pent received in and by the fall, consisting in a spirit of disobedience to God, and a subversion of his order and appointments. That nature has its seat in the flesh, is incorporated with it, and operates in its order where it chiefly presides; so that the works of the flesh are the works of that nature, which is itself become the very nature of the flesh. On account of this nature and its productions, the flesh is degenerated and degraded, even in its own order, but it is especially inimical to Christ and the order of the Spirit. Add to this, that the order of the flesh, in its best state, is not the order of Christ, or the Spirit, but much inferior, inasmuch as the earthly man is inferior to the heavenly. These things account for the irreconcilable contrast and enmity subsisting between the flesh and the Spirit, so abundantly confirmed in the Scriptures.

But the flesh, or its order, by whatever name it is called, has the nature of the serpent in it; its works also are every where known, and esteemed by all who approve them, as not at all belonging to the Christian; above God, and Christ, and all things, as is evident from the fact that the faith which rejects these works from Christianity is more offensive to them than any other faith which embraces or rejects any thing else. As, therefore, this order of the flesh shows itself to be God; so it is, in truth, God, even the god of the world, set up in the holy place.

What farther proves this to be the god of those who approve it, is the sacred reserve with which its works and its nature are kept from public contemplation, in being concealed not only from the eyes, but also from the ears. No language is so offensive as that which represents these things in naked colours. Now the sources of unbecoming and offensive language are two. First: When language communicates the ideas of things in themselves unbecoming and offensive. If this is the case with the above order, or its works, that decides the argument, that it is not according to Christ or the order of his Church; and as it is abetted as being innocent by the professed Church, and has its full and undisturbed residence there, it is hereby proved to be the son of perdition, the abomination of desolation.

But if it be argued, that language, descriptive of the works of the flesh, is not offensive because of any thing unbecoming or loathsome in them, its offensiveness must be attributed to the other source of offensive language, which is, The common and irreverent use of language pertaining to God, or some character too sacred to be named in a common or indifferent manner. According to this view, generation is proved to be a god, much more sacred than any other, and its peculiar names as sacred, at least, as JEHOVAH, the incommunicable name of the true God, was among the Jews; for it is experimentally true, that the man who blasphemes the name of the true God most freely, is not so odious and offensive to the abettors of the flesh, as he who uses, with unbecoming freedom, language which expresses their secret works; those secret works under the whole heavens, or within the reach of man's conception, of which it is the greatest shame to speak.

It is vain to plead that this can be true of illegitimate actions only; for lawful, or unlawful, the actions are the same, the nature the same, and language descriptive thereof is as offensive in the one case as the

other. No doubt, therefore, remains to the judicious, but this same is the very man of sin, the son of perdition, the abomination of desolation.

4. Another of its characters is, That wicked, in Greek, lawless. This is a very proper description of a wicked thing; for nothing can be counted wicked which is subject to any good law; for sin is the transgression of the law; but that which is subject to no law but its own caprice, is necessarily wicked. Thus the carnal mind is proved to be enmity against God, because it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be. (Rom. viii. 7.) Thus the above, which, in truth, is but the same, is known to be subject to no law, except its own ungovernable sallies: not to the law of nature; because its operations are abundantly frequent in those circumstances which make it impossible for the fruits appointed by nature to succeed-not to the law of Moses; because it is not kept within the limits and purifications prescribed by that legislator-not to the law of Christ, who never cherished it in a single instance, but appointed it to be crucified with its affections and lusts; for that which cannot exist and be subject, is necessarily wicked, and its ultimate fate is certain destruction-" Whom the Lord will consume with the Spirit of his mouth, and will destroy with the brightness of his coming."

Should any suppose so free a discussion of a subject so delicate and secret to be contrary to propriety or decency, let them duly consider what idea is to be entertained of a Gospel which would patronize, and cherish in secret, such works as are unfit to receive the most liberal investigation. Every one that doeth evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be discovered (margin) or (in Greek) convicted. But he that doeth truth, cometh to the light, that his deeds may be made manifest that they are wrought in God." (Jno. iii. 20, 21.)

CHAPTER VIII.

THE ORDER AND WORKS OF GENERATION DO NOT APPERTAIN TO CHRIST OR HIS CHURCH.

THAT marriage and the order of the flesh have neither part nor lot in Christ, is farther proved by this doctrine of Christ, "If any man come to me, and hate not his father, and mother, and wife, and children, and brethren, and sisters, yea, and his own life also, he cannot be my disciple." (Luke xiv. 26.)

Some, however, are quite apt in qualifying the sayings of Christ, so as to accommodate them to their own views. But it is at least necessary not to explain the teaching of Christ all away; his words are not mere wind, but contain an important meaning, and an energy not to be neglected. That this hatred, of which he speaks, cannot be

levelled against the soul or the body, nor intend any injurious feelings towards either, will be granted. Yet the words of Christ mean something of great importance, for on it depends our discipleship, and, consequently, our acceptance with God. I conclude, therefore, that these energetic words were not delivered for a deception; and that when he said hate, he did not mean love, although the purest and most genuine love is strictly consistent with that hatred. And as the man's nearest relations, together with his own life, are singled out, as peculiar objects of hatred, I conclude, that when he says father and mother, wife and children, brethren and sisters, yea, and his own life also, he means these especially, inasmuch as these stand nearest to self, and therefore are most closely connected with that self-denial and crossbearing so indispensably necessary to partaking with Christ; " If any man will come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me." But as aforesaid, it is not required to hate the person; but to be a disciple of Christ, a man must hate his father and his mother, and his wife and his children; not the man and the woman, but the father and the mother; not the woman, but the wife. Now every one knows, that what constitutes father and mother, wife and child, is the flesh, operating in its own line and order. They twain shall be one flesh; and, That which is born of the flesh is flesh. Therefore a man born of his father and mother, who are one flesh, is born of the flesh, and according to Christ, he is flesh, and accordingly so are the whole connection and relation: and in all this work Christ is not known. "But that which is born of the Spirit is spirit," and therefore hath part with Christ.

A man is not required to hate his own personal existence, or physical life, but his carnal life, and that which supports it-that by which he has his existence in a fleshly fallen nature. What therefore Christ requires us to hate, is the flesh, which lusteth against the Spirit, and is contrary to it ; which also is partial, leading a man to esteem, regard and befriend his own fleshly relations more than others, contrary to Christ, who said, “ Whosoever shall do the will of God, the same is my brother, and my sister and mother." (Mark iii. 35.)

When it is considered that men esteem their own relations after the flesh more than others, and are more closely attached to them, notwithstanding that others are as respectable and as worthy as they, and often more so, every man of real intelligence must grant, that such estimation and attachment are merely the partialities of the flesh. Yet such estimation and attachment, or these partialities, are as necessary to the support of marriage, and the line of the flesh therein, as the junction of the members to the existence of the body. This proves that marriage and the order of the flesh have neither part nor lot in Christ, whose love is impartial, and where each one is esteemed according to his real character, without respect to persons, and in whom all crucify the flesh with its affections as well as its lusts.

This view of the subject leaves no room for any part of all the inhumanity, cruelty and distress, about which the children of this world make such an outcry against the followers of Christ; but leaves the Christian under every sacred obligation of humanity and charity, necessary to the existence and comfort of society. Every duty between the members of the old creation as husband and wife, parent and child,

not subversive of the new, remains sacred and inviolable, until they all arrive to that state wherein they have no need of such good offices from such relations. "If any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his ;" but the Spirit of Christ esteems all those who do the will of God brethren and sisters; those therefore who truly belong to Christ, are in no want of relations or their good offices.

Some indeed believe, or affect to believe, the hating and forsaking required in the disciples of Christ, to be merely mental and comparative, and to produce no material separation or visible cutting off from the fleshly connection and intercourse; because it is written: "He that loveth father or mother more than me, is not worthy of me; and he that loveth son or daughter more than me, is not worthy of me." (Matt. x. 37.) But nothing is more certain, than that these words imply a contrast between Christ and the man's kindred; so that his love cannot be divided between them, nor at all imparted to both; which makes it plain, that the love which men have to father and mother, son and daughter, wife and child, is a rival to the love of Christ, and that both cannot dwell in one heart. The words therefore are precisely the same as to say, He that loveth father or mother, is not worthy of me, and he that loveth son or daughter, is not worthy The sentence therefore is just tantamount with that above: "If any man come to me and hate not his father and mother, and wife, and children, and brother and sister, yea, and his own life also, he cannot be my disciple;" for what any man hates he does not love.

of me.

Farther: If the hating and forsaking requisite in the followers of Christ, be only comparative and mental, or even verbal also, while the heart is as fully therein as the nature of the case will admit, whence arise all those divisions and enmities of which Christ speaks, as the certain and inevitable attendants of his Gospel? "Think not that I am

come to send peace on earth: I came not to send peace, but a sword. For I am come to set a man at variance against his father, and the daughter against her mother, and the daughter-in-law against her motherin-law; and a man's foes shall be they of his own household." (Matt. x. 34-36.

Or, if the Gospel of Christ requires no more than a mental or comparative forsaking of the line and members of the flesh, wherein was the necessity, or even propriety of the Apostles stating a provision, especially and specifically, for a man and his wife, in the case of one being a believer and the other not. Let not the believer put away or leave the unbeliever; "But if the unbelieving depart, let him [or her] depart. A brother or a sister is not under bonds in such cases. (1 Cor. vii. 15.)

Now, where was it ever known that a man put away his wife because of her being a believer in Christ, or that a woman departed from her husband on account of his being a believer, provided the faith of such believer did not extend to the demolishing of the works of the flesh, and disannulling its claims in Christians? It is true, as stated before, that infidels, and professed Christians, or professed Christians of divided faith, can generally live together in as much agreement as where their faith is one, provided the claims and works of the flesh be preserved inviolate.

Or where was it ever known, particularly in a free country, that a man was at variance against his father, the mother against her daughter,

and the daughter against her mother, so as to make a man's foes to be those of his own household, on account of his faith in Christ, unless where the believing part have that real and genuine faith of Christ, which leads them to crucify the flesh with its affections and lusts, and to exclude the order of the flesh and its works (the sexual intercourse, lawful or unlawful) from all share in Christ? Although it is not to be denied, that partial jars have sometimes taken place between those of the same household, on account of the faith of some towards Christ; particularly in those times when God has been pouring out on the people a Spirit of grace and supplication, and spreading light abroad in some uncommon manner, as in the Kentucky revival. But as all these revivals fall short of the perfect work of salvation by the cross, these partial divisions may soon be removed, and civil peace and agreement be restored. For although such revivals may burn with vengeance against the flesh, they do not reach far enough to purge it out of the temple.

It is also to be granted, that variances, enmities, feuds and animosities are frequent enough among professed Christians; but it is too evident, that they spring from a source very different from that of the faith of Christ, and a tenacious adherence to it-the want of genuine faith and obedience; for the Spirit, or faith of Christ persecuteth none, envieth none, banisheth none, nor causeth any divisions, excepting those produced by his people's testifying to, and living in that truth which is necessary for salvation.

On the whole, to suppose the denying, forsaking or hating requisite in a disciple, to be mental, verbal, comparative, or in any respect short of a total destruction of the order of the flesh and its works, depreciates the words of Christ, and renders them weak and indeterminate, not to say false.

When men make resistance and become foes to others, it is on the principle of considering themselves injured or aggrieved; but why should the children of this world complain of injury or grievance against the Gospel of Christ, or become foes to those who practise it, if they can partake of its benefits, and keep their beloved works unhurt, and the body and core of them unmolested? But the work of Christ proceeds immediately to life and death. "He that findeth his life shall lose it; and he that loseth his life for my sake shall find it." (Matt. x. 39.) This makes a thorough and final separation between those who bear the cross and those who remain enemies to it.

As for the notion of dividing the love between Christ and the wife, children and others, allowing Christ the greatest portion, it is too weak to merit a serious answer, were it not so much insisted upon by many. In the first place, it is granted, that Christ requires the whole heart, love and affections; consequently, whosoever interferes to prevent any part, is a rival to him; because no man can serve two masters. But he who lives in the practice of generation, does the work of the first Adam, and thereby serves him, and therefore cannot serve Christ.

But if this be counted an unfair statement, and it be argued, that Christ demands the whole heart, love and affections, which being given to him, comprehend in the same relation, parents, children and others; this is granted, provided those parents, children and others, are in Christ, and the love embraces them in that character; and this is the very love for which we contend, which effectually supplants, and