observed that the first manifestation of it is, the evidence of the spirituality of the covenant. God is a Spirit, and therefore his covenant must be internal and spiritual, and not external. This was the covenant which he gave to man in the beginning, and through this we may see what is our own condition, as well as what we mean by the term salvation. It is salvation from our sins, not in our sins, and from our own self-will and designing. As all things come from his spirit, it is manifest that we should never have a will of our own, independent of his. How presumptuous is it, then, in us to set up our will in contradiction to his, and as it were to dictate to the Almighty! Where the covenant which I have spoken of exists, what is the seal of it? Is it outward miracles? Not at all. It is superior to all external manifestations. It is as high above them, as the heavens are above the earth, as spirit is above matter. It is written in our hearts; and if we are only faithful to the law of the covenant thus written, we shall be satisfied of it, and become the offspring of God, not only by creation, but by the begettings of his Holy Spirit in our souls. God has no children but spiritual ones. But the people have not been obedient to the known will of God. They have chosen to follow their own devices, and

christendom has been employed in hewing out their own broken cisterns. We must therefore go back to the spiritual covenant-to the internal light which has been given us. Has the medium through which God spoke to his apostles ceased? By no means. Is he no longer that merciful and propitious being as formerly,

when he condescended to have immediate intercourse with his creatures? His communication with them is now by the same inward light that ever it was, and not by outward miracles. But because these latter have ceased, dare you say or believe that the Almighty Being has forsaken you? It would be a heinous crime, and not to be committed without shame and confusion of face. What is it, then, that now separates us from God? The gospel tells us that it is nothing but our sins. But "is the Lord's arm shortened that he cannot save?-is his ear heavy that he cannot hear?" No, it is your iniquities that have separated between you and your God, and your sins have hid his face from you, that he will not hear; and I appeal to you all to say if this is not true by the evidence within.

Our evidence is internal, from the communications of God himself. Nothing can convict me of sin but the evidence in my own heart.

From this evidence there is no escape. Where can any one hide from the Almighty, or flee from that testimony which bears inward witness against him? All the good men and good women of the present day, can declare how much these truths are confirmed by their own experience. As the light shines upon us we feel the power of conviction, and are guided in our path. We have dangers, however, to encounter in every step of our progress. Such creatures we are that we are led to embrace sin from habit. At first it is committed, perhaps, with reluctance. It becomes by degrees more flattering; darkness is brought over our understandings, and it is finally adopted with eagerness. After having indulged it for a time, the mind by continued custom and use gets easy, and the conscience quiet. So we see it is that christendom has commuted for her sins, and the religion of virtue is exchanged for forms and ceremonies, and the men and women in it undertake to make a heaven of their own. But these attempts are in vain. All our false rests will be disappoint ed—all our false heavens will be shaken-they will be swept and dissolved away.

Some men's sins go beforehand to judgment, and some follow after. It seems as if at the present day there was a gathering for the coming

calamity. Look around upon the people, and all appears to be prosperous; there is great comfort and plenty for the body, but not for the soul. We have commuted away virtue for a kind of religion which is no religion at all, and it is only God Almighty, who by his power can save us from these sins. It is only by his powerful light, shown to me and shown to you, that we can discover wherein we have done amiss. Nothing is required of the creature, but to surrender himself to the power of the Lord. This is the day in which sinners in Zion should be afraid; and it will be a good day when they shall come trembling under a sense of their transgressions, and be led to an entire submission to the will of God. Repentance is the gift of God, for it is brought about by the will of God. And how happy would they be, if they would be attentive and see this dispensation implanted in their minds so as to become willing to submit to the dispensations of the Lord. That dispensation is a writing, but not written with pen and ink, nor engraved on stone. The kingdom

of God cometh not with observation; and the best of men and women can go no farther than to recommend the observance of his commands, and to gather home the mind to the first cause. As we come to it we should understand the

the

language of Jesus, that the kingdom of God cometh not with outward observation, but is within us, and also his declaration to his disciples, that it was necessary for him to go away; for, says he, if I go not away, the Comforter will not come, but "if I go away I will pray Father and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you forever, even the spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive; because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him, for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you." Tarry at Jerusalem, was the command, until ye receive power from on high. And what is Jerusalem? A quiet habitation. And how was this power to be received? Not from books or science, but from the direct communications of God. All the books in the world could not have taught it; it is superior to them all, and thus also must we sink down, until his Holy Spirit shall see fit to raise us up, and put the words of comfort in our mouth. Ye shall receive power, was the promise, and every where, where the divine command has influence, it drives all other rests. Nothing was promised to their own premeditation, but as the divine power should come upon them. How easy it is to see that it must be so, if we get the right instructor. There are no two persons alike in

away