FROM THE LIBRARY OF REV. LOUIS FITZGERALD BENSON. D. D. BEQUEATHED BY HIM TO THE LIBRARY OF PRINCETON THEOLOGICAL SEMINARY THE ^^-^ t'f fR"^^ FAITH AND DOCT^IN|Pr gQ 1933 f OF THE \V^. , ..,'.^' CHUECH OF THE ETERN^ IlfTEIfDED AS A CHURCH BOOK CHURCH OF THE ETERNAL SON GENERALLY, ALSO, FOR THE USE OF ALL SINCERE SEEKERS AFTER FULL SALVATIOIf AND PERFECT LOVE; AND PARTICULARLY FOR THE CONVINCE- MENT OF SUCH AS DOUBT THE TRUTH OF THE DOCTRINE OF THE "ETERNAL SONSHIP," OR THAT JESUS WHO DIED ON THE CROSS IS THE ONE ONLY GOD : According to the Prophet Isaiah (x'ltv. 6), ^'■Thus saith the Lord the King of Israel, and his Redeemer the Lord of Hosts. I am the First and I am the Last, and besides me there is no God.''' To which Jesus seU his seal, as follows : '■'■These things saith the First and the Last which WAS DEAD.^'' Rev. ii. 8. THIS VOLUME IS DIVIDED INTO FOUR PARTS. TO WHICH IS ADDED, A NUMBER OF SELECT HYMNS ADAPTED TO THE WORSHIP OF JESUS "THE TRUE GOD." PART I, INVITATION AND ADDRESS, PAGE 17. II. DECLARATION OF FAITH, PAGE 54. III. ORGANIZATION OF THE CHURCH, PAGE 130. IV. ILLUSTRATION OF ITS FAITH AND DOCTRINES. THE BOOK ABOUNDS WITH COPIOXIS EXTRACTS FROM THE HOLY SCRIPTURES, AND WITH ARGUMENTS THEREFROM WHICH PROVE THAT JESUS, WHO DIED ON THE CROSS, IS " THE TRUE GOD." 1 JOHN V. 20. This Book has beoi more than seventeen years in progress, and is now offered to all (apart from its church government) as a BOOK OF REFERENCE PROVING THE DIVINITY AND ETERNITY OF THE SON OF GOD AS A SON. PHILADELPHIA: 1849. Entered according to the Act of Congress, in the year 1849, by ROBERT STREET, Artist, in the Office of the Clerk of the District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania. INDEX OF PRINCIPAL SUBJECTS. [See the Table of Contents for particulars] Page ADDRESS to the Children of God . . . 17—53 ADDRESS to sincere Seekers, showing them the way to ob- tain full redemption .... 24 — 30 ARTICLES OF FAITH .... 72—113 See Table of Contents for the Subjects xvi. Questions on faith ..... 139 — 81 ADVERTISEMENT to the Reader . . . xxxi— ii APPLICANTS for Membership, how admitted 212—29, 300—1 QUESTIONS TO ALL APPLICANTS not converted through this Church . 213 — 29 ATONEMENT. See Mediation 39—43, 82—7, 48—50, 287—8 ANTICHRIST— not confined to Roman Catholics— The true antichrist in the language of the Apostle . {)irll6 — 18 ASSURANCE— See Infallible Assurance, Index. AMUSEMENTS ...... 239 ANGEL of h\s presence, or Eternal Image of the Son . . 73 {fCr See Errata at the end of this Index x BAPTISM, water — Why permitted — The manner 45—6, 95 — 170 The true and saving Baptism 15, 19, 45 — b', 95, 170 BELIEF— How to be understood 38—40, 258—60, 159—60 BEGGING — Church begging, and collections at meetings for worship, not allowed — Expenses how met . 231 — 4 CHURCH of the Eternal Son — Its organization and govern- ment ...... 130—241 COMMUNION, the outward and the Spiritual 46—50, 97—9, 171—4, 268—70 The sinful misapplication of the outward com- munion .... 173 — 4 IV INDEX OF PRINCIPAL SUBJECTS. Page COMMANDMENTS, The Ten— How adopted by this Church 282—5 CONVICTION AND REPENTANCE . . 160—161,264—5 CONVERSION— See Regeneration or the New Birth, Index. CONFERENCES, and meetings of business . . 136—7 CREED. See the subject. Articles of Faith, Index. CLASS-MEETINGS— Official leading men not allowed 99—301 COLLEGES — Conclaves of official leading men — Hired pews, or select seats, not allowed . . . 232 — 6 DECLARATION OF MEMBERSHIP, and Blanks for signa- tures ...... 409 DEGENERACY of the Churches— Causes thereof . 31,38 DEVIL AND DEVILS— They are creaturely . 91—3, 177—8 DISTINCT UNION— Its falsity. See Hypostatical Union, Index. ETERNAL SONSHIP— proved . 31—43,9:^55—71,72-91, 106—13,114—29,139—57. See TEST Question I. 214 ETERNAL GENERATION of the Son of God elucidated 242—4 ELECT — they cannot be seduced, or deceived, nor perish 228, 279, See Question on Assurance of Eternal Life 165 — 6 FAITH—" It is the gift of God," and not an act of the crea- ture—Miraculous Faith 19—20, 158—60, 226, 258—61 PRAYER OF FAITH. It saves or cures the sick 93 GOD :— He is Triune. His proper name is JESUS . 55—71 See Articles of Faith, I. II. III., . . 72—5 See Questions one to six, 139 — 48. llustrations, 242 — 4 GOD— He has a spiritual " Body and parts" . 81—2, 121—3 How he " veiled" himself 3:5=-108— 11, 123—4, 95=247—9 GOD DIED — He became Man and passible, suffered, and died — His temptations, and hoiv he died explained 41, 124—6, 9:5- 145—6, 248—9, 9:^-256—8 GIFTS— Spiritual and Miraculous, 14—6, 19—20, 157—8,258—61 GENERATION ETERNAL— Or Eternal Generation 242, 55—6 HALLS FOR WORSHIP . . . . . 233—7 Engraved plan of the Halls . . . 304 HYxMNS AND CHORUSES .... 306—408 INDEX OF PRINCIPAL SUBJECTS. V Page « HUMANITY" OF JESUS. (See the next article, HYPO- STATICAL UNION.)— He was ALTOGETHER DI- VINE . 80, 214—16, 9:5=244—55, 295—8, 301—3 HYPOSTATICAL UNION, or the doctrine of two distinct natures in the person of the Lord Jesus — its falsity 34 — 5, 65—9, 95^103—4, 111—12, 115—19, gO=121— 2, Its extreme absurdity — Clarke — Edwards . 9Cr250 — 3 «' HUMILIATION" OF JESUS— His expressions of « humi- liation" and submission explained 63 — 4, 77 — 8, 119 — 21, 140, 254—5 HAND OF GOD, OR " THE RIGHT HAND OF GOD"— This and the Intercession explained . 84 — 5, 112 — 13, 221 HEATHEN— Their condition . . . 271—2,222—3 INFALLIBLE ASSURANCE, of Eternal Life 17—18, 94—5, 165—6, 265—72, 95=277—8 INTERCESSION— How understood, and how Jesus sits for- <' ever" at the right hand o^ God, {which is his Power,) even while he appeared to Saul of Tarsus, and to Saint John, at the Isle of Patmos . 82—7,112—13,221 9:5° See Note in Table of Contents, chap, iv., subject, Arguments. ..... xvii — xviii JESUS — The proper name of God, which he calls ^' my new name.'' See Articles of Faith, one to eleven 72 — 91 His Holy Names in the Old and New Testaments, given by comparison .... 245 — 7 He is the true and only God, the Eternal Son, and Divine Image, which " was made flesh"" . 55 — 71 See pages . 106—13, 114—29, 139—57, 242—58 No man can see " his glorious body," and live 76 He was in heaven and upon earth at the same time 107 See Heaven and the Throne of God . . 175 — 6 JEHOVAH, The " First and the Last," died on the cross 60—62 See Article IV., ..... 75—6 He died by a separation of his *' SOUL," Isa. xLii. i, from the veil, his flesh 242—4, 95=247—9 JUSTIFICATION— Or pardon from sin, not the New Birth 94—5 See Regeneration or the New Birth, Index. JUSTICE— How Divine justice was satisfied . . 287—8 Tl INDEX OF PRINCIPAL SUBJECTS. Page KINGDOM OF GOD— It belongs to " the Dear Son ;" it is his " Th?-one," and is omnipresent — He will never resign or give it up . . . 90—91,175—6,275—6 KINGDOM OF GOD AND OF HEAVEN— It is within the souls of the Regenerated also . 87, 221, 274—5, 298—9, See Hymns .... 344—83 LAW — " The Law and the Prophets were until John." Jesus fulfilled and ended the prophecies . 174—5, 290, 294 LORD'S PRAYER— How to be understood . 102, 222, 187—8 LOVE. See PERFECT LOVE, or Sanctification, Index. LUKEWARM members, if habitually so, are suspended from membership — God's abhorrence of such 100, 163, 203 — 4 MEDIATION, ATONEMENT, AND INTERCESSION— God "by himself purged our sins." Heb. i. 3; Isa. Lxiii. 5. He mediated " by the sacrifice of himself," Heb. ix. 26, between us, and the penalty of death — *' the Curse," and " the Wrath" — and thus satisfied his own Divine Justice . 82—7, 148—50, 287—8 MEETINGS FOR WORSHIP— How conducted 51—3, 201—12, 229—31 How the services are opened, and closed 208 — 10 ^fCr See Note, Table of Contents, Chap. IX. Part 3d xxiii MEETING-Houses— See Halls for worship. Index. MEMBERS — "Must be born again," John iii. 7. For the TEST, see Questions to all applicants — No. XVII .... 222 Must believe that the " Man Jesus is Eter- nal as a Son ;" for the TEST of this belief, see Questions to all Applicants, I. to VI. 215 — 16 Are admitted as MINORS — At what age allowed a voice . . . 212 — 13 All have an equal voice by ballot and repre- sentation .... 137,232 THREE male members signing the Declara- tion of membership, page 409, may begin a church, and add male and female mem- bers ..... 130 THIRTEEN male members may OFFI- CIALLY organize— The manner . 130—1 INDEX OF PRINCIPAL SUBJECTS. VII Page MEMBERS — Must all expect to be questioned and coun- seled on matters of Faith and Doctrine by the Chief, State, and Local OVERSEERS — All whowilfullydepar^from the doctrines declared in this book will be suspended from membership . 133, 194, {):5=229— 31 MILLENIUM— Not literal .... 179—80 MINISTERS — They support themselves — Any inspired bro- ther may travel 3.nd preach — The Gospel rule to be ob- served. (See 1 Cor. xiv. 30-32) 51— a, 99—100, 196—200 MINISTRY— How regulated .... 196—200 MINISTERS AND LAYMEN OF OTHER CHURCHES— Their privileges .... 101—2, 208—9 NATURES — Doctrine of two distinct natures in the Person of Jesus untenable. See Hypostatical Union, Index. NATURAL REASON— Called " the natural man," it know- eth not the Holy Spirit . . 20—23, 161—5, 271—2 ONLY-BEGOTTEN SON— There is no other . 61, 265—6 ORIGINAL SIN— Explained— How it originated . 262—3 OVERSEERS— The Chief Overseer or Elder— His duty 131—6 The State Overseers— Their duty . 193 — 6 The Local Overseers of individual churches, —Their duty .... 229—33 ORDINATION, and Doctrinal Questions to Candidates 137—181 PRAYER. For the general form of, see Ordination-Prayer 182—8 This prayer exemplifies the doctrines of this church, and the general form of words to be used when supplicating " the Almighty." See Rev. i. 8. PRAYER MEETINGS— ^/ways follow the first services 201—2 See Note in Table of Contents Chap. 9th, Part 3d xxiii PREDESTINATION 278—81 PERFECTION— Christian, or Sanctification 163, 268—9, 299 PERFECT LOVE, or Sanctification, more fully explained 270 PATRIARCHS AND PROPHETS OF OLD—None ascended to heaven before the resurrection of Jesus 166 — 7, 273 — 6 PROBATIONERS— Not received in this Church 99—100, 203—4 PRODIGAL SON— Parable expl ined ... 300 VIU INDEX OF PRINCIPAL SUBJECTS. Page QUESTIONS— To Candidates for Ordination . . 139—81 For division of subjects, see Table of Contents xx — xxi SHORT QUESTIONS TO ALL APPLICANTS for membership not regenerated or converted in this Church 214—29 REGENERATION, OR THE NEW BIRTH— How to be ob- tained ...... 24—30 It is an immutable and INSTANTANEOUS act of God's mercy . 94—5, 05=160—6, 265—72, 298—9 See Justification, Index. REJOICING AND PRAISE— Must never be suppressed ; but we say to all " Cry out and shout, thou inhabitant of ZION, for great is the HOLY ONE of Israel in the midst of thee." Isa. xii. 6. See 18—19, 127—9, 90=161—3, 9ir210— 11, 225—6, 268—70 REVELATION — Immediate revelation from Jesus the *' Wonderful Counsellor" now attainable . 21—23, 98—9 RESURRECTION— The general, and the last judgment 91, 169 ROMAN CATHOLICS— They deny " an immediate light and motion of God's Spirit communicated to the indivi- dual." Remarks ..... 48—60 [See Rt. Rev. Dr. Milner's End of Religious Contro- Tersy. Letter 6, page 20.] SON OF GOD — He had no beginning, and is one of the Eter- nal Holy Trinity 31—43, 74—5, 139—40, 242—4, 295—8 See Eternal Sonship, Index. SANCTIFICATION. See Perfection, and Perfect Love, Index. SACRAMENTS. See Communion, Index. SINGING — Must be with animation, and without choirs 100 — 101, 404 SERVANT— How Jehovah, The First and the " Last, took upon him the form of a servant" 87—8, 242—3, 247—8 SOUL OF JESUS— It had no beginning nor genealogy 95=142—4 See 87—90, 101—216, 242—4, 247 SCRIPTURES, THE HOLY, 178—80, 198—200, 226—7, 288—95 The Old Testament confirmed by the saying of Jesus 290 — 1 Eternal Life not to be found in the Old Testament 293—4 . 199,291- -3 See Note, Table xxix — XXX . 239- -40 237 -9 ion 295— 303 ned 270 — 1 INDEX OF PRINCIPAL SUBJECTS. IX Page SCRIPTURES, Errors in punctuation, &c., have " wrested" the sense — The remedy Only understood " by the Spirit." of Contents, Chap. XIII., par. 8, SUNDAY SCHOOLS— How conducted SLAVERY, War, Oaths, Amusements SUMMARY OF THE BOOK, and Conclusion « STRAIT GATE and narrow way" explained TRINITY, the Holy— Jesus is the only TRI-UNITY 55—71, 74, 139—40, 141—57 THRONE OF GOD— Explained . . 175—6, 106—7 TEMPERANCE, Dress, &c. .... 241 TABLE OF CONTENTS, or a brief synopsis of the whole work ...... xi — XXX UNBELIEVERS— In the Eternity and Divinity of the Son of God as a Son . . . . . 102--5 Including Unitarians, or Socinians, Arians, Clarke-ites, Hicks-ites, Swedenborg- ians, &c. Remarks . . lb. VOICE OF GOD— /if is now heard.—'' Other sheep I have," (saith Jesus,") " which are not of this fold" — " they shall hear my voice>'> . . 18—23, 44—5, 98—9, 171—2 WAR 238—9 WILL — The will of man is free — Yet it has no natural im- pulses to conversion — Conversion is an operation of the Holy Ghost against the natural will . 280—1, 264—5 The natural will and natural reason are blind — They are <' at enmity" against God and the new birth 161 — 5 WORSHIP— How conducted . . 51—53, 201—12, 301 WORK— Our main work . . 180, 163—5, 158, 13—14 WORKMEN — Effectual workmen, and living members con- stitute the efficacy of a church . . . 234 — 5 WOMEN— Their church privileges . . .99, 202 WEDDING-garment— None can enter the kingdom of God without it . . . . . 275—6, 163 WRATH OF GOD— It is not a motion in the Divine mind— This subject explained . . . 285—8, 177—8 ERRATA. ERRATA. For Thirdly, page 14, read Fourthly. For Address to the Seekers, page 53, read Invitation and Address Read who was crucified, page 17, as a parenthesis wherever it occurs in this connection. It must be thus marked in the second edition. The paragraphs in Chap. IV., page 134, are improperly numbered. They should be 1,2, &c., instead of 6, 6. For Ez. xxxiii. 20, Chap. V., page 76, read Ex. or Exodus. The Chapter, page 212, should be X. instead of IX., and the fol- lowing Chapters (in this part), altered to suit. At the end of paragraph 38, page 123, add (see Note, Table of Contents, page XVI.) Also between the words *' at home early," aud " during the seasons," paragraph 36, page 210, add (See Note, Table of Conteuts, page XXIII.) Also at the end of Question VIII., page 218, add, (see Explanatory note on page XXIV, Table of Con- tents.) Also in Question XVII., page 222, after the words When did it take place .^ add the words [and where?] in the second edition of this book. In Article II., page 73, between the words " He pre-existed," and the words " and after which image," insert in the second edition of this work the following words — and which is called by the pro- phet ('< the Angel of his PRESENCE," Isa. Lxiii. 9,) which appeared to Moses on the Mount. (Gen. xxxiii. 18, 23.) Insert on page 397, (by making two lines of the 5th chorus. Glory, &c.,) the following chorus in the second edition of this work. hallelujah ! grace is free. There's enough for you, and enough for me, There's enough forevermore ! TABLE OF CONTENTS, OR A BRIEF SYNOPSIS OF THE WHOLE WORK. NOTE TO THE READER. — Thi: page, in connection with each Chapter in this volume, is given in the following Table of Contents, as follows: "CHAPTER I, PAGE 17." Also the paragraphs in each chapter are given , by which arrangement any chapter, paragraph, or clause in the book can be found immediately. INTRODUCTION. Introduction. — Christ has chosen us ; he says, " ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you." We are commanded " to bring forth fruit," and to nourish it. The chief object of this church described. All the Apostolical Gifts are now attainable by a true belief in Jesus. Demonstrated from Scripture. The salvation of souls is our only object. PART FIRST. INVITATION AND ADDRESS. CHAPTER I. Page 17. Paragraph 1. Invitation and Address to the " Children of God," and all sincere inquirers after truth. 2, 3. The children of God are heirs of salvation, and " shall never fall," and " shall never per- Xll CONTENTS. ish," proved, 4, 5. An invitation to come out from among unbe- lievers. Causes for so doing. 6, 7. The Gentiles are partakers of the various gifts of the Holy Ghost. We as Gentiles are included in the promises. 8. Gifts enumerated. 9. How attainable. 10. Invitation — Christian liberty to obey the impulses of the Holy Spirit without control — Methodists. CHAPTER II. Page 21. 1. The "gifts" and "operations" of the Holy Spirit have in all ages been practically maintained. 2. Since the Reformation, there have been testimony bearers to all the gifts. 3, 4. The immediate and especial voice of God. 5, 6. The world — that is, theunregene- rated, whether in or out of the churches, are entirely ignorant of this voice. 7, S. The world, (if not under the class of reprobates,) have the universal " Grace of God," operating on their consciences, but, saith Jesus, " the Spirit of Truth the world cannot receive, be- cause it seeth him not, neither knoweth him.'^ 9, 10. Appeal to the children of God, whether in or out of the churches, to unite toge- ther with us as " one heart and one soul." CHAPTER III. PAGE 24. ' ADDRESS TO THE SEEKERS. 1. Sincerity a pre-requisite. The condition of the sincere seeker described. 2, 3. Christ loved us while we were yet sinners. 4, 5. Doubts and fears — Desires to know the truth. 6, 7. Original sin, or innate corruption — Outward morality and honesty. 8, 9. Secret misgivings. 10. Gospel sympathy. 11,12. The gulf of perdition — The joy of those who have passed over it. 13. Jesus is our deli- verer — his safe protection. 14-19. The way oP escape from perdi- tion — Origin of doubts and fears — The Hindoo, the Mahometan, and Roman Catholic all die alike without doubts and fears — The appli- cation — The promises — Jesus saith " he that cometh to ME, shall never hunger, nor thirst." 20-29. Remedy for a weak faith — How to obtain power to pray — Doubts of the Divinity or Eternity of the SON of God removed when a man receives the Holy Ghost — The joys of the blessed in this life — The soul that is blessed, calls JESUS Lord, from the immediate impulses of the Holy Spirit— Jesus the Life and Salvation of the soul. 30-35. The " gulf" of perdition — Love of the convert for immortal souls, and for the brethren — How a man deli- berately calls Jesus a liar, and the consequences — Blasphemy against the Holy Ghost — Hope for all who have not thus blasphemed. CHAPTER IV. PAGE 31. CONTINUATION OF THE ADDRESS TO THE CHILDREN OF GOD. 1. Degeneracy of all the churches — Spiritual dryness — Causes thereof. 2. The Stumbling-stone. 3-6. Questions to be put unto CONTENTS. Xlll professors of religion — the faithless reply. 7, 8. Most professors Arians or Socinians at heart — The reason. CHAPTER V. Page 33. 1. Unbelief in the Laity mainly attributable to the want of true belief in the Clergy, as Pastors or Teachers. 2, 4. The ground of this unbelief shown under six heads. 5-7. The hypostatical error of two distinct natures — Scriptural arguments thereon. CHAPTER VI. Page 35. 1. The fearful degeneracy of the churches caused by unbelief in the Eternity of the MAN Jesus, the Son of God, as a Son. 2. Or- thodoxy not orthodox. 3, 4. The Eternal Son became poor in the form of a servant, and actually suffered. 5. The Prophet Isaiah's definition of the Son of God, (now called by professors " the Humanity.") 6, 7. The Son one of the Eternal Holy Trinity AS A SON — His atonement — Our final judge. S, 9. The Eternity of his Reign and Kingdom — He is Jehovah and the Light of the Holy City New Jerusalem, and of Eternity. 10, 11. He is unchange- ably the same, and to be " honored" and " worshipped," being the one only God. CHAPTER VIL Page 38. 1. No man CAN say that Jesus is the Lord, hat by the Holy Ghost. 2-15. Summary of the doctrines and arguments on the Eternal Sonship. Firstly, the MAN JESUS is the very Eternal Son. Secondly, he is our immediate and only Saviour. Thirdly, he is '< THE TRUE GOD." Fourthly, he, " the True God," mediated " by himself" between Man and the penalty of eternal death, and the wrath in the curse. Fifthly, " God was made flesh." Sixth- ly, the Son was omnipresent, and in heaven whilst upon earth. Seventhly, when Jesus the Eternal Son of God died on the cross, the whole Trinity died with him. Eighthly, the way in which the Triune God died. Ninthly. God suffered. Tenthly. He became man through the line of David, according to THE FLESH, [but not ac- cording to the soul or spirit. See pages 242-4 ] He abolished all the '* Law of Commandments contained in ordinances." — He voluntarily laid down his life " by himself," and saved us, without /ie/p or aid from any, but " by himself purged our sins." — His resurrection, ascension, and glorification. To his reign and kingdom, "there shall be no end." CHAPTER VIII. Page 43. 1. The general Resurrection, and the last judgment. — Jesus, " the Son of Man," our final judt'e. — Eternal Life and eternal pun- ishment. 2, Justification is by faith and the merits of Jesus alone. XIV CONTENTS. 3. Full redemption from original sin attainable during this life. 4. The Holy Ghost is now obtainable, as in the days of the Apostles. 5, 6. The Holy Ghost is now an unerring guide and counsellor, as from the beginning, proved from several texts. — The Holy Trinity of Persons proved. 7. Sanctity of life. CHAPTER IX. Page 45. 1. Water baptism permitted in this church, but not essential to salvation. 2. It sustains the doctrine of the Holy Trinity. 3. Not sustained by this church as an Ordinance. The reasons. We bap- tize "IN THE NAME of THE LORD JESUS," as did the Apos- tles. The form of Baptism. 4-6. The subject of the OM^U'ord com- munion of bread and wine introduced. — Jesus declares, " I am the Bread of Life" — also," he that eateth me shall live by me." 7. We cannot, as a church, partake of the outward elements. 8, 9. Rea- sons from the Scriptures. 10. Sincere seekers, who are not born again, but servants of God only, may consistently partake of the outward elements, 11-17. Remarks on the Roman Catholic Church — They place tradition above the Bible — They deny " an imme- diate light and viotion of God's Spirit" to be contmunicated to an individual or to the soul — They deny all that Jesus died for, and that is, that we might be redeemed from the law of commandments, BY THE GIFT OF THE HOLY GHOST.— They have substituted Auricular confession and a priest's absolution for the living opera- tions of the Spirit, all of which is proved from their own books. 18. All the churches which deny the immediate gift of the Hoiy Ghost, as in the days of the Apostles, may partake of the outward elements. 19,20. Further reasons — the joys of the ^'blessed" in this life, when eating of " the bread of life." CHAPTER X. Page 51. 1. The sons of God are "led by the Spirit of God." 2-6. Pro- phesying, exhortation and preaching — Their nature, and how con- ducted. 7-9. On the manifestation of the Holy Spirit in power in our meetings. All exercises, at such periods, must be confined to the conversion of souls — Tedious speakers rebuked ; see paragraph 14, page 301. — 10, 12. The true way of conducting a meeting pointed out. CONTENTS. XV PART SECOND. DECLARATION OF FAITH. CHAPTER I. PAGE 54. INTRODUCTION. 1. Rule of faith. The necessity of a rule of faith. 2. Its appli- cation to members, and to those who apply for membership. 3. Its application to offenders in our own body, and their suspension from membership. CHAPTER II. Page 55. TITLE OF THE CHURCH. This Church shall be called THE CHURCH OF THE ETERNAL SON. And there shall be no alteration or amendment made to the Title, nor to the following explanation of the Title of the Church. EXPLANATION OF THE TITLE. Page 55. 1,2. The Son was eternally begotten, and existed at the same eternal instant with the Father. 3. His knowledge equally eternal with the Father's. His doings or acts equally eternal with the Father's acts. 4. His name is also "the Everlasting Father," and one with him. 5. He is the Father a/so— proved. 6. His IDENTITY the same with the Father and the Holy Ghost. 7-9. The Omnipotence, Omniscience, and Omnipresence of the Man Christ Jesus — proved. 10-12. The SON is the Eternal Image and Person of the Father and of the Holy Ghost, and is the only God, and Maker of all things — proved. He received Divine worship and approved of it as his right. 13. He is the only potentate, proved from Scripture (as we establish all our doctrines). 14. l{\% Kingdom and Reign w'\\\ have no end, demonstrated. 15-27. From the declaration of Jesus, that there is hut '< ONE GOD," who is also " ONE LORD," and other Scriptures, we clearly demonstrate in these paragraphs that Jesus Christ of Nazareth who suffered and died for us on Mount Calvary is that One Lord, and One God, and that there is no God besides him. 2S. Jesus is the Word of God, which Word died. 29. Jehovah and Jesus the Son *' are one" in identity 30. Note. — His expressions of sub7nis- sion or obedience to the Father, how to be understood. 31-33. The pre-existence of Jesus, the son of the Father, further demonstrated. 34, 35. The doctrine of two DISTINCT natures in the person of Jesus. That is, one nature which suffered, and one nature which did not and could not suffer, refuted. It falsely makes two DISTINCT Sons. 36, 37. Jesus of Nazareth the SON of God, who was born XVI CONTENTS. of the Blessed Virgin Mary is called by Dr. Adam Clarke in his Commentaries, and by all Socinians and Unitarians (in all their grades), << the Humanity." They maintain that he is not the " Mighty God," " but inferior to him." 38-41. Dr. Adam Clarke's apostacy from Methodism, and the truths of the Holy Bible. His commentaries on St. Luke's Gospel. He denies that JESUS the SON and " HOLY ONE," is Divine and Eternal as a Son. He says **the doctrine of the eternal Sonship is antiscriptural, and highly dan- gerous."" These false doctrines refuted. 42-44. Jesus the Eternal Son who suffered and died on Mount Calvary is the express and Eter- nal Image of God. And although there are three persons named in the Godhead, yet there are not three images — proved. 45, 46. Jesus the man vvho died for us was worshipped before and after his resurrection, and before his ascension, and approved of it: he there- fore must be god. 47. Jesus will be our final Judge when all will see and learn that HE is the " only potentate." 48. The SUM- MARY and conclusion of the Explanation of the Title. CHAPTER in. PAGES 72—113. ARTICLES OF FAITH AND DOCTRINES OF THE CHURCH OF THE ETEK- NAL SON. Article L—'< The True God."— Jesus Christ of Nazareth "IS THE TRUE GOD." 1 John v. 20. Art. II. — His oneness. Art. III.— His Godhead or Trinity. Art. IV. — The Omnipotence, Identity, and Oneness of Jesus with the Lord Jehovah. Art. V. — No man can see the unveiled Glory of Jesus, and live. Art. VI. — His Incarnation. Art. VII. — " The True God^^ became passible, or suffered. Art. VIIL— The Man Christ Jesus is " the Lord God of the Holy Prophets." Rev. xxii. 6. Art. IX. — The " Image," " Person," or " Likeness" of God. Art. X. — On the Mediation, Atonement, and Intercession. Art. XI. — On the pre-existence of the Soul of Christ. Art. XII. — The Reign of Jesus the SON is Eternal, " and will have no end." Luke i. 33. Art. XIII. — On the Resurrection, and Creaturely Devils. Art. XIV. — On God's Foreknowledge or Decrees. Art. XV. — " With God all things are possible." Art. XVI. — On Justification and the New Birth. Art. XVII.— On Water Baptism. Art. XVIII. — The Protestant or Roman Catholic Sacraments of Bread and Wine, not applicable to the Regenerated Children of God. Art. XIX. — On the Spiritual Communion of Jesus in the Soul, (which is the true Sacrament.) Art. XX. — Our Preachers. Art. XXI. — Clergy or Laity of other Churches. Art. XXII. — Unbelievers in the Eternity and Divinity of Jesus the SON of God, AS A SON. Art. XXIII.— JESUS CANNOT BE LIMITED. CONTENTS. . XVll CHAPTER IV. PAGE 114. ARGUMENTS. Further arguments from the Holy Scriptures which prove that *' Jesiis of Nazareth, ^^ who was crucified, is the Eternal Son, and the ONE ONLY GOD, in heaven or in earth, and besides him, there is no God. Isa. xLiv. 6. 1-5. Jesus the Eternal Son eternally existed in an image-like-form, and not" in the divine mind," or " in the Father's bosom" only. 6-11. " The Son of Man,'''' and " the Son of God''' mean the same Eternal Divine being. In these verses the Socinian Heresy adopted by all Uni- tarians, and promulgated particularly since the year 1600, and lately advocated by Dr. Adam Clarke in his Commentaries, is refuted. The Heresy is this, that " Jesus Christ AS A SON had no existence before he was conceived and born of the Virgin Marv," and is " inferior" as a Son, to God. 12-14. The true ANTICHRIST defined and clearly proved from direct quotations from Scripture. No sect that wor- ships Jesus, " the true God," is the antichrist — "Jesus is the Christ,'^ and *' Christ is God,'^ proved. 15, 16. Jesus is our Father — proved. 17, 18. The false doctrine of two whole and distinct or separate natures in the person of Jesus, called by the schools the Hypostatical union, introduced, and refuted from Scripture. 19-27. The " HU- MILIATION" of the Eternal Son explained, and his expressions or sayings according to his eternal right as God, set forth. 28. Although nailed to the Cross, the angelical hosts were at his command. 29. He died groaning in agony, yet exercised at the same time his infi- nite j3tt7-flfon/ng- power, being God. 30-36. The doctrine of the hypo- statical union of two distinct natures further refuted by comparison with several records of the Holy Scriptures. 37, 38. No man can look upon the glorified body of Jesus and live — His appearance to the Apostles after his resurrection explained, and the error that God is " without body or parts," refuted — The Intercession. [Note. — Jesus declares," Hereafter shall ye see the Son of Man sitting at the Right Hand of the Power of God.'^ Luke xxii. 19. Therefore the words right hand of God, as used by the Apostle, is a figure of " the Power of God," and does not mean, as professing Christendom supposes, that JESUS, '< the HOLY ONE," (see Acts iii. 14,) for " erer" sits at the right hand oC another God, even the Father, somewhere in space, making intercession for us. If Jesus thus literally sitteth at the right hand of another God, then the in- tercession would have been woefully interrupted ^.iihe peculiar crisis when Saul was persecuting the church; for it is declared in Acts xiii. 17, that Jesus personally " appeared" to Saul of Tarsus on his way to Damascus, and said, " I am Jesus whom thou persecutest." According to the doctrine now advocated in the churches, the throne of intercession must have been VACATED or empty, when our Lord " appeared" in his glory to Saul, and particularly so when he visi- bly appeared in his glorious body, and held the long interview with Saint John on the Isle of Patmos, and gave him the Revelation. The truth :s, that Jesus begins and ends the work ol redemption ^per- XVIU CONTENTS. sonally in every soul. His glorious body is the centre of his Omni- presence and Omnipotence; he declares, " for where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them ;" consequently, Jesus must be everywhere. See the subjects Interces- sion, and the Throne ofGod explained in Article Tenth, pages 84-87, and in Article XXIII., pages 112-13. See Question XV., page 221.] 9:5" The Notes in this Table shall have the same force for doctrine, &c., as if comprised in the body of the work. 39. When God became man, the purpose was eternal, therefore he never changed. 40. The Man, Jesus, was " in heaven," and omni- present when upon earth ; he was only veiled. 41-44. God became passible, and suffered — He died by a separation of his spirit from his body, as men naturally die. 45. Jesus is " without Father, without Mother,^' according to the flesh. 46-51. He "was tempted IN ALL POINTS like as we are, yet without sin.'' His expressions on the cross — " My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me ?" is one of our despairings, and therefore necessary — This explained — He is '* the True God," the " Rock of Ages," and " Ancient of Days." — He is all " Glorious in his Apparel," and cannot be looked upon. 52, 53. We worship Jesus because " all the angels" and the " Apos- tles" worshipped him. 54,55. We worship him for Redemption — for his " Kingdom" " wv7/im" us. 56. As our only Righteousness. 57. For his Love. 58. We worship him from his ou'n impulses. 59. Be- cause he fills our Souls with the Holy Ghost. 60, 61 . And when Jesus is in our " midst," we cry out and shout " for joy," as the Prophet declared, Isaiah xii. 1-6, and worship him with a loud voice, as the whole multitude of the disciples did at his descent of the Mount of Olives. 62. His rebuke to the Pharisees. 63, 64. We worship him from a full heart, with rapture, thanksgiving, and praise — And sav,Thou art the only God. 65-67. We praise Jesus for salvation. {For there is none in any other name.) And cry out " Honor and Glory, Might and Majesty, Riches and Wisdom, Omnipotence and Omniscience, and Eternal Dominion belong to thee!" 68-72. We praise Jesus with David, and say, " Blessed be thou, Lord God of Israel, Our Father, forever and ever," and cry out with him, " Thine, O Lord, is the greatness, and the power, and the glory, and the vic- tory, and the majesty: and all that is in heaven and in earth IS THINE. Thine is the Kingdom ; and thou art exalted above all. Both riches and honor come of Thee. And thou REIGNEST OVER ALL." 1 Chron. xxix. 10, 11, 12. For thou only. Lord Jesus, art our WAY, our TRCJTH, and our LIFE, and our GOD, henceforth and forever. Amen. Hallelujah. CONTENTS. XIX PART THIKD. ON THE ORGANIZATION OF THE CHURCH. CHAPTER I. PAGE 130. INTRODUCTION. 1, 2, 3. Our Blessed Lord encourages two or three to meet in his name. — He declares, " Where two or three are gathered together int MY NAME, there am I in the midst of them ;" therefore, three Re- generated male persons, embrac-ng all our doctrines, shall, [hy signing their names to the Declaration of Membership, page 409,] constitute an inceptive organization of a Church, but shall perform spiritual duties only. They may add male and female members to their number according to discipline. 4. Thirteen male persons, thus associated, may organize into an official branch of this Church; but shall report to the Chief Elder or to the State Elder their organization CHAPTER II. PAGE 131. THE CHIEF PBESIDING ELDER. 1. The Church of the Eternal Son shall be primarily directed by a chief" Overseer," called the Chief Presiding Elder. 2. His authority shall extend over all the churches of the country or nation in which he lives, and of which he must be a citizen native born, but shall never extend beyond the same. He shall have no temporal power — his oversight being purely spiritual. 3. His duty. 4. Each State, or Province, or District, or Territory of a country shall also have an Overseer. Each shall preside over the church of his respective State or District. He has no temporal power — his oversight being also spiritual. His duty. 5. No Elder shall interfere with the secu- lar organization of a Church or its property. 6. EACH CHURCH SHALL GOVERN ITS OWN AJTAIRS. 7. Exhortation. CHAPTER III. PAGE 132. THE QUALIFICATION OF THE CHIEF ELDER OR OVERSEER. I. He must be Regenerated. He must produce living witnesses (who have been converted through his immediate instrumentality) that he has the power of the Holy Ghost to the conversion of souls. 2, 3. He must " KNOW AND HEAR THE VOICE OF JESUS," and how to comfort mourners, and administer consolation to the sick and dying, in the hour of trial. 4. His office is an office of mercy. 5, 6. He must see that all our icritten doctrines are faithfully main- tained by the State or District Elders, the Local Overseers, and the Ministers, helps and members under their charge. 6. We allow no Tradition to govern this Church. XX CONTENTS. CHAPTER IV. PAGE 134. DURATION OF OFFICE OF THE OVERSEERS — RESIGNATIONS, ETC. Note. — The paragraphs are improperly numbered in this Chapter— the first paragraph is numbered 5, the second 6, &c. We note them in this table as they are numbered. They must be revised in a second edition. 5, 6. Term of office of the Chief Elder. He may be re-elected, and removed from office for incapacity or delinquency. How the Elders shall be tried. 8-11. Resignation of the Elders, and the manner of filling the vacancies. 12, 13. Confirmation of the Elders — their duty at such periods. CHAPTER V. PAGE 136. MEETINGS OF BUSINESS. 1. The Meetings of Business are the following: — A General Con- ference; and, State Conferences — both by Delegates selected and sent by each Quarterly Meeting. 2-4. How represented. 5, 6. Quarterly meetings and monthly meetings — they are composed of the members g-e?iera%, and not of Delegates. 7, 8. The equality of this rule in relation to the General and State Conferences — Officers of these meetings. CHAPTER VI. PAGE 137. ELECTION AND CONFIRMATION. OF THE CHIEF PRESIDING OVERSEER OR ELDER. 1. The election and confirmation, &c., are done by a Convention of Delegates, from each Quarterly meeting. 2, 3. The manner of electing the delegates. 4. The organization of the Convention. 5. The manner of nominating candidates. 6-8. The election by bal- lot. 9, 10. The preliminaries of the ordination or confirmation. QUESTIONS. Pages 139—81. QUESTIONS TO THE OVERSEER ELECT. First question — Subject — The Holy Trinity. Second question — Subject — Jesus the one only God. Third question — Subject — His Eternity. Fourth question — Subject — The Incarnation. Fifth question — Subject — The Sufferings of God. Sixth question — Subject — Jesus is the First and the Last. Seventh question — Subject — The Atonement. Eighth question — Subject — The Mediation. Ninth question — Subject — The Reign of the Lord Jesus " will have no end." Luke i. 33. CONTENTS. XXI Tenth question — Subject — Jesus, the Eternal and Almighty Maker and preserver of all things. Eleventh question — Subject — Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and to-day and forever. Heb.xiii. 8. Twelfth question — Subject — Special Gifts. Thirteenth question — Subject — Miraculous Faith. Fourteenth question — S u bj ect — Belief. Fifteenth question — On Conviction. Sixteenth question — Subject — The New Birth. Seventeenth question — On the full assurance of Eternal Life (in this time, even from youth until old age.) Eighteenth question — Subject — None were "Born again" or "ascended up to heaven" before the resurrection of the Lord Jesus. John iii. 13. Nineteenth question — Subject — God's fore-knowledge and de- crees. Twentieth question — Subject — " With God all things are possi- ble." Markx. 27. Twenty-first question — Subject — The Resurrection. Twenty-second question — On Water Baptism. Twenty-third question — Subject — The Communion. Twenty-fourth question — On the Law given to Moses. Twenty-fifth question — Subject — Heaven and the Throne of God. Twenty-sixth question — On " the Wrath of God" and creaturely Devils. Twenty-seventh question — On the Holy Scriptures. Twenty-eighth question — Subject — The Doctrines of the Church. FORM OF CONFIRMATION OR ORDINA- TION. Page 181. 1-5. Remarks. — PRAYER. Kneeling the true position. Jesus kneeled in prayer. See Luke xxii. 41. THE ORDINATION PRAYER. Page 182. Note. — The words " Amen^^ in this prayer are not to be uttered by persons praying — at any time. The words " Hallelujah" may be uttered : These ejaculations must be uttered by the Congregation according to " Note," page 188. ordination or confirmation, page 189. 1, 2. The manner. 3. Certificates of appointment. 4. Proceed- ings of Convention — how Disposed of. 5. No new business can be originated by these conventions. CERTIFICATES OF THE CHIEF ELDER AND STATE ELDERS, &C. PAGE 190. The Certificates. — State Elders and Ministers — their ordination. All our ministers are free to travel and preach the everlasting Gos- pel without confirmation or ordination as the Lord Jesus may dictate. This LIBERTY is perpetual in this Church. XXll CONTENTS. CHAPTER VII. PAGE 193. THE STATE OVERSEERS OR ELDERS. 1, 2. The manner of choosing State Elders. 3. On the INCEP- TIVE ORGANIZATION of a STATE. 4-7. The duties of the State Elders or Overseers described. The STATE OVERSEERS shall hold their OFFICE for a term of FIVE YEARS. CHAPTER VIII. PAGE 196. THE MINISTRY. 1-3. Certificates of Confirmation to them — how granted (Appeals). 4. The form of the Certificate. 5. The object of the Certificate. 6. Liberty and the true Certificate — no Bondage in this Church. 7, 8. The Holy Scriptures— HALLS for WORSHIP— no pulpits nor select seats. 9-11. The poor of our Church shall be supplied with the Holy Scriptures.— The GENERAL CONFERENCE shall cause to be published a NEW EDITION OF THE BIBLE, with corrections of the versification and of the punctuation, &c. Some of those errors pointed out, wherein the true sense of the Scripture has been per- verted and the Lord Jesus dishonored. 12. Directions to our Minis- ters relative to preaching in other congregations, &c. CHAPTER IX. PAGE 201. DIVINE WORSHIP — MEETINGS HOW CONDUCTED. 1. As all the members of this Church profess to be led by the spirit of God, so all the Brethren who are led to preach, pray or ex- hort, are at liberty to do so, but "ONE by ONE," or one at a time; yet when mourners are seeking salvation, or crying for mercy, then each member is to do his and her duty, by speaking and praying to each mourner at the same time, even whilst the leading prayers and exhortations are going on. There should be no cessation : For the kingdom of Heaven suff"ereth violence, and the violent take it by force, saith Jesus. Matt. 11, 12. Hyrnns and choruses to be sung. 2. Ex- pensive Edifices, paid ministry, and schools of divinity all condemned. 3.' The mode of conducting our meetings continued. 4. WOMEN are allowed to help us by vocal prayer in our select or prayer meet- ings. 5, 6. The subject of worship continued — exhortation to pray with families. 7. The subject continued — mourners how to be ap- proached. 8. First interrogation to mourners. 9. The difficulty of awakening the "Lukewarm professor, or the Gospel-hardened." 10-12. Remarks on the saying of Jesus — " The publicans and the harlots go into the kingdom of God before you" — how to be under- stood. 13, 14. The second interrogation, &c. 14-31. The mode of encouraging the mourner to trust in Jesus; and of bringing the soul into the New Birth, and " the glorious liberty of the Children of God." 32-34. Liberty to members of other Churches or the Re- generated to speak or pray in our meetings — how regulated and CONTENTS. XXlll restricted. 35. The manner of opening our meetings — brevity in exhortation, &c. 36. Time of closing our meetings, &c. 37. The ENTRANCED STATE. 38. The spirit of prayer— conversion. 39. Manner of inviting mourners to the mourners' benches. Note. — In paragraph 36, page 210, there is an important omission. It is there stated that the evening services are required to be closed at ten P.M. It should have stated, also, that [the congregation generally should be dismissed in the winter season, at half past eight P.M., and in the summer season at nine P.M., so that those who wish to retire may do so before the commencement of the prayer- meeting. Nevertheless, if the blessed power of the Lord should be generally poured out on the congregation at an earlier hour, as stated in the Address, pages 52-3, then the meeting shall not be dismissed. This measure of dismissing the first meeting will give room for the prayer-meetings. These prayer-meetings shall not be omitted at any season, but shall always be held after the first dismission, which shall be with aDoxology and the Benediction, "May the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen." Such as are de- sirous of continuing in the prayer-meeting should be invited to re- main, and such as remain must expect to be advised, counseled, and invited to seek the salvation of their souls, which shall be publicly made known unto them.]* The words within the brackets shall be a standing rule in this Church. They belong between the words *' at home early," and " During the seasons," in the paragraph. CHAPTER IX. Page 212. Note. — This should have been Chapter lOth, and must be altered, together with the succeeding chapters, in the second edition. CONVERTS THROUGH THE FAITH OF THIS CHURCH, AND APPLICANTS FOR MEMBERSHIP NOT CONVERTED AMONGST US. 1. All white persons, '' horn again" through the instrumentality of this church, are at once adopted as members of this church. 2. They shall be upheld in their growth in grace, and instructed, but are liable to be suspended for offences, as others. 3, 4. The ages of applicants not limited. — Scriptural authority. 5. None can vote under the age of sixteen years, nor become an Overseer or a Delegate under twenty-one years. — Note. — [Colored persons adopt- ing our Faith shall form a distinct Church.] SHORT QUESTIONS TO APPLICANTS. Pages 213-229. The following SHORT QUESTIONS shall be put to all applicants without exception, who have not been converted amongst us, and this rule shall never be altered or amended — The manner of receiving such applicants.— JVofe. — SEVERAL PERSONS may be questioned at the same time. XXIV CONTENTS. SHORT QUESTIONS TO APPLICANTS FOR MEMBERSHIP WHO HAVE NOT BEEN CONVERTED AMONGST US. PAGE 214. QUESTION I. On the Eternity of the MAN JESUS. 11. On his Tri-unity. III. The " SON" shall be called " the Everlasting Fa- ther." IV. The MAN who died was God, and God was the man. V. On the soul of God. VI. Jehovah the Son came down from heaven with his own " soul," and was " made flesh." VII, On the hypo- statical union or doctrine of two dis^mc? natures in the Person of the Lord Jesus — the doctrine refuted. VIII. The Father, Jehovah, and the Son " ARE ONE," so that those who saw Jesus saw the Father. How the Son sent himself. — [Explanatory note. — The Apostle tes- tifies, 1 John V. 20, that the " Son" " is the TRUE GOD ;" and as he is "the true God,'' there can be no God above him, to whom he can be subject. Therefore, all his expressions, such as " the Father sent the Son," " I came not of myself, but he sent me," &c., are expressions oP " humiliation," the same as when he said, <' My Father is greater than I,"" I live by the Father," &c. They are the expressions of " The true God" as a man, which he became. For " God" " the Word was made flesh," saith the Apostle. John i. 14. For a further explanation of this subject, see " Title of the Church," pages 63-4. See Article VIL, pages 77-8. See Arguments 1 19-21. See pages 140, 254-5.] IX. On the Godhead — this explained. X. On the Identity of the Son with the God of the Jews in the Wilderness — they are the same — proved. XL On the mediation — God, or God the Son mediated by himself— proved. XII. On the death of God. XIII. JEHOVAH, the First and the Last, suffered and died on the cross — proved. XIV. The Son is infinite \n his perfections. XV. The RIGHT HAND of God — This is his power. — On the Intercession. XVI. How the " CHILDREN" can call Jesus Father. See John xxi. verse 5. XVII. The all-important questions — Are you regenerated, or "born again ?" — When, and where did it take place ? — Was it instantaneous? — &c. Unconverted heathen. XVIII. The Resurrection, last Judgment, and creaturely Devils, and the cause of evil. XIX. On Water Baptism — not essential, buti)erwi7^e£? in this church — On the OUTWARD SAC- RAMENT of bread and wine;itmay be eaten by the servants, {Gal. iv. 7,) but not by the SONS of God — Reasons. XX. We can have, no Christian fellowship with false sects. XXI. On the expressions of God, " of myself I can do nothing," &c. XXII. On the Son's Om- nipresence — Omniscience — His Decrees — He cannot be limited, and will REIGN WITHOUT END. XXIII. On Christian Liberty. XXIV. On giving Jesus all glory /or all things — Examples. XXV. On Miraculous gifts — Attainable at this day — On the Operations of the Spirit, shouting, &c. — Faith explained. XXVI. On the Holy Bible — Bibles with notes or comments must be rejected — Dr. Adam Clarke's Commentaries — Their dangerous tendency. XXVII. On Mesmerism, Clairvoyance, and Pathetism — They are to be rejected — The reasons. XXVIII. The final question. CONTENTS. XXV CHAPTER X. PAGE 229. LOCAL OVERSEERS OF INDIVIDUAL CHURCHES, COLLECTION OF FUNDS, &C. 1. They are called Local Overseers, to distinguish them from the traveling Chief and State Overseers — Every new church of thirteen male members shall appoint two Local Overseers. 2. Limited to nine — Elected annually — Eligible for office for two years. 3. Their general duty. 4-7. False members hinder the Gospel work — Re- marks — They must be suspended. 8-10. Further duties of the Over- seers — To keep order at times of worship — To attend to the pecu- niary affairs of the church. 11-14. No money collections at meetings of worship permitted — Expenses how provided for, and met. 15. All business affairs shall be done by ballot. 16. No official leading members allowed— The brother who is " IN THE SPIRIT," shall lead when '< the Spirit of the Lord is upon him." — 1:^0 distinct body , college, or conclave allowed, as in the Methodist Episcopal Church and others. 17. Real estate, how secured. 18. Secesshn from this church forfeits the real and personal estate of a church — How pro- vided for. CHAPTER XI. HALLS FOR WORSHIP, &C. PAGE 233. 1. How built. 2. Expensive edifices wrong — Cause of church begging. 3. Halls not absolutely necessary. 4-6. We offer no in- ducement for a large individual church membership — Remarks on efficient members. 7. Small congregations recommended. 8, 9. Wrong titles to church edifices — We do not consecrate them. 10-16. We call our meeting-houses HALLS — Manner of building them described. 17-18. Any defects in the outward organization of this church are to be supplied by a General Conference — The proviso. CHAPTER XII. PAGE 238. SLAVERY, WAR, OATHS, AMUSEMENTS. 1,'2. Slavery not to be interfered with by this church as a body — Remarks. 3-5. Many evils have attended the enslaving of the Afri- can race, yet thousands who would have been PAGAN IDOLATERS at this day, now enjoy the blessings of civilization, and the religion of Jesus in their souls — Remarks. WAR — Our position defined. OATHS — We are commanded to *' swear not at all ;" we affirm only, where the Laws of the country will admit of it. CHAPTER XIII. PAGE 239. SUNDAY SCHOOLS. 1. Approved of. 2-10. How conducted — The object — Libraries. XXVI CONTENTS. CHAPTER XIV. PAGE 241. TEMPERANCE, DRESS, ETC. 1-4. Temperance — Our position defined. 5. This church cannot acknowledge any law relative to the cut of a garment, or its colour, or any law in relation to the furniture of our dwellings — We approve of the Arts and Sciences — Remarks. PART FOURTH. ILLUSTRATIONS OF THE FAITH AND DOC- TRINES OF THE CHURCH OF THE ETER- NAL SON. CHAPTER I. PAGE 242. ON ETERNAL GENERATION. The Son, even Jesus of Nazareth, was Eternally Generated^ or the Son as a Son, as he appeared in the flesh ^i Jerusalem, had no begin- ning whatever. He assimilated his Eternal Soul and Divine nature with our flesh, and thus " God'" was made flesh actually. And it was God which died on the Cross. 2. Jesus denies that he had any beginning, or genealogy ; texts proving it. 3. The Eternal Gene- ration of the Son was AN ETERNAL ACT, BY WHICH THE TRIUNE GOD EXISTED— proved from Scripture. CHAPTER II. PAGE 244. THE MAN JESUS CHRIST. 1. He came down from heaven as a Son, and is the Maker of all things. 2. His Holy Names given as recorded in the Old and New Testaments. 3, 4. His Incarnation — How the divine nature <' was made flesh." 5-9. Two distinct or separate natures in the Person of Jesus are wholly untenable. The impossibility of two distinct na- tures in the Person of Jesus demonstrated from the Sacred Records. 9. Dr. Adam Clarke — his commentaries should be disallowed by the Methodist Episcopal Church. 10. President Edwards' gross error, founded on this doctrine of" two distinct natures. 11. God " was tempted in all points like as we are, yet without sin" — how under- stood. 12. When "God was made flesh" and became man, he changed not — proved. The glory and eternal dominion and reign of the Man Jesus Christ described. CONTENTS. XXVU CHAPTER III. PAGE 256. JESUS **THE TRUE GOD," SUFEEHED. 1. God brought himself into a capacity for suffering, or became passible, by becoming a true and very man, yet he filled all things at that time as he did tirom all eternity. He was " in heaven" whilst he dwelt upon earth, as he declared to Nicodemus. 2. His wonder- ful power. 3. The whole Godhead died on the Cross — how to be understood, a c/ii7d may learn. Jesus is " f^eFuMer also" — proved. CHAPTER IV. PAGE 258. ^ ON BELIEF AND ON MIRACULOUS FAITH. 1,2. Belief illustrated. 3. The Jews believed all that is now believed in by most professors, yet because they rejected the MAN JESUS as God, they were " cast out" — proved from Scripture. 4. A direct question to all unbelievers, with the consequences of unbe- lief. — How such ^' stone Jesus," and " crucify him afresh." ON MIRACULOUS FAITH. PAGE 260. 1. Saint Paul's definition of it — Faith is not an act of the creature, but is an act of Jesus Christ through " EVIDENCE" without doubt. 2. It is all powerful in the smallest degree, and depends not on quantity, but on " kind.'' [See Matt. xvii. 21 ; Mark ix. 29.] 3, 4, 5. Faith will hardly be found in the Last Day — The consequences. An act of faith — how performed. 6. A dead faith. 7. A living faith. 8. Faith according to Saint James. CHAPTER V. PAGE 262. ORIGINAL SIN. 1. It began with Lucifer, he is a fallen angel — texts to prove it. 2, 3. The fall of man. 4. Original sin, or innate depravity. How Adam died the day he did eat. The flaming sword — Its operation. CHAPTER VI. PAGE 264. ON CONVICTION AND REPENTANCE. 1, 2. Conviction defined — how it operates. 3, 4. The constrain- ing love and power of God. 5, 6. All must pass through the anguish of conviction, through "the strait gate and narrow way," before they can enter " into life" and " be born again," whether they be open sinners or rigid moralists — We must obtain " THE SON." XXVlll CONTENTS. CHAPTER VII. PAGE 265. ON REGENERATION, OR THE NEW BIRTH. 1. Regeneration, how declared by our Blessed Lord. 2. We are Sons by the spirit of adoption. 3. The great difference between the ONLY BEGOTTEN SON and adopted Sons. 4-8. The words " water and the spirit'^ are to be understood as LIVING water — Scriptures sup- porting it. 9-11. The '•' New Birth" more fully described — The joys of the blessed in this world. 12. Jssus makes his abode in the soul —the WEDDING GARMENT. 13. Such as are born again have re- ceived the Holy Ghost — they have become partakers of'' the Divine nature." 14. This VIRTUE and Divine nature are communicable unto others — caution to such as have it. 15, 16. Sanctification or PERFECT LOVE— its operation and its holy joy. This is the *' kingdom of God within," as Jesus declares, Luke 17, 20, 21. — 17. The *' strait gate and narrow way" defined — popular errors respect- ing this "gate" and "way." 18. The regenerated soul ''is passed from death unto life" by passing through the " strait gate" of an- guish, and will never perish — and will have no more occasion to pass through this gate. 19. Of the Heathen — they all lie " in wicked- ness^' — various Scriptures which show that they neither " see nor know" the spirit. They that " have sinned without law, shall also perish without law," saith the Apostle. Rom. ii. 12, CHAPTER VIII. PAGE 273. ON THE CONDITION OF THE PATRIARCHS, PROPHETS, AND HOLY MEN OF OLD (AFTER DEATH). 1, 2. NO MAN ''hath ascended vp to heaven,"" saith Jesus, John 3, 13, that is, no man \.\idi\. d'lad previous to the resurrection of Jesus. — 3, 4. No man was regenerated prerfous to the death and resurrection of our Lord. 5-11. Arguments. 12, 13. The impossibility of an unregenerated soul entering the final " place" of the righteous. CHAPTER IX. PAGE 277. ON THE ASSURANCE OF ETERNAL SALVATION DURING THIS LIFE. 1-4. Saint John testifies, " Whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin, for his seed remaineth in him, and he cannot sin be- cause he IS born of God," 1 John iii. 9. — Scriptural arguments, — Il- lustrated by Saint Paul. Rom. vii. 22, 2o, — His glorious testimony, that nothing in time or eternity " shall be able to separate US from ihe love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord," that is US who are " born again.'' CHAPTER X. PAGE 278. ON PREDESTINATION. 1, 2. Jesus foreknows, (John xvi. 29, 30,) and has foreordained all CONTENTS. XXIX things, proved — Saint~Paul's testimony. 3, 4. The argument from several Scriptures — Tiie case of Pharaoh — Jesus predetermines the means of a sinner's salvation. 5, 6. The subject explained — Our true position relative to God's decrees — On FREE-WILL — Satan fell through free-will — God knows the future choice of every man's free-will — All who through their own free-will do not accept the constraining offers of mercy, shall be damned — How a man plunges himself into the fire that was" prepared for the Devil and his angels-^ — God has "no pleasure in the death of the wicked." • CHAPTER XI. PAGE 282. ON THE DIVINE LAW GIVEN TO MOSES, AND THE NEW COVENANT. 1. The Divine Law is summed up in the Decalogue, or " Ten Commandments"— THE TEN COMMANDMENTS enumerated. 2. We adopt them as they were given unto Moses on the Mount, ex- cept thc^e parts or clauses which have been cancelled in the Gos- pels by the Lord Jesus himself. 3, 4. The commandments which are abolished. 5. Remarks on the Sabbath-day — We keep the day. 6, 7. The " FIRST" and " SECOND" commandments as defined by the Lord Jesus himself whilst outwardly dwelling among us. CHAPTER XII. PAGE 2S5. r ON THE WRATH OF GOD. 1. The Apostle declares, " We were hy nature children of the wrath, eren as others.'''' 2. Those under the wrath, are under the dominion of their own fallen nature. 3, 4. And the Lord said, " My Spirit will not always strive with man" — The desolation of those — They are under the wrath. 5, 6. God, even Jesus, can have no wrath in himself — If he had, the consequences — an expla- nation. 7-9. The atoning blood of Jesus saves us from the wrath, and the penalty of eternal death, and the curse — The glory and Di- vine majesty of Jesus, the Eternal Son, who thus saves us — An ad- monition. CHAPTER XIII. PAGE 288. OF THE HOLY SCRIPTURES, THE OLD AND NEW TESTAMENTS. 1. The Holy Scriptures are given by inspiration of God. 2. The books enutnerated. 3. Jesus fulfilled the Law and the Prophets, " Blotting out the hand-writing of ordinances that were against us, which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way, NAILING IT TO HIS CROSS"— This church cannot, therefore, acknowledge any ordinance whatever. 4. The Scriptures cannot be broken. 5,6. The Scriptures of the Old Testament fully established by the direct and immediate sayings of the Lord Jesus, while in the flesh — Say- ings enumerated. 8. The Holy Scriptures the only true guide to XXX CONTENTS. Jesus. — [Note. — But it requires the immediate inspiration of the Holy Ghost to understand and believe them. ICnr. ii. 11.] 95= This clause within brackets shall be inserted in paragraph 8, page 291, in the second edition of this book, after the words ma/i's redemption — and marked as a parenthesis. An iinproper division and punctuation of the Scriptures, have in many instances destroyed the sense — In- stances given — An instruction to the church, how to correct this evil. 9, 11. The Scriptures throughout testify of the Lord Jesus, but Jesus declares that eternal life is only to be found in himself. 12. We establish our faith primarily on the direct sayings of the Lord Jesus — Arguments. 13. The children are free from the ceremonial Law of Moses. 14. We receive nothing for doctrine which opposes the say- ings of Jesus. 15. Of the New Law, and our Neighbor. CONCLUSION. Page 295. 1, 2. There is no God whatever but the Man Jesus Christ of Na- zareth. 3, 4. The Man Jesus, the Eternal Son, is a Tri-\inity by himself. Those who worship the Man Jesus, as the Apostles wor- shipped him, worship the total God, bodily. 5. Jesus Mediated and " by himself purged our sins." Heb. i. 3. 6. The unity and sim- plicity of our belief. 7-9. None can possibly enter the kingdom of God, unless they are born again, by which we are instantaneously ''translated into the kingdom of the DEAR SON." Col. i. 13.— This is the state called " Christian Perfection." 10. Our greatest object. 11. Lay hands suddenly on no man. Note. — Add in the second edition of this book, after the words no man, page 300, the words within the brackets [when admitting them as members : they " must be born again.''''] 12. Suspension from membership. 13. Appli- cants for membership — [VVe have no official men to lead us] — The manner of putting down tedious prosers who have been ad- monished. [They must be suspended from membership, if obsti- nate.] 9:^ Insert in paragraph 14, after the figures 200, in the second edition. 14, 15. Summary of our faith — A Note relative to the maintenance of the fiimilies of the Elders when on their circuit duties. PLAN OF THE HALLS FOR WORSHIP. An Engraving. Page 304. HYMNS. Pages 311 to 392. SUBJECTS.— "The True God"— God's Advent— God's Cruci- fixion and Atonement — The Resurrection of God — The General Re- surrection — The New Birth, or the Kingdom of God — Invitation Hymns — Doxologies — Choruses — Index to the Hymns. DECLARATION OF MEMBERSHIP, AND BLANKS FOR SIGNATURES. Page 409. TO THE READER. In presenting the following work, (compiled from the Holy Scrip- tures,) we have but one great object in view — The regeneration of immortal souls. The Apostle testifies, that " there is none other name under hea- ven given among men whereby we must be saved," than '< The name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth," who was" crucified'' — " neither is there salvation IN ANY OTHER." Acts iv. 10-12. As a church, we can testify with the inspired Apostle that " if?e know that 'the SON of God' has come, (see Dan. iii. 25), and has given us an understanding that we may know Him that is true, and we are in Him that is true, even in his SON Jesus Christ ; THIS IS THE TRUE GOD, and ETERNAL Life." I John v. 20. Accordingly, Jesus declares, " If ye believe not that ' I AM HE," (see Isa. XLii. 10, 11,) ye shall die in your sins" — " whither I go ye cannot come." John viii. 21-24. The " SON Jesus Christ" being" THE TRUE GOD and ETER- NAL Life," we have called this church The Church of the Eter- nal Son; and we intend, through the help of Jesus, to exclude all unbelievers in the Eternal Sonship from our church membership. A work, declaring that the Son of God is '* inferior" to God, as a Son, is now cherished by many laymen, and fostered as a Class book by private and public Preceptors of religion, who call themselves Trinitarians, and orthodox. This work is the " Commentary" of Dr. Clarke, in which he also boldly asserts " that the doctrine of the Eternal Sonship is antiscriptural, and highly dangerous." These antichristian fallacies characterize the work. The fact that this Com mentary is thu^ fostered, would justify the inference, that these Pre- ceptors and laymen do not esteem it essential to salvation, to believe that the Son of God pre-existed eternally AS A SON, or is Divine. Our efforts will be unceasing against this UNBELIEF. Espe- cially against this march ofSocinianism and Arianism, which are now invading the churches under various disguises. This is that ''spirit of error" which directly or indirectly denies " that the Divine nature of Jesus was the Son of God," although " the Almighty" personally declared himself fo be " the Son of God," in the Holy Revelation. t This doctrine severs " the SON" from the Eternal Holy Trinity, established by the " crucified LORD OF GLORY"* himself, namely, » 1 Cor. ii. 8. t See Rev. i. S, and ii. 18. XXXU TO THE READER. " The Father, the SON, and Holy Ghost." Matt, xxviii. 18-20. Therefore, no man who denies the Eternity of the Son, the second person in this tri-unity, can in any sense be a Trinitarian. We trust, that, in collating in this volume the numerous Scriptures on this all-important subject, all sincere inquirers will find in the perusal of them, that the " SON" Jesus Christ is the TRIUNE and " TRUE GOD," and the ««Z(/'e" of their souls. 1 John v. 12. And they will then believe the glorious record of the evangelist without a doubt— that " The First and the Last, which WAS DEAD," (Rev. ii. 8,) is « THE ALMIGHTY," " who loved us and washed us from our sins in HIS OWN BLOOD." Rev. i. 5, 8. The Apostle testifies that " no man can say that JESUS IS THE LORD, but by the Holy Ghost." 1 Cor. xii. 3. By which we under- stand that it requires the immediate inspiration of the Holy Ghost, through the new birth, to believe without a doubt, that, besides Jesus, " the First and the Last which was dead,''^ " there is no God." Rev. ii. 8; Isa. xlIv. 6. The way to obtain this* new birth, and the holy joy it communi- cates, is pointed out in the following pages. We have found experi- m.entally, and from more than twenty years' observation, that it is an instantaneous act of Jesus through his unmerited mercy. And we believe that all his children should obey the commandment, " Cry out and shout, thou inhabitant of Zion, for great is the HOLY ONE of Israel in the midst of thee." Isa. xii. 6; Acts iii. 14. The liberal or republican form of church government to be found in this volume, which secures the freedom of its members from secu- lar and clerical control, and from pecuniary taxation to support a paid ministry (which we do not allow), must meet the approbation of all disinterested persons. Our unfettered Church Government is utterly at variance with the union of church and state : " My king- dom is not of this world," saith the Redeemer. John xviii. 36. The executive duties of the Chief, Slate, and Local OVERSEERS periodically elected, will ever guard this church from Arianism, and Socinianism, Swedenborgianism, Universalism, and the more recent errors of Clarkeite-ism Hicksite-ism and Millerism. Our church government also secures to each of its members the Gospel privilege of obeying, without control, the immediate impulses of the Holy Spirit, as professed by the ancient Quakers. In behalf of the Church of the Eternal Son. ROBERT STREET, Artist. Philadelphia, January 1849. INTRODUCTION. Our Holy Redeemer, immediately before he delivered himself up to be crucified, thus instructs his Apostles. Ye have not Chosen me, but I have Chosen you, and ordained you THAT YE SHOULD GO AND BRING FORTH FRUIT, and that your fruit should remain. John xv. 16. After his resurrection, he affectionately interro- gates and exhorts Simon Peter thus, ''Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me more than these ?" (Simon replied,) ''Yea, Lord, thou knowest that I love thee. He saith unto him, feed my lambs:" and twice repeats "feed my sheep." John xxi. 15, 16, 17. Our Lord, in these texts, commands us to ''^ Bring forth fruit f and affectionately exhorts us to feed^ or sustain and nourish that fruit, so that it may be established and "remain." These original instructions were given unto the Church of the Eternal Son by the SON himself. Therefore we wish the reader to understand dis- tinctly, that the object of this Church is, first, to awaken in the souls of men a true belief \n the Di- vinity and eternity of JESUS, the Son of God, and to gather them, and all the true and believing chil- dren of God into One Churchy that there may be ^^ Onefold and one Shepherd.^"* John x. 16. Secondly, to "bring forth fruit" as we are com- manded in the text just quoted, that is, as minis- 2 14 INTRODUCTION. ters, teachers, and helps, to use all our might, mind, and spiritual strength, as instruments to persuade men to come to JESUS, so that they may be con- verted or born again. And this is effected by the Holy Spirit of JESUS, by the one saving baptism of the " Holy Ghost and with fire." Matt. iii. 10 ; Luke iii. 16; Acts ii. 4, xi. 15, xv. 8, 9. This is our great and principal object m organizing a new church. And, thirdly, to obey the injunction of Our Master to Peter, to feed his "lambs" and " sheep," that is, that such of us as 5re strong in the love and power of JESUS, shall, by prayer, by per- suasion, and teaching, nourish and sustain the sheep and lambs of Christ ; and, above all, by an earnest desire in the secret of the soul, ask the Lord Jesus to let our ^^ peace" the " comforter" flow into their souls, (John vii. 38,) and rest upon them. This is our privilege, further beautifully expressed in Matt. x. 13. And the promise is, we "shall be rewarded openly." Matt. vi. 6. We desire, ear- nestly, that the Lord may at all times enable us to FEEL the worth and ?;aiwe of the never-dying souls of men. Our Lord saith, Mark viii. 36, 37, " For what shall it profit a man if he gain the whole world and lose his own soul^ or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul ?" Thirdly, we believe and claim all the promises, because our blessed Lord declared, John xiv. 12, *' He that believeth on me, the works that I do he SHALL DO also." Immediately before his ascension into Heaven, he tells his Apostles that "signs" and w^onders should " follow them that believe" on their {the Jlpostles'') doctrine. Mark xvi. 17, 18. (The Apostles had the gifts already con- ferred on them. Luke ix. 1. So had the seventy which the Lord appointed to go "before his face." INTRODUCTION. 15 Luke X. 1, 17.) But the promise in Markxvi. 17, 18, was to THOSE who should believe through the PREACHING OF THE ApOSTLES. We, therefore, find it recorded in Acts x. 45, *' That on the Gentiles also was poured out the gift of the Holy Ghost ;" and Saint Peter testifies, *'And as I began to speak the Holy Ghost fell on THEM AS ON US AT THE BEGINNING." ActS xi. 15. And it is further recorded, '' God which knoweth the hearts bear them witness, GIVING THEM THE HOLY GHOST EVEN AS HE DID UNTO US, AND PUT NO DIFFERENCE BETVv^EEN US AND THEM." Acts xv. 8, 9; which is fur- ther confirmed by the Apostle Paul, in his Epistle to the Corinthians, 12th chapter, first to fourteenth verses, where he testifies, that the gifts, adminis- trations, and operations, promised by the Saviour of the world, were bestowed upon the members of the churches, to whom he wrote, by and through the gift of the Holy Ghost, such as wisdom, knowledge, faith, gifts of healing, miracles, prophecy, &c. &c., and all by the power of the Holy Ghost. Saint James also bears witness, and directs (James v. 14, 15) if there " is any sick among you let him call for the Elders of the Church ; and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord ; and the prayer of faith shall save the sick, and the Lord shall raise him up ; and if he have committed sins^ they shall be forgiven himy Ob- serve, his sins are forgiven, at the same time, and by the same divine operation. Now WE are Gentiles like unto the Corinthians, and as " God is no respecter of persons," Acts x. 34, and the promise is to all those who believe, we^ the Church of the Eternal Son, claim the promises, because we believe that besides JESUS, ^'the First 16 INTRODUCTION. and the Last," "THERE IS NO GOD." Lsa.xdv. 6. And we are constrained to declare that if there was in the churches a true belief'in the Lord Jesus, the blessings and signs promised, would inevitably follow, because he who has promised them is " true and faithful," and as followers of Jesus, we are constrained by his love, to believe all his words. He declares, "He that rejpcteth me, and receiveth not MY avords, hath one that judgeth him, the w^ord TH.\T I HAVE spoken, the Same shall judge him in the last day." John xii. 48. This is an awful consideration, because "we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ." The following address is affectionately offered for the consideration of all those who are determined, through obedience^ to make their "calling and elec- tion sure," 2 Peter i. 10, And also for the exami- nation of all sincere inquirers after truth. And although we are instructed to "desire" and "co- vet" "spiritual" gifts, because they are ocular evi- dences of a true faith, yet that which we desire most of all, is to " persuade men" to believe that JesuSj our Redeemer^ who suffered and died on Mount Calvary, and whose precious blood flowed from his hands, his feet, and side, is the very Eter- nal and onli/ begotten Son of God the Father, and by so believing, to become recrenerated and "born again," even to be sealed as heirs of salvation and eternal life, by anrl through the one only saving baptism of " the Holy Ghost and with fire," Matt. iii. 11, Luke iii. 16; which the Lord, in his mercy, has promised to bestow upon all who believingly ask him for it. Amen. PART FIRST. INVITATION AND ADDRESS. CHAPTER I. 1. An earnest and affectionate invitation and ad- dress of the Church of the Eternal SON, who was crucified, to the regenerated " children of God, hy faith in Christ Jesus," (Gal. iii. 26,) also to all sincere inquirers after truths wherever they may be, who, although unconverted and unregenerated, yet have made no Pharisaical profession of religion, by a ceremonial and popular union with one of the lukewarm '' Laodicean" churches of the present day which Jesus rebukes. See Rev. iii. 14, 17, 18. 2. But particularly we address all who love the LORD JESUS, who are born again of water and the SPIRIT, John iii. 3, 5; who have a '•^ full as- surance offaith,^^ Heb.x. 22, (which faith we believe w^ith the Apostle, to be the substance of things hoped for, as he says. Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. Hebrews xi. 1.) We address you who have this faithy who are scattered throughout the churches and the world, who can testify with the inspired Apostle, (Rora. viii. 16,) that " the spirit itself bears witness with our spirit that we are the children of God, and if children, then heirs, (Rom. viii. 17 ;) who then (he exclaims) shall separate us from the 2^ 18 INVITATION AND ADDRESS. love ofChrist?" (Rom. viii. 35,) for, says he, "by one offering he hath perfected forever them that are sanctified^ Heb. x. 14. 3. Beloved brethren, we have received, in his infinite mercy, the same blessed assurance from JESUS, the holy lamb himself, who is *' Lord of LORDS and King of kings," (Rev. xvii. 14, xix. 16,) that we shall never perish. His gracious words are, *' My sheep hear my voice, and / know thera, and thirty folloio me, and I give unto them eternal life, AND THEY SHALL NEVER PERISH, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand.^^ John x. 27, 28. And these sheep were not the immediate Apostles only, for Jesus saith "other sheep I have, which are not of this fold, them also, I must bring, and they shall hear my voice, and there shall be one fold and one shepherd^ John x. 16. 4. In the love of the Gospel of *' the Blessed Gno" (1 Tim. i. 11), we earnestly and affectionately a'Iflress you, and invite all (f you who have been *' baptized with the Holy Ghost and with fire," and can hear the voice of Jesus, and rejoice in the holy ''comforter," even the Divine presence of Jesus in your souls. You who are from the general declension of faith in the churches, unequally yoked together as the Apostle says, 2 Cor. vi. 14, with unbelievers. Being entangled in the bondage of the worldly, formal, and lifeless churches of the present day. Where 3 our spiritual life and blessing is suppressed, ^ri(.\ the pure and. heavenly arisings of the holy com- forter in your souls, which causes you at all times, and particularly when separated from all men, and closeted with Jesus, your Saviour, to weep, laugh, or shout for joy, Isa. xii. 1-6, as the holy spirit giveth utterance. Even these manifestations of the Saviour's love and mercy, which strengthen and INVITATION AND ADDRESS. 19 confirm your hope of salvation and eternal life, are hindered and stitled through the unbelief or igno- rance of those around you, or associated with yoa in church fellowship. 5. We, therefore, exhort you to come out from amongst tliem as you are commanded, Isa. Lii. 11 ; 2 Cor. vi. 17; Rev. xviii. 4, and unite yourselves together as one heart and one soul. Acts iv. 32, for the holy purpose of upholding one another in true and living faith in the Lord Jesus " Christ cruci- fied," the Eternal and only begotten Son of the Father; and for the support and propagation of those glorious evidences of eternal life in the soul, which, through obedience unto faith, enable you to believe all the promises of the Lord Jesus, even the blessed gifts recorded in Saint Paul's Epistle, 1 Corinthians, xii., first to eleventh verses. 6. The Corinthians and oiher churches to whom the Apostle wrote, were Gentiles like ourselves, on whom was " poured out the gift of the Holy Ghost," as the Apostle thus testifies: *' God (says he) which knoweth the hearts bare them witness, giving them (the Gentiles) the Holy Ghost, even as he did unto us.''^ In another place he says the Holy Ghost fell on them (the Gentiles) as on us at the beginning. See Acts XV. 8, and xi. 15. And they of the circum- cision which believed were astonished^ as many as came with Peter, because that on the Gentiles was poured out the gift of the Holy Ghost. Acts x. 45. 7. This confirms the prophecy of Joel ii. 28, 32, and further recorded in Acts ii. 17, as follows: "And it shall come to pass in the last days, saith God, I will pour out my spirit upon all fleshy and your sons and your daughters shall prophecy." This we believe is the will of God even now as at the beojlnninoj. 20 INVITATION AND ADDRESS. 8. Concerning spiritual gifts the Apostle says : "Now there are diversities of gifts, but the samespirit^ and there are differences of administrations, but the same Lord, and there are diversities of operations, but it is the same God which worketh all in all. But the manifestation of the spirit is given to every man to profit withal," (see the Saviour's promise, John xiv. 21,) which we as a church understand to mean, to " every man who is born again," for the world, saith Jesus, neither " seeth nor knoweth" the spirit. John xiv. 17. The Apostle then con- tinues, ''For to one is given, by the spirit, the word of wisdom, to another the word of knowledge by the same spirit, to another faith, by the same spirit, to another the gifts of healing, by the same spirit, to another the w^orking of miracles, to another pro- phecy, to another discerning of spirits ; but all these worketh that one and the selfsame spirit divid- ing to every man severally as hewill.''^ See 1 Cor. xii. 1 to 11 verses. 9. We believe those gifts, administrations, and operations, are now attainable, by and through a living faith in the divinity, eternity, omnipotence, and omnipresence of Jesus the Eternal Son, who was crucified. He who died for us on Mount Calvary, who was born at Bethlehem Judea, in a manger, and grew^ up to manhood, who was a true and very man like unto us, sin excepted, yet was, at the same time, "the Lord Almighty," and " maker of the w^orlds," and of all things unexceptionably. This is the doctrine of the Church of the Eternal Son which addresses you. 10. Beloved brethren, we invite you to unite with us " in the unity and bond of peace," where you can give utterance to the fullness of the blessing of the Gospel of Christ; Rom. xv. 29 ; where the INVITATION AND ADDRESS. 21 ^vord of the Lord has free course ; 2 Thes. ill. 1 ; and where none are admitted into fellowship who deny the Eternal Sonship of Jesus of Nazareth, or would hinder the happy soul from singing or shout- i-ng the praises of Immanuel, who died for us, or obeying the diversities of operations as dictated and directed by the Holy Spirit in his immediate com- munion with the soul, as is exemplified in an espe- cial manner with true believers, in the Methodist Episcopal Church. CHAPTER n. 1. These holy gifts and operations have been more or less manifested among the living members of the Spiritual (though hidden) Church of Christ, ever since the Gospel dispensation. 2. But in an especial manner since the Reforma- tion. Within the last two centuries there are and have been, true testimony bearers in many Protest- ant churches, and some not connected with any visible church, who have heard the i^oice of Jesus, and have followed him and have received the pro- mises. They know him to be wonderful, and a COUNSELLOR, Isa. ix. 6; and know His holy voice from that of all strangers. 3. As he declares a stranger \\\\\ they not follow, for they hear not the voice q{ strangers. John x. 5. These are the true children of God, and ^^ heirs of salvation," Heb. i. 14, and of glory. They have an immediate and special voice, and testimony from " the Lord," which counsels, "leads" and "guides them," as our Holy Redeemer assures us, John xvi. L3, "into all truth." 22 INVITATION AND ADDRESS. 4. This voice and " testimony" is clear and dis- tinct from all natural creaturely thoughts or im- aginations, as the truly regenerated amongst the Methodists know from blessed experience. The natural thoughts are, by every true Christian, cast down, as the Apostle declares. 2 Cor. x. 5. That they, the children of God, cannot be deceived by any false voice, or the testimony of any stranger to Jesus^ or to the Holy Spirit or Comforter. We say they cannot be deceived by these strangers, be they of the '' world, the flesh, or the devil." 5. '' The world," that is, the people of this world, no matter whether in or oiU o^ the churches, if they are unregenerated and have not been "born AGAIN of water and the spirit," or " baptized with the Holy Ghost and with fire," John iii. 5, Matt. iii. 11, we say the world, according to the testimony of Jesus himself, know nothing of the Holy Spirit or Comforter; they are entirely ignorant of Him, and neither see nor know Him. This our. Lord absolutely declares in his last discourse, whilst in the flesh upon earth, to his Apostles. 6. But we wilt give the sacred record : "I will pray the Father, saith Jesus, and he shall give you another comforter, that He may abide with you for- ever, even the spirit of truth whom the world can- not RECEIVE, because it seeth him not, neither KNOWETH HIM. But YE know Him, for He dwell- eth with you, and shall be in you." John xiv. 16, 17. Our Lord, in the above words, draws an absolute line of distinction between the children of God and the people of" this world. Mark dis- tinctly, he says, the world cannot receive the spirit of truth, which is the comforter and Holy Ghost, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him. Saint John testifies, "And we know that we are of INVITATION AND ADDRESS. 23 God^ and the wJwle world lieth in vnckedness.'^^ 1 John V. 19. 7. And although the "grace of God, which bring- efh salvation, hath appeared to all men,^^ Titus ii. 11, which grace, through the favor or kindness of God, by his spirit operates and "strives" through " the law," commandments, and the " Gospel," on the consciences of all men unexceptionably. Yet the Lord Jesus, " our righteousness," absolutely tells us that none but his sheep, his new horn chil- dren KNOW HIM or his VOICE, or know the true wit- ness, which is the Holy Ghost, the Spirit o/* Truth or Comforter, 8. So that the doctrine is conclusive and true, that that glorious evidence and state of the soul which Saint Paul speaks of, where " the spirit itself bears witness with our spirits, that we are the chil- dren of God, Rom. viii. 16, cannot be comprehended, known, or experienced, but by those who are born AGAIN and baptized with the Holy Ghost and with fire. 9. We, therefore, exhort you, beloved brethren in Christ Jesus, to come out of the Laodicean formal churches. There are many who are " born again^^ who are not connected with any established church, who have stood separate, having the Lord Jesus for their counsellor and guide ; such we also exhort to come up to the help of the Lord. And although ye " need not that any man teach you," as Saint John testifies, " The anointing which ye have received ofhim ahideth in you, and ye need not that any man teach you, as the same anointing teacheth you all things and is truth." 1 John ii. 27.. And Jesus himself declares will guide unto all truth. John xvi. 13. 10. Yet such is the acknowledged dearth and 24 ADDRESS TO THE SEEKERS. desolation of spiritual life^ in all Christendom, that we exhort all of you, who have made your "calling and election sure," whether in or out of the esta- blished churches, to assist us (by uniting with us in church fellowship), in establishing and confirming, as in the original apostolical ages, the Holy " Church of God which he hath purchased WITH HIS OWN BLOOD." Acts xx. 28. ADDRESS TO THE SEEKERS. CHAPTER HI. 1. And yoQ sincere seekers after truths who are striving to flee from the wrath to come, who have never bowed before the Lord in hypocrisy or deceit, nor outwardly approached the divine being, when inwardly the heart was resting with the idols of this world, like the cold formalists of the ceremonial Laodicean churches. 2. We exhort you very aflectionately, we feel for you; we love you in our measure as Christ loved us, when we were yet sinners, as the Apostle declares, while we were yet sinners Christ died for us (Rom. V. 8). 3. When we were yet unconverted, Christ laid down his life for us, and he declares: " Ye have not chosen me, but / have chosen you." John XV. 16. We invite you, and solicit you to carefully read this address. 4. And although you are in doubts and fears, and "have not faith," neither are you satisfied that you even believe many of the sayings of Jesus, or ADDRESS TO THE SEEKERS. 25 that he is your "Lord and God" and only Saviour. Acts iv. 10, 11, 12; Isaiah XLii. 11. 5. Yet you feel a sincere desire to know the truth, and often wish, in the secret of your hearts, that you were better. That you could resist tempta- tion and sin, knowing that your thoughts and acts are not acceptable unto God, and of a nature to meet the approbation of a pure and Holy Being. 6. Although to the world you may appear moral, and have the reputation of being honest and up- right, yet '' God which knoweth the hearts," Acts XV. 8, hath in his infinite mercy been graciously pleased to grant you his grace, and has taught you a better understanding of yourself. 7. His spirit of grace has, at times and seasons of trial, awakened within you a conviction of your own unworthiness^ and of the sinfulness of your nature, and utter incapacity to do the w^ill of your Maker. And you have been ready w-ith the Apostle to exclaim, "0 wretched man that I am, who shall deliver me from the body of this death ?" Rom. vii. 24. 8. You have sighed and secretly mourned over an innate depravity, which you have in vain tried to conquer, and have often in the secret misgivings of your soul, thought that the way of salvation and eternal life was hedged or closed up from you by insurmountable barriers. 9. Or, that perhaps you had committed some *'sin unto death." 1 John v. 16. Which God would not, consistent with his justice, pardon. 10. It is such as you we address in Gospel love, and sympathize with; we who address you, have passed through much tribulation. We have our- selves been delivered from the dark chambers of deaths and out of the grasp of our implaacble and 3 26 ADDRESS TO THE SEEKERS. inexorable adversary " the Devil," 1 Pet. v. 8, through the sufferings, death, and resurrection of JESUS, the Eternal and only begotten son of the Father. 11. We therefore (now that our spirits and souls have been set at liberty) see the "gulf" over which we have passed, as our Lord calls it in the parable of Dives and Lazarus. 12. And rejoice with a joy and happiness which none can appreciate, but those who have thus escaped. Jesus has enabled us by his might and power, to triumph over our fallen accuser and enemy. John xii. 31. 13. When we are now assailed by his tempta- tions (for none are exempt during this life from his assaults) we flee to JESUS, the " Lion of the tribe OF Judah" (according to the flesh), and the cap- tain of our salvation, who opens the gates of heaven to our souls, and hides us in his kingdom, which, as he declares is within us, (Luke xvii. 21,) where we are safe from all the enemy's snares and tempta- tions. 14. We will now endeavor, with the help and blessing of God, to open a way of escape (through the precepts of the Holy Bible, and our own experi- ence) for all sincere seekers. 15. First, of doubts and fears; these generally arise from false instructions in our youth. We all recollect how hard it has been to combat the pre- judices of early youth; they take root in the mind and are hard to eradicate or pluck out. 16. The Hindoo, the Mahometan, and the Roman Catholic all die alike, without doubt or fear, be- cause they are taught from early youth to confide in the faith of their fathers, or the power of their priests, to absolve them from sin. ADDRESS TO THE SEEKERS. 27 17. The same confiding trust would follow the children of the Protestant faith, if thus taught from early youth, to place implicit reliance on the promises of the Lord Jesus, an^ his entire avillingness to forgive us our sins, and absolve us from all future penalties, and this he has promised. 18. The promise of our blessed Lord is, " he that COMETH to ME shall NEVER HUNGER, and he that BELiEVETH on me shall never thirst; and him that Cometh to me I WILL IN NO WISE CAST OUT." John vi. 35, 37. The thief on the cross was par- doned^ and that very day taken to Paradise by an act of faith only, Luke xxiii. 42, 43, without apparent exterior good works. 19. You who have doubts and fears can plead the above promise ; he said "I will in no i^we cast (you) out." But like the thief on the cross, you must hdiVQ faith in the Lord Jesus; you must believe him to be your " Master and Lord," and with Thomas "your LORD AND GOD," and then he will see and know, for he knoweth your heart that you BELIEVE on him, and he will remove your doubts and allay your fears. 20. But you may feel that you do not fully believe, that you are weak in faith. Your remedy then, is a very simple and puj-e one, (namely,) you must then ^^ ask.^^ Jesus says, "ask and ye shall RECEIVE," and this may be depended upon; for JESUS always speaks the truth. You can say. Lord Jesus, increase my faith in thee; Lord, increase and strengthen my belief in thee and thy sayings. 21. If your faith in prayer is very weak, you can repeatedly say every day. Lord Jesus, help me to pray. Grant me, O Lord, the spirit of prayer. If you repeat this several times a day with your weak faith, you will soon find an increase of power to pray^ ■28 ADDRESS TO THE SEEKERS. and when this takes place, your faith and belief w'lW be imraedia^^ely increased also, and you will now begin secretly to hope. 22. Doubts may now arise through the idles of Satan^ relative to the divinity and eternity of the SON of God, even JESUS, who died and gave him- self for you and us, and "washed us" "in his owx BLOOD." Rev. i. 5. But you must resolutely combat your enemy, hy prayer^ if assailed by temptation to doubt the divinity of Jesus, the man who died (or you on Calvary, and saved vou by the blood fo his cross. 23. You can then cry incessantly in your spirit, Lord Jesus, thou hast promised the Holy Spirit to them that ask thee for Him. Lord! forgive me my sins, and grant thy Holy Spirit to me according to thy promise. 24. And he will hear your supplications, and open the (rates of heaven to your soul, for this is the true knocking mentioned in Matthew vii. 7, 8. 25. And when he has prepared your soul to be- come a dwelling place, and receptacle for his Holy Spirit, he will come into your soul with his father (for the Father always dwelleth in him) and they are one, John x. 30; they will come in to you as he hath promised ; and he declares " we will make our ABODE with him," John xiv. 23, " and sup with him." Rev. iii. 20. O, it is a £[lorious and joyful supper, thus to partake of JESUS, the "true and LIVING BREAD," in its fullncss. 26. You will then comprehend with "joy un- speakable and full of glory" the saying of Jesus your Saviour and Holy Redeemer. John vi. 57. He that eateth me, shall live by me; as the pro- phet says, " he will open vou the windows of heaven and pour you out a blessing that there shall not be room enough to receive it." Mai, iii. 10. ADDRESS TO THE SEEKERS. 29 27. And when you thus receive the Holy Baptism of the Spirit from the bountiful giver, you will then realize that which the Apostle has written, 1 Corin- thians xii. 3; namely, "no man can say that JESUS is THE Lord, but hy the Holy Ghost ;" *'He" (our Lord declared, John xv. 26,) "shall TESTIFY OF ME." 28. You will then call Jesus Lo*d, from the im- mediate impulse of the Holy Spirit himself; and you will then realize in your own experience^ that JESUS is "the WAY, the TRUTH, and the LIFE." And that there can be no other way^ no other truth^ nor life; and that no man can come unto the Father but by him, as he hath declared. 29. You will then find, as we have found, that the holy name JESUS is precious to your soul, is food and life, and salvation to your soul; and that you have an immediate and present help in every time of need. And you will often in the joy of your soul, cry out with the Psalmist, "thou art my hiding place and my shield," (Ps. cxix. 114) O Lord! 30. You will now see the awful "gulf you have passed over, as Jesus declared and repeated three times in succession, in the Gospel of St. Mark ix. 44, 46, 48 ; his words are, where their " worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched;" you will see that this is the "gulf" you have passed over; and then you will have a love for your fellow men, an ardent love for their souls which will com- pel you, or ^^ constrain^ ^ you, as the apostle says, to warn them to flee from the wrath to come. Matt. iii. 7, Luke iii. 7, Rev. vi. 16, 17, from the fire that is not quenched. And you will then be one in spirit with the church of the Eternal Son, and will wonder how in the days of your " igno- 3* 30 ADDRESS TO THE SEEKERS. ranee" you could deliberately call Jesus your Saviour, a liar, by denying his holy words and sayings. 31. For every one who loilfully denies one of the sayings, or declarations of JESUS (the eternal AND only begotten SON of the Father) deliberately calls his Maker a liar. 32. For JESJJS is the very embodiment of truth, the very truth itself. And therefore, when we, the church of the Eternal Son quote any of the sayings of JESUS, we quote " the truth;" and every one who denies^ or garbles , or "wrests," or wilfully misconstrues any of his words or sayings, calleth Jesus a liar. 33. He therefore declares positively, the words that I have spoken unto you, the same shall condemn you in the last day. John xii. 48. 34. But even these sins he has promised to for- give, and says, all manner of sins and blasphemy wherewith men blaspheme shall be forgiven unto men. But the blasphemy against the Holy Ghost ■shall not be forgiven unto men, neither in this worlds neither in the world to come. Matt. xii. 31,32. "Because they said" (says the Apostle) "he had an unclean spirit." Mark iii. 30. 35. So that there is a hope for all who seek the redemption of their souls; and all who will come moy come and partake of the " water of life freely." So saith Jesus, our Almighty deliverer. We now commend you to Him and his Holy Spirit of Grace, which he has promised to give to all those who humbly ask him for it. — Amen. 31 CHAPTER IV. CONTINUATION OF THE ADDRESS TO THE CHILDREN OF GOD. 1. It is generally acknowledged by all sincere men in all the churches, to be a lamentable cir- cumstance, that there is a gre?ii foiling off of foith^ and spiritual life ; and a great dearth and dryness in the members of the various churches of the present day. And this falling off, and degeneracy, we believe, is the result of unbelief in the son of God. For JESUS saith, " he that cometh to me shall never hunger, and he that believeth on me shall never (hirst. St. John vi. 35. And we verily believe, as a church, that the desolation which exists at the present day in the churches, is the result of un- belief in the Divinity, Eternity, Omnipotence, and Omnipresence of the LORD JESUS, the MAN who disd for us on Mount Calvary. Because those who believe on kim^ as we have just quoted, shall never hunger nor thirst, therefore there can be no other cause. 2. Beloved brethren, we earnestly exhort you in the love of the Gospel, to look around you, and examine one by one your associates in church fel- lowship, as to their belief in the diviniti' of JESUS, and you will find that they will generally stumble at that " stumbling stone and rock of offence^^"* Isa. viii. 14, the humanity^ as it is called, of our holy and glorious Lord and Saviour. 3. Ask your associates the followinoj true ques- tions, as believed by the church of the Eternal Son, namely; if they believe the man Christ Jesus, who suffered and was ^^ afflicted j"*^ is God their Maker, 32 INVITATION AND ADDRESS. they will answer oh, no! that is the human nature. Ask them if God died on the cross ^ they will answer, no ; that is impossible, it was the humanity, God cannot die. Ask them if Christ as God suffered, they will answer, no ; God cannot svffer. 4. Ask them if JESUS is the almighty mediator, they will answer, no ; he is the mediator only. Ask them if JESUS, the son of God, is the Lord Jehovah who spake to Moses and the Prophets, they will answer, oh, no; he was then *Mn the bosom of the Faiher^^'' or, as some will say, in the divine mind. 5. Ask them if they believe that the holy man, who agonized in the garden of Gethsemane, and who said, my Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me; nevertheless, not as I will, but as thou wilt, Matt. xxvi. 39; is the Lord of Hosts and Maker of all things, they will answer, no. It was the human, united to divine nature that thus prayed ; it was the human nature that drank the cup of stiff ering only ; God cannot suffer. 6. Ask them if it was the eternal Son of God w^ho MADE all things, who cried on the cross, ^'My God, my God, why hast thou ybr5a/ce?i me?" and they will answer, oh, no, it was the human nature which was hypostatically united to the divine nature, w^ho suffered all these things; and thus they abso- lutely deny that the eternal Son of God (if they believe in him at all) suffered. 7. And they are Arians or Socinians at heart, and deny all that is true. We, therefore, say, that those who thus deny that "JESUS is the Christ," 1 John V. 1, DO NOT believe on him. Because they do not believe that the eternal Word, which was God^ " was madeflesh,"^^ and became man and dwelt amongst us, as is absolutely declared by the Apostle, John i. 10, 14; and by the Lord Jesus himself, INVITATION AND ADDRESS. 33 John vi. 38, 62 ; where Jesus incontrovertibly assures us he was in heaven before. 8. He positively tells them, when Philip put the question, show us the Father and it sufficeth, John xiv. 7 ; that those who saio him^ knew, *' and have SEEN the father." We, therefore, say, that it is the unbelief of professors of religion in the divinity of Jesus "the son of man" and son of the Father, that at all times produces the spiritual death in the churches. CHAPTER V. 1. This unbelief in the laity may be principally attributed to the want of belief in the ministers, or clergy, who preside over the churches. 2. Firstly, by denying the eternal sonship of JESUS, the "son of man," who sufTered and died for us. Secondly, by denying him to be their ini- mediate and only Saviour. Isa. Lxiii. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 ; XLiv. 6. Thirdly, by denying him to be the " TRUE GOD," John V. 20. 3. Fourthly, by denying him to be the spiritual ROCK that followed our forefathers in the wilderness, as the Apostle testifies, I Cor. x. 4; and consequently the Lord Jehovah, and the almighty which he is, (see in connection Deut. xxxii. 39, 40 ; Isa. xlv. 6 ; and Rev. i. 8, 13, 17, 18,) which is conclusive. Fifthly, by denying that he who "was God," John i. 1, 2; came down from heaven^ John vi. 38; and mediated betw^een man and the penalty of the broken law in the garden of Eden, and thus recon- ciled man unto himself. See Isa. xLiv. 6. 4. We say, by denying this divine being to he 34 INVITATION AND ADDRESS. God, they deny the son to be one of the God- head, and consequently one of the Holy Trinity. The Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost, thus de- nominated or called, by the Lord of life and glory himself after his resurrection. Matt, xxviii. 19. Sixthly, and lastly, these truths they deny, because as the Apostle declares, they stumbled at that stum- hling'Stone as we before stated, the humanity or human nature. Isa. viii. 14; Rom. ix. 32, 33. 5. For by adopting the theory of Athanasius, and others, of an hypostasis, or distinctive, or separate union of two whole and distinct natures in Jesus, the one divine, and the other human, they have paid homage to the sentiments and '^ doctrines of man" rather than to the holy records of God. 6. Which declare that the "Eternal Liee," 1 John i. 2, which "was God," was "MADE FLESH" "and dwelt among us," and as Saint John declares, 1 John i. 2, "that which was in the beginning, (' in the beginning was the Word,'') which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon, and our HANDS HAVE HANDLED OF THE WORD OF LIFE; for the life was manifested and we have seen it, and bear witness, and show unto you that eternal life which was with the Father and was manifested unto us^ 7. This passage of Holy Writ is so comprehen- sive, and plain, that it is impossible for any serious minded man to misconstrue its meaning, which is, that the eternal w^ord and eternal life, which WAS God, was made flesh and became man. John i. 1, 14. By which mysterious incarnation and divine assimilation with our flesh, St. John declared he heard, looked upon, and handled with his HANDS the eternal word, which "was god," the INVITATION AND ADDRESS. 35 light^ the life^ and the MAKER of the -worlds, John i. 3; and this glorious being is declared to be the *' (ONLY BEGOTTEN) Son" of God, John iii. 16, Eph. iii. 9, Col. i. 16, Heb. i. 2. By referring to these Scriptures, it will be demonstrated that it was the SON of God "WHO WAS GOD" who came down from heaven AS A SON, and existed from all eternity as a son; we say it will be demonstrated that this SON, even jesus, is the creator or maker of all things unexceptionably. Therefore, we say with the Apostle Paul, let God he true and every man a liar. Rom. iii. 4. CHAPTER VI. 1. As we have before observed, the present fearful degeneracy of the churches owes its origin almost, it not altogether, to douht and unbelief in the eternity and divinity of the son of God, even the man who groaned and died for us on the cross on Mount Cal- vary, which will be more fully shown as we proceed in this address. 2. We shall clearly exhibit from the holy records of the Bible, thatyez^;, even of those who are called orthodox, ascribe the honor and praise of man's redemption to the proper person, or true object ; the proper person and the true object we believe is JESUS OF NAZARETH, "who was in heaven before he veiled himself in the flesh." John vi. 62, iii. 13, xvi. 28. See 1 Cor. xv. 47. 3. Therefore, it is written, he who "W'As rich" "became poor," 2 Cor. viii. 9; and although he possessed eternal glory ^ as he declared in his prayer in the garden, John xvii. 5, even the Fathei's " own 36 INVITATION AND ADDRESS. SELF," yet he laid itaside, and, ashedeclared, *^came down from heaven," John vi. 38, and became a man, as is expressly testified by the Apostle Paul. He records that ''Christ Jesus," "being in theybrm of God,'''' (image or shape of God in heaven,) "thought it not robbery to be equal with God," 4. " But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, (through his Jiesh the veil,) and was made in the likeness of men, and humbled himself — even to the death of the cross, ^^ Phil. ii. 5, 6, 7, 8; from which, and other Holy Scrip- tures, we shall demonstrate, that THE ETERNAL SON OF GOD THE FATHER BROUGHT HIM- SELF INTO A CAPACITY FOR SUFFERING, AND DID ACTUALLY SUFFER, GIVING IN- FINITE MERIT TO HIS DEATH AND ATONE- MENT. 5. Vve rejoice individually and collectively as a church, with grateful hearts, that the Holy Ghost has witnessed through the prophet Isaiah, Isa. ix. 6, that Jesus, the "child and son" born of the blessed Virgin Mary in a manger at Bethlehem Judea, is "w^onderful, counsellor, the mighty god, the everlasting father, the prince of peace;" thcsc are his holy names. 6. And we therefore believe the son to be the second person in the Holy Trinity and "Godhead," who are three divine persons, but not three distinct IMAGES. Because JESUS the son is the "only" and "express image" (seen by angels or men) saith St. Paul, Heb. i. 3; and therefore says of the SON, " Let all the angels of God WORSHIJP HIM." Heb. i. 6. Jesus " the son" is, therefore, the only ONE God whom wecan lawfully worship, because we are expressly forbidden to worship but one God, Exodus xxxiv. 14; moreover, the Lamb who is INVITATION AND ADDRESS. 37 LORD OF LORDS and KING OF KINGS, Deuteronoiiiy x. 17, 1 Tim. vi. 15, Rev. xvii. 14, xix. 16, who died for us, and washed us fronn our sins in his own blood, Rev. i. 5, even the blood of his cross, Col. i. 20, shed on Mount Calvary, HE will be our final judge; for he himself, the "son of man" and "king" has so declared it. Matt. xxv. 31 to 34. 7. And we aUo know^ that if we are faithful, and keep his sayings^ we have our "names written in heaven," Luke x. 20, and that w^e shall be with him, because he has thus promised; he saith, I go to prepare a place for you; that where I am, there YE may be also, John xiv. 23. 8. And we know also, as St. Peter testifies, that his "kingdom is an EVERLASTING KINGDOM," 2 Pet. i. 11; also see Heb. i. 8. For Jesus the Lord Jehovah is "the first and the last," and says "besides me there is no God," and declares himself, Rev. i. 8, to be the ALMIGHTY. See Isa. XLiv. 6, and ix. 6, which compare with Rev. i. 8, 17, 18. 9. And w^e also know from the sacred records, that after the judgment of the last day, and final separation of the just from the unjust, that JESUS the eternal and only begotten son of the Fa- ther, will be our wisdom, glory, light, and life in the Holy City, New Jerusalem. Saint John in describing this city, says, "I saw no temple therein^ for the Lord God Almighty and the lamb are the temple of it, and the city had no need of the sun, neither of the moon to shine in it, for the GLORY OF GOD did lighten it, and the (Q^LAMB IS THE LIGHT THEREOF."XS Rev. xxi. 22, 23. It is conclusive from the scriptures, that JESUS is the only glory and light of eternity. 10. We have shown from the foregoing records 4 38 INVITATION AND ADDRESS. of the Holy Scriptures, that in time and in eternity, our thrice Holy and Almighty Redeemer is the First and the Last, according to his oral declara- tion to St. John the divine. Rev. i. 17. He was *' the FIRST in the beginning with God the Father" and '^WAS GOD," see John i. 1, 2, even the '^FATHER ALSO," Isa. ix. 6, John xiv. 7, 9, x. 30. And in the ending he is the glory and light of the saints' eternal habitation, JYew Jerusalem. 11. We, therefore, the members of the church of the eternal son who was crucified, honor the SON even as we honor the Father, even as he has commanded. " That ALL MEN should HONOR THE SON EVEN AS THEY HONOR THE FATHER," John v. 23, and we worship him truly as our "Lord" and our "God," John XX. 28, as the wise men, Matt. ii. 11, and Apostles did worship him, before and after his resurrection and at the time of his ascension, Matt. xiv. 33, Matt, xxviii. 9, 17, Luke xxiv. 52. Jesus said to his Apostles "ye call ME Master and Lord, and ye say well, for SO I AM." John xiii. 13. This we believe, and can say from blessed experience with the Apostle, that " w^e know the son of God is come and hath given us an understanding, that we may know him that is true, and we are in him that is true, even in HIS SON Jesus Christ; and this is the true god and eternal life." 1 John v. 20. Hallelujah! CHAPTER VII. 1. We have the blessed and glorious privilege of saying, from our own experience, and from the holy INVITATION AND ADDRESS. 39 records of Scripture, that no man can 50^ that JESUS is the Lord but hy the Holy Ghost. 1 Cor. xii. 3. 1 John iv. 15. And we desiremost earnestly to impress on the minds and consciences of our readers, this declaration of the Apostle Paul, knowing that it is only through the revelation of the Holy Ghost, the true witness, which the regenerated have within themselves, 1 John v. 10, that a man can say with a clean conscience and without a doubt, that JESUS is THE Lord, 1 Cor. xii. 3. That which we have written in this address we firmly maintain. 2. First, that the doctrine of the eternal sonship is true, and that JESUS, THE MAN who died on Mount Calvary, is the Eternal son of God. 3. Secondly, that he is our immediate (and as HE the Lord says through the prophet Isaiah), our only Saviour, Isa. xLiii. 11 ; his words are, " I, even I am the Lord, and besides me there is no Saviour. ^"^ Therefore, Jesus declared, I am from above; ye are of this world, I AM NOT OF THIS WORLD: I said, therefore, unto you, if ye believe not that ''I AM HE," (the God of Moses and the Prophets, and the same w^ho spake to Isaiah,) "ye shall die in YOUR sins," John viii. 23, 24; because, before Abram was, I AM. John viii. 58. 4. Thirdly, we believe with the Apostle, 1 John V. 20, that JESUS the SON " is the TRUE GOD." See John i. 1. 5. Fourthly, and therefore, as he is the true God, he, God, mediated as God betw^een man and the penalty of eternal death, consequent on Adam's transgression in the garden of Eden ; that is, the "true God" "became man" and stood between MAN and the just penalty of death, and "offered up himself ^^ on the cross "as a living sacrifice," and thus reconciled man unto himself by the blood of 40 INVITATION AND ADDRESS. his cross. He rent the veil of the temple, and re- moved the flaming sword that guarded the way of the tree of life, which tree of life is himself. Rev. iii. 18. And he now calls upon all to repent and be converted, and to become regenerated or born again, and thus freely without money and price to partake of the "tree of life," even of himself, for he declares, I am the bread of life, and he that eateth ME shall "live by me" and "live forever." See John vi. 32 to 59th verses. 6. Fifthly, we believe that the eternal Word or Son of God was made flesh, and became a true and very many like unto us, sin excepted, by the power of his own spirit, even the Holy Ghost. 7. Sixthly, we believe that after the Eternal Son or Word of God ^^was madejlesh''^ and became man, and whilst he dwelt (upon earth) "amongst us" he ■was Omnipresent and "filled all things" unex- ceptionably, being "IN HEAVEN!" according to his own declaration to Nicodemus, John iii. 13. He saw Nathaniel " under the fig tree," John i.48, 49, also thecolt tied, Mark xi. 2, also, the man carryingthe pitcher, Mark xiv. 13, 16, by his omniscience. And St. Paul declares that by him all things consist, Col. i. 17; for, as God the Father was omnipresent, when the voice came, this is my beloved son in whom I am well pleased, Matt. iii. 17, so Jesus the Son of God was omnipresent, when he spake to Moses on the mount, Exodusxxxiii. 23, for, according to St. Paul, it was Christ that followed his fathers in the wMlder- ness and spake to Moses, 1 Cor. x. 4. And this is true, for Jesus saith, no "man hath seen (God) the Father, John vi. 46, v. 37, Luke x. 22, because the Father was not then revealed. But, after that saying, Jesus revealed the Father to his Apostles in these words: "Philip saith unto him, show us INVITATION AND ADDRESS. 41 the Father and it sufficeth us. Jesus saith unto him, have I been so long time with you and yet hast thou not known me, Philip? He that hath seen ME hath SEEN THE FATHER; and hoiv sdij est thou, THEN, Show us the Father?" Therefore, before Philip put this question, Jesus declared, "if ye had KNOWN ME ye would have known my Father also; and FROxM HENCEFORTH YE KNOW HLM, AND HAVE SEEN HIM." These glorious sayings are recorded in John xiv. 7, 8, 9. This is the time Jesus revealed the Father, which was himself the eternal one, which accords with Isa. ix. 6, speaking of the child and son, says "his name shall be called the everlasting Father;" because the Father eternally dwelt in him, as he says, the " Father dwelleth in me," John xiv. 10. Therefore it was JESUS who spake to Moses on the mount, even the Father's "express person." 8. Seventhly, we believe that when Jesus the Eternal Son of God died on the cross, the whole Trinity died with him, "for in him dwelleth all the fullness of the Godhead hodily^ Col. ii. 9. 9. Eighthly, we believe that Jesus the Eternal Son of God died on the cross, by a separation of that which is eternal and immortal, from that which was of the "line of David," ''his flesh the veil,'' (Heb. X. 20,) that is, he "gave up the Ghost," but was, as regards his own immortal person, alive that very day in Paradise; so was the soul of the " thief,'' for JESUS saith, " this day shalt thou be w^th me in Paradise." But the Son of God triumphed over the grave, and took up his life, and arose from the dead on the third day, and was seen by upwards of five hundred witnesses. I Cor. xv. 6. 10. Ninthly, we believe Jesus the Eternal Son of God, who "was God," suffered as God ; and there- 4- 42 INVITATION AND ADDRESS. fore his atonement on the cross satisfied the debt, and cancelled all the sins of those who have died or MAY DIE IN HIM. He cast out the prince of this world; John xii. 31, and spoiled his principalities and powers. Col. ii. 15, and by atoning and ex- piating our sins on his cross, ransomed us from the debt of the broken law in the Garden of Eden. For none but he who gave the law could mediate between man and his divine justice which he satis- fied. Therefore, he declares through the prophet, Isa. Lxiii. 1,5, " mine own arm brought salvation." 11. Tenthly, we believe the Eternal and only begotten Son of the Father became man, through the line of David, of the blessed Virgin Mary, and was born in a manger at Bethlehem Judea. And his name was called, through the direction of ihe angel of the Lord, JESUS or SAVIOUR, Matt. i. 21 ; also IMMANUEL, which being interpreted, is *'GOD WITH US." Matt. i. 23, Isa. vii. 14. 12. He grew up to manhood, and went about doing good, by performing miracles and fulfilling all that iiad been written *' concerning him" (as he says) "in the Law, the Prophets, and the Psalms." Luke xxiv. 44. And after ^^ abolishing in his flesh the enmity^ even the law of Commandments con- tained in ordinances," Eph. ii. 15, "that was AGAINST us, which WAS CONTRARY TO US, AND TOOK IT OUT OF THE W^AY, NAILING IT TO HIS CROSS." Col. ii. 14. 13. He VOLUNTARILY and of his "eternal pur- pose" "alone" and by himself, laid down his precious life for us on the cross on Mount Calvary. As he said, "I have trodden the wine-press alone; and I looked and there was none to help, therefore mine ow^n arm brought salvation unto me." Isa. Lxiii. 3, 4, 5. Therefore, he declared "no man INVITATION AND ADDRESS. 43 TAKETH (my life) FROM ME ; / lay it down myself;'^ John X. 18: he Mere/bre pardoned the Jews from his cross, the act of crucifying him. Luke xxiii. 34. 14. He rose again on the third day, and ascended into heaven ''where he w^as before," John vi. 62, in the same body that was crucified, but then and now changed into a glorious body, as the Apostle testifies. The Lord Jesus Christ shall " change our vile body, that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body, according to the working, whereby he is able even to subdue all things unto him- self." Philippians iii. 21. 15. And shall reign forever and ever in his everlasting kingdom, to which THERE SHALL BE NO END. Luke i. 32, Dan. vii. 14, 27, Heb. i.8. He being the same unchangeable "Lord" "God" "Almighty," see Rev. i. 8, that he ever was, "the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end- ing, the first and the last," Rev. i. 17, 18. For in becoming man he changed not, it being "ac- cording TO the eternal purpose," see Ephe. iii. 11, 19, 2 Tim. i. 9, that our Lord came down from heaven and was made flesh, and became man. It was therefore an unchangeable purpose. CHAPTER VIII. 1. We believe in the general resurrection of the "dead," Rev. xx. 12, 13, and final or last judg- ment, when, as Jesus saith, he the son of man and KING will come in his glory with all his holy An- gels, and will separate the just from the unjust, when he will say unto the wicked, depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, 'prepared for the Devil 44 INVITATION AND ADDRESS. and his angels ; but the righteous shall go into life eternal. Read Matt. xxv. 31 to 46. 2. We believe we are justified by faith without works^ Rom. iii. 27, 28, which we understand as a condition of salvation. And we know that the Lord Jesus will have all the glory and merit of man's re- demption, for "without me ye can do nothing," saith Jesus; because he is '•'■the Lord our righteousness.^'^ Therefore, w^e maintain that it is the baptism of "the Holy Ghost" "and with fire" Xh?it justifies a man and makes him an heir of salvation. Yet we maintain that good works always follow every man's justification as XYiq fruits of the spirit, 3. Vv^'e firmly believe in full redemption from original sin in this life, and that a man may know from youth until old age, that he is an heir of sal- vation and of glory, and that his " calling and elec- tion is made sure" by the "witness," even the testimony of the Holy Spirit, '•'bearing witness with our spirit that we are the children of God and heirs," Rom. viii. 16, 17 ; for John says, he that is born of God, " hath the witness in himself." 1 John v. 10. 4. We maintain and believe, as we have before stated in this address, that when we are " born again" or regenerated, we receive the Holy Ghost, which is the Comforter and Spirit of Truth. See Acts XV. 7, 8, 9. 5. Which our Lord declares " shall abide with us forever,^^ John xiv. 16, 17 ; and will ''guide you, he says, into all truth,^^ and he will " show you things to come,^"* and here is the spirit of prophecy. " He shall glorify ME, for he shall receive of mine and show it unto you ; all things that the Father hath are MINE, therefore, said I, he shall take of mine and shall show it unto you.'''' John xvi. 13, 14, 15. 6. And as he saith in another place, "he shall INVITATION AND ADDRESS. 45 testify of me." John xv. 26. In these texts the tri-personality of the Godhead is conclusively set forth ; the pronoun HE, is applied to the Holy Ghost four times in succession in these texts, as a distinct person from the father and the son. 7. We, therefore, maintain that having this glo- rious and heavenly guide and counsellor with us, the lives and conversation of the members of this church should abound in all goodness, mercy, and truth, and be unspotted before tJie world. CHAPTER IX. 1. We hold that water baptism may be adminis- tered in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost to such as may desire it, but by sprink- ling only, as it agrees with the Scripture and the spiritual experience of the children of God. See Numbers viii. 7, Isa. Lii. 15, Eze. xxxvi. 25, 1 Pet. i. 2. Yet we reject the doctrine of the church of Rome, and other churches, who make this outward water baptism essential to salvation or in any way binding. Because, according to the testimony of John the Baptist himself, outward water baptism "must decrease" (which was to repentance only) y Matt. iii. 11, and be superseded by the one only savins; baptism o^ the Holy Ghost and with fire. See John's testimony, John i. 33. 2. We believe that water baptism has been one of the means of maintaining the doctrine of the Holy Trinity, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost; three (Vivine persons in Trinity, and one per- son in Unity, in the person of the E'ernal Son, even Jesus Christ of Nazareth who died on Mount Cal- 46 INVITATION AND ADDRESS. vary. This doctrine of the Trinity was instituted by the Lord of glory himself just before his ascen- sion, Matt, xxviii. 19, as before observed. 3. We do not hold the administration of water baptism as an ordinance^ but we admit it into this church for the foregoing reasons, that it helps to establish the doctrine of the Holy Trinity. And, if any of our members have a tender conscience, and cannot comprehend the text, John iii. 5, to mean the water of eternal life only, we desire to release them, yet we cannot support any ordinance, because they were "blotted out" by the Lord and "nailed TO HIS CROSS." Col. ii. 14. We, therefore, do not maintain water baptism as an ordinance, but use it only by permission ; the Apostles " baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus" only. See Acts ii. 38, viii. 16, X. 48, xix. 5; because Jesus is the name of the Father, Isa. ix. 6, John xiv. 7, 8, 9; also the name of the Son, also the name of the Holy Ghost, there- fore, when the Apostles baptized in the name of Jesus they baptized in the name of the whole Trinity. Therefore, when we baptize, we say " I baptize thee in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost, which name is JESUS, Amen." 4. This church professes to be built up of re- generated and living members, who have passed from death unto life, and through the great mercy of JESUS the "Blessed God" are sustained by him with the "bread of heaven" and "of life," which is himself as he declares, " I am the bread of life; he that eateth my flesh and drinketh my blood DWELLETH IN ME, AND I IN HIM." Johtt vi. 35, 56. 5. " This is that bread which came down from heaven,^^ "and when his disciples murmured at it" he saith, "it is the Spirit, the Holy Ghost and Com- forter" thatquickeneth, ^ ^ the flesh proflteth noihing^^ INVITATION AND ADDRESS. 47 (the outward flesh); the words that I speak uiitoyou, THEY ARE SPIRIT, and THEY ARE LIFE. See John vi. 33, 35, 48, 63. 6. From which, and many other Scriptures we are taught that it is the indwelling of Jesus in THE SOUL, that enables the soul to eat him, spi- ritually and substantially, as he saith, "he thatea/e^/i me, he shall live by me." John vi. 57. 7. We cannot, therefore, consistently with his living presence with us, and in us, eat outward bread and drink outward wine, which are eaten as types only (by the Protestant Churches) of him which has ALREADY COME according to his promise, Acts ii. 4, and will continue with us, as he declares, ^^ always, even to the end of the world,'''* Matt, xxviii. 20; be- cause, by so eating outwardly, we should really declare that Christ Jesus has not come. It is written, that the outward eating was to show forth the Lord's death until he come. 8. Now, as HE has come, in power and glory to all those who believe, and are horn again, such as these need not the type when they have the substance, even JESUS himself m their souls. Hallelujah! 9. When Jesus gave the mission to his disciples recorded in the tenth chapter of Matthew's Gospel, he immediately declares that the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand, and continues in these words, ^^ verily I say unto you, ye shall not have gone over the cities of Israel till the son of man be come," Matt. x. 1, 7, 23, which was verified on the day of Pentecost. 10. Such churches, however, who deny imme- diate revelation, as in the Apostles' days, and that the spiritual gifts of the Holy Ghost are not given to men at this time, and who know not a spiritual com- munion with God by his Holy Spirit, according to the declaration of our Lord, John x. 16, xv. 2Q, 48 INVITATION AND ADDRESS. but have fallen in part into the degenerated con- dition of the Roman Catholic Church ; such churches as these, if sincere, may use the outward com- munion of bread and wine. 11. The ancient, although now degenerated church, called at this time the Roman Catholic, possesses ostensibly or outwardly all the principles of the primitive churches, but they confine the power of all spiritual gifts and operations to the clergy only. Therefore, they say in their com- mentaries on the New Testament, see commentary on St. John, xiv. 16, 26, in these words, "Here the Holy Ghost is promised to the Apostles and their successors''^ (the priests); again, 1 John iv. 6, "he that knoweth God heareth us, (the pastors of the church.") The reader is referred to the tenth letter of the Right Rev. John Milner, D.D., in the book called "The End of Religious Contro- versy," for a full exposition of Catholicism on the subject of immediate revelation from God. We will quote a few lines at the end of the latter pages, 60 and 61 ; "if then, Satan and his disciples, the Heretics, (or Protestants,) are capable of thus per- verting the Holy Scripture^ how are Catholics, the childre7i of the church, to make use of them^ so as to discern truth from falsehood? They must care- fully observe the rule laid down at the beginning of this treatise, by the holy and learned men I referred to, THEY ARE TO INTERPRET THE DIVINE TEXT AC- CORDING TO THE TRADITION OF THE CaTHOLIC Church," that is according to the tradition of the priests. (The original printing is in capitals as quoted.) 12. In this quotation, as in many other passages, tradition is placed above the Bible ^ and even above the Holy Spirit's operation on the hearts of men. INVITATION AND ADDRESS. 49 They, therefore, deny and reject all that our Lord diedfor^ which was, the dispensation of the gift of his Holy Spirit, the Holy Ghost or Comforter, unto all men who should btlieve in him ; see John xvi. 7, 13, J4, Acts ii. 17, 18, xi. 15, 16, 17; and have impiously substituted, auricular confession and a priest's absolution, and an outward corporeal eating of bread: instead of the spiritual eating, operation and Communion of Jesus in the Soul. 13. This spiritual communion of Jesus in the soul, according to his blessed promise. Matt, xviii. 20, Rev. iii. 20, is expressly denied by this Roman Catholic Church. 14. Which maintainsitto be, a " fallacious error" to believe "in an immediate light, and motion of God's spirit communicated to the individual." 15. As the Right Rev. John Milner, D.D., de- clares in his "End of Religious Controversy," just quoted, and recently published. See letter 6, page 20-21, 22, 23 paragraphs. 16. He there states that this fallacious error leads to impiety^ and is professed in particular " by the Quakers and the Moravians, and the different classes of Methodists." See letter 7 of the End of Con- troversy. 17. It is the desire of the church of the Eternal Son, not to remove a single pillar, however weak, which has a tendency to support the Gospel dis- pensation ; therefore, this church disclaims any intention to persecute this persecuting churchy the Church of Rome. But, at the same time, we shall war unceasingly, a spiritual warfare against the wicked, criminal, and murderous doctrine, which is, that the Holy Ghost does not now immediately operate upon, regenerate, and convert the souls of men as he did in the Apostles' days, Acts xv. 7,8,9; 5 50 INVITATION AND ADDRESS. and that the power of the Holy Ghost which con- verts immortal souls, in the Methodist Episcopal Church, is a delusion of the imagination and *' a fallacious error," as Dr. Milner asserts: It is a doc- trine that crucifies the Lord Jesus in the souls of men, and keeps them under the dominion of innate sins, and holds in bondage the souls of millions of priest-ridden, humbled, yet well disposed laymen, who have AN equal right with themselves to know and administe?' the gifts and blessings o^ an impartial and Almighty Redeemer. 18. We, therefore, say as a church, that the churches who deny the gift of the Holy Ghost, as in the days of the Apostles, may partake of and eat and drink the types, or eat and drink the outward sacrament, because they declare and profess, that the SON OF MAN HAS NOT COME unto them. There- fore, when they eat and drink the consecrated ele- ments, if sincere^ "they do show the Lord's death until he come in power unto them^^ also ; this we believe is the true interpretation of the text 1 Cor. xi. 26. 19. We, the church of the Eternal Son who was crucified, give glory to God our Saviour, even Jesus, for the precious "motion" of his spirit and light communicated to us; and praise his holy name that he condescends o/" mere mercy to visit us with his power, and that he is in our midst when two or three are gathered together in his name. 20. We can "laugh" as Jesus has promised, Luke vi. 21, with joy, and rejoice aloud, and shout (as Isaiah declares, I2th chapter, 1-6, and as David says, Psal. XLvii. 1-7), to " God with the voice of tri- umph" " in the fullness of the blessing," our hearts running over, so that there is not room enough to receive it, according to his blessed promise, Malachi INVITATION AND ADDRESS. 51 iii. 10, and therefore we can testify with the Apostle, that we know that the son of God has come unto us, 1 John V. 20, according to his promise. Matt. X. 1,7,23. CHAPTER X. 1. The Apostle declares, as many as are "led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God.''' Rom. viii. 14. We, therefore, through the blessed guidance and holy operation of the sustaining power of the spirit of the Lord Jesus, shall let ** the word OF the Lord have free course," and be glorified, 2 Thess. iii. 1, as it was in the days of the Apostles. 2. We are taught in the epistles of St. Paul, that prophesying, exhortation, and preaching, are one and the same thing. 3. He says, '' he that prophesieth, speaketh unto men to edification, and exhortation, and comfort," 1 Cor. xiv. 3. "And the spirits of the Prophets are subject to the prophets." 4. " For ye may all prophesy one by one, that all may learn, and that all may be comforted ;" "but if any thing be revealed to another that sitteth by, let the first (Prophet) hold his peace." 1 Cor. xiv. 30,31, 32. 5. This is the understanding of this church of that which constitutes true Christian liberty. Al- lowing every brother to exercise his gifts as God may give him ability; but always giving place to a brother who has an immediate revelation from, the Saviour, whether it be in singing, exhortation, or prayer. 6. We do not confine the services of the church 52 INVITATION AND ADDRESS. to one minister, but any member may speak, ** or as the Lord giveth ability, so speak ;" and no member is to be despised or checked because he is deficient in orthography, eloquence, or any human learning, because Jesus often chooses '' the foolish things of the world to confound the wise;" "and the weak, to confound the mighty." The principal Apostles were poor uneducated fishermen, and our Almighty Lord declares, " I thank thee, O Father, Lord of heaven and of earth, because thou hast hid these things from the luise and the prudent^ and hast re- vealed them unto babes." Matt. xi. 25. And even St. Paul who was learned, thus testifies: my speech and my preaching (says he) "was not with enticing WORDS of man's wisdom, but in demonstration of THE Spirit, and of power. For (says he) I deter- mined to knoiv nothincr amono^ you, save JESUS CHRIST, and HLM CRUCIFIED." 1 Cor. ii. 2, 3, 4. Notice, he says hhn crucified. 7. It is often observable, that whilst a brother is exhorting an audience, the power of the Lord is suddenly revealed from heaven, and the Spirit (which our Lord calls the wind, and in the Acts it is called a mighty rushing wind. Acts ii. 2), is powerfully and generally felt; and the time of re- freshing from the Lord has come, which is that Blessed Power which the church came together for. 8. The brother who is preaching or exhorting, must at this manifestation of mercy "hold his ieace," " The Lord is in his Holy Temple," Hab. ii. 20; the meeting is governed at this auspicious moment by the Lord Jesus himself, and his spirit of Love, and power, should have '-^free course;'^'* so that the brethren may speak to, and exhort those who are convicted, or are mourning, that ADDRESS TO THE SEEKERS. 53 the weak might be strengthened, and sinners con- verted unto Jesus, and the strong man confirmed. 9. But this is not so ordained in the churches, even in those most spiritual, not even amongst the Episcopal Methodists, although some of its preach- ers have acted under the Gospel injunction. As it riow is, the person who is exhorting or preaching, continues his sermon, and frequently suppresses and sacrifices to the formal divisions of his discourse, the GLORIOUS BLESSING of the Lord Almighty, which ONLY and alone, constitutes the Life, Power, and EFFICACY of the Church. 10. We, therefore, earnestly exhort all our bre- thren to wait for the blessings to pray for the blessing, to prophesy, exhort, and preach for the blessing; and when in mercy it has come, then, to diligently seek out the convicted^ and the mourners in the audi- mce, and, in the HOLY NAME OF JESUS, apply all those gifts and powers which he "the true God" has entrusted us with, to the conversion of their souls; be it at the mourner's bench, or elsewhere. 11. Determining, with the Apostle Paul, not to KNOW anything during the season of our relifjious exercises, "save Jesus Christ and Him crucified." 1 Cor. ii. 2. 12. We now commend you to Jesus Christ and to his love and peace, which " passeth all under- standing." Hosanna to his adorable name ! The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen. Rev. xxi. 21. 5* PART SECOND. DECLARATION OF FAITH. CHAPTER I. INTRODUCTION. 1. The following articles comprise the Declaration of Faith and Principles of "The Church of the Eternal Son ;" even JESUS of Nazareth, who, of himself, VOLUNTARILY (John x. 18) "laid down his life for us" on the cross on Mount Calvary. "Hereby," (saith the Apostle,) "perceive w^e the love of GOD, because HE [even God) laid down his life for us." 1 John, iii. 16. And Saint Paul de- clares, "Feed the Church of God, which he hath purchased with his own blood." Acts xx. 28. 2. We now offer to all our fellow pilgrims the fol- lowing exposition of the Faith and Principles, which is adopted by "the Church of the Eternal Son," together with the foregoing introduction or preface and address for the preservation of this Church, "IN UNITY OF FAITH." Eph. iv. 13. And that there be NO SCHISM IN THE BODY, 1 Cor. xii. 25; and to have a SUBSTANTIAL RULE, whereby we may question those who apply for me/?? - bership with us, so that the APPLICANTS, as well as ourselves, may be fully assured that they AGREE WITH US IN ALL OUR PRINCIPLES. DECLARATION OF FAITH. 55 3. And further, that -we may have a RULE, and the means for counseling^ advising, and admonish- ing those who are members of our Church, who, through want o^ daily and hourly prayer and watch- fulness, and manifold temptations, may depart from the truth : and if love and tenderness cannot restore and prevail over them, to SUSPEND them from membership, according to the declaration of our Lord, Matt, xviii. 15, 16, 17 ; and that of the Apostle Paul, Rom. xvi. 17, 18, and 1 Cor. v. 3, 4, 5. But if, after due contrition and repentance, they regain their blessing, they may be restored to the Church. CHAPTER II. TITLE OF THE CHURCH. This Church shall be called THE CHURCH OF THE ETERNAL SON. And there shall be NO ALTERATION or AMENDMENT MADE to the title, nor to the following EXPLANA- TION OF THE TITLE of the Church. EXPLANATION OF THE TITLE. 1. We believe the ETERNAL and "ONLY BE- GOTTEN SON," was BEGOTTEN of the Father FROM "EVERLASTING," that is, FROM ALL ETERNITY, and out of his (the Father's) own eternal essences, and immediately and continuately with the Father's own existence. 2. That is, THE SON EXISTED AS A SON, at the SAME ETERNAL INSTANT THAT THE FATHER EXISTED, and bore the SAME RE- LATION to the Father from all eternity AS A 66 TITLE OF THE CHURCH. SON, as he DID whilst he dwelt amongst us IN THE FLESH AT JERUSALEM : becausc JESUS de- clares, *'AS THE FATHER KNOWETH ME EVEN SO KNOW. I THE FATHER." John x. 15. 3. HIS KNOWLEDGE being EQUALLY ETERNAL with the FATHER'S KNOWLEDGE. And because the SON is the very eternal manifesta- tion of the Father's person, being "the EXPRESS IMAGE of HIS PERSON," saith the Apostle. Heb. i. 3. And because the SON is the LIGHT, John i. 9, and the GLORY, Rev. xxi. 23, and the VERY "BRIGHTNESS of the Father's glory;'' so saith Saint Paul, Heb. i. 3. And because his DO- INGS are EQUALLY ETERNAL with the Father's doings. He saith, "FOR S^WHAT THINGS SOEVER^ HE (the Father) DOETH, THESE ALSO DOETH THE SON LIKEWISE." John V. 19. HIS ACTS, therefore, being equally eternal with the FATHER'S ACTS. 4. Again, saith JESUS, he that "hath SEEN ME hath SEEN THE FATHER," John xiv. 9; because (saith he) " I and my Father ARE ONE." John X. 30. And because, according to the Pro- phet Isaiah, the NAME OF JESUS is " also" THE EVERLASTING FATHER. The words are these, "And unto us a CHILD is born, unto us a ^SON is given ; and HIS NAME shall be called the EVERLASTING FATHER." See Isa. ix. 6. No truly converted man can, therefore, deny JESUS the appellation of FATHER. 5. Therefore, he saith to Philip, " HOW SAY- EST THOU THFN ? Shew us the Father !" And He declares positively, at that time, to his Apostles, that HE WAS the (itf^" father ALSO,"^ in these words: " If ye had KNOWN ME, ye would TITLE OF THE CHURCH. 57 have KNOWN MY FATHER ALSO, and from henceforth YE KNOW HIM, and have (j#^SEEN HIM."^ John xiv. 7. "Believe me," (what an appeal! — we, thy Churchy Thou ^' only begot- te'n?'' and ^^ Eternal iS'or?," and ^^ Eternal Life^"^- do believe thee,) " BELIEVE.ME," (saith Jesus,) '' that I AM IN THE Father, and the Father IN ME." John xiv. 11. 6. That is, they are {}#^ONE in perfect IDEN- TITY and " PERSON," therefore, JESUS, the only begotten SON, must, of necessity, be co-eternal with the Father. And he is also co-eternal with the Holy Ghost, for Saint Paul testifies, that " the LORD IS THAT SPIRIT," 2 Cor. iii. 17, and " was made" (or begotten) "a QUICKENING SPIRIT." 1 Cor. XV. 45. 7. Jesus, the Son, is also EQUAL with the Fa- ther, John V. 23, John v. 18, Phil. ii. 6 ; and equally Omnipotent, Matt, xxviii. 18 ; and equally Omni- scient, John xvi. 30; and equally Omnipresent with the Father, being CO-EXISTENT with the Father EVERYWHERE. This is beautifully expressed in these words: "If a man love me he will keep my words, and my Father will love him, (l#-AND WE will come unto him, and make OUR ABODE WITH HIM." John xiv. 23. This declaration makes JESUS, and the Father always present, the one with the other ; or the SON, and the FATHER, EQUALLY Omnipresent, and equally co-existent, because those who love Jesus are living throughout the world, and in each, Jesus and the Father dwell. ,8. And there is another glorious saying of Jesus, which shows the Omnipresence of himself, " the Son of man," who died for us; even whilst in the flesh. It proves He then filled all things. It is recorded in Luke x. 5, 6, in his charge to the 58 TITLE OF THE CHURCH. "seventy" disciples. The "words" are: "And into WHATSOEVER HOUSE ye enter;' (and here, lest the word " house'''' should not be understood by some, we will quote Saint Paul, Heb. iii. 6; he says, " Christ (came) as a Son over HIS OWN HOUSE, whose HOUSE. ARE WE." The word ^^ house,''' therefore, means the people of God, those in whom the SON of Peace dwells.) We will now continue the text : "And into whatsoever house ye enter, first say PEACE be to this house. And if the SON of Peace be there, your peace shall rest upon it." By this we learn that the SON OF PEACE exists at the same time, in distinct houses, or churches; and is everywhere, or is Omnipresent, which agrees with his declaration, John xiv. 23, just quoted ; and also with Isa. ix. 6. 9. And is further confirmed by the Prophet Mi- cah ; he declares of JESUS, "And THIS MAN SHALL BE THE PEACE." Micah v. 5. Verily, JESUS is "the Son of Peace." Again, "Where two or three are gathered together IN MY NAME," (saith Jesus,) " there am I in the midst of them." Matt, xviii. 20. Of course, Jesus must then be everywhere, for these assemblies are in the four quarters of the world. These sayings demonstrate, without a doubt, the ubiquity, or Omnipresence of THE SON. 10. We believe the Eternal Father and the Eternal Holy Ghost dwell in Jesus, the Eternal Son, as they have dwelt from all eternity, "bodily." 11. The Eternal Son, even Jesus, we believe is the ONLY " EXPRESS IMAGE" and " SHAPE" (John V. 37), of the Father. And JESUS, the SON, even Him who died for us, is " the LORD GOD of the HOLY PROPHETS." Rev. xxii. 6, TITLE OF THE CHURCH. 59 16. Being the "only Potentate" "in Heaven" (John iii. 13), or in earth, as we are expressly assured by Isaiah, (Isa. XLiv. 6,) which is also undeniable. 12. Because, JESUS, THE SON, IS THE MA- KER OF ALL THINGS UNEXCEPTIONABLY. Col. i. 16, John i. 3, Heb. i. 2. And JESUS, our God, was WORSHIPPED AS GOD from the time he appeared in the manger at Bethlehem, Judea, until the moment of his ascension, see Matt. ii. 2- 11, (viii. 2,) (ix. 18,) ((jif^xiv. 33,.#S)) (xv.^25,) (xxviii. 9-17,) Luke (^xxiv. 52,^ John ix. 38, which accords with the declaration of Saint Paul, "That at the NAME OF JESUS every knee SHOULD BOW, of things in heaven, of things in earthy and things under the earth." Phil. ii. 10. Because, as JESUS, THE SON, WAS WORSHIP- PED AS GOD, and HE himself declares that GOD ONLY shall be w^orshipped: Luke iv. 8. There- fore, having accepted divine worship as his due AND JUST PREROGATIVE, HE MUST BE GOD, AND THE ONLY GOD. 13. For Saint Paul declares him to be " the bless- ed AND ONLY POTENTATE, the King of Kings AND Lord of Lords." 1 Tim. yi. 15. See Rev. xvii. 14, (xix. 16.) 14. And we believe, HE, even JESUS, will rule AND reign over all created beings, for they were " ALL CREATED BY HIM, AND FOR HIM," and for his glory. Col. i. 16, 17. And we be- lieve HIS RULE AND REIGN, Rev. xi. 15, " KINGDOM" and " DOMINION," Dan. vii. 13, 14, will be "for ever and ever," Heb. i. 8, and CCPHAVE "NO END."X8 Luke i. 33. There- fore, Saint Peter testifies that we shall have an en- trance " into the EVERLASTING KINGDOM of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ." 2 Pet. i. 11. 60 TITLE OF THE CHURCH. 15. We believe the holy doctrine as declared by JESUS HIMSELF, which is that there is BUT '' ONE GOD," who is also '' ONE LORD." His language is, " The first of all the commandments is HEAR, Israel, THE LORD our GOD is ONE LORD." Mark xii. 29-32. 16. Therefore, JESUS, or JEHOVAH JESUS, thus declares himself through the prophet Isaiah : *' Thus saith the Lord, the King of Israel, and his REDEEMER, the Lord of Hosts : is^l AM THE FIRST, AND I AM THE LAST, AND BESIDE ME THERE IS NO GOD." Isa. xLiv. 6 : see Isa. XLiii. 10, 11. 17. Again, ''I am he. I am the first, I also AM THE LAST. MINE HAND hath laid the founda- tion of the earth." Isa. xLviii. 12, 13, see xLii. 4, also see Heb. i. 10. So that it is evident from the Scriptures just quoted, that there IS NO GOD be- sides THAT GOD who declared himself to be ^'the First and the Last," to the Prophet Isaiah. 18. And this truth, that "THE FIRST AND THE LAST" is the ONLY GOD, is incontroverti- ble, and cannot be denied. Because the " Scripture cannot be broken," (saith Jesus.) (John x. 35.) 19. And it is equally incontrovertible and equally true, that Jehovah God, w^ho spake to Isaiah, and declared himself to be " the First and the Last," IS JESUS; because JESUS ABSOLUTELY CLAIMS THE TITLE or appellation of the First and the Last FOR HIMSELF ALONE. This was when he made the glorious manifestation of his pre- sence to Saint John on the " Isle of Patmos," re- corded in Revelations i. 8, 11, 17, (2 chap. 8, 18,) also in 22 chap. 6, 13, 16. 20. In these texts Jesus thus declares himself to the Evangelist : "Fear not, I AM THE FIRST TITLE OF THE CHURCH. 61 and I AM THE LAST, I am HE that liveth and ^WAS DEAD."^ (See verse 17, 18.) A^ain, *' These things saith THE FIRST AND THE LAST, which (^r^^WAS DEAD."^ See 2 chap. 8 verse. 2L Again, "These things, saith the SON OF GOD, who hath his eyes like unto a flame of FIRE, AND HIS FEET ARE LIKE FINE BRASS." See chap. ii. 18th verse. In these verses, the 8th and 18th, " the FIRST AND THE LAST" assures us without a doubt, that HE " WAS DEAD," and that he wasdrf^THE SON OF GOD.^ See Dan. iii.25. 22. And it, therefore, follows of necessity, as the Scriptures are true and " cannot be broken," (John X. 35,) that " the SON OF GOD," (who per- sonally spoke to Saint John and calls himself "the First ard the Last,") is the VERY GOD who spake to the Prophet Isaiah. 23. Moreover, there cannot be, (according to the Scriptures,) TWO BEINGS who have the TITLE and PREROGATIVE of being " the First and the Last.^'^ This would be ?i positive contradiction. 24. Neither can there be, according to the Scrip- tures, TWO SONS of God, who can claim, the same title; because JESUS IS "the ONLY BEGOTTEN SON ;" there is NO OTHER SON BEGOTTEN OUT OF GOD THE FATHER, through all eternity, but JESUS the "ONLY" and "ALONE" SON. 25. ({jt^pWe are " adopted" into or unto God, Gal. iv. 5, therefore ^^ sons only by the spirit of adoption. "c^ Rom. viii. 15.) Therefore, none can claim the high and holy appellation of " the First and the Last," but JESUS. 26. As he again assures us in the last chapter of the Revelations : he there again declares, " I am 6 62 title of the church. Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end, THE First and the Last." See Rev. xxii. 13. And he continues, (Jif-" I JESUS have sent mine angel to testify unto you these things in the churches;" this is in the 16th verse. 27. And in the sixth verse of the same chapter, it is written, "And the LORD GOD OF THE HOLY PROPHETS sent his angel?' In these verses JESUS undeniably declares himself to be THE FIRST AND THE LAST, and the LORD GOD OF THE HOLY PROPHETS ; and, there- fore, according to Isaiah, xLiv. 6, (cr^HE IS THE ONLY GOD,=C^ and there is none other in time or eternity: because he declares to Isaiah, (c$^" BE- SIDES ME THERE IS NO GOD." 28. And this divine being is called the "WORD." John i. 2, 3, (^Rev. xix. 10—16. " And the Word," (saith John,) " was MADE FLESH and dwelt among us." John i. 14, (vi. Q2.) And in Rev. xix. 13, we read, " And he was clothed in a vesture dipped in blood, and his name is called the Word of God :" here we learn and see plainly that THE WORD WAS CRUCIFIED, and " dip- ped in blood :" therefore, saith Saint John, our " HANDS have handled of the W^ord of Life." 29. From the numerous records of the Holy Bi- ble of the Old and New Testaments, which we have just quoted and referred to, it becomes a Scriptural axiom, that the DIVINE BEING who declared to the Prophet Isaiah, "I AM THE FIRST AND I AM THE LAST," and besides me there is no God. Isa. XLiv. 6. And the DIVINE BEING who ut- tered the same words, and made the glorious mani- festation of" HIS PERSON" to Saint John, on the "Isle of Patmos," and before whom "John fell" ''as dead at his feet;' "ARE ONE AND THE TITLE OF THE CHURCH. 63 SAME DIVINE PERSON." It cannot be other- wise construed; the loords are the same as in Isaiah, namely, " I AM THE FIRST and THE LAST;" and he continues, '' I am he thatliveth AND WAS DEAD." By this declaration, " I was^ dead," we know it was JESUS, the SON of the Father, who spake to Saint John, and to Isaiah. And that when he said, '■'' I came down from heaven,^'' he meant literally and distinctly^ that HE, the MAN, CHRIST JESUS, was in heaven before^ and would ''ascend up where he WAS BEFORE," as he de- clared, see John vi. 62. 30. Note. (All those expressions of JESUS our ETERNAL GOD, such as '•'not to do mine own will,^^ and all other similar expressions of submis- sion or obedience, or of weakness, as " Take away this cup from me," Mark xiv. 36 : or of temptation and despair, as on the cross, when he uttered the cry, " My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me ;" these he expressed as man, which he became : Like we express, under a sense of our dependence upon God, or when we are under the power of temp- tation. As David was, when he uttered the same cry, "My God, m.y God, why hast thou forsaken me?" See Psalms xxii. 1. These feelings, suffer- ings, and temptations, must NECESSARILY BE FELT by the ETERNAL SON, because HE WAS "MADE FLESH," John i. 14, and BECAME A TRUE AND VERY MAN ; and this was effected by assimilation with our nature. And by this ASSIMI- LATION GOD (John i. 1-14), BECAME A MAN and a MEDIATOR between man and the penalty AND THE CURSE. Geu. iii. 17, 18, 19. This won- derjul humiliation is beautifully expressed through- out the fifty-third chapter of Isaiah. Also see Acts viii. 32, .33. For "God became man FOR THE 64 TITLE OF THE CHURCH. VERY PURPOSE OF MEDIATING ; and that he might FEEL the INFIRMITIES AND TEMPTA- TIONS WHICH US MEN FEEL." 2 Cor. viii. 9. And thus as a mediator, having felt in his own DIVINE PERSON OUT CONDITION as men, he was ena- bled^ according to the Apostle, Col. ii. 15, to "spoil the principalities and powers" of the devil, and ^Hri- umph over them {in himself).'^'' Note. These words, "in himself ^"^"^ is according to the original and the marginal reading. This reading we believe^ because the temptations of Jesus were " also in himself ^'''^ ^^ yet without sin.'' ^ Heb. iv. 15. "For (saith the Apostle) in that he himself hzth SUFFERED, being tempted, he is able to succor those that are tempted." Heb. ii. 18. (See Article X., page 82.) 31. This "MAN," (saith Saint Paul,) " IS THE LORD FROM HEAVEN," 1 Cor. xv. 47, (see article XI. on the pre-existence of the soul of Jesus,) and "BEING IN THE FORM OF GOD," saith the same Apostle, " thought it not robbery to be EQUAL WITH GOD." Phil. ii. 6. For "Christ Jesus was IN THE FORM OF GOD, and was in heaven even whilst upon earth," see John iii. and 13, where he said to Nicodemus, " THE SON OF MAN IS IN HEAVEN," (or as he could have said, Even now, whilst I am speaking to you, JYicode- mus.Iam " IN HEAVEN," which " is my throne,'' and I now Jill all things, and by me '■''all things CONSIST,") see Col. i. 17, ''''I came forth" (see John xvi. 28), into this outward " shape" of a man. But my glory \s unchangeably " /Ae same," and is only hidden by '•'•the veil," which is my ''flesh." ("Heb. X. 20.) 32. Our object in quoting the texts from John vi. 38-62, paragraph 29, is to show that the MAN Christ Jesus of Nazareth, even the same who suf- TITLE OF THE CHURCH. 65 fered, bled, and died on Mount Calvary, " came DOWN FROM HEAVEN," and ascended up where he WAS BEFORE, as he declared ; and that he existed AS A SON IN ETERNITY with the Father, before he ^^was made flesh and dwelt among us.^"* 33. Or, ashe more /j/ax^i/j/ declared, John xvi.28- 31, "I CAME FORTH FROM THE FATHER, and am come into theworld, AGAIN I leave the world and go to the Father.''^ This plain declaration to the Apostles they understood, and THEN, at that last moment, believed for the first time^ that tne MAN JK- S\]S,who?n they saw be/arethem,\\ AS IN HEAVEN BEFORE. "Lo," (saith his di^iples,) "now speakest thou PLAINLY, now we ARE SURE that thou knowest all things; by this we believe THOU CAMEST FORTH FROM GOD. Jesus answered them, DO YE NOW BELIEVE.?" Jesus thus seals and confirms their declaration, that he knev) '-'•all things,'''' ''''and came forth from God.'''' 34. We have clearly demonstrated in this chap- ter, that there cannot be TW^O SONS of God, bear- ing the title of "The First and the Last:" be- cause JESUS is the "ONLY begotten Son.'" How then can there be any other? Therefore, the doc- trine taught in the orthodox theological schools, that the Eternal and only Son, CANNOT nor did not SUFFER, we utterly reject. 35. They all profess to believe in an Eternal Son, "co-eternal with the Father,^^ and also equal to hina. They teach, however, that Jesus had "two WHOLE AND (c^-DISTINCT NATURES," which are merely united, and not MIXED nor CONFUSED, that is, one eternal part, that could not suffer, and one human part, that could and did suffer. Now as they teach, from the pulpit and books, that the SON of God actually SUFFERED, they must, of neces- 6* 66 TITLE OF THE CHURCH. sity, mean, that the HUMAN part is that SON of God. And as they also teach that we are saved by the SUFFERINGS of the SON of God, they must necessarily attribute man^s redemption to this human Son, or part which suffered. From this category or predicament there is no escape. The conclusion is inevitable, that they believe there are TWO SONS of God, because the suffering Son and the natures are DISTINCT. That is, one Eternal Son who could not suffer, and one distinct human Son that could and did suffer. We learn from the immediate testimony of the light, blessing, comfort, and joy, and counsel of the HOLY SPIRIT OF JESUS, which unfolds to us the truths of the Gospel, that '' THE WORD C#=WAS MADE FLESH,c#j) and dwelt AMONG US." That is, "GOD," John i. 1, BE- CAME A MAN, AND WAS CALLED JESUS and IMMANUEL, or " GOD WTTH US," conse- quently w^e believe the divine and human natures were ASSIMILATED INTO ONE. 36. ThisMANnamedJESUS,andTHESoNOFGoD, is called by the unenlightened, and Unitarians, and Socinians generally, in all their phases and grades. The Humanity, and inferior to the Father. Some of them say the Son of God, even Jesus, was a mere man. 37. Others maintain, like Dr. Adam Clarke, of the Methodist Episcopal Church, in his commenta- ries on Saint Luke, that there w^ere two distinct na- tures in Jesus, ONE NATURE which was DI- VINE, and ''COULD NOT BE BORN," and never was BEGOTTEN, either in time or eternity, and ONE human nature which was begotten of the Virgin Mary ^ which HUMAN NATURE, (he says,) is called in the Scriptures " the Son of God, and INFERIOR TO HIM." TITLE OF THE CHURCH. 67 38. Dr. Clarke, therefore, " rejects" the doctrine of the Eternal Sonship, as maintained by ourselves and " the orthodox churches," and says it is '' anti- scriptural AND HIGHLY DANGEROUS." That is, it is dangerous to believe that the SON of God is DI- VINE and ETERNAL AS A SON. This is a new aspect of belief, because the Dr. has the boldness to write as though he was a Trinitarian. This is mo- dern Socinianism^ and is full of subtility and deceit, and is fully refuted in the next chapter of the Arti- cles of Faith, and that headed arguments, and the article "The Man Christ Jesus," and other refuta- tions in this book of the false doctrine of " The Hy- postatical union." 39. JESUS declared to Nicodemus, "No man HATH ASCENDED UP TO HEAVEN, but HE that Caiue down from heaven, EVEN THE SON OF MAN, which is (jit-IN HEAVEN."^ John iii. 13. Again he says, I came down from heaven, " What and if ye shall see the Son of Man ascend up where he WAS BEFORE?" John vi. 38-62. Again, "And now, Father, glorify thou me with thine OW^N SELF, with the glory which (jtf-I HAD w^ith thee BEFORE THE w^oRLD WAS." John xvii. 5. The doctrines of Dr. A. Clarke just quoted, /eacAthat it is *' highly dangerous'''' to believe these sayings of Jesus. 40. These sayine^s absolutely assure us that JE- JUS, the SON OF GOD, and SON OF MAN, PRE- EXISTED or existed in heaven BEFORE he was born of the Virgin Mary, even " before the world was.''"' As Daniel testifies, iii. 25, " The form of the fourth is like the SON of God." 4L Therefore He saith, BEFORE Abram was, I AM. John viii. 58. Saint Paul declares, " The first man (Adam) is of the earth, earthy, the SECOND MAN (Jesus) IS THE LORD FROM HEAVEN." 1 Cor. XV. 47. W"e have introduced in this explana- 68 TITLE OF THE CHURCH. tion the Socinian doctrines of Dr. A. Clarke, to re- fute them and ^M«r£/ our members against them, and to refer the reader to the refutation of them and similar doctrines, in our next chapter, &c. 42. We believe that because the Eternal Fa- ther and the Eternal Holy Ghost have dwelt IN" Jesus, the Eternal Son, (as we have before clearly proven,) from all eternity, John i. 12, Mi- cah V. 2, and the Apostle Paul declares him to be the "EXPRESS IMAGE" of God's "Person." Heb. i. 3. And because Saint John records that he is the very PERSON and "SHAPE" of the Father; and that those who SAW JESUS, SAW and KNEW THE FATHER. See John xiv. 7, 9, x. 30, v. 37. And because the Prophet Isaiah declares that the NAME of the SON OF GOD IS " THE EVER- LASTING FATHER !" Isa. ix. 6. 43. Therefore, we believe that although there are THREE PERSONS named in " the Godhead," yet there are not ^iSf^THREE IMAGES. <4^ But we believe there is ONE ONLY "IMAGE," or appearance of God, either to angels in Heaven, or unto men. 44. And THAT "IMAGE," Heb. i. 3, or "SHAPE," Johnv. 37, and "PERSON" of God, is JESUS, THE ETERNAL SON, called the "second person in the Trinity," who became a true and very man by assimilation with our flesh, therefore, the MAN JESUS "WAS GOD," and WAS and IS the ONLY GOD. Isa. xLiv. 6, John i. 1, 14. As he declared to Isaiah in another place, BELIEVE ME! (saiih he,) "That I AM HE!! Before me there was no 0#=GOD FORMED! (or begotten,) NEITHER SHALL THERE BE AFTER ME. I, even I am THE LORD ! ! and BESIDE ME THERE IS NO Oif^SAVIOUR..^ Yea, before the DAY WAS I AM HE." Isa. xLiii. 10, 11, 13. GLORY TITLE OF THE CHURCH. 69 BE TO JESUS, TRULY THOU ART THE ONLY GOD and Saviour ! ! These texts accord with his declaration whilst upon earth. Before Abram was, I AM. (John viii. 58.) 45. Therefore, w^e the Church of the Eternal Son, WORSHIP JESUS, the ''one Lord'' and one God, AS ALL THE ANGELICAL HOSTS OF HEA- VEN WORSHIP HIM ; so saith Saint Paul, Heb. i. 6, Psal. xcvii. 7, 9. And as the APOSTLES and others WORSHIPPED HIM before and after his re- surrection, and before his ascension, w^hilst he w^as yet upon earth, and which he ACCEPTED AS HIS DUE. Matt. ii. 11, (xiv. 33,) (xxviii. 17,) Luke xxiv. 52, John xx. 28, 29. He, therefore, MUST BE GOD, because he being "the HOLY ONE and the JUST," (who declared that the Lord God ONLY should be worshipped and served: See Luke iv. 8.) He would not have accepted Divine w^orship, if HE WAS NOT God. (See paragraph 12.) 46. For to the NAME OF JESUS " EVERY KNEE SHOULD BOW," (saith the Apostle,) "of things in heaven, of things in earth, and things under the earth,'.' Phil. ii. 10. So also, saith the Pro- phet, Isa. XLV. 23, "unto me every knee shall bow," because JESUS THE (jif^LAMB^ is Lord of Lords and King of Kings, Rev. xvii. 14, and King of Kings and Lord of Lords. Rev. xix. 16. ''And the only Potentate." 1 Tim. vi. 15. 47. And he will be our final Judge at the " Last day." Then! when JESUS "WILL SIT ON THE THRONE OF HIS GLORY," Matt. xxv. 31, " and before him will be gathered all nations," as he him- self declared. Matt. xxv. 31, 32. THEN all will see that HE "IS THE BLESSED AND ONLY POTENTATE," 1 Tim. vi. 15, and THE GOD 70 TITLE OF THE CHURCH. this Church has TRUSTED IN, and to lohom we pray for every blessing, and whom lue worship. 48. The foregoing is our explanation of the title of this Church, "The Church of the Eternal Son." We have clearly demonstrated, from the holy re- cords of the Old and New Testaments — firstly, that the SON is eteriial AS A SON. Secondly, that he w^as begotten INSTANTLY with the Father^s own existence. Thirdly, that he is the VERY IMAGE of the Father'' s person, and being the "PERSON and SHAPE" of the Father, he is '' the Father also.'' Fourthly, that he is coeternal, and coequal, and equally Omnipotent, Omniscient, and Omnipresent with the Father. Fifthly, that he, the SON, was w^orshipped from all eternity, and whilst upon earth as God, and will be worshipped and adored WITH- OUT END. Sixthly, that he will REIGN OVER THE UNIVERSE, over all GODS, and LORDS, and KINGS, WITHOUT END. Seventhly, that he, the SON, himself declares there is BUT "ONE LORD" and God, who shall be worshipped or served. See Luke iv. 8. He RECEIVED DIVINE WORSHIP and APPROVED OF IT. HE is, therefore, the ONE ONLY LORD AND GOD, being Jehovah Jesus, "the First and the Last." Eighthly, He, the Eternal Son, and the MAN Christ Jesus of Nazareth, who suffered hunger, thirst, and pain, w^ho was tempted, and felt all our infirmities, and who finally laid down his life for us, himself, on the cross, on Mount Calvary, and just before he ex- pired, cried "My God, my God, why hast thou for- saken me?" We have proven that the ETERNAL SON, and THIS MAN, who thus suffered and died, ARE ONE and the SAME PERSON, that is, the MAN was GOD in one ENTIRE NATURE, be- cause "GOD" "WAS MADE FLESH," saith the TITLE OF THE CHURCH. 71 Apostle, through the Holy Ghost. Ninthly, we have proven, from the Scriptures, that there cannot be two distinct natures in the person of Jesus, one hu- man nature which suffered^ and one Divine nature w^hich did not and could not suffer, as is now taught in all the ^^ Orthodox''' Theological Schools throughout all Christendom, even in the Roman Catholic Schools. It makes two Sons in the Holy Trinity, because the natures are perfectly distinct and not '^ mixed nor confused,'''' as they teach. Besides it makesybo/wA- ness of the Scriptures, and the Lord's Prayer, John xvii. 5, which we have proven. Tenthly, we have proven, from the Scriptures, that there is hut one eternal and only image and person of God, who can be worshipped or adored; and, therefore, although there is a Holy Trinity of persons, yet there are not three distinct " images" or " shapes" of God. The Eternal Son, even Jesus, who died for us, IS that very Divine person whom all the angels, the holy MEN OF OLD, and the justified or redeemed souls OF MEN, in " the kingdom of heaven,'^'' always did, and do now^ worship. 49. And, therefore, WE MEAN BY THE " TI- TLE," "THE CHURCH OF THE ETERNAL SON, (1#=-THE CHURCH OF GOD, which he hath purchased with his OWN BLOOD, "=#D as Saint Paul declares through the "Holy Ghost," Acts xx. 28, even the "Blood of his Cross" on Mount Cal- vary ; and whom Saint John declares is {jtf-THE TRUE GOD." 1 John v. 20. And we can repeat with the Psalmist and the Apostle Paul, the immor- tal truth recorded Heb. i. 8, Psal. xlv. 6, 7, and in the same language with them, in adoration exclaim, "UNTO THE SON," "THY THRONE, GOD, IS FOREVER AND EVER!" Amen! Halle- lujah! < 72 CHAPTER III. ARTICLES OF FAITH AND DOCTRINES OF THE CHURCH OF THE ETERNAL SON. Article L " THE TRUE GOD." 1 John v. 20. We believe that " JESUS CHRIST OF NAZA- RETH," "the only begotten Son,'' EVEN THE VERY SAME MAN who was CRUCIFIED, and suffered, and bled, and died, between two thieves on Mount Calvary, "IS THE TRUE GOD." This is the express declaration of the Apostle John, in his First Epistle, 5th chapter, 20th verse, he there testifies that the " Son Jesus Christ is the TRUE GOD!" See in connection, Isa. ix. 6, Rev. xvii. 14, 1 Tim. vi. 15, Acts xx. 28, 1 Johniii. 16, Rev. xxii. 6, 13, 16. Article 11, HIS ONENESS, or eternal identity or sameness with the eternal LORD JEHOVAH and One God. We believe that JESUS, "the true God," (1 John V. 20,) became man, and "was made flesh," (John i. 14,) not in two distinct natures ; but we believe the MAN JESUS WAS GOD IN PERFECT UNION AND ASSIMILATION WITH OUR NA- TURE, from the Virgin Mary, see 1 Cor. xv. 47, John xiv. 7, x. 30 ; and that the Divine and hu- man NATURES became " ONE," even ONE FLESH; or, to explain more clearly, we believe the Divine DOCTRINES OF THE CHURCH. 73 and Eternal "IMAGE," *' BODY," " NATURE," or PERSON of the Eternal SON, in which HE pre- existed, and after which ^Hmage^^ or ^^ likeness"* "^ man was made. (See Gen. i. 26, 27.) We believe this "DIVINE NATURE," as Saint Peter calls it, 2 Peter i. 4, became man, or "WAS gif^MADE FLESH. "e^ Therefore, according to the prayer of Jesus himself, recorded John xvii. 5, ((ji^to which we wish the reader particularly to refer); this "Divine nature" (then "made flesh,") was RESTORED, was REGLORiFiED or glorified agai7i "with THE glory" "which" it "HAD" with the Father "BEFORE THE WORLD WAS." And Saint Paul, speaking of ChrisVs reglorified and glorious body, declares that this was done "According to the working by which he is able even to SUBDUE i^khh THINGS UNTO HLMSELF."^ Philip- pians iii. 21. And as this was done according to the "ETERNAL PURPOSE" of the Godhead, it was an UNCHANGEABLE PURPOSE, therefore the Divine Spirit and "Divine" nature changed NOT when it "was made flesh" and became man, the PURPOSE being eternal or unchangeable, so saith the Apostle. Eph. iii. 11. And it was thus that God became man, and "veiled" his "majesty" and GLORY. Heb. x. 20. And we believe there is NO OTHER GOD besides ''Jesus Christ of A'^aza- reth,'''* in time, or in eternity, in heaven, or in earth. See Isa. xLiv. 6, 7, 8, Rev. i. 8, 11, 17, 18, (ii. 8,) (xxii. 6, 13, 16,) 1 Tim. vi. 15. "Neither is there SALVATION in any other," saith the Apostle. Acts iv. 12. See John xiv. 6. (Ji^^Hosea xiii. 4. 7 74 ARTICLES OF FAITH AND Article III. HIS Godhead, or Trinity. We believe the Eternal Father and the Eternal Holy Ghost ARE IN the one ''true God,'' and the SAJviE AS the one ''true God,'' EVEN JESUS, who is the LORD JEHOVAH HIMSELF. See Isa. xii. 2. We believe the Father and the Holy Ghost DWELL IN Jesus, and Jesus in them, according to his holy sayings, see John xiv. 10, 11, as they have dwelt, the one within the other, AS ONE, "from everlastijig," that is, from all eternity, Micah v. 2; and are one in essence and one in identity. John X. 30. JESUS, THE SON, being, according to his 0\VS glorious declaration, "THE (VERY) FA- THER ALSO. See John xiv. 7, i. 10, Isa. ix. 6. We believe the Eternal SON and "the only be- gotten Son" of the Father, even Jesus. ((|f^=For there is no other So7i BEGOTTEN out of God the Father's own essences.) We believe this SON, even JESUS, was begotten from everlasting, from all eternity : therefore. Saint Paul calls him the "EVERLASTING GOD." See Romans xvi. 26, and also see Micah v. 2, and John i. 1, 2. We believe He existed IMMEDIATELY with the Fa~ ther's own eternal existence, or at the ^k^=SAME ETERNAL INSTANT,^} because the Son KNO WETH the Father just as the Father KNO W- ETH him, and doeth the VERY SA.ME THINGS that the Father doeth. See John x. 15, and v. 19. And because JESUS, the Eternal SON, is the VERY (ESSENTIAL) "GLORY" of the Father, see Rev. xxi. 23, John viii. 12, (i. 9,) Heb. i. 3; and with- out whom, there would be NO DIVINE "BRIGHT- NESS" nor GLORY, and, therefore, his existence DOCTRINES OF THE CHURCH. 75 is equally eternal. Moreover, without JESUS, THE SON, there would be NO GOD and "no Saviour," Isa. xuii. 10, 11, and no being to uphold or sustain the universe of things. "AND BY HIM, the Son, "ALL THINGS '"CONSIST," saith the Apostle, (Colos. i. 17,) or are held together; and JESUS being "the TRUE GOD," therefore the "mwwme- rable multitude'''' of "redeemed" souls. Rev. vii. 9, 10, and "a/Z the angels of God,'' ^YORSHIP THE " SON," so saith the Apostle. Heb. i. 6. Article IV. The Omnipotence, Identity, and oxeness of Jesus with the Lord Jehovah. We believe that JESUS IS " THE ALMIGHTY," and "the First and the Last." For these he de- clares are his own names. See Revelation i. 8,17, 18, and ii. 8, 18. Now as there cannot be two Gods, nor two beings who can claim the holy pre- rogative and title of " The First and the Last,'' therefore, the Divine being, who spake to Isaiah, and declared, (ct^-"I am the First and I am the Last, and BESIDES me there is no God," MUST BE JE- SUS. See Isa. XLiv. 6, 8, and xLi. 4, and xLviii. 12. For in the first, second, and last chapters of the Revelation, JESUS ONLY and ALONE claims that TITLE. In the last chapter, see Rev. xxii. 13, 16, he declares, "I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end. THE FIRST AND THE LAST." " I, (!#= JESUS, have sent MINE ANGEL to testify unto you these things in the Churches." Here JESUS absolutelv claims the title of the First and the Last as HIS OWN, "WHO IS, (saith Saint Paul,) the BLESSED AND ONLY POTENTATE." 76 ARTICLES OF FAITH AND 1 Tim. vi. 15. Therefore, those who " deny" JESUS "the First and the Last, (J#=who was dead,"-^ Rev. ii. 8, to he ^^THE TRUE GOD," " deny" the ONLY LORD GOD ALMIGHTY," 1 John ii. 22, Rev. xxii. 6, which IS, and which WAS, and which IS TO COME. Rev. i. 8. The Maker and Creator of all things unexceptionahly, visible and invisible, " For all things, (saith Saint Paul,) were made by him, and for him," or FOR HIMSELF. Col. i. 16. Article V. No MAN CAN SEE THE UNVEILED GLORY OF JeSUS, AND LIVE. We believe no man can see Jesus now, in his unveiled glory, and live, because when Saint John " saw him" he "fell at his feet as dead." (jc^Rev. i. 17, 18, Ez. xxxiii. 20. Therefore, the Apostle calls his FLESH "the veil," Heb. x. 20, by which " veiV" the creatures he had made, could " see, look upon, and handle the Word of life, ^"^ as John declares 1 John i. 1. This text demonstrates that THE WORD WAS MADE FLESH, as the Apostle testi- fies, John i. 14. In his transfiguration he suffered his glory to shine through the flesh or "veil," when " HIS FACE DID SHINE AS THE SUN, and his raiment was white as the light.'''' Matt. xvii. 2. Therefore, when he shall appear at the last day, he will sit on the throne of his glory, (Matt. xxv. 31,) "And we shall see him as HE IS," 1 John iii. 2, in his "most glorious body." He is called the BRIGHTNESS of the Father's glory, Heb. i. 3, and the very glory and light of the Holy City, New Jeru- salem, Rev. xxi. 23, which no mortal eye can look upon. DOCTRINES OF THE CHURCH. 77 Article VI. His Incarnation. We believe Jesus, the "true God" and eternal Son, " came down from heaven^^^ or, as he in another place declares, '■'■forth from the Father ^^"^ John xvi. t>8, and became a true and very man, like unto us, having body and soul IN ONE ENTIRE WHOLE and PERFECT NATURE, yet without sin, and holy, which body of flesh he derived from the blessed Virgin Mary. He was, however, as the Apostle declares, " WITHOUT FATHER, WITH- OUT MOTHER, (according to the flesh,) see Heb. vii. 3, WITHOUT (^DESCENT, having neither BEGINNING OF DAYS, nor END OF LIFE." Being the self- subsisting (John v. 21, 26,) and only "Lord God" "Almighty," Rev. i. 8, that he always was from all eteriiity, as he declares, " Before Abram was, I AM." John viii. 38, John i. 30. Article VII. "The true God" became Passible or suffered. We believe that " God," John i. 1, having thus ASSIMILATED HIMSELF with our nature, be- came PASSIBLE, or capable of suffering, and was " touched with a feeling of our infirmities and weak- nesses, and " was IN ALL POINTS TExMPTED like as we are, yet without sin,^^ (so saith the Apostle. Heb. iv. 15.) And having become MAN for this vei^y purpose of suffering and mediating, he, therefore, " in his humiliation'*'' as MAN, says, " let this cup pass from me," Matt. xxvi. 39. My Father is greater than I. (John xiv. 2.) A 78 ARTICLES OF FAITH AND man that hath told you the truth which I have heard from God. John viii. 40. He uttered these' and similar sayings as MAN, which HE BE- CAME. John i. 14. He cried out, "My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me," whilst nailed to the cross. This was the last of his temptations, for he was i^m ALL POINTS.:^)!) tempted as WE ARE, (saith the Apostle,) yet without sin. Heb. iv. 15. And as DESPAIR of God''s mercy is one of the CERTAIN and peculiar temptations of every soul before it can he "BORN AGAIN," so he MUST FEEL IT AS WE FEEL IT. Those who "have passed from death unto /j/e," all know how dark and despairing was the hour be- fore their souls were set at liberty by the new birth. He then declared. Father, into thy hands I commend my spirit. This was an act of humiliation, for he humbled himself "even to the death of the cross." Phil. ii. 8. " For in all things it behoved him to be made like unto his brethren, (saith the Apostle,) for in that he himself hdXh suffered', being tempted, he is able to succour them that are tempted." Heb. ii. 16, 17, 18. He being unchangeably "GOD," the ETERNAL SON, and "the true God," (1 John V. 20,) spake often in the most positive lan- guage of his Eternity, Omnipresence, Omnipotence, and Omniscience, of acting by and ybr himself, and according to HIS OWN WILL, and of his supreme right to all things as the one God. For example, he saith "before Abram was, I AM." John viii. 58. " Where two or three are gathered together IN MY NAME," (the name of JESUS,) "THERE AM I in the midst.'' Matt, xviii. 20. If the SON OF PEACE be THERE, your peace shall rest upon that house. Luke x. 6. ALL POWER is given unto ME IN HEAVEN, and IN EARTH. Matt. DOCTRINES OF THE CHURCH. 79 xxviii. 18. As the Father KNOWETH me, EVEN SO KNOW I the Father. John x. 15. "Now we are SURE thou KNOWEST ALL THINGS," saith his disciples. Bo ye NOW BELIEVE ? saith Jesus. John xvi. 30, 31. The SON quickeneth whom HE WILL. John Y. 21. ALL things that the Father HATH, ARE MINE. John xvi. 15. All that are (Itf-" TAUGHT OF GOD,^^ or hath learned of the Father, Orf^COMETH UNTO ME."^ John vi. 45. In this text Jesus proclaims his ONENESS to his children, and from this alone it is manifest that JESUS IS GOD. He openly reveals the Father to his disciples in the 14th chapter of John, 7th verse, in these w^ords, "If ye had KNOWN ME, ye would have KNOWN ray FATHER ALSO. And from HENCEFORTH YE KNOW HIM and have {Ir^SEEN HIM."-^ But none can believe these texts, that Jesus is the very ^^Everlasting Father,'^'' Isa. ix. 6, but "hy the Holy Ghost:' 1 Cor. xii. 3. There are many other sayings of Jesus w'hich demonstrate that although he humbled himself to become man, yet BEHIND "THE VEIL, his flesh," he was "Jesus Christ, the same yesterday, and to-day, and forever." Heb. xiii. 8. The same Almighty. Rev. i. 8, Isa. ix. 6. The same Maker. John i. 3. And " the same blessed and ONLY POTENTATE. The King of Kings and Lord of Lords." 1 Tim. vi. 15. See Rev. xvii. 14. We have, from these holy records, proven, that JESUS, THE SON, IS GOD, and that "GOD" SUFFERED or became PASSIBLE, as Saint John records. "Hereby per- ceive we the love of GOD, because HE LAID DOWN HIS LIFE FOR US." 1 John iii. 16. 80 ARTICLES OF FAITH AND Article VIII. THE MAN CHRIST JESUS is the *'LORD GOD OF THE HOLY PROPHETS." Rev. xxii. 6. We believe with Saint Paul, the Apostle, that "the SECOND MAN IS THE LORD FROM HEA- VEN," 1 Cor. XV. 47; "And the last Adam was made a QUICKENING SpiriV 1 Cor. xv. 45, 47. In the following record, (Matt. xix. 17,) our glo- rious Redeemer declared there was 7io7ie good BUT ONE, as follows: "Why callest thou ME GOOD? There is 7io7ie good but ONE, that IS GOD." This is the strongest declaration in the Scriptures that JESUS IS GOD. Because no man except an infi- del or atheist can say, or dare say, that Jesus is not good, and perfectly holy : he is, therefore, called the "HOLY ONE." Actsii.27. Now as Jesus IS "THE HOLY ONE," as Saint Peter says. Acts iii. 14, and consequently PERFECTLY GOOD, therefore HE MUST BE "^ GOD, because he declares "there is NONE GOOD hut GOD." He, therefore, rebuked this man, for he had 7io 7ight to call him good, unless he believed him to be what he actually was, " THE TRUE GOD." 1 John v. xx. We believe the re- cord of John concerning the (eternal) acts of Je- sus, LITERALLY, Johu xxi. 25, hc says, "And there are also many other things which Jesus did, the which, if they should be written every one, I suppose that even the WORLD ITSELF could not CON- TAIN THE BOOKS that should be written.'' So we believe: because, all things w^ere "MADE by him, and WITHOUT HIM, was not anything 7nade that loas made.''' John i. 3. Therefore, the ETER- NAL ACTS of Jesus would fill more than a world of books. We declare , it as our belief that no DOCTRINES OF THE CHURCH. 81 man is BORN OF GOD or REGENERATED, who CANNOT, with his WHOLE HEART, MIGHT, MIND, AND SOUL, WORSHIP JESUS ALONE, as his LORD AND GOD, " and ONLY SAVIOUR," even him that loved us, and ^^ washed us from our sins in his own blood.''^ Rev. i. 5. We maintain that ALL PERSONS shoiild WORSHIP JESUS in the same manner that DYING and REJOICING CHRIS- TIANS IN THEIR EXPIRING MOMENTS ALWAYS WOR- SHIP HIM. They worship Jesus only. And we have determined, through his help, thus to worship him in our public and private assemblies. Article IX. The "Image," "Person," or "Likeness" of God. W^e believe "God, the Father," has no distinct "image" or " likeness" from "God" the Son, even Jesus, the "true God." (See 1 John v. 20.) But we believe there is BUT ONE IMAGE or LIKENESS of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost ; and that is the ETERNAL IM- AGE OF THE ETERNAL SON, which is the ON- LY image ihat angels or men ever did or ever can, LAWFULLY, "BOW DOWN TO" OR WOR- SHIP. And after whose image and likeness man was originally made. See Genesis i. 26. Because the Almighty declared to Moses, "I, the Lord, thy God, am a jealous God,^^ Exodus xx. 5; and expressly commands the Jews to worship no God but himself , under the severest penalties, because he was "a jealous God.'''' It is recorded of JESUS, the SON of the Father, that the APOSTLES WOR- SHIPPED HIM, Luke xxiv. 52, in these words, "AND THEY WORSHIPPED HIM, and returned 82 ARTICLES OF FAITH AND to Jerusalem with great joy.'^'' Also see Matthew ii. 11, viii. 2, ix. 18, xv. 25, xiv. 23, xxviii. 9, 17, John ix. 38. In all these passages, our Lord re- ceived Divine worship as his due. He, therefore, must be "the Almighty." Rev. i. 8. And as (1(^= Je- sus HIMSELF declared, " it is written thou shalt WORSHIP the Lord thy God, and HIM ONLY shalt THOU SERVE." Therefore, as JESUS accepted and approved of divine worship to himself as HIS DUE, he must be the ''Lord God,'' and ONLY GOD. Therefore, saith the Apostle, Heb. i. 6, of the only begotten Son, "Let all the angels of God WOR- SHIP HIM." Amen. Hallelujah! Article X. The Mediation, Atonement, and Intercession. We believe that Jesus, "the true God," and Eternal Son of the Father, "BY YLIM^FUF purged our sins,'' as the Apostle records, Heb. i. 3. Therefore, JESUS declares through the Prophet Isaiah, "I have trodden the wine-press ALONE, and there was none to help, therefore MINE OWN ARM brought salvation unto me, and my fury it up- held me." Isa. Lxiii. 1-5. We, therefore, believe that JESUS, being "THE TRUE GOD," had 9iowe to help or sustai;i him when he died on the cross, but purchased our salvation by his " OWN ARM," or, as Saint Paul declares, " God purchased" us "with his OWN BLOOD." Acts xx. 28. And we believe that when God became man and ''was made flesh," he "BY HIMSELF" MEDIATED between man and the penalty of temporal and eter- nal DEATH, consequent on the law broken by Adam in the garden of Eden. He mediated by himself ^ DOCTRINES OF THE CHURCH. 83 exactly as when he ** hy himself '^'^ purchased our salvation on the cross. This law, commandment, and penalty, was as follows, "And the Lord God took the man, and put him into the garden of Eden, to dress and to keep it. And the Lord God coin- manded the man, saying, of evei'y tree of the garden thou mayest freely eat, but of the tree of the know- ledge OF GOOD AND EVIL, thou shalt not eat of it. For in the day that thou eatest thereof, THOU SHALT SURELY DIE." Gen. ii. 16, 17. This is the LAW and its PENALTY OF CERTAIN DEATH, to be awarded the very day that Adam should transgress. Adam did eat the forbidden fruit, but lived several hundred years afterward, by which we are instructed, that it was a SPIRITUAL DEATH that Adam died, "in the day" he did EAT. The Lord God, for this transgression, drove him out of Paradise and the Garden of Eden, and subjected him to the GENERAL CURSE mentioned Gen. iii. 14 to 19, and placed a barrier between him (Adam) and his j)osterity, so that he could no more partake of the spiritual enjoyments of God, the TREE OF LIFE. Scc Gcu. iii. 22, 23, 24th verses. Therefore, saith the Apostle, as IN ADAM ALL DIE, so in Christ shall all be made alive. 1 Cor. XV. 22. That is, all that are regenerated or horn again, are IN Christ, and are new creatures. 2 Cor. V. 17. It was this spiritual death to the soul of man, that Jesus, the Eternal Son, " came down from heaven" to redeem us from. He made and created Adam, John i. 3, Eph. iii. 9, and gave him the law^, and has finally come down from heaven, and become man, and suffered and died on Mount Calvary, to redeem us from the penalty, curse, and spiritual death of Adam and his posterity. As Jesus declared, "I AM THE RESURRECTION AND 84 ARTICLES OF FAITH AND DOCTRINE. THE LIFE." John xi. 25. Again, "I IN THEM and thou in ??ie." John xvii. 23. Again, '^ we will come unto him and make our ABODE with him." John xiv. 23. Therefore, we maintain that *'GOD" " WAS MADE FLESH," as the Apostle testifies, and became man, "and dwelt among us." John i. 1-14. And thus " IMMANUEL," or "GOD WITH US," see Matt. i. 23, MEDIATED IN ''HIS FLESH, THE VEIL," Heb. x. 20, by his IMME- DIATE PRESENCE, between man and his justice, in awarding unto man the penalty of death and eter- nal wrath, because he wilfully broke the divine commandment in the Garden of Eden. And after JESUS, "THE TRUE GOD," had thus fulfilled '^ all that had been written concerning hi?n,^^ by the prophets, he finally "offered up himself" on the cross on Calvary. Heb. vii. 27. And as Saint Paul in the Holy Ghost testifies, "GOD PUR- CHASED us WITH HIS OWN BLOOD." Acts xx. 28. Being a propitiatory sacrifice, and atonement for the sins of all those who should BELIEVE on his name. John i. 12, Mark xvi. 16. Therefore he is called, "THE Lord, OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS." And he "ever maketh intercession for us." Heb. vii. 25, Rom. 8. 26. And is our " advocate with the Father." 1 John ii. 1. He " is able to succour us," and to plead our cause, having himself suflfered, and "felt our infirmities and temptations." And we believe as a church, without the shadow of a doubt, that this INTERCESSION and ADVOCACY, is not performed, or done externally, or outside of the souls of men, in a heaven afar off, and before a throne AFAR OFF, as is taught by many Theologians, and believed by numerous professors. But we be- lieve the intercession is carried on WITHIN THE SOULS of men. And, that the right hand of God ARTICLES OF FAITH AND DOCTRINE. 85 is therein manifest, when a soul is enlightened, or convicted by the POWER of God : Which power IS God^s right hand. Therefore, David in the Psalms, in numerous instances, speaks of God's ^^ right hand as God's" power, and strength, and " righteousness." "Thou. hast given me, (saith he,) the shield of thy salvation, and thy RIGHT HAND HATH HOLDEN ME UP." Psal. xviii. 35." He saith, " The right hand of the Lord is exalted,'''' Psal. cxviii. 16 ; which is his power. Accordingly the Lord saith, through the prophet: "MY RIGHT HAND hath SPANNED THE HEAVENS!" Isa. xLviii. 13. That is, 7ny power hath spanned the heavens. As the Lord Jesus declares, "Hereafter shall the Son of Man sit on the right hand of THE POWDER OF GOD." Luke xxii. 69; see Matt, xxvi. 64, Mark xiv. 62. Therefore, the words of Saint Paul, "Christ sitteth at the right hand of God," are a figure of His omnipotence, and of his power. Jesus Christ does not sav " the Son of Man will sit on the right hand of the (PERSON) of God," but "on the right hand of the POWER of God." Therefore, Christ is emphatically called " THE POWER of God'' ITSELF! 1 Cor. i. 24; Matt, xxviii. 18. It is manifest from the following Scrip- tures, that it is sinful to give Jesus, "the LORD GOD of the Holy Prophets'' (see Rev. xxii. 6), lo- cality, because he condescended to be " made flesh." Or to assign him any place as an intercessor, "For thus saith THE LORD, the Heaven is my throne, and the earth is my footstool." Isa. Lxvi. 1. "Be- hold ! the heaven, and the heaven of heavens, CAN- NOT CONTAIN THEE" (saith David). 1 Kings viii. 27. "Can any hide himself in secret places, that I shall not see him, saith the Lord?" "Do not I FILL heaven, and earth, saith the Lord?" Jer. 8 86 ARTICLES OF FAITH AND xxiii. 24. Those declarations we believe, as a church. And that Jesus, and the "Father, ARE ONE" Image. John x. 30: And are inseparably omnipresent. And are personally present, with every penitent mourner, for peace and salvation ; and personally strive with the, souls of men. And we believe that Jesus is the very comforter himself, "for tfie Lord is that spirit," see 2 Cor. iii. 17. And " maketh intercession" in our souls, (saith Paul, Rom. viii. 26 ;) and places himself between the soul and the wrath of God, and the powers of Satan, and clothes us with his Love, Light, and Righteousness, and so he becomes "our HELP and our SHIELD," saith David, Psal. xxxiii. 20. And thus ^'- intercedes,"*^ or, more plainly to speak, STANDS BETWEEN the divine penalty of eternal " death,'*'' and our souls. And thus " covers our iniquities" with his righteous- ness. This intercession continues until the soul is delivered, by the NEW BIRTH, and becomes a child of God, and is RELEASED from the penalty, wrath, and curse, entailed upon all men, by Adam's transgression. This new birth of the soul of the penitent mourner, is AN IMMEDIATE ACT, by the power of Jesus. He is SET FREE from the bondage of Satan, and becomes "BORN AGAIN;" and is translated "into the glorious liberty of the children of God." Rom. viii. 21. And this IS a glorious liberty. For, saith Jesus, "IF THE SON therefore make you free, ye SHALL BE FREE IN DEED!" John viii. 36. In Isaiah, 53d chapter and 12th verse, we read, "And Ae was numbered among the transgressors, and he bore the sin of many, and MADE INTERCESSION for the trans- gressors y So that the intercession of Jesus, is re- presented by the prophet as extending retrospect- ively, or backward, as well as forwcird. As Saint DOCTRINES OF THE CHURCH. 87 Paul testifies, " Now is Christ risen from the dead, and become the first fruits of them that slept." 1 Cor. XV. 20. As it is written, "And the graves were opened, and many bodies of the saints WHICH SLEPT, arose and came out of the graves after his resurrection." See Matt, xxvii. 52, 53. So that the INTERCESSION of the Son of God is by the IMMEDIATE presence of himself, on, and in the souls of men, by which he becomes our resur- rection and our life. And " adopts" us as sons, Rom. viii. 15, and makes us heirs of salvation and of glory, Rom. viii. 16, 17, sealing us with the holy spirit of promise, Eph. i. 13. And makes his ABODE with us, being " hy himself, '^^ the very Father, Isa. ix. 6, the Son, 1 John ii. 23, and the Holy Ghost, 2 Cor. iii. 17, personally manifest IN US, even the " true God, and eternal life," 1 John v. 20. There- fore the true children of God, have Jesus the AD- VOCATE and INTERCESSOR, and the FATHER, personally dwelling within them; as our glorious Advocate declared: "If a man love me, he will keep my words, and my Father will love him, AND WE WILL COME UNTO HIM, AND MAKE OUR ABODE WITH HIM." John xiv. 23. And thus Jesus sets up his kingdom within us, as he declares, "For behold! the Kingdom of God is WITHIN you." Luke xvii. 21. Glory be to Jesus! Article XL ON THE PRE-EXISTENCE OF THE SOUL OF CHRIST. We believe the following declaration, of the Lord Jehovah, (HE, who called himself " the First, and 88 ARTICLES OF FAITH AND the Last,^'' and declared ^'besides me there is no God,") is a positive demonstration, that his soul, the soul of Jesus Christ, pre-existed, or existed before he " was made flesh and dwelt among us." His words are, " Behold my servant whom / uphold, mine elect, in whom MY SOUL delighteth," Isa. XLii. 1. In this clause, Jehovah positively declares, that {Jt^=HIS SOUL would delight in His "Servant,'' in THAT MAN who was "-for a covenant of the'' " People, for a light to enlighten the Gentiles." See the same Chapter, verse 6. Which servant. Saint Paul thus describes. " Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus, who being in the FORM OF GOD, thought it not robbery to be EQUAL WITH GOD, but made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the FORM OF A SERVANT, and was made in the likeness of MEN." Phil. ii. 5, 6, 7. The Apostle in these texts describes Jesus as having taken "the FORM OF A SERVANT." This agrees with the Prophet, "Behold my servant," and is in accordance with the doctrines of this Church, that " Jehovah ;" see Isa. xii. 2. " The First and the Last," Isa. xLiv. 6. Even the Lord Jesus Christ ; see Rev. i. 17, 18, xxii. 13, 16, became man, and was "made flesh." John i. 14. And thus in the "FORM of a servant," in the likeness of men, "Immanuel," "God with us." Matt. i. 23. Me- diated between man and the righteousness, and justice, of the penalty of Eternal death, entailed upon all the human race. Rom. v. 12. And re- united us unto himself, by the Blood of his cross. For, saith the Apostle, we are all by JSTature chil- dren of wrath, even as others. Eph. ii. 3. And as we have clearly demonstrated, in Article 4th (in these series), that there is no other being besides Jesus of Nazareth, who can claim the title, or pre- DOCTRINES OF THE CHURCH. 89 rogative, of being " the First, and the Last." So it is equally clear , that the SOUL of the Lord Jesus PRE-EXISTED, or existed WITH HIM before he ''came down from heaven." BECAUSE the same being, who says to Isaiah, ^'Behold my Servant,'^'* " in whom MY SOUL delighteth.'" ALSO declares himself to BE "the First and the Last," to the same prophet. And as "the First, and the Last," IS JESUS: For he declares to Saint John in the Reve- lations, "I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end, the FIRST AND THE LAST"— Therefore, it must have been Jesus, who said to the prophet, ^^ Behold my Servant, in whom my SOUL delight- eth.'^^ See Revelations, xxii. 13, 16 ; Rev. i. 17, 18, and 2d, 8th. And the following texts in the book of Isaiah. "Who hath wrought it," calling the gene- rations from the " beginning, I the Lord, the First and with the Last, I AM HE." Is a. xlI. 4. (Again,) " Thus saith the Lord, the King of Israel, and HIS REDEEMER, the Lord of hosts, i^l am the First, and I am the Last, and BESIDES ME, THERE IS NO GOD." Isa. xlIv. 6. Again, " Hearken unto me, Jacob, and Israel my called, {jr^I AM HE ! I am the First, I also am the Last, Mine hand ALSO hath laid the foundation of the earth." Isa. XLviii. 12, 13. And when the DIVINE NATURE, EVEN THE ETERNAL "IMAGE," AND BODY OF GOD "WAS MADE FLESH," and became man, "God," the Eternal Son, took upon himself the " Form of a Servant, ^'' as he ap- peared at Jerusalem, and was called Jesus, w^hich is the "NEW NAME" of God, and amongst other acts of humiliation, even washed his disciples' feet. John xiii. 4, 5. And yet, he was ^^ Immanuel,''^ " God with us.^"^ Matt. i. 23. And it is in this pre- 8* 90 ARTICLES OF FAITH AND existence of the Divine nature, and '^ SouV of Christ Jesus, that we see the meaning of the Apostle Peter. 2 Peter i. 4. "Whereby (saith he), are given unto us exceeding great, and precious promises, that hy these, ye might be PARTAKERS OF THE DIVINE NATIJRE." And according to Saint Paul, eveii that " our vile bodies shall be fashioned like unto HIS GLORIOUS BODY!" Phil. iii. 21. Article XII. THE REIGN OF JESUS THE SON IS ETER- NAL. "And will have no end." We believe the Kingdom, Dominion, Government and REIGN OF JESUS the Eternal Son, is over all things, "AND WILL HAVE NO END." See Saint Luke i. 33. Rev. xi. 15. Dan. vii. 14. And as "ALL THINGS were created by him and for him.'" John i. 3. Col. i. 16. And he "IS THE Blessed and only Potentate." 1 Tim. vi. 15. So there is no one to whom he could give up his Kingdom, or Dominion, or be SUBJECT TO. He being, according to the same Apostle, "THE HEIR OF ALL THINGS." Heb. i. 2. And as the Apostle Paul positively declares, that Jesus is the " only potentate," 1 Tim. vi. 15. "And the same yesterday, ?ind to-day, and /ore?;er." Heb. xiii. 8. " And heir of all things.'^'' And as he could not give the lie to his own doctrines, for he says that Jesus IS God, (see Rom. ix. 5,) we leave the clause, 1 Cor. xv. 24 to 28, (where he says, that the Son will deliver ''up the kingdom to God, even the Father.") We leave, (we say,) this clause stand, as incomprehensible to us, in connection w^ith other Scriptures. Moreover, a literal interpretation DOCTRINES OF THE CHURCH. 91 would directly oppose, and utterly confuse, numerous Scriptures in the Prophets, the Gospels, and in Saint Paul's own Epistles^ and make him AT VARIANCE WITH HIMSELF in the passages we have just quoted, and in many others. Saint Paul, quoting Psalm XLV. 6, 7, thus testifies of Jesus. "But unto the Son he saith, THY THRONE, GOD, IS FOR- EVER AND EVER." Heb. i. 8. Therefore, the Apostle could not literally mean, that the Son would deliver up his eternal sovereignty. Because he is *'the (very) Father also." John xiv. 7. And he is called Wonderful, Counsellor, the MIGHTY GOD. {$rf=THE EVERLASTING FATHER,^ the Prince of Peace, by the Prophet Isaiah. See Isa. ix. 6. And besides him, the FIRST AND THE LAST, saith Isaiah, there IS NO GOD. See Isa. xmv. 6. And for this reason he cannot, according to his own eternal oneness, and decrees, give up his king- dom, or dominion, or be SUBJECT to any one. This is the belief of this Church, and we suffer none to come, or remain amongst us, as members, who deny this truth. Glory be to Jesus! Article XIII. ON THE RESURRECTION, and Creaturely Devils. We believe in the general Resurrection at the " last dayy And a final and eternal separation of X\ie just from the unjust. When the just, or right- eous, will go *'into life eternal,'^'' "and inherit the KINGDOM prepared for them from the FOUNDA- TION OF THE W^ORLD." But the wicked, or ^'^ cursed, '^'^ shall be consigned to the regions of woe and torment, even to " everlasting fire, prepared for 92 ARTICLES OF FAITH AND the Devil and his (fallen) angels ;^^ Matt. xxv. 32, 33, 34, 41 : Where their worm dieth not, and' the FIRE IS not quenched. (Mark ix. 43 to 48.) We believe the punishment is therefore eternal^ be- cause the "WORM DIETH NOT" in the soul, " and the FIRE IS NOT QUENCHED" that kindles the torment. And we believe the ''Devil and his angels^^ are creatures, having creaturely forms , and shape. See Job i. 6 to 12, ii. 1 to 7. Psa. cix. 6. Zach. iii. 1, 2. In the Revelations he is thus described : "And the great dragon was cast out, that old SERPENT," "called THE DEVIL, and Satan which deceiveth the whole world ;^'' he was cast out into the earth, and ''his angels were cast out with him.'^^ Rev. xii. 9. From which we believe, the Devil, or Satan, who, under the figurative language of a " serpent, '^'^ beguiled Eve, was once an angel of light: but now fallen. See Isa. xiv. 12.. Luke X. 18. Jude vi. And it is him whom our Saviour calls "the prince of this world.'''' John xiv. 30. Verily, we are in a sad region. And according to the Scriptures, the unregenerated, and unawakened people of this world, ARE ALL under his dominion, as he rules in their hearts. As saith the Apostle John, " We know we are of God and the WHOLE WORLD lieth in wickedness. ^"^ 1 John v. 19. And saith Saint Peter, 1 Pet. v. 8, "your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion^^ w^alketh about. Therefore, Jesus commands us to " Watch and pray lest ye enter into temptatio7i.^^ Matt. xxvi. 41. And to the DEVIL or SATAN, this church as- cribes ALL THE EVIL IN THIS WORLD: Whether it be mental or actual sins, or corporal suf- ferings. See Job ii. 1 to 7. Mark i. 23 to 27. Luke ix. 39 to 42. (1#-Luke xlii. 11 to \Q. (i#-Mark DOCTRINES OF THE CHURCH. 93 ix. 17 to 26. (Ir^Matt. ix. 32, xii. 22, and other scriptures. The devil, we believe, is the immediate cause of all diseases of body and mind: through his corrupt influences, and through his messengers, (2 Cor. xii. 7, Acts v. 16,) the "fallen" crea- turely devils, ((^Mark i. 34, Luke viii. 27 to 38, who operate through the fallen nature of man, or immediately on his heart. Acts v. 3. For this reason the same ^^ prayer of faitW which heals the soul, cures the sick. We therefore, earnestly recom- mend the afflicted in body, to obey the injunctions of Saint James, and send for a brother or sister who has faith, to pray for them. "And the prayer of faith shall save the sick, (saith Saint James,) and the Lord shall raise him up, and if he have committed sins, they also shdll ht forgiven him. ^^ See James V. 14, 15. Article XIV. ON GOD'S FOREKNOWLEDGE OR DE- CREES. W^e believe Jesus "the true Gob,^^ foreknows, and \\^s foreordained all things. As the Apostles said to Jesus, " JS^ow we are SURE that thou KNOWEST ALL THINGS," John xvi. 30. So as Jesus knoweth " all things, ^"^ we have no right to question the wis- dom of his decrees. For he declares, " My counsel shall STAND, and I WILL DO ALL MY PLEA- SURE," Isa. xLvi. 9, 10; this is conclusive. (See Chapter on Predestination. Part 4th.) Article XV. " WITH GOD ALL THINGS ARE POSSIBLE." This is the declaration of Jesus himself. It was therefore POSSIBLE for "GOD" (John i. 1) to be 94 ARTICLES OF FAITH AND <«MADE FLESH," John i. 14. And become a TRUE AND VERY MAN, by ASSLMILATION, and by a 'perfect identity with our nature^ in the Holy Person of Jesus. And it was also '' POSSI- BLE to subdue the whole Man unto himself'^'' as Saint Paul declares, Phil. iii. 21. And into the divine nature, INTO the GLORY which he HAD with the Father BEFORE THE WORLD WAS, John xvii. 5. We therefore allow none of our members to say, God cannot do this, or cannot do that, as some express themselves. Article XVI. ON JUSTIFICATION, and the NEW BIRTH. We believe we are justified BY FAITH without works. Rom. iii. 27, 28, see John vi. 28, 29. Nevertheless, justification, or pardon from sin, is not regeneration, or the new birth. Those who are jus- tified, may ^^ sin unto death^^ and be eternally lost, see Heb. vi. 4, 6. But, a person who is "convert- ed," or "translated," or regenerated, or *' Born again," or " Born of God," " cannot sin unto death." Saint John declares, " Whosoever is BORN OF GOD, doth not commit sin ; for his seed remain- eth in him, and he CANNOT SIN, because he IS born of God^ And, therefore, to be Born of God IS all-sufficient to preserve the SOUL from sin. See 1 John iii. 9. " And if any man" who " is Born of God — sin a sin which is not unto death — we have an Advocate with the Father." And HE declares we " SHALL NEVER PERISH." John x. 28. Glory be to Jesus! WE believe, that good works always follow regeneration,. «.? its fruit: Yet as OUTWARD good works may be morally performed WITHOUT regeneration, they are no LIVING DOCTRINES OF THE CHURCH. 95 evidence of the new birth. This living evidence can only be known by the ''TESTIMONY of "the spirit of truth,^^ John xv. 26, which is always FELT by the children of Jesus, ON, and IN them- selves. The regenerated soul can always rejoice in the power of this testimony of the Holy Ghost, and declare the NAME JESUS, with SHOUTS OF PRAISE! We believe a person may become regene- rated in his YOUTH, and live until OLD AGE, in '' the Blessing.^'^ And such can testify with Saint Paul, " That neither deaths nor Ufe^ nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present^ nor things to come; nor, height, nor depth, NOR ANY OTHER CREATURE, shall be able to SEPA- RATE US from the love of God, which IS IN CHRIST JESUS, our Lord." See Rom. viii. 38, 39. And we say to «//, with Saint Peter, " make your calling and election SURE — and ye shall NEVER FALL." 2 Pet. i. 10. We believe the man who douhts these truths, is A SERVANT ONLY, and NOT A SON. See Gal. iv. 7. We believe the loork to regeneration may be progres- sive^ but the ACT of regeneration, is an INSTAN- TANEOUS ACT of God's mercy, see Acts xi. 15 : For there can be no medium between '' death"^"^ and ^'-lifey And therefore the soul "passes from death unto life," and " is translated into" " the kingdom of God'' AT ONCE : see Col. i. 13, which kingdom Jesus declares " is WITHIN" US. See Luke xvii. 21. We admit none to membership who deny these doctrines. Article XVII. ON WATER BAPTISM. We hold that water baptism may be administered in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of 96 ARTICLES OF FAITH AND the Holy Ghost, which NAME is JESUS, but by sprinkling only, as this sprinkling agrees with the Scriptures, and the spiritual experience of the chil- dren of God: see Numbers viii. 7, Isa. Lii. 15, Eze. xxxvi. 25, 1 Pet. i. 2. Yet we reject the doctrines of the Church of Rome and other churches, who make this outward water baptism essential, or in any way binding. Because, according to the testimony of John the Baptist himself, outward water baptism '^must decrease," which was (to re- pentance only). Matt. iii. 11. And be superseded by THE ONE ONLY SAVING BAPTISM '' OF THE HOLY GHOST AND WITH FIRE," see John's testimony, John i. 33. We do not hold to the administration of water baptism as an ordinance. Because all ordinances were blotted out and "nailed to the cross," Col. ii. 14. But if any of our mem- bers cannot feel released, we permit it, or use it by permission only. The Apostles always baptized " in the name of the Lord Jesus" only, see Acts ii. 38, viii. 16, x. 48, xix. 5. We therefore say, when we baptize, "I baptize thee in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost," which NAME IS JESUS." Amen. For JJESUSis thename of eac/^and every person in the Trinity. He, is the name of the Father, Isa. ix. 6, John xiv. 7, 8, 9. And of the Son, Matt. i. 21—23. And of the Holy Ghost, 2 Cor. iii. 17, 1 Cor. xv. 45. Therefore, when the Apostles baptized "in the name of JESUS," they baptized in the name of the whole Trinity. We preserve, however, the usual form in part, because it keeps alive the doctrine of the Holy Trinity of persons IN JESUS, who is himself ^ the SECOND PERSON thereof, even the Eternal and "ONLY begotten SON." DOCTRINES OF THE CHURCH. 97 Article XVIII. The Protestant, and Roman Catholic Sacra- ments, OF bread and wine, not applicable to the Regenerated Children of God. We believe every " servant" of Jesus Christ who is a servant only^ and not a son, by the new birth, see Gal. iv. 6, 7, may take the outward elements of bread and wine. But we maintain, that, as every member of this church professes to be a regene- rated, and an adopted son of God, Rom. viii. 14, 15, he has consequently, the Lord Jesus ALREADY INDWELLING IN HIS SOUL, John xiv. 23, and xiv. 17. And therefore cannot conscientiously partake of the type, when he has the substance within him. We have determined, as a church, to "Stand fast" (as the Apostle exhorts us) "in the LIBERTY wherewith Christ has made US FREE, and be not again entangled in the yoke of bond- age," Gal. V. 1. All who partake of, the outward sacrament of bread and wine, "do^how the Lord's death till he come^"^ 1 Cor. xi. 26, unto them, in power also. When Jesus gave the mission to his disciples, recorded in the tenth chapter of Matthew's Gospel, he immediately declares, that "the kingdom of heaven is AT HAND," and continues in these words, " Verily I say unto you, ye shall not have gone over the cities of Israel TILL THE SON OF MAN BE COME," Matt. x. 1, 7, 23,— which was verified on the day of Pentecost in the gift of the Holy Ghost. Therefore, AS HE HAS COME, • in power and great glory, to all those who are "BORN AGAIN," so they cannot partake of the types, for by so doing, they would actually declare 9 98 ARTICLES OF FAITH AND that the Lord has not come unto them : Whereas such have Christ Jesus, "the living bread" *' of heaven," (see John vi. 33 to 52), abiding " forever" with- in them, John xiv. 23; see "Invitation and Ad- dress," chap. IX, 4th to 10th paragraphs. Article XIX, ON THE SPIRITUAL COMMUNION OF JESUS IN THE SOUL. "We believe in a spiritual breaking of^'- The living bread which came down from heaven,'^'* John vi. 51. Which is a holy communion of Jesus in the soul. And that we can HEAR HIS VOLCE immediately, really, and substantially in the soul. John x. 16, 27. And can receive COUNSEL OF HIM, Isa. ix. 6, Psa. Lxxiii. 24, 25, 26, John xiv. 26, xv. 26, 27, so as to regulate, BY THAT COUNSEL, all the affairs of life, which is living " by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of the Lord. '^^ Deu. viii. 3. This was professed by the original Quakers, and others. And this COUNS^IL is the GIFT OF WISDOM. The prophet David declares, "Thou Shalt GUIDE ME BY THY COUNSEL," "and afterward receive me to glory, '^'^ Psa. Lxxiii. 24, This is an " operation'*'^ of the Holy Ghost, and amongst the gifts, described in 1 Cor. chap. xii. 1 to 13 verses. And w^e believe they are now attain- able, by obedience to the VOICE OF JESUS, the WONDERFUL, the COUNSELLOR, Isa. ix. 6. Although we " desire gifts^'' yet, we hold THAT THE CONVERSION OF THE SOULS OF MEN is ABOVE ALL PRICE, and is that which we zealously aim at. Therefore we let "the Word of the Lord have FREE COURSE" IN THIS • DOCTRINES OF THE CHURCH. 99 CHURCH, 2 Thes. iii. 1. And hold to ALL the spiritual evidences as manifested in the Methodist Episcopal Church, from the days of Wesley up to this day, at their camp^ prayer^ and class meetings. And many of us can testify that ihe fulness of power which thrills through our body^ and stiffens and sus- pends^ in many instances, the outward animation., IS OF GOD. As the Psalmist expresses it, " He shall come down git-AS RATNc^} UPON THE MOWN GRASS, AS (jrt^SHOWERS^ THAT WATER THE EARTH," Psa. Lxxii. 6, see Hosea vi. 3. Glory be to Jesus! We allow all our brethren in the churchy to speak as the Lord reveals his will, and giveth them ABILITY. For the spirits of the Prophets are sub- ject to the Proptiets, saith the Apostle, 1 Cor. xiv. 26 to 33. And we also allow our sisters in the church, to '•'■ help" us by prayer, in our prayer meetings^ and select meetings^ and to pray with mourners of their own sex in particular^ for such appears to be the privilege of females in the Apos- tolical churches^ see Phil. iv. 3, and jVcts i. 14. Article XX. OUR PREACHERS. We allow our preachers no pecuniary or other compensation for their services^ and invest them with no authority which can in any wise deprive the child- ren of Jesus of their spiritual or church liberty. Hence we appoint no one to open or lead our meet- ings^ the '■'• greatesV should he: '"'- servant of all ^"^^ saith Jesus. Therefore, we reject class meetings. We invite all to our public meetings, especially sincere seekers after truth : yet we admit NONE to ■ \ 100 ARTICLES OF FAITH AND join our church as PROBATIONERS, not even our own children. Because we wish and have determined^ that whilst the Holy Spirit of mercy is moving in our meetijigs^ to have NO DEAD MEMBERS or slumberers amongst us. But that all shall be on the watch tower, and in full liberty or life, with power to rejoice and "shout aloud" the praises of Jesus's name, whenever w^e are by his love constrained so to do. And if any member fall from faith under the buf- fetings of Satan, -and become habitually lukewarm and inefficient in the church, it shall the the 'privilege of any member to privately admonish such a mem- ber, in tenderness, and to direct him to read such parts of the address and disciplines^ suits his case; but if immovable, any member may bring the case before the church, who shall make a direct applica- tion to Jesus for his restoration by kneeling in silent prayer, which will be effiectual if the person be born of God. But if these means should fail, there has been a wa7it of wisdom somewhere in the admis- sion of the member, and he or she must be suspended from membership. For we are determined, through the help qf Jesus, to have no lukew^arm Laodicean MEMBERS IN OUR CHURCH, Icst, as Jcsus dcclarcs to such, " I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot. I would thou w^ert cold or hot, and so then because thou art lukewarm^ and neither cold nor hot, I will SPUE THEE OUT OF MY MOUTH," Revelations iii. 15, 16. So much does Jesus loathe such as are lukewarm, or are neither cold nor hot towards him. Therefore we desire, that all the SINGING in this church shall be in the spirit of Jesus, and with /f/eand animation: and not drawled out, as in the formal Laodicean churches. We al- low no choirs of music in our churches ; but we ^^old DOCTRINES OF THE CHURCH. 101 that the tunes and choruses should be simple and child-like^ as becometh the Gospel. Article XXL CLERGY OR LAITY OF OTHER CHURCHES. We believe in an entire and perfect union, or assimilation of the Divine and launan natures in the person of JESUS, by which "GOD" "WAS JVIADE FLESH," John i. 1-14, and actually " suf- fered'' and DIED for us, Rev. i. 17, 18. And that " GOD" " purchased us with his own blood," Acts XX. 28. Confirmatory of this blessed truth, we now feel a^berty to say, to all who have read our Address, f^l Explanation of the Title of this Church, and the Xlth Article, That the soul and BODY of the "man Christ Jesus," are the soul and body of Jlhovah God, because he saith so. " Be- hold my servant," saith Jehovah, "in whom MY SOUL deliirhteth," see ISAIAH XLii. 1, also Article XL JESUS beincT " Without Father'' or ''Mother" (according; to the flesh), or "descent," Heb. vii. 3. So HE, Jehovah, brought HIS SOUL (as he saith, ''^lY SO\jL") down with him, ^r\i\ as he "TOOK" FLESH from the Blessed Virgin, that flesh be- came ihejiesh of Jehovah or. " God" the " Word." Therefore we read, "the WORD WAS MADE FLESH," or ASSIMILATED WITH FLESH. So, we cannot permit those to preach, pray, or exhort amongst us, who believe in the hypostati- cal union of the divine and human natures in JESUS. Which is the doctrine, that there is "TWO DIS- TINCT" or "SEPARATE" ''natures," without " mixture" or " CONFUSION," in the person of the Lord who gave his life for us : That is, ONE nature 9* 102 ARTICLES OF FAITH AND which SUFFERED, and one that DID NOT, and COULD NOT SUFFER. This doctrine opposes the constitutional principles of this church, and would introduce CONFUSION mto our public worship. When we pray, we ad- dress Jesus as *' our Father which art in heaven," Matt. vi. 9. And can say " hallowed be thy name,^^ for JESUS is the very name and person of the Father, (John xiv. 7, 8, 9.) Even " the everlasting Father," saith Isa. ix. 6. And we can say ^^thy kingdom come," for the kingdom belongs to Jesus, and Saint Peter says, it is " the everlastingkingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ," 2 Pet. i. 11, and we can say ''give us this day our daily bread.^'' For JESUS saith, he himself i^" the TRUE BREAD," "the bread OF GOD," and "the LIVING BREAD lohich came down from heaven^^"^ John iv. 32, 33-51. And as we thus pray to Jesus^ as the only God, in heaven and in earth, and know him to be the very Father, the very Son, and the very Holy Ghost, and "WHO IS OVER ALL ^Godc^j) BLESSED FOREVER. Amen," (saith the Apos- tle.) Rom. ix. 5. So we cannot permit any to preach, pray, or exhort amongst us, who cannot THUS PRAY TO JESUS their MAKER, John i. 3. Article XXIL UNBELIEVERS IN THE ETERNITY AND DIVINITY OF JESUS THE SON OF GOD, AS A SON. . All persons who do not believe in the eternal Sonship, or that the Son of God the Father was be- gotten as a Son from all eternity, and " came down from heaven" AS A SON, and bore the same re- DOCTRINES OF THE CHURCH. 103 lation to the Father, as a Son from all eternity, as he did bear whilst in the flesh at Jerusalem, and all who deny him to be altogether equal to the Father, we denominate Socinians, or Arians, both of whom deny the eternity of the Word or Son of God. And although the Arians say that the Son pre-existed, and that there was but one nature in Jesus, except the body of flesh, yet they deny him eternity and di- vinity, and say " he was the first and the noblest of those beings whom God had created," and there- fore believe him to be a created being only. With such as these, we have no Christian fellow- ship whatever. Such are the Unitarians in all their grades, the Swedenborgians, the followers of Dr. Adam Clarke, the Methodist Episcopal commenta- tor, &c. The Dr. says, it is ''Anti-scriptural, and highly dangerous" to believe in "the eternal Son- ship." See his Commentaries on first of Saint Luke. Moreover, we cannot permit such as believe that there are two '•'entire'^'* and distinct natures in the person of the Lord Jesus, (called the Hypostatical union,) to preach, or exhort, or pray amongst us. See Article XXL Because, as they assert, that one of those two natures, IS the ETERNAL Son of God ; and the other, is the suffering Son from time, they absolutely make two Sons in the Holy Trinity, "the Father, the Son and the Holy Ghost." Matt. xxviii. 19. That is, one eternal Son, who could not, and did not suffer, and one Sonyrom time who did suffer, and who died on the cross for our sins. In this manner they try to make out the sufferings of the Son of God, but as this Son of God is hypo- statically or distinctively united to the eternal Son, and not '•'■mixed'^'' nor ^^ confused^ ^ with him: So ac- cording to this theory, they are saved by this Son of time, which they say only suffered, and rob the 104 ARTICLES OF FAITH AND eternal Son of his glory, who declared, before he came down from heaven, to Isaiah, "J, even I, am the Lord, and BESIDE ME there is NO SA- VIOUR," Isa. XLiii. 11. And who further de- clared, " Mine OWN arm brought salvation mito me, and my fury it upheld me." Isa. Lxiii. 5. Therefore, the atlenjpt to give infinite merit to an atonement made by a Son from time, helped and upheld through the eternal Son attached to him, is altogether abortive, and directly opposes the Scriptures just quoted. Because, saith the record just quoted, " I have trodden the wine press ALONE." *'I looked, and there was none to HELP, and I wondered, and there was none to UP- HOLD," therefore ''mine OWN ARM brought salvation unto me." Consequently the atonement was made without aid or support from any one. It was made by the ETERNAL SON HIMSELF, who ''was madejlesh,^^ saith the Apostle. He be- came man in one nature "and dwelt among us." John i. 14. Glory be to Jesus! our "Lord and our God!" The reader need only refer to the follow- ing texts in connection, to be fully satisfied that the eternal Son suffered, and died for us, and *' BY HIMSELF purged our sins," as the Apostle de- clares. Heb. i. 3; see Daniel iii. 25; John vi. 38; John vi. 62; (Jcf=John iii. 13;Xg John xvi. 28, xvii. 5; 1 Cor. xv. 45-47; Rev. i. 8-17, 18; Rev. ii. 8-18. And although the Swedenborgians pro- fess to worship Jesus as the Lord Jehovah, we wish to guard all against their subtilities. Svvedenborg denies the eternal Sonship of Jesus altogether; and declares, there was no Trinity before the creation, or before the birth of Jesus Christ. See his work called "True Christian Religion," No. 82, 83, and 163, No, 111. He says the Son of God was born DOCTRINES OF THE CHURCH. 105 or begotten in time, and is not the Redeemer, see 83, 101. He says the Son of God, even Jesus, is the humanity born in time, see 135, 212. He says that the Son of God made himself righteousness, by acts of redemption, and hy the same united himself unto the Father. He denies the atonement, and that we are saved by Christ's righteousness. He denies the resurrection of the body, and the end of the world, and declares the Holy Ghost is not a person, but "a divine operation. "^"^ See chap. HI., T. C. R. He says that to be in the Spirit, is that of a man being in his own mind, separate from his body. See No. 157. And, although the Swedenborgians apparently worship Jesus Christ in unity with the Father, yet by denying him eternity, and by saying he is not co-es- sential with the Father, and not of the divine essence, and that as a Son he was wholly out of time: they destroy and nullify the Scriptures. Jesus says positively, that the Father was never seen or known of men, (until he was pleased to reveal himself, as the Father, to Philip, John xiv. 7, 8, 9.) Therefore when Swedenborg denies the SON to he Jehovah, and the Redeemer, (see 83, 92, 101, T. C. R.) he has been obliged, for the sake of consistency, to SUBSTITUTE AN ANGEL with Moses on the Mount, in the place of Christ or God, (see No. 135, T. C. R.) We believe the Swedenborgian religion to be a refinement of the Socinian and Unitarian doc- trines. But more insidious and hurtful, because i\\ey profess to worship Jesus the Son, and yet, deny him eternity; which many, who have not read his (Swedenborg'' s) works, would be ignorant of, and therefore deceived; we, therefore, notice his works particularly. 106 ARTICLES OF FAITH AND Article XXIII. JESUS CANNOT BE LIMITED. We are taught in the holy Scriptures, That heaven is the Throne of God. And as God is omnipresent, see Psalm cxxxix. 7, 8, 9, or EVERYWHERE, so we believe that wherever GOD IS, THERE THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN AND THE THRONE OF GOD IS ALSO. And although " God," humbled himself, and took upon him the "FORM of a ser- vant," and became lowly as a lamb, yet, we be- lieve he never VACATED HIS THRONE NOR THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN. As he declared to the Ruler Nicodemus, " JVb man hath ascended up to heaven but he that came doiun from heaven^ even the C#=SON OF MAN WHICH IS IN HEAVEN.^ John iii. 13. Being outwardly " manifested" "through his flesh the veil," but inwardly was then in heaven^ on his throne. [And was the same ETERNAL JESUS that he always was. "The same yesterday, to-day, and forever!" saith the Apostle. Heb. xiii. 8. "ALL POWER," saith Jesus, " is given unto me IN HEAVEN and in earth.'''' Matt, xxviii. 18. Therefore, as Saint Paul declares, he is the SAME FOREVER: So his power, and omnipotence, and reign, will be the same FOREVER, and have "NO END."] Luke i. 33. The words "I came dow^n," and "ascend up" and "from above," as spoken by our Lord, have the same meaning as when he said, "I CAME FORTH from the Father, and am come into the world.''^ John xvi. 28. If Jesus had let his "majesty" and DIVINE GLORY, hidden hy the veil the flesh, shine forth not in its fulness, but as when transfigured on the DOCTRINES OF THE CHURCH. 107 mount, he would have satisfied all ; that HE was " The First and the Last,^^ and " besides^^ him there '^ is'''' and was ^^ no God.''^ Isa. xlIv. 6. Jesus NEVER changed ; he assimilated the " Divjne Nature," 2 Pet. i. 4, with our nature when he becam.e man, but this was according to his ''ETER- NAL PURPOSE,'' and therefore AN UNCHANGE- ABLE purpose. Eph. iii. 11. JESUS IS "THE TRUTH." Therefore, as he positively assures Nicodemus that he was THEN IN HEAVEN, at the very time he was speaking to him, so we are BOUND to believe him. "The (eternal) brightness of his glory," was then unchangeably the same. But veiled, so that he could perform HIS iMEDIATO- RIAL OFFICE between man and His just penalty, ^Hhou shall surely die.'''' Gen. ii. 17. Jesus being IN heaven and ON earth at the same ti?ne, could form the Lord's Prayer, namely, "Our Father which art in heaven," Matt. vi. 9 to 13, AS APPLICABLE TO HIMSELF ALONE, for he was "the Father also." John xiv. 7. And we as a church give Jesus eternal gratitude and glory, that he has re- vealed to us in the Scriptures, John xiv. 7, 8, 9, and by his spirit, Rom. viii. 15, that he himself IS "the Everlasting Father." The Prophet Isaiah de- clared him to be "THE EVERLASTING FA- THER." Isa. ix. 6. Therefore, the Apostles could WORSHIP JESUS THE ONLY GOD, whilst HE was upon earth, " in spirit and in truth,'''' as they did worship him. Matt. xiv. 33. Luke xxiv. 52. And could pray unto him, as their Father, John xiv. 7, X. 30, and say "Our Father which art in heaven," because, Jesus was their Father, and was then " IN HEAVEN," (as he positively declared to Nicodemus,) see John iii. 13, at the very time he framed "the Lord's prayer" for them. Jesus our Lord suddenly 108 ARTICLES OF FAITH AND showed himself to his disciples after he was risen from the dead, on two occasions. The doors being shut at both times, for fear of the Jews. (See John xx. 19,26. Luke xxiv. 36,40.) Jesus having' 'a// jooi^er" needed not that the doors should be opened to let Mm in. So he suddenly " stood in the midst of them, and saith unto them, *' Peace be unto you," but they were terrified and affrighted, and supposed that they had seen a spirit. And he said unto them, why are ye troubled ? and why do thoughts arise in your hearts^'''' ("for he know^eth the hearts.") Be- hold my hands and my feet that it is I MYSELF, handle me and 5ee, for a spirit hath not flesh and hones as ye see me have. This passage shows the unlimited power of Jesus over his body, by w^hich he could make himself tan- gible and intactihle at pleasure, which he exercised on several occasions before his crucifixion. At one time he walked on the *' boisterous sea." Matt. xiv. 25, 31. And w^hen he declared himself to be Jehovah, the " I AM," " the Jews took up stones to cast at him," but Jesus HID HIMSELF— going through the MIDST of them, and SO passed by." John viii. 58, 59. That is, he made himself m?;m- hle, and passed through their midst, by the same powder that he passed through into the "midst" of the disciples, ''the doors being shuty This appear- ance of our Lord to his disciples, is quoted by the Presbyterians, in their " Confession of Faith," dated 1827, chapter 2d, page 10, note f. It is quoted as an evidence, that the " One only living and true God, is a pure spirit, invisible, without body or parts. ^"^ By which they mean, or imply, that Jesus was not the "true God," because he condescended to ap- pear in a body which his disciples could "handle." We as a church, believe him to be " the true God," DOCTRINES OF THE CHURCH. 109 as John declares, 1 John v. 20, and the "One only living and true God," and "a pure spirit," and a "Quickening Spirit:" 1 Cor. xv. 45. John v. 21. Notwithstanding his body of "flesh and bones." Because the Scriptures declare plainly, that HE "WAS GOD," John i. 1 ; and we believe that as he came into their midst like a spirit, without open- ing the doors, so when he made himself tangible, and used the declaration, "handle me," it w^as to allay their " teiror and affright,'''^ so that they might recognize him, and be really convinced, that it w^as the crucified Redeemer himself, and not a mere shadow, or a spirit. For this was the surest way of satisfying his Apostles, that his body had actually arisen. But when this passage is quoted by profes- sors to prove, that ^Hhe true God is without body or parts,^^ as they all believe, it is a satisfactory evi- dence that professing Christendom, (with their hy- postatical invention,) do not believe that Jesus is "the true God:" or, that this divine being who now appeared to the Apostles with the marks of his suf- ferings and crucifixion in a body, which they could touch and handle, is the true God. Saint John testifies, "We have seen w'ith our eyes — we have looked upon, and our hands have handled of the WORD of Life." See John i. 1. And be- cause Jesus thus appeared in a form which could be seen, and handled, they do not believe him to be the " true and only God," w^hich John assures us he was. See 1 John v. 20. Moreover, he gave his Apostles at that visitation a more striking and substantial evidence, that it was really himself, and that he had all power over his body, and over all things. And that he w^as really present with them, as he was, beforehe was crucified. This was done by eating before them, as follows : " And 10 110 ARTICLES OF FAITH AND he said unto them, have ye any meat ? And they gave him a piece of broiled fish and of an honey- comb, and he took it and did eat before them." And then, " he led them out as far as to Bethany, and he lifted up his hands and blessed them, and it came to pass while he blessed them, he was parted from them, a7id carried up into heaven, AND THEY WORSHIPPED HIM, and returned to Jerusalem with great joy^ See Luke xxiv., the 41, 42, 43, 50, 51, 52 verses. By these acts, we are fully assured that Jesus made himself tangible and substantial, FOR THAT VERY OCCASION; so as to fully convince his dis- ciples and followers, of his real presence with them. And by eating the fish and honey, and immediately afterward ascending "up into heaven." We have a standing and substantial record, that as Jesus Christ the Son of God, " created all things," (John i. 3. Eph. iii. 9. Heb. i. 2:) so he could transmute, change, or dissolve all things into their original ele- ments, or essences, or into nothing. Because the " fish and the honeycomb" were eaten by him, and as he ascended into heaven apparently w^ith them, they must have been transmuted or changed. THEREFORE, JESUS, THE "HOLY ONE," Acts iii. 14, MUST NOT BE LIMITED. Neither dishonored by the gross insinuation, and we may say belief, that he now has fiesh and hones. " For HE ONLY hath immortality, DWELLING IN THE LIGHT, which no man can approach unto; whom no man hath seen nor can see, to whom be honor and power everlasting. Amen." 1 Tim. vi. 16. For Jesus Christ "is OVER ALL, GOD BLESSED FOREVER." Romans ix. 5. And he is '^unsearchable in his riches," Eph. iii. 8, "and in his greatness." Psalm cxlv. 3. And because DOCTRINES OF THE CHURCH. Ill he condescended in his great love, to veil his glory with a body of flesh, so as to MEDIATE and redeem us from " the wrath to come," we his creatures thus mercifully loved, and honored, DARE LIMIT HIM! HE who HATH ALL POWER. " And before whom John fell as dead at his feet," when he only made an OUTWARD manifestation of his ^'unsearchable" light and glory. '' W^hom no man can see" in his full glory. Amen! Hallelujah! The holy body of Jesus that hung on the cross, and w^as buried, and arose on the third day, was transmuted and changed into a glorious body : Into THE ''Divine Nature." See 2 Peter i. 4. And as Saint Paul records, "according to the working, whereby he is able [to SUBDUE ALL THINGS UNTO HIMSELF."] Phil. iii. 21. That is, into his now glorious body, upon which no man can look and live. Rev. i. 18. Many professors of re- ligion, and teachers in what are called orthodox, or evangelical churches, have deliberately limited the "HOLY ONE of Israel." Psalm Lxxviii. 41. They have first of all, adopted the strange inconsistency, that in the person of Jesus, there was an Eternal, and divine SOl^, "perfect in his nature,^^ which could not and did not suffer pain, hunger or thirst. And another son, born in time, and also a '•^perfect man,''"' who did suffer joam, hunger, and thirst, and died on the cross. And they endeavor so to fix those TWO natures together, so as to make of them one person, although they say the natures are per- fectly DISTINCT. They consequently make TWO SONS in the person of Jesus, one eternal, and one of time, and that this latter son of time is the one whose blood atoned for our sins ! And in this manner they limit the Eternal Son, and " HOLY ONE," by denying him the CAPABILITY of being 112 ARTICLES OF FAITH AND ^' made flesh, "^"^ and becoming man, in reality. And they evade the truth, by FIXING unto him a son that could suffer. Our "Blessed God," even Jesus declared, BEFORE Abram was, I AM. And John the Baptist testifies, "After me cometh A MAN, which is preferred before me, for HE was before me." John i. 30. Although the Scriptures testify, that John the Baptist, was six months older than Jesus, according to the flesh. See Luke i. 24, 25-36. So that the Scriptures abundantly testify that, "the second man (Jesus) is the Lord from heaven.'^'' 1 Cor. XV. 47. Professing Christendom limit Je- sus "THE HOLY ONE" in another manner, by giving him locality both in time and in eternity. And place the HOLY ONE, Acts iii. 14, THE TRUE GOD, 1 John v. 20, and "the LORD GOD of the Holy Prophets," Rev. xxii. 6, at the right HAND of ANOTHER GOD, sitting somewhere in space on a throne. And before this God, Jesus stands or sits forever, interceding for us. Whereas, God's right hand spanneth, or compas- seth the heavens. Isa. XLviii. 13. This word right hand as used by all holy men, is ^figure applicable to HIS POWER. And means that, which JESUS DE- CLARES IT TO BE, in the Gospel of Saint Luke, 22d chapter and 69th verse, as follows: HERE- AFTER SHALL YE SEE THE SON OF MAN SIT ON THE RIGHT HAND OF THE ^POWER OF GOD.#§. Also see Mark xiv. 62. " And ye shall see the son of man sitting on the RIGHT HAND OF POWER," which saying is also recorded by Matthew xxvi. 64. We, therefore, implicitly be- lieve the declaration of the Lord to the Prophet Isaiah. (Isa. Lxvi. 1, 2, 5.) Thus saith the Lord, THE HEAVEN IS MY THRONE, and the EARTH is my footstool. WHERE IS THE HOUSE that DOCTRINES OF THE CHURCH. 113 ye build unto ME, and where is the PLACE OF MY REST, for all those things hath MINE HAND MADE ! And all those things HAVE BEEN, saith the Lord, (witness Solomon's temple). But to THIS MAN WILL I LOOK, EVEN TO HIM THAT IS POOR AND OF A CONTRITE SPIRIT, and tremhleth at my word. And with such a man, the Kingdom of God becomes manifest in the soul, as Jesus declares. Luke xvii. 21. And Jesus dwells there in his kingdom^ ^^ within uSy^^ as he declared. John xiv. 23. He dwells in us together with the Holy Ghost and comforter. For the Prophet Isaiah continues, (see verse 5th,) '^he shall appear TO YOUR JOY!" Amen LORD JESUS! When Jesus made the glorious manifestation of himself to the Evangelist, he declares, *' I am he that liveth and was deady and behold! I am alive forevermore, and have the KEYS OF HELL and OF DEATH." Rev. i. 18. W^e therefore believe, that by his un- limited power and control over all things, the devils, and Satan, can do no more than they are permitted to do. The devils could not even enter into the herd of swine, without the permission of Jesus, " and besought him 77iuch,''^ (saith the text,) to have per- mission so to do. See Mark v. 1-13. And in the case of Job, the devil could not approach him, nor afflict him, until he obtained divine permission, see the first and second chapters of the Book of Job. We, therefore, understand by the words of Jesus, when he declared, he had ALL POWER," Matt. xxviii. 18, to mean, UNLIMITED power. HE being the very *^ ANCIENT OF DAYS" himself w^hose " head and his hairs were white like wool," as white as snow, see Rev. i. 14, Dan. vii. 9, to whom "every knee 5/ia// 6oi^." Amen. Hallelujah. 10* CHAPTER IV. ARGUMENTS. Further arguments from the Holy Scriptures, which prove, that JESUS OF NAZARETH WHO WAS CRUCIFIED, is the Eternal Son, and THE ONE ONLY GOD in heaven or on earth, and be- sides him there is no God. 1. We believe that JESUS bore the SAME RE- LATION FROM ALL ETERNITY to the Father, AS A SON, even as distinctly so as he did when he was in the flesh, or veil at Jerusalem. 2. That is, he was as before observed, eternally begotten. And, therefore, eternally existed as a son. 3. Which we believe was in an IMAGE-LIKE FORM. See Gen. i. 2Q, 21. Where the inspired WTiter, speaking of the creation of Adam, clearly records, " IN THE IMAGE OF GOD created he him." 4. We have shown from several Scriptures, that the SON, even JESUS, (as Saint Paul declares,) IS the very "EXPRESS IMAGE OF GOD." So that Adam must have been created after the likeness of JESUS the eternal SON, when "God said, let us make man in OUR LMAGE, after OUR LIKE- NESS," and placed him in the Garden of Eden. See Gen. i. 26. ARGUMENTS. 115 5. Hence we condemn the error maintained by many, that Jesus did not personally exist, before he was manifested in the flesh. But existed in the divine mind, or, as others say, "m the bosom of the Father only. ' ' 6. Such actually charge our Lord with falsehood, for he declared, ^^ I came down from heaven.'^'' John vi. 38. Again, " What and if ye shall see the SON OF MAN asce7id up WHERE HE WAS BEFORE ?" John vi. 6.2. 7. Many unbelievers in the eternal son-ship are obliged from this and other scriptures, to acknow- ledge, that the " Son of Man" here spoken of, was in heaven "before," but they deny that the "Son of Man" is the very Son of God. They say, the Son of Man is eternal, and "came down from heaven," but deny that the "Son of God" " came down from hea- ven." 8. This is a false, and an unholy subterfuge of Satan, and contrary to the numerous declarations of Jesus himself, recorded in the Gospels. These holy records prove, the SON OF GOD, and the SON OF MAN to be ONE and the same PERSON in sub- stance, etermity and identity. 9. See the following words, or sayings of JESUS, " The SON OF MAN hath not where to lay his head.'' Matt. viii. 20. Luke ix. 58. " The Son of Man came eating and drinJdng.'' Matt. xi. 19. "So shall the Son of Man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth." Matt. xii. 40. "Whom do men say that I THE SON OF MAN AM." Matt. xvi. 13. "The Son of Man MUST SUFFER." Lukeix. 22. '' BetrayestihoiiihQ^onQi Man with a kissV Luke xxii. 48. "When ye shall have lifted up the Son of Man, &c." John viii. 28. 10. By these words of Jesus we learn, that he the 116 ARGUMENTS. Son of Man was WEARY, HE EAT, AND DRANK, was BETRAYED, was LIFTED UP on the Cross, and was DEAD AND BURIED. And many other texts could be given to show that the Son of Man, and the So7i of God, are the same in nature, and identity as before observed. And the same who ap- peared to Saint John on the Isle of Patmos ; recorded in the 1st, 2d and 3d chapters of Revelations. In the 1st chapter, 13th verse, he is declared to be the '^ Son of Man, "^"^ and in the second chapter and 18th verse, he declares himself to be "the Son of God.'^^ In these texts the Son of Man, and the Son of God, are expressly declared to be the very same person. 11. Moreover, the Son of God declares, "I came FORTH from the Father, and am come into the world, AGAIN / leave the world and go unto the Father.^^ John xvi. 28. (This last declaration con- vinced the Apostles, that Jesus, " the Son of God," pre-existed as a Son.) See John xvi. 28, 29, 30. And they exclaimed, "Now are we sure THAT THOUKNOWEST ALL THINGS." By this we believe, that thou camest forth from God. John xvi. 18, 29, 30. And they for thej^rs^ time, it ap- pears, believed that JESUS WAS IN HEAVEN "BEFORE," as he declared. And Jesus sets his seal to their saying, ^NOW ARE WE SURE that THOU KNOWEST ALL THINGS:^ by saying to them, " DO ye NOW believe." See verse 31. 12. We maintain that the TRUE ANTI-CHRIST, is he, whom the Apostle John expressly declares TO BE the antichrist. And it behoves all those who SPECULATE on this subject, to beware how they slight and wrest the plain truths of the Scripture. The Apostle John thus exclaims: "Who is a LIAR, but he that DENIETH that JESUS is the CHRIST, grt-HE IS ANTICHRIST, that denieth ARGUMENTS. 117 the Father and the SON." See 1 John ii. xxii. So this is the antichrist, and there is no other. 13. Therefore, no sect, nor person^ can be called antichHst, who worship Jesus, and believe he is the Christ. Now mark, the true antichrist, is that SPIRIT IN MAN, which denies that JESUS the Son of God, even the MAN who suffered, bled, and died on Calvary, IS THE CHRIST. For (saith the Apos- tle), "this is that spirit of antichrist, w^hereof ye have heard that it should come, and even now AL- READY is it in the world." (IJohniv. 3.) That is, at the very time the Apostle lived, and therefore, the appearance of antichrist, according to the Apos- tle, has no particular reference TO TIME, but has reference to that spirit of unbelief, which THEN in his time, and now denies, that Jesus, the SON, who washed his disciples' feet, is "the true God." Saint John declares THE SON to be the TRUE GOD. 1 John V. 20. And the very God. Johni. 1, 2, 3. This is that spirit of antichrist, which now, like a wily serpent, is entwining itself around the hearts of all professors who have not the Holy Ghost, through the Qiew birth. Those only who have the Holy Ghost, " can (truly) say, that Jesus is the Lord," saith the Apostle. 1 Cor. xii. 1, 3. Many unbelievers, who deny that the MAN, Jesus of Nazareth, is God, nevertheless, believe that Christ dwelt in Jesus spiritually, and w^as God. Such are the CldjVites, the Yiioksites, &c. &c. 14. They cannot deny Chrisfs eternity. For he is, saith the Apostle, "the same yesterday, and to- day, and/orei;er." Heb. xiii. 8. And Saint Paul further declares. " Our fathers did all eat the same spiritual meat, and did all drink the same spiritual drink, for they drank of that Spiritual Rock that fol- lowed them, and that Rock WAS CHRIST." "N'ei- ther let us tempt Christ, as some of them" (in the 118 *' ARGUMENTS. wilderness) " also tempted^ and were destroyed of ser- pents." See 1 Cor.x. 3, 4-9. Therefore CHRIST was the " LORD GOD," who followed the Jews in the wilderness, and whom they tempted. And it is those who deny that JESUS is this Christ, who fol- lowed the Jews in the wilderness, whom Saint John calls the ANTICHRIST. Amen, Lord Jesus. We, therefore, do utterly condemn the antichristian sen- timents of all Socinians, who, like Dr. Adam Clarke, of the Methodist Episcopal Church, declare, that there are "two natures in Jesus Christ." That the *' Divine nature," or part, " could not be born" of the virgin Mary. But the humanpart only. And 'Svhich is the Son of God, and INFERIOR TO HIM." Thus boldly declaring, that the Son is inferior to the Father, and that it is "highly dangerous" to be- lieve, (says he,) in the Eternal Sonship: See Dr. Clarke's Commentaries, on first of Saint Luke. Also on Acts XX. 28, where he denies that GOD "pur- chased us with HIS OWN blood." He denies the second man (Jesus) is THE LORD from heaven. See his commentaries on Cor. xv. 47. 15. Jesus absolutely declares, that those who saw him SAW THE Father ; his words are, if ye had KNOWN ME, ye would have KNOWN my Father ALSO, and from henceforth ye KNOW HIM, and (^HAVE SEEN HIM.^ He that hath SEEN ME hath SEEN the Father. John xiv. 7, 9. I AND MY FATHER ARE ONE. John x. 30. Therefore, Saint John writes to those who had SEEN JESUS, these words: 16. "I write unto you, little children, because YE HAVE KNOWN THE FATHER." Glory be to Jesus!! 1 John ii. 13. That is, they had known and seen their FATHER JESUS. Hallelujah! ! Their CREATOR, and MAKER, and KING, and their ARGUMENTS. V 119 ONLY SAVIOUR AND REDEEMER, even " the EVERLASTING FATHER." Isa. ix. 6. 17. From the foregoing explanation of the person of the Eternal Son, it must be obvious to all who have carefully read and referred to the texts we have -quoted, that we believe implicitly, 18. That there are not TWO DISTINCT NA- TURES IN THE PERSON OF Jesus, Called "the Hy- postatical union,^^ that is, one human, which suf- fered, and one divine which did not, and could not suffer. But we believe the divine nature of " GOD," John i. 1, became a very man by ASSIMILATION with the body he derived from the blessed virgin Mary. And being a VERY MAN, he was therefore human and divine, by a PERFECT UNION, assimi- lation and identity with our nature, 19. HE often spoke like one of us men, and often asserted his supreme and only prerogative as God. 20. He saith, "take away this cup from me." Mark xiv. 36. "My Father is greater than /." John xiv. 28. "I can do nothing of myself, but as my father hath taught me, I speak these things." John viii. 28. 21. These expressions show his *' humiliation" as a TRUE and very man. And he, therefore, ut- tered these expressions just in the same manner as w^E MEN UTTER THEM, before himsclf, the TRUE GOD. In his humiliation his judgment was taken "away," saith the Apostle, Acts viii. 33. He de- clares, " learn of ME, for I am meek and lowly in HEART," (Matt. xi. 29.) See No. 30 of Explana- tion — also, Art. VII. Declaration of Faith. 22. And then again, this very man speaks as. God. HE speaks with a divine and supreme au- thority, as the self-subsisting God. HE declares, that he eternally ^ and incessantly ^ without any inter- 120 ' ARGUMENTS. mission, governed, sustained, and upheld (even at THAT TIME, whilst he was IN THE flesh) the uni- verse which HE HIMSELF CREATED. He saith, all men should HONOR the SON EVEN AS THEY HONOR THE FATHER. 23. Again he saith, ''WHAT THINGS SO- EVER THE FATHER DOETH, (cCrTHESE ALSO DOETH THE SON LIKEWISE." John v. 19. e^ That is, when the Father "created the worlds," or any other thing, the Son ALSO "CRE- ATED THE WORLDS." (Ji^-AND THE SAME THINGS likewise. Therefore, Jesus declares, "all THINGS that THE FaTHER HATH (it^-ARE MINE."-$^ John xvi. 15. 24. Therefore, Saint Paul declares, " all things were made hy him andyb/- him,'''' Col. i. 16. He saith, "Before Abram was I AM." John viii. 58. See Ex. iii. 14. Again, "THE SON OF MAN shall sit on the THRONE OF HIS GLORY." Matt. XXV. 31. That is, on the throne of "his OWN glory." Luke ix. 26. 25. Again, "As the Father KNOWETH ME, EVEN SO KNOW I the Father;" of course he is as old as the Father. 26. The Son " QUICKENETH WHOM HE WILL." John V. 21. He declares, " it is written in the Prophets," and " they shall be all taught OF GOD, EVERY MAN, THEREFORE, that HATH HEARD and HATH LEARNED OF THE FaTHER, COM- ETH UNTO ME." John vi. 45. Herein Jesus absolutely declares himself to be God, because ALL who hath been taught of God, or "hath learned of the Father,'''' came unto him. For he "was God." John i. 1, 14. Therefore Jesus is called the " Lord God of the Holy Prophets." See Rev. xxii. 6. 27. He saith, IF I with the (|#^FINGER OF ARGUMENTS. 121 GODc:^^ cast out devils.^' (Luke xi. 20,) then truly his finger was God's finger. He saith, I lay down my life MYSELF, NO MAN taketh it from me. 28. He permitted the grossest indignities to be offered to his divine person, and gave up his holy body io be crucified for our sakes ; when at the same time he could have commanded legions of Angels, even the hosts of heaven, to annihilate his execu- tioners. Matt. xxvi. 53. 29. He died groaning in agony, yet, being God, PARDONED, and took to paradise "THAT DAY," the penitent thief who trusted in him. LO! " THIS IS OUR GOD." Hallelujah! 30. The doctrine that this DIVINE man, who thus died on the cross, had two DISTINCT na- tures, and that the divine nature could not suffer^ sets at naught the words of Jesus, and makes fool- ishness of the Scripture. John xvii. 5. 31. The words of Jesus are, " And now, Fa- ther, glorify thou me with thine own self, with tlie glory which (fj^l HAD with thee before the world was.^'' 32. According to this hypostatical invention of two distinct natures in Jesus, the man Jesus^ called by them the humanity, was never (as they maintain) in eternity with the Father, or, a glorified being *' before the world was^ How, then, could he thus pray to be glorified AGAIN } with that which they declare he NEVER HAD, namely, they say he never had ^^glory with the Father before the world was.'''' According to this invention, \\i\s pctrt could not thus pray. 33. And if the " divine nature COULD NOT BE BORN of the Virgin Mary," as they say, and as Adam Clarke asserts, and never was changed to be- come a man, how could IT thus pray to be GLORI- 11 122 ARGUMENTS. • FIED AGAIN? Because, according to Dr. Clarke, and others, IT NEVER WAS CHANGED, NEI- THER BORN; and, therefore^ laid aside nothing. In either case it is an impossibility, according to this doctrine of two distinct natures. For, neither the divine nature, nor human nature which they speak of, could use the Lord's Prayer. John xvii. 5. Be- cause the one part never changed^ and the other part never existed, they say, before it was born of the blessed Virgin Mary, much less " before the world was.'''' This doctrine makes absolute foolishness of the Scriptures, to an unbelieving world. 34. We believe God, the eternal Son, " came down from heaven," or, as he more plainly de- clares, " FORTH FROM THE FATHER," (John xvi. 28,) with his own soul, (Isa. XLii. 1,) even his eternal and divine ^' Image," (Gen. i. 26 ;) and " was 7nade flesh,'''' and became a true and very man, by a perfect union, assimilation, mixture, and identity, with our nature, yet holy, and without sin. 35. And thus MADE HIMSELF "BY HIM- SELF" A TRUE MAN: For, saith the Apostle, "though he WAS RICH, yethe BECAME POOR." 2 Cor. viii. 9. 36. And for this reason, JESUS, the eternal Son, could THUS PRAY to be glorified AGAIN, be- cause he " WAS GOD," John i. 1 ; and " rich'' in glory " BEFORE the world was.''' And as he be- came poor by assimilation with our nature, there was then a necessity of a re- glorification of his holy body, and a subjugation oi our nature from the " blessed" Virgin Mary, into the substance of his own holy, eternal, and ''^divine nature.''' 2 Pet. i. 4. This he effected, saith the Apostle, " according to the WORKING whereby he is able to subdue all things UNTO HIMSELF." See Phil. iii. 21. Because • ARGUMENTS. 123 "with God all things are possible;" so saith Jesus. (Matt. xix. 26; Mark x. 27.) 37. The holy body of Jesus which was crucified, was a real body of flesh and blood. But it IS NOW a glorious body, upon which no man can look and live; therefore, when Saint John saw him, he fell at his feet as dead. See Rev. i. 17, 18. For he could not " SEE" that glorious body " and live." Exodus xxxiii. 20. And although Jesus appeared after his resurrection in a tactile body of ^^Jiesh and bones,^^ which he made tangible for that very occa- sion, and which the Apostles were called upon to " handle," yet, when he " was carried up to hea- ven" after eating the fish and honeycomb," (see Saint Luke, 24th chapter, 36th to 52d verse,) he changed his body into the ^^ glorious body'''' in which he appeared to the evangelist on the Isle of Patmos. And, saith the Apostle, Philippians iii. 21, *'The Lord Jesus Christ shall change our vile body, that it may be fashioned like unto HIS GLO- RIOUS BODY, according to the working whereby he is able even to SUBDUE all things unto HIM- SELF." 38. We therefore deplore that gross unbelief which would hide, or veil the ^'■glorious'''' body of Jesus, by insinuating that he NOW HAS a body of " flesh and bones," and sits or stands before AN- OTHER GOD in an unchanged body, pleading for us. And further, which maintains that the true and living God " is ivithout body or parts." Whereas Saint John declares JESUS'lS THE TRUE GOD. John V. 20. And Saint Paul and the evangelist declare HIM to have A '^GLORIOUS BODY." Phil. iii. 21 ; Rev. i. 13-18. See page 108, Arti- cle 23d, of this book. 39. We believe the eternal SON, even JESUS, 124 ARGUMENTS. • became man, and sufTered and died for us by a voluntary and free act of his own mercy^ so that the "DIVINE NATURE," thus "made flesh," might EXPERIMENTALLY KNOW our infirmi- ties, and he '^ able^^ through this mediatorial office to succor us. (Heb. ii. 18.) And as this was " accord- ing to the Ct^-ETERNAL PURPOSE," as Saint Paul testifies, (Ephesiansiii. 11,) itwas^Aere/bre AN UNCHANGEABLE PURPOSE; thus, God never c/ia7?^e(i his purpose when he became man, and "took upon him the FORM of a servant." Phil. ii. 7. 40. Therefore, when the "WORD WAS MADE FLESH, and dwelt among us'' (John i. 14.) HE the ETERNAL and ONLY begotten SON, was still ''m HEAVEN," as he declared to Nicode- mus, John iii. 13 ; for heaven is "HIS THRONE," (Isa. Lxvi. 1,) and this "throne" is EVERY- WHERE, EVEN AS JESUS IS EVERYWHERE. And WHERE IS HE NOT? Because Saint Panl says, that "ALL THINGS CONSIST," Colossians i. 17, or are kept together^ and sustained, BY I'HE " DEAR SON ;" see the I3th verse. And it is a source of continual adoration and praise with this church, that JESUS " THE TRUE GOD" should condescend to suffer as WE SUFFER, and re- ceive buffeting and abuse from the creatures he had made, so that we, through his sufferings and un- merited mercy, might become his sons by the Holy "Spirit of adoption." Glory to his name! 41. And "God," being "made FLESH," as Saint John testifies, (John i. 14,) thus introduced him- self, through his immeasurable love and condescen- sion, into A CAPACITY FOR SUFFERING, OR BECAME PASSIBLE. 42. And thus Jesus, our God, even the "Al- mighty" Maker, (for "ALL THINGS were made by ARGUMENTS. 1£5 ^im," John i. 3,) actually felt all our infirmities, and was in all points tempted as we are, (as saith the Apostle,) yet without sin. Heb. iv. 15. Therefore, as Jesus IS "God," Saint Paul declares, "the SECOND MAN, IS the Lord, FROM HEAVEN." 1 Cor. XV. 47. 43. We, therefore, wish all to understand us dis- tinctly, that the MAN JESUS ''was'' and IS God, and the one only God. And that GOD DIED by a separation of his spirit, from his body, as all mta naturally die. And gave up his body to the sepul- chre until the third day, when he took it up agam.^ 44. As he declared to Saint John on the Isle of Patmos, *'Fear not; I am the First and the Last: 1 am he that liveth, and was dead, and behold ! 1 am alive for evermore. Amen." Rev. i. 17, 18. See Isa. XLiv. 6. And thus " GOD" (as Saint Paul de- clares, in the Holy Ghost), purchased us with his OWN BLOOD shed on the cross. Acts xx. 2S. 45. And we believe this divine man, Jesus Christ of Nazareth, was, as the Apostle declares, "with- out Father, without Mother," (according to the flesh,) and " without descent; having neither ^e^iV ning of days nor end of life," Hebrews vi. 20, vii. 3. Therefore, as Jesus had no beginning, he must he eternal^ being ''the same yesterday, to-day, and forever.'*'' Heb. xiii. 8; see Heb. i. 12. 46. And we believe that when Jesus, this divine man, cried on the cross, "My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?" he felt, and cried out, just in the same manner as all truly regenerated persons feel just before they are "born again" of the Holy Ghost and of fire. 47. All are tempted in that hour, to despair of God's mercy, as is frequently expressed amongst those who have passed the " strait gate, and nar- 126 ARGUMENTS. row way into life," through the new birth. They say the DARKEST TIME was just before the break of (lay. 48. *' God the Word," even Jesus, having be- come man, and having submitted himself to be "tempted in all points like as we are,^^ must also feel this last, and most awful temptation, before he consummated our redemption. We, therefore, im- plicitly believe that this divine man, called "the Son of God"—" the Son of Man"— and " a man"— who was born of the Virgin Mary, and called Jesus ; We say, THIS MAN, thus born, and who died for us on Calvary, (^" IS THE TRUE GOD ;"^ so testifies Saint John, (1 John v. 20.) 49. And this Man is the very ETERNAL SON, on whom this church is founded, even Jehovah, the eternal "Rock of Ages," and "Ancient of days." (Isa. xxvi. 4.) See Psa. Ixii. 2, 6, 7. 50. And this divine Man, (who washed his dis- ciples' feet, and at that time declared, " Ye call me Master and LORD : and ye say well, for SO I AM:") this MAN is omnipresent, or everywhere, just as he was before he " was manifested." For by him all things CONSIST. Col. i. 17. 51. This divine man IS ALL "GLORIOUS IN HIS APPAREL;" ON WHOM NO MAN CAN LOOK AND LIVE; (Rev. i. 18,) he having ''sub- dued unto himself'^ the '' veiV^ of flesh that hid his eternal glory, and majesty. See Phil. iii. 21. 52. And it is this Divine Man, even JESUS "who WAS DEAD," and who washed us from our sins in his own blood, (Rev. i. 5,) whom we w^orship! We worship him because HE IS THE FATHER, (John xiv. 7; Isa. ix. 6,) and THE SON, (Heb. i. 6,) AND THE HOLY GHOST, (2 ARGUMENTS. 127 Cor. iii. 17.) For he declares, ^^ Besides me there is no God^ Isa. xlIv. 6 ; xmii. 10, 11. 53. We worship him as the Apostles worshiped him. Matt, xxviii. 9-17; Luke xxiv. 52. And as all the Angelical hosts worship him^ (Heb. i. 6.) And as all the " redeemed^^ souls of men worship him. (Rev. V. 8 to 14.) So we worship and adore him. 54. Because he hath, in his infinite mercy, re- deemed our souls, and introduced our souls INTO HIS OWN KINGDOM, EVEN "THE KINGDOM OF GOD WITHIN" US, as he declared, (irf="THE KINGDOM OF GOD IS WITHIN Y0U."c4)§ Luke xvii, 21. 55. Which the x4postle testifies is "peace and JOY in the Holy Ghost." Rom. xiv. 17. 56. We worship him because he is our ONLY RIGHTEOUSNESS, Jer. xxxiii. 16; 1 Cor. i. 30; and our ONLY JOY— our ONLY COMFORT. 57. And we worship him, our holy and " Al- mighty" Redeemer, Rev. i. 8, because of the gift of his holy and ^^ perfect love,^^ which is the Holy Ghost, and true comforter ; and which, during his heavenly visitations, fills our souls to overflowing. And we "REJOICE WITH JOY UNSPEAK- ABLE, AND FULL OF GLORY." 1 Peter i. 8. 58. We then worship and ADORE Jesus the LAMB Almighty, from his OWN holy and divine impulses. Glory be to his holy name! 59. And when Jesus \s joy folly triumphant in our souls, and is thus ^'-passing by''^ as a ^^ rushing, mighty wind,^^ Acts ii. 2, his truly regenerated children who have been baptized with the Holy Ghost and with fire, are ^^fllled loith the Holy Ghost.'' Actsiv. 31. 60. "And in the fullness of the blessing," we can " CRY OUT AND SHOUT" as the "Lord Jeho- 128 ARGUMENTS. vah" hath commanded us ; his declaration is, " cry OUT AND SHOUT, thou inhabitant o( ZIO^ ^ for great is the HOLY ONE in the MIDST OF THEE. Hallelujah." See the 12th chapter of Isaiah, 1st to 6th verse. 61. And at such seasons it is just as it was, when Jesus was passing by at his '* descent of the Mount of Olives," for then " the whole multitude of the DISCIPLES" (it is recorded) '' began to REJOICE and PRAISE GOD WITH A LOUD VOICE." 62. And Jesus declared to the Pharisees^ as we say to THEM NOW, '' I TELL YOU IF THESE SHOULD HOLD THEIR PEACE, THE STONES WOULD IMMEDIATELY CRY OUT." Luke xix. 37, 38, 39, 40. See the Prophecy of Zech. ix. 9. 63. And we can then^ when the Holy Ghost is triumphant in us, with a FULL HEART WOR- SHIP JESUS OUR " LORD AND OUR GOD." John XX. 28. And with David and Saint Paul, ex- claim with rapture J thanksgiving and praise! "UN- TO THE SON." (See particularly Heb. i. 8.) 64. "THY THRONE, GOD ! is for ever and eyer.'.'.'" "And there is no God else, besides (thee) a just God and a SAVIOUR, there is NONE ELSE." Isaiah XLV. 21 to 23. 65. " Neither is there salvation in any other. For there is (Ji^none other name under heaven given among men whereby we must be saved, "-^) but thy own holy name, which is JESUS. Acts iv. 12. 66. For there is no LIGHT, and no truth, and no life besides THEE, and to THEE, LORD JESUS ! ALONE BELONGS. 67. Honor and glory, John v. 23 ; might and majesty, Matt, xxviii. 18; 2 Pet. i. 16 ; riches and wisdom, Col. ii, 3; omnipotence (1 Tim. vi. 15), ARGUMENTS. 129 and Omniscience, (John xvi. 30, 31 ;) Omnipresence (John i. 48) and eternal dominion (1 Pet. i 7. 11), NOW, HENCEFORTH, AND FOREVER ! RcV. i. 6 ; ReV. V. 13. 68. And we can bless thee, LORD JESUS, in the language of David, recorded 1 Chron. xxix. 10, 11, 12, and say, "Blessed be thou Lord God of Is- rael, (#-(Rev. xxii. 6) our Father for ever and ever." (John xiv. 7; 1 John ii. 11; Isa. ix. 6.) 69. "Thine, O Lord, is the GREATNESS, (1 Tim. vi. 15,) and the POWER, (Matt, xxviii. 18,) and the GLORY, (Rev. xxi. 23,) and the VIC- TORY, (Matt. xii. 20,) and the MAJESTY, (2 Pet. i. 16 ;) AND ALL THAT IS IN the HEAVEN AND IN THE EARTH, IS THINE." Col. i. 16 ; Heb. i. 2; John iii. 35, xvi. 15; Matt. xi. 27; Rev. i. 18. 70. " Thine is the Kingdom, (Luke i. 33,) O LORD ! and thou 'art exalted as HEAD ABOVE ALL." Col. ii. 9, 10; Rev. xxi. 9-23. 71. "Both RICHES and honor come of Thee, and THOU REIGNEST OVER ALL." Luke i. 33; Heb. i. 8; Rev. xi. 15. 72. For thou ONLY, LORD JESUS, art our "WAY," our "TRUTH," our "LIFE," and "OUR GOD," HENCEFORTH AND FOR- EVER! HALLELUJAH! 73. From number 68 to number 72 we have quoted the thanksgiving and praise of King David, which we have interspersed with references to the New Testament. These references prove that the " LORD GOD of Israel,'' spoken of by David, and JESUS, ''the LORD GOD of the holy Prophets,'' who spoke to Saint John, see Rev. xxii. 6, are one and the same divine person. And we earnestly solicit the reader to refer to them. Glory be to Jesus for ever and ever! Amen. PART THIRD. CHAPTER I. ON THE ORGANIZATION OF THE CHURCH. 1. Our blessed Lord has laid us a foundation for a church. He has laid it in great simplicity ; and gives us authority to commence with a very limited number. He encourages us by saying, "For where TWO OR THREE are gathered together (^IN MY NAME,"^ {the name 0/ Jem^,) " THERE AM I in the MIDST OF THEM." (See Matt, xviii. 20; 1 Cor. v. 4; Luke xxiv. 36.) This is the belief of this church. 2. And we, therefore, recognize any three re- generated individuals, who are " horn again,"^^ by the baptism of ''the Holy Ghost, and with fire," and who embrace the Doctrines and Faith of this Church, as declared in this our Church Book — (that is, in the Introduction, Address, Title, and explana- tion of the title, together with the several articles of faith and principles as laid down therein.) 3. As an INCEPTIVE organization of a branch of this church. And they shall have authority to perform all the spiritual duties of larger congrega- tions. That is, to preach, to pray, and exhort like them ; and may add (according to discipline) to their number, such as are converted (by them as instruments), or may apply for membership out of other churches. ORGANIZATION OF THE CHURCH. 131 4. When they reach the number of THIRTEEN MALE MEMBERS, they shall have authority to organize into an official branch of this church, by appointing two overseers, a clerk, &c. And they shall report said organization to the monthly, or quarterly meetings within their district, when such meetinofs exist. CHAPTER II. THE CHIEF PRESIDING OVERSEER, OR ELDER. 1. This church shall be primarily directed by a chief "OVERSEER," called the CHIEF PRE- SIDING ELDER. 2. His authority shall extend over the country or nation in which he lives, (and of which he must he a citizen, native born,) but shall never extend beyond the same. He shall have no temporal power. His oversight being purely spiritual. 3. He shall have a continual eye to the churches over which he presides, so as to promote love, and harmony amongst the members, and to SEE that each, and every church, are in the FULL SUP- port of the doctrines of the church of the Eternal Son. 4. Each State, Province, or District or Territory, shall also have an Overseer, or Presiding Elder, who shall have the oversight of the churches in the state or district under his care. 5. V^hose power , also, shall be spiritual, and, like that of the Chief Elder, shall not interfere with the secular, or the particular business organization of 132 ORGANIZATION OF THE CHURCH. any church, or its property. He shall have no power to appoint to office, nor to remove from office or membership, but shall bring the offender to trial, before the particular church of which the delinquent may be a member, who shall be duly notified thereof. 6. Each church shall govern its own affiiirs, by a vote of a majority of the male members thereof; and shall each regulate their spiritual and secular affairs in love and peace. 7. And the Overseers are exhorted in the lan- guage of the Apostle, recorded in Acts xx. 28: " Take heed unto yourselves, and to all the flock, over the which the Holy Ghost hath made you OVERSEERS, to FEED the Church of God, which he hath PURCHASED with HIS OWN BLOOD." According to the commandment of our Lord after his resurrection. " Feed my Sheep." " Feed my Lambs." John xxi. 15-17. That is, with the "BREAD OF LIFE which I shall give you." 8. I am THAT "Bread of life," (saith Jesus.) John vi. 48. CHAPTER III. THE QUALIFICATION OF THE CHIEF EL- DER OR OVERSEER. 1. The Chief Elder must have a "full as- surance" (see Heb. vi. 11, and x. 22), that he has been REGENERATED, or has " PASSED FROM DEATH UNTO LIFE." John v. 24. And as a testimony thereof, must have LIVING witness, who have been converted by his immediate instrument- ORGANIZATION OF THE CHURCH. 133 ality, that he has the POWER OF THE HOLY GHOST, to the CONVERSION OF SOULS. By showing such ^^ spintualji'uit,^^ hewill prove himself a "WORKMAN," endowed ^^ with power from on Jiigh.'^^ 2. He must "KNOW" and "HEAR" THE VOICE OF JESUS, and FOLLOW^ HIM as if "YOKED WITH HIM;" see Matt. xi. 29, 30; he Avill THEN be able to GIVE COUNSEL FROM THE IMMEDIATE TESTIMONY OF THE HOLY GHOST, and will be able to say, THE LORD SAITH " YEA," or the Lord saith "NAY," which is wisdom. He must evince by his li/e, conversation, and gifts of the Holy Ghost, that he has received the Holy Ghost. 3. He will then have the spirit of love, THE " Comforter, ^^ and will know how to comfort mourn- ers, and reclaim the wanderer. He will be a true physician, and by faith in the counsel of Jesus, can help the afflicted in body, and in mind; and admi- nister consolation to the sick and dying in the hour of trial. 4. His office is an office of mercy. 5. And yet, it shall be his duty, in overseeing the churches, to WATCH with an eye single to the glory of the Lord Jesus; that all our written doctrines are strictly ?ind faithfully maintained, by the district elders, and the ministers, and helps, and members under their charge. So that all the churches, and the inceptive organizations, may be "OF ONE HEART, AND OF ONE SOUL," as in the days of the Apostles. See Acts iv. 32. 6. We say "written doctrines," because we al- low no " tradition^^ to govern thi^church, or any of 134 ORGANIZATION OF THE CHURCH. its members, according to the saying of Jesus him- self. Mark vii. 13. CHAPTER IV. DURATION OF OFFICE OF THE OVER- SEERS. RESIGNATIONS, &c. 5. He shall hold his office for the term of ten years, and may be elected for other terms, if a majo- rity of the churches in the country so require it. He may be removed from office, if he depart from our written doctrines, or become disqualified by tempta- tions, or hifirmities, from fulfdling the duties of Chief Elder. 6. This shall be done by three delegates from each and all the quarterly meetings, in the nation or country, and the Presiding Elder of each state. But before such a motion can take place, the charges must be set forth in writing, by at least three pre- siding overseers or elders, and the quarterly meetings in three districts or states. When the delegates are organized, the accused shall be allowed proper time to make his defence, and it will require a majority of two-thirds, to remove the chief Overseer or Elder. 7. Each state elder shall be tried for delinquencies in like manner, by a convention of three delegates from each quarterly meeting of the state over w^hich he presides, ^dioh. particular church shall regulate its own internal affairs, according to the rules of this our church book. 8. The chief overseer may resign his office as overseer, but mus* give at least six months'^ notice, of his intentions, by sending a circular {explaining ORGANIZATION OF THE CHURCH. 135 his motives for so doing), to each state or district overseer. It shall be the duty then of the state overseers, to inform the quarterly meetings of their respective districts, of the intended resignation of the chief overseer. 9. Each quarterly meeting shall then appoint three delegates, who, together ivith all the state elders, shall meet in convention, and proceed to elect by ballot, three CANDIDATES for the office of Chief Overseer, and from those candidates, shall elect ONE Overseer, according to the rules laid down ; who shall be the chief overseer or elder elect, of all the churches in the country or nation as aforesaid. He shall then be questioned by the twenty-eight ques- tions, and shall be regularly ordained and appointed according to discipline. 10. The state elders may also resign their office, by giving six months' notice of their intentions by circulars, to the quarterly meetings of the state. 11. Each quarter shall then appoint three dele- gates to meet in a statje convention, who shall elect from the three highest candidates chosen, a state elder or overseer, according to the rules prescribed for the election of a chief overseer. And he shall be questioned by the twenty-eight questions, and confirmed, or ordained, and appointed, according to discipline. 12. It shall be the duty of the chief overseer (if possible), to preside at all times at the immediate ceremony of the confirmation of his successor in office ; but he shall have no vote, or voice in the convention for the election of his successor. He shall also preside at the confirmation o^ a state over- seer, but shall have no voice in the proceedings of the convention. 13. The confirmation of a chief, or state overseer. 136 ORGANIZATION OF THE CHURCH. shall be by the imposition, or " laying on of the hands'''' of the overseers, or of the ministers, or of the spiritual, and gifted members present; because, any living member^ who has the Holy Ghost, may by faith, communicate to a proper recipient the same spirit. See Acts viii. 17. 1 Tim. iv. 14. More- over, in this church, "ONE" is our Lord and "Mas- ter, even "JESUS CHRIST, and all we are Bre- thren.^'' Matt, xxiii. 8. CHAPTER V. MEETINGS OF BUSINESS. 1. There shall be a GENERAL CONFERENCE once a year, of all the churches in the country. And a state CONFERENCE once a year, of all the churches in each state, to be represented by dele- gates, sent from each quarterly meeting. 2. These delegates shall be composed of two or three persons ; but each quarterly meeting shall send an equal number of delegates, the number of which shall be determined by the general and state conferences, as the state of the church may require. 3. The chief elder of the country shall preside over the general conference, if present. 4. The presiding elder of each state shall be one of the delegates from the states, to the general conference. And the presiding elder or overseer of the state, shall preside over the state conference if possible. 5. In each section in the states, there shall be held a QUARTERLY MEETING. And in each ORGANIZATION OF THE CHURCH. 137 quarterly meeting section, one or more monthly- meetings shall be held. 6. The quarterly and monthly meetings SHALL NOT be composed of delegates, but shall BE COM- POSED OF THE MEMBERS GENERALLY ; ANT) THIS CLAUSE SHALL NOT BE ALTERED, NOR AMENDED. 7. Each quarterly and monthly meeting shall ap- point its own officers ; the highest of which shall be a chief clerk and assistant. They shall see that all the transactions of the church are properly recorded. 8. The quarterly and monthly meetings being thus conducted, by a vote of the WHOLE OF THE MEIVIBERS THEREOF: The DELEGATES to the national and state conferences will always be chosen by the GOSPEL RULE oi perfect ^equality in the members of this church, who will thus have a DIRECT VOICE in the state and national con- ferences. CHAPTER VI. ELECTION AND CONFIRMATION OF THE CHIEF PRESIDING OVERSEER OR ELDER. 1. The election and confirmation of the Chief Presiding Overseer or Elder shall be done by a CONVENTION OF DELEGATES from EACH QUARTERLY MEETING throughout the nation, or country, over which he is to preside. 2. Each quarterly meeting, in each state, depart- ment, or district, shall elect for this purpose THREE DELEGATES, from amongst their body, (the ages of which shall not be under twenty-one years.) 21 138 ORGANIZATION OF THE CHURCH. 3. They shall be men of wisdom and faith, but in no case shall an overseer of a particular church be elected a delegate. 4. The delegates thus elected, shall meet in con- vention together, with each state overseer, or elder, who shall always be one of the delegates to these conventions. They shall meet at some central point, and there shall organize, temporarily, by appointing a chairman, and a clerk or secretary, pro tern.; and shall proceed to call over the names of the delegates from the quarterly meetings, by states, in rotation, beginning with the state elder of each ; — which proceeding, with the names of the delegates, the clerks shall carefully record. When this is done, the convention shall organize by electing a Chair- man and a Clerk hy ballot, for the entire sitting of the convention. The clerk and assistants shall make a faithful record of all the proceedings, which proceedings shall be taken charge of by a commit- tee, appointed for that purpose, whose duty it shall be to deliver this record of the proceedings of the convention, to the next general conference, to be carefully preserved by that body. 5. When the convention is fully organized, it shall proceed, viva voce, to nominate candidates for the office of chief overseer. 6. When the nomination has ceased, the conven- tion shall appoint tellers, and then proceed to ballot viva voce, or, by each member rising in his seat, and naming aloud the candidate of his choice. 7. When all have faithfully voted, (for all shall, or must vote,) then the tellers shall proceed to count off the votes for each candidate. And the names of those candidates having the three highest number of votes on the first ballot, shall be the three candi- dates for chief overseer. ORGANIZATION OF THE CHURCH. 139 8. The names of these being duly announced from the chair, the convention shall then proceed to the final election; and in like manner, (viva voce,) vote for chief overseer ; when the candidate from amongst the three, who has received the largest number of votes, (which shall always be a majority of those present, or over one-half of the members present,) shall be the chief presiding overseer, or elder elect. For the election of state elders, see Chapter Vllth. 9. The election being over, the convention shall adjourn for a short season, and at its next sitting, (which shall always be PUBLIC, or with open doors,) the convention shall propose to the Overseer elect, the following questions. 10. JVote. — These questions shall also be proposed to the state overseers elect. Also to such of our ministers, who feel themselves called of God to go forth as traveling preachers, in the holy calling of promulgating the GOSPEL 0/ JESUS, the SON OE GOD ; or to those who may desire to make transient visits to distant parts. QUESTIONS. FIRST QUESTION. THE HOLY TRINITY. 1. Brother, do you believe in the HOLY TRIN- ITY — the Eternal Father, the Eternal Son, and the Eternal Holy Ghost ? — that is, in three divine 140 QUESTIONS. PERSONS ; and yet NOT THREE SEPARATE OR DISTINCT divine IMAGES. 2. Because the Lord Jesus EXPRESSLY, or in DIRECT TERMS, tclls liis Apostles, that HE HIM- SELF is the VERY "FATHER ALSO," personal- ly amongst them ; and that they who saio HIM, ^SAW AND KNEW^ THE FATHER. He therefore saith to Philip, ''And HOW SAITH THOU then, show us the Father?" John xiv. 9. 3. This, brother, you believe? (to these interroga- tions he shall assent, by raising his hand.) And, therefore, you can call JESUS your FATHER ; be- cause he declared he was the "Father also." John xiv. 7. And he saith, " he that seeth ME, seeth him that sent me." John xii. 45. And you believe, that Jesus did not mean by the w^ords " he that seeth me, seeth him that sent me," that he was the father re- presentative or vicar ; but you believe he meant that he was the very father himself, in " Person, Shape, and Image." And that, "besides," or apart from himself, there w^as no God in heaven, or in earth, as he declared: "Is there a God besides me? Yea, there is no God, I know not any.'''* Isa. xLiv. 6, 7, 8. "I and my Father ARE ONE." John x. 30. "I am the first and the last," Rev. i. 17, "even the son of man which is in heaven." John iii. 13. 4. And you call Jesus your Father, because you FEEL you are his son by the ^^ spirit of adoption ;^^ and because he is your MAKER, John i. 3, and h?is purchased you, and ^^ washed (yon) in his own blood;" Rev. i. 5. And declares of him that *' overcometh,'' "I will be HIS GOD, and he shall be MY SON." Rev. xxi. 7. 5. Are you so persuaded? And do you thus believe? To which interrogation, at the END of QUESTIONS. 141 each question, and all that follow, the person ques- tioned shall answer in an audible voice, so as to be heard by the audience, " / am so persuaded,'''' and " / do thus believe without any reservation.^^ SECOND QUESTION, JESUS, THE ONE ONLY GOD. 1. Brother, Saint Paul testifies, that Jesus is " the EXPRESS IMAGE" of the Father's " PER- SON," and that " all the angels of God WORSHIP HIM." 2. But the record of the Apostle, which is most glorious, is, "unto THE SON he saith, thy throne, O GOD, is forever and ever." See Heb. i. 2, 3, 6-8. 3. Saint Paul, in these texts, declares, that '* THE SON IS GOD, and that the throne of the Son is for- ever and ever.'*'' 4. Again, Saint Paul declares, that "JESUS is without BEGINNING of days'' or ''end of life.'' Heb. vi. 20, and vii. 3. 5. Jesus is, therefore, ETERNAL, or without ^* beginning." 6. Saint John declares, " And we have seen, and do testify, that the Father sent THE SON to he THE SAVIOUR of the world." See 1 John iv. 14. Brother, this is also declared in many other Scrip- tures. See Saint Luke, ii. 11 ; John iv. 25, 26-42; 2 Tim. i. 10 ; Titus i. 4, and iii. 6 ; 2 Peter i. 11, and iii. 2. 7. From these holy records, it is irrefragahly true, that " THE SON IS THE SAVIOUR of the world." 142 QUESTIONS. And, therefore, the God of Isaiah the Prophet, de- clares, BEFORE me there was no GOD FORMED, neither shall there he AFTER me; I, even I, am the Lord, and BESIDES ME there is NO SAVIOUR 8. Brother, in these texts the God of Isaiah de- clares positively, that there was no God formed before him, neither would there be after him. And he assures us, he "IS THE LORD," and that separate from him, or besides him, there is no Sa- viour. Besides me, saith he, there is NO SA- VIOUR ! 9. Therefore, brother, as JESUS is positively de- clared, in so many texts, to be the Saviour, he must of necessity be the God of Isaiah, for there is NO Saviour besides hirn, and consequently, Jesus is the ONLY GOD. 10. Jesus, therefore, declares himself TO BE '* the Lord God of the Holy Prophets.'^^ See par- ticularly, Rev. i. 6, 13, 16, he being the same divine "PERSON" the Apostles and all the holy angels worshipped, even Jesus the eternal So7i of God. 12. And you believe, that those who deny this doctrine to be true, deny at once that Jesus is the Saviour. And they deny "the true God, and eter- nal life" which he is. Are you so persuaded, &c. THIRD QUESTION. HIS ETERNITY. 1. Brother, you believe that the SON of God the Father is of EQUAL ETERNITY WITH THE FATHER, and was begotten AS A SON from ALL ETERNITY, and IMMEDIATELY and CONTINU- ATELY, or uninterruptedly, WITH THE FA- QUESTIONS. 143 THER'S OWN EXISTENCE; and at the same ETERNAL INSTANT. And you believe he bore the same relation to the Father, as a Son, FROM ALL ETERNITY, that he DID BEAR whilst IN THE FLESH AT JERUSALEM. Do you thus believe ? 2. And further, you believe the Scriptures, that the SOUL OF JESUS the SON, " THE SON OF MAN," and SON OF GOD, even "THE MAN" WHO WAS CRUCIFIED, who suffered, hied, and groaned on Mount Calvary— you BELIEVE THE SOUL OF THIS MAN PRE-EXISTED IN ETERNITY, that is, existed BEFORE he came down from Heaven ; as he declares to Isaiah. Isa. xLii. 1. 3. Because he, the Lord Jesus himself, DENIES any LINEAGE OR DESCENT. Speaking to the Sadducees, he says, " HOW SAY THEY THAT CHRIST IS DAVID'S SON?" — " DAVID— (jit^CALLETH HIM LORD,e#0 HOW IS HE THEN his SON?" Luke xx. 41, 42, 43, 44. To w^hich TRUTH, we, as a church, respond, and say it is impossible. Saint Paul testifies, in the Epistle to the Hebrews, that "Jesus was WITHOUT FA- THER, and WITHOUT MOTHER, WITHOUT DESCENT, according to the flesh, having neither BEGINNING of DAYS, nor END of life;" Heb. vi. 20; vii. 3; being the SELF-EXISTING, and ETERNAL ONE. Then, brother, because he had no "beginning of days," you believe HIS SOUL COULD NOT BE OF TIME. 4. But you believe this pre-existence of the soul of the Man Christ Jesus, according to HIS OWN declaration to Isaiah the Prophet, chapter forty- second, verse the first. JESUS THE " FIRST AND THE LAST," there declares, "Behold my servant whom 1 uphold, mine elect in whom gt^MY SOULc^D delighteth. 144 QUESTIONS. 5. By THIS you believe that the SOUL of Jeho- vah, he v^ho spake to Isaiah, and who was himself the very " first and the last," (as he declared upon several occasions to the prophet,) — you believe that his soul, as he saith "MY SOUL," was the very soul which he "came down from heaven" IN; and clothed with flesh, from the blessed Virgin Mary. And thus, the "Word was made flesh." You there- fore believe that the Eternal Son, even Jehovah, (or the Lord,) became a true man, and that his soul pre-existed with him " before the foundation of the world." And it was, therefore, that he said, " Let us make man in OUR IMAGE, after OUR LIKE- NESS," Genesis i. 20; that is, after the image ox likeness of the soul of Jesus, the Eternal Son. Are you so persuaded, &c. FOURTH QUESTION. THE INCARNATION. 1. Brother, you believe that "Word," even "the ONLY BEGOTTEN" and eternal Son of the Father, " came down FROM HEAVEN," or " FORTH FROM THE FATHER," and "WAS MADE FLESH," by taking upon him our nature from the ^^ blessed^ ^ Virgin Mary, and ^became MAN like unto US, ''sin excepted;^'' and was born in a manger at Bethlehem, Judea. Do you thus believe ? 2. And, brother, you believe that the FLESH and NATURE derived from the " blessed" virgin, was of the line of David, And that, as GOD THE WORD " TOOK" IT upon HIMSELF, it became QUESTIONS. 145 " GOD'S FLESH AND BLOOD," hy a PERFECT UNION and ASSIMILATION of the "DIVINE NATURE" with the HUMAN NATURE; making ONE WHOLE AND ENTIRE NATURE.' 3. And you believe that "GOD" thus brought himself into the " FORM OF A SERVANT," PhiL ii. 7, and hy this means into a CAPACITY for SUFFERING, DYING, MEDIATING, and ATON- ING for us and our sins. 4. Because, when "GOD" THE FIRST AND THE LAST "came down from Heaven," and me- diated, and died for us, HE MEDIATED ALONE. As he declared to Isaiah ; " I HAVE TRODDEN THE WINE PRESS ALONE"—" The year of my redeemed is come. And I looked, and there (ji^-WAS NONE^ TO HELP, and I wondered, and there was NONE to uphold;" "therefore MINE OWN ARM brought salvation unto me, and my fury it up- held me." Isa. Lxiii. 3, 4, 5; Rev. xix. 13, 14, 15. Are you so persuaded, &c. FIFTH QUESTION. THE SUFFERINGS OF GOD. 1. Brother, you believe that when "God was made flesh," and becameman,HE, the Eternal word or Eternal son, actually suffered in his own divine nature, as he declared, " MY SOUL is exceeding- sorrowful even unto death," Matt. xxvi. 38, — even the very soul he spoke of, when he spake to Isaiah. HE "was touched with a feeling of our infirmities." And that he might feel the power of temptation, and be " able to succor us," Heb. ii. 146 QUESTIONS. 18, he subjected himself VOLUNTARILY, John X. 17, 18; and "ACCORDING TO HIS ETER- NAL PURPOSE," Eph. iii. 11, to "be tempted LIKE AS WE ARE," yet WITHOUT SIN. 2. And further, you believe, that when the Eter- nal Son, even "God" the "Word," "WAS MADE FLESH," and became man, he became man in ONE ENTIRE AND PERFECT NATURE, as before stated. 3. And NOT according to the doctrine of Hy- postasis, or TWO whole and DISTINCT natures, as is now taiight in the schools. 4. But you beUeve, that "God" became man, by a perfect union, mixture, and assimilation with our nature, from the blessed Virgin Mary ; and that the "DIVINE NATURE" and HUMAN NATURE be- came ONE FLESH, in such a manner, that you can say with the Apostle John, "OUR HANDS HAVE HANDLED of the WORD OF LIFE;" and with Saint Paul, "Feed the church of GOD, which HE hath purchased with HIS OWN BLOOD." Acts XX. 28. Are you so persuaded, &c. SIXTH QUESTION. JESUS IS "THE FIRST AND THE LAST." 1. Brother, you believe that JESUS OF NA- ZARETH, the Eternal Son, is our "ALMIGHTY" REDEEMER, " the First and the Last;'' and that NONE should have any excuse, that He declared to St. John, in the Revelation, HE ("the FIRST AND THE LAST)— WAS DEAD;" and that he was "the SON of God." See Rev. i. 17, 18; ii. 8, QUESTIONS. 147 18. And therefore, you believe that there can- not be TWO BEINGS, OR GODS, who can claim the prerogative of being " the First and the Last," or to be WORSHIPPED. 2. And you therefore believe, that JEHOVAH, the God of Jihraham, and oflsaac^ and the Prophets, declared to the Prophet Isaiah, that HE was " the First and the Last," as is recorded in the forty- fourth chapter and sixth verse, as follows : " Thus saith the Lord, the KING of Israel, and his RE- DEEMER, the Lord of Hosts, I AM THE FIRST AND I AM THE LAST, and BESIDES ME THERE IS NO GOD." 3. You, therefore, in accordance with the express and immediate declaration of the Lord Jesus, in the Revelations, and THIS his declaration to Isaiah^ be- lieve there cannot be but one god. And that con- sequently, there is NO GOD BUT JESUS, the FIRST AND THE LAST, and no other BEING IN HEA- VEN or in earth, that you can LAW'FULLY w^or- ship. The Apostles WORSHIPPED JESUS. See Luke xxiv. 52. Matt, xxviii. 17. And the "wise men" and others worshipped him, which he re- ceived as his due. And the Apostle Paul declares of the SON, "LET ALL THE ANGELS OF GOD W'ORSHIP HIM." Heb. i. 6. 6. Brother, you therefore trxily and verily believe that JESUS, THE SON of the Father, W^AS W^ORSHIPPED. And that he himself expressly de- clares, that the "LORD THY GOD" ONLY shall be worshipped and served. See Luke iv. 8. 7. Therefore, you believe, that as HE RE- CEIVED DIVINE WORSHIP AS HIS DUE— AS HIS RIGHT, and also JUST ADORATION, He, consequently, xMUST BE "THE LORD GOD," as he declared he was. Rev. xxii. 6. 148 QUESTIONS. 8. And you verily believe, that when you WOR- SHIP JESUS ONLY, you worship the whole Trinity; because the Father and the Holy Ghost are the same in identity as Jesus, (Isa. ix. 6 ; 1 Cor. xv. 45 ;) and are one with, and in Jesus, and dwell in him, (called the second person in the Holy Trinity,) ^'bodily,^^ even as they have dwelt FROM ALL ETERNITY; Jesus, who died on the cross, and washed us in his own blood, being the one only living and "TRUE GOD" whom angels or men can lawfully worship. Amen, Lord Jesus ! Are you so persuaded, &c. SEVENTH QUESTION. THE ATONEMENT. 1. Brother, you believe in the Atonement for sin, by the BLOOD OF JESUS. And brother, you implicitly believe the declaration of Saint Paul, whilst under the immediate influence of the Spirit of Prophecy, recorded in Acts xx. 28, — that the ''OVERSEERS" should "feed the Church of God, which he hath purchased {Ji^-W^ITH HIS OWNBLOOD."^ 2. And you do by this Scripture, understand and believe, that Saint Paul declared, that JESUS, the only begotten SON, and Man who died on the cross on Mount Calvary, WAS GOD; and that he ran- somed, redeemed, and purchased you by the blood oj his cross, shed on Mount Calvary. 3. And in confirmation of this blessed truth, we need but refer to the first chapter of the Revelation of Saint John, where Jesus made a more glorious QUESTIONS. 149 til anife station of himself, in his unveiled Glory, as follows: *'And when I SAW HIM, (saith Saint John,) I FELL AT HIS FEET AS DEAD, and he laid his RIGHT HAND UPON ME, saying unto me. Fear not, I AM THE FIRST AND THE LAST, lam he that liveth AND WAS DEAD." 4. Here we have an open declaration, brother, THAT THE FIRST AND THE LAST WAS THE MAN who died on Calvary. And that no man can look upon his glorious body, even the body of "Je- sus," the "Son of man," who was dead: — and LIVE ; which agrees with his saying to Moses, Exodus xxxiii. 20, "For there shall no man see me and live." Are you so persuaded, &c. EIGHTH QUESTION. THE MEDIATION. 1. Beloved brother, are you persuaded from the Scriptures, and the testimony of the Holy Spirit on your own heart, that it was JEHOVAH, THE ETERNAL SON INCARNATE, even "GOD" THE "WORD," who SUFFERED, in his oion na- ture, and poured out his precious blood on the Cross, and DIED between two thieves. 2. IT WAS HE (JEHOVAH) who MEDIATED BY HIMSELF between Man and the PENALTY of ETERNAL DEATH— the CURSE consequent on Adam's transgression. 3. The Apostle declares, by ONE MAN sin en- tered into the world, and DEATH by SIN. Rom. V. 12. And speaking of himself and the disciples, 150 QUESTIONS. he says, "WE were by nature, children of wrath EVEN AS OTHERS." Eph. 11. 3. 4. Brother, you therefore believe that we have INNATE, or Original Sin, and that "GOD," "BY HIMSELF," Heb. 1. 3, hath redeemed us from this curse, Gal. iil. 13, and hath purchased us with his OWN BLOOD, gwmg infinite merit to his death. Are you so persuaded, &c. NINTH QUESTION. THE REIGN OF THE LORD JESUS WILL HAVE NO END. Luke 1. 33. 1. Brother, you believe that the Lord Jesus will REIGN OMNIPOTENT FOR EVER AND EVER, and that the record of Saint Paul, 1 Cor. xv. 27th, 28th, and 29th verses, where he declared, "then shall the son also himself ht subject unto hiin that d\&put all things under him," CANNOT BE LITERALLY CONSTRUED, without MAKING VOID numerous passages in the writings of the same Apostle, and the sayings of JESUS himself, and his immediate Apostles. It would also make void the prophecies, and destroy the iifinite atone- ment. See the Eleventh Question. 2. The Literal Construction put on the texts 1 Cor. XV. 27th, 28th, and 29th verses is, that after the end OF THE WORLD, " the SON himself" wlll bc eternally "SUBJECT" TO and SUBORDINATE "TO" God "the Father." 3. Such a literal construction is directly opposed to the doctrines of this church, and would support the sentiments of Arius or Socinus. QUESTIONS. 151 4. Brother, you are, therefore, PERSUADED, and you BELIEVE, that it would he indispensably requi- site for the preservation of the doctrines of Jesus Christ, set forth in the Old and New Testaments, and for the preservation of the Doctrines of the Church of the Eternal Son, to reject this clause of the fifteenth chapter of the first of Corinthians, 27th, 28th, and 29th verses, altogether, RATHER than ADOPT the aforesaid literal meaning into the be- lief of the Church of the Eternal Son. 5. Because this construction is, that the great Jehovah, see Isa. 12th chapter, 2d verse, the "I AM," John viii. 58, "THE FIRST AND THE LAST," and "ONLY GOD," Isa. xlIv. 6, Rev. i. 8, 18, and "the SON," of whom Saint Paul him- self 2ind David saith, THY THRONE, GOD, IS {^FOREVER AND EVER,^} Hebrews i. 8; we say, the literal construction is this: that THIS DIVINE BEING, even "GOD HIMSELF," ac- cording TO St. Paul's own writings, see Heb. i. 8, and Rom. ix. 5, will, at the end of the world, BECOME SUBJECTED TO ANOTHER GOD. This is impossible. 6. Brother, we leave the clause 1 Cor. xv. 27-29 verses, stand, without further comment, as a record incomprehensible to us, in connection with the Scrip- tures of the Old and New Testaments. Moreover, a literal interpretation would directly oppose, and utterly confuse numerous Scriptures in the Pro- phets, the Gospels, and in Saint Paul's own Epistles, and make him AT VARIANCE WITH HIMSELF. 7. Jesus declares, / and my Father ARE ONE, John X. 30; which words, brother, you believe to mean, ONE IN PERSON, John xiv. 7; ONE IN ESSENCE, because Begotten, John iii. 16 ; ONE in ETERNAL GLORY, Rev. xxi. 23 ; ONE in 152 QUESTIONS, POWER, Matt, xxviii. 18, John v. 21 ; ONE in KNOWLEDGE and in OMNISCIENCE, John xvi. 30, 31; ONE in OMNIPRESENCE, John iii. 13, Matt, xviii. 20, Col. i. 17 ; ONE in ETERNITY, John X. 15, John i. 1, 1 John i. 1,2; ONE in crea- tive POWER, John v. 19 ; ONE in DURATION, and in ETERNAL IDENTITY, Hebrews i. 10, 11, 12, PsaL cii. 24, 25, 26, 27, Heb. xiii. 8; ONE in ETERNAL SOVEREIGNTY; and to be EQUALLY WORSHIPPED, John v. 23, Heb. i. 8, Rev. xxi. 5, 6, 7, Luke i. 33,^ Rev. iv. 10, 11, (v. 12,) i^XY. 3, 4.^) 8. Brother, in referring to these texts, the Glorious truth, recorded in the Revelation 22d chapter, 6th verse, that Jesus is "the Lord God of the- Holy Prophets," will be supported and established. The record is, "And he said unto me, these sayings are faithful and TRUE, and the 0#=LORD GOD.#D OF THE HOLY PROPHETS sent HIS angel to shoio unto his servants the things which must shortly be done ;" and in the same chapter, and in the 16th verse, it is written (Jr^-" I, JESUS,^ have SENT {ji^-MINE ANGELA to testify unto you these things in the Churches." And he declares, " he that over- cometh shall inherit all things, and I will be HIS GOD, and he shall be MY SON. Glory be to Jesus " our Father P' who calls us HIS SONS ! 9. In these records, brother, you at once discover, and perceive beyond a doubt, that the " LORD GOD of the holy prophets,'' and the LORD JESUS, "are one" and the SAME PERSON. JJnd that therefore Jesus cannot be SUBJECT unto any being. Are you persuaded of the foregoing truths, and do you thus believe .^ I am so persuaded, &c. QUESTIONS. 153 TENTH QUESTION. JESUS THE ETERNAL AND ALMIGHTY MAKER, AND PRESERVER OF ALL THINGS. 1. Beloved brother, you are persuaded, and do believe, That the Eternal Son of the Father, even JESUS, the MAN who suffered, bled, and died on the Cross on Mount Cavalry; you believe that this MAN is the MAKER, John i. 3, Heb. i. 2, CRE- ATOR, Ephe. iii. 9, Col. i. 16, and PRESERVER, Heb. i. 3, Col. i. 17, o^ all things unexceptionahly . 2. John records " He was IN the world, and the world was MADE BY HIM," John i. 10. The Lord Jehovah declared to Isaiah, Isa. XLviii. 12, 13, "I AM THE FIRST AND I ALSO AM THE LAST. MINE HAND ALSO HATH LAID THE FOUN- DATIONS OF THE EARTH, and my right hand hath spanned the heavens. '^^ 3. In the first part of the foregoing record, JEHO- VAH uses the very same words that the SON uttered to Saint John WHEN DESCRIBING HIS OWN ETERNAL DURATION. "I am the First and I also am the Last," SAITH JEHOVAH; "I am the First and I am the Last," SAITH JESUS. There- fore, brother, you believe that the names Jehovah and Jesus mean the same divine Being, the creator and maker of all things. And for this reason there is NO " Father" ABOVE the Son to whom HE could give his glory, nor any Being to whom the Son can he subject, either in time, or in eternity. 4. Moreover, if Jesus, "the First and the Last," was to GIVE HIS GLORY TO ANOTHER and be SUBJECT to him, then his declaration, "I WILL 13 154 QUESTIONS. NOT GIVE MY GLORY TO ANOTHER," would not standi but be untrue. See Isa. XLviii. 11, 12. 5. And it would also set aside the Divine Glory and Majesty of the same " First and the Last," when he manifested himself to Saint John in the Revela- tion, whom John could not look upon and live, who called himself "THE ALMIGHTY," Rev. i. 8. and '^the SON of God." Rev. ii. 18 : HE, whose ^^ words are true and faithful, "^"^ and who declared, "Heaven and earth shall pass away, but MY WORDS shall not pass away^ Matt. xxiv. 35. 6. Brother, you therefore believe implicitly, and without a doubt, that JESUS is the Eternal Son, or Eternal as a Son. And do you understand by the words *' only begotten Son," an^" goings forth from EVERLASTING," Micah v. 2, to mean ''Eternal Generation?" (See Illustrations, Ch?i\-). 1st, Part 4th.) And that the Son of the Father is absolutely — posi- tively—and unconditionally ETERNAL AS A SON? And do you understand that we mean that the SON as a Son, had no beginning? for you perceive that if he had any beginning, he would still be limited, and would not be eternal, but of limited duration. But you understand with the Prophet Micah that "his goings forth have been from of old, from everlast- ing.''^ Jesus the Son is, therefore, absolutely eter- nal. Brother, do you therefore understand by the words "only begotten Son," and "Eternal Genera- tion," an INSTANTANEOUS and ETERNAL AC'Pr by which God manifested himself to himself in his INFINITE PERFECTION as ''the brightness ofhis glory," AS JESUS, the Eternal Son, Jesus being "BY HIMSELF," the very "Eternal Godhead," in unity, and in TRINITY "BODILY?" You, therefore, worship JESUS, and believe him to be the " Eternal and Almighty Maker" and preserver of all things. Are you so persuaded, &c. QUESTIONS. 155 ELEVENTH QUESTION. JESUS CHRIST THE SAME YESTERDAY, TO-DAY, AND FOR EVER. Heb. xiii. 8. 1. Brother, as the Lord Jesus Christ himself CciWed Saint Paul to the ministry^ so we are hound to give him all Apostolical reverence and credence. We, therefore, now offer those glorious passages found in his own writings, which powerfully support the UNCHANGEABLE GLORY of the SON OF GOD, and establish his everlasting and ETERNAL "DO- MINION" AND "REIGN." See Luke i. 33. 2. In Acts XX. 28, Saint Paul declares, whilst in the spirit of prophecy, "Feed the Church of GOD which he hath purchased with HIS OWN BLOOD." The SON, according to this declaration of Saint Paul, MUST BE GOD, for it was the Son which died. 3. Again: "Of whom, as concerning the flesh, Christ came, w^ho is over all, GOD Blessed forever ."^"^ See Rom. ix. 5. In this text the Apostle again calls Christ'' '■God.'''' Again : "Accordingto the command- ment of the everlasting God," Rom. xvi. 26. Here h'e c^lls Jesus Christ the everlasting God. Again : "No man can say that JESUS is the LORD, but by the Holy Ghost." 1 Cor. xii. 3. Saint Paul here clearly tells us, that it requires the inspiration of the Holy Ghost to call JESUS LORD, so difficult is it to believe that he is "Lord and God." 4. Again : " The^r^^ man is of the earth, earthy. THE SECOND MAN IS THE LORD FROM HEAVEN." See 1 Cor. xv. 47. How, then, can he give up his kingdom and be subject to any one? It is against all the sacred records, and impossible, because he declares the MAN TO BE "GOD," 156 QUESTIONS. and the "Lord from heaven!" Again, he records, "Christ Jesus, who, being in the FORM of God, thought it not rohhery to be EQUAL WITH GOD"— see Phil. 2, 6; — the Son being the Father's equal. 5. Again: "Who created all things BY JESUS CHRIST." Eph. iii.9. Again: "Whohath trans- lated us into the kingdom of his DEAR SON, for BY HIM wei'e all things created that are in heaven, and in earth, ALL THINGS were CREATED BY HIM, and (Ji^-FOR HIM.e#§ And he is before all things, and BY HIM all things CONSIST.'" See Colos. i. 13, 16, 17. 6. According to this text, the SON of the Fa- ther CREATED all things FOR HIMSELF, and UPHOLDS all things, for by him ALL THINGS CONSIST. Again : "According to the glorious gos- pel of the blessed GOD," 1 Tim. i. 11, 12. In the 6th chapter of 1 Timothy, St. Paul gives Timothy various commandments. "I give thee charge,^^ (saith he,) "that thou keepthis commandment with- out spot, until the appeanns; of our LORD JESUS CHRIST, which in HIS TIMES he will shew." (That is, "he will shew" whether you have kept these commandments.) 7. "WHO IS the blessed and ONLY POTENT- ATE, the King of Kings, and Lord of Lords." See 1 Tim. vi. 14, 15. And, as a final quotation from St. Paul, to prove that the texts in 1 Cor. xv., 27th, 28th verses, are not to be literally understood, that is, in the sense that the SON w-ill be subject to the Father, he declares, quoting from the Prophet David, "But unto the SON he saith, THY THRONE, GOD, IS FOREVER AND EVER." See Heb. i. 8. 8. And, as he says to Timothy that Jesus is the "ONLY POTENTATE," you believe the Record of Saint Luke, that to the reign of JESUS the Son, and his kingdom, there will be NO END. Luke i. 33. QUESTIONS. 157 9. And you believe the record of Saint John, Rev. xi. 15, that "the kingdoms of this world have be- come the kingdoms oj" our Lord and his Christ, and HE SHALL REIGN FOR EVER AND EVER;" which Saint Paul himself thus confirms, " JESUS CHRIST," "the SAME YESTERDAY and TO- DAY and FOR EVER." Heb. xiii. 8. Therefore, as he hath ALL POWER in heaven and in earth now, Matt, xxviii. 18, his power and reign will be "for ever." Brother, are you so persuaded, &c. TW^ELFTH QUESTION. SPECIAL GIFTS. 1. Brother, when Saint Paul testified concern- ing the various spiritual gifts, manifested in the Churches at his day, enumerated in 1 Cor. 12th Chap., 4th to 12th verses, he declared that they were all given By the Spirit, which was according to the promise of our Lord himself. John xiv. 26. 2. Do you believe that the GIFTS there enume- rated are NOW ATTAINABLE by a TRUE and LIVING BELIEF in the Lord Jesus ? for he declares, *'He that believeth ON ME, the works that I do SHALL HE DO ALSO." See John xiv. 12; Markxvi. 17, 18. 3. Brother, you therefore believe, that they who believe without a doubt that the Man Jesus Christ of Nazareth "is the TRUE GOD and Eternal Life," 1 John V. 20, and only God, have received the Holy Ghosts — " for no man can saythat JESUS isthe Lord but BY the Holy Ghost ;^^ — and that by the power of this spirit they can perform all that has been pro- mised them by their Divine "Master.'*" 158 QUESTIONS. 4. Yet, Brother, you are persuaded, that the con- version or regeneration of the souls of men is im- measurably above all other considerations, and should claim the concentrated energies of every member of this church, as the Lord giveth him abi- lity. Are you so persuaded, &c. THIRTEENTH QUESTION. MIRACULOUS FAITH. 1. Brother, in the Gifts mentioned by the Apos- tle, 12th Corinthians, is the Gift of Faith, verse 9th. Do you believe that the Faith there spoken of, is an ESPECIAL GIFT ? And, although the regene- ration of the soul, called Conversion, is of all the " Operations" of the Holy Ghost the most wonderful, 2. Yet you understand by the words of the Apos- tle ^^ to another faith, '^'' to mean a particular gift to one that is ALREADY Born again : 3. And to rnean a miraculous Faith, which is all powerful; and which is " divine substance'''' and " evidence,'''' Heb. xi. 1 ; and therefore depends not on QUANTITY, hut is a pure belief without doubt — which, though as small "as a grain of mustard seed," can do all wonders. " Nothing shall be impossible," (saith Jesus,) to those who possess this grain of faith. See Matt. xvii. 20. 4. Our Lord, however, declares unto us, Mark xi. 29, that "this Jdnd {of faith) can come forth by NOTHING but by FASTING AND PRAYER." This was when he cast out the deaf and dumb spirit. This is that which we call a Miraculous Faith, through THE POWER OF JESUS. Are you so persuaded, &c. QUESTIONS. 159 FOURTEENTH QUESTION. BELIEF. 1. Brother, are you persuaded that ^ when Jesus declared, " He that helieveth on the Son, hath ever- lasting life, and he that believeth not THE SON, shall not SEE LIFE, but the wrath of God ahideth on him,'''' John iii. 36, he meant that Jcind of belief which the thief on the cross attained unto, that is, he believed JKSVS WAS HIS LORD, the true Mes- siah, and would REIGN over him ? because he said, " Lord REMEMBER ME when thou comest into THY KINGDOM." 2. And Jesus said unto him, " THIS DAY shalt thou be WITH ME IN PARADISE." Luke xxiii. 42, 43. This thief it appears, had no merit, no good works to plead. But BY A LIVING BELIEF that JESUS was HIS GOD AND SAVIOUR, he per- formed at once ALL THE WORKS NECESSARY TO SALVATION. This belief saved him. 3. Jesus declares, " For unto whomsoever MUCH is given, of him shall much be required,''^ Luke xii. 48 ; admonishing all who have GIFTS, or talents, to " PAY HIM WITH USURY," and bring ''forth MUCH FRUIT," John XV. 5, to his honor and glory. 4. The invitation is, "Let him that is athirst come, and whosoever will, let him take the water of life FREELY," Rev. xxii. 17, and ''without money and WITHOUT PRICE," Isaiah lv. 1, like the penitent thief on the cross. 5. The Jews asked Jesus how they might work the works of God. "Jesus answered and saith unto them, THIS IS THE WORK OF GOD, that ye BELIEVE ON HIM whom he hath sent." John vi. 28, 29. This alone saves the soul. 160 QUESTIONS. 6. Because " the Lord our God is ONE LORD," Mark xii. 29, so it is those only who can WORSHIP JESUS, and call HIM that Lord "by the Holy Ghost," WHO BELIEVE unto SALVATION. Such a belief produces holiness of life and conversation, and all good works as ITS FRUIT. Are you thus persuaded, &c. FIFTEENTH QUESTION. ON CONVICTION. 1. Brother, you believe that evangelical, or GOS- PEL CONVICTION, is that operation of the Holy Ghost on the soul, which DRIVES, or IMPELS A MAN to enter into a state of ''''godly sorrow'''' and repentance AGAINST HIS NATURAL WILL? 2. And although he would QUENCH the opera- tions of the Holy Spirit, to ease his conscience, and thus, like SAUL OF TARSUS, Acts ix. 4, b, fight against God, yet having this EFFECTUAL CALL, (Rom. viii. 28, 29, 30 ; Heb ix. 15,) " the LOVE of God CONSTRAINETH HIM" to seek deliverance from the load of guilt and sin which now oppresses his soul, by the various means of salvation afford- ed him. He is ^^drawn^^ unto Jesus, and is hum^ bled into repentance, into a sincere, heartfelt, and '' GODLY SORROW not to he repented o/." 2 Cor. vii. 10. 3. And you believe, brother, that this anxiety, tribulation, anguish, and '•'■groaning, w^hich cannot he uttered,'' Rom. viii. 26, TO BE THE CONDI- TION OF ALL WHO ARE "CALLED OF GOD," before their souls can be '''•horn again,''' and come QUESTIONS. 161 " into the glorious liberty of the children of God." Rom. viii. 21. 4. All unregenerated persons have to pass through this trial, whether they be open sinners, or rigid moralists ; ALL must pass through this AN- GUISH. Because " strait, (or distressful,) is the gate, and narrow is the way that leadeth unto life." Matt. vii. 14 ; and because the strong gates of hell, and of death, w^ould STILL BAR UP the soul, as they did before the " Lion of the Tribe of Judah prevailed''^ over them, and opened the w^ay of salva- tion, and of eternal life. And do you believe that we must enter through the " strait gate unto li/e^^ in this life, or perish. 5. JESUS IS OUR " WAY," brother; and if HE, the " holy one^^ of Israel, Acts iii. 14, had to pass through this ANGUISH in the garden, and when he consummated OUR REDEMPTION on the cross '' IN HIMSELF," see Col. ii. 15, wo unto the moralist that is still sleeping the sleep of death, with- out "OIL in his lamp." Brother, you, as all con- verted persons, know and feel those truths. Are you so persuaded, &c. SIXTEENTH QUESTION. THE NEW BIRTH. 1. Brother, you believe that when a man is '' co7i- verted,^^ ^^translated,^^ regeverated, or " born again,^^ he is BAPTIZED WITH THE HOLY GHOST AND WITH FIRE, as in the days of the Jlpostles. Be- cause, WE ARE GENTILES. And on the GEN- TILES ALSO (saith the Apostle), " was poured out the Gft of the Holy Ghosts 16^ QUESTIONS. 2. Saint Peter declares, Acts xi. 15, "And as I began to speak, the HOLY GHOST FELL ON THEM AS ON US AT THE BEGINNING." He further declares, Acts xv. 9, "And God, which knoweth the hearts, bare them witness, giving THEM the Holy Ghost, EVEN AS HE DID UNTO US, AND PUT NO DIFFERENCE between US AND THEM, purifying their hearts by faith." 3. You are, therefore, persuaded, brother, that NONE are "co7iver^e6?," " translated,'''^ regenerated, or ''horn again,'' and made "SURE" HEIRS OF SALVATION, unless they have received the Holy Ghost. 4. And you believe, brother, that TO BE "BORN AGAIN," is an INSTANTANEOUS ACT of God's unmerited mercy, and follow^s conviction and repentance ; and is not PROGRESSIVE, as some assert; the "transition" being IMMEDI- ATELY "from death unto life.''' And we are " translated INTO THE KINGDOxM of" the "DEAR SON," saith the Apostle. Col. i. 13. And "the Kingdom of God" is then manifested " within us,'^ as Jesus declares. See Luke xvii. 21. 5. And often the new^-born children of Jesus, like those who are older in grace, "in the fullness of the blessing," cry aloud and shout, and laugh, " with joy unspeakable and /i^// o/ GLORY;" and the out- ward senses and animation are often suspended, by the unspeakable ^o^K ex ?iW(\ love of Jesus, even by THE SHOWERS of his grace, as is manifested in the Methodist i:V\SCOVMuCR\]KCY{. See Psal. Lxxii. 6 ; Hosea vi. 3. Brother, do you thus believe? 6. And have you determined, through the blessing of Jesus, aiding you in your official capacity, to watch over this church and its holy doctrines with all diligence and care, and to SEE that the Gospel has " free course?" QUESTIONS. 163 7. Brother, as the GIFTS and OPERATIONS of the Holy Ghost, mentioned in paragraph 5th, and in the Address, and other rules of discipline of this church, necessarily promote the salvation of souls, and are the immediate FK\jYV of the New Birth, you will SEE that those glorious operations are not ob- structed^ clogged, or hindered by those who have " left their first love," or who may sleep in spirit, or are neither " cold nor hot.'^^ 8. And with all diligence, brother, you promise, through the help of Jesus, to teach all men that they " must be born again." And that, TO BE born of God is not merely to he justified, or to have our sins pardoned ; but that it is to become A " NEW CREA- TURE," yea, ?iS perfectly so, as when we w^ere born naturally into this world. And the soul is then IRRE- VOCABLY married unto the Lamb, John x. 28, and obtains " the {eternal) wedding garment,'^'' which is JESUS himself, " The Lord OUR RIGHTEOUS- NESS," Jer. xxiii. 6, who makes HIS ABODE in the soul, John xiv. 23; and that this is that state which we call CHRISTIAN PERFECTION. 9. And then, the soul has perpetual admission unto the ^^ Marriage Supper," and joys of "the Lamb"— "Almighty." See Rev. xix. 7, 9. And you believe, that those " who climb up into the sheep- fold, in any other WAY," and who have not been clothed with this " wedding garment, ^"^ will be " cast (as Jesus declares of one who had not this garment on), into outer darkness; there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth." See Matt. xxii. 9-13. 10. Brother, in consideration of the importance of this glorious new-birth, you have determined to em- ploy all your powers, to impress on the minds of ALL, that they are "BY NATURE children of wrath,'' and are SPIRITUALLY DEAD, Eph. ii. 1 ; and 164 QUESTIONS. that the soul is barred and locked up by ^^the gates of deathy^^ Psal. ix. 13, and "the gates of hell,^'' Matt. xvi. 18. 11. And that, being thus barred and locked up^ the SOUL must inevitably and certainly PERISH, un- less it breaks those bars, and bursts the gates of hell and of death which enclose it, by the new birth. 12. AND THAT THIS NEW'BIRTH of the soul is effected, or done, by the Almighty power of Jesus , who only and alone has "the KEYS of hell and of death," as he declared. Rev. i. 18. And brother, you believe, and will teach, that "there is none other name under Heaven, given among men, whereby we must be saved, (but) the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth." For there is no name but the name JESUS which can avail or profit the soul in its strug- gle for the new birth. Acts x. 10, 12. 13. And you will show unto ALL, as Jesus, your "Lord and God" and only Saviour, giveth you ability, that the soul of eve?^ unregenerated man is thus baiTcd and locked up. And as this is the condi- tion of ALL, show them that they " MUST be BORN AGAIN." So saith Jesus. John iii. 3, 4, 5. They MUST be born AGAIN, or they CANNOT SEE, nor ENTER INTO, the Kingdom of God, saith Jesus. 14. The "young man" in the Gospel, recorded Matt. xix. 20, kept ALL the commandments from his "youth up," and yet he " lacked" the one only thing needful, namely, " treasure in heaven.'^'' He was not " born again." Therefore, brother, we exhort you to show unto ALL, that they "MUST be born again.''^ They must pass through the strait and narrow way, the way of conviction, of distress, of repentance, and of mourning, and the final anguish, and struggle of the neio birth; which 07ily and alo7ie can deliver the soul from "the worm (that) diethnot,^^ and from " the fire that is not quenched." Mark ix. 44 — 48. QUESTIONS. 165 15. And, beloved brother, you can tell them from your own experience that no outward penance^ or good works, even to give " the body to be burned^^ as a sacrifice, can save the soul; but we "MUST be born again." Then we obtain " that which is PER- FECT," which is " CHARITY," which " is LOVE, which 15 JESUS." Amen! Hallelujah! Brother, you do thus promise. And are you so persuaded, &c. SEVENTEENTH QUESTION. ON THE FULL ASSURANCE OF ETERNAL LIFE. 1. Brother, you believe that those who are con- verted, have a Jull assurance of eternal life. They are those who are "born of God," regenerated, or "born again," by the baptism of the ^^ Holy Ghost, and iidth Jire,^^ whom the Lord Jesus denominates HIS SHEEP. THESE HAVE A FULL AS- SURANCE OF ETERNAL LIFE {even from youth until old age), from the blessed promise of Jesus himself, as follows: 2. "My sheep HEAR MY VOICE, and I KNOW THEM, and they FOLLOW ME. And I give unto them ETERNAL LIFE, and they shall ^NEVER PERISH."c^} John X. 27, 28. 3. Nevertheless, so long as we are in the world, we "shall have tribulation^'^'' saith our Master, and temptations, and pain. But his spirit, the Holy Ghost and Comforter, gives us A CONTINUAL VICTORY. For we "are sealed,^'' and have be- come " HEIRS" oi' salvation and life eternal. 166 QUESTIONS. 4. And you believe that those who doubt these truths, are ^^ servants'*^ only, and not "50715;" and that such may "fall away" after being justified, or after pardon for sin; and that they raay even have " TASTED of the heavenly gift, and be made par- takers of the Holy Ghost," and yet fall away beyond repentance. See Heb. vi. 1-6; Luke 8 to 15. 5. But you believe CHRIST'S "SHEEP," those who are " born of God" or " born again," "SHALL NEVER PERISH." And you do thus fully be- lieve, and can say with Saint Paul, (recorded in an- other Scripture,) "For I am persuaded that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor 'principalities, nor powers, nor \h\x\gs present, nor THINGS TO COME, nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall he able to separate US from the LOVE OF GOD, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord." Rom. viii. 38, 39. That is, US "who are born of God." 6. Because " whosoever is born of God (saith Saint John) doth not commit sin; for HIS SEED remaineth IN HIM, and he CANNOT SIN, because he IS born of God.'' See 1 John iii. 9. "And if any man sin a sin which is not unto death,'' we have an ADVOCATE, even JESUS, '' our righteousness" "WITHIN US." And this is that DIVINE SEED which '"'■ keepeth" US, so that we cannot ''sin unto death." Are you thus persuaded, &c. EIGHTEENTH QUESTION. NONE WERE "BORN AGAIN" OR ASCENDED UP TO HEAVEN, BEFORE THE RESURREC- TION OF THE LORD JESUS. John iii. 13. 1. Brother, you believe the saying of Jesus to Nicodemus, " NO MAN HATH ASCENDED UP QUESTIONS. 167 TO HEAVEN but HE that came down from hea- ven, even the SON OF MAN which is IN HEA- VEN." John iii. 13. We therefore cannot see into the conditio?! of Enoch, of Moses, and Elijah or Elias, before Christ's resurrection; they may have been in Paradise, whither the penitent thief went. See Luke xxiii. 43. 2. It is recorded in Saint Matthew xxvii. 52d and 53d verses, as follows: "And the graves were opened, and many bodies of the saints which SLEPT, AROSE and come out of the graves AFTER HIS RESURRECTION, and went into the HOLY CITY, and appeared unto many.'*'' See Rev. xxi. 1-7. 3. By these texts you are persuaded, that "wo man'*'' ascended up to heaven before the resurrection of Jesus. 4. Because those who slept before his resurrec- tion THEN FIRST AROSE, and "went into the Holy City." But you believe this implicitly because JESUS HIMSELF SAITH SO, in the text, John iii. 13. 5. Jesus declares, "I AM THE RESURREC- TION AND THE LIFE." 6. Therefore, brother, you believe with this church, THAT AS "THE HOLY GHOST WAS NOT YET GIVEN," see John vii. 39; and not be- stowed as 2i general gift, until the day of Pentecost, see Acts i. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 ; and Acts ii. 17, 18 ; there- fore, none were '•^born again'*'' (see Luke xxii. 32) until that day. For it is " written, Abram believed God, and it was COUNTED unto him for righteous- ness." Rom. iv. 3, 22. But none were baptized " with the HOLY GHOST and with fire," Matt, iii. 11, or were "born again," in theGospel sense. 7. Therefore those who died loving the Lord, ^^ slept' ^ in hope until Jesus " quickened'''' them in his 168 QUESTIONS. resurrection, and delivered them from death, and the grave. Are you so persuaded, &c. NINETEENTH QUESTION. GOD'S FOREKNOWLEDGE AND DECREES. 1 . Brother, do you believe that JESUS, our " Lord and our God," John xx. 28, FOREKNOWS, (ji^John xvi. 30,^ and has FOREORDAINED ALL THINGS. And that we have no right to QUESTION the wisdom and justice of his DE- CREES. 2. In Isaiah xLvi. 9,10, he declares, "MY COUN- SEL SHALL STAND, AND I WILL DO ALL MY PLEASURE." This is conclusive. This you believe. And, further, you have read the chapter on Pre- destination, Part IV., Chapter 10; and believe the doctrines there laid down. Are you thus persuaded, &c. TWENTIETH QUESTION. **WITH GOD ALL.THINGS ARE POSSIBLE." 1. Brother, you believe that with JESUS, "our Lord and our God," "ALL THINGS ARE POSSIBLE," as Jesus declared. And that JESUS has a SUPREME RIGHT to dispense mercy or judgment to his creatures AT HIS PLEASURE. See John v. 21, and ix. 39. 2. And, therefore, it is wrong even for the sake QUESTIONS. 169 of argument, to QUESTION THIS SUPREME AND ETERNAL RIGHT IN JESUS to say, or to do, or to promise anything. 3. And all his children should, in all humility, say, ^*JUST AND TRUE ARE THY WAYS, THOU KING OF SAINTS." Rev. xv. 3. 4. You are, therefore, determined, through Di- vine aid, to rebuke any member of this church v^ho may venture to say that God cannot do this, or God cannot do that. Are you so persuaded, &c. TWENTY-FIRST QUESTION. THE RESURRECTION. 1. Brother, do you believe in the general resuiTec- tion of the body at the last day ? Rev. xx. 13. And the last judgment, when, as it is written, " JESUS," " the SON OF MAN, shall come IN HIS GLORY, and all the Holy Angels with HIM?" 2. "Then shall he SIT UPON THE THRONE OF HIS GLORY. And before him shall be gathered all nations, and he shall separate them one from an- other, as a Shepherd divideth his sheep from the goats; and he shall set the sheep on his right hand, and the goats on his left. Then shall THE KING say unto them on his RIGHT HAND, Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the Kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world."^"* 3. " Then shall he say unto them on his left hand. Depart from me, ye cursed, m\o EVERLASTING FIRE, {^prepared for the devil and his angels.'^'' ^^ 4. "And these shall go away into EVERLAST- 14 170 QUESTIONS. ING PUNISHMENT, but the Hghteous into life eter- nal.'' Matt. XXV. 31, 32, 33, 34, 41, 46. Are you so persuaded, &c. TWENTY-SECOND QUESTION. ON WATER BAPTISM. 1. Brother, you believe there is BUT ONE LORD, ONE FAITH, AND ONE BAPTISM. 2. And therefore, you do not believe in the ne- cessity of TWO Baptisms, and cannot consistently preach the necessity of John the Baptisfs Baptism^ which was to repentance only. Matt. iii. 11. 3. But you believe in the One Saving Baptism, which is the "BAPTISM OF THE HOLY GHOST, AND WITH FIRE." See Matt. iii. 11; Acts ii. 1,4. 4. Yet, in accordance with the provision of this church, we may baptize with outward water, but by sprinkling only ; because it accords with the spiritual spnnkling hy the word. Therefore, such adults, who, by reason of a weak and tender con- science, cannot feel released without it, may be Bap- tized by sprinkling. 5. When you Baptize, you say, according to dis- cipline : I Baptize thee, in the NAME of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost, WHICH NAME IS JESUS. Amen. 6. Because, the NAME JESUS IS THE NAME OF EACH PERSON IN THE GODHEAD. See Isa. ix. 6. John xiv. 7, 8, 9. Matt, xviii. 20. 2 Cor. iii. 17. 1 Cor. xv. 45. 7. Therefore, when the Apostles Baptized at all, (Saint Paul only Baptized two, " Crispus and QUESTIONS. 171 Gaius,") they always " Baptized in the name of the LORD JESUS." See Acts ii. 38; viii. 16 ; x. 84; xix. 5. We, therefore, follow their example. We do not hold Water Baptism as an ordinance, but Bap- tize by permission only ; because all ordinances were ^^ nailed to the Cross.'^^ See Col. ii. 14. Are you so persuaded, &c. TWENTY-THIRD QUESTION. THE COMMUNION. 1. Beloved brother, you believe in a spiritual communion with the Lord Jesus in the soul, which is a spiritual breaking of ^^the living bread which came down from heaven^ John vi. 51. 2. And you believe that we can HEAR HIS VOICE immediately, REALLY, and SUBSTAN- TIALLY, in the soul: John x. 16, 27. 3. And can receive LVIMEDIATE COUNSEL of him, even as the holy men of old (see Psa. Lxxiii. 23, 24, 25 ; John xiv. 26 ; xv. 26, 27) ; so as to regulate by that counsel, all the spiritual and tem- poral affairs of life ; — as was professed by the an- cient Quakers and Moravians. 4. Brother, this church professes to be built up of regenerated and living members, who have passed from death unto life; and through the great mercy of JESUS, the *' Blessed God," are sustained by him with the "bread of heaven" and *'of life," which is himself, as he declares: "I am the bread of life; he that eateth my fleshy and drinketh my blood, DWELLETH IN ME, AND I IN HIM." Johu vi. 35, 56. 5. " This is that bread which came down from 172 QUESTIONS. heaven,^^ "and when his disciples murmured at it," he saith, "it is the Spirit, (the Holy Ghost and Com- forter" that quicken eth,) ^^ thejlesh prqfiteth nothing;^'* "the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life." See John vi. 33, 35, 48, 63. Our Lord did not mean that his own body " profit- eth nothing." 6. Brother, from these, and many other Scriptures, we are taught that it is the PERSONAL INDWELL- ING OF Jesus in the soul that enables the soul to eat him, spiritually and substantially, as he saith, he Xh-cdeateth me, shall live by me. 7. We cannot, therefore, consistently with HIS living presence with us, and in us, eat outward bread and drink outward wine, which are eaten as types only (by the Protestant Churches) of him which has ALREADY COME accordiug to his promise, Acts ii. 4, and will continue with us, as he declares, " always, even to the end of the world,^^ Matt, xxviii. 20; be- cause, by so eating outwardly, we should really de- clare that Christ Jesus has not come. It is writ- ten, that the outward eating was to " show forth the Lord's death until he corned 8. Now, as he has come, in power and glory, to all those who believe, and are horn again, such as these need not the type when they have the sub- stance, even JESUS himself in their souls. Halle- lujah! 9. Brother, when Jesus gave the mission to his dis- ciples recorded in the tenth chapter of Matthew's Gospel, he immediately dec\?ires that the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand, and continues in these words: " Verily I say unto you, ye shall not have gone over the cities of Israel, till the son of man BE COME," Matt. X. 1,7, 23, which was verified on the day of Pentecost, in the Gift of the Holy Ghost. Acts ii. 1—4. QUESTIONS. 173 10. Those churches, however, who deny immedi- ate revelation, as in the days of the Apostles, and that the spiritual gifts of the Holy Ghost a)'e not ^iven to men at this time ; and who know not a spiritual com- munion with Jesus by his Holy Spirit, according to the declaration of our Lord, John x. 16, xv. 26, but have fallen in part into the degenerated condition of the Roman Catholic Church ; such churches as these, if sincere, may use the outward communion of bread and wine. 11. Brother, we read that, even in the days of the Apostles, owdng to the peculiar habitude of the Jew^s and Gentiles, in worshiping by feasting, when the Church came together to eat and drink the commu- nion, they ^'' feasted,^'' and were " drunken.^"* See 1st Corinthians, 1 1th chapter, 20th, 21st and 22d verses. 12. And it is a cause o^ great grief to the regene- rated children of Jesus, that so many millions of human souls, through the PERVERSION of this OUTWARD EATING OF BREAD AND WINE as the ONLY COMMUNION, are now ignorantly held in bondage by a few Roman Catholic Bishops and Priests. 13. These millions are sinfully and wickedly taught by the Priests to reject all immediate and spiHtual communion with Jesus as an heresy. {See Milner's End of Religious Controversy, Letter 7th.) And that the eating of a consecrated wafer fulfils all the sayings and requirements of our Glorious Redeemer on this subject, although so beautifully and clearly- set forth in the 6th chapter of John's Gospel. 14. Brother, we have determined to wage an un- ceasing spiritual w^arfare "by the armor of Christ's" ** righteousness," 2d Cor. vi. 7, against every sect that DEmEs an " IMMEDIATE LIGHT, AND MO- TION OF GOD'S SPIRIT" ON THE SOUL, as in 1 74 QUESTIONS. the days of the Apostles ; which Light and Voice did then, and will now, by obedience, counsel us, and lead us into all truth. Are you so persuaded, &c. TWENTY-FOURTH QUESTION. ON THE LAW GIVEN TO MOSES. 1. Brother, you believe the Divine and Moral Law given to Moses, is summed up in that Scrip- ture, commonly called the Ten Commandments, or Decalogue. And you believe that they are binding on all men who have heard them declared, excepting such parts or clauses as have been abro- gated, abolished, or stricken out, by the command- ments or sayings of the Lord Jesus himself. 2. And you believe the Laiu of Commandments, or ordinances of the Mosaic dispensation, have been entirely " blotted ouf'' by the Gospel dispensa- tion, through the *'New Commandments," or say- ings of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, recorded in the New Testament. . 3. Christ himself gave all the Commandments to Moses, for our "fathers did all drink of the same spiritual drink, for they drank of that spiritual ROCK that followed them, and that ROCK WAS CHRIST." 1 Cor X. 4. He, therefore, had a supreme right to m,odify the Ten Commandments, and all other com- mandments given to Moses and the Patriarchs, so as to adapt them to the Gospel dispensation of love and mercy. 4. He was charged by the Jews with doing those things "wjj^h (were) not lawful to do on the Sab^ bath days.'''* Luke vi. 2. But he vindicated his acts by declaring, that "he, the Son of Man, IS QUESTIONS. 176 LORD even of the SABBATH day.'' See Matt. xii. 8. Mark ii. 23-28. Luke vi. 1-5-9. 5. Brother, you therefore believe, that the JVew Commandments and sayings of Jesus supersede or go before the Old Commandments, and are the true Rule of Faith for his Church. And the Apos- tle testifies that JESUS ''blotted out the hand- writing of ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way^ NAILING IT TO HIS CROSS." See Col. ii. 14. 6. You therefore believe, that we, as a Church, cannot establish any practice as an ordinance amongst us, such as Baptism, the Communion of Bread and Wine, &c. &c., as are maintained by the Churches generally. Saint Paul declares: "I thank God that I baptized none of you but Crispus and Gains. '^ 1 Cor. i. 14. 7. Brother, you believe, therefore, that every regenerated soul IS FREE from the Law, though not free from obedience to the new command- ments and sayings of Jescs. And you are deter- mined to '* stand fast in the LIBERTY wherewith Christ has made us FREE." And to SEE, as Over- seer, that this "glorious liberty" is unshackled in the churches. Christ Jesus declares "then" are THE CHILDREN free. Matt. xvii. 26; John viii. 36. And you are persuaded, that the doctrines on this subject, as contained in Chapter Eleventh, Part Fourth, of this our Church-Book are true. Are you so persuaded, &c. TWENTY-FIFTH QUESTION. HEAVEN, AND THE THRONE* OF GOD. 1. Brother, do you believe that Heaven is the 176 QUESTIONS. Throne of God, because we are taught in the Holy- Scriptures that ''Heaven IS" the Throne of God. See Isa. Lxvi. 1, 2. Acts vii. 49. 2. And as God is Omnipresent, or everywherey see Psalm cxxxix. 7, 8, 9, so we believe, that, where- ever GOD IS, THERE THE KINGDOM OF HEA- VEN, AND THE THRONE OF GOD, ARE ALSO. 3. And, although "God," even Jesus, humbled himself, and took upon him the form of a servant, and became "lowly in heart" as a lamb, yet, you believe, he never vacated his throne, nor the Kingdom of Heaven, but was always "m Heaven, ^"^ as he declared to Nicodemus. 4. His saying is: " JVb man hath ascended up to Heaven but HE that came down from Heaven, even the Son of Man, which IS IN HEAVEN." See John iii. 13. Observe, he declares to Nicodemus, that HE, "the Son of Man," was then "IN HEA- VEN," whilst he was speaking to him. 5. And, therefore, you believe that the words "I came down from Heaven," are the same as when he said, "I came forth from the Father," John xvi. 28; and mean, that "he came forth" into the outward manifestation and "form" of a Man. But inwardly, Jesus was still in Heaven, which is his throne. 6. This, brother, was exemplified, when he let his inward glory shine through "his flesh the veil," in his transfiguration on the Mount, "when his face DID SHINE AS THE SUN, and his raiment was white as the light. '''^ Matt. 17, 2. Moreover, as by HIM were all things CREATED, and "g// things consist'' or are SUSTAINED hy him, the "DEAR^ SON," Col. i. 13-17, so he then, whilst on earth, filled all things. (See articles of Faith and Doctrine, No. 23.) Brother, are you so persuaded, &c, QUESTIONS. 177 TWENTY-SIXTH QUESTION. ON " THE WRATH OF GOD" AND CREA- TURELY DEVILS. 1. Brother, you believe the SOUL-FELT and INSPIRING TRUTH of the Gospels, that '^GOD IS LOVE." I John iv. 8-16. 2. And that the words "the wrath of God," so frequently used in the Scriptures, do not mean, as some suppose, that there is wrath IN the Divine Mind; because, if God should move himself to wrath, IN HIMSELF, he would be moved to wrath everywhere, because HE is INDIVISIBLY OMNIPRESENT: 3. But, the wrath of God abidi7)g on a man, is the condition of all those who are inunheliefin Jesus, as He declares: "He that helieveth oti THE SON, hath everlasting life : And he that helieveth not THE SON shall not SEE LIFE, but the WRATH OF GOD ABIDETH ON HIM." John iii. 36. Or it is the condition of those who are SEPARATED/rom JESUS, by the WITHDRAWAL of the operations of his Spirit ; Gen. vi. 3. And this wrath is the fallen nature in all things. 4. And to be under, and subjected to this wrath, is that condition or state in which every unregene- rated soul, not awakened, exists. As, saith the Apostle, "WE ARE ALL, BY NATURE, CHIL- DREN OF WRATH." Eph. ii. 3. 5. Our Lord himself thus declares the condition of those on whom " the wrath of God abideth.'^^ "YE are of YOUR FATHER THE DEVIL, (saith he,) and the lusts of your father ye will do. He was a murderer, from the beginning, and ABODE NOT in the truth, because there is no truth in him" — 178 QUESTIONS. "for he is a LIAR and the FATHER OF IT." See John viii. 44. 6. Brother, in this text you learn, that the devil is a CREATURE; that he was *^a MURDERER from the beginning.''^ At which time he LIED, and murdered the innocence of Adam and Eve. See Gen. iii. 4, 5, 6. Also, he instigated Cain to slay Abel. And you learn, also, that he is a FALLEN creature, **for he ABODE NOT in the truth.'' See Luke x. 18 ; Rev. xii. 7, 8, 9. 7. Brother, you, therefore, believe that "the devil and his angels" are creatures; having ^/brm, and shape, see Job ii. 1, 2, 3, 4, {and not influences, or passions, or propensities, as some assert, although you believe he is the cause of all evil,) and that (like the devil) his angels are also FALLEN creatures. 8. And you believe that the DEVILS cast out of persons by our Redeemer, were REAL CREA- TURES, who have the capacity of occupying the smallest space, as in the case of the man who had the "Legion;" Luke viii. 30; and all by the pow;er through which he can be "transformed." See 2 Cor. xi. 14, 15; Gen. iii. 1, 2. You believe, nevertheless, that Jesus has "a// power"" over the devil, and can " hind'' and loose him at his pleasure. Rev. XX. 1, 2, 3; also i. 18. Are you so per- suaded, &c. TWENTY-SEVENTH QUESTION. ON THE HOLY SCRIPTURES. 1. Brother, you believe in the Holy Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments, as now published QUESTIONS. 179 and acknowledged by the Protestant Christian churches. And, particularly in the New Testament. This Book contains the HOLY REVELATION given to the "beloved Apostle" John, in which we, as a church, have so much to be thankful for. Because, there we have revealed unto us the most clear and irrefragable truths, establishing the Eternity, the Divinity, the "Almighty" power, the Divine Glory, and the Majesty of Jesus the Eternal Son, the only, and \erj eternal "Alpha and Omega, the Beginning and the End, the First and the Last." And there he is declared to be the " Lord God of the Holy Pro- phets." See Rev. xxii. 6, 13, 16. 2. Brother, this glorious book is partly a "Reve- lation" of the CONSUMMATION and PERFEC- TION of the CHURCH OF JESUS, TRIUMPHANT. For the Holy City New Jerusalem was seen com- ing down from God out of heaven. Rev. xxi. 2. Then it is declared, " Behold! the Tabernacle of God IS WITH MEN." Rev. xxi. 3. We then find, that ^^vnthout the city^^ the wricked are " still" pursuing their wickedness. And w^e are exhorted in the fol- lowing language: "Blessed are they that do HIS commandments, that they may have a right to the TREE OF LIFE, and may enter in through the gates into the cityy See Rev. xxii. 13, 14, 15. And w^e read "the GLORY OF GOD did lighten it, and THE LAMB IS THE LIGHT THEREOF." Rev. xxi. 23. For he, saith the Evangelist, " is Lord of Lords and King of Kings." Rev. xvii. 14. Amen! Hallelujah! 3. Brother, you believe that Christ Jesus \\'\\\ final- ly come to judge the world at the last day. But you do not believe in an outward coming of Christ Jesus, to set up an outward kingdom upon earth, and to dwell here bodily, as he did at Jerusalem, which is by some called the Millenium, or that there 180 QUESTIONS. will be an outward " New Jerusalem" with " walls'* and "gates." These ^^walls^^ and "^a^es," you believe, are walls and gates of security^ against any wicked, unclean or unbelieving person entering into the Church triumphant. And that such only will be admitted " who do HIS commandments," and walk in HIS LIGHT. For "THE LAMB IS THE LIGHT THEREOF." 4. And we exhort you, as one who is to be ap- pointed [an overseer], that you faithfully admonish all those who are led to speak of the Prophecies of the Old or of the New Testament, not to give utterance to their feelings unless impelled by the Holy Ghost to speak. 5. OUR WORK, brother, as a church, is (as instru- ments in the hands of Jesus) to warn men " to flee from the wrath to come,'''' and by the power of his Spirit TO CONVERT SOULS TO A LIVING FAITH IN HIM. Also to gather the true children of Jesus into onefold; this is our work, and not that of med- dling with the holy predictions. Brother, are you thus persuaded, &c. JYote. — When a minister is ordained, the words [a minister] are to be substituted within the brackets. TWENTY-EIGHTH QUESTION. 1. Brother, are you persuaded and do you believe that the foregoing questions which have been put to you are ihe doctrines of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, and are the doctrines of this Church? And are you determined to support them, by Divine aid? 2. And, brother, you further believe the doctrines are true as written and published in the first edi- tion of our Church Book, entitled "Doctrines and CONFIBMATION. 181 Faith of The Church of the Eternal Son." And in which the aforesaid twenty-seven "Questions" are embraced. 3. And you declare yourself in full unity with the doctrines contained therein, and you do promise, through the HELP OF JESUS, Xo faithfully support them, and with all your might, mind and soul, use all the gifts that He has given you, to convert the never-dying souls of men ; so that their souls maybe set at full liberty from INNATE sin and wrath, con- sequent on the fall of Adam. And so that they may enjoy the unspeakable love of JESUS in this life, and the glory of his '•^everlasting kingdom'^'' to all eter- nity. Brother, are you so persuaded, and do you thus believe ? I am so persuaded, and I do thus believe without reservation. Amen. FORM OF CONFIRMATION. 1. After the ioxegomg inter rogationshdive. been put to the candidate, contained in the Twenty-Eight Questions, He and the Convention (and the Audi- ence) shall KNEEL DOWN in fervent prayer. 2. And this shall be the position of all our mem- bers, when praying in our meetings of worship. Because, it is recorded in Saint Luke xxii. 41st verse, that Jesus himself, "the TRUE GOD and ETERNAL LIFE" kneeled down and prayed." And we are bound to follow him. 3. Saint Stephen followed him, and kneeled down, and prayed. And Saint Peter, and Saint Paul kneeled down in prayer. See Acts ix. 40, and XX. 28. Again, Saint Paul, and all that were with him, " kneeled down on the shore, and prayed." See Acts xxi. 5. 182 PRAYER. 4. We therefore prostrate our " vile Bodies'' before JESUS, our ''Almighty'' and holy Re- deemer, to whom " every knee should bow." Phil, ii. 10. 5. When the congregation have kneeled down, the brother who presides over the Convention, or the Chief Overseer, if present, shall then offer the fol- lowing prayer : 6. [JVb^e. — The words Jesus! are to be pro- nounced fervently and slowly in this prayer, and dwelt upon with adoration and reverential awe, be- cause " his narne is holy."] PRAYER. 1. We prostrate ourselves before thee, Jesus! Thou "Wonderful!— Counsellor!— Mighty God !— Everlasting Father ! — and Prince of Peace!" Thou who hast declared thyself to be "the First and the Last," even "the Lord God of the holy Prophets." Thou who hast " created all things that are in hea- ven, — and that are in earth, — visible, and invisi- ble: — Whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers — all things were created by" thee " and for" thyself. For thou, O Jesus! Thou art the " only" " TRUE God!" and thou art the " Eternal Life!" 2. We bow ourselves before THEE, our "Lord, and our God," in all humility and thankfulness. Because thou hast in thy infinite — adorable — and unmerited mercy, regenerated our immortal souls, and hast adopted us as thy children. Thou hast sealed us, O Lord ! with thy Holy Spirit of Promise, until the final day of the redemption of our bodies, and unto all eternity. PRAYER. 183 3. Thou, Jesus! our Immanuel, wert IN HEAVEN, even whilst thou didst sojourn in the *^veil" of flesh, among us upon earth. Thou didst then, Jesus! our Saviour, declare that "No man hath ascended up to Heaven, but HE that came dow^n from heaven, even the Son of Man which is IN HEAVEN." 4. Jesus! our Saviour and God, by this we DO KNOW that thou wert STILL IN HEAVEN, " a//- gloriouSf^^ whilst thou didst tabernacle amongst us upon earth, in " the form of a servant.'* Thou didst let this thy inward glory shine out in thy transfigu- ration on the mount, when *' thy face did shine as the sun, and thy raiment was white as the Light r"* 5. And although thou didst take upon thee this FORM of a servant, and became " a SON-BORN," and a " CHILD GIVEN," yet thou, O Jesus! wert still "the MIGHTY GOD, and the EVERLASTING FATHER," as thou didst declare to thy Prophet Isaiah. 6. Thou, Jesus, art the same eternal " God" and "Saviour" who declared " Before me there was no God formed, neither shall there be after me. I, even I, am the Lord, and besides ME there is 7io Saviour.'''' For thou, O Jesus, art our 07i/y Saviour! Thou art the uncreated, "Eternal Life," the "I AM," and " the HOLY ONE." 7. And thou, O Jesus ! our Lord and our God ! in thy immeasurable love and mercy, and according to thy ^^ Eternal Purpose,'^'' didst veil thy majesty and glory in our flesh, and thus thou didst become a MEDIATOR between thy creature man, and "the wrath of God," even ^Hhe worm that dieth not, and the fire that is not quenched." 8. And thou, Jesus! didst condescend to bear our irifirmities, and didst humble thy holy person, 184 PRAYER. even to the death of the cross, and thou didst there, BY THYSELF, Jesus ! our Saviour, Purchase us— Atone for us — and Redeem us with the holy and atoning "Blood of thy cross," even with that blood which flowed from thy holy hands, and feet, and side on Mount Calvary. For 'Hhere was NONE TO HELP" THEE, O thou God of our salvation. Hallelujah! 9. Thou, O Jesus! art "THE LORD OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS." And without thee, O God! we "can do nothing," for thou art our only good, and only God. And " there is none good BUT ONE," and that eternal "Holy ONE," Jesus! " our Lord and our God!" is thyself. 10. And, therefore, O Lord ! we pray unto THEE and supplicate THEE for all that IS, or can be called good, or holy — for thou, Jesus! art the Power, and the " true Light which lighteth every man that Cometh into the world:" 11. Which convicts our souls of sin ; and which causes us to mourn for peace and consolation, and which gives us rest for our souls. 12. Thou, O Jesus! art HE who only and alone can help the mourner. It is thy Spirit of holiness and of power which gives us strength to pass through the difficult and strait gate, and narrow way oi anguish and distress, which leadeth unto life. 13. For thou, O Jesus! didst tread "the wine press alone," and didst pass that way before us, and for us. Thou hast been " tempted like as we are." Thou hast felt the anguish of despair as we feel it, before our redemption is consummated, and our souls are set at liberty, and made free by the new birth. Thou, O God! didst feel this anguish and despair for all who have died, or may die in thy love, when thou didst cry on the cross, " My God ! PRAYER. 185 my God! why hast thou forsaken me?" For thou hast been " in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin." 14. Thou, Jesus! in thy infinite love, didst pass through the mysteries of redemption for us, *' by a new AND LIVING WAY which" thou hast " consecrated through the veil, even thy flesh:" thou ETERNAL SON! and Holy One. 15. For thou, Jesus, WERT " GOD," " MADE FLESH;" and thou didst "ascend up" "into glory," where thou wert "BEFORE;" and, there- fore, thou canst succor and redeem us. Glory be to thy name! Amen ! 16. And we glorify thy nam,e, O Jesus! — thou ETERNAL LAMB, "Almighty!" Amen! Because thou hast revealed to us, that thy "OWN ARM brought salvation unto" thee, "and there was none to help^^ THEE! w^hen thou didst suffer and die on the cross, on Mount Calvary. (Hallelujah!) 17. For thou, Jesus! art "God," and GOD ALONE! (Hallelujah!) And, therefore, thy serv- ant Paul declared in thy Holy Spirit, " Feed the Church of God which he hath purchased with his OWN blood." Hallelujah! 18. And, now O Jesus! we humbly supplicate THEE, because we know and feel that thou art the ''only Potentate,'' the God of all "Gods!" and "Lord of all Lords," and "King of all Kings." 19. We humbly supplicate THEE to Bless our Brother, who is about assuming the Holy office of Chief Overseer of the Church of THE ETERNAL SON, which is THY OWN CHURCH. Jesus ! be pleased, we supplicate thee, to Bless him with wisdom : even with the abiding witness of thy Holy Spirit. Amen ! 15 186 PRAYER. 20. And, O Jesus ! do thou shield and deliver him from all temptation and evil. Amen! 21. Do thou send him forth in the power of thy Spirit, so that he may, as thy instrument, bring forth much fruit to the honor of thy glorious name, in the CONVERSION of many immortal and never- dying souls of men. Amen ! 22. O Jesus! do thou make thy ABODE in him. Amen ! And thus bless him with thy own self, ac- cording to thy promise : even with the true Bread and living Bread of Heaven ; for thou, O Jesus! art "that Bread of Life.'' And thus fill him, O Jesus! with thy fulness, so that he mdLjfeed thy own Church, O God ! "which thou hast purchased with THY OWN BLOOD." Amen! 23. And finally, O Jesus! when our Brother shall come BEFORE THEE, to give an account of his stewardship, " at the last" great "day," when thou Shalt "SIT UPON THE THRONE OF THY GLORY!" may he not, at that hour, be found wanting, as thy steward. Amen ! 24. And may he, as one of thy never penshing children, receive the joyful welcome of "Well done, thou good and faithful servant, enter thou into the joy of thy Lord." Amen! 25. Thou, O Jesus! art inscrutable in thy " Ma- jesty," and unsearchable in thy wisdom. 26. For thy Holy body, O Jesus! which suffered, bled, and died on the cross, on Mount Calvary, was subdued by thy omnipotence unto thy all glorious and eternal "Image;" shining with light ineffable, which no man can behold, and live! 27. THOU ART THE ETERNAL ROCK OF AGES! Thy omnipresence places and thy omni- science presents the whole progress of eternal dura- tion, NOW, and FOR EVER, before thy view. 28. We bow ourselves before thee, O Jesus! our PRAYER. 187 Lord, and our God! in humility and adoration! And worship thee, who art the only living and " TRUE GOD," now, henceforth, and for evermore. Amen! 29. And, notwithstanding the infinitude of thy greatness, Jesus, our Saviour! thou didst ASSIMI- LATE thy eternal Image and person with ^^ the. form of a servant," thou wast "MADE FLESH" for our salvation ; and thou didst condescend, thou "High and lofty one," in thy lowliness and meekness, to be Born of a virgin, in a manger, at Bethlehem, Judea. For thou, O Jesus! our God, art love. 30. And thou didst, then, declare thy Eternal, yet ^^ new name,"*"* unto us, according to thy ^^ eternal purpose,^'' even the Holy name, JESUS ! Hallelujah! 31. And it is in this, thy own holy name, that we approach thee — "a name which is ABOVE every name.''^ Hallelujah! 32. And ^glory be to thy holy name! O Jesus! that thou hast adopted us as sons ; that thou hast called us THY CHILDREN. Amen! And we can, therefore, call thee "Our Father, which art in Heaven. Hallowed be thy NAME !" Amen. " 33. For thou, O Jesus! didst declare, "I am Alpha and Omega, the Beginning and the End ; I will give unto him, that is athirst, of the fountain of the water of Life freely. He that overcometh shall inherit all things. And I will be HIS GOD, and he shall be MY SON !" Hallelujah! 34. Therefore, O Jesus ! thou art our " God," and our "Father, even our 'EVERLASTING FA- THER,'" as thy Prophet Isaiah declared, because WE ARE THY SONS. Hallelujah ! 35. And, according to thy glorious promise, we SHALL be ''kept,'' and shall "NEVER PERISH." Neither shall any man pluck us out of thy Holy hand. Hallelujah ! > 36. O Jesus ! our Father, and our God, extend, I8g PRAYER. we supplicate thee, thy protecting arm of power cou' tinually over this thy Church ! Amen ! Lord Jesus. 37. Inspire it with an imperishable faith, and an unceasing belief, that thou, Jesus ! the "CHILD BORN," and "SON GIVEN," art "Wonderful!" "Counsellor!" The Mighty God! The Everlasting Father! The Prince of Peace! "Amen! Amen!" • 38. Jesus! thou HOLY ONE ! we worship and adore thee! as "all the Angels" do worship and adore thee; and as all the ransomed souls in thy King- dom worship thee, the " true God" of their salvation. " 39. We, therefore, give thee honor and glory, thanksgiving, and adoration, and praise! And, in the language of thy servant David, repeat :* " Thine, O Lord ! is the greatness, and the Power, and the glory, and the Victory, and the Majesty f'^^ 40. For ALL that is in the heaven, and in the earth, IS THINE. J 41. Thine is the Kingdom, O Lord!§ And thou art EXALTED as head above all. || 42. Both riches and honor come of thee, and thou reignest over all henceforth and forevermore, " without end !" Amen ! JVote, — Wherever the words Amen, or Hallelujah, occur, in the foregoing prayer, the whole of the members (and the audience) shall utter or ejaculate the words. They are not to be uttered by the per- son who is praying. Those who have copies of our Church book, at the time, will know when to utter those w^ords. JYote. — In paragraph 19th, the words State Over- seer of are to be substituted for the words " Chief Overseer of" when a State Overseer is ordained. * 1 Chron. xxix. 10, 11, 12. f Matt, xxviii. 18. X John xvi. 15 J Col. i. 16. § Luke i. 33. || Col. ii. 9, 10. ORDINATION. 189 And if a minister is ordained, the words a minister of are to be substituted. ^There shall be no alter- ation or amendment in the foregoing prayer. ORDINATION, OR CONFIRMATION. After the prayer is ended, the Elder elect shall continue to kneel ; and the Chief Overseer, if pre- sent, or the Brother who presides over the Conven- tion, shall lay his right hand on the head of the Elder elect, and shall be followed by three or four ministers and elders present, when he shall say, aloud : 2. "In the NAME of the LORD JESUS :" We, and this Convention, confirm and ordain thee [the Chief Overseer, or Presiding Elder of the Churches of ' The Church of the Eternal Son,' in the United States of America]. And may the Holy Spirit of the Lord Jesus rest and abide upon thee ! Amen ! The Overseer, or member ordained, shall then rise from his knees. And the Convention shall then sing the hymn: "Jesus, Eternal Son, give ear;" and, at the termination of the line, " 0, sanctify thy Overseer!" there shall be a slight pause — and the Convention shall say, Amen! After the hymn is sung, the Over- seer shall then receive the congratulations of those around him. [When a minister is Ordained, the same Hymn is to be used, but substituting the word Minister for Overseer.] 3. The following certificate of appointment shall then be given to him, signed by the presiding elder or officer of the Convention, and the clerk thereof.; and witnessed by two or three witnesses : when he will be duly and fully APPOINTED to take charge of his great and responsible duties. 190 CERTIFICATE TO THE ELDER. 4. The Convention shall then appoint the com- mittee to take charge of the proceedings of the Con^ ventioTiy and shall then adjourn sine die. 5. And these Conventions shall, in no instance, ORIGINATE or transact any other business than that for which they were convened — namely, the election of a Chief overseer^ or of a State overseen And this clause shall not be altered or amended. JVote. — When a state elder is confirmed, these words are to be substituted within the brackets, [a State Elder of the Church of the Eternal Son, for the State of , in the United States of JUmerica ;'\ or, if a Minister is ordained, [WE and this congrega- tion ordain thee a Minister of the Church of the Eternal Son, and of the everlasting Gospel of our God and Saviour Jesus Christ.] Amen! CERTIFICATES TO THE CHIEF ELDER AND STATE ELDERS. This is to certify. That, at a Convention of Dele- gates from all the Quarterly Meetings, in the held at on the in the year of our Lord, for the purpose of electing a to preside over " The Churches of the Eternal Son," in the The Convention being organized according to discipline, proceeded to ballot for Candidates for the office, when those, having the three highest num- ber of votes, were selected according to rule. After which the Convention proceeded to ballot for ONE candidate for the office of [Chief Elder]. After counting the votes, our beloved Brother had the highest vote, and a majority vote of the Con* CERTIFICATES. 191 vention over the three candidates, and was duly- chosen [Chief] Elder elect, of the CHURCH OF THE ETERNAL SON, in the And, after being duly questioned, by the Convention, on the leading points of the doctrines of "the Church of the Eternal Son," comprised in the Twenty-eight Questions contained in our Church Book, Part III., Chapter 6th, he declared that he was fully persuaded of, and did fully believe, all the doctrines contained therein without reservation. And being further questioned relative to his belief in the Doctrines contained in our Church Book, generally, — In the first, second, third and fourth parts thereof ; That is, in the Introduction ; the Address ; the Title of the Church ; and the Explanation of the Title ; and the Articles of Faith and Doctrine, and the Arguments, and the several Articles under the head of Organiza- tion of the Church ; and the Illustration of the Faith and Doctrine of the Church of the Eternal Son,' — He declares himself a full believer in the Doctrines con- tained therein. We, therefore, commend him to the Brotherly love and care of the members of this Church throughout the And the Local Overseers of the individual churches, throughout the (wide) circuit of his duties, WILL SEE that his TEMPORAL WANTS ARE SUPPLIED ; and that his traveling expenses are paid ; and that he is other- wise aided in his highly responsible office of OVER- SEEING the churches faithfully and with vigilance, so that all the Doctrinesof this Church and the Dis- cipline are observed and maintained inviolably by all its members. And he is herewith authorized to oversee all the churches in the And to see that the [^State Elders], in particular, discharge their duties, and are mfull Faith and Belief in. the Doc- trines of this Church, in their preaching and exam- 192 CERTIFICATES. pie. He shall visit each [State, where a Church is established, at least once a year] ; and correspond, as often as practicable, with the Elders of the States. And he shall carefully preserve the Letters of his Correspondents, and duplicates of his own letters to ihemy all of which he shall hand over to the [Gene- ral] Conference to be preserved by that body. (He shall call, with the advice of a majority of the State Elders, a General Convention, upon emergent occa- sions, and shall SEE that the Annual [Conferences of the States are duly organized and attended ; and that the General Conferences of all the States are duly held]. And that the individual Churches are DULY ORGANIZED by the State Overseers.) And, in the name of JESUS, the Eternal Son and '' TRUE GOD," may the work of the Gospel prosper in his hands! And may "the Grace of our Lord Jesus Christ" (Rev. xxii. 21), rest and abide upon him. Amen ! (Signed) ****** **#***^ President of the Convention. *#* ***** Q]gj.]j Witness : **** ***** The foregoing certificate is to be signed by the presiding officer of the Convention, the clerk, and three or more Elders, or delegates. The above certificate to the Chief Elder will an- swer for the CERTIFICATE TO THE STATE ELDER, by substituting and omitting the following words as they occur in rotation. Those words within the square brackets, are to be substituted, and those within the cwrvec? parentheses omitted. Thus: —for Chief Elder substitute [State Elder] [State], omit ("wide"), substitute [Local Overseers] [Church in the State once in three months], [Annual STATE OVERSEERS OR ELDERS. 193 State]; omit ("He shall call, with the advice," &c. ;) substitute for "Conferences of," &c., [State Conference is duly organized and attended.] The Brackets must be omitted in the written certificates to the Elders. The State Elders chosen by each State, or Dis- trict, shall be examined by the twenty-eight Ques- tions, and confirmed or ordained in like manner. Also, such of our traveling ministers, or others who may desire ordination ; i^ but in no case shall the liberty of any Brother be infringed upon, who is called of the Lord to preach the Gospel without the form, of ordination, or of a certificate : His authority shall be tJie same as if formally ordained. For we maintain as a Church, that each and every Brother must implicitly obey the leadings and directions of the Holy "Counsellor," without any human con- trol ; and "go forth," and preach the Gospel, as HE, the Lord, may dictate. AND THIS LIBERTY OF ACTION, TO OBEY THE "VOICE" OF JESUS, SHALL NEVER BE TAKEN AWAY from a brother, nor shall it be in any way contra- vened by ?ir\j fiiture act of this Church, either by the way of amendment, or of a new Article :^^ For we are determined, through the help of Jesus, that he Aimse//* shall REIGN SUPREMELY in this Church. CHAPTER Vn. THE STATE OVERSEERS, OR ELDERS. 1. The State Elders shall be chosen by a Con- vention of THREE DELEGATES from all the Quarterly meetings IN THE STATE. But in no 194 STATE OVERSEERS OR ELDERS. case shall a Local Overseer of a particular church be created a delegate to these Conventions held, to elect an Elder. 2. The State Convention shall proceed to Elect, Question, Ordain, and Confirm the State Elder in the same manner as the Chief Overseer, or Elder, is Elected, Ordained, and Confirmed. The candidates shall be men who have the evidences of the Holy- Spirit abounding in their lives and actions ; they shall know their duty, BY A DIRECT TESTI- MONY, from the Holy Spirit, even the voice of Jesus! John xiv. 26, xv. 26. 3. THE INCEPTIVE ORGANIZATION of a State shall be as follows: — Three or more distinct churches shall compose a Quarterly Meeting. When ONE is established in a State, it shall pro- ceed immediately after its organization, to elect and confirm a State Overseer or Elder (PRO TEM.), ac- cording to discipline, for ONE YEAR. And he shall be elected annually, until six or seven Quarterly Meetings are established. They shall then elect Delegates to a State Convention, which shall Elect and Confirm an Elder or Overseer, for Jive years. 4. The State Elders, or Overseers, shall have the general oversight of the churches of the 3tate, under their care, and SEE, like the Chief Elder, that all the doctrines of this Church are faithfully adhered to, and maintained by the Local Overseers, and the ministers and the members generally. And they shall see, that the spiritual duties of the churches are conducted with ZEAL AND FERVOR, and "IN THE HOLY SPIRIT," in accordance with the doctrines of the Church of the Eternal Son, laid down in our Church Book. 5. They shall promote peace and harmony in the churches under their care; they shall arbitrate between contending parties, if such should arise ; STATE OVERSEERS OR ELDERS. 195 and if love cannot prevail, they shall SEE that the offenders are suspended from membership, accord- ing to discipline. They shall see that the INCEP- TIVE organizations, and the NEW CHURCHES, REPORT to the Chief Elder, and to themselves. And these reports shall be carefully preserved^ and handed over by him to the Annual State Conference^ for safe keeping. ^i^^No Inceptive ov fully organized Church will be recognized as a branch of the Church of the Eternal Son, unless it thus report. 6. They shall SEE that the SPIRITS of the Prophets are SUBJECT to the Prophets, and that the Doctrines and Rules laid down in the Address, Chap- ter X., are strictly adhered to, and that all who have the gifts of preaching, exhortation, or prophe- sying, or prayer, may exercise their various gifts, as Jesus giveth them ability. This is the chief duty of the Elders. And it behoveth them to SEE that all' the members who have spiritual gifts, do employ them with ^^zeaV* and .^^ fervor ;'''' so that they may al- ways keep in view THE SALVATION OF IMMOR- TAL SOULS as above all other considerations. 7. The Elders will, therefore, SEE that no Bro- ther, in this glorious work of the Gospel, assume any authority over another ; " For ye can all preach, or prophesy, one by one," saith the Apostle, "that all may hear, and all be comforted." 1 Cor. xiv. 31. It shall be the duty of the State Over- seers, or Elders, like the Chief Overseer, to travel through the section of the country, over which they have jurisdiction, and establish churches, and see that the churches already established are duly organ- ized. They shall visit each regularly organized church at least ONCE in three months; and endea- vor to visit, or attend each QUARTERLY MEET- ING in the State. The State Overseers shall hold their office for a term of FIVE YEARS. 196 THE MINISTRY. CHAPTER VIII. THE MINISTRY. 1. Such of our Ministers as are called of the Lord to travel into distant districts, for the promulgation of the glorious Gospel of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, and to establish churches y in the NAME OF JESUS, according to the rules of the Church of the Eternal Son, shall, on application to a regular Monthly meeting, (if a majority of the meeting so de- cide,) receive a recommendation to the next Quar- terly meeting for a certificate of confirmation^ after he has been duly interrogated hy the Monthly meet- ing through the twenty-eight Questions. Part III., Chap. VI. 2. And, if the Monthly meeting decide against an applicant, he may appeal from their decision to the Quarterly meeting, or to the highest tribunal of this Church in the State, namely, the Annual State Conference, whose Aecision shall he final m all cases of appeal, unless the State Conference should, in their wisdom, refer the matter to the General Conference. 3. When a Monthly meeting has granted the re- commendation, it shall be carried up to the next Quarterly meeting ; and if a majority of the Quarterly meeting so decide, the certificate shall be given to the member, after he has been duly confirmed, or ordained according to rule. See Form of Confirma- tion, Part III., page 181. Although education and eloquence are commendable, the WANT of these in an applicant shall he no har to his obtaining the following CERTIFICATE. 4. This is to certify that our beloved Brother A — B — of the Quarterly meeting of "The Church of the Eternal Son," in , in the county of THE MINISTRY. 197 and in the of , has been duly examined^ by his Monthly meeting, through the TWENTY-EIGHT QUESTIONS, in our Church Book, Part III., Chapter VI. And further, on be- ing questioned by this meeting, declares himself a full believer in the doctrines contained in said hook generally. We, therefore, commend him to the Bro- therly love and care of the members of the Church of the Eternal Son, (and to all who love the truth as it is in JESUS,) as an ordained Minister of the "Everlasting GospeP' of our LORD AND SA- VIOUR JESUS CHRIST. And he is HEREBY AUTHORIZED to establish churches according to the RULES contained in our Church Book; furnish- ing each church with a copy of our Church Book as early as practicable, containing the Rules. In the NAME OF JESUS, the "ETERNAL SON" and " TRUE GOD," may the work of the Lord prosper in his hands. Amen! — JY. B. — These certificates are to be signed by the clerk of the Quarterly meeting, and by three, or more, church overseers, or ministers; each one, if practicable, should be a member of a distinct church. 5. WE WISH IT CLEARLY UNDERSTOOD, that the OBJECT of the above certificate is to sat- isfy those strangers, amongst whom a Brother may be led, that he is a Minister of the Church of the Eternal Son. And we recommend our Ministers generally to obtain one. If a Minister is led among strangers, they will then have confidence that his acts are sanctioned by this church. 6. NEVERTHELESS, any member who has spiritual gifts, is AT LIBERTY to go wherever JE- SUS m^j direct him, with no other certificate than the power of the Holy Ghost. (J#-We discard all bondage in this church ; and THIS LIBERTY of obeying the 198 THE MINISTRY. immediate impulses of the Holy Spirit to travel, or go forth, at any moment^ in the cause of TRUTH, shall NEVER BE TAKEN AWAY FROM ANY MEM- BER OF THIS CHURCH by any future law, or amendment :-#D [Neither shall any alteration be made in the doctrines or rules of this church, but by a majority vote of all the churches, over three' fourths^ in convention, for that purpose.] 7. Our ministers and members shall bring with them a convenient copy of the Holy Scriptures, at the time of our meetings, for worship: because our Halls for divine worship are to he unchangeably cou' structed WITHOUT pulpits^ reading-desks, galleries or high seats, (witness those which have crept into the Quaker church): Therefore, all of our Ministers or members must have their own Bible to refer to. 8. OUR HALLS FOR WORSHIP are to have four sections, gradually rising from a space in the centre, as laid down in the plan, in this our Church Book. This will enable the audience in every part of the Hall to see the speakers without changing their positions, and afford all our brethren in any section, an opportunity to speak to, and face the audience. 9. The Quarterly meeting shall appoint a commit- tee to supply the poor of our church with a copy of the Holy Scriptures. These copies shall be printed under the direction of a committee appointed by the General Conference; which committee, under the direction of the Conference, shall, also, see that the standard works on our faith and doctrines are published, and disseminated. As many errors have occurred in the Division of the Holy Scriptures into Chapters and Verses, and in the Punctuation, by which their true meaning is perverted, it shall be the duty of the General Conference, at its first sitting, to appoint a THE MINISTRY. 199 committee, (to be composed of the Chief Elder and several capable men,) who shall deliver unto the next General Conference, for their approval, a copy of the Holy Scriptures, corrected and revised: so that the division of the chapters and verses, and the punctuation, shall accord with the doctrines and faith of the Church of the Eternal Son ; but there shall be no alteration made in the wording: If there are indisputable errors in the translation, they shall be put on the margin, and referred to. 10. The following errors, in the present division and accentuation of the Holy Scriptures, will be sufficient as an example: In 1st Timothy chap. vi. the 15th verse commences and reads, '* Which, in 'his times, he shall shew, who is the blessed, and only potentate," &c. The division should be at the word '''"who^^'^ so that the 15th verse should begin, and read: " 15. WHO IS the blessed, and only poten- tate, the KING OF KINGS and LORD OF LORDS." The present division at the word "which" destroys the sense: it implies that Jesus will shew **in his times," who is (or what beivg is) the only potentate, whereas the meaning is that Jesus will shew, "m his times,^^ whether his commandments have been kept; i^or he himself' IS the only Potentate. See this division corrected. Quest. XI. No. 6, 7th paragraph. The 14th verse should, therefore, termi- nate at the word "shew;" and the stop, or colon, put at the end of it; and not as it is now divided and accented. Also the 7th chapter of the Epistle to the Hebrews should begin at the 4th verse of said chapter; the connection between the holy name "Jesus," in the 20th verse of the 6th chapter, and the 3d verse of the 7th chapter, would then be complete; the 1st and 2d verses of the 7th chapter are a parenthesis, and should be thus designated. 200 THE MINISTRY. 11. There are many other deficiencies. The se- cond chapter of Revelation should begin with the 20th verse of the first chapter: as it opens the subject by the Lord Jesus himself. There are many errors in accentuation and punctuation, and in capital letters. We shall instance two of the latter. In Rev. xix. 16, where the Word is called "KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS," these words are in capitals, as they should be. But in the 17th chapter and 14th verse, when the Lamb is called "Lord of Lords," and " King of Kings," there is no such honor given to him; the words are in small letters as we have given them — these words should also be in capitals, for the WORD is the LAMB. The words " by him- self," Heb. i. 3, should be in capitals, because they imply that his "OWN ARM brought salvation," as the Prophet Isaiah declares. In Rev. xxi. 23, the words " For the GLORY OF GOD did lighten it, and THE LAMB is the LIGHT thereof," should be marked as w^e give it. These intimations are suffi- cient. 12. If any of our ministers should be cowiselled by the Lord to speak on any special subject, which would require more time than could be allotted to them in our general meetings of worship, and where the exhortations and sermons must be very brief, they are recommended to appoint a meeting for that very purpose^ when they can deliver their mes- sage without molestation. Our ministers shall be allowed to preach and pray (when invited so to do), in such churches as maintain the Holy Trinity and the Eternal Sonship; but they shall be accountable to this church, if they do not pray at all times DI- RECTLY to the Lord Jesus, as in the Ordination prayer ; and if they do not maintain our doctrines generally in their exhortations and prayers. DIVINE WORSHIP. 201 CHAPTER IX. DIVINE WORSHIP. MEETINGS— HOW CONDUCTED. As all the members of this church profess to be led by the Spirit of God, so all the Brethren, who are led to preach, pray, or exhort, are at liberty to do so, but " one by one," or one at a time ; yet, when mourners are seeking salvation, or crying for mercy — then each member is to do his, and her duty, by speaking and praying to each mourner at the same time, even whilst the leading prayers and exhorta- tions are going on. There should be no cessation: FOR "THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN SUFFER- ETH VIOLENCE, AND THE VIOLENT TAKE IT BY FORCE," saith Jesus. See Matt. xi. 12. Therefore, the singing of suitable "hymns with the chorus," such as "Glory be to Jesus!"" Hove Jesus, hallelujah!" "There is NONE like Jesus,'' &c. &c., during the intervals of the leading prayers — (as in the Methodist Episcopal Churches) — is very effective and comforting to the mourners. 2. A large portion of the churches, at the present day, are encumbered with heavy debts. These debts are the result of expensive edifices, and a paid ministry. We have no paid, and no settled ministry. Neither do we approve, nor allow of any school of divinity, or of theology, for GOD hath often CHOSEN THE WEAK, the foolish, and the base things of this world, to confound the things that are mighty; so that no flesh shall glory in his presence. See 1 Cor. i. 26 — 29. 3. When a Brother feels the Spirit of prayer 16 202 DIVINE WORSHIP. upon him, he shall rise from his seat, and say aloud, so as to be heard by the congregation : " Brethren, let us pray !" — and then bow himself on his knees, unto Jesus; and as HE dictatesy so pray. The Brother, by thus announcing his purpose, prepares the congregation for the act of prayer, so that all may kneel and join in at the same time. Any bro- ther may call on another to pray, yet if a brother thus called on, withhold, the first brother shall not repeat the call, nor call on any other to pray, at that interval, because, we allow of no leaders in this church. Jesus alone is our Leader and Counsellor, 4. We allow our gifted women to help us by vocal prayer, in our select, or prayer meetings. This is according to the Scriptures, Phil. iv. 3; Acts i. 14: and to speak to, and pray Vith mourners of their own sex, especially, and to take them under their care immediately after conversion. 5. As we say, in the preface or introduction to this Book, page 12, "THE OBJECT of this church is, first, to awaken in the souls of men a true belief in the DIVINITY and eternity of Jesus, the Son of God ;" and to persuade men to come to him, *^the true God," so that they may become converted, or " born again" by the baptism of the Holy Ghost, and with fire: And to gather such, and all true believers into one Church, that there may be ^^ onefold and one shepherd,^"* even Jesus. John x. 16, 6. We, therefore, earnestly direct that all the members of this church, according to their gifts, keep THIS OBJECT in view, in and OUT of our meetings, and always to exhort and pray with those families or persons who may give them liberty so to do. 7. During the time of our meetings of worship, when the power of Jesus is manifested in the audi- DIVINE WORSHIP. 203 ence, and whilst the exercises are going on, it shall be the duty of such as have divine strength, to go forth through the meeting — and particularly amongst the unconverted — and in a low tone of voice, exhort them to repentance, and to have faith in Jesus, and endeavor to persuade them to come forward to be prayed for and conversed with at the mourner^ s benches, which shall be set apart for those who want counsel. When a person, who appears indifferent to the subject of religion, is questioned by a brother, or a sister, it should always be done under the direction and counsel of the Holy Spirit. 8. When a person is serious, or under conviction, or mourning to be comforted, the first INTERRO- GATIONS to be put to him, are: HAVE YOU ENJOYED RELIGION AT ANY TIME? Do you now enjoy the blessing? Do you belong to any church? What church do you belong to? What religion have you been brought up in? Have you been up to be prayed for before? The brother or sister will then know, how the mourners stand affected, and how they have been schooled. 9. It is much easier to bring the soul of an open sinner, who has made no profession of religion, into repentance, and into the New Birth, than one who has been schooled in ^a/se doctrines, or than one who is a ^^ lukewarm^ ^ professor of religion. Such as these, have joined a church on probation, (which we do not allow,) after being awakened, or have he- come full members, without being converted by the baptism of "the Holy Ghost, and with fire.'' We say, it is much easier to bring an open sinner into repentance and the new birth, than such as these : because such, in addition to the false doctrines they entertain, have imbibed a notion that they possess saving grace, because they are attentive to the 204 DIVINE WORSHIP. church duties J and the ordinances thereof; and, therefore, it is hard to renew such to sincere repent- ance, because the prejudices of education, and of self -righteousness, act as powerful barriers in the way of the soul's salvation. 10. It was so with the professing Jews. Jesus declared unto them : "The publicans and the harlots GO INTO THE KINGDOxM OF GOD, BEFORE YOU," Matt. xxi. 31, 32. 11. This saying of our Lord, is another evidence that " the KINGDOM of God is WITHIN" the souls of regenerated men, as Jesus declares, Luke xvii. 20, 21. Saint Paul testifies that no unclean person shall inherit the kingdom of God ; neither can they ever enter the Holy City, New Jerusalem : but are ** outside'^'* thereof." See Eph. v. 5, Heb. xiii. 4, Rev. xxii. 15. 12. Therefore, the meaning of the above saying of Jesus, is : that " publicans and harlots" are cleansed and made pure, are converted, regenerated or "ioni again,'*'* " before you ;" (witness Mary Magdalen.) Such as these enter into the kingdom of God WITHIN THEM: where Jesus and the Father make their abode, as he saith : *' We will make our abode with him," Johnxiv.23. And the kingdom of God is then set up in the soul. He saith, in another place, "/i/i them, and thou in me,'*'* John xvii. 23. 13. THE SECOND INTERROGATION to be put to the unconverted mourner, is — Do you sincerely desire to have your soul converted, and to become a child of i^ Jesus ^9 or, if a backslider — do you de- sire full redemption from sin, and are you willing to have the blessing in any way the Lord may give it to you ? 14. After the foregoing questions are asked, it DIVINE WORSHIP. 205 will be the duty of the brother or the sister to ex- hort the mourner to trust in Jesus, somewhat in this manner: 15. Brother (or Sister), you say you want reli- gion; you want to have your soul converted ! Well, Brother, " there is no other name," saith the Apostle, " under heaven, given among men," whereby we must be saved, than *' the name of Jesus Christ of JVazarethy^'^ who was ^'crucified;'''' neither is there ^^ salvation in any other^ Acts iv. 10, 11, 12. Jesus saith, *' Come unto me, all ye that labor, and are heavy laden, and I will give you res^." "Take my yoke upon you," saith Jesus, " and learn of me, for / AM meek and lowly in heart, and ye shall find rest unto your souls : For my yoke it is easy, and my burden it is light." Do you believe these words? To which the mourner should answer. Yes. 16. Jesus declares, ''^Blessed are they that mourn, for they shall he comforted." Brother, you are here as a mourner. That power which has awakened you to a sense of your danger of eternal torment, and misery, and woe, where you would be forever sepa- rated from God, and all the holy angels, and forever from your friends and relations which have died before you, and have gone to glory, and eternal happiness — that power which has thus awakened you, IS THE POWER OF JESUS : it is the Spint of the Lord Jesus, that NOW strives in your soul ; and, therefore, he says, it is a blessing thus to mourn, and to see your lost condition without the conver- sion of your poor never-dying soul. 17. Brother, look to Jesus ! he can and will save you this day, this hour, if you trust in him. He laid down his precious lifeybr you on the cross ; yes, he died on Calvary's mount to redeem you. Do you not believe it.? Answer — Yes. 206 DIVINE WORSHIP. 18. He declares, "if any man thirst, let him come unto me, and drink;" yes, dear mourner, he will give you *'the water of life freely.'*'' Jesus declares: ''I am the way^ the truth, and the life-. no man cometh unto the Father, but by me." Do you believe this ? Answer — Yes. 19. Therefore you must look to JESUS, and venture on his mercy : pray unto Jesus, Brother ! because, he declares, " no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.^"* Say: Bless me. Lord Jesus! and forgive me my sins for thy own holy name^s sake. Say, Lord Jesus ! Bless me, ?l poor sinner. All these prayers must be uttered audibly by the mourn- er, so that the teacher can hear them. 20. If the mourner has not faith, as is often the case, to utter this prayer, and to take the Holy name of Jesus on his sinful lips, he must be en- couraged, by the declarations of Jesus and his Apostles. Say unto him : Saint Peter declares, " Whosoever shall call on the NAME OF THE LORD, shall be saved. ^^ 21. Now, Brother, the NAME of the Lord IS JESUS ; and, if you would be saved, you must call on HIS name. Brother, now say. Bless me. Lord Jesus ! and forgive me my sins for thy OWN holy name^s sake ! Do, Lord, for thy own name's sake ! 22. Brother! say: Lord Jesus, wash me, and make me clean in the blood of thy cross ! — say, O Jesus! thou hast died for sinners ! I am a poor, sin- ful creature, as thou knowest. O God ! thou hast died for all who will come unto thee ! / have come unto thee NOW, O Lord ! Say, Thou knowest, O Lord, that I cannot make myself any better, for thou art *'the Lord, our righteousness," and "without thee I can do nothing!" Say, Lord Jesus! wash me IN THE BLOOD OF THY CROSS, and clothe DIVINE WORSHIP. 207 my poor soul with thy righteousness, for there is none good BUT ONE, and that " HOLY ONE" is THY- SELF, Jesus, my Saviour. 23. In this manner, words are to be put into the mouth of mourners, who, in many instances, have no power to pray ; for they see their true condition as sinners, and feel themselves too unworthy to pray ; and sometimes they are too ignorant to pray. One will say, / cannot pray. Then the praying brother must encourage the mourner after this manner : 24. Jesus declares. All manner of sin shall be forgiven of men, but the sin against the Holy Ghost. He declares, through the Prophet, " Though your sins be «5 scarlet, they shall be white as snow.^^ " Though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool.^^ He declared to the penitent and dying thief on the cross : ** This day shalt thou be with me in paradise!" Dear mourner, you can trust him: the thief trusted in him, and was saved ! You can pray, if you try : and YOU MUST PRAY TO HIM, or I'ou will he lost to all eternity. 25. Say, Lord Jesus, I am not worthy to name thy holy name. I am a sinner altogether, and come unto thee,jws^ as I am, for help — help me, Lord, to pray ! teach me, O Lord, how to pray aright \ forgive me, Lord, a poor sinner, who has ventured on thy mercy, and cast off my load of sin, and give me a new heart. Thou hast promised the Holy Spirit to those who would ask thee for him ; I have no claim on thee, O Lord, but thy promise, LORD JESUS!! Give me thy Holy Spirit according to thy promise, and O, dear Lord, deliver and keep me from the power of Satan, 26. Lord Jesus, make me a new creature ; I want to be a new creature ; O Jesus, I want to be a child of thine. 208 DIVINE WORSHIP. 27. O Lord Jesus! let me " pass from death unto life," according to thy words, and be " born again." O Lord Jesus! I want to be born again, to be born of God, even OF THEE. O Lord Jesus! make me thy Child by "the Spirit of adoption." 28. O Lord Jesus! increase my faith, and take all doubts of thy mercy out of my heart ; take away all doubts of thy mercy out of my heart ; do, Lord I do, Lord! — now, Lord, let thy saving Blessing come ; do. Lord! do. Lord! — Baptize me now., Lord, with the Holy Ghost, and with fire. Let thy Baptism come now., Lord! let it come now ! O let me be one of thy lambs., one of thy sheep, and I will then fol- low thee, O Lord! my Jesus! my Saviour! — and thee only! I W\\\ follow ^Aee, whithersoever thou dost lead me, and thee only. 29. Bless thy name, Jesus ! Bless thy name for what thou hast done for me! — Glory be to Jesus! — O bless the Lord, MY SOUL! for what he has done for me! 30. I WILL praise Jesus, my Saviour, for what he has done; I love him, and I WILL PRAISE HIM! ! O Glory! Glory ! Glory be to Jesus! Hal- lelujah to his name ! 31 . If the mourner prays in the foregoing manner, and with the first dawn of comfort and happiness, gives JESUS, the Saviour, the glory and praise, HE will soon comfort him more fully, by a more glorious evidence, and perfect his work by the instan- taneous NEW BIRTH of the soul, and the Holy gift of the Comforter himself. Amen, Lord Jesus! 32. We allow such as are " Born of God," and are in full faith with us, if they are not members of our church, to speak or pray in our meetings of worship. They who can say that the MAN " JESUS is the Lord — by the Holy Ghost ;j" 1 Cor. xii, 3; DIVINE WORSHIP. 209 and who worship him as their only God and Sa- viour ; and who believe in the immediate operations of his Holy Spirit as we do, are welcome to speak and pray in our meetings of worship. 33. But if any person should advance doctrines contrary to our faith, in our meetings, and distort the truth ; or should obstruct, or hinder the opera- tions of the Spirit in its various unfoldings amongst us, such as singing or shouting the praises of Jesus, or otherwise, as is manifested at the Camp or prayer meetings of the Episcopal Methodists, during the seasons of revivals amongst them ; it shall be the duty of the Overseers to go to such, and mildly re- quest them to desist. If they obstinately refuse, they shall be taken into custody according to the civil law, and removed from the meeting. We do not seek, nor desire persecution ; and therefore, will not tolerate any unlawful act in our meetings of worship. 34. If a stranger should speak more than once in our meetings, it shall be the duty of the Over- seers to obtain his name, and inquire into his cha- racter as a practical Christian. The foregoing pre- cautionary rule is indispensable in our church ; for, while our discipline gives the largest liberty to our members, it also opens a door for the intrusion of such as are " unlearned" in the ways of true "godliness," and whose lives are not consistent with their religious professions. 35. At the hour appointed for divine worship, any brother who is " m the Spirit," (Rev. i. 10 ; Matt. X. 20; Eph. vi. 18,) is at liberty to open the ser- vices by singing, prayer, or exhortation ; and as our Lord commands us to use brevity in our devotions, (Matt. vi. 7,) we, therefore, hope none will consume the time of our religious exercises in vain displays 210 DIVINE WORSHIP* of oratory^ or metaphysical definitions ; but we ex* hort all to speak and pray and sing in the " demon- stration of the Spirit and of power ;" for our " faith should not stand in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God.'^^ 1 Cor. ii. 4, 5. 36. We cannot appoint any particular hour for the closing of our day meetings. They shall be closed by singing the Hymn : ** Jesus, from whom all blessings flow." This can be done by any bro- ther. But if the singing of the hymn is premature, and another brother " hath a revelation," and is desir- ous of saying aword for his *' Master," he may do so. 1 Cor. xiv. 30, 32. Our night meetings shall be closed at the hour of TEN O'CLOCK, and we exhort the Local Overseers to see that this rule is observed as near as practicable ; for the best members of a church are frequently dependent on their daily labor; and some are helps in families, and it is requisite that they should be at home early. During the seasons of great revivals in our meetings, they may be con- tinued without intermission from 10 o'clock A. M. until 10 o'clock P. M. At such times, the brethren shall be careful to relieve the labors of each other, so that each may obtain nourishment and rest. 37. We believe in the Holy power which fre- quently suspends all external animation, and which entrances the children of Jesus. This glorious power Saint Paul experienced. He records, "Whether in the body or out of the body, I cannot tell. God know- eth." 2 Cor. xii. 3. Many of us, even whilst discon- nected from all churches, havey*e/^ this power, and its sweet and heavenly influence, and the wonder- ful joy which has followed immediately afterward. This evidence has been manifested in many evan- gelical churches, but has been '•^ quenched'^'' in all, except the Methodist churches. When this holy DIVINE WORSHIP. 2 1 1 power is in our midst, those who are thus Blessed, will require no external application; they must be left under its holy influence. And they will often revive, rejoicing with "joy unspeakable andy^/Z of glory,^^ especially under the reviving Power of sing- ing. We are thus particular to specify these holy operations of the Spirit; because many have been thus held for several hours; and their friends have been alarmed, not understanding the source and tendency of this operation. 38. We exhort our brethren and sisters to pray secretly and vocally with the mourner, without ceas- ing^ until they obtain the ^^ spirit ofprayer^ This obtained, the Lord will soon work out the soul's salva- tion. The prayers of the soul thus Blessed, are often wonderful, and the teacher need only say Amen, in response. The mourners must be continued with, until they obtain the joy and transport of the Holy Love of Jesus ! when this takes place, they will not be ashamed, but will generally give Jesus the glory, in loud transports of praise. They must then be re- moved by the proper individuals to the converts' seats, next the mourners' s^anrf or station, where they can pour out their souls as Jesus gives them utterance, (without molestation from the curious.) 39. When our members invite those under con- viction to present themselves to be prayed for, they shall speak after this manner: Fellow "Pil- grims" to the grave and to eternity, you that are weary, "and heavy laden,'*'' come to Jesus! He de- clares, "I WILL GIVE YOU REST!" Come now! — rise up and come forward, whilst there are mercy and salvation for you: come now! — come to the mourners'' benches, and we will counsel you, and pray with you as the Lord Jesus may help us; rise up now! and come forward! — come forward! 212 DIVINE WORSHIP. you may not have another opportunity. "To-day," saith the Lord, **if you will hear his voice, harden not your heart. ''^ Who will be i\ie first one to come out on the Lord^s side? Here comes one — two — three — &c. ; now sing, Brethren, sing the Invitation Hymn, — there comes another. — By thus enumerating or naming the number which may approach the sta- tion, (for we have NO ALTARS in our church ; we reject the word,) the congregation and members will then know how the work is progressing, and others will be encouraged to come forward likewise. As the mourners kneel down at the benches, they shall be immediately approached by those who have faith, and spoken to in language similar to that ex- pressed in the foregoing pages. CHAPTER IX. CONVERTS THROUGH THE FAITH OF THIS CHURCH, AND APPLICANTS FOR MEM- BERSHIP NOT CONVERTED AMONGST US. 1. All white persons who have passed from death unto life, and have been "born again," by the Bap- tism of the Holy Ghost and with Fire, through the in- strumentality o( 2l member or members of this church, IN or OUT of our meetings of worship, shall, {as children of Jesus, begotten through the faith of this church,) be adopted at once as members of the Church of the Eternal Son, if they desire so to become. 2. And they shall be upheld and supported in their growth in grace and the knowledge of the Lord Jesus, in the various dispensations of his gifts; and shall be instructed in a true understanding of QUESTIONS. 213 the doctrines contained in our faith and principles, as laid down in our church book; subject, however, to be suspended, according to our rules y if wilful offenders. 3. We do not limit the age of such as apply for membership, who are regenerated through us, as the instruments. The young shall become members of this church, because the young in years are more susceptible of divine impressions than those who are more advanced, or have become old in sin. 4. Saint Matthew records that when the chief priests and scribes saw ^Hhe children crying in the temple, and saying Hosanna to the Son of David! they were sore displeased." "And Jesus saith unto them, Yea: have ye never read. Out of the mouth of BABES and sucklings thou hast PERFECTED praise," Matt. xxi. 15, 16 ; so we as a church believe. Therefore, the Prophet Isaiah, prophesying of this Gospel event, saith, " The child shall die an hun- dred years old," (he means in grace,) "but the sin- ner being an hundred years old, shall be accursed." Isa. Lxv. 20. Because he is not "born again." 5. Yet we do not allow any person to have A VOTE in this Church under the age of SIXTEEN YEARS, and none shall become an overseer nor a delegate, under the age of TWENTY-ONE YEARS, unless with the concurrence of two-thirds of the members of the meeting to which he belongs. QUESTIONS. The following short questions shall be put to ALL APPLICANTS without exception, who HAVE NOT been converted, regenerated, or "born again," 214 QUESTIONS. through the instrumentality of this church, or one of its members. And this rule shall never be altered or amended. The questions shall be put to them cffter i\iey have handed in their names and residence, and be/ore their names have been finally recorded by the clerk, in the Church book. Two weeks shall be allowed from the time their names have been IN PERSON handed in, until they become members. A committee of two Local Overseers and two mem- bers, shall be appointed to examine the applicant, through the following Questions, and report to the Church. In the mean time, if the applicant has not read our Church book, the QUESTIONS shall be handed to him for his consideration, before they are put. If the committee report that the appli- cant believes our doctrines and faith, according to the QUESTIONS, his name shall be recorded by the clerk, as a member of the Church of the Eter- nal Son, and the record announced to the congrega- tion. At the end of each separate interrogation in the following questions, the applicant shall answer, I do thus believe. SHORT QUESTIONS TO APPLICANTS FOR MEMBERSHIP. Question I. Brother, do you believe that the WHOLE MAN— Christ Jesus of Nazareth— the SON of God — who suffered, bled, and died on the Cross on Mount Calvary, — He w^ho is called the Humanity — Do you believe THIS MAN is altogether ETERNAL? II. Do you believe that he " WAS, AND IS" the one only God and Saviour, as he declares to the QUESTIONS. 215 Prophet Isaiah — " Before me there was no God formed, neither shall there be after me. I, even I, am the Lord, and besides me there is no Saviour V Answer, I do thus believe. And do you believe in the Holy Trinity, and that the Eternal Father and the Eternal Holy Ghost dwelt from all Eternity in the PERSON of Jesus, the Eternal Son? And that Jesus, AS A SON, is one of the Eternal Holy Tri- nity ? And was begotten instantly with the Father's own existence ? — And that thus the triune God was manifested? — And therefore the Son had no begin- ning, because if he had any beginning, he would not be Eternal, for the Prophet saith, he was "FROM EVERLASTING," or Eternal, and therefore " THE SON" is called the "TRUE LIGHT," and is the very "Glory of God," and the perfection and ^^ brightness''^ of the Triune Glory; and therefore, if it were possible to separate the Son from the Father, there would be no God, n^r glory, because the Son IS "the TRUE GOD and Eternal Life?" Do you thus believe? Answer, I do thus believe. III. Do you believe that THIS SAVIOUR who spake to Isaiah, came into an outward manifestation "in fullness of time," according to the following declaration of the Prophet Isaiah : " Unto us a CHILD is Boruy unto us a SON is given, and HIS name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The MIGHTY GOD, the EVERLASTING FATHER, and the Prince of Peace?" Isa. ix. 6. Do you thus believe ? IV. Do you believe that these are the holy names of Jesus, the "CHILD" and "SON" born in a manger at Bethlehem, Judea, of the blessed Virgin Mary ? HE who is called by Saint John, the WORD ? And he declares that the WORD was GOD. And he testifies that " The WORD {or God) was MADE 216 QUESTIONS. FLESH and dwelt among us.'^ And do you under- stand by this text, that "GOD was madejleshy^^ or, in plain language, that "GOD was MADE MAN," and therefore, that the MAN JESUS, who suffered, bled, and died for us, WAS GOD,— and that GOD was the Man} Do you thus believe? V. Brother, Jehovah declared to Isaiah, " Before me, there was no GOD formed, neither shall there be after me; I, even I, am the Lord, and besides me there is no Saviour. '^^ And he also declared to the same Prophet, when speaking of his advent into the world, "Behold my servant, mine elect, in whom MY SOUL delighteth." Do you believe that this God and Saviour then, or at that time, HAD A SOUL ? Answer, I do thus believe. VL Do you therefore believe that THIS "SA- VIOUR" — he who also declared to Isaiah, "I am the First and I am the Last, and besides me there is no God" — "came down from heaven," as he said, and clothed HIS OWN SOUL with our flesh from the Blessed Virgin Mary? And that IN THIS MANNER "God," the Word, and Eternal Son, "was MADE FLESH," by assimilation, and dwelt among us? Do you thus believe? VII. Saint John records, that the "Word was God," and that the Word, or God, " was madeflesh,^^ agreeing with Saint Paul, who declares that "the se- cond MAN is the Lord (or Jehovah) from heaven." Therefore, as the MAN Jesus Christ "is the Lord from heaven,^ ^ do you believe that Jesus had but one nature? Answer, I do thus believe. There- fore, do you reject the doctrine which teaches that he had TWO distinct natures, as is now taught throughout all Christendom? That is, they teach, that there was one Divine nature or Eternal Son, in the Person of Jesus, which did not and could not sif- QUESTIONS. 217 ftr and one human nature^ which they also call the Son of God, which suffered, and died, and atoned for our sins. By which doctrine they not only dele- gate the atoning merit to a human Son, but abso- lutely make two distinct Sons in the Holy Trinity. And there are many who hold to two distinct natures in the Person of the Lord Jesus, who have tried to mend this matter by rejecting the doctrine of the Eternal Sonship altogether; like Dr. Adam Clarke, of the Methodist Episcopal Church, in his comment on the 1st of Saint Luke. He there declares, that the Son, as a Son, is not Eternal, and "i5 inferior to'''* God. These are Socinians. For the true mark of a Socinian and Unitarian (no matter how disguised) is this: — That he denies the Eternity, Divinity, and Equality of the Son with the Father. Do you, there- fore, reject this doctrine of two distinct natures, in the Person of the Lord Jesus? Answer, I do reject this doctrine of two distinct natures in the person of the Lord Jesus. VIII. Jesus declares, "He that seeth ME seeth HIM that sent me." This is a parable or a mystery to the unbelieving. But unto you who say you believe in but one nature, and that the MAN ^^was God,^^ in one nature, this is no mystery; because, by that saying, "he that seeth me seeth him that sent me!" You believe that they who saw Jesus, saw the " Fa- ther also,'*'' as Jesus declares, "If ye had KNOWN ME, ye should have known my Father also, and from henceforth ye know him, and have SEEN HIM." John xiv. 7. Therefore you perceive at once that Jehovah, even the Saviour, who spake to Isaiah, '^ senV* him.self That is, the "Saviour" came forth into an outward manifestation "into the world," as he declares, and as Saint Paul testifies, "he took upon him the FORM of a ser- 17 218 QUESTIONS. vant." By which his inward glory was " veiled in the flesh." This was manifested in his Transfigura- tion on the Mount, when "his face did shine as the s^uuy and his raiment was white as the light. ^"^ Do you thus believe? IX. Do you therefore understand by the words of Jesus, "I and my Father ARE ONE," that he w^as the very "Immanuel" himself, which means, God with us? Matt. i. 23. Therefore you reject the doctrine as now^ taught in the Theological schools, that the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost, or the Godhead, are separate or distinct from the Man Jesus, who died for us. But you believe that the Man Jesus, who died for us, is the very Eternal Son himself even the Second Person in the Holy Trinity. And therefore the true belief is this. That the Eter- nal Father, and the Eternal Holy Ghost, dwell in THE MAN JESUS, the ETERNAL SON, "Bodily," as they did dwell from everlasting, and therefore, Jesus is called "THE TRUE GOD," by Saint John, he Being "God " in Trinity and in One- ness or unity. Do you thus believe? X. Therefore do you believe that it was the Man Jesus, the Eternal SON, who declared, "Let US make man in our Image, after OUR Likeness." And that it was JESUS, the Son, who appeared to Abraham "in the plains of Mamre." And that it was JESUS, the Son, who appeared to Moses on the Mount, and gave him the Commandments. As Saint Paul testifies, "our fathers" "did all drink of that same spiritual drink, for they drank of that SPIRITUAL Rock that followed them, and that ROCK i^as CHRIST." Do you thus believe? And it is recorded in the Book of Daniel, that it was "THE SON OF GOD" who appeared in the fiery furnace with Shadrack, Meshack and Abed-nego, QUESTIONS. 219 and preserved them from the flames. In this scrip- ture the name **Son of God" is given to the Divine being. Daniel, iii. 25. And he certainly then eocisted as a Son. Do you. thus believe? Answer, I do thus believe. XI. And do you therefore believe that it was this very "SON OF GOD" and "Saviour" "which protected Shadrack, Meshack and Abed-nego from the fiery flames?" that Mediated, ?ind "BY HIM- SELF purged our sins," as Saint Paul declares, Heb. i. 3? Answer, I do thus believe. Brother, this agrees with the Saviour's declaration to the Pro- phet Isaiah: "Mine OWN ARM Brought salvation unto me, and my fury it upheld me." And there- fore Jesus declared, "And now, Father, glorify thou me with thine otvn self vj'iih the G/ory which I HAD with thee BEFORE the WORLD WAS." See John xvii. 5. By which you perceive at once that Jesus existed in Glory, as a Son, before the world was. And that HE "was God" himself, and Mediated by himself between us and THE WRATH, even the ^^worm that dieth not, and the FIRE that is not quenched.'''' — And that it was God " by Him- self'' which died on the Cross, as Saint Paul testifies Heb. i. 3. Do you thus believe? XII. Do you therefore believe that as it " mas God'' "BY HIMSELF," who JWe<^ia^e