", he is subjected to no "yoke of bondage" concerning a sabbath day. It is his delight when an opportunity presents, to celebrate in this way the day of the resurrection. He requires no penal statutes to
a Act', 17:2, 17; 18:4; 19:8.
b Mat:. 28 : 20: Acts 2 : 42; 14 : 22, 23. c Heb. 10 :25.
Pg 20 RUDIMENTS OF THE WORLD
compel him to a formal and disagreeable self-denial, or "duty" for it is his meat and drink to do the will of his Father who is in heaven.
The law of Moses was delivered to the Israelites and not to the Gentiles, who were therefore " without the law". " What things soever the law saith, it says it to them who are under the law"; consequently the nations were not amenable to it; and though they obtained not the blessings of Mount Gerizim (unless they became faithful Jews by adoption). neither were they obnoxious to the curses of Mount Ebal.(a) The faithless Jews and Gentiles are equally aliens from the precepts of Christ and his apostles. what these prescribe is enjoined upon the disciples of Jesus. They only are "under law to Christ". "what have I", says Paul, "to do to judge them that are without? God judgeth them."(b) He has caused the gospel of the kingdom to be preached to sinners "for the obedience of faith". When they are judged. it will be for "not obeying the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ",~(c)and not because they do not "go to church", or do not keep a sabbath instituted by a semi-pagan emperor of the fourth century. The sabbath God requires sinful men to observe is to cease from the works of the flesh, as completely as He rested from the work of creation on the seventh day, that they may enter into the millennial rest that remaineth for the people of God.(d)
Men frequently err in their speculations from inattention to the marked distinction which subsists in the scriptures between those classes of mankind termed " saints " and " sinners". They confound what is said to, or concerning, the one, with what is said in relation to the other. Relatively to the institutions of God they are as near or afar off as are "citizens" and "foreigners" to the laws and constitution of the United States. "What the law saith, it saith to them who are under the law." This is a principle laid down by Paul concerning the law of Moses, which is equally true of the codes of all nations. "Citizens" are the saints, or separated ones, of the particular code by which they are insulated from all other people ; while " foreigners" or "aliens :from their commonwealth are sinners in relation to it; for they live in other countries in total disregard of its institutions and doing contrary to its laws , and yet are blameless: so that if they were to visit the country of that commonwealth they would not be punished for their former course, because they were not under law to it. Let them however, while sojourning there continue in their native customs and they would be come guilty and worthy of punishment made and provided for such offenders
It is a fact, that "God blessed and sanctified" or set apart, "the seventh day"; and doubtless, Adam and his wife rested, or intermitted, their horticultural tendance upon that day Yea, we
a Deut. 27 :9-26. b 1 Cor. 5 :12, 13. c 2 Thess. 1: 7-10. d Heb. 4 : 9-11.
THE SABBATH IN THE KINGDOM OF GOD pg 21
may go further and say, that it is extremely probable that "the sons of God" before the flood, worshipped God according' to "His way" upon that day; but in all the history of that long period, which intervened from the sanctification of the seventh day to the raining down bread from heaven for the Israelites in the wilderness, a before God cannot therefore be argued against the Gentiles so as to entitle them to death or reprobation, predicated on the threatenings of the patriarchal code. Whatever the appointment might be, it was no doubt significative of the blessings to be obtained through observing it; not alone, but in connexion with the other matters which made up "the way of God".
As I have shown, the
observance of the seventh day was obligatory only upon the Israelites so long
as the Mosaic code was in force, being "a sign" between God and
them. The sabbaths belong to the land
and people of Israel, and can be only kept according to the law while they
reside in the country. This will appear from the fact that the law requires
that "two lambs of the first year without spot" should be offered
with other things "as the burnt-offering of every sabbath"; an
offering which, like all the offerings, etc., must be offered in a temple in
Jerusalem where the Lord has placed His name, and not in the dwelling places of
Jacob. Israel must therefore be restored to their own country before even they
can keep the sabbath. Then, when
"the throne is established in mercy; and he (the Lord Jesus) shall sit
upon it in truth in the tabernacle of David, judging, and seeking judgment, and
hasting righteousness ",(b) then,
I say "shall the priests, the Levites, the sons of Zadok, that kept the
charge of my sanctuary when the children of Israel went astray from me, come
near to me to minister unto me, and they shall stand before me to offer unto me
the fat and the blood, saith the Lord God: and they shall hallow my sabbaths. "(c)
But these sabbaths will be no longer celebrated on the seventh day. They will be changed from the seventh to the eighth, or first day of the week, which are the same. The dispensation of the fulness of times ",(d) popularly styled the Millennium, will be the antitype, or substance, of the Mosaic feast of tabernacles which was "a shadow of things to come". In this type, or pattern, Israel Were to rejoice before the Lord for seven days, beginning "on the fifteenth day of the seventh month, when they had gathered the fruit of the land". In relation to the first day of the seven, the law says, "it shall be a holy convocation: ye shall do no servile work therein". This was what we call Sunday. The statute then continues, "on the eighth day", also Sunday, "shall be a holy convocation unto you, and ye shall offer an offering made by fire unto
a Exodus 16. b Isaiah 16 : 5. c Ezek. 44 :15. 24. d Ephes. 1 10.
Pg 22 RUDIMENTS OF THE WORLD
the- Lord: it is a
solemn assembly; and ye shall do no
servile work therein". Again,"
on the first day shall be a sabbath and
on the eighth day shall be a sabbath
".(a) Thus, in this
"pattern of things in the heavens", the first and eighth days are
constituted holy days in which no work was to be done. It also represents the
palrn-bearing or victorious ingathering of the twelve tribes of Israel from
their present dispersion to the land of their fathers, "when the Lord
shall set his hand a second time to
recover the remnant of his people "(b)
Three times in four verses does Zechariah
style the yearly going up of the Gentiles to Jerusalem to worship the King, the
Lord of Hosts, there, the keeping of the feast of tabernacles ;(c) an event
Which is consequent upon the destruction of the dominion represented by
Nebuchadnezzar's image, and the re-establishment of the kingdom and throne of
David. This national confluence of the Gentiles to Jerusalem is characteristic
of Messiah's times ; and of the true or real festival tabernacles, When he will
" confess to God among the Gentiles, and sing unto his name",
and" they shall rejoice with his people ", Israel.(d) Referring to
this time, the Lord says, 'the place of my throne, and the place of the soles
of my feet, where I will dwell in the midst of the children of Israel for ever, and my holy name shall the
House of Israel no more defile,
neither they, nor their kings, by their whoredom, nor by the carcases of their kings
in their high places. . . . They have even defiled my holy name by their
abominations that they have committed: wherefore I have consumed them in mine
anger. NOW let them put away their whoredom, and the carcases of their kings,
far from me, and I will dwell in the
midst of them for ever ".(e)
This is clearly a prophecy of what shall be hereafter, because the House
of Israel still continues to defile God's holy name by their abominations; but
when this comes to pass they shall defile it "no more".
After the declaration of these things, Ezekiel is commanded to show them the description of the temple which is destined to be "the house of prayer for all nations", with the ordinances, forms, and laws thereof. The Lord God then declares, "the ordinances of the altar in the day when they shall make it"' and when the Levites of the seed of Zadok shall approach unto Him. The cleansing of the altar", and the consecration of the priests, is then effected by the offerings of seven days. "And when these days are expired, it shall be that upon the eighth day, and so FORWARD, the priests shall make your burnt offerings upon the altar, and your peace offerings; and I will accept you (0 Israel), saith the Lord,"(f) Thus, the day of the Lord's resurrection from his seventh-day incarceration in the tomb, becomes the sabbath day of the future age which shall be hallowed by the priests of Israel, and
a Lev23:34-43 b Isaiah 11 :11. c Zech. 14:16-19. d Rom15:9,10.
e Ezek. 43 : 7-9. f verse 27.
SABBATARIANISM NOT OF GOD pg 23
be observed by all nations as a day of holy convocation in which they shall rejoice, and do no manner of servile work at all.
Constantine, though not a Christian himself, paid homage to the truth so far as to compel the world to respect the day on which Clirist Jesus rose from the dead. Hence, in 328, he ordained that the day should be kept religiously, which a Judaizing clergy construed into sabbatical observance according to the Mosaic law concerning the seventh day. This is the origin of that sabbatarianism which so ludicrously, yet mischievously, illustrates the Blue Laws of Connecticut,(a) the zeal of the Agnews and Plumptres of the House of Commons, and the rhapsodies of the pietists of the passing day. These well-meaning persons, whose zeal outruns their knowledge, seem not to be aware that Christ and his apostles did not promulge a civil and ecclesiastical code for the nations, when they preached the gospel of the kingdom. Their object was not to give them laws and constitutions; but to separate a peculiar people from the nations who should afterwards rule them justly and in fear of the Lord, when the dispensation of the fulness of times should be introduced.(b) To be able to do this, these peculiars were required to be "holy, unblameable, and unreprovable before God ".(c) To this end instructions were delivered to them, that under the divine tuition "they might be renewed in the spirit of their mind; and put on the new man which after God's image is created in righteousness and true holiness".
As for" those without " " who receive not the love of the truth, that they might be saved, God sent them a strong delusion, that they should believe a lie ",(d) as a punishment. They are left to govern themselves by their own laws until the time arrives for Christ to take away their dominion and assume the sovereignty over them conjointly with " the people of the saints". If they please to impose upon themselves yokes of bondage, binding themselves to keep the first day of the week according to the Mosaic law of the seventh day, they are left at liberty to do so. But for this act of" voluntary hiimility "they are entitled to no recompense from God, seeing that He has not required it of them. The reward due for observing a Judaized Lord's day voluntarily inflicted upon themselves; or, the pains and penalties to which they may be entitled for its "profanation", are such, and such only, as result from the will and pleasure of the unenlightened lawgivers of the nations. It is a wise regulation to decree a cessation from labour and toil for man and beast during one day in seven; but it betrays egregious misunderstanding of the scriptures and singular superstition to proclaim perdition to men's souls in flaming brimstone, if they do not keep it according to the Mosaic law of the seventh day.
a By these a woman was forbidden to kiss her child on the sabbath
b Acts 15:14; 1 Cor. 6:2; 2 Sam. 23:3,4; Titus2 :11. c Col. 1:22,23 1Thess. 2:19; 3:13.
d 2Thess.2: 10-12.
Pg 24 RUDIMENTS
OF THE WORLD
All I need say in conclusion is, that if it be necessary to keep Sunday as the Jews were required to keep Saturday by the law of Moses, then those who make so much ado about sabbath-breaking are themselves as guilty as those they denounce for the unholy and profane. "He that offendeth in one point is guilty of the whole." If they do not keep open shop, or perambulate the parks and fields, or take excursions, or go to places of public resort and amusement on the Lord's day-yet, they light fires in the dwellings and meeting houses, they entertain their friends at comfortable warm dinners, drive to church in splendid equipages, annoy the sick and distract the sober-minded with noisy bells, bury the dead, speak their own words, etc.-all of which is a violation of the divine law which saith, "Thou shalt not do any work, thy man-servant, nor thy maid-servant, nor thy cattle"; and "Thou shalt not speak thine own words ". This would certainly put to silence nearly all the preachers of the day whose " sermons ", when made by them-selves, are emphatically their own in thoughts and words without dispute. It is not only ridiculous, but downright Pharisaism, the fuss that is made about breaking the sabbath. Let the zealots "first cast the beam out of their own eyes; and then will they see clearly to cast out the mote from the eyes of others ". If they would "keep the day to the Lord," let them believe and obey the gospel of the kingdom in the name of Jesus; and then "continue steadfastly in the apostles' doctrine and fellowship, and in breaking of bread, and in prayers "(a) on the "first day"; and cease from the works of sinful flesh (b) every day of the week; and they will doubtless "delight in the Lord, and ride upon the high places of the earth, and feed with the heritage of Jacob" in the Kingdom of God, as the mouth of the Lord hath spoken.
Of the things then which have been written under this head this is the sum.
1. The six creation-days were each as long as the seventh, whose duration is defined by the Mosaic law; and consequently the geological notion of their being six several periods of many centuries each, falls to the ground as a mere conceit of infidel philosophy.
2. The Lord God ended His work on the seventh day, "and was refreshed" by the songs of the Morning Stars, and the joyous shouts of the Sons of God.
3. To celebrate His rest, He constituted it holy
and a day of blessing. Hence it was commemorative of the past, and " a shadow of things to come".
4. The seventh day was observed by Adam and Eve as a day of delight before they became sinners. The immediate cause of their joyousness on the day of rest is not testified. It is certain it was not a burdensome day; for sin had not yet marred their enjoyments. It was probably because of the gracious interviews
a Acts 2:42. B Gal. 5:19.
SUMMARY CONCERNING THE SABBATH pg 25
granted them by the Lord God on that day; and of the revelations made to them of the things contained in the blessing pronounced upon it when He "blessed and sanctified it".
5. There is no record, or hint, of the existence of a penal statute for not observing the seventh day, from the sanctification of it till the raining down bread from heaven for the Israelites in the wilderness of Egypt.
6. The observance of the seventh day by absolute rest from every kind of work and pleasure-taking, accompanied by a peculiar sacrifice on the brazen altar of the temple, and spiritual delight in its blessedness; was its Mosaic celebration enjoined upon the Israelites, and their dependants in Palestine, and upon them alone.
7. Its profanation by citizens of the commonwealth of Israel was punishable with death by stoning.
8. Israel was especially commanded to remember the seventh day and keep it as appointed by the law; because God in creating their world brought them out of Egypt, and rested from the work of its creation when He gave them a temporary and typical rest under Joshua in the land of Canaan.
9. For an Israelite to remember the seventh day to keep it holy, spiritually as well as ceremonially, so as to obtain the blessing which it shadowed forth, he must have had an Abrahamic faith (a) in the promised blessing, and have ceased or rested from the works of " sinful flesh".
10. The blessing promised to Israelites, who were Abraham's sons by faith as well as by flesh descent, for a spiritual observance of the seventh day (and which, until "the handwriting", or Mosaic law, Was blotted out and nailed to the cross, could not be spiritually observed and ceremonially profaned) was, that they should "delight in the Lord, ride upon the high places of the earth, and feed with the heritage of Jacob their father", when the time to fulfil the promises made to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob should arrive.
11. The blessing pronounced on a national observance of the seventh day was the uninterrupted continuance of the throne of David, and great national prosperity. Its desecration to be punished by the breaking up of the commonwealth of Israel and desolation of their country.
12. The Mosaic observance of the seventh day was appointed as "a sign" between God and the twelve tribes of Israel. It was a holy day to them, and to be observed perpetually throughout their generations,(b)
13. It was lawful for Israelites to do good on the seventh day; but they were not permitted to be the judges of the good or evil. This was defined by the law. The priests profaned the
·
Rom. 4 :12,18-22. Read the whole chapter diligently. b Matt. 1:17-the forty4wo generations from Abraham to Christ.
Pg 26 RUDIMENTS OF THE WORLD
sabbath by hard work in slaying and burning the seventh day sacrifices on the altar, yet they were blameless; because this was a good work which the Lord of the sabbath commanded them to do.
14. Having finished the work the Father had given him to do,(a)on the sixth day of the week, Jesus, while suspended on the accursed tree, cried with a loud voice, " It is finished .'"(b)" All things were now accomplished", so that the Mosaic handwriting was blotted out, being nailed with him to the cross, and taken out of the way as a rule of life. The Lord Jesus, "rested from his labours" on the seventh day in the silent tomb, and "his disciples rested "according to the commandment ".(c) He abode in his place. and did not go out of it until the sabbath was at an end.(d) But on the eighth day, styled also the first day, God gave him liberty,(e) he left the tomb, and " was refreshed ". Having spoiled the principalities and the powers" constituted by the handwriting, he made the spoliation manifest, "triumphing over them in himself "that is. in his resurrection ; thus, for ever delivering men from the bondage of the law, which, Peter says, "was a yoke which neither our fathers nor we were able to bear ".(f) With the abolition of the Mosaic handwriting the obligation to keep the seventh day as a rule of spiritual life was cancelled as a matter of course.
15. The apostles and Christians(g) of the Hebrew nation in Palestine continued a ceremonial observance of the Mosaic festivals (h)(the annual atonement for sin excepted) and of the seventh day, until the destruction of the commonwealth by the Romans, on the same principle that New Testament Christians among the nations now observe Sunday and the laws; not as a means of justification before God, but as mere national customs for the regulation of society.
16. Hebrew Christians who proposed to blend the law of Moses with that of Jesus as a spiritual rule, or means of justification, and consequently to keep holy the seventh day, were
severely reproved by
the apostles, who stigmatised it as "Judaizing "(i)
17. The Judaizing Christians endeavoured to impose the observance of the law upon the Gentile converts, which would have compelled them to keep holy the seventh day. But the apostles and elders of the Christian community at Jerusalem positively forbade it, and wrote to them, saying, "We have heard that certain who went out from us have troubled you with words subverting your souls, saying, Be circumcised, and keep the law to whom we gave no such commandment ". On the contrary, " it seemed good to the Holy Spirit. and to us, to lay upon you no greater burden than these necessary things: that ye abstain from meats offered to idols, and from blood. and from things strangled..
John 17 4. b John 19:28-30. c Luke 23:56. D Mark 16 :1
e Matt. 28:2. f Acts 15: 10. g Acts 21:20. h verses 24-26. I Gal. 2: 14.
THE FORMATION OF MAN 27
and from fornication ; from which if ye keep yourselves, ye shall do well."(a)
18. Upon the tirst day of the week (or day after the seventh, and therefore sometimes styled the eighth day), the disciples of Christ assembled to show forth his death, and to celebrate his
resurrection; which, with an enduring rest from the works of sinful flesh", was all the sabbatizing they practised.
19. There is no law in the scriptures requiring the nations to keep this day in any manner whatever during his absence at the right hand of the Majesty in the heavens. So long as they continue faithless and disobedient to the gospel of the kingdom, neither nations nor individuals can present an acceptable observance of the day before the Lord; on the principle that "Jehovah is far from the wicked, whose way and sacrifice are an abomination to the Lord" (:b) and,
20. The "first day" was Judaized by Constantine the man child of sin,(c) and his clergy. His present representative is the Italian high priest of Papal Christendom When his power and that of his kings, is finally destroyed in " the burning flame" when Israelis engrafted into their own olive again and the nations are subdued to the glorious sceptre of the king of saints theii will this day become the holy sabbath blessed and sanctified of God instead of the shadowy seventh day, which was merely "a sign " of the things which will then have come to pass.
THE FORMAT1ON OF MAN.
Out of the ground wast thou taken for dust thou art."
That " the
sabbath was made for man, and not man for the sabbath", is a truth of
general application to all the institutons of God. Upon this principle, man was not made for
religion, but religion was made for him.
If this be true, then it follows that it was adapted to man as God had
formed him. Hence, the institutions of religion, if it be of God, will always
be found in harmony with his constitution and not at variance with it. They are
devised as a remedy, for certain irregularities which have invaded his
intellectual and moral nature by which
pheaomena have been superinduced which are destructive of his being Now the exact adaptation of the Bible
religion to the curative adaptations suggested by the intellectual, moral and
physical infirmities of human nature, which everyone who understands, it cannot
fail to perceive, proves that the mind
which framed it is divine and
that the religion of the scriptures, and the constitution of man are
the work of one and the same Creator God is truly the only wise
physician, whose practice is based upon perfect knowledge; for He alone (and
they to whom He hath revealed it) knows "
what
a Acts 15 : 24-29. b Prov. 15 : 8, 9 26-29 - c 17ev. 12.2, 5
28 RUDIMENTS
OF THE WORLD
is in man "(,a) Hence, no incongruities are discoverable in" His way" when His method of cure is understood.
In medicine, a scientific practice is directed, and founded, upon a knowledge of the structure or mechanism of the body, the motive power thereof. and of the functions which are manifested by the working of this power on its several parts. The absence of this knowledge in a professional, constitutes empiricism; and is one cause of such vast multitudes "dying", as it is said, " of the doctor". Being ignorant of the motive power of the living creature, they are as unsuccessful in correcting its irregularities as a watchmaker, who was ignorant of the principles and laws bv which a timepiece was moved, would be in rectifying its errors. Now this may be taken in illustration of the predicament of others who undertake the "cure of souls". To treat these as "a workman that needeth not to be ashamed", a man should be acquainted with "souls" as God hath formed and constituted them. He should know what "a living soul" is; what its condition in a healthy state ; what the peculiar morbid affection under which it languishes; what the nature of the cure indicated; and what the divinely appointed means by which the indications may be infallibly fulfilled. An attempt to "cure souls" without under-standing the constitution of man as revealed by Him who created him, is mere theological experimentalism; and as bootless, and more fatally destructive than the empiricism of the most ignorant pretenders to the healing art. What men undertake to "cure souls", and not to know what a soul is; or to imagine it a something, which it is admitted cannot be demonstrated by "the testimony of God". This is like pretending to repair a timepiece without knowing what constitutes a watch or clock, or while imagining it to be a musical box, or any other conceivable thing.
Speculation has assumed that the soul is something in the human body capable of living out of the body, and of eating, drinking, feeling, tasting, smelling, thinking, singing, and so forth; and of the same essence as God Himself. In times past some have busied themselves in calculating how many such souls could stand on the point of a needle ; a problem, however, which still remains unsolved. A vast deal is said in "sermons" and systems about this idea; about its supposed nature, its wonderful capacity, its infinite value, its immortality, and its destiny. I shall not, however, trouble the reader with it. We have to do with "the law and the testimony"; and as they are altogether silent about such a supposed existence, we shall not occupy our pages in superadding to the obsolete print concerning its attributes, which has already merged into the oblivion of the past. I allude to so much as this, because it is made the foundation corner-stone, as it were, of those experimental systems of spiritual cure, which are so
a John 2 : 25.
VAIN PHILOSOPHY CONCERNING SOULS pg 29
popular with the world, and so utterly exclusive and proscriptive of the divine method.
Upon the supposition of the existence of this kind of a soul in the human body are based the current notions of heaven, hell, immortality, infant salvation, purgatory, saint-worship, Mariolatry, spiritual millenniumism, metempsychosis, etc., etc. Its existence both in the body and out of the body being assumed, it is assumed also to be immortal. An immortal disembodied existence requires a dwelling place, because something must be somewhere; and, as it is said to be virtuous or vicious according to its supposed life in the body, and post mortem rewards and punishments are affirmed-this dwelling-place is exhibited as an elysium, or, as an orthodox poet sings, "a place of goblins damn'd".
To deter men from crime, and to move them
to "get religion" that their souls may be cured of sin, frightful
pictures are painted, sometimes on canvas, sometimes on the imagination, and
sometimes sculptured on stones, of the crackling and sulphurous flames, hideous
devils, and horrid shapes, which fill the Tartarian habitation of the immortal
ghosts of wicked men. This destiny of condemned ghosts was a part of the
"vain philosophy" of the Greeks and Romans before the advent of
Christ. It was introduced into the churches of the saints soon after: "God
granted repentance to the Gentiles ".(a) But, as the apostles taught the
resurrection of the mortal body,(b) the dogniatism of the Greeks was variously
modified. Some admitted the resurrection of the dead; but, as it interfered
with their hypothesis about souls, they said it was already past ;(c)and
consequently, that "there is no resurrection of the dead".(d) This
gentilizing the hope of the gospel filled Paul with zeal, and caused him to pen
the fifteenth chapter of his first letter to the Corinthians to counteract its
pernicious influence. He wrote to Timothy to put him on his guard against it;
and styles the gentilisms "profane vain babblings; and oppositions of
science, falsely so called".(e) He exhorts him to shun them, and "not
to strive about words to no profit"; for they "would eat as doth a
canker ",(f)
If there were no
other evidence in Paul's writings of inspiration, this prediction would be
sufficient to establish it. It has come to pass exactly as he foretold it. The
dognia of an immortal soul in mortal sinful flesh has eaten out the marrow and
fatness, the flesh and sinew, of the doctrine of Christ; and has left behind
only an ill-conditioned and ulcerated skeleton of Christianity, whose dry bones
rattle in the "winds of doctrine" that are blowing around us,
chopping and changing to every point of the compass. The apostles taught two
resurrections of the dead; one at " the manifestation of his
presence" TE' EPIPHANRIA
a Acts 11:18. b Rom. 8:11; 1 Cor. 15:42-54. c 2 Tim. 2:18.
d 1 Cor. 15 :12. e1 Tim. 6:20. f 2 Tim. 2 :14, 16, 17.
Pg 30 RUDIMENTS OF THE WORLD
tes parousias auto~) ,(a) the other, at the delivering up of the kingdom to God at the end (b) of the dispensation of the fulness of times. But this did not suit the theory of dogmatists. They resolved the first into what they term " a glorious resurrection of spiritual life in the soul" ; and the second, into a re-union of disembodied ghosts with their old mortalities to be sent back whence they came. In this way they reduce the second resurrection to a very useless and superfluous affair. Their systems send "souls" to their account as soon as death strikes the bodies down. Some torment them in purgatory, or in an intermediate state; others send them direct into unmitigated punishment; while both, after they have suffered for thousands of years before trial and conviction, reunite them to their bodies; and if it be asked for what purpose? system replies, "to be judged ! " Punish souls first and judge them after ! This is truly human, but it is certainly not divine justice. The truth is, that this article of the creed is brought in to defend "orthodoxy" against the imputation of denying the resurrection of the body, which would be a very inconvenient charge in the face of the testimony of God. But this will not avail; for, to believe dogmas that make the resurrection of the mortal body unnecessary and absurd is equivalent to a denial of it. In saying that there was no future resurrection, Paul charged the Corinthians with the mortal sin of repudiating the resurrection of Jesus; " for", said he, " if the dead rise not", as ye say, "then Christ is not raised ". Their heresy ate out this truth, which stands or falls with the reality of the "first resurrection " at his coming.(c)
The question of "infant salvation" and "non-lect infant damnation", also rests upon the dogma before us. "Orthodoxy" sends some infants to hell and some to heaven; though many "orthodox" persons are getting heartily ashamed of this part of the creed. The apprehension of the damnation of their "immortal souls" on account of "original sin", has given rise to the Romish conceit of the rhantismal regeneration of infants by the Holy Spirit in the scattering of a few drops of water upon the face, and the use of a certain form of words. This has been recently declared to be regenerative of infant souls by an English court of law This question was actually gravely discussed by bishops, priests, lawyers and ministers, in the year of grace 1849 ! So true is it that "great men are not always wise; neither do the aged understand judgment "
As far as the infant is itself concerned, this Romish ceremony is of no importance, for it does it neither good nor harm. In one sense, however, the subject of " the ordinance " is deeply injured. He is indoctrinated by system into the notion that he was truly baptized when rhantismally " regenerated" : and, therefore, when he is grown he troubles himself no more about the matter. Alas,
a 1Thes.4:14-17; 2Thess.1:78; 2:8. b Rev.20:5; lCor,15:24.
c l Cor. 15:23. d Job 32:9..
NATURAL AND SPIRITUAL BODIES pg 31
what havoc the apostasy has made with the doctrine of Christ Believers' baptism transmuted into rhantizing an unconscious babe for the regeneration of its "immortal soul" Would such a thing ever have been thought of but for the Nicolaitan "oppositions of science", which", says the Lord Jesus, "I hate ?" (a) I trow not.
How important, then, it is that we should have a scriptural understanding of the constitution of man. If it should appear by an exposition of the truth, that there is no such kind of soul in the universe as that conceited by the pagan Greeks and Romans, and gentilized into the doctrine of the apostles by contemporary preverters (b) of the gospel, the faith and hope of which it hath ulcerously consumed-and handed down to us by "orthodox divines "-and fondled in these times as an essential ingredient of a true faith -what becomes of the " cure of souls" by the dogmatical specifics of the day? They are resolved into theological empiricism, which is destined to recede like darkness before the
orient brightness of the rising truth. -
Let us then endeavour to understand
ourselves as God has revealed our nature in His word. On the sixth day, the
Elohim gave the word, saying, " Let us make man in our image, after our
likeness ". In this word was life, spirit, or energy. " It was God.
All things were made by it, and without it was not anything made that was
made."(c) Hence, says Elihu, "the Spirit
of God hath made me, and the breath of
the Almighty hath given me life (d) or, as Moses testifies, "the Lord God
formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath
of lives; and man became a LIVING
SOUL".(e)
Now, if it be asked, what do the scriptures define "a living soul" to be ?-the answer is, a living natural, or animal, body, whether of birds, beasts, fish or men. The phrase living creature is the exact synonym of living soul. The Hebrew words nephesh chayiah are the signs of the ideas expressed by Moses. Nephesh signifies creature, also life, soul, or breathing frame, from the verb to breathe : chayiah is of life-a noun from the verb to live. Nephesh chayiah is the genus which includes all species of living creatures ; namely, Adam, man ; beme beast of the field chstu wild beast; remesh, reptile ; and ouph, fowl etc In the common version of the scriptures, it is rendered living soul so that under this form of expression the scriptures speak of all flesh ,which breathes in air, earth, and sea.
Writing about body, the apostle says There is a natural body and there is a spiritual body". But he does not content himself with simply declaring this truth; he goes further and proves it by quoting the words of Moses, saying For so it is written the first man Adam was made into a living soul and then adds, "the last Adam into a spirit glving life
a Rev. 2 :6, 15. b Gal.1: 7-9. c John 1 1 5 d Job '13 4 e Gen. 2 7.
Pg 32 RUDIMENTS OF THE WORLD
' Hence, in another place, speaking of the latter, he says of him.
"Now the Lord is the spirit-". And
we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are
changed into his image from glory into glory, as by the Lord the Spirit
The proof of the apostle's proposition that there is a natural body as distinct from a spiritual body, lies in the testimony, that "Adam was made into a living soul" showing that he considered a natural, or animal body, and a living soul, as one and the same thing. If he did not, then there was no proof in the quotation, of what he affirmed.
A man then is a body of life in the sense of his being an animal, or living creature-nephesh chayiah adam. As a natural man, he has no other pre-eminence over the creatures God made than what his peculiar Organization confers upon him. Moses makes no distinction between him and them; for he styles them all living souls, breathing the breath of lives. Thus, literally rendered, he says, "The Elohim said, The waters shall produce abundantly sheretz chayiah nephesh, the reptile living soul"; and again, " kal nephesh, chayiah erameshat, every living soul creeping". In another verse, Let the earth bring forth nephesh chayiah, the living soul after its kind, cattle, and creeping thing, and beast of the earth", etc. ; and " lekol rurnesh ol eretz asher bu nephesh chayiah, to every thing creeping upon the earth which (has) in it living breath ",(c) that is, breath of lives. And lastly, "Whatsoever Adam called nephesh chayiah, the living soul, that was the name thereof ".(d)
Quadrupeds and men, however, are not only "living souls", but they are vivified by the same breath and spirit. In proof of this, I remark first, that the phrase " breath of life" in the text of the common version is neshemet chayim in the Hebrew; and that, as chayim is in the plural, it should be rendered breath of lives. Secondly, this neshemet chayim is said to be in the inferior creatures as well as in man. Thus, God said, "I bring a flood of waters upon the earth to destroy all flesh wherein is ruach chayim, spirit of lives" (e) And in another place, "They went in to Noah into the ark, two and two of all flesh, in which is ruach chayim, spirit of lives". "And all flesh died that moved upon the earth, both of fowl, and of cattle, and of beast, and of every creeping thing, and every man; all in whose nostrils was neshemet ruach chayim, BREATH OF SPIRIT OF LIVES ".(f) Now, as I have said, it was the neshemet chayim with which Moses testifies God inflated the nostrils of Adam; if, therefore, this were divina particula aura, particle of the divine essence, as it is affirmed, which becarne the "immortal soul" in man, then all other animals have "immortal
a Cor. 15:44,45. b 2 Cor. 3 :17, 18. c Gen. 1:20,21,24,30.
d Gen. 2:19. e Gen. 6:17. f Gen. 7 :15,21.22.
THE LIFE OF MAN AND BEAST pg 33
souls " likewise; for they all received " breath of spirit of lives" in common with man.
From these testimonies, I think, it must be obvious to the most unlearned, that the argument for the existence of an immortal soul " in "sinful flesh", hereditarily derived from the first sinner, predicated on the inspiration of his nostrils with "the breath of lives" by the Lord God, and the consequent application to him of the phrase "living soul", if admitted as good logic, proves too much, and therefore nothing to the purpose. For if man be proved to be immortal in this sense, and upon such premises as these, then all quadrupeds are similarly immortal; which none, I suppose, but believers in the transmigration of souls, would be disposed to admit.
The original condition of the animal world was "very good". Unperverted by the production of evil, all its constituents fulfilled the purposes of its existence. Begotten of the same power, and formed from the substance of a common mother, they were all animated by the same spirit, and lived in peace and harmony together. Formed to be living breathing frames, though of different species, in God they lived, and moved, and had their continued being; and displayed His wisdom, power, and handiwork.
But, to return to the philology of our subject, I remark that by a metonymy, or figure of speech in which the container is put for the thing contained, and vice-versa, nephesh, "breathing frame", is put for neshemet ruach chayim, which, when in motion, the frame respires. Hence, nephesh signifies " life ", also "breath" and "soul "-Life, or those mutually effective, positive and negative principles in all living creatures, whose closed circuits cause motion of and in their frames. These principles or qualities, perhaps, of the same thing, are styled by Moses Ruach Elohim,(a) or Spirit of Him "who only hath immortality, dwelling in the light which no man can approach unto, which no man hath seen, nor can see (b) and which when the word was spoken by the " Holy Gods" (c) first caused a motion on the waters , afterwards disengaged the light, evolved the expanse, aggregated the waters, produced vegetation, manifested the celestial universe, vitalized the breathing frames of the dry land, expanse, and seas; and formed man in their image and likeness. This ruach, or spirit, is neither the Uncreated One who dwells in light, the Lord God, nor the Elohim, His coworkers, who co-operated in the elaboration of the natural world. It was the instrumental principle by which they executed the commission of the glorious INCREATE to erect this earthly house, and furnish it with living souls of every species.
It is this ruach, or instrumentally formative power, together with the neshemeh or breath, which keeps them all from perishing,
"a Gen. 1 2. b I Tim. 6:16. c Dan. 4 : 8.
Pg 34 RUDIMENTS OF THE WORLD
or returning to the
dust. Thus, " If God set His heart against man, He will withdraw to
himself ruachu veneshmetu, i.e., his
spirit and his breath all flesh
shall perish together, and man shall turn again to dust ",(a) In another
place, "By the neshemet el, or breath of God, frost is given."(b)
Speaking of reptiles and beasts, David saith, "Thou withdrawest ruachem, i.e., their spirit-they die;
and to their dust they return. Thou sendest forth ruhech, i.e., thy spirit-they are created". And again, "Whither shall I fly, meruhech, from thy spirit ",(d)
From these testimonies it is manifest that the ruach or spirit is all pervading. It is in heaven, in sheol, or the dust of the deepest hollow, in the uttermost depths of the sea, in the darkness, in the light, and in all things animate, and without life. It is a universal principle in the broadest, or rather, in an illimitable sense. It is the substratum of all motion, whether manifested in the diurnal and ellipsoidal revolutions of the planets, in the flux and reflux of the sea, in the storms and tempests of the expanse, or in the organism of reptiles, cattle, beasts, fish, fowl, vegetables, or men. The atmospheric expanse is charged with it; but it is not the air: plants and animals of all species breathe it ; but it is not their breath: yet without it, though filled with air, they would die.
The atmosphere, which extends some forty-five miles in altitude, and encircles the globe, is styled the expanse, by Moses and the breath of God, in Job. It is a compound body, consisting, when pure, of nitrogen and oxygen, in the proportion of 79 of the former and 21 of the latter, in 100 parts.(*) These are considered as simple bodies, because they have not yet been decomposed; though it is probable they have a base, which may be the ruach. This may exist free or combined with the elementary constituents of the neshemeh. Uncombined, it is that wonderful fluid, whose explosions are heard in the thunder, whose fiery bolts overthrow the loftiest towers, and rive the sturdy monarchs of the woods; and in less intensity gives polarity to light, the needle, and the brain. These three together, the oxygen, nitrogen, and electricity, constitute" the breath" and " spirit of the lives of all God's living souls.
Thus, from the centre of the earth, and extending throughout all space in every direction, is the Ruach Elohim, the existence of which is demonstrable from the phenomena of the natural system of things. It penetrates where the neshemet el, or atmospheric air, cannot. When speaking, however, of the motivity and sustentation of organized dust, or souls, they are co-existent within them. In this case, the ruach Elohim becomes the ruach chayim, or " spirit of lives " ; and the neshemet el, the neshemet chayim, or
a Job. 34 :14. Job. 37 :10. c Psalm 104 39. d Psalm 139 : 7.
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*Since this was written argon and other rare gases have been discovered but all scientific research favours the hypothesis here laid down.-Publisher.
GOD'S SPIRIT AND BREATH pg 35
"breath of lives"; and both combined in the elaboration and support of life, the neshemet ruach chayim, or "breath of the spirit of lives". Living creatures, or souls, are not animated, as physiologists and speculative "divines" erroneously imagine, by a vital principle", capable of disembodied existence as the ghost of a man, or the transmigrating spectres of other animal species -ghostly things, the laws and functions of which in the animal economy physiologists are unable to discover; and theologists are nonplussed to prove the existence of from the word of God. On the contrary, "souls" are "made living" by the coetaneous operation of the ruach chayim and neshemet chayim upon their organized tissues according to certain fixed laws. When the as yet occult laws of the all-pervading ruach, or spirit, shall be known, this subject will be understood; and men will then be as astonished at the ignorance of the "divines" and physiologists of this "cloudy and dark day", respecting "living souls", as we are at the notion of the ancients, that their "immortal gods" resided in the stocks and stones they so stupidly adored. This, however, is quite as reasonable a theory as that of "immortal souls" dwelling in sinners of Adam's race.
The ruach
chayim and neshemet chayim are
lent to the creatures of the natural world for the appointed period of their
living existence. But, though lent to them, they are still God's breath, and
God's spirit; nevertheless, to distinguish them from the expanse of air and
spirit in their totality, they are sometimes styled, " the spirit of man
", and " the spirit of the beast"; or collectively, "the
spirits of all flesh", and "their
breath". Thus, it is written,
"They have all one ruach, or
spirit; so that man hath no pre-erninence over a beast; for all is vanity or
vapour." "All go to one place; all are of the dust, and all turn to
dust again,~(a) And in the sense of supplying to every living creature, or
soul, "spirit" and "breath", Jehovah is styled by Moses,
"God of the spirits of all flesh".(b)
Besides the ruach and neshemeh without, there are certain elementary principles, in a state of combination, within all living souls, which are related to them by fixed and appropriate laws, for the manifestation of living actions. The light to the eye, and the eye to the light; so also, the breath and the spirit of God to the constituents of blood, and the blood to them. These, acting and re-acting upon each other in the lungs of all breathing frames, cause that motion throughout their structure which is termed life. The following testimonies will throw some light upon this part of our subject.
"Flesh, be-nephesh-u, with the life thereof, which is the blood thereof, shall ye not eat." This teaches that blood is the nephesh, or life of the flesh; hence it continues, "and surely your blood, lah-nephesh-tikam, for your lives will I require".(c) We often find
a Eccles 3:19,20. b Numb. 27:16. c Gen. 9 : 5.
Pg 36 RUDIMENTS OF THE WORLD
life put for blood, and blood for life, as elsewhere in the context. "Be sure that thou eat not the blood, for the blood is the nephesh or life; and thou mayest not eat the life, nephesh, with the flesh."(a) But, to this it might be objected, that if the blood be the life, then so long as it is in the body it ought to live; on the contrary it dies with the blood in it. True. Moses, however, does not teach the dogma of an abstract vital principle ; but life, the result and consequence of the decomposition and re-combination of the elements of certain compounds. The blood abstractly considered is not life; yet relatively, it is " the life of the flesh". The following testimony will show the sense in which the phrase "the blood is the life" is used. " I will set my face against that soul that eateth blood. For the life of the flesh is IN the blood itself. I have given it to you upon the altar to make an atonement for nephesh-tikem, your lives : for it is the blood that atones, be-nephesh, for the soul " or life. "Whosoever catcheth any fowl that may be eaten, he shall even pour out the blood thereof, and cover it with dust. For it is the life of all flesh ; the blood of it is for the life thereof. Ye shall eat the blood of no manner of flesh; for the life of all flesh is the blood thereof.' '(b) Nothing can be plainer than this.
There are three kinds of living manifestations, which are characterized by the nature of the organization, or being, through which they occur. Hence, we have vegetable life, animal life, and incorruptible life. The last is immortality; because the body through which the life is manifested, being incorruptible, never wears out; so that being once put into motion by the spirit of God, it lives for ever. Vegetable and animal life, on the contrary, is terminable or mortal; because the materials through which it is revealed are perishably organized. Mortality, then, is life manifested through a corruptible body; and immortality, life manifested through an incorruptible body. Hence, the necessity laid down in the saying of the apostle, "This corruptible body must put on incorruption, and this mortal put on immortality", before death can be "swallowed up in victory"(c). This doctrine of "life and incorruptibility" was new to the Greeks and Romans; and brought to light only through the gospel of the kingdom and name of Jesus Christ. It was to them foolishness; and is to the moderns incredible, because they understand not the glad tidings of the age to come.
Incorruptible life might with equal propriety be styled spiritual life, as indicative of that with which spiritual bodies are endowed. But here I use not the word spiritual, lest it should be confounded with that intellectual and moral life a man possesses when the "incorruptible seed" of the kingdom takes root in his heart; and when, in "obedience of faith", he passes from under the sentence of death to the sentence of justification unto life eternal. But, at present, we have to do with animal or natural
a Deut. 12:23. b Lev. 17:11-14. c 1 Cor. 15:53,54.
THE IMAGE AND LIKENESS OF GOD pg 37
life, which is all the life the fleshly sons of the first Adam can boast of. Enough, however, I think has been advanced to show the scriptural import of the text already quoted, that "the Lord God formed man, the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of lives, and man became a living soul".
The simple, obvious,
and undogmatic meaning of this, is, that the dust was first formed into "clay", which was then
modelled by Jehovah Elohim into the form of the soul called "man", as
a potter shapes the substance of his vessels. Thus, Elihiu. said to Job, "
I also am formed out of the
clay" .(a) and again, "We are the clay, and thou our potter; and we
are all the work of thy hand "~(b) The
fashioning of the clay being accomplished in all its component parts, which in
the aggregate constitute man; that is, the dust being animalized, and then
organized, the next thing was to set all the parts of this exquisite mechanism
into motion. This was effected by the inrush of the air through his nostrils
into his lungs according to the natural laws. This phenomenon was the neshemet el, or "breath of
God", breathing into him; and as it was the pabulum of life to all
creatures formed from the dust, it is very expressively styled " the
breath of lives" in the plural
number. Some imagine that Jehovah Elohim placed His mouth to the nostrils of
the as yet clay-cold man-soul prostrate before Him, and so breathed into them.
Be this as it may; of this, however, we are without doubt, that God breathes
into every man at his birth the breath of lives to this day; and I see no
scriptural reason why we should deny that He breathed it into Adam as He hath
done into the nostrils of his posterity, namely, by the Operation of the
natural, or pneumatic, laws. Hitherto, man, though a soul formed from the
ground, had been inanimate; but, as
soon as he began to respire, like the embryo passing from fcetal to infant
life, he "became a living soul",
not an everliving, but simply nephesh chayiah, a living breathing
frame, or body of life.
MAN IN THE IMAGE AND LIKENESS OF THE ELOHIM
"Thou hast made him a little lower than the angels."
Men and beasts, say the scriptures, "have all one ruach or spirit; so that a man hath no pre-eminence above a beast". The reason assigned for this equality is the oneness of their spirit, which is proved by the fact of their common destiny; as it is written, "for all are vanity": that is, "all go unto one place; all are of the dust, and all turn to dust again". Yet this one spirit manifests its tendencies differently in men and other creature's. In the former, it is aspiring and God-defying, rejoicing in its own works, and devoted to the vanity of the passing hour; while in the latter, its disposition is grovelling to the earth in all things. Thus, the
a Job. 33:6. b Isaiah 64:8.
Pg 38 RUDIMENTS OF THE WORLD
heart of man being "deceitful above all things and desperately wicked, who can know or fathom it? "-Solomon was led to exclaim, "Who knoweth the spirit of the sons of Adam, ruach beni headani, which exalts itself to the highest, and the spirit of a beast which inclines to the earth? "(a) We may answer, "None, but God only" He knoweth what is in man, and needs not that any should testify of him.(b)
But, from this testimony someone might infer that, as man was made only "a little lower than the angels", and yet has "no pre-eminence over a beast", the beast also is but a little lower than the angels. This, however, would be a very erroneous conclusion. The equality of men and other animals consists in the kind of life they possess in common with each other. Vanity, or mortality, is all that pertains to any kind of living flesh. The whole animal world has been made subject to it; and as it affects all living souls alike, bringing them back to the dust again, no one species can claim pre-eminence over the other ; for " one thing befalleth them; as the one dieth, so dieth the other".
Man, however, differs from other creatures in having been modelled after a divine type or pattern. In form and capacity he was made like to the angels, though in nature inferior to them. This appears from the testimony that he was made "in their image, after their likeness ", and " a little lower than the angels ", or Elohim.(c) I sav, he was made in the image of the angels, as the interpretation of the co-operative imperative, " Let us make man in our image, after our likeness". The work 9f the six days, though elaborated by the power of Him "who dwelleth in the light", was executed by " his angels, that excel in strength, and do his commandments, hearkening unto the voice of his word "(d) These are styled Elohim, or "gods," in numerous passages. David says, " Worship him, all ye gods ";(e) which Paul applies to Jesus, saying,(*) " Let all the angels of God worship him "(f) Man, then, was made after the image and likeness of Elohim, but for a while inferior in nature. But the race will not always be inferior in this respect. It is destined to advance tc a higher nature ; not all the individuals of it ; but those of the race "who shall be accounted worthy to obtain that age ( the future age) and the resurrection from among the dead . . . who can die no more; for they are equal to the angels ; and are the sons of God, being the sons of the resurrection (g)
The import of the phrase "in the image, after the likeness is suggested by the testimony, that "Adam begat a son in his own likeness, after his image, and called his name Seth "(h) In this
aEccles. 3 :19-21. b John 2 : 25. c Psalm 8 :5. d Psalm 103 : 20
e Psalm 97 7. f Heb. 1: 6. g Luke 20 : 35, 36. h Gen. 5 : 3.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------*Paul's quotation is verbatim from Deut. 32 43 (LXX.)-not Psa. 97
SETH "IN THE IMAGE AND LIKENESS" OF ADAM pg 39
respect, Seth stands related to Adam, as Adam did to the Elohim; but differing in this, that the nature of Adam and Seth was identical; whereas those of Adam and the Elohim were dissimilar.
·Would any one be at a loss to know the meaning of Seth's being in the image of his father? The very same thing is meant by Adam being in the image of the Elohim. An image is the representation of some form or shape; metaphorically, it may signify the exact resemblance of one character to another. But in the case before us, the parties had no characters at the time of their birth. They were simply innocent of actual transgression; no scope having been afforded them to develop character. The Elohim, however, were personages of dignity and holiness, as well as of incorruptible, or spiritual, nature. The resemblance, therefore, of Adam to the Elohim as their image was of bodily form, not of intellectual and moral attainment; and this I apprehend to be the reason why the Elohim are styled "men" when their visits to the sons of Adam are recorded in the scriptures of truth. In
shape, Seth was like Adam, Adam like the Elohim, and the Elohim, the image of the invisible Increate; the great and glorious archetype of the intelligent universe.
Seth was also "in Adam's own likeness". While image, then, hath reference to form or shape, "likeness" hath regard to mental constitution, or capacity. From the shape of his head, as
compared with other creatures, it is evident that man has a mental capacity which distinguishes him above them all. Their likeness to him is faint. They can think; but their thoughts are only sensual. They have no moral sentiments, or high intellectual aspirations; but are grovelling in all their instincts, which incline only to the earth. In proportion as their heads assume the human form in the same ratio do they excel each other in sagacity;and, as in the monkey tribe, display a greater likeness to man. But, let the case be reversed ; let the human head degenerate from the godlike perfection of the Elohim, the standard of beauty in shape and feature; let it diverge to the image of an ape's, and the
human animal no longer presents the image and likeness of the Elohim ; but rather, the chattering imbecility of the creature most resembling it in form. Adam's mental capacity enabled him to comprehend and receive spiritual ideas, which moved him to veneration, hope, conscientiousness, the expression of his views, affections, and so forth. Seth was capable of the like display of intellectual and moral phenomena; and of an assimilation of character to that of his father. He was therefore in the likeness as well as in the image of Adam; and, in the same sense, they were both "after the likeness of the Elohim".
But, though Adam was "made in the image and after the likeness" of the "Holy Ones", the similitude has been so greatly marred, that his posterity present but a faint representation of either. The almost uncontrolled and continuous operation of " the
Pg 40 RUDIMENTS OF THE WORLD
law of sin and death "(a) styled by philosophers "the law of nature", which is an indwelling and inseparable constituent of our present economy, has exceedingly deformed the image, and effaced the likeness of God, which man originally presented. It required, therefore, the appearance of a New Man, in whom the image and likeness should re-appear, as in the beginning. This was the man Christ Jesus", whom Paul styles "the last Adam
He is " the Image of the invisible God "(b) " the effulgent mirror of the glory, and the exact likeness of his person,"(c) Hence, in another place, Paul says, he was "in the form of God "(d) and also "made in the likeness of men, and in the form of a man". Being thus the image and likeness of the invisible God, as well as of man, who was created in the image and likeness of the Elohim, he made himself equal with God in claiming God for his Father,( e) though born of " sinful flesh". Though thus highly related in paternity, image and character, he was yet "made a little lower than the angels" for he appeared not in the higher nature of Elohim, but in the inferior nature of the seed of Abraham. (f) This was the first stage of his manifestation, as the present is of the saints who are his brethren. But he is the appointed "heir of all things, on account of whom " " the ages were rearranged by the word of God, so that the things seen exist not from things apparent ".~(g)But, says the apostle, "we do not yet see all things put under him: but we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels for the suffering of death, crowned with glory and honour; that by the grace of God he should taste death for every man "(h)Having been thus laid low, and for this gracious purpose, he is no longer "lower than the angels". He is equal to them in body: and made so much superior to them in rank, dignity, honour, and glory, "as he hath by inheritance obtained a more excellent name than they"
In Jesus, then, raised from the dead incorruptible, and clothed with brightness as when he was transfigured upon the Holy Mount,(j) we behold the image and likeness of the invisible God. When
we contemplate him by faith, as we shall hereafter by sight, we see A MIRROR from which the glory of Jehovah is reflected in intellectual, moral, and physical grandeur. He that would know
God, must behold Him in Christ. If he be acquainted with Him as He is portrayed in the prophets and apostles, he will understand the character of God, whom no man hath seen, nor can see; Who chargeth His angels with folly, and before Whom the heavens are not clean. Jesus was the true light shining in the darkness of Judea, whose inhabitants "comprehended it not". Through him, God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, shone into the hearts of as many as received him; to give them the light
a Rom. 7 :23. b Col 1:15. c Heb. 1: 3. d Phil. 2 :6, 7, 8. e John 5:18
f Heb.2:16. g Heb.l:2; 1l:3 .h Heb.2:8,9. i Heb.1:4. j Matt.17:2.
THE SPIRITUAL BODY 41
of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ; that so they might receive power to become the sons of God, believing on his name.(a)
How consoling and cheering is it, then, amid all the evils of the present state, that God hath found a ransom, who is willing and able to deliver us from the power of the grave; and not only so, but that "at the manifestation of the sons of God "(b), when he shall appear in power and great glory, "we shall be like him; because we shall see him as he is".(c) Then will the saints be "changed into the same image from glory", now only a matter of hope, "into glory", as seen and actually possessed, "even as the Lord" himself was changed, when he became "the spirit giving life", or "a quickening spirit".
THE SPIRITUAL BODY.
"There is a spiritual body."
The subject of this section is the second member of the apostle's proposition, that "there is a natural body, and there is a spiritual body". It is contained in his reply to some of the Corinthian disciples, who, to their shame, had not the knowledge of God, and therefore foolishly inquired, "How are the dead raised up? and with what body do they come?" He showed them that the animal body had a similar relation to the spiritual body that naked grain has to the plant produced from it according to the law of its reproduction. He explained, that before a plant could be reproduced from a seed, the seed must be put into the soil, and die, or decay away. By the time the plant is established, all vestige of the seed is gone from the root ; yet, the identity of the seed with the plant is not lost, inasmuch as the same kind of seed re-appears in the fruit of the plant. The plant is the secondary body of the seed-body, which is the first. There are different kinds of vegetable seed-bodies; and also of animal seed-bodies. These classes of seeds are terrestrial bodies, and have their glory in the bodies produced from them. But there are also celestial bodies, whose glory is of a different character. It is a light blazing and sparkling in the vault of heaven, as may be seen by every eye. Such is the apostle's illustration of the resurrection of the dead; or, of how they are raised, and for what kind of body they spring forth. "So also", says he, "is the resurrection of the dead." We are in this state of the naked grain. We die and are buried, and go to corruption; leaving ony our characters behind us written in the book of God. When decayed, a little dust alone remains, as the nucleus of our future selves. When the time comes for the righteous dead to rise, then "He that raised up Christ from the dead will also make alive their mortal bodies by
a 2 Cor. 3:18; 4 : 6; John 1: 5,12. b Rom. 8:17-25. c 1 John 3 : 2.
Pg 42 RUDIMENTS OF THE WORLD
his spirit ", operating through Jesus upon their dust, and fashioning it into the image of the Lord from heaven (.a)Thus, as the Elohim made man out of the dust in their own image and likeness; so, the Lord Jesus, by the same spirit, will also re-fashion from the dust, the righteous of the posterity of the first Adam, into his own image and likeness. This is wonderful, that by a man should come the resurrection of the dead.( b) Truly may he be called the "Wonderful ".(c)Once a babe fondled at the breast, and hereafter the creator of myriads, now only dust and ashes, but then equal to the angels of God ; and "sons of the resurrection", of which he is himself " the First Fruits ".
Having shown "how", or upon what principles, the righteous dead are raised, the apostle gives us to understand, that their "glory" will consist in brightness ; for he cites the splendour of the celestial bodies as illustrative of theirs. This reminds us of the testimony in Daniel, that "They that be wise shall shine as the brightness of the firmament, and they that turn many to righteousness as the stars for ever and ever ".~(d)This is repeated by the Lord Jesus, who says, "Then shall the righteous shine forth as the sun in the kingdom of their Father ",(e) which assurance Paul also revives in his letter to the saints at Philippi. saying, "Our commonwealth has a beginning! in the heavens out of which also we wait for the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ: who will transfigure the body of our humiliation, that it may become of like form with the body of his glory, by the power of that which enables him even to subdue all things to himself.(g)
When we die we are buried, or "sown ",like so many seeds in the earth. We are sown, says the apostle, "in corruption , in dishonour", "in weakness", and with an animal nature; but, when we are raised to inherit the kingdom, we become incorruptible, glorious, powerful, and possessed of a spiritual nature, such as Jesus and the Elohim rejoice in. Now, a spiritual body is as material, or substantial and tangible, a body as that which we now possess. It is a body purified from "the law of sin and death". Hence it is termed " holy" and "spiritual", because it is born of the spirit from the dust, is incorruptible, and sustained by the ruach, or spirit, independently of the neshemeh, or atmospheric air. "That which is born of the flesh", in the ordinary way, "is flesh", or an animal body: and "that which is born of the spirit ", by a resurrection to life, " is spirit", or a spiritual body.(h) Hence, in speaking of Jesus, Paul says, "born of David's seed according to the flesh; and constituted the son of God in power, according to the spirit of holiness, through the resurrection from the dead ".(i) Thus, he was born of the spirit, and therefore
a Rom. 8 :11; 2 Cor. 4 :14. b 1 Cor. 15:21. c'Isaiah 9:6.
d Dan. 12 :3. eMatt. 13 :43. f Dan. 2 :44 Luke 19:12, 15.
g Phil. 3:20, 21. h John 3 :6. i Rom. 1:3, 4.
SPIRTUAL " FLESH AND BONES" 43
became "a spirit"; and, because highly exalted, and possessing a name which is above every name(a) he is styled "the Lord the Spirit".
That the spiritual body is independent of atmospheric air for its support, is clear from the ascension of the Lord Jesus. An animal body can only exist in water, or in atmospheric air, and at a comparatively low altitude above the surface of the earth. Now, the air does not extend beyond forty-five miles; consequently beyond that limit, if they could even attain to it, creatures supported by breath in the nostrils, could no more live than fish in the air Beyond our atmosphere is the ether through which they only can pass, who, like the Lord Jesus and the angels, possess a nature adapted to it. This is the case with the spiritual nature. Jesus was changed, into a spirit, and was therefore enabled to pass through it to the right hand of the Majesty in the heavens. Enoch, Elijah, and Moses, are also cases to the point.
The spiritual body is constituted of flesh and bones vitalized by the spirit. This appears from the testimony concerning Jesus. On a certain occasion, he unexpectedly stood in the midst of his disciples, at which they were exceedingly alarmed, supposing they beheld a spirit, or phantasm, as at a former time. But, that they might be assured that it was really he himself, he invited them to handle him, and examine his hands and feet: "For", said he, "a spirit hath not flesh and bones as ye see me have". Incredulous for joy, he gave them further proof by eating a piece of broiled fish and of a honeycomb.(b) Thomas thrust his hand into his side, and was convinced that he was the same who had been crucified.(c) What stronger proof can we need of the substantial and tangible nature of the spiritual body? It is the animal body purified, not evaporated into gas, or vapour. It is a bloodless body; for in the case of Jesus he had poured out his blood on the cross. The life of the animal body is in the blood; but not so that of the spiritual body: the life of this resides in that mighty power which suspends "the earth upon nothing", and is diffused through the immensity of space.
When the Lord Jesus said, " A spirit hath not flesh and bories as ye see me have", he did not mean to say that a spiritual body had not ; but a spirit such as they thought they saw. "They supposed they had seen a spirit." In the received reading the same word, ri'evjua, is used here as in the text which speaks of Jesus as "the Lord the Spirit" ; but evidently, not in the same sense. Indeed, the reading in Griesbach's edition of the original text is clearly the correct one. The word rendered spirit is properly a phantom or mere optical illusion; and not ~ spirit.(*) When Jesus walked upon the sea both
a Phil. 2 :9-11. b Luke 24 :36-43. c John 20 :27.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
*The R.V. retains pneuma. spirit: but in Matthew and Mark renders Phantasma, apparition.
Pg 44 RUDIMENTS OF THE WORLD
Matthew'(a) and
Mark(b) make use of the same phrase as Luke, and say that the disciples when
they saw him, "supposed they had seen a spirit, and they cried out for
fear" In both these places the word
is phantasma, and not pneuma.
Having affirmed that man stands related to two kinds of body, the apostle gives us to understand, that in the arrangements of God the spiritual system of things is elaborated out of the animal, and not the animal out of the spiritual. The natural world is the raw material, as it were, of the spiritual ; the bricks and mortar, so to speak, of the mansion which is to endure for ever. In relation to human nature, two men are presented as its types in the two phases it is to assume. These Paul styles " the First Adam", and " the Last Adam", or" the first mail" and "the second man". The former, he terms "earthy" ; because he came from the ground, and goes thither again and, the latter, "the Lord from heaven" ; because, being "known no more after the flesh", he is expected from heaven as the place of his final manifestation in "the body of his glory". Then, says John. "we shall be like him". If, therefore, we have been successful in depicting the Lord as he is now, while seated at the right hand of God; namely, an incorruptible, honourable, powerful, living person, substantial and tangible, shining as the sun, and able to eat and drink, and to display all mental and other phenomena in perfection: if the reader be able to comprehend such an" Image of the invisible God", he can understand what they are to be, who are accounted worthy to inherit His kingdom. Therefore, says Paul, "As we have borne the image of the earthy, we shall also bear the image of the heavenly ",(c) or, Lord from heaven.
This corporeal change of those, who have first been morally "renewed unto knowledge after the image of him that hath created them "(d) from " sinful flesh " into spirit, is an absolute necessity, before they can inherit the Kingdom of God. When we come to understand the nature of this Kingdom, which has to be exhibited in these pages, we shall see that it is a necessity which cannot be dispensed with. "That which is corruptible cannot inherit incorruptibility", says the apostle. This is the reason why animal men must die, or be transformed. Our animal nature is corruptible; but the Kingdom of God is indestructible, as the prophet testifies, saying, " It shall never be destroyed, nor left to other people ; but shall stand for ever "(e) Because, therefore, of the nature of this Kingdom, "flesh and blood cannot inherit it"; and hence the necessity of a man being "born of the spirit", or "he cannot enter into the Kingdom of God "(f) He must be "changed into Spirit", put on incorruptibility and immortality of body, or he will be physically incapable of retaining the
a Matt. 14 :26. b Mark 6 :49. c 1 Cor. 15 :49. d Col. 3 :10.
e Dan. 2:44.. f John 3:5, 6; 1 Cor. 15:50.
"BEHOLD, I SHEW YOU A MYSTERY" pg 45
honour, glory, and power of the Kingdom for ever, or even for a thousand years.
But, before the apostle concludes his
interesting exposition of "the kind of body for which the dead come",
he makes known a secret which was previously concealed from the disciples at
Corinth. It would probably have occurred to them, that if flesh and blood could
not inherit the Kingdom of God, then those who were living at the epoch of its
establishment, being men in the flesh, could have no part in it. But to remove
this difficulty, the apostle wrote, saying, ' Behold, I tell you a mystery. We
shall not all sleep (". to die,
be dead), but we shall all be changed, in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye,
at the last trumpet; for it (the seventh trumpet)(a) shall sound, and the dead
shall be raised incorruptible, equal to the angels(b), and we
shall be changed (, into spirit).(c) For this corruptible (body) must put on
incorruptibility and this mortal (body) must put on immortality . Then shall be brought to pass the
saying that is written, "Death is swallowed up in victory "~(d)
But, that the saints might not misapprehend the matter, especially those of them who may be contemporary with the seventh trumpet-period, he gave further particulars of the secret in another letter. The disciples at Thessalonica were deeply sorrowmg for the loss of some of their body who had fallen asleep in death; probably victims to persecution. The apostle wrote to comfort them, and exhorted them "not to sorrow as the others ( i.e., the unbelievers), who have no hope. For if we (the disciples) believe that Jesus died and rose again"; and be not like those, who, by saying, "There is no resurrection of the dead", in effect deny it; "even so", as he rose, "them also who sleep in Jesus will God bring forth ~ lead out, or produce), with him."' He then proceeds to show the "order "(f) in which the saints are changed into spirit, or immortalized, by the Son of Man(.g) "For", says he, "this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we, the living, who remain at the Lord's coming, shall not anticipate them who are asleep. For the Lord himself shall come down from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trumpet of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise FIRST: after that we, the living, who remain, shall be snatched away together with them in clouds to a meeting of the Lord in the air: and thus we shall be with the Lord at all times. Wherefore comfort one another with these words.' (h)
It will be seen from this, that survivors of the dead were not consoled in the first age of Christianity for the loss of their friends as they are now by those who "improve the death ' of the
a Rev. 11:15, 18; 15:8; 20:4. b Luke 20:36. c l Cor. 15 :45.
d Isaiah 25 8. e 2 Cor.4 :14. f1 Cor. 15 :23. g John 5 21,25,26,28, 29.
h 1 Thess. 4: 13-18.
Pg 46 RUDIMENTS OF THE WORLD
influential among them. In "funeral sermons", the "immortal souls" of the deceased are transported "on angels' wings to heaven", and the living are consoled with the assurance that they are singing the praises of God around the throne; feasting with Abraham, and the prophets, with the saints and martyrs, and with Jesus and his apostles in the Kingdom of God; and they are themselves persuaded, that the souls of their relations, now become angels, are watching over them, and praying for them; and that when they die their own souls will be re-united with them in the realms of bliss. Need I say to the man enlightened in the word, that there is no such comfort, or consolation, as this in the law and the testimony of God? Such traditions are purely mythological; and come of the Nicolaitan dogma of saved "ghosts, and goblins damn'd", which has cancerously extirpated "the truth as it is in Jesus". No, the apostles did not point men to the day of their death, and its immediate consequents, for comfort; nor did they administer the consolations of the gospel to any who had not obeyed it. They offered comfort only to the disciples; for they only are the heirs with Jesus of the Kingdom of God. They taught these to look to the coming of Christ, and to the resurrection, as the time of a re-union with their brethren in the faith. At death, they should "rest from their labours, and their works should follow them" ; and "to them that look for him shall he appear the second time without sin unto salvation ".(a) Such were the practical and intelligible "words" with which the apostles comforted their brethren; but words which have become sealed and cabalistic, both to the unlearned and "the wise
In conclusion, then, as far as power is concerned, God could have created all things upon a spiritual or incorruptible basis at once. The globe could have been filled with men and women, equal to the angels in nature, power, and intellect, on the sixth day; but the world would have been without a history, and its population characterless. This, however, would not have been according to the plan. The animal must precede the spiritual as the acorn goes before the oak. This will explain many difficulties which are created by systems; and which will for ever remain inexplicable upon the hypotheses they invent. The Bible has to do with things, not imaginations; with bodies, not phantasmata; with "living souls" of every species; with corporeal beings of other worlds; and with incorruptible and undying men; but it is as mute as death, and silent as the grave, having nothing at all to say about such "souls" as men pretend to "cure" ; except to repudiate them as a part of that "philosophy and vain deceit "(b) "which some professing have erred conceiving the faith."(c)
aHeb. 9 :28. b Col. 2 : 8. c1 Tim. 6 :21.
THE FORMATION OF WOMAN pg 47
THE FORMATION OF "WOMAN
"The woman was of the man."
Adam, having been formed in the image, after the likeness of the Elohim on the sixth day, remained for a short time alone in the midst of the earthborns of the field. He had no companion who could reciprocate his intelligence; none who could minister to his wants, or rejoice with him in the delights of creation; and reflect the glory of his nature. The Elohim are a society, rejoicing in the love and attachment of one another; and Adam, being like them though of inferior nature, required an object which should be calculated to evoke the latent resemblances of his similitude to theirs. It was no better for man to be alone than for them. Formed in their image, he had social feelings as well as intellectual and moral faculties, which required scope for their practical and harmonious exercise. A purely intellectual and abstractly moral society, untempered by domesticism, is an imperfect state. It may be very enlightened, very dignified and immaculate; but it would also be very formal, and frigid as the poles. A being might know all things, and he might scrupulously observe the divine law from a sense of duty; but something more is requisite to make him amiable, and beloved by either God or his fellows. This amiability the social feelings enable him to develop; which, however, if unfurnished with a proper object, or wholesome excitation, react upon him unfavourably, and make him disagreeable. Well aware of this. Yahweh Elohim said, "It is not good that the man should be alone. I will make him a help fit for him ".(a)
But previous to the formation of this help, God caused "every living soul" (kol nephesh chayiah) to pass in review before Adam, that he might name them. He saw that each one had its mate; "but for him there was not found a suitable companion". It was necessary, therefore, to form one, the last and fairest of His handiworks. The Lord had created man in His own "image and glory"; but He had yet to subdivide him into two; a negative and a positive division; an active and a passive half; male and female, yet one flesh. The negatives, or females, of all other species of animals, were formed out of the ground ;(b) and not out of the sides of their positive mates: so that the lion could not say of the lioness, "This is bone of my bone, and flesh of my flesh; therefore shall a lion leave his sire and dam, and cleave unto the same lioness for ever". The inferior creatures are under no such law as this; as primaries, indeed, the earth is their common mother, and the Lord, the "God of all their spirits". They have no second selves; the sexes in the beginning were from the ground direct; the female was not of the male, though the male is by her:
a Gen. 2:18. b verse, 19.
Pg 48 RUDIMENTS OF THE WORLD
therefore, there is no natural basis for a social, or domestic, law to them.
But in the formation of a companion for the first man, the Lord Elohim created her upon a different principle. She was to be a dependent creature; and a sympathy was to be established between them, by which they should be attached inseparably. It would not have been fit, therefore, to have given her an independent origin from the dust of the ground. Had this been the case, there would have been about the same kind of attachment between men and women as subsists among the creatures below them. The woman companionship was designed to be intellectually and morally sympathetic with "the image and glory of God", whom she was to revere as her superior. The sympathy of the mutually independent earthborns of the field, is purely sensual; and in proportion as generations of mankind lose their intellectual and moral likeness to the Elohim, and fall under the dominion of sensuality; so the sympathy between men and women evaporates into mere animalism. But, I say, such a degenerate result as this was not the end of her formation. She was not simply to be "the mother of all living"; but to reflect the glory of man as he reflected the glory of God.
To give being to such a creature, it was necessary she should be formed out of man. This necessity is found in the law which pervades the flesh. If the feeblest member of the body suffer, all the other members suffer with it; that is, pain even in the little finger will produce distress throughout the system. Bone sympathizes with bone, and flesh with flesh, in all pleasurable, healthful, and painful feelings. Hence, to separate a portion of Adam's living substance, and, from it to build a woman, would be to transfer to her the sympathies of Adam's nature; and though by her organization able to maintain an independent existence, she would never lose from her nature a sympathy with his, in all its intellectual, moral, and physical manifestations. According to this natural law, then, the Lord Elohim made woman in the likeness of the man, out of his substance. He might have formed her from his body before he became a living soul; but this would have defeated the law of sympathy; for in inanimate matter there is no mental sympathy. She must, therefore, be formed from the living bone and flesh of the man. To do this was to inffict pain; for to cut out a portion of flesh would have created the same sensations in Adam as in any of his posterity. To avoid such an infliction, "the Lord God caused a deep sleep to fall upon Adam, and he slept". While thus unconscious of what was doing, and perfectly insensible to all corporeal impressions, the Lord "took out one of his ribs, and then closed up the flesh in its place". This was a delicate operation; and consisted in separating the rib from the breast bone and spine. But nothing is too difficult
EVE DERIVED FROM ADAM pg 49
for God. The most wonderful part of the work had yet to be performed. The quivering rib, with its nerves and vessels, had to be increased in magnitude, and formed into a human figure, capable of reflecting the glory of the man. This was soon accomplished; for, on the sixth day, "male and female created he them": and "the rib which the Lord God had taken from man, he made a woman, and brought her unto the man". And "God blessed them, and said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish (fill again) the earth, and subdue it: and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that creepeth upon the earth".
Believing this portion of the testimony of God, need our faith be staggered at the resurrection of the body from the little dust that remains after its entire reduction? Surely, the Lord Jesus Christ by the same power that formed woman from a rib, and that increased a few loaves and fishes to twelve baskets of fragments after five thousand were fed and satisfied, can create multitudes of immortal men from a few proportions of the former selves: and as capable of resuming their individual identity, as was Adam's rib of reflecting his mental and physical similitude. It is blind unbelief alone that requires the continuance of some sort of existence to preserve the identity of the resurrected man with his former self. Faith confides in the ability of God to do what He has promised, although the believer has not the knowledge of how He is to accomplish it. Believing the wonders of the past, " he staggers not at the promise of God through unbelief; but is strong in faith, giving glory to God"."
The testimony of Moses in regard to the formation of woman brings to light a very interesting phenomenon, which has since been amply proved to be the result of a natural law. It is, that man may be made insensible to pain by being placed in a deep sleep. The Lord Elohim availed Himself of this law, and subjected the man He had made to its operation; and man, because he is in His likeness, is also able to influence his fellow-man in the same way. The art of applying the law is called various names, and may be practised variously. The name does not alter the thing. A man's rib might be extracted now with as little inconvenience as Adam experienced. by throwing him into a deep sleep, which in numerous cases may be easily effected; but there our imitative ability ceases. We could not build up a woman from the rib. Greater wonders, however, than this will man do hereafter; for by" the Man Christ Jesus" will his Bride be created from the dust, in his own image after his own likeness, "to the glory of God, throughout all ages, world without end. Amen
When the Lord God presented the newly formed creature to her parent flesh, Adam said, "This is now bone of my' bone, and flesh of my flesh; she shall be called Ishah (or Outman), because
a Rom. 4 : 20.
Pg 50 RUDIMENTS OF THE WORLD
she was taken out of Ish, or man. Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave unto his wife; and they shall be one flesh "(a) Thus, Adam pronounced upon himself the sentence that was to bind them together for weal or woe, until death should dissolve the union, and set them free for ever. This was marriage. It was based upon the great fact of her formation out of man; and consisted in Adam taking her to himself with her unconstrained consent. There was no religious ceremonial to sanctify the institution; for the Lord Himself even abstained from pronouncing the union. No human ceremony can make marriage more holy than it is in the nature of things. Superstition has made it "a sacrament", and inconsistently enough, denied it, though "a holy sacrament", to the very priests she has appointed to administer it. But priests and superstition have no right to meddle with the matter; they only disturb the harmony, and destroy the beauty, of God's arrangements. A declaration in the presence of the Lord Elohim, and the consent of the woman, before religion was instituted, is the only ceremonial recorded in the case. This, I believe, is the order of things among "the Friends", or nearly so; and, if all their peculiarities were as scriptural as this, there would be but little cause of complaint against them.
"Man", says the apostle, "is the image and glory of God; but the woman is the glory of the man"; and the reason he assigns is, because "The man is not of the woman; but the woman of the man. Neither was the man created for the woman; but the woman for the man "~(b) She was not, formed in the image of man, though she may have been in the image of some of the Elohim. "Man" is generic of both sexes. When, therefore, Elobim said, "Let us make man in our image"; and it is added, "male and female created he them", it would seem that both the man and the woman were created in the image and likeness of Elohim. In this case some of the Elohim are represented by Adam's form, and some by Eve's. I see no reason why it should not be so. When man-kind rises from the dead, they will doubtless become immortal men and women; and then, says Jesus, "they are equal to the angels"; on an equality with them in every respect. Adam only was in the image of Him that created him; but then, the Elohim that do the commandments of the invisible God, are the virile portion of their community: Eve was not in their image. Theirs was restricted to Adam; nevertheless, she was after the image and likeness of some of those comprehended in the pronoun "Our". Be this as it may, though not in the image, she was in the likeness of Adam; and both "very good" according to the subangelic nature they possessed.
Gen. 2 : 21-24. b 1 Cor. 11:7-9.
pg51 A GREAT MYSTERY.
"We are members
of his body, of his flesh, and of his bones."
In writing to the disciples at Ephesus, the apostle illustrated the submission due from wives to their husbands by the obedience rendered to Christ by the community of the faithful in his day. As the church is subject unto Christ, so let the wives be to their own husbands in every thing." This was an injunction of absolute submission to their Christian husbands as unto the Lord himself ; because " the husband is the head of the wife, even as Christ is the head of the Church ". But, while he enjoins this unqualified obedience, he exhorts their husbands to return them due benevolence, not to treat them with bitterness, but to love them "even as Christ loved the church, and gave himself up for it". If unbelieving wives, however, were disobedient and perverse, and chose to depart, "let them; a brother is not under bondage, in such cases ".~ The love which should subsist between Christian brethren and sisters in the married state, is such as Christ manifested for the church bv anticipation. " While we were yet sinners Christ died for us ", says the apostle.(b) This is the greatest love a man can possibly show, that he should die for his enemies; and this is the kind of love which Paul commends to the attention of the Ephesians; though always on the supposition, that the wives "adorn the hidden man of the heart with that which is incorruptible, even a meek and quiet spirit, which is in the sight of God of great price. For after this manner in the old time the holy women also, who trusted in God, adorned themselves, being in subjection to their own husbands: even as Sara obeyed Abraham, calling him Lord: whose daughters such women are, as long as they do well, and are not dismayed at any threat."(c)
As he had introduced the subject of matrimonial love and obedience, and had adduced the love of Christ for them all as his church, by way of illustration; he proceeds to show the object for which he loved them even unto death; the relationship which was subsequently established between them; and the sacrifice which they ought cheerfully to make for him, who had loved them so devotedly. His object in giving himself for the church before it was formed, was that those who should afterwards compose it "might be sanctified and cleansed in the laver of the water by the word that", at the resurrection, "he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but holy and without blemish". "Ye are clean ", said Jesus to his disciples, ,' through the word which I have spoken to you. "(d) This word, which is
a 1 Cor. 7 :15. b Rom. 5 : 6,8. c I Peter 3 : 3-6 . d John 15 : 3
pg 52 RUDIMENTS OF THE WORLD
defined to be" the law and the testimony ",'(a) is the great instrument of holiness and purification. It changes men's minds; loosens their attachment to earthly things ; causes them to place their affection on things above; creates a new and right spirit within them; diffuses the love of God abroad in their hearts; separates them from sinners; leads them into Christ ; and develops in their lives, fruit characteristic of that repentance which needs not to be repented of. The Lord Jesus styles it, "the word of the kingdom" ;(b) and Peter, the incorruptible seed (c) and Paul, "the word of the truth of the gospel ";(d) and John, "God's seed";' and by James it is termed, "the word of truth ",( f)with which the invariable and unvacillating Father of lights begets His children, that they should be " a kind of firstfruits of his creatures". It is by this word that an individual is renewed or renovated; so as, in an intellectual and moral sense, to become a "new man", as appears from what the apostle says to the brethren at Colosse. "Ye have put on the new man, which is renewed unto knowledge(g) after the image of him that created him". This renewing affects the spirit of the mind,(h) which may be known to be renovated by a man having turned from his natural subserviency to "the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eye, and the pride of life", to "righteousness and true holiness ". When the mental disposition, called "the heart ", is renewed, it becomes a mirror, as it were, in which one skilled in the word of the kingdom, can discern the spirit, or behold a reflection of the Divine Nature. This image of God in a man's character can only be created by the word of the truth of the gospel of the kingdom. A man may be very "pious" according to the standard of piety set up and approved by his fellow men; but, if he be ignorant of the renewing elements,-if he neither know nor understand, and consequently, and necessarily, be faithless of the law and testimony of God, "there is no light in him". He is walking in a vain show; "in the vanity of his mind, having his understanding darkened, being alienated from the life of God through the ignorance that is in him, because of the blindness of his heart ".(i) The law and the testimony are styled by Peter," God's knowledge" ; "whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises, " that BY THESE", i.e., by the understanding and belief of these, "ye might be partakers of the Divine Nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust ",( j) Now, the "testimony of God" came by the Holy Spirit, by which God testified in His prophets ;(k) and, in the last days, spoke through His Son'(l) and the apostles."'(m) Hence, the effects of the word believed are attributed to the spirit; and because the word sets men to breathing in God's moral atmosphere, it is termed
a Isaiah 8 :20. b Matt. 13 : 19. c 1 Peter 1: 23. d Col. 1: 5. e1 John 3 :9.
f James 1:18. g Col. 3:10. h Eph. 4 :23, 24. i verse 18.
j 2 Pet. 1: 2-4.
k Neh.9:30. l Heb.1 :1-2; ·John3:34; 5:47; 6:63; 7:16: 12:48,49.
"m Matt. 10 :19, 20.
FAITH AND BAPTISM pg 53
"spirit and life". These remarks will explain the saying of the apostle to Titus, "According to his mercy God saved us through the laver of regeneration, and renewal of the Ho7y Spirit ".(a) This is parallel to the saying, "Sanctified and cleansed in the laver of the water by the word"; for the reader must not suppose, that any man, woman, or child, who is ignorant of the word, can be regenerated, or born again, by being plunged into a bath. The Holy Spirit does not renew the heart of man as he renews the mortal body, when through Jesus he raises it from the dead. In this case, the power is purely physical. But, when the heart is the subject of renewal it is by the knowledge of the written testimony of God, or the word. " God", says Peter, speaking of the Gentile believers, "purified their hearts by faith" ;(b) and Paul prays, "That Christ may dwell in their hearts by faith ".(c) Now, faith comes by hearing the word of God ;(d) in other words, it is the belief of God's testimony concerning things to come, which are not seen ;(e) and without which, it is impossible to please Him.(f) When a man is renewed by the truth, he is renewed by the spirit, and not before. There is no such thing in the scriptures as a renewed ignorant man. Ignorance of the testimony of God, and regeneration, are utterly incompatible. The truth is the purifier to those only who understand and obey it ;(g) and there is no moral purity, or sanctification of spirit before God, without it. It is only believers of the truth, then, who can be the subjects of a regeneration by being submerged "in the laver of the water". When they come out of this, they have been "washed, sanctified, and justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, by the spirit of God " (h)
The truth to be believed is the gospel of the kingdom and name of Jesus Christ. When this is understood, and heartily received, it produces a disposition of mind, such as was in Abraham and Jesus, and which is called repentance. Believers, so disposed, are the begotten of God, and have become as little children. They believe "the exceeding great and precious promises", together with the things testified concerning the sufferings and resurrection of Jesus. He fell into a deep sleep; and, while thus unconscious and insensible, his side was opened by a spear, and forthwith rushed blood and water. Being awakened out of his sleep, he was built up a spiritual body, flesh and bones; and, by his ascension, presented to the Father as the federal representative of his church. This is the aggregate of those, who, believing these things, have been introduced into Christ through the laver of the water; according to the saying of the scriptures, "Ye are all the children of God in Christ Jesus through the faith. For as many as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ"
a Tit.3:5. b Acts l5:9. c Eph.3:17. d Rom.10::17. e Heb 1l :1.
f verse 6. g I Peter 1:22. h l Cor. 6:11. i Acts8 :12. j John 19:33, 34.
Pg 54 RUDIMENTS OF THE WORLD
..." Ye are all one in Christ Jesus. And if ye be Christ's, then are ye Abraham's seed, and HEIRS according to the promise. "(a) A community of such individuals as these constitutes the mystical body of Christ. By faith, its elements are "members of his body, of his flesh, and of his bones". Hence, they are "bone of his bone, and flesh of his flesh" ; and therefore, the beloved Eve of the last Adam, the Lord who is to come from heaven, and make her of the same holy spiritual nature as his own. Thus, the church is figuratively taken out of the side of her Lord ; for every member of it believes in the remission of sins through his shed blood; and they all believe in the real resurrection of his flesh and bones, for their justification unto life by a similar revival from the dead. " Your bodies are the members", or flesh and bones, "of Christ; . . . and he that is joined unto the Lord is one spirit "~(b) "I have espoused you to one husband," says Paul, "that I may present you as a chaste virgin to Christ "." It will be perceived, then, that the church as defined, is in the present state the espoused of Christ, but not actually married. She is in the formative state, being moulded under the hand of God. When she shall be completed, God will then present her to the Man from heaven, "arrayed in fine linen, clean and white".(d)' This is she of whom the psalmist sings, "Hearken, 0 daughter, and consider, and incline thine ear; forget also thine own people and thy father's house ; so shall the king greatly desire thy beauty: for he is thy Lord; and worship thou him. The king's daughter is all glorious within; her clothing is of wrought gold. She shall be brought unto the king in raiment of needlework; the virgins, her companions that follow her, shall be brought unto thee. With gladness and rejoicing shall they be brought: they shall enter into the king's palace". The presentation of Eve to the first Adam was the signal of rejoicing to the Morning Stars; and we perceive that the manifestation of Messiah's Queen will be attended with the "A lleluia" of a great multitude, sounding like the roaring of many waters, and the echoes of mighty thunderings, saying, "Let us be glad and rejoice, and give honour to the Lord God omnipotent: for the marriage of the Lamb is come, and his betrothed hath made herself ready".
Such is the relationship and destiny of the true church, styled by Paul, "the One Body". It is forming by the word; or, taking it as formed in the apostolic age, but not presented, the apprehension of the apostle has been sadly realized. "I fear", says he, "let by any means, as the serpent beguiled Eve through his subtlety, so your minds should be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ." The tempter has seduced the betrothed. The simplicity in Christ is no longer characteristic of a community.
a Gal. 3:26-29. b I Cor. 6:15,17. c 2 Cor. 11:2. d Rev. 19 : 7,8.
e Psalm 45: 10-15.
EDEN pg
55
It is corrupted on every side; and the ruin of the transgression alone prevails. Nevertheless, although there be no hope for the professing world, seeing that it is too "wise in its own conceit
too self-satisfied with its supposed illumination ; glorifying itself, and saying, "I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing", and knows not, and will not be persuaded, "that it is wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked "(a)-seeing, I say, that this is the irremediable condition of the religious public, yet there remains scope for the deliverance of those who are disposed to obey God rather than men. If they would become bone of Christ's bone, and flesh of his flesh, they must "leave father and mother, and be joined unto the wife". They find themselves now, perhaps, members of denominations as they happen to be led. These are their parentage according to the fleshly mind. They must be forsaken, and men must become" one flesh" and "one spirit" in the Lord, if they would inherit the kingdom of God.(b) "This is a great mystery", says Paul; "but I speak concerning Christ and the church."" This mystery, I have endeavoured to elucidate in these remarks, though necessarily in a very brief, and therefore imperfect manner. When I shall have finished the work before me, it will have been more minutely unfolded, and, I trust, convincingly explained.
EDEN.
In Eden."
When Moses penned the words "in Eden ",(d) he was westward in "the wilderness of the land of Egypt",. From the expression, then, we are to understand that there was a country styled Eden in his day, which lay to the eastward of his position. Adam and Eve were its aborigines. It was "the East" of the Egyptians, as Ohio, Indiana, and Illinois are " the West " to the Atlantic American States. It was quite an extensive range of country, and in after times became the seat of powerful dominions. It appears to have been well watered by the branches, or tributaries, of "a river that went", or flowed, "out of it,'" (e) These were four principal streams, whose names, as given by Moses, are the Pison, "which compasseth the whole land of Havilah"; the Gihon, "the same is it which compasseth the whole land of Khush", or Khushistan ; the third, the Hiddekel, or Tigris, " that is it which goeth eastward to Assyria. And the fourth river is the Euphrates " (,f) frequently styled in the scriptures, " the Great River "(g) On the map before me, there are four rivers which flow together, and at length form a river which falls into the Persian Gulf. This indicates the country called Eden, namely, that which is watered by these rivers; so that we may reasonably conclude
a Rev. 3:17. b Matt. 10 : 37. c Eph. 5 : 22-32. d Gen. 2 : 8.
e 'verse 10 f verses 11-14. g Gen. 15:18.
Pg 56 RUDIMENTS OF THE WORLD
that in early times it comprehended the land east of the Jordan, Syria, Assyria, part of Persia, Khushistan, and the original settlements of Ishmael.(a)
This country, in after ages, came to be denominated "the Garden of the Lord"; and the kings who reigned in it, "the Trees of Eden". It was no doubt termed the Lord's garden as a whole, from the fact of His having, in the beginning, planted a garden in it, where He put the man; so that the name of a small part of Eden came to be applied by his family in the time of Seth, Noah, Shem, Abraham, and Moses, to the whole region; more especially as the future paradise is to occupy a considerable portion of its ancient limits.
The plain of Jordan appears to have been part of Eden from the following texts. "Lot beheld all the plain of Jordan, that it was well watered everywhere as the garden of the Lord. Then Lot chose him all the plain of Jordan; and Lot journeyed east; and dwelled in the cities of the plain " ;(b) that is, in the East, or Eden.
There is a prophecy in Ezekiel, predicting the overthrow of the Egyptian Pharaoh by the King of Babylon, "the mighty one of the heathen". In setting forth the certainty of his overthrow, God recapitulates the power and dominion of the Ninevite dynasty of Assyria; which, however, was not able to withstand the King of Babylon, and therefore there was no hope for Egypt of a successful resistance. In the recapitulation, the Ninevite Assyrian is styled, "a cedar in Lebanon" ; that is, his dominion extended over the land of the ten tribes of Israel, in which are the cedar-crowned mountains of Lebanon. After describing the greatness of his power by the magnitude of the cedar, the Lord says, "the cedars in the garden of God could not hide him; nor was any tree in the garden of God like unto him in his beauty. I made him fair by the multitude of his branches ; so that all the trees of Eden, in the garden of God, envied him "(c) These trees (d) are representative of the royalties of Mesopotamia, Syria, Israel, etc., which the king of Assyria had abolished; and which "could not hide him", or prevent him getting the ascendancy over them. It is clear, then, from the terms of this beautiful allegory, that the countries I have indicated are comprehended in Eden; that as a whole it is styled the garden of the Lord; and that the trees are the royalties of the land.
That Eden extended to the Mediterranean, or Great Sea", appears from Ezekiel's prophecy against Tyre. Addressing the Tyrian royalty, he says, "Thou hast been in Eden, the garden of God. . . . Thou wast upon the holy mountain of God. Thou wast perfect in thy ways from the day that thou wast created, till iniquity was found in thee. Therefore I will cast thee as profane out of the mountain of God. Thou shalt be a terror, and never
a Gen. 25:18. b Gen. 13:10-12. c Ezek. 31: 3, 8, 9. d Dan. 4 : 20.22.
e Isaiah 37 12-13.
THE GARDEN OF EDEN pg 57
shalt thou be any more."(a) The meaning of this is obvious to one acquainted with the history of the kingdom of Tyre. It was a royalty of Palestine in Upper Galilee, whose king, Hiram, was in intimate alliance with Solomon. He appears to have been a proselyte worshipper of the God of Israel; whom his successors some time afterwards forsook; and therefore God suppressed the kingdom of Tyre by Nebuchadnezzar for seventy years; and finally by the Greeks.
Eden has been a field of blood from the
beginning of the contest between the "Seed of the Woman" and the
"Seed of the Serpent", until now; and will yet continue to be until
the serpent power be broken upon the mountains of Israel. It was in Eden that
Abel died by the hand of Cain. There also Abel's antitype was wounded in the
heel, when put to death upon the accursed tree; and lastly, to fill up the
measure of iniquity of the blood-defiled land, the serpents of Israel slew the
son of Barachias between the temple and altar. But the blood of God's saints
shed in Eden, did not cry to Ham for vengeance without effect: for as the Lord
Jesus declared, so it came to pass. "Behold", said he to the vipers
of his day, "I send you prophets, and wise men, and scribes; and some of
them ye will kill and crucify; and some of them ye will scourge in your
synagogues, and persecute from city to city; that upon you may come all the
righteous blood shed upon the land, from the blood of righteous Abel unto the
blood of Zecharias, son of Barachias, whom ye slew between the temple and the
altar "~(b)
Eden is emphatically the Lord's land, or garden; and from the creation till the breaking off of Israel's olive branch, the principal, and almost only, theatre upon which He exhibited His onders to the nations in the days of old. Egypt and its wilderness may be excepted for forty years. Beyond its limits was as outer darkness. Eden only was favoured with light, until the gospel found its way among the nations of the west; and darkness covers the land, and gross darkness the people; yet the Lord, its light, will arise upon it and His glory shall be seen there.(c)
THE GARDEN OF EDEN.
"And the Lord God planted a garden eastward in Eden."
While Eden was "the East" eastward of the wilderness, the garden of Eden. was eastward in Eden,. Eden the garden of the Lord" and the garden of Eden", are quite different ideas. The former designates the whole of Eden as the Lord's garden; the latter, as merely a plantation in some part of it. To plant a garden is to fence in a certain piece of land, and to adorn it with
a Ezek. 28:13, 16,19. b Matt. 23 :35. c Isaiah 60:1, 2.
Pg 58 RUDIMENTS OF THE WORLD
fruit and ornamental trees and shrubs. If unenclosed, and consequently unguarded, it is not a garden. The name of the plantation implies that its surface was protected from the invasion of the animals, whose habits made them unfit tenants of a garden. The place, then, was an enclosure, planted with " every tree that is pleasant to the sight and good for food". Its situation, Moses says, was "eastward", having a river flowing through it to water it. I suspect from this, that it lay somewhere between the Gulf of Persia, and the junction of the Euphrates and the Tigris. The text reads," And a river went out of Eden to water the garden; and from thence it was parted, and became into four heads " which I should interpret thus :~a river flowing out of Eden was caused to water the garden on its way to the sea ; and from the garden northward, the river diverged into its branches, which terminated at four several heads. The heads were not in the garden, but at remote distances from it. The garden of Eden was watered by only one, and not by four rivers ; as it is written, "a river went out to water it " ; which certainly excludes the four from its enclosure.
In the Septuagint of this text, the word garden is expressed by which is transferred into our language without translation. Paradise is a Persian word adopted into the Greek, and expressed in Hebrew by parades or pardes. It signifies a park, a forest, or preserve ; a garden of trees of various kinds, a delightful grove, etc. It is found in these texts : 'I made me gardens (paradises) and orchards, and I planted trees in them of all kinds of fruits "( a) and, " A garden enclosed (a paradise) is my sister spouse . . . ; thy plants are an orchard of pomegranates etc.(b) The latter text is part of a description of Solomon's vineyard, representative of that part of Eden over which he reigned; and metaphorical of its beauty, fertility, and glory, when the Heir of the vineyard, the "greater than Solomon", shall come to Zion, and "marry the land" of Eden, as defined in the everlasting covenant made with Abraham.(c) For so it is written, "Thy land, O Zion, shall no more be termed desolate: but thou shalt be called Hephzibah (i.e., my beloved is in her), and thy land Beulah (i.e., married) : for Jehovah delighteth in thee, and thy land shall be married. For as a young man marrieth a virgin, so shall thy sons marry thee : and as the bridegroom rejoiceth over the bride, so shall thy God rejoice over thee "
When the marriage, or union, takes place between the sons of Zion, and their king, with the Land of Promise in Eden, it will again become the garden of the Lord, or Paradise, which His own right hand hath planted. For "the Lord shall comfort Zion: he will comfort all her waste places ; and he will make her wilderness like Eden, and her desert like the garden of the Lord; joy and gladness shall be found therein, thanksgiving, and the voice of
a Eccles. 2 : 5. b Cant. 4:12, 13. c Gen. 15:18. d Isaiah 62 :4, 5.
PARADISE pg 59
melody ".(a) "Instead of the thorn shall come up the fir tree, and instead of the brier shall come up the myrtle tree: and it shall be to the Lord for a name, for an everlasting sign that shall not be cut off"(b) At that time, " I will open rivers in high places, and fountains in the midst of the valleys: I will make the wilderness a pool of water, and the dry land springs of water. I will plant in the wilderness the cedar, the shittah tree, and the myrtle tree, and the oil tree ; I will set in the desert the fir tree, and the pine, and the box together: that they (Israel) may see, and know, and consider, and understand together, that the hand of the Lord hath done this, and the Holy One of Israel hath created it "(c).
These testimonies reveal a future state in regard to Eden, of which its primitive garden is a
beautiful and appropriate representation. Once the seat of a paradise on a small scale, it is destined to be transformed from its present desolation into "the Paradise of God". The country of the four rivers, even to the west from sea to sea, is predetermined to shine forth as "the glory of all lands". Paradise hath no other locality. Other orbs may have their paradises: but as far as man is concerned, the Paradise of God will be by Him planted in Eden according to "the promise". " In that day, shall Israel be the third with Egypt and Assyria, even a blessing in the midst of the land"; that is, of Eden: "whom the Lord of Hosts shall bless, saying, Blessed be Egypt, my people, and Assyria; the work of my hands, and Israel, mine inheritance "(d)
In the letter to the congregation at Ephesus, the Spirit says, "To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the Tree of Life, which is in the midst of the paradise of God".' The simple import of this is as follows. The saints of God are termed in scripture, Trees of Righteousness ", which bring forth good fruit ; and the King of Saints, the Tree of Life. This, then, is the symbol of Christ as the giver of life. "As the living Father hath sent me, and I live by the Father; so he that eateth me", says Christ, "even he shall live by me. (f)1 Hence, to give a man to eat of the Tree of Life, is for the Lord Jesus to raise a true believer from among the dead to incorruptible life. He will then eat, or partake., of that life, which he is ordained to bestow, who said of himself, "I am the way, and the truth, and the life". But none of the believers, or heirs of life, can partake of the life-giving tree, until it is manifested in the Paradise of God; that is, until the Lord appears his Kingdom.(g) We shall see in the second part of this work the particulars concerning this Kingdom. I shall, therefore, content myself with remarking here, that when it is manifested, it will be established in the Lord's land; that is, in Eden: hence, the promise, interpreted into plain English, is" To the believer that overcomes the world,(h) will I, the Lord, who am the life, give
a Isaiah 51: 3. b Isaiah 55:13. c Isaiah 41:18-20. d Isaiah 19 : 24,25.
e Rev.2:7. f John 6:57. g 2Tim.4: 1,8; 1Pet. 1:7.13. h John 5:4.
Pg 60 RUDIMENTS OF THE WORLD
glory. honour, and immortality, when I come to stand on the Mount of Olives,(a) and to re-establish the kingdom and throne of David, as in the days of old "(b) There is no immortality, nor
Paradise until then; neither can any attain to them unless they overcome the world" ; for the promise is
only " to him that overcometh"
But to this doctrine sceptics object, that Paradise must have a present existence somewhere ;seeing that, on the day of his crucifixion, Jesus told the thief that he should be with them in Paradise on that day; as it is written, " I say to thee, to-day shalt thou be with me in Paradise ".(c) I admit, that it is so written in English; but I find there are various readings and punctuations in the Greek. In the first place, the thief's petition is differently worded in some manuscripts. In the common version it reads Remember me, Lord, when thou comest in thy kingdom", , but in others, it is various, though in sense the same-as, "Remember me when thou comest in the day of thy coming", . Now the Lord "comes in his kingdom" "in the day of his coming " ; therefore, I say, the two phrases are in sense the same, only the latter more plainly suggests to " the unskilful in the word of righteousness ",'(d)the import of the term " to-day", in the answer to the petition.
told him, in effect, that what he requested should be granted : in other words, that when he was himself in his kingdom he should be there too. But does the reader imagine, that Jesus told him the time when, seeing that he was not even himself acquainted with the time when the Jewish State, as constituted by the Mosaic code, should be abolished? And, till this was set aside, he could not come in his kingdom; for then he is to sit and rule, and be a priest upon his throne ;(e) which he could not be co-existent with the law: because the law of Moses would permit no one to officiate as a priest, who was not of the tribe of Levi ; and Jesus was descended from Judah.(f) " Heaven and earth", or the Mosaic constitution of things in Eden, "shall pass away", said Jesus: "but of that day and hour knoweth no man-no, not the angels which are in heaven, neither the Son, but the Father "(g)
Furthermore, does the reader suppose, that the Lord informed the thief of the time when he would come in his kingdom ; or that it could possibly be, that he came in his kingdom on the day of his suffering ; seeing that on the forty-third day afterwards, he refused to tell even the apostles, the times and the seasons when he would " restore AGAIN the kingdom to Israel " ? " It is not for you to know the times and the seasons, which the Father hath put in his own power. "(h) This was his language to the apostles. The
a 'Zech. 14:4. b Amos 9 11 .c Luke23:43 d Heb. 5:13.
e Zech. 6 :12,13, 15. f Heb 7 :12-14 e Mark 13:31,32 h Acts 1:3.6,7.
THE THIEF ON THE CR055 pg 61
kingdom could not be restored. again to Israel under the Mosaic code. This had "decayed, and waxed old, and was ready to vanish away ".(a) It was to be "cast down to the ground", the daily sacrifice was to be taken away, and the temple and city to be demolished, by the Little Horn of the Goat, or Roman power.(b) To tell them of the times and the seasons of the kingdom, would have been to have informed them of this national catastrophe; of which they were kept in ignorance, that they might not fall asleep, but be continually on the watch.
But, though Jesus did not then know the times and the seasons of the kingdom, he knows them now; for, about thirty years after the destruction of Jerusalem, "God gave him a revelation of the things which shortly must come to pass" (c) and in this apocalypse, the times and seasons are set forth in order. But, to return to the case of the thief. In saying "to-day", Jesus did not, and could not, tell him the precise time when he should be with him in Paradise. In some translations, there is a various, and no doubt the correct, punctuation. The comma, instead of being after thee ",is placed after" to-day" ; as, " I say unto thee today,(*) thou shalt be with me in the Paradise, : that is, "At this time, or, I now say to thee, thou shalt be with me in my kingdom in the day of my coming".
But, if the objector insist upon an interpretation of the passage as it stands in the common version, then let it be so; his position will be by no means less easy to carry. His instantaneous translation of souls to Paradise at death, as far as it is fortified by this passage, hangs upon a thread, like the sword of the Syracusan tyrant; and that is, the word "to-day". This is a scripture term, and must be explained by the scripture use of it. In the sacred writings, then, the term is used to express a period of over two thousand years. The use of it occurs in David, as it is written, To-day if ye will hear his voice, harden not your hearts, lest ye enter not into my rest "(d) The apostle, commenting upon this passage about one thousand years after it was written, says, Exhort one another daily, while it is called to-day"; and, Labour to enter into the rest that remaineth for the people of God". Thus, it was called "to-day", when David wrote; and to-day", when Paul commented upon it. This was a long day; but one, however, which is not yet finished; and will continue unclosed until the manifestation of the rest in the Paradise of God. If it be admitted, that we are still in " the day of salvation", then it must be received as true, that we are living "while it is called to-day "-that "today" is now; and this "now" will be present
a Heb. 8:13. b Dan. 8:9-12,24; 9:26. c Rev. 1:1. d Psalms 95:711. e Heb. 3:13; 4:11,9.
(*) (to-day), thus qualifies the preceding verb in Luke 2 :11, and many other passages in the N.T. Also in the LXX. of Deut. 8; 19; 9:1; 30 :18, 19; and other places.
Pg 62 RUDIMENTS OF THE WORLD
until the Lord Jesus enters into his rest (a) which he cannot do until he has finished the work God has given him to do.(b) ,' Behold, now is the time of acceptance behold, now is the day", or the
to-day " " of salvation "(c)~a period of time from Joshua to the future glorious manifestation of Christ in the kingdom, to say nothing of " the accepted time " to the patriarchs, before the typical rest of Israel in the promised land.
Lastly, is it not the very climax of absurdity to talk of Jesus being "in his kingdom ", or "in the Paradise", which were synonymous, while he was lying dead in the tomb ? Is his kingdom among the dead? He told the Pharisees it was among the living. " Oh, but ", says one, " he descended into hell.
True ", says another, " and while he was there he preached the gospel to the dead, and proclaimed repentance to the spirits in prison. He and the thief, that is to say, their souls, were there together as soon as death released them. This was Paradise". Not exactly so ", adds a third. " That savours too much of purgatory. They were in an intermediate state of blessedness before the throne of God, in the kingdoms beyond the skies. How can that be ". says a fourth ; " is the blessedness in God's presence only intermediate ? They went straight to the fulness of joy for evermore. ' Why, then, was Jesus raised that he might go to the Father,(d) if he were with the Father before and, where did he leave the thief, for he was not raised ; and if not raised, but left behind, how can he be with the Lord in Paradise? When this question is answered, it will be time enough to glance at the traditions extant upon this subject-dogmatisms, however, which none who understand the gospel of the kingdom can possibly entertain.
MAN'S DOMINION.
"Let them have dominion."
The garden being prepared in Eden, the Lord placed the man there whom He had formed. It was there the " deep sleep" came over him, and he first beheld his bride. They were now settled in Paradise ; and, protected by its enclosure from the intrusion of the inferior creatures, they passed their days in blissful tranquillity innocent of transgression, and in peaceful harmony with God and the creatures He had made. Adam dressed the garden and kept it. This was his occupation. Though as yet sinless, it was no part of his enjoyments to be idle. To eat bread in the sweat of the face is sorrowful ; but to work ,without toil is an element of health and cheerfulness and is doubtless the rule of life to all the intelligences of the universe of God.
a Psalm l.32 : l3-l8. b Isaiah 49:5. ,6,8; 40:10, c 2 Cor. 6 2.
d John 16 17.
MAN'S DOMINION pg 63
But he was not simply an inhabitant of the Paradise, placed there "to dress and keep it". The work before him was to begin the replenishing and subjugation of the earth. For in the blessing pronounced upon them, God said, "Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it". The material was all before him. The earth was to be peopled; and the culture of the garden, as the model of improvement, to be extended as his posterity spread themselves over its surface.
This command to " replenish the earth" strengthens my previous conclusion, that the earth had been inhabited at some period anterior to the creation of the six days; and that its population had all been swept away by a catastrophe similar to the Noachic flood. That "replenish" means to fill the earth again, is manifest from the use of the word in the blessing pronounced upon Noah. As it is written, "And God blessed Noah and his sons, and said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth". There is no room for dispute here. Every one must admit that it signifies to fill again; for, having been filled by Adam, all his posterity, except eight persons, were swept away by the deluge; and Noah and his sons were to supply their place, or refill it, as at this day. I see, therefore, no good reason why the same word should not be similarly interpreted in both cases; which I have concluded to do.(*)
Man's conquests in a sinless state were to be over rocks, mountains, seas, and rivers, by which he might subdue them to his own convenience and enjoyment; and, perhaps, had he continued innocent of transgression until his mission was accomplished; that is, until by his faithfulness he had filled the earth again with people, and had subdued it from its natural wildness to a paradise state- his nature would have been exalted to an equality with the Elohim; and the earth, without any violent changes, have become his dwelling-place for ever. But, the Creator foreseeing that man would transgress, laid the foundation of the earth upon such principles as would afterwards accommodate it to his altered circumstances. Had He foreseen a result different from what has actually come to pass, He would, doubtless, have framed or constituted it with reference to that result. But, while He did not necessitate man's transgression, His plan was to constitute a natural world with reference to it as its basis; and then, on the other hand, without necessitating man's obedience, to constitute a spiritual, or incorruptible, order of things upon the earth, having an intelligent and voluntary conformity to His precepts, as the foundation upon which it should be built. This, then, is the present order of things. Man is replenishing the earth and subduing it. He is reducing it from its natural wildness. Subduing land and sea to the convenience of nations;
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
* But the Heb. maleh , (to fill) must not be strained. It does not of itself
convey the idea, replenish.
64 RUDIMENTS OF THE WORLD
and subjugating, likewise, the wild creatures of his own species to law and order, and exterminating the untameable -he is preparing the world for an advance to a more exalted, yet not perfect, state, which the Man from heaven shall introduce, and establish; not, however, upon the destruction of nature and Society, but upon the improvement of the first, and the regeneration of the last ; which shall continue for a thousand years, as the intermediate state between the present purely animal and natural, and the final purely spiritual, or incorruptible, and unchangeable constitution of the globe.
In carrying his mission into effect, it
was necessary that the animal man should have dominion. He was too feeble to execute it without
assistance; and there was no source from which he could receive voluntary aid. It was needful,
therefore, that he should receive power by which he could compel the
co-operation he required. For this reason,
as well as for his own defense against the inconvenient familiarity of the
inferior creatures with their lord, God gave him dominion over them all. "Have dominion", said He,
"over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the
cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth
upon the earth." This was the charter of man's sovereignty over flesh and
blood. Himself the king, and all living
creatures the subjects of his dominion. As to his own species, however, he was
permitted to be neither a law to himself,
nor to his fellows.
The right of man to exercise lordship over his fellow-man beyond the circle of his own family, was not granted to him "by the grace of God". God's grace only conferred upon him what I have already stated. Even his domestic sovereignty was to cease, when the time came for one to leave father and mother. After this separation, all paternal rule ended, and the only bondage which continued was the yoke of affection. Man rules in his family by the grace of God, which Says, "Children, obey your parents in the Lord; for this is right. Honour thy father and mother; which is the first commandment with promise; that it may be well with thee, and thou mayest live long in the land". This obedience is founded on the fitness of things; but even this is not enjoined absolutely. It is only "parents in the Lord", who have a divine right to expect unqualified obedience from the Christian children of their household. If parents not in the Lord, require their children to do contrary to, or to abstain from doing, His will, obedience should be firmly, but affectionately, refused. This would probably produce trouble and division in the family, if the parent were an uncultivated man of the flesh, or a bigot. In that case, he would behave like a tyrant, and endeavour to coerce them to obey him, rather than their conviction of the truth ; whose nature it is to divide between flesh and spirit, sinners and saints, and to create a man's foes out of the members of his own household.(a) But such
a Matt. 10 35-36.
GOD AND THE POWERS
THAT BE pg 65
children should remember that "it is better to obey God than man "(a) and that he that loves parents more than Jesus, is not worthy of him. Better leave the paternal roof as an outcast, than dishonour him by preferring their laws to his.
If man's domestic sovereignty be thus qualified and limited by the grace of God, shall we say that he conferred on man "a divine right" to govern his species in its spiritual and civil concerns? To found kingdoms and empires, and to invent religions as a means of imparting durability to their thrones? What God permits and regulates is one thing ; and what He appoints is another. He permits thrones and dominions, principalities and powers, to exist ; He regulates them, setting over
them the basest of men,(b) if such answer His intentions best prevents them circumventing His purposes; and commands His saints to "be subject unto the higher powers. For there is no
power but of God; the powers that be are ordained of God. Whosoever therefore resisteth the power, resisteth the ordinance of God: and they that resist shall receive to themselves punishment.
For the magistrates are not a terror to good deeds, but to the evil.... Do that which is good, and thou shalt have praise of the same: for he is a servant of God unto that which is good for thee (c)
God did not commission man to set up these powers. All He required of him was to obey whatsoever He chose to appoint. But, when man became a rebel, his rebellious spirit was transmitted to his posterity; and, refusing to be governed by the grace of God, they founded dominions of their own, upon principles which were utterly subversive of the government of God upon the earth. He could as easily have quashed their treasonable proceedings as He stopped the building of Babel; but in His wisdom He chose rather to give them scope, and to subject their usurpations to such regulations as would in the end promote His own glory and their confusion. Therefore it is that Paul says every power is of God; and the powers that be are ordained of Him. This is matter of great consolation and rejoicing to His saints; for, though the tyrants may propose, it is God only that disposes events. The saints who understand the word will keep aloof from politics. None are more interested in them than they; but they will mix themselves up neither with one party nor another; for God regulates them all: therefore to be found in any such strife would be to contend in some way or other against Him. The servant of the Lord must not strive, except " for the faith once delivered to the saints". For this he is commanded to "contend earnestly ",(d) because such a contention is to "fight the good fight of faith", and to "lay hold on eternal life".
In the beginning, then, God reserved to Himself the right of dominion over the human race. He gave it not to Adam, nor to
a Acts 4 :19 5 : 29. b Dan. 4 :17. c Rom. 13 :1-5. d Jude 3.
Pg 66 RUDIMENTS OF THE WORLD
his posterity; but claimed the undivided sovereignty over all man's concerns for Himself by right of creation; and for him whom He might ordain as His representative upon earth. All the kingdoms that exist, or have existed, with the exception of the Commonwealth of Israel, are based upon the usurpation of the rights of God, and of His Son, Jesus Christ ; nor is there a king or queen, pope or emperor, among the Gentiles, who reigns "by the grace of God". They reign by the same grace, or favour, by which sin reigns over the nations. They have no favour in the eyes of God. He bears with them for a time: and makes use of them as His sword to maintain order among the lawless; until His gracious purposes in favour of His saints shall be manifested, according to the arrangement of the times He has disposed. Then "will his saints be joyful in glory; and the high praises of God be in their mouth, and a two-edged sword in their hand; to execute vengeance upon the heathen, and punishments upon the people; to bind their kings with chains, and their nobles with fetters of iron; to execute upon them the judgment written this honour have all his saints. Praise ye the Lord ".(a)
THE TREE OF KNOWLEDGE OF GOOD AND EVIL.
Out of the ground made the Lord God to grow the Tree of Life in the midst of the garden, and the Tree of Knowledge of good and evil.
These are the most remarkable trees that have ever appeared in the vegetable kingdom. They were "pleasant to the sight, and good for food". This, however, is all that is said about their nature and appearance. They would seem to have been the only trees of their kind ; for, if they had been common, Eve's desire to taste the fruit of the Tree of Knowledge, and their inclination to eat of that of the Tree of Life, could have been gratified by eating of other similar trees. What the fruits were we cannot tell; not is it important to know. Supposition says, that the Tree of Knowledge was an apple tree; but testimony makes no deposition on the subject ; therefore we can believe nothing in the case.
These trees, however, are interesting to us, not on account of their natural characteristics, but because of the interdict which rested upon them. Adam and Eve were permitted to take freely of all the other trees in the garden, "but of the Tree of Knowledge of good and evil", said the Lord God, "thou shalt not eat of it, neither shall ye touch it : for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die "~(b) Naturally, it was as good for food as any other tree ; but, as soon as the Lord God laid His interdict upon it, its fruit became death to the eater; not instant death, however, for their eyes were to be opened, and they were to become as the
a Psalm 149 : 5-9. b Gen. 2 :17 3 : 3. c Gen. 3 : 5, 7.
FRUIT OF THE TREE, LITERAL AND FIGURATIVE pg 67
gods, or Elohim, being acquainted with good and evil even as they.(a) The final consequence of eating of this tree being death, it may be styled the Tree of Death in contradistinction to the Tree of Life. Decay of body, and consequent termination of life, ending in corruption, or mortality, was the attribute which this fatal tree was prepared to bestow upon the individual who should presume to touch it.
In the sentence, "Thou shalt surely die", death is mentioned in the Bible for the first time. But Adam lived several centuries after he had eaten of the tree, which has proved a difficulty in the definition of the death there indicated, hitherto insuperable upon the principles of the creeds. Creed theology paraphrases the sentence thus-" In the day thou eatest thereof thou shalt die figuratively, thine immortal soul becoming liable to the pains of hell for ever; and thy body shall die literally afterwards". But, it is very evident to one unspoiled by the philosophy of the creeds, that this interpretation is not contained in the text. The obscurity which creates the difficulty does not lie in the words spoken, but in the English version of them. The phrase "in the day" is supposed to mean that on the very day itself upon which Adam transgressed, he was to die in some sense. But this is not the use of the phrase even in the English of the same chapter. For in the fourth verse of the second chapter, it is written, "in the day that the Lord God made the earth and the heavens, and every plant of the field before it was in the earth, and every herb of the field before it grew". This, we know, was the work of six days; so that "in the day" is expressive of that period. But in the text before us, the same phrase represents a much longer period, for Adam did not die until he was 930 years old; therefore, the day in which he died did not terminate till then.
But it may be objected that the day in the text must be limited to the day of the eating; because it says, "in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die" and as he was not eating of it 930 years, but only partook of it once on a certain natural day, it cannot mean that long period. But I am not prepared to admit that the physical action of eating is the only eating indicated
in the text. Adam fed upon the fruit of the Tree of Knowledge all the time from his eating of the natural fruit until he died. The natural fruit in its effect was figurative of the fruit of transgressing the interdict, which said, "Thou shalt not eat of it". The figurative fruit was of a mixed character. It was "good", or pleasant to the flesh; but "evil" in its consequences. "By the law ", says the apostle, "is the knowledge of sin" ; for " sin is the transgression of law "(b) Sin is pleasant to the flesh; because the deeds forbidden are natural to it. It is that "good" fruit which the animal man delights to eat. The flesh, the eyes, and life, have
aGen. 3:5,22. bRom. 3:20; 1 John 3:4.
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all their desires, or lusts, which, when gratified, constitute the chiefest good that men under their dominion seek after.
But God has
forbidden indulgence in these lusts. He
says, "Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If
any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is
in the world, the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of
life, is not of the Father, but is of the world ".(a) And again, "The
friendship of the world is enmity with God. Whosoever therefore will be a
friend of the world is the enemy of God" :(b) and, " If ye live after
the flesh ye shall die "(c) This
language is unmistakable. To indulge,
then, in the lawless pleasures, which " sinful flesh" terms "
good", is to " bring forth
sin" ,(d) or to bear fruit unto death; because the "wages of sin
is death " "Whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap. For he
that soweth to the flesh, shall of the flesh reap corruption. "(f) All
" the ills that flesh is heir to " make up the " evil which has
come upon man as the result of transgressing the law of God, which said to
Adam, "Thou shalt not eat thereof". The fruit of his eating was the
gratification of his flesh in the lusts thereof, and the subjection of himself
and posterity to the "evil" of
eating of the cursed ground in sorrow all the days of their lives. (g)
All the posterity of Adam, when they attain the age of puberty, and their eyes are in the opening crisis, begin to eat of the Tree of the Knowledge of good and evil. Previous to that natural change, they are in their innocency. But, thenceforth, the world, as a serpent-entwined fruit tree, stands before the mind, enticing it to take and eat, and enjoy the good things it affords. To speculate upon the lawfulness of compliance is partly to give consent. There must be no reasoning upon the harmlessness of conforming to the world. Its enticements without, and the sympathizing instincts of the flesh within, must be instantly suppressed; for, to hold a parley with its lusts, is dangerous. When one is seduced by " the deceitfulness of sin", "he is drawn away of his own lusts, and enticed. Then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin; and sin when it is finished, bringeth forth death" :(h) in other words, he plucks the forbidden fruit, and dies, if not forgiven.
Furthermore, the
sentence "Thou shalt surely die
", is proof that the phrase "in
the day" relates to a longer period than the day of the natural
eating. This was not a sentence to be consummated in a moment, as when a man is
shot or guillotined. It required time ; for the death threatened was the
result, or finishing, of a certain process; which is very clearly indicated in
the original Hebrew. In this language
the phrase is muth temuth,
a 1 John 2 :15,16. b James 4 :4. cRom. 8 :13 d James 1:15.
e Rom. 6 : 21-23. f Gal. 6 : 7, 8. g Gen. 3 :17-19. h James 1:14, 15.
DYING AND RETURNING TO DUST pg 69
which literally rendered is, DYING THOU SHALT DIE.(*) The sentence, then, as a whole reads thus" In the day of thy eating from it dying thou shalt die". From this reading, it is evident, that Adam was to be subjected to a process, but not to an endless process but to one which should commence with the transgression, and end with his extinction. The process is expressed by muth, dying; ~ and the last stage of the process by temuth thou SHALT DIE
This view is fully sustained by the paraphrase found in the following words :-" Cursed is the ground for thy sake: in sorrow shalt thou eat of it all the days of thy life. In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread TILL thou return unto the ground; for out of it wast thou taken; for dust thou art, and unto dust thou shalt return ".(a) The context of this informs us, that Adam, having transgressed, had been summoned to trial and judgment for the offence. The Lord God interrogated him, saying, "Hast thou eaten of the tree of which I commanded thee that thou shouldest not eat?
Adam confessed his guilt, which was sufficiently manifest before by his timidity, and shame at his nakedness. The offence being proved, the Judge then proceeded to pass sentence upon the transgressors. This He did in the order of transgression; first upon the Serpent then upon Eve; and lastly upon Adam, in the words of the text. In these, the ground is cursed, and the man sentenced to a life of sorrowful labour, and to a resolution into his original and parent dust. The terms in which the last particular of his sentence is expressed, are explanatory of the penalty annexed to the law. "Thou shalt return unto the ground", and " Unto dust shalt thou return", are phrases equivalent to" Dying thou shalt die". Hence, the divine interpretation of the sentence, " In the day thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die '', is' '' In the day of thy eating all the days of thy life of sorrow, returning thou shalt return unto the dust of the ground whence thou wast taken". Thus, "dying", in the meaning of the text, is to be the subject of a sorrowful, painful, and laborious existence, which wears a man out, and brings him down to the brink of the grave; and, by "die", is signified the end, or last stage of corporeal existence, which is marked by a ceasing to breathe, and decomposition into dust. Thus, man's life from the womb to the grave is a dying existence; and, so long as he retains his form, as in the case of Jesus in the sepulchre, he is existent in death ; for what is termed being is corporeal existence in life and death. The end of our being is the end of that process by which we are resolved into dust-we cease to be. This was Adam's state, if we may so speak, before he was created. He had no being. And at this non-existence he arrived after a lapse of 930 years from his formation; and thus were practically illus
aGen.3:19.
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*The Hebrew idiom is correctly represented by the text of the A.V. Compare Gen. 2 : 16(marg.). "Eating thou shalt eat"; and Deut. 13 :15, lit. Smiting thou shalt smite".
70 RUDIMENTS
OF THE WORLD
trated the penalty of the law and the sentence of the Judge. For from the day of his transgression, he began his pilgrimage to the grave, at which he surely arrived. He made his couch in the dust, and saw corruption; and with its mother earth commingled all that was known as Adam, the federal head, and chief father of mankind.
TREE OF LIFE.
Eat and live for ever.
This was planted "in the midst of the garden". It was also a fruit-bearing tree. It would seem to have been as accessible as the Tree of Knowledge; for after the man had eaten of this, he was driven out of the garden that he might not touch that likewise. Its fruit, however, was of a quality entirely opposite to that of which they had eaten. Both trees bore good fruit; but that of the Tree of Life had the quality of perpetuating the living existence of the eater for ever. This appears from the testimony of Moses, who reports that after the transgressors had received judgment, "the Lord God said, Behold the man has become as one of us, to know good and evil: and now, lest he put forth his hand, and take also of the Tree of Life, and eat and live for ever: therefore the Lord God sent him forth from the garden of Eden, to till the ground whence he was taken " .(a) From this, we learn that the Lord God had instituted this tree to give life, and that Adam was aware of what would result from eating of its fruit. It is probable that, had he been obedient to the law of the Tree of Knowledge, he would have been permitted to eat of the Tree of Life, after he had fulfilled his destiny as an animal man; and, instead of dying away into dust, have been "changed in the twinkling of an eye", as Enoch was; and as they are to be who shall be ready for the Lord at his coming. But of this we can say nothing certain, because nothing is testified on the subject and beyond the testimony our faith cannot go, though opinion and credulity may.
If, then, Adam had eaten of the Tree of Life, he would have been changed from a living soul into a soul capable of living forever: and not only capable, but it would seem, that being immortal, the Lord God would have permitted him to remain so. For, we are not to suppose, that, if a thing become capable of undecaying existence, therefore its creator cannot destroy it consequently. if Adam as a sinner had eaten of the Tree of Life, his immortality would have been only permitted, and not necessitated contrary to the power of the Lord God.
To have permitted Adam and Eve to become deathless, and to remain so, in a state of good and evil such as the world experiences, would have been a disproportionate and unmerciful punish-
a Gen. 3 22,23.
MAN IN HIS NOVITIATE pg 71
ment. It would have been to populate the earth with deathless sinners; and to convert it into the abode of deathless giants in crime; in other words, the earth would have become, what creed theologians describe "hell" to be in their imagination. The good work of the sixth day would then have proved a terrible mishap, instead of the nucleus of a glorious manifestation of divine wisdom and power. But a world of undying sinners in a state of good and evil, was not according to the divine plan. This required first the sanctification of sinners; then their probation; and afterwards, their exaltation, or humiliation, according to their works. Therefore, lest Adam should invert this order, and " put on immortality" before he should be morally renewed, or purified from sin, and the moral likeness of God be formed in him again; the Lord God expelled him from the dangerous vicinity of the Tree of Life. He drove him forth that he should not then become incorruptible and deathless.
The first intimation of immortality for man is contained in the text before us. But, in this instance it eluded his grasp. He was expelled "lest he should eat, and live for ever". It was because immortality belonged to this tree; or rather, was communicable by or through it to the eater, that it was styled etz ha-chayim, that is, the Tree of the Lives ; for that is its name when literally rendered. The phrase " of the lives " is particularly appropriate for it was the tree of endless life both to Adam and Eve, if permitted to eat of it. If the world enticing to sin, be fitly represented by the serpent-entwined tree, imparting death to its victim, Christ, who "has overcome the world ",(a) as the giver of life to his people, is well set forth by the other tree in the midst of the garden; which was a beautiful emblem of the incarnated power and wisdom (b) of the Deity, planted as the Tree of Life in the future Paradise of God.
MAN IN HIS NOVITIATE.
God made man upright."
When the work of the six days was completed, the Lord God reviewed all that He had made, and pronounced it "very good". This quality pertained to everything terrestrial. The beasts of the field, the fowls of the air, reptiles, and man, were all" very good" and all made up a natural system of things, or world, as perfect as the nature of things required. Its excellence, however, had relation solely to its physical quality. Man, though "very good", was so only as a piece of divine workmanship. He was made different from what he afterwards became. Being made in the image, after the likeness of the Elohim, he was "made upright". He had no conscience of evil; for he did not know what it was. He was
a John 16 : 33. b Prov. 3:13, 18; 1 Cor. 1: 24.c Rev. 22 2.
Pg 72 RUDIMENTS OF THE WORLD
neither virtuous, nor vicious; holy, nor unholy; but in his beginning simply innocent of good or evil deeds. Being without a history, he was without character. This had to be developed; and could only be formed for good or evil, by his own independent action under the divine law. In short, when Adam and Eve came forth from the hand of their potter, they were morally in a similar condition to a new-born babe; excepting that a babe is born under the constitution of sin, and involuntarily subjected to " vanity ";(a)_ while they first beheld the light in a state of things where evil had as yet no place. They were created in the stature of a perfect man and woman; but with their sexual feelings undeveloped; in ignorance, and without experience.
The interval between their formation and their transgression was the period of their novitiate. The Spirit of God had made them. and during this time, "the inspiration of the Almighty was giving them understanding "~(b) In this way, knowledge was imparted to them. It became power, and enabled them to meet all the demands of their situation. Thus, they were "taught of God", and became the depositories of those arts and sciences, in which they afterwards instructed their sons and daughters, to enable them to till the ground, tend the flocks and herds, provide the conveniences of life, and subdue the earth.
Guided by the precepts of the Lord God, his conscience continued good, and his heart courageous. They were naked, both the man and his wife, and were not ashamed." They were no more abashed than children in their nudity; for, though adults in stature, yet, being in the infancy of nature, they stood before the Elohim, and in the face of one another, without embarrassment. This fact was not accidentally recorded. As we shall see here-after, it is a clue, as it were, given to enable us to understand the nature of the transgression.
While in the state of good unmixed with evil, were Adam and Eve mortal or immortal? This is a question which presents itself to many who study the Mosaic account of the Origin of things. It is an interesting question, and worthy of all attention. Some hastily reply, they were mortal; that is, if they had not sinned they would nevertheless have died. It is probable they would after a long time, if no further change had been operated upon their nature. But the Tree of Life seems to have been provided for the purpose of this change being effected, through the eating of its fruit, if they had proved themselves worthy of the favour. The animal nature will sooner or later dissolve. It was not constituted so as to continue in life for ever, independent of any further modification. We may admit, therefore, the corruptibility, and consequent mortality, of their nature, without saying that they were mortal. The inherent tendency of their nature to death would have been arrested; and they would have been changed as Enoch and Elijah were; and
a Rom. 8 20. b Job. 33 : 4; 32 8. e Gen. 2 : 25.
MORTALITY AND IMMORTALITY pg 73
as they of whom Paul says, " We shall not all die" The "we" here indicated possess an animal, and therefore corruptible nature; and, if not "changed," would surely die but inasmuch as they are to "be changed in the twinkling of an eye at the last trumpet", though corruptible, they are not mortal. In this sense, therefore, I say, that in their novitiate, Adam and his betrothed had a nature capable of corruption, but were not subject to death, or mortal. The penalty was "dying thou shalt die"; that is, "You shall not be permitted to eat of the Tree of Life in arrest of dissolution; but the inherent tendency of your animal nature shall take its course, and return you to the dust whence you originally came". Mortality was in disobedience as the wages of sin, and not a necessity.
But, if they were not mortal in their novitiate, it is also true that they were not immortal. To say that immortals were expelled from the garden of Eden, that they might live for ever by eating of the tree, is absurd. The truth is in few words, man was created with a nature endued with certain susceptibilities. He was capable of death; and capable of endless life; but, whether he should merge into mortality; or, by a physical change be clothed with immortality, was predicated on his choosing to do good or evil. Capacity must not be confounded with impletion. A vessel may be capable of holding a pint of fluid; but it does not therefore follow that there is a pint in it, or any at all. In the Paradise of Eden, mortality and immortality were set before the man and his companion. They were external to them. They were to avoid the former, and seek after the latter, by obedience to the law of God. They were capable of being filled with either; but with which depended upon their actions; for immortality is the end of holiness,' without which no man can see the Lord.
We meet with no traces in the Mosaic history of ceremonial observances, or religious worship, pertaining to the novitiate. To rest one day in seven; believe that the Lord God would perform His word if they transgressed; and to abstain from touching the Tree of knowledge, was all their gracious benefactor required. There was no "religion" in the garden of Eden no sacrifices, or offerings; for sin was as yet a stranger there. The tenure of the Paradise was predicated upon their abstinence from sin; so that it could be forfeited only by transgression of the law of the Lord.
aRom. 6 22.
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CHAPTER III.
Probation before exaltation, the law of the moral universe of God-The temptation of the Lord Jesus by Satan the trial of his faith by the Father-The Temptation explained-God's foreknowledge does not necessitate; nor does He justify, or condemn, by anticipation-The Serpent an intellectual animal, but not a moral agent. nor inspired He deceives the woman-The nature of the transgression-Eve becomes the tempter to Adam-The transgression consummated in the conception of Cain-A good conscience, and an evil conscience, defined-Man cannot cover his own sin-The carnal mind illustrated by the reasoning of the Serpent-It is metaphorically the serpent in the flesh-God's truth the only rule of right and wrong-The Serpent in the flesh is manifested in the wickedness of individuals ; and in the spiritual and temporal institutions of the world-Serpent-sin in the flesh identified with "the Wicked One "-The Prince of the World-The Kingdom o Satan and the World identical-The Wiles of the Devil-The " Prince shown to be sin, working and reigning in all sinners-How he was "cast out" by Jesus" The works of the Devil"-" Bound of Satan delivering to Satan-The Great Dragon-The Devil arid Satan-The Man of Sin.
MAN in the first estate is " a little lower than the angels" ' but in the second, or higher, estate, he is to be " crowned with glory and honour" ; and to take his stand in the universe upon ar equality with them in nature and renown. Man's first estate is the natural and animal; his second, the spiritual, or incorruptible. To be exalted from the present to the future state and inheritance, h must be subjected to trial. From the examples recorded in the scriptures, it is evident, that God has established it as the rule of His grace; that is, the principle upon which He bestows His honours and rewards to prove men before He exalts them Probation, then, is the indispensable ordeal, to which every man i:
subjected in the providence of God, before he is accepted as " fit for the Master's use ",(a) By these examples, also, it appears, that man's probation is made to bear upon the trial of his faith by testing his obedience. A untried faith is worth nothing; but a faith that stands the test of trial, "is much more precious than gold which perisheth, though it be tried with fire " ; because the sustained trial will be "found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearance of Jesus Christ "(,b)
An untried faith is a dead faith, being alone. Faith without trial finds no scope for demonstration, or evidence of its existence Thus, it is written," Faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being
a 2 Tim. 2:20.21. b 1 Pet. 1:5-7.
FAITH AND WORKS pg 75
alone. Yea, a man may say, Thou hast faith, and I have works: show me thy faith without thy works, and I will show thee my faith by my works. Thou believest that there is one God: thou doest well; the devils also believe, and tremble. But wilt thou know, 0 vain man, that faith without works is dead? Was not Abraham our father justified by works, when he had offered Isaac his son upon the altar? Seest thou how faith wrought with his works, and by works was faith made perfect? ... Ye see then how that by works a man is justified, and NOT by faith ALONE.' (a) "Without faith", says Paul, "it is impossible to please God" and it is also apparent from James' testimony just recited, that the faith with which He is pleased, is a faith that is made manifest by works; of which Noah, Abraham, Job, and Jesus, are preeminent examples.
Now, this "precious faith" can only be educed by trial; for the trial elaborates the works. This is the use of persecution, or tribulation, to believers; which in the divine economy is appointed for their refinement. Peter styles the " manifold persecutions", to which his brethren were subjected, " the trial of their faith and Paul testified to others of them, that "it is through much tribulation they must enter the Kingdom". Probation is a refining process. It purges out a man's dross, and brings out the image of Christ in his character; and prepares him for exaltation to his throne,(b) We can only enter the Kingdom through the fire;'(c) but, if a man be courageous, and "hold fast the confidence and rejoicing of the hope firm unto the end", he will emerge from it unscorched; and be presented holy, unblameable, and unrebukeable (d) before the King.
A man cannot "honour God" more than in believing what He promises, and doing what He commands; although to repudiate that belief, and to neglect, or disobey, those commands, should highly gratify all his senses, and place at his disposal the kingdoms of the world, and all their glory. Not to believe the promises of God is in effect to call God a liar; and no offence, even to men of integrity in the word, is so insulting and intolerable as this. "Let God be true" , saith the scripture. His veracity must not be impeached in word or deed; if it be, then "judgment without mercy" is the "sorer punishment " which awaits the calumniator The unswerving obedience of faith, is the "faith made perfect by works", tried by fire. God is pleased with this faith,, because it honours Him. It is a working faith. There is life in it; and its exercise proves that the believer loves Him. Such a man it is God's delight to honour; and, though like Jesus he be for the present, "despised and rejected of men, a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief", the time will certainly come, when God will acknowledge him in the presence of the Elohim, and over-whelm his enemies with confusion of face.
a James, 2:17-24. b Rev. 3:21. c l Cor. 3:13. dCol. 1:22-23.
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Probation before exaltation, then, is upon the principle of a faith in the promises of God, made precious by trial well sustained. There is no exemption from this ordeal. Even Christ himself was subjected to it. "By the grace of God he tasted death for every man. For it was fitting for God, that in bringing many sons to glory, He should make the Captain of their salvation perfect through sufferings. . . . For in that he himself hath suffered being put to the proof, he is able to succour them who are tried.""(a) And "though he were a Son, yet learned he obedience by the things which he suffered: and being made perfect, he became the author of eternal salvation unto all them that OBEY him."(b) He was first morally perfected through suffering, and then corporeally, by being "made into a spirit" by the spirit of holiness in his resurrection from the dead. I say, "morally perfected"; for, although he was without transgression, his perfection of character is predicated upon his " obedience unto death".
The probation of the Lord Jesus is an interesting and important study, especially that part of it styled the Temptation of Satan. Paul, speaking of him as the High Priest under the New Constitution, says, "He was put to the proof in all things according to our likeness, without transgression" ;(c) that is, "having taken hold of the seed of Abraham", "being found in fashion as a man", the infirmities of human nature were thus laid upon him. He could sympathize with them experimentally; being, by the feelings excited within him when enticed, well acquainted with all its weak points. By examining the narrative of his trial in the wilderness, we shall find that he was proved in all the assailable points of human nature. As soon as he was filled with the Spirit"(d) at his baptism in the Jordan, it immediately drove him(e) into the wilderness to be tempted of the devil (f) This was very remarkable. The Spirit led him there that he might be put to the proof; but not to tempt him; for, says the apostle, "Let no man say when he is tempted, I am tempted of God: for cannot be tempted with evil neither tempteth he any man ".(g) God, then, did not tempt Jesus; though His Spirit conducted him thither to be tempted, and that, too, "by the devil", or the enemy.
This enemy within the human nature is the mind of the flesh, which is enmity against God; it is not subject to his law, neither indeed can be(h) The commandment of God, which is "holy, just and good", being so restrictive of the propensities, which in purely animal men display themselves with uncontrolled violence, makes them appear in their true colours. These turbulent propensities the apostle styles "sin in the flesh", of which it is full; hence, he also terms it "sinful flesh". This is human nature; and the evil in it, made so apparent by the law of God, he personifies as "Pre-eminently A SINNER
a Heb. 2:9-18. b Heb. 5:8-9. c Heb. 4:15. d Luke 4: 1. e Mark 1:12.
f Matt.4:1. g James l:13. k Rom.8:7. i Rom7:12,13,17,18.
THE TEMPTATION OF JESUS pg 77
This is the accuser, adversary, and calumniator of God, whose stronghold is the flesh. It is the devil and satan within the human nature; so that "when a man is drawn away of his own lust and enticed ". If a man examine himself, he will perceive within him something at work, craving after things which the law of God forbids. The best of men are conscious of this enemy within them. It troubled the apostle so much, that he exclaimed, "0, wretched man that I am ! who shall deliver me from the body of this death",(a) or, this mortal body? He thanked God that the Lord Jesus Christ would do it; that is, as he had himself been delivered from it, by God raising him from the dead by His Spirit.(b)
Human nature, or "sinful flesh", has three principal channels through which it displays its waywardness against the law ot God. These are expressed by "the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life". All that is in the world stands related to these points of our nature; and there is no temptation that can be devised, but what assails it in one, or more, of these three particulars. The world without is the seducer, which finds in all animal men, unsubdued by the law and testimony of God, a sympathizing and friendly principle, ready at all times to eat of its forbidden fruit. This sinful nature we inherit. It is our misfortune, not our crime, that we possess it. We are only blameworthy when, being supplied with the power of subduing it, we permit it to reign over us. This power resides in "the testimony of God" believed; so that we "are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation". This testimony ought to dwell in us as it dwelt in the Lord Jesus; so that, as with the shield of faith, the fiery assaults of the world may be quenched (d)i by a "thus it is written", and a "thus saith the Lord".
Jesus was prepared by the exhaustion of a long fast, for an appeal to the desire of his flesh for food. Hunger it is said will break through stone walls "He was hungry." At this crisis, "the Tempter came to him". 'Who he was does not appear'. -' Perhaps, Paul refers to him, saying "Satan himself is transformed "' into an angel of light".(e)' Someone "came to him" who was his adversary, and who desired his ruin; or, at least, acted the part of one on the same principle that the adversary was permitted to put the fidelity of Job to the proof. The trial of this eminent son of God, was perhaps recorded as an illustration of the temptation of the Son of God, even Jesus, to whom "there was none like in the earth, a perfect and upright man, one that feared God, and eschewed evil "~(f) From his birth to his baptism in the Jordan, he was faultless. But in the words of Satan concerning Job, "Did Jesus fear God for nought? Had not God made a hedge about him?" Yes; God was his defence: and "in keeping his
a Rom. 7:24. b Rom. 8:11. c 1 Pet. 1:5. d Ephes. 6:16. e 2Cor. 11:14. f Job 1:8.
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testimony there is great reward". But, the adversary calumniated Jesus, in suggesting that his obedience to God had been prompted by mercenary motives. He "feared ",(a) not simply for what he should get, but because of his love for his Father's character as revealed in the divine testimonies. The adversary affected to disbelieve this, and to suppose that, if God would just leave him in the position of any other man, he would distrust Him; and eat of the world's forbidden fruit, by embracing all it would afford him. Thus, the adversary may be supposed to have moved the Lord to permit him to put the fidelity of Jesus to the test. God, therefore, allowed the experiment to be tried; and by His spirit sent him into the wilderness for the purpose. So the adversary went forth from the presence of the Lord, and came to him there.
Having arrived at the crisis when Jesus was suffering from the keenest hunger, the adversary assumed the character of an angel or messenger of light to him . Being' acquainted with "the law and the testimony ", for which he knew Jesus had a profound regard he adduced it in support of his suggestions. He invited him to gratify the cravings of the flesh by helping himself. He was God's son; but then his Father seemed to have abandoned him; why not therefore use the power he possessed, whose presence in him was of itself a proof of God's approval of its exercise,
and "command that the stones be made bread "? But Jesus disregarded the reasoning; and set it aside by " It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God ".(b)
Failing in this, the scene of the temptation was then removed to "the pinnacle of the temple" ; and, as Jesus fortified himself by the word, the adversary determined to be even with him; and in a to the pride of Life, so strong in the nature laid upon him to strengthen himself with the testimony likewise. " If thou be the son of God, as thou proudly assumest to be, cast thyself down: for it is written, He shall give his angels charge concerning thee and they shall bear thee up in their hands, lest at any time thou dash thy foot against a stone.(c) But Jesus met him with "Again it is wrstten, Thou shall not tempt the Lord thy God.'(d)
Lastly, the scene was shifted to a lofty mountain. From this position, by the power granted him, he showed Jesus "all the kingdoms of the world", visible from that elevation; "and the glory of them . He knew that Jesus was destined to possess them all; but that he was also to obtain them through suffering. Jesus knew this, too. Now, as the flesh dislikes suffering, the tempter proposed to gratify the desire of his eyes by giving him all he saw, on the easy condition of doing homage to him as the god of the world. "All this power", said he, "will I give thee, and the glory of them; for that is delivered to me, and to whomsoever I will, I give it. If thou therefore wilt worship me, all shall be thine."' But
aHeb.5:7. b Deut.8:3 c Psalm 91:11,12 d Deut 6:16 e Luke 4:6,7
THE TEMPTATION OF JESUS pg 79
Jesus resisted the enticement ; and said, " Get thee hence, adversary: for it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve". " Having ended all the temptation he departed from him for a season. And Jesus returned in the power of the Spirit into Galilee.
In this manner, then, was he put to the proof in all things according to the likeness of his nature to ours, but without transgression. He believed not this angel of light(a) and power, and would have none of his favours. He preferred the grace of God with suffering, to the gratification of his flesh with all the pomp and pageantry of this vain and transitory world. Its "glory" is indeed delivered to the adversary of God, His people, and His truth: and to whomsoever he wills he gives it. The knowledge of this truth ought to deter every righteous man from seeking after it ; or even accepting it, when offered upon conditions derogatory to the truth of God. And, if those who possess it, such as kings, priests, nobles, etc., were what they pretended to be, they would follow Jesus' and Paul's examples, and renounce them all. Christianity in high places, is Christ falling down before the adversary; and doing homage to him for the honour, riches, and power of the world. What fellowship hath Christ with Belial? Certainly none.
If the principles upon which the temptation of the Lord Jesus was permitted, be understood, the necessity of putting the first Adam to the proof will be readily perceived. Would he retain his integrity, if placed in a situation of trial ? Or, would he disbelieve God and die? The Lord God well knew what the result would be and had made all necessary provision for the altered circumstances which He foresaw would arise. His knowledge, however, of what would be, did not necessitate it. He had placed all things in a provisional state. If the man maintained his integrity, there was the Tree of Lives as the germ of a superior order of things ; but, if he transgressed, then the natural and animal system would continue unchanged; and the spiritualization of the earth and its population be deferred to a future period.
God's knowledge of what a man's character will be, does not cause Him to exempt him from trial. He rewards and punishes none upon foregone conclusions. He does not say to this man, "I know you are certain to turn out a reprobate, therefore I will punish you for what you would do" ; nor does He say to another, I know thee that thou wouldst do well all the days of thy life: therefore, I will promote thee to glory and honour, without subject mg thee to the tribulation of the world". His principle is to recompense men according to what they have done, not for what they would do. Thus he dealt with the Two Adams; and with Israel: to whom Moses says, "The Lord thy God led thee these forty years in the wilderness to humble thee, and to prove thee, to know what was in thy heart, whether thou wouldest keep His
a Gal. I : 8.
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commandments, or no ".(a) And thus also the Lord Jesus treated Judas. He knew he was a thief, and would betray him; yet he trusted him with the bag, and made no difference between him and the rest, until his character was revealed. The Lord knew what was in the heart of Israel, and whether they would obey Him; but He subjected them to such a trial as would cause them to reveal themselves in their true character, and thereby justify Him in His conduct towards them. With these remarks, then, by way of preface, I shall now proceed to the further exposition of things connected with this subject in the Mosaic account.
THE SERPENT.
'.It was more subtle than any beast of the field."
The Serpent was one of "the living things that moved upon the earth", and which the Lord God pronounced "very good". Moses says, it was more subtle, or shrewd, than any of the creatures the Lord God had made. It was, probably, because of this quality of shrewdness, or quickness of perception, that Adam named it nachash; which is rendered by ---- in the New Testament, from ," to see; as, the Dragon, the old serpent.(b) It was doubtless, the chief of the serpent tribe, as it is styled "the" serpent; and, seeing that it was afterwards condemned to go upon its belly as a part of its sentence, it is probable it was a winged-serpent in the beginning: fiery, but afterwards deprived of the power of flight and made to move as at present.
Its subtlety, or quickness of perception by eye and ear, and skilfulness in the use of them , was a part of the goodness of its nature. It was not an evil quality by any means; for Jesus exhorts his disciples to "be wise as the serpents; and unsophisticated as the doves". This quality of shrewdness, or distinctive wisdom, is that which principally strikes us in all that is said about it. It was an observant spectator of what was passing around it in the garden, since the Lord God had planted it eastward in Eden. It had seen the Lord God and His companion Elohim. He had heard their discourse. He was acquainted with the existence of the Tree of Knowledge, and the Tree of Lives; and knew that the Lord God had forbidden Adam and his wife to eat of the good and evil fruit; or so much as to touch the free. He was aware from what he had heard, that the Elohim knew what good and evil were experimentally; and that in this particular, Adam and Eve were not so wise as they. But, all this knowledge was shut up in his own cranium, from which it could never have made its exit, had not the Lord God bestowed upon it the power of expressing its thoughts in speech.
e Dut8:2. bRev.20:1. c 2Cor.1I:3.
THE SUBTLETY OF THE SERPENT pg 81
And what use should
we naturally expect such a creature would make of this faculty? Such a one,
certainly, as its cerebral constitution would enable it to manifest. It was an intellectual, but not a moral,
creature. It had no "moral sentiments". No part of its brain was
appropriated to the exercise of benevolence, veneration, conscientiousness, and
so forth. To speak phrenologically, it was destitute of these organs; having
only "intellectual faculties" and "propensities". Hence, its cerebral mechanism, under the
excitation of external phenomena. would only develop what I would term an animal intellectuality. Moral, or
spiritual, ideas would make no impression upon its mental constitution; for it
was incapable, from its formation, of responding to them. It would be
physically impossible for it to reason in harmony with the mind of God; or with
the mind of man, whose reasoning was regulated by divinely enlightened moral
sentiments. Its wisdom would be that of the untutored savage race, whose "sentiments",
by the desuetude of ages, had become as nothing. In short, we should expect
that, if the faculty of speech were bestowed upon it, it would make just such a
use of it, as Moses narrates of the serpent in the garden of Eden. Its mind was
purely and emphatically a "Carnal Mind", of a more shrewd description
than that of any of the inferior creatures. It was "very good"; but,
when he undertook to converse upon things too high for him; to speak of what he
had seen and heard; and to comment upon the law of the Lord, he lost himself in
his dialogisms, and became the inventor
of a lie.
Thus prepared, he commenced a conversation with the woman. "Yea", said he, as though he were familiar with the saying, "hath God said, Ye shall not eat of every tree of the garden?" In this manner he spoke, as if he had been pondering over the matter to find out the meaning of things; but, not being able to make anything of it, he invited her attention inquiringly. She replied, "We may eat of the fruit of the trees of the garden: but of the fruit of the tree in the midst of the garden, God hath said, Ye shall not eat of it, neither shall ye touch it, lest ye die". This was enunciating "the law of the spirit of life", or the truth; for "the law of God is the truth "~(a) Had she adhered to the letter of this, she would have been safe. But the serpent began to intellectualize; and, in so doing abode not in the truth; because there was no truth in him". 'When he may be speaking the falsehood he speaks out of his own (b) reasonings . He could not comprehend the moral obligation necessitating obedience to the divine law; for there was nothing in him that responded to it. Hence, says Jesus, "there was no truth in him".
This, however, was not the case with Eve. There was truth in her; but she also began to intellectualize at the suggestion of
aPsalm 119:142. b John8:44.
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the Serpent; and from his reasonings to doubt, and finally to conclude, that the Lord God did not mean exactly what He said. This was an error of which all the world is guilty to this day. It admits that God has spoken; that He has promulgated laws; that He has made promises; and that He has said, "He that believeth the gospel, and is baptized, shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be condemned". All this professors admit in theory; while, as in the case of Eve, in practice they deny it. They say He is too kind, too loving, too merciful, to act according to a rigid construction of the word: for if He did, multitudes of the good and pious, and excellent of the earth, would be condemned. This is doubtless true. Sceptics, however, of this class should remember that they only are "the salt of the earth" who delight in the law of the Lord, and do it. Every sect has its "good and pious" ones, who are thought little or nothing of by adverse denominations. The law of God is the only true standard of good-ness and piety; and men may depend upon it, attested by the examples in Scripture, that they who treat Him as not meaning exactly what He says in His word, "make God a liar ",(a) and are anything but good and pious in His esteem.
Eve having repeated the law in the hearing of the Serpent, he remarked that they should not surely die: "for", said he, "God doth know that in the day ye eat thereof, then your eyes shall be opened, and ye shall be as gods, knowing good and evil". The falsehood of this assertion consisted in the declaration, "Ye shall not surely die ", when God had said, "Dying ye shall die". It was truth that God did know that in the day of their eating their eyes would be Opened; and it was also true that they should then become as the Elohim, in the sense of knowing good and evil. This appears from the testimony of Moses, that when they had eaten "the eyes of them both were opened" ;(b) and from the admission of God Himself, who said, "Behold, the man is become like one of us, to know good and evil ".(c) The Serpent's declaration was therefore an admixture of truth and falsehood, which so blended itself with what Eve knew to exist, that "she was beguiled by his shrewdness" from the simplicity of the law of God.
But how did the Serpent know that the Lord knew that these things would happen to them in the day of their eating? How came he to know anything about the gods, and their acquaintance with good and evil? And upon what grounds did he affirm that they should not surely die? The answer is, one of two ways --by inspiration; or, by observation. If we say by inspiration, then we make God the author of the lie; but if we affirm that he obtained his knowledge by observation-by the use of his eyes and ears upon things transpiring around him-then we confirm the words of Moses, that he was the shrewdest of the creatures the Lord God had made. "Hath God said, Ye shall not eat of every tree?',
aI John 5:10. b Gen 3:7. 'Gen. 3:22.
THE NATURE OF THE TRANSGRESSION pg
83
This question shows that he was aware of some exceptions. He had heard of the Tree of Knowledge and of the Tree of Lives, which were beth in the midst of the garden. He had heard the Lord Elohim, and the other Elohim, conversing on their own experience of good and evil; and of the enlightenment of the man and woman in the same qualities through the eating of the Tree of Knowledge: and of their living for ever, if obedient, by eating of the Tree of Life. In reasoning upon these things, he concluded that, if they did eat of the forbidden fruit, they would not surely die; for they would have nothing more to do than to go and eat of the Tree of Life, and it would prevent all fatal consequences. Therefore, he said, "Ye shall not surely die". The Lord God, it is evident, was apprehensive of the effect of this reasoning upon the mind of Adam and his wife: for He forthwith expelled them from the garden, to prevent all possibility of access to the tree, lest they should eat, and put on immortality in sin.
The reasoning of the Serpent operated upon the woman by exciting the lust of her flesh, the lust of her eyes, and the pride of life. This appears from the testimony. An appetite, or longing for it, that she might eat it, was created within her. The fruit also was very beautiful. It hung upon the tree in a very attractive and inviting manner. "She saw that it was good for food, and that it was pleasant to the eyes ". But there was a greater inducement still than even this. The flesh and the eyes would soon be satisfied. Her pride of life had been aroused by the suggestion that by eating it their eyes would be opened and that she would be" made wise" as the glorious Elohim she had so often seen in the garden. To become "as the gods"; to know good and evil as they knew it-was a consideration too cogent to be resisted. She not only saw that it was good for food and pleasant to the eyes, but that it. was "a tree to be desired as making one wise" as the gods; therefore "she took of the fruit thereof, and did eat". Thus, as far as she was concerned, the transgression was complete.
THE NATURE OF THE
TRANSGRESSION.
The eyes of them both were opened, and they knew that they were naked."
The effect produced upon the woman by the eating of the forbidden fruit, was the excitation of the propensities. By the transgression of the law of God, she had placed herself in a state of sin; in which she had acquired that maturity of feeling which is known to exist when females attain to womanhood. The Serpent's part had been performed in her deception; and sorely was she deceived. Expecting to be equal to the gods, the hitherto latent passions of her animal nature only were set free; and though she now knew what evil sensations and impulses were, as they
Pg 84 RUDIMENTS OF THE
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had done before her, she had failed in attaining to the pride of her life an equality with them as she had seen them in their power and glory.
In this state of animal excitation, she presented herself before the man, with the fruit so "pleasant to the eyes". Standing now in his presence, she became the tempter, soliciting him to sin. She became to him an "evil woman flattering with her tongue"; "whose lips dropped as a honeycomb, and her mouth was smoother than oil". She found him "a young man void of under-standing" like herself. We can imagine how "she caught him, and kissed him; and with an impudent face, and her much fair speech, she caused him to yield". He accepted the fatal fruit, " and ate with her ", consenting to her enticement, "not knowing that it was for his life": though God had said, transgression should surely be punished with death As yet inexperienced in the certainty of the literal execution of the divine law, and depending upon the remedial efficacy of the Tree of Lives, he did not believe that he should surely die'. He saw everything delightful around him, and his beautiful companion with the tempting fruit; and yet he was told That his eyes were shut ! What wonderful things might he not see if his eyes were opened. And to be "as the gods", too, "knowing good and evil", was not this a wisdom much to be desired? The fair deceiver had, at length, succeeded in kindling in the map the same lusts that had taken possession of herself. His flesh, his eyes, and his pride of life, were all inflamed; and he followed her in her evil way" as a fool to the correction of the stocks". They had both fallen into unbelief. They did not believe God would do what He had promised. This was a fatal mistake. They afterwards found by experience, that in their sin they had charged God falsely; and that what He promises, He will certainly perform to the letter of His word. Thus, unbelief prepared them for disobedience; and disobedience separated them from God.
As the Mosaic narrative gives an account of things natural, upon which things spiritual were afterwards to be established in word and substance; the key to his testimony is found in what actually exists. When, therefore, he tells us that the eyes of Adam and Eve were closed at first, in that he says they were opened by sin, we have to examine ourselves as natural beings for the meaning of his words. Moses, indeed, informs us in what sense, or to what phenomena, their eyes were closed, in saying, "They were both naked, the man and his wife, and they were not ashamed". If their eyes had been surreptitiously opened, they would have been ashamed of standing before the Lord Elohim in a state of nudity; and they would have had emotions towards one another, which would have been inconvenient. But, in their unsinning ignorance of the latent possibilities of their nature, shame, which makes the subject of it feel
THE NATURE OF THE TRANSGRESSION pg
85
as though he would hide himself in a nutshell, and be buried in the depths of the sea, found no place within them. They were unabashed; and had they been created with their eyes open, they would have been equally so at all times. But, seeing that their eyes were opened in connexion with, and as the consequence of doing what was forbidden, having "yielded their members servants to uncleanness, and to iniquity unto iniquity"; and their superior faculties being consttuted susceptible of the feeling, they were ashamed; and "the uncomely parts of the body" became "their shame"; and from that time have been esteemed dishonourable, and invariably " hid". The inferior creatures have no such feeling as this, because they have never sinned: but the parents of Cain in their transgression, having served themselves of the members they afterwards concealed, were deeply affected both with shame and fear; and their posterity have ever since more or less partaken of it after the same form.
Having transgressed the divine law, and "solaced themselves with loves", "the eyes of them both were opened" as the consequence; and when opened, "they knew that they were naked", which they did not comprehend before. "By the law is the knowledge of sin ", and" sin is the transgression of the law" ; so, having transgressed the law, "they knew they were naked" without waiting for the Lord to reveal it to them, and to permit them the lawful use of one another in His own time. They were quite chagrined at the discovery they had made; and sought to mitigate it by a contrivance of their own: so "they sewed fig-leaves together, and made themselves aprons
Although thus corporeally defended from mutual observation, the nakedness of their minds was still exposed. They heard the voice of the Elohim, which had now become terrible; and they hid themselves from His presence amongst the trees. They had not yet learned, however, that the Lord was not only a God at hand, but a God also afar off; and that none can hide in secret places and He not see them; for He fills both the heaven and the earth.(a) Their concealment was ineffectual against the voice of the Lord, who called out to him, "Where art thou Adam, ?" And he answered, "I heard thy voice in the garden, and I was afraid, because I was naked; and I hid myself." Adam's heart had condemned him, therefore he lost confidence before God (b)
A GOOD, AND AN EVIL CONSCIENCE.
The reader, by contemplating Adam and Eve in innocency, and afterwards in guilt, will perceive in the facts of their case the nature of a good conscience, and of an evil one. 'When they rejoiced in "the answer of a good conscience", they were destitute of Shame and fear. They could stand naked in God's presence
a Jer. 23 : 23, 24. b 1 John 3:19-22.
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unabashed; and
instead of trembling at His voice, they rejoiced to hear it as the harbinger of
good things. They were then pure and undefiled, being devoid of all conscience
of sin. They were then of the truth, living in obedience to it as expressed in
the law and therefore their hearts were assured before Him. No doubts and fears
oppressed them then. But mark the change that afterwards came over them. When they lost their good conscience, terror
seized upon them at the voice of God, and shame possessed their souls; and they
sought to get out cf His sight, and to remove as far from Him as possible. Now,
what was the cause of this? There is but one answer that can be given, and that
is-SIN.
Sin, then, takes away " the answer of a good conscience towards God", and converts it into an evil conscience; which may be certainly known to exist, when the subject of it is ashamed of the truth, and harassed by "doubts and fears". They are ashamed of the truth, who, being enlightened, feel themselves condemned; or, being ignorant, apprehend it. Such, on account of unbelief, or of" a dead faith" ,may well be ashamed and afraid for to be ashamed of God's truth is to be ashamed of His wisdom and power. People of this description proscribe all conversation about the truth as unfashionable, and vulgar; or as calculated to disturb the peace of the family circle; others, again, make a great outcry against controversy as dangerous to religion; as though God's truth could be planted in the hearts of men, already prepossessed by God's enemy, without controversy: others subjected to the timidity of sin, reduce everything to opinion, and inculcate "charity" ; not that they are more liberal and kind than other people; but that they fear lest their own nakedness may be discovered, and "men see their shame" ; while another class of bashful professors cry out, " Disturb not that which is quiet ", which is a capital maxim for a rotten cause, especially where its subversion would break up all "vested interests", and pecuniary emoluments. So it is; while "the righteous are bold as a lion, the wicked flee when no man pursueth". Sinners, however "pious" they may be reputed to be, are invariably cowards; they are ashamed of a bold stand for their own profession; and afraid of an independent and impartial examination of the law and testimony of God.
Understanding then, that sin, or the transgression of God's law, evinced by doubts, fears, and shamefacedness, is the morbid principle of an evil conscience, what is the obvious indication to be fulfilled in its removal? The answer is, blot out the sin, and the conscience of the patient will be cured. The morbid phenomena will disappear, and "the answer of a good conscience towards God"' remain.(a) From the nature of things, it is obvious that the sinner cannot cure himself; though superstition has taught him to
a 1 Pet. 3:21.
WHAT GOD REQUIRES OF
MAN
attempt it by fastings, and penances, and all "the voluntary humility and vain deceit," inculcated by "the blind". Adam and Eve vainly imagined they could cover their own sin, and efface it from divine scrutiny; but the very clumsy device they contrived, betrayed the defilement of their consciences. Their posterity have not learned wisdom by the failure of their endeavour; but, to this day, they are as industriously engaged in inventing cloaks for their evil consciences, as were their first parents, when stitching fig-leaves together to cover their shame. So true is it that, though God made man upright, he hath sought out many inventions.' But after all the patching and altering, and scouring, they are but like "the filthy garments" taken from the high priest, Joshua ;(b) to which all the iniquity laid upon him adhered with the inveteracy of a leprous plague.
Men have not yet learned the lesson, that all they are called upon by God to do is to believe His word and obey His laws. He requires nothing more at their hands than this. If they neither believe nor do, or believe but do not obey, they are evil doers, and at enmity with Him. He asks men for actions, not words; for He will judge them "according to their works " in the light of His law, and not according to their supposititious feelings and traditions. The reason why He will not permit men to prescribe for their own moral evils is because He is the physician, they the lepers ; He their sovereign, tliey the rebels against His law. It is His prerogative, and His alone, to dictate the terms of reconciliation. Man has offended God. It becomes him, therefore, to surrender unconditionally; and, with the humility and teachableness of a child, to receive with open heart and grateful feelings, whatever in the wisdom, and justice, and benevolence of God, He may condescend to prescribe.
Until they do this, they may preach in His name ;(c) make broad the phylacteries ;(d) sound trumpets in the synagogues and in the streets ;'(e)make long prayers in public ;(f) disfigure their countenances with grimace that they may appear to fast ;(g) build churches; compass sea and land to make proselytes ;(h) found hospitals; and fill the world with their benevolences -all is reducible to mere fig-leaf invention as a substitute for " the righteousness of God". " Blessed are they whose iniquities are forgiven, and whose sins are covered; "(i) but this blessedness came not upon Adam, nor upon any of his posterity, by garments of their own device. The Lord's covering for sin is "a change of raiment", even "white raiment", which He counsels men to buy, "that they may be clothed, and that the shame of their nakedness do not appear "(j)i He alone can furnish it. His price is that men should believe, and put it on.
aEccies. 7 : 29.