Then the Lord himself shall appear, then she shall receive his blessing, and never before. Now, brethren, if God has given these things, what has he given to you? Has he not given them to you as well as to the Church? Has he given them to the Protestant and not to the Papist? He has given them unto his Church. We call your attention to them because ye are Christians, and God has given to the Christian Church these gifts. We call your attention to them in order, that through these, his appointed means, ye may receive his mind, and will be no longer distracted and tossed by the inventions and imaginations of men. This is the message he sends, that divisions should cease, and that unity may be recovered and restored, and we be prepared a people to meet him when he appears. And how will you enter into this state but just by seeing that God is your Father. There is no other way. Until you recognize God as your Father you will not take one step towards God. No man ever comes unto him until he sees God and recognizes him as his Father. He is waiting with blessings, fully to bestow on you, but ye can take no single step towards God, and ye never can come but when ye are able to see God as your Father, and that all that God has is yours and for you. Then there is some hope of your turning back to God and having these blessings. If ye ask me how you are to know that God is your Father, and that ye are his children, I will just refer you to your own hearts. Men and women, who have the name of Jesus Christ on you, what is your heart? Ye have been engrafted into Christ, therefore ye may be made partakers of every thing Christ has. Ye are the wild olives grafted in, in order that ye may be made partakers of the root and fatness of the olive tree. This is the question then. If ye are not bringing forth fruit, then, brethren, behold the day cometh that shall burn as an oven, and every man that is not bringing forth fruit to the glory of God shall be burned up, leaving neither root nor branch. Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit shall be cut down and cast into the fire. God who has winked a long time at this world's wickedness, now calls on all men every where to repent; because he hath appointed a day in which he will judge the world in righteousness by that man whom he hath A 4 ordained; whereof he hath given assurance unto all men in that he hath raised him from the dead. Because ye are in the vine, and because ye are the branches of the vine, ye partake of the sap that comes from the root of the vine. Brethren, God has not planted you there that you should look religious, and be covered all over with leaves, and appear full of verdure; but he has planted you there to bring forth fruits of holiness to the honor and glory of his name. Look well, I beseech you, to yourselves. See that ye recognize the heart of God, and that ye seek the blessings he will bestow on you. For, depend upon it, this time of listlessness and carelessness is coming to its end. God is about to prove every man. Every one that is not bringing forth fruit will be cut out of the vine, and then when he is cut out of the vine instead of coming to your Father's house, which ye do now, during the day of grace and mercy, he will come forth saying:-" Depart from me, I know you not." But that day is not yet come. God beareth with you, and this day is the day of mercy. Cry unto him-"My Father!" and he will open your hearts to receive his blessings. Wait no longer, for behold, the day of the Lord cometh. - Dear THE FOURTH EVANGELIST. brethren, ye have been taught concerning the work which the Lord is about to do in this day; and ye have been also shewn the ministry which the Lord hath from the beginning appointed for doing his work in his Church. It is declared unto you that although that four fold ministry hath for ages past been lost sight of and wanting in the Church, yet that God, who is faithful to his purpose and will accomplish his work, hath again come forth and hath given again this four-fold ministry and those needful and effectual gifts, which he gave in the beginning for the edifying of his Church. You have been shewn the offices of the apostles and prophets, and evangelists, and pastors, and teachers. And, see you, dear brethren, in the 10th chap. of Luke, and at the 16th verse the sanction which the Lord gives to his ministers :-" He that heareth you, heareth me; and he that despiseth you, despiseth me; and he that despiseth me, despiseth him that sent me." It is by a living ministry that the Lord will teach, and that he will build up his church. It is through the powers of men ordained by the Lord Jesus and you read of Korah, and Dathan, and Christ that ye must learn the mind and Abihu, who were not contented with will of the Lord. It is by them that ye being concerned and employed about must be taught the ways of the Lord. the tabernacle of the Lord, but they set And among this four-fold ministry which themselves up in the priesthood, not has been spoken of to you, ye see every being called or chosen of God to that means given not only for setting forth to end. And you read also of the displeathe children of God, and to all men, the sure of God, manifested on that occamind and will of God, but also for re- sion, the earth opening and swallowing ceiving from God continually the know- them up. St. Paul also, when speaking ledge of his mind and will. How many of the Christian priesthood, declares have lost sight of these means and of that no man taketh this honor on himthe gift of the Holy Ghost to men as the self, but he that is called, is called of Spirit of God dwelling in them, dwelling God, as was Aaron. And again, speakin the ministry and instructing the minds ing of the messengers of the Lord, of men ordained and called to that pur- those who proclaimed glad tidings, he pose what they should speak and teach says, "How shall they preach unless to the people of God, not those things they be sent?" Now although for which they have learned of men, but ages past, the ordinances and minisfrom the book of God, the scriptures of tries which God gave for calling and truth, which every man hath in his hand ordaining his ministers, have been lost, and can read for himself. Men are although there have not been prophets taught that when they wait on the Lord through whom ministers were called, in his house, and hear his ministry, and and although there have not been hear his word ministered to them there, apostles by whom they should be orthat they are not to receive that word as dained, yet he should discern and know coming from the Lord to them, but that that God has never left himself without considering themselves instructed first a witness, that there has been ever a miout of the book of God, they come pre- nistry of God, and that there is a distincpared to receive and to believe that, tion between those who are appointed which they can judge and can discern to ministers to preach, and to teach the be conformable to the Scriptures. But, children of God by other means than the dear brethren, ye should know that the separation and selection of them, which ministers of the Lord have a standing takes place amongst so many sects and which entitles them to claim from you parties in the church. If ye come to the belief of the word which they bring. hear the word of God, come ye not preIt is not every man that is a minister of pared in a spirit to judge by what you alGod. A minister of God is he, and only ready know, but come with your hearts he whom God calleth and ordaineth to in submission to the Lord. Come exthat office; and, therefore, it is a sin and pecting that God will speak to you by an evil thing for men to take upon them- the mouth of his ministers. Come preselves this office not having any authority pared to receive gladly the word. And or permission from God. And yet you see ye are not precluded from searching the how common it is in these days. It is Scriptures to see whether those things so common, it is so tolerated, it is thought are so, for what was the character of the such a good thing for men to choose Bereans, who were declared to be more whomsoever they will for their minister, noble than they of Thessalonica? that men have lost sight of the distinc- was not, as is commonly remarked, tion between those who are truly minis- merely because they searched the Scripters, those who are called to the office, tures to question whether the apostles and those who set up themselves over the had spoken truly by their own judgpeople. And yet brethren, you will find ment, but they were more noble because in the scriptures, abundance, if you will they gladly received the word. Know ye look in them, to shew you that it is need-therefore, brethren, that God does testify ful, in order that a man be entitled to to you by men; and that the words you minister to the children of God, that he hear may be applied to your hearts and should be commissioned from God, and consciences. God has given you a concapacitated by him for that office. In science, and he has given you in your the Mosaic dispensation, Aaron and his baptism a spiritual understanding, wheresons were appointed to the priesthood; by to discern the truth, and you, It as children, are responsible to discern the truth of God. The truth should and will commend itself to your consciences, and you never can be built up and prepared for the coming and kingdom of the Lord except you are really willing and ready to receive his teaching, and to be prepared by him through the ministry which he hath ordained. the "the shall save the sick, and the Lord shall raise him up; and if he have committed sins they shall be forgiven him." Now, you observe that one of the things the pastors are accused of is, they have not healed the flock. So you find that the pastors of Israel in the Levitical law, priest was to look on the leprous man and offer the offering, and the leprous THE FIFTH EVANGELIST. You man should be cleansed. But now, in have heard that God has promised to the midst of all Europe, such a thought place over you, pastors according to his never enters men's minds, or if we menmind, and that they shall know the way tion it to any pastor whatever, we find he of bringing back the children of God to has put it quite away, and says, the knowledge of their father; that the days of miracles are gone by, the disfear of God shall no longer be taught by pensation of the direct influence is gone the precepts of men. "In vain ye wor- by, in these days Christianity is estabship me, teaching for doctrines the pre-lished, and there is no need of these cepts of men." But the aliens shall be things;" so that our sick men and turned unto the Lord, and the hearts of cripples remain lying at the gates the fathers unto the children, and the of the Church and the pastors heal hearts of the children to their fathers. them not. Now you are to seek Now the way to know what kind of pastor's after God's mind, who go pastors you are to have, and those that forth with a double message, to preach are pastors according to the mind of God, the Gospel of peace, and to heal the we find from scripture the kind of pastors sick that are in the city. And it is not appointed by God. In the prophecy of enough to turn round and say, "Oh! Ezekiel, the 34th chapter, it is said, but these men have not got all this "And the word of the Lord came unto power." That is not the question. me, saying, Son of man, prophesy against The question, you who call yourselves the shepherds of Israel, prophesy and Bible Christians, and are in the habit of say unto them, thus saith the Lord God saying-" The Bible, the Bible alone, is unto the shepherds; woe be to the shep- the religion of Protestants. We dissemiherds of Israel that do feed themselves! nate the Bible, the sure enemy of all the Should not the shepherds feed the flocks?" errors of Popery." Ye who place this re&c. Now this is the awful responsibility liance on this book, hear ye the words of those who feed themselves and feed of this book. Judge you who and what not the flock of God: who teach the kind of men the pastors of the Lord's precepts of men and have not inquired Israel should be, and do not think it as a of the Lord. And in the second chapter matter easily got over for a man to say of Jeremiah's prophesy, it is said-"The God had a peculiar purpose, and a parpriests said not, where is the Lord? and ticular time for doing these things. This they that handle the law, knew me not very book tells you, the word of God the pastors also trangressed against me abideth for ever; the ordinances of God, and the prophets, prophesied by Baal." therefore, abideth, and if the fervent This is the responsibility of those who prayer of the righteous man availeth not are not pastors according to God's mind. much, it is because ye are teaching the Now my brethren you are called together precepts of men for the doctrines of not to seek, as you have been told, to form God. And though they say, "The Lord or to enter into a sect, but to lift up your liveth;" surely they swear falsely. "They hearts to God, that he may give you pas- know not the way of the Lord, nor tors according to his mind. And that you the judgment of their God." But may have a slight idea of what pastors were the Prophet says, "In the day that in those days when the Lord just planted God will give you pastors after his own his Church, you will find in the original heart, they shall say no more the ark of Church, he says, "Is any sick among the testimony of the Lord." There shall you? Let them call for the elders of be no more traditions about the ark the Church; and let them pray over parting the waters of Jordan, but it shall him, anointing him with oil in the name be known that Jerusalem is the throne of of the Lord and the prayer of faith God, and his pastors, with his spirit and power, shall be in the midst of the peo- order everywhere prevails. None is so ple. It shall be known as the place of foolish that he cannot see that the State God. In that day the men of the Lord's is out of order. None is so foolish that house shall be known, for they shall he cannot see that the Church is out of bring forth fruit to his glory in the king- order. Every family in the land is out dom of their Father. Therefore, if you of order. There is no rule in the master, are come here to seek anything but the there is no obedience in the servants. full inspiration of the Holy Ghost, if ye There is nothing like that which ought have come after us to seek for anything to exist in a family. Every one can see but the outpouring of the Spirit of God, this. But how are these things to be set go away back to your own Pastors, go in order? Men in their wisdom and away back wherever ye are contented to pride, and self-confidence, do form sodwell at ease. For in the flesh, and in cieties for restoring all things, fully dethe weakness in which ye are, ye cannot pending on the plan and system which dwell at ease here. But see that ye be they themselves have devised; and, both found among the righteous of the earth, in Church and in State they think they among the number of them who sigh can effect reform. But all these things and cry for the desolation of Sion. Lift will fail, and all these high thoughts up your hearts to God for pastors ac-must be brought down. Man shall be cording to his own heart, and do not shewn and taught that more than these dwell on the succession of pastors from things are needed, and that it requires the days of Peter down to the present God to restore all things to order; that time, as the Roman Catholics do, or from it requires God himself to do the work the days when a special commission was which man seeketh to do, and which given to the Apostles to lay hands on none but God can perform. And God many. But seek ye the kingdom of God, has come forth to prepare men, in and cry for pastors according to God's mercy, for the coming of the Lord Jesus own heart, who shall feed you with know- to restore all things, for he sees if men ledge and understanding. were permitted to go on in their vain endeavours to seek to perfect themselves, what would the coming of the Lord be to all, but sudden destruction? What if Jesus should come when every living soul of man would be found in the state they are in now? What would the church say if the Lord were to appear in her midst now? Where are her ordinances? Where are the gifts which he left her when he ascended up on high? Where is authority and discipline established? THE FIRST EVANGELIST. - And think not that the cry which his people sendeth up to him will be in vain. Think not that he turneth a deaf ear to that cry. And from what a company and class of men does not the cry now arise! Do not the poor cry out because of the oppression of the rich? And do not the rich cry out because of the encroachments made on them by those who are below them? Do not the flocks cry out against the pastors, and the pastors against the people? Do not the people cry out against their rulers, and the rulers against the people? And they all cry out justly, for the cry of one is as just as the other, and God doth hear the cry of all! yea, and God will answer that cry; for he will not suffer the cry of any class, or people, to rise in vain. The cry is now rising up universally for reform, in every part of the creation. There is a cry for reform in the Church, and there is a cry for reform in the State; and the Lord heareth and will answer those cries. But, brethren, how will he answer it? By sending his Son to restore all things as at the first. This is the way he will answer it. How otherwise can things be set in order. You have all sense enough to see that dis Where is the wisdom and power which the church possessed when she was first set in the world as a witness for the Lord? They are not to be found; and if she cannot give an account of her talents when the Lord comes, what can she receive but punishment at his hand? So brethren the Lord in mercy doth prepare us for the coming of Jesus Christ to set all things in order, to restore government, to give wisdom and understanding to men, and to make them look for his blessing, and not till the Lord Jesus Christ has established his kingdom can this be fulfilled. The Lord hath given pastors for the ministry of preparation. He hath given pastors and prophets. But to whom hath he given them? Not to us, a few only, not unto any sect or party, but unto his Church and people in all Christendom, children. Ye are called on to believe and unto those who are called by his that God has made you his children; name. And, brethren, it is to you as that God hath made you these hearts; baptized men and women the Lord hath that when he put his name on you in restored that which he took not away. baptism, he took you by the hand of his To you as members of his Church hath minister and set you in the body of the he given back his gift which he had left Lord Jesus Christ, and that ye then did as a witness of his rule and authority. become his sons and daughters, and He hath restored it unto his Church in received the light of his grace, through order that she may have power to bring the ordinances appointed for that purpose, the body of Jesus together in one; and that thing which ye could not have rein order that his body, the Church, may ceived, neither can ye now receive in any be prepared to receive the Lord and to other way, even death unto sin in Jesus be received unto himself, and not have and life in him for evermore. He would judgment brought upon her. Say ye restore you, as in this chapter, and bring not in your hearts that these gifts are you unto God's heritage, by teaching you not given unto you. The Lord seeketh to know that he is your Father, and that to bless you. He calleth you his chil- ye are his baptized children. Ye are dren and giveth these things to you as not called on to go about as men teach, his children, but you do not recognize to repent, and to build up, and to do his gifts, ye do not see that it is your something to make yourselves children father's gift. Why not? Just because of God, but to believe that ye are his ye have not the Spirit of children, be- children, and to cast yourselves on him cause ye do not see him as your Fa- as your Father, to rest on his love, being ther. Ye cannot believe that he loveth persuaded that he will teach you, and as he doth love you. Ye cannot trust bless you, and not withold any good thing your Father. Therefore, neither know from you. Do you believe that you are ye when he giveth his gift, and neither God's children, or do you not? If ye are ye sure that it is God's gift that are God's children, why are ye fighting cometh to you. Surely if ye knew your and devouring one another? Can there Father, surely if ye knew his mind and be any advantage to a father of a family character, ye would have no doubt when that those children who perhaps do not the thing is sent unto you, whether it offend so outwardly as the others, should came unto you or not. And if ye do continually be pointing out the errors know your Father's character surely and sins of those children? Would that when he sendeth anything unto you, it shew that unity prevailed, and that they must be for your good, and you may re- were willing to submit themselves to the joice in the reception of it, whatsoever it will of their father? Surely not. But may be. Now if ye desire to know what are God's children now doing? whether God is restoring his ordinances There are seeking to find out each others to his church or not, if ye desire to know sins. The Protestant is holding up the whether God cometh in these last times, Catholic to disdain, and the Catholic is and ruleth by men, and speaketh by men, turning round in disdain on the Protesas in no such manner he hath spoken for tant. Each one is speaking evil with his many hundred years before, if ye desire lips, and thus it is that they will glorify to distinguish the gift of God, if ye desire God. But this is not God's way of resto recognize the work of God, if ye de- toring order. The means of restoration sire to be able to assure your souls that will be the flowing of his grace to the it is not the work of Satan, then seek ye Church, and the giving a ministry to which to have the spirit of children, for that is his church can and must listen, something the only way ye can possibly attain to which they can feel and know, and learn this. Ye can know God in no other way. truth from. Is it possible, that in the preYe can discern the gift and recognize the sent system of things around us, there can work of God in no other way. If ye be any unity? When men stand up for the would know when your Father speaks, right of private judgment, and take this and gives you his blessing, the only way book and say, "We will learn from the is to seek to have the hearts of children. Bible for ourselves the mind and will of And ye are not called to make these God," can there be any unity? As long hearts yourselves. Ye are not called on to as there are men of many different minds, do something to make these hearts of so long will disunion remain among them, |