FROM

THE

MILLENNIAL HARBINGER.

SERIES III.

VOL. IV.	BETHANY, DECEMBER, 1847.	NO. XII.

A brief, comprehensive, and scriptural view of the three following important subjects. 1st. Of the real condition of mankind, morally and religiously considered; which, upon the whole, appears most tremendously awful. 2d. The gracious provisions of the divine love and mercy for deliverance from it. 3d. The means divinely appointed for the actual enjoyment of this blissful deliverance.

      TOPIC I.--As to the first of these, it appears, that though God originally created man in his own image, (Gen. i. 27.)--that is, intelligent, holy, just, and good; yet that he, did not long continue in that blissful state: but yielded to the temptation of the adversary, disobeyed his glorious Creator, and so became liable to the immediate punishment of death: Gen. ii. 17, and iii. 3. And though God was graciously pleased to respite the complete infliction of the punishment, and so to allow man to replenish the earth; yet having forfeited his legal title to the enjoyment of life, he could not transfer it to his offspring: therefore, all his posterity became subject to death in and with him: Rom. v. 18, 19. And thus, by nature, became children of wrath, (Eph. ii. 1-3.) heirs of death; for the wages of sin is death: Rom. vi. 23. And though God was graciously pleased to put man under a remedial dispensation of sacrifice and prayer, that he might thus enjoy his sin-pardoning mercy and sanctifying grace; yet this gracious institution of divine mercy proved the occasion of the first murder:--such is the natural depravity of sin, that the first born man murdered the second, though God had graciously interfered to prevent it: see Gen. iv. 3-8. So true it is, that "the natural or carnal mind is enmity against God:--that it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be: so that they that are under its influence cannot please God." "For the natural man receiveth [661] not the things of the Spirit of God; for they are foolishness to him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned." Rom. viii. 7, 8; 1 Cor. ii. 14. Therefore, "except a man be born again born of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God." John iii. 3, 5, 6. Such, it appears, is the awful state of apostate, guilty, perishing humanity. From this commencement of the apostacy in the family of Adam, it progressed so rapidly, that in the days of Noah, the tenth from Adam in the patriarchal record, mankind was become so desperately wicked, that the earth was filled with violence, and every imagination of the thoughts of man's heart was only evil continually." Gen. vi. 5, 13. And this apostate depravity had prevailed to such an extent, that Noah was the only exception; though it appears that the world was little more than fifteen hundred years old, when the Lord denounced its destruction, giving the guilty inhabitants one hundred and twenty years to repent, while Noah was preparing his ark; and, in so doing, warning his guilty cotemporaries with the most solemn warning; (for he was a preacher of righteousness: 2 Pet. ii. 5.) which it appears, after all, did not produce a single penitent. Gen. vii. 1. For only Noah and his family were saved. Nor does it appear that the execution of this tremendous judgment had a reforming influence upon depraved humanity: for even in the family of Noah, a few years after the flood, filial irreverence brought a curse of perpetual degradation upon a portion of his posterity: Gen. ix. 20-27. Nor did God anticipate that this tremendous judgment could wash away our depravity, as appears by his solemn declaration, that he "would never again curse the earth any more for man's sake, because the imagination of man's heart is evil from his youth." Gen. viii. 21. Indeed, has not this lamentable description of human depravity been ever since awfully realized? For what has been the history of man from the flood of Noah to the present day, but the history of sin in its heinous and awful developments of idolatry, superstition, will-worship, infidelity, atheism, blasphemy, tyranny, oppression, and horrid cruelties, &c. &c. &c. For a full demonstration of the awful amount of human wickedness, read the history of man as recorded in the Bible from the fourth of Genesis to the end of the twentieth chapter of the Revelation of John, historically, doctrinally, and prophetically considered; and what can exceed it in the awful account of its God-dishonoring, Heaven-daring, ruinous, and abominable wickedness? For a brief account of which see Rom. i. 18-32. and iii. 9-18; Eph. ii. 3; 2 Thess. ii. 1-10; Titus iii. 1-3; Rev. xx. 7-10. And if we advert to the civil, moral, and religious history [662] of mankind, as recorded by historical writers, we will find it in perfect agreement with the scriptural account of human depravity.

      But it may be alleged that there were always many pious, just, and happy exceptions to the above description of human character. To this it may be justly replied, that the posterity or Noah soon became so generally self-willed and ungovernable, that the confounding of their language became necessary to prevent their proud impious undertaking to build a city, and a tower whose top should reach to heaven: see Gen. xi. 1-9. This event took place but one hundred and fifteen years after the flood, according to our Bible chronology. Two hundred and thirty-seven years after this was Abraham born in Ur of the Chaldees; a descendant of Shem, the divinely distinguished son of Noah: Gen. ix. 26, 27. Yet it appears, that this highly favored branch of Noah's family were become idolators before the birth of Abraham: Josh. xxiv. 2, 3, 14, 15. From this quotation it appears, that not only Abraham and his progenitors were idolators; but that idolatry continued to prevail not only amongst them, but throughout the world. It also appears from the 14th, 18th, and 19th chapters of Genesis, that destructive wars, and the most abominable licentiousness had become extensively prevalent in the days of Abraham; and from the civil and religious history of mankind, that it continues so to this day.

      TOPIC SECOND.--We now proceed, in the second place, to take a scriptural view of the gracious provisions of the divine love and mercy for deliverance from this guilty, wretched, perishing condition. And here it appears in the first place, from the following quotations that the electing love of God in Christ is the very principle, root, and foundation of human salvation. 2d. Redemption through his blood. 3d. Regeneration by his Spirit. 4th. Animation by the same divine agent. 5th. A divine vocation. 6th. Justification by the blood of Christ. 7th. A divine adoption. 8th. Sanctification, by the Holy Spirit. 9th. A glorious resurrection in the likeness or our Redeemer. 10th. A blissful immortality in the eternal enjoyment of the divine presence in a new creation yet to be created for that glorious purpose.

      We proceed in the following quotations according to the above arrangement of the provisions and effects of the divine love for the present and ultimate enjoyment of the revealed salvation:--

      I. ELECTION.--We begin first with Christ himself, the prime elect. "Behold my servant whom I uphold; mine elect in whom my soul delighteth: I have put my Spirit upon him; he shall bring forth judgment to the Gentiles. He shall not cry, nor lift up, nor cause [663] his voice to be heard in the street. A bruised reed shall he not break, and the smoking flax shall he not quench: he shall bring forth judgment unto truth." Isai. xlii. 1-3. "Behold, I lay in Zion a chief corner stone, elect, precious; and he that believeth in him, shall not be confounded." 1 Pet. ii. 6. "Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly things in Christ: according as he hath elected us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy, and without blame before him in love." Eph. i. 3, 4. "Who hath saved us, and called us with a holy calling, not according to our works, but according to his own purpose and grace, which was given to us in Christ Jesus, before the world began." 2 Tim. i. 9. "Paul, a servant of God, and an apostle of Jesus Christ, according to the faith of God's elect, and the acknowledging of the truth which is after godliness; in hope of eternal life, which God, that cannot lie, promised before the world began." Tit. i. 1, 2. "Except those days shall be shortened, no flesh shall be saved; but for the elect's sake those days shall be shortened. Then shall arise false Christs, and false prophets, and shall show great signs and wonders; insomuch, that, if it were possible, they should deceive the very elect. And then shall appear the sign of the Son of Man in heaven: and he shall send his angels with the great sound of a trumpet, and they shall gather together his elect from the four winds, from the one end of heaven to the other." Matth. xxiv. 22, 24, 30, 31. "Shall not God avenge his own elect, which cry day and night unto him, though he bear long with them? I tell you that he will avenge them speedily." Luke xviii. 7, 8. "Who shall lay any thing to the charge of God's elect? It is God that justifies them." Rom. viii. 33. "Put on, therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, bowels of mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, long suffering; forbearing one another, and forgiving one another, if any man have a quarrel against any; even as Christ forgave you, so also do ye." Col. iii. 13. "I endure all things for the elect's sake, that they may also obtain the salvation which is in Christ Jesus with eternal glory." 2 Tim. ii. 10. "Peter, an Apostle of Jesus Christ, to the strangers throughout Pontus," &c.--"Elect, according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, through sanctification of the Spirit, unto obedience, and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ; grace to you and peace be multiplied." 1 Peter i. 2. "The children (of Rebecca) being not yet born, neither having done any good or evil, that the purpose of God according to election might stand, not of works, but of him that calleth, it is written, Jacob have I loved, [664] and Esau have I slighted. What shall we say, then? Is there unrighteousness with God? By no means: for he saith to Moses, I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion. So, then, it is not of him that willeth, nor of him that runneth, but of God that showeth mercy. Elias saith, Lord, they have killed thy prophets, and digged down thy altars, and I am left alone, and they seek my life." But what saith the answer of God unto him? "I have reserved to myself seven thousand men, who have not bowed the knee, to Baal. Even so, then, at this present time also, there is a remnant according to the election of grace. And if by grace, then is it no more of works; otherwise grace is no more grace. But if it be of works, then is it no more grace; otherwise work is no more work. What, then? Israel hath not obtained that which he seeketh for; but the election hath obtained it, and the rest were blinded". According as it is written, God hath given them the spirit of slumber, eyes that they should not see, and ears that they should not hear unto this day. As concerning the gospel, they are enemies for your sake; but, as touching the election, they are beloved for the Father's sake. For the gifts and calling of God are without repentance." Rom. ix. 11-16, and xi. 3-6, 28, 29. "We are bound to give thanks alway to God for you, brethren, beloved of the Lord, because God hath from the beginning chosen you to salvation through sanctification of the Spirit, and belief of the truth. Whereunto he called you by our gospel, to the obtaining of the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ."--"We give thanks to God always for you all, making mention to you always in our prayers; remembering without ceasing your work of faith, and labor of love, and patience of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ, in the sight of God and our Father; knowing, brethren beloved, your election of God. For our gospel came not to you in word only, but also in power, and in the Holy Spirit, and in much assurance, as ye know what manner of men we were among you for your sake." 1 Thess. i. 2-5; see also 2 Thess. ii. 13, 14. Wherefore, the rather, brethren, give all diligence to make your calling and election sure." 2 Pet. i. 10. "For many are called, but few chosen." Matth. xx. 16. Ananias said to Paul, "The God of our fathers hath chosen thee, that thou shouldest know his will, and see that Just One, and shouldest hear the voice of his mouth." Acts xxii. 14. "God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise, and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty; and [665] base things of the world, and things which are despised God hath chosen; yea, and things which are not, to bring to naught things that are, that no flesh should glory in his presence. But of him are ye in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption. That according as it is written, He that glorieth, let him glory in the Lord." 1 Cor. i. 27-20. "Then Paul and Barnabas waxed bold, and said,--It was necessary that the word of God should first have been spoken to you: but seeing you put it from you, and judge yourselves unworthy of eternal life, lo, we turn to the Gentiles. And when the Gentiles heard this, they were glad, and glorified the word of the Lord: and as many as were ordained to eternal life believed." Acts xiii. 46, 48. "By grace are ye saved, through faith; and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God; not of works, lest any man should boast: for we are his workmanship, created in Christ Christ unto good works, which God hath before ordained, that we should walk in them." Eph. iii. 8-10., "We know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose. For whom he did foreknow he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the first born among many brethren. Moreover, whom he did predestinate them he also called, and whom he called, them he also justified, and whom he justified, them he also glorified." Rom. viii. 28-30. "Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will; to the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he made us accepted in the Beloved: in whom also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestinated according to the purpose of him, who worketh all things according to the counsel of his own will." Eph. i. 5, 6, 11.

      II. REDEMPTION.--"When the fullness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law, to redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons." "Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us: for it is written, Cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree." Gal. iii. 13, and iv. 4, 5. "The grace of God that bringeth salvation, hath appeared to all men, teaching us, that denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly in this present world; looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God, and our Saviour Jesus Christ; who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works." Tit. ii. 11-14. "Ye were not redeemed with [666] corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers; but with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot: who, verily, was foreordained before the foundation of the world, but was manifest in these last times for you, who by him do believe in God, that raised him from the dead, and gave him glory, that your faith and hope might be in God." 1 Pet. i. 18-21. "Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus." Rom. iii. 24. "Who of God is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption; that according as it is written, He that glorieth, let him glory in the Lord." 1 Cor. i. 30, 31. "In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins." Eph. i. 7, and Col. i. 24. "Neither by the blood of goats and calves; but by his own blood he entered in once into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption for us. And for this cause he is the Mediator of the new covenant, that by means of death, for the redemption of the transgressions that were under the first covenant, the called might receive the promise of eternal inheritance." Heb. ix. 12, 15. "And they sung a new song, saying, Thou art worthy to take the book, and to open the seals thereof; for thou wast slain, and hast redeemed us to God by thy blood, out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation; and hast made us unto our God kings and priests: and we shall reign upon the earth." Rev. v. 9, 10.

      III. REGENERATION.--"He (the Word) came unto his own, and his own received him not. But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name: which were born not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God." Jesus answered Nicodemus, "Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.--Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God." John i. 11-13, and iii. 5. Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Spirit; which he shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Saviour." Titus iii. 5, 6. "Every good gift, and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning. Of his own will begat he us, by the word of truth, that we might be a kind of first fruits of his creatures." Jas. i. 17, 18. "Whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin, for his seed remaineth in him; and he cannot sin, because he [667] is born of God. Beloved, let us love one another; for love is of God; and every one that loveth, is born of God, and knoweth God. He that loveth not, knoweth not God; for God is love. Whosoever believeth that Jesus is the Christ, is born of God: and every one that loveth him that begat, loveth him also that is begotten of him." 1 John iii. 9, and iv. 7, 8, and v. 1. "For whosoever is born of God overcometh the world," &c. "This is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith." "We know that whosoever is born of God, sinneth not; but he that is begotten of God keepeth himself, and that wicked one toucheth him not:" verses 4, 18.

      IV. ANIMATION.--"It is the Spirit that quickeneth:" John vi. 63. "Ye are our epistle--manifestly declared to be the epistle of Christ ministered by us; written not with ink, but with the Spirit of the living God? not in tables of stone, but in fleshly tables of the heart. And such trust have we through Christ to Godward; who also hath made us able ministers of the new testament; not of the letter, but of the Spirit: for the letter killeth, but the Spirit giveth life." 2 Cor. iii. 2, 3, 4, 6. "And you hath he raised, who were dead in trespasses and sins. Even when we were dead in sins, he hath quickened us together with Christ, and raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus." Eph. ii. 1, 5, 6. "And you, being dead in your sins and in the uncircumcision of your flesh, hath he quickened together with him, having forgiven you all trespasses:" Col. ii. 13.

      V. VOCATION.--"To all that be in Rome, beloved of God, called to be saints; Grace to you and peace from God our Father, and the Lord Jesus Christ. We know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose. Moreover, whom he did predestinate, them he also called; and whom he called, them he also justified; and whom he justified, them he also glorified. What, then, shall we say to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us? And that he might make known the riches of his glory on the vessels of mercy, which he had prepared unto glory, even us, whom he hath called, not of the Jews only, but also of the Gentiles?" Rom. i. 7 and viii. 28-31, and ix. 23, 24. "Paul, called to be an Apostle of Jesus Christ through the will of God,--to the church of God which is at Corinth, to them that are sanctified in Christ Jesus, called to be saints, with all that in every place call upon the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, both theirs and ours: Grace to you and peace from God our Father, and from the Lord Jesus Christ. God is faithful, by whom ye were called into the fellowship of his Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.--Unto [668] them which are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God, and the wisdom of God."--As the Lord hath called every one, so let him walk. Is any man called being circumcised--being uncircumcised--being a servant," &c. "Brethren, let every man wherein he is called, therein abide with God." 1 Cor. i. 1, 2, 9, 24, and vii. 17-24. "I the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you, that ye walk worthy of the vocation wherewith ye are called:" Eph. iv. 1. "And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to the which also ye are called in one body; and be ye thankful:" Col. iii. 15. "Ye know how we exhorted, and comforted, and charged every one of you, as a father doth his children, that ye would walk worthy of God, who hath called you unto his kingdom and glory." 1 Thess. ii. 11, 12. "We are bound to give thanks to God always for you, brethren beloved of the Lord, because God hath from the beginning chosen you to salvation through sanctification of the Spirit and belief of the truth: whereunto he called you by our gospel, to the obtaining of the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ." 2 Thess. ii. 13, 14. "God hath saved us, and called us with a holy calling, not according to our works, but according to his own purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began:" 2 Tim. i. 9. "And for this cause he is the Mediator of the new testament, that by means of death, for the redemption of the transgressions under the first testament, the called might receive the promise of the eternal inheritance." Heb. ix. 15. "Ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should show forth the praises of him, who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light. But the God of all grace who hath called us to his eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after that ye have suffered awhile, make you perfect, stablish, strengthen, settle you." 1 Peter ii. 9, and v. 10. "According as his divine power hath given unto us all things, that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that has called us to glory and virtue." 2 Pet. i. 3. "Jude, the servant of Jesus Christ--to them that are sanctified by God the Father, and preserved in Jesus Christ, the called." Epistle of Jude, verse 1. "He (the Lamb) is Lord of lords, and King of kings; and they that are with him are called, and chosen, and faithful.--And he saith unto me, Write, Blessed are they which are called unto the marriage supper of the Lamb." Rev. xvii. 14, and xix. 9.

      VI. JUSTIFICATION.--"Be it known unto you, men and brethren, that through this man is preached unto you the forgiveness of sins; and by him all that believe are justified from all things, from which [669] ye could not be justified by the law of Moses." Acts xiii. 38, 39. "Therefore we conclude, that a man is justified by faith without the works of the law. Therefore, being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ; and rejoice in hope of the glory of God. For God commendeth his love towards us in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. Much more, then, being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him." Rom. iii. 28, and v. 1, 2, 8, 9. "Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? And such were some of you: but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God." 1 Cor. vi. 9, 11. "Wherefore, the Law was our schoolmaster to bring us to Christ, that we might be justified by faith." Gal. iii. 24. "Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings, in heavenly things in Christ.--In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace.--Be ye kind, one to another, tender-hearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you." Eph. i. 3, and iv. 32. "In whom we have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins.--And you being dead in your sins and the uncircumcision of your flesh, hath he quickened together with him, having forgiven you all trespasses." Col. i. 14, and ii. 13. "That being justified by his grace, we should be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life." Titus iii. 7.

      VII. ADOPTION.--"As many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God. For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father." Rom. viii. 14, 15. "For ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus. For when the fulness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law, to redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons. And because ye are sons, God he hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father." Gal. iii. 26, and iv. 4-6; see also Eph. i. 5, 6.--"Having, predestinated us to the adoption of children," &c.

      VIII. SANCTIFICATION.--"Holy Father, keep through thy own name those whom thou bast given me, that they may be one, as we are.--Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth. Neither pray I for these alone, but for them also who shall believe on me through their word, that they all may be one; as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us." [670] John xvii. 11, 17, 20, 21. "To the church of God which is at Corinth, to them that are sanctified in Christ Jesus, called to be saints, with all that in every place call upon the name of Jesus Christ our Lord, both theirs and ours." 1 Cor. i. 2. "And the very God of peace sanctify you wholly; and I pray God your whole spirit, and soul, and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ." 1 Thess. v. 23. But we are bound to give thanks always to God for you, brethren beloved of the Lord, because God hath from the beginning chosen you to salvation, through sanctification of the Spirit and belief of the truth: whereunto he called you by our gospel, to the obtaining of the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ." 2 Thess. ii. 13, 14. "It became him for whom are all things, and by whom are all things, in bringing many sons unto glory, to make the Captain of their salvation perfect through sufferings. For both he that sanctifieth, and they that are sanctified, are all of one; for which cause he is not ashamed to call them brethren. Wherefore Jesus also, that he might sanctify the people with his own blood, suffered without the gate." Heb. ii. 10, 11, and xiii. 12. "Elect according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, through sanctification of the Spirit, unto obedience and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ: Grace unto you, and peace, be multiplied." 1 Peter i. 2. "Jude, the servant of Jesus Christ, and brother of James, to them that are sanctified by God the Father, and preserved in Jesus Christ, and called:" verse 1.

      IX. RESURRECTION.--"As the Father hath life in himself, so hath he given to the Son to have life in himself; and hath given him authority to execute judgment also, because he is the Son of Man. Marvel not at this, for the hour is coming, in the which all they that are in the graves shall hear his voice, and shall come forth; they that have done good to the resurrection of life, and they that have done evil to the resurrection of damnation:" John v. 26-29. See also 15th chapter of 1st Corinthians, from verse 12, to the end.

      X. GLORIFICATION.--"In the end of this world, the Son of Man shall send forth his angels, and they shall gather out of his kingdom all things that offend, and them which do iniquity; and shall cast them into a furnace of fire: there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth. Then shall the righteous shine forth as the sun in the kingdom of their Father." John xiii. 40-43. "Our conversation is in heaven, from whence also we look for the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ, who 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 to himself." Phil. iii. 20, 21.-- [671] "Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not appear what we shall be; but we know that when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is. And every one that hath this hope in him, purifieth himself, even as he is pure." 1 John iii. 2, 3.

      Upon the whole, I would just remark, that the seven provisions of the divine love, above quoted, beginning with Redemption and ending with Sanctification, for the salvation of perishing humanity from the guilt and pollution of sin in this life, are all virtually contained in the predictions of the new covenant by Jeremiah and Ezekiel, the first of which is quoted by Paul in his epistle to the Hebrews, as the covenant of salvation, of which Christ is the Surety end Mediator. See chapter vii. 14-22, and viii. 6-13. Which covenant I here quote in full from the said Prophets. "Behold the days come, saith the Lord, that I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah; not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day that I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt, (which my covenant they brake, although I was a husband unto them, saith the Lord;) but this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel: After those days, saith the Lord, I will put my love in their inward parts, and write it in their hearts; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people; and they shall teach no more every man his neighbor, and every man his brother, saying, Know the Lord; for they shall all know me, from the least of them unto the greatest of them, saith the Lord; for I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more." "And they shall be my people, and I will be their God: and I will give them one heart, and one way, that they may fear me for ever, for the good of them, and of their children after them: and I will make an everlasting covenant with them, that I will not turn away from them to do them good; but I will put my fear in their hearts, that they shall not depart from me." Jer. xxxi. 31-34, and xxxii. 38-40. "Then will I sprinkle clean water upon you, and you shall be clean: from all your filthiness, and from all your idols, will I cleanse you. A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you; and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you a heart of flesh. And I will put my Spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes, and you shall keep my judgments, and do them. I will also save you from all your uncleanness." Ezek. xxxvi. 25-29. Now it is evident that this is the covenant of which Christ is the Surety and Mediator, for not only from the [672] Epistle to the Hebrews, as above quoted; but also most explicitly from our Lord's declaration, Matth. xxvi. 27, 28. In the institution of the commemorative symbols of his death, "he took the cup, and gave thanks, and gave it to them, saying, Drink ye all of it; for this is my blood of the new covenant, which is shed for many for the remission of sins." The term Covenant, and not Testament, is the common translation of the original word here used, which is the same used by the Apostle in the Epistle to the Hebrews, there termed "the New Covenant;" of which Jesus is expressly. styled "the Mediator." Heb. xii. 24. Of which covenant the Apostle treats particularly in the eighth chapter--as the covenant of which Christ is the Mediator; and, therefore, it may be justly styled the Christian Covenant. Now whenever the contents of this covenant take place, the subject is most certainly saved from the guilt, the love, and the practice of sin; and is, therefore, justified, adopted, and sanctified, and so becomes a new creature, an heir of eternal life. See John vi. 38-40, 44, 4.5. "All that the Father hath given me shall come to me, and him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out. For I came down from heaven not to do my own will, but the will of him that sent me. And this is the will of the Father that sent me, that of all that he hath given me, I should lose nothing, but should raise it up again at the last day. No man can come to me, except the Father which hath sent me draw him, and I will raise him up at the last day." It is written in the Prophets, "And they shall be all taught of God." "Every man, therefore, that hath heard, and that hath learned of the Father, cometh unto me." Now who are they who have heard and learned of the Father; or that are taught of God; if not the happy subjects of the new covenant above quoted? Therefore, not one of them can ever perish. John x. 26-29. Glory to God--the only efficient Saviour; besides whom there is none else. Isai. xliii. 11.

      TOPIC THIRD.--We come now, in the third place, to advert to the means divinely appointed for the enjoyment of the revealed salvation; namely, faith and obedience; which always presuppose the knowledge of the truth. The former realizes the truth of the divine testimony concerning every thing contained in the sacred record; the latter, obedience to the commands of our Lord, and of his holy Apostles, contained in the New Testament. For although "all holy scripture is given by divine inspiration, and is therefore profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished for [673] all good works." 2 Thess. iii. 16, 17. Yet there are many things divinely commanded in the Old Testament that are not binding upon Christians, but only upon the people to whom they were delivered. It is, therefore, the belief of the divine testimony, above described, and the obedience of the law of Christ contained in the New Testament, that constitute Christian character; or, more briefly, the belief and obedience of the contents of the New Testament will constitute the Christian; for the New Testament confirms the divine authority of the Old. So that he who believes the former, must, of course, also believe the latter. Wherefore, upon the whole, it is evident that the knowledge, the belief, and obedience of the gospel and law of Christ constitute Christian character. And also that this belief and obedience is effectually secured to all the subjects of the new covenant, is as evident as the words of the covenant can make it; for they go to produce and maintain the knowledge, faith, and obedience in the happy subjects, which the Scriptures require for that blissful purpose. See the above quotations from Jeremiah, Ezekiel, and Paul. Consequently the entire glory of our salvation is due to God alone: for according to the divine quotations introduced in this essay, the knowledge, disposition, and ability that constitute the Christian character, are all the effects of the divine will and power, divinely exerted in the highly favored subjects. So that all the glory of human salvation, first, middle, and last; from beginning to end, is wholly divine; and, from the nature of the disease, cost the glorious Author infinitely more than the creation of the universe. For the creation was the immediate effect of the expression of the divine will--"God said, Let there be light; and there was light." Thus was the solar system created in six days, at the expense of six commands. But in order to the salvation of perishing humanity, God had not only to endure the highly aggravated insults of depraved rebellious humanity, thousands of years; but also to identify himself with us, by the assumption of our degenerate nature in the person of Christ; and in him to submit to all the humiliating shameful maltreatment he endured, with the ignominious sufferings and death, that divine justice required on account of our sins, that we might be justly pardoned. Glory to God! O how should we love, revere, and adore our infinitely glorious Creator, for such a display of his divine love to us, in our wretched, guilty, polluted, perishing condition; as not only to pardon and save us from the tremendous effects and consequences of sin, at such an expense of infinite love, mercy, and condescension; but also to exalt us to the highest possible degree of glory, honor, and [674] happiness, of which our nature is capable, in the hands of infinite power, wisdom, and goodness. Eternal glory to his infinitely glorious name! Amen! Amen!

T. CAMPBELL.      

[The Millennial Harbinger (December 1847): 661-675.]

      Thomas Campbell's "The Disease, the Cure, and the Means of Enjoying It" was first published in The Millennial Harbinger, Third Series, Vol. 4, No. 12, December 1847. The electronic version of the essay has been produced from the College Press reprint (1976) of The Millennial Harbinger, ed. Alexander Campbell (Bethany, VA: A. Campbell, 1847), pp. 661-675.

      Pagination in the electronic version has been represented by placing the page number in brackets following the last complete word on the printed page. I have let stand variations and inconsistencies in the author's (or editor's) use of italics, capitalization, punctuation, and spelling in the essay. Emendations are as follows:

            Printed Text [ Electronic Text
 -----------------------------------------------------------------------
 p. 663:    I. Election.-- [ I. ELECTION.--
 p. 666:    it it is written, He [ it is written, He
 p. 667:    1 Pet. i. 28-21. [ 1 Pet. i. 18-21.
            Eph. i, 7, [ Eph. i. 7,
 p. 668:    hath made ns [ hath made us
 p. 670:    eternal life.,' [ eternal life."
 p. 671:    1 Peter, i. 2. [ 1 Peter i. 2.
            becausse he is [ because he is
 p. 672:    1 John, iii. 2, 3. [ 1 John iii. 2, 3.
 p. 673:    tanght of God." [ taught of God."
 

      Addenda and corrigenda are earnestly solicited.

Ernie Stefanik
Derry, PA

Created 27 March 1998.
Updated 9 July 2003.