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a nd cluster ing togeth er in one cheracrer a round


one persou, exa lt him above th e " heaven of


heavens, and pla ce him at the right hand o f


God . Well might the Father comma nd th e


an gels of his prese uce to wor ship th is only be­goue


n S on of his bosom j and well ha s he de­creed


th utunto him e very kn ee s hould bow in


heav en, in ea r th, and under th e ea rth. " And


well may all that know a nd love him in s in­cerity


joiu th eir voic es with thosevten thous­a


~ ld. tim es ten th ousand , and thou sands of


thousands" of ungels see n in vis ion liy th e


- Revelator, whom he heard saying- " Worth y


is the Lamb thn t was sla in to receiv e power ,


and rich es, unil wisdom, 1; 1111st rerigth, arid hon ­o


r, and glory , and blessing," Re v. 5: 12.


THE PRACTICAL CHRISTIAN.


IUend on; November 15, 1840.


I N~ Ul aI E s OF LEVI TAYLOR.


Sutton, Augu; t 8, 1840.


Dear Broth er Bailo n :


Will you he so kind


as to give an ex pluna tion of th e following pus­snges


of Scrip tn .. e , viz: Rom. 1: 24 - 28. ­Hell.


6: 4, 5, U, 8. 1 Thess. 5: 19. Eph. 4: 30.


Re v. lfi: 10,11.


JUy .. easons tor requesting thi s exp lana tio n


are th e follow ing: If it be t.. lle · tllllt Gorl givps


ill' wick ed men tosin with impunity ; if it be


tru e th at He g ives " tbem ove .. to a reprobate


mind j" if they cun qu en ch tbe spirit; if th ey


" lin gri eve away th e holy spi rit, wh er eby th ey


ure sea led unt o th e . Iay of red em ption j ' if it


he impossihl e to rene w th ose al! a in Ullto .. e­penl


an ce, wh o w(,' l: e on ce enligbte ne ll , ha ve


tnstedthe hellvenl y gi ft, hllve l, een pa.. tlllwrR


o f th e Hoi)' Gho~ t , hav e c.. ncifi ed th e Son o f


God ali'ei! lJ, allll put him to open s ha mc j if


th e end ofsuc h is to be hUnl erl ; if th e wi clwd


lire representcd b}' the Revcllll" r aR bl a ~ ph elll '


j rig thei r Milk er, ! leclIuse of th eir pa in , auel re­pentiilg


nOlofth eir cleeclRj if it be trn e th a l


we clln' entire ly si lence t1; e inw ard monitor;


nnd be in a Rla te wh er e we cunnot rep ent


while in th e hody, how ca n we ever, .. ep ent?


s irwe teml'ora, l death is hn t a se pa ra tion of


th e soul and body, and ou .. ruoral state is not ,


c hllnged by it.


1 am also un abl e to recon cile th e following


passllges in tb e lllcl T estamen t, with th e doc­tr


ine of future probati on: " F or the grllve ca n ·


no i praise thee, death cann ot ce lehmte thee ;


th ey that go down into th e pit ca nnot hope for


thy truth." Isai llh 38: 18. " Wilt tt! OU s hew


wonders to the dead? S hull th e dead ari se


and praise th ee ? S ha ll thy lovin g. kind ness


he ( jec lared in the g rave? or thy' f,' lithlilln ess


in destruction ? S ha ll thy wond ers be known


in the dark? and thy r ight eou sn ess in th e lund


of forgetfulnes i?" " T he dead prai se not tbe


Lord, neith er any th at go down into silcnce ."


1) 881.88: 10, ll , 12. 1I5: 17. '


The ahove ar e se rions inquiries; ( 01' who .


can contempillte th e misery, th e wo e o f th e


wi ck ed iu th e fUlllre state, lIud n ~ t be se r ious ?


not be filled \ vith dread, with . lear, lest th ey.


s honld full away. j lest th ey g l'ieve away th e


H oly Spirit, und silenc e th e inward monitor;


Jest th ey he fon nd waming at th e ! folenm bllr


of God ? F or one, I da re not presnm ll on


heaven for my self / lnd li'iends. · I am fi ll~ d


with dr ead, wh en I th ink of Illy coldness- my


' want of 10\' e to my Crea tor, my Savior,


arid Illy fellow men! May our pr ayer s co n ·


! inua lly ascend to th e throne of grac e, th at we


may not gri eve a way th e Hol y S pi ri t, whe .. e­by


, ve are sea led unto t ~ e duy of rellemption j


th at we lIlay not full aw ay j that we muy he


, lound prepared to meet our God in peace j


a nd may he hav e merc y on our souls.


You.. s in love,


LEVI ' TAYLOR.


REPLY TO ' I'HE I · OREGOI NG.


Deur Br.:


I sympath ize with you in yo ur pe­culiar


anxiety of mind resp ecting th e passuges


ofSc.. ip fJlre to which you have called my at­tention.


Those passages have all pussed in


review before me mauy tim es, , und I tru st I


have never disnlissed them, wilh out satisfy ing


myself that th ey ure wholly recoucileable with


the distinguishing doctrine whi ch I ~ dvocate.


I wish yo u to be as well satisfied on this point,


as I am.. I wish you to see, and uud erstand


a nd judge for yourself. This I know you are


di~ posed to ' do. W~ at you expect of me is,


THE PRACTICAL CHRISTIAN.


th at I give yo u Illy ex planation of th ese texts . hav e on ce experi enced a measure of its light


- tbut 1 tra ns fer from my own mind to YOUfS and grace . The case o f s uc h is at best mo s


th e view. I ha ve come 0 entertain of . thern, depl orable. They rank with the blusphem ert


lIOlI of th e topic s th er ewith connect ed. Whenngain st the Holy Ghost , and the whole class


I have don e thi s, I huve ' per for ll/ etl Illy purt.-' ofpres urnptous and wilful sinne rs . , All rhes


It is YOlll's to judge und conclude for yourself are declared in Scripture to he ' W i t h o ~ t the


This I wish yo u to do freely- with the assur- pule of rep entance and pardon, us fr eely offer­an


ce that how ever you may hon estly differ ed to o rdinary s inne rs in th e . go sp el. They


from me, you n: iIlnot'therehy forfeit in any a re without uny disposi tion to rep ent, a ud


degree my resp ect, friendship, or brotherly stand bound over 10 co nd ign retribution. It is


love . The dlfficuhies which huv e ari sen in suid to be impossible to renew th ose who fal


your mind Oil th ese passages ar e the sa llie uw ay to reflent ance again. Not absolut ely


which exist in thousands of se rious minds, lind lmpos- ible for God to brin g th em to rep ent. "


ar e continuully brought for ward liS insupurable au ce hy means of hiajudgm eut s, but impossi ­obj


ecti on s to th e glorio us hop e offinal uni ver• hie lor hol y men to hr ing ! hem to rep eu ruiice


sui holiness, lam therefore douhly s o licitous hy th e use of th ose means of grace furnish ed


to offer the explanations requ est ed - ch erish. in th e gosp el. These mean s sufficed to bring


ing t he humble hop e th at 1 IIIU)' th er eby meet them to rep entan ce in th e firs t instance, hut


th e W~ IIlS of many inq uir er s besid es you rself, now th ey trample th eru uruler foot, und Il C­Circumstances


beyond my contro l ha ve deluy- cou III every sacre d iuflueuce, on ce so effica ­!


Jtl thi s compliance with YOUl' requ est till th e cious up on them, II couremptihle lrupostion


present time_; bu t I tru st it will not Oil tliiit uc - aml . de lus iou. In their Cll~ e, us in thut o r th e


count be th e less sa tisfuc tory, I pro ceed to f1chllllln-" it is eas ie r fur a ru me l to guthro'


th e mutt er in hand. th e eye of a needl e" thun 101' them " til en te r


1. Ro m. 1: 24- 28. " W he re lilre God gav e th e kingdom of heuveu." ~ lI d yet, th ou gh


th em up to unclennu ess th rough the lusts 01 " with mell thi s is impo,' sible, wi th God all


thei r OWII hearts , to di sh ollor th eir own bod ies thil/ gs are ' possible." So th at we ill'e 1I0t


bctween th em sell' es: ' Vho ' chnnged the trutl i . uhli gedto d' Jsp air oflh eir fiulIl recovery, th o'


of God into a lie, and worshipped a ud SeIVI' 11' all ord inary , lIIeall S lire illadeq uate ' to rench ,


th e e rcature 1II0re IllIIu th e Creat or , wh o is th eir ease . They CUll not he hl'ou gllt \( l th at


blessed for ever . Aineu. F or thi s cuuse God thuely rei, e; lllltlc e, which through th e diviue


guve th eril up uuto vile affect ions. & e. &. * .. { i> rgil'e uess d lJlivcr s frolll th e wr ath to co uJt!.


*. And even as th ey dill not like to r etnin ' They mu st driu k th e dregs of th e cu p iuto


God in th eir kn owl cdge, God gav e them ove r which they IlIlve di still ed th e ' gall of th eir OWI1


to u rep robate mind, to do tho se things which willul iniq u itics. T hey will be left' to fill


are nOL co uve uie ut ." them selv es with the Iruit of th eir own do ings,


R emarks. The ap ostle here refer s to the und to kuow ' by woful ex pe rfence th ut th ey


Geutiles, 01' heuthen nations, as lli~ ting ~ i~ h e, 1 huve dest .. oyed thems elv es. Theu, lIInl nOL


from th e Isra elites. lie speaks of th em, not till th eu ; will diviue compassiull be int erposed


so lIIuch as tlulividuals , as in whol e nlllsses.- for th eir re lief. Then will , th ey hllve heen


He descr ibes th ei .. willing ign oran ce of the subllued UlltO Ch .. ist, and hea rtily ac kno wl ·


tru e God , th eir auuse ofnaturall'eligiou s light , edge him Lord, to the g lor y of God Ihe FUlh­theil'


gross uncleanness, po llution , illolat r}' lInl! er. And , thus finally, wh en ull thiugs s htill be


ma nifold wicked practices. H e rcpresellt s snhdued under him, will th e SOli d eliver III' ,


th em as having heen lon g al llludon ed of Gill), th e kin gd om to th e Fllther , tllllt he may be 1111


a nd g iven over to II blind reprohate min i!: In in ull. Then will it be kuown to tlltJ whole


all thi s he c onsid cr ed th em in th eil' then , pas t ulliv er se, thllt GOll cOlllend eth not 1111" e re r


r e ligions nOll rtIoml- co mJition'on eurti~ liul ' nelrher is ulway'R'wr'Oth; II'o j · J: eiain eth his · 1111:-'


he do es 1I0t represcnt them as finally arid to. gel' for e ve r, nor casteth off Ii' r e ve.. ; hec allse


tally ubandoued of God . On dte' eOlltrary . he he spil'it should fail helore hint and th e sonls


c1eclllre3 them to hav e helJn pla ced ou a level htl has made j hecllu se he deli ghteth in mtlrcy


with the J ew s unde.. th e gospe l disp cllsation, - and becau se he affiicte th not 1IIIwi! 1ingly,


wi th .. espect [ 0 sa lvatiou hy Christ . He 1101' g.. iel' eth th e ch ihlren of men .


.. egu rde d him self us u debtor, to th e Greek a nd 3. 1 Th e s~ . 5: 19: " Q uel', c h not th e Sj . ir it ."


Barbarian, as well as to the J ew, to preach Ephes. 4: 30. " AmI g rie ve unt th e holy S pi..-


alJlong them th e wonl of ete rnal life . Relld it o f God , wh ere, hy Je lI.. e sealed' u nl? th e day


veses 13 to 16 of tl! is ' very chlllJte r j al sll th e of re demptiou ." lit


whole of cha pte .. s 2, and 3. T o th eseulld the R emarh. ' fhat th e professed disciples of


11th cha pte r . And us a key to th e whole'tak e Christ 11ta.!}, and frequently do, grieve the holy


his words d eli\' er erl to th e AtheniRns on Mars Spirit of God j that th ey mll./}. anrl, somiHimes


Hill, record ed Acts , ] 71h e.- commc nc ing at ' do, qu en ch thi s S pir il- is uudoulitedly lI · ue. -:-'


th e 2211 vei'se, and ending with th ese word s iu SOllie griev e th is Spirit in various wa ys and


th e 30th : ( l]':" ' Aud th e tilll es of this igilO. u vari ou s d egr ees, wi th out wh olly qu en ching


rance God winked at, but, now comlll8n deth it. They do so whenev er t hey ueglect ally Of


a ll lIIen every wh ere. to .. e pe nt." its teachings- when ev e.. th ey refuse to ob ey


F .. olII a ll thi s it will he seen who ' we re gil'en IIny ' of its impulses- when ev el' they sin. By


OI'e.. to a reprohate ill iud, wherein th ey wer e thi s mellns th ey becom e ha.... el'l and unli'uitliJl


, given over, u nd that th ey were not8o , giv eil o l'e r in holiness- andl'etllin mer ely u nllllle to live


us to exc lnd e th em f.. om the blessin gs of th e while th ey lire deud. They nllLY e ven go on


gos pe l. ' That God gi ves' ove .. his rebellious till th ey qu ench this holy fire in th ei .. b.. enst-


' c.. ealUi · es fo.. certain peri ods, tim es und sea- and become wiltiJl apostat es 1' .. 0111 Christ and


so ns, to a .. e p.. obat e mi nd, and subjects them thus d.. aw dOlVn up on th em selv es all th e woes


to vari on s judicial p.. ivati ons, th e Bible clea..- of th e sec ond lleath. Thei.. case wonld th en


Iy and Iil ily decla.. es. But that he ubandons fall under the slime he lld with the one a l.. ea dy


them finally lIud hopelessly- intending liev er cOllside red; anll woultl require 10 he e o n~ i de r­to


visit them in lIIe.. cy ag ain ' to a ll ete l'llity , is ed ill th e same light. ' And if RO, Ivhllt c10es it


an oth e.. and ve ry di ffe.. e nt doct .. in e. I hope snggest incon sist ent with ou r / iene rlll doct .. ine?


my br otl.. lr sees that thi s doct .. ine de .. ivp. 8 W ould th e apostolic ex hort; ltion' he less neces­no


counlen un'ce 1' .. 0111 Rom, 1: 24- 28. sa .. y, pe.. tin ent, so lemn aud important on our'


2. Heh. 6: 4- 8. " Fol' it is impossihle for gro und than on the opposite? ' Ce.. tiiinly not,


th ose who were once e tilig hte ne, l, ami hllVll uil less the fea.. of an un .. euso na hle, nnmen : iful ,


tasted of th e the heavenly g ift, and were ma de usel ess, a nd wor se thlln useless punishment, be


partak e.. s o f th e Holy Ghost, and ha ve tasted ' mo.. e salntRry th an sucll aU'one liS is perfectly


th e go od wo.. d of God, and t he power s of ih e. hono.. abl e to lin infinitely good God. Some


world to come- if th ey s hull fall ' uway to reo morhid minds im 8gin e th llt the rnOl'e hop eless


new th em again unto .. epe n tance; see ing they lind intolerable God's juclgrnents ca n be made


c1' llcify to themselves the Son of God afresh, to appear, th e lIIore effieac iolls will th ey he on


an iI put him to an ope n s hame, & c. .... That the human mind . But thi s is a g.. eat er ror. ­which


beareth th orns and brie.. s iR.. ejec ted, A vindicti ve, ~ n .. ellso nuh le, unlimited punish-and


is nigh unto · cu .. sing j whose end is to be mem, whi ch wholly di s.. ega rds ' the good or the


bnrned." T, he same id eas a .. e exp.. essed in punished, is pORitively IVOI'se thlln none, eithe r


th e 10th Chaptcr of thi s Epistle, veses 26 to 30. to he th.. elltened 0.. infli cted. It is so, 1' 0.. thi s


Also in 2 Pet. 2: 20- 22 j and perhaps th e p. lain .. eason j it destroys ull t.. ue rev er en ce'fo ..


lea ding ide il is th e same in I J ohn 5: 16- th e governing uutho.. ity and of course; vitilltes


D:: r" th e sin unto death ." the moral c lmrtlcte r of th e gove l'lled. Thns he


R ema, rks. These lire fearful passllges, II till wh ll makes Gilrl a mon st el' o f cruelty- an im -


carl'y with th em awful conside ra tions. They pla cuhl e, inexo l'llble tormentol' of hi s c.. elltu res,


refer to apostates f.. om Ch .. ist; to those de- in the charllct er of Punisher, ' fiay terrify and


spisers of the Christiun faith and religion, who alurm, but will certainly debase and enslave


the minds or tho se who worship his idol, To


poison reli gion, with respect to the eharaeter


of God, is to poison its fountuin- h ead, and thus


to send latent death flut into all its strcams. ­Hen


ce wh utever we may think we gain by


exaggerutiug, 0r mngnifying beyond measure,


thefuture miseries of the wick ed, we should


rem ember that we lIIay lose still more. For '


whnt we gain in terror, we may lose in solid


go od priuciple, I cannot cons ide r th ese pas­sages


a t u ll inconsistent w ith ou r distinguish­iug


doctrine.


4. Rev . 16: 10, II. " Aud th e fifth angel


pou red out h is vial nl! on the seat uf th e beast ;


uud his kingdom WIlS full of durkness ; and ,


th ey gnnwed th eir ton gues to r pui n, und blas­pherued


th e God of heaven because of th eir


' pa ins und th eir sores , und repe nte d not oftbeir


deed s."


R emarks. I beli eve ull comme ntators agl'ce


in unders tllnd ing th ese word s to refer to calam­ities


and judgm ents ex pe rie nce d in th e pres:


ent wo rld, hy tile devote es of thnt mystical


charact er rleuomiunted " th e beast." , They


have di ffe red eoncerulug " tlce beast," what


spiri t, or what political or ecc lcsimllicul com­bin


lltion of peopl e, or d. amcter s, W IlS intended


hy lh ut designation. And us I freely confes.~


my incompeten cy to nndel'stalHI sutislhc tor ily


llJllny things in th e book or Revelution, I Sha ll


not utte mpt to decirle who 0.. whut " the beast"


is. IJe it wh at it nlllY , its sellt an ,1 kingdom


ar e pr esnmed to i, e sOlllewhe re in the ea rth,


among lIIol'talmen. If s'" th e " ial of woes


was inle rllied to sig llify culullli ties and judg­ments


l' ~ lIIred ont in [ he preseut st at e. And if


so , th e ouly diffienhy ari sing in my brothe..' 11


lIIind , I IIlnstlJl'eSUnllJ, is, th ut th e peopl e un­der


tllll influ en ce or dominion of th e hellst " re­peut


ed ' not of th eir delllls." But is thi s strange, .


Sll lon g as Lhe bellst rcnlllined in pow er to d e­cei


l'e? , We Ieuow thut lIIank ind nuder strong


d lliusio u ~ hal'e ex per ie lllled the 1II0St dr eadful


e al u , " iti e~ , will, ou t pl: rceiv iug Lh llt th ei .., OWII


filllilJS lind cr ime s had pro cllred them. Many


. rU llke Ihemsel ves ullsp eak ahly miserahle by


vice lIud wieke d ness , wllll yet lire too ulin. d


t" d iscov'er ~ t h " i .. OWII guilt. The)' persuade


--~. ' . tl, mnselv es thut · th ey have dqn e n<. llhing to


draw down th ese lIIise, ries ontl. eir hlJ8ds, and


arlJ pru lle 10 .. epJouch,. curse, an d even ulas....


phem e God, hecause of th eir j, lag ues. Such


lire in u IIIOSt Ileh rded , hUI'lJen ed slllte. They


ure in th e first s tag es ' of th eir retribution, R! ld


1J1Ive not yet heen hrou ght to co nvic tion of


th ei.. own gu ilt. But do eR it hen ce 1i, IIow that


no possihl u'mellsure of t.. iuululiuu and unguish


will o l'e rc ome th eir .. ebe llious ohst inucy ? ­Can'th


ey for ever co nte nd with God , unh um­bled?


Will no degr e'e Ill' lSuffilr ing subdue


them ? Will not etem ity he lon g enoug h to


work th eir su hj ng llliun ? ' Vho oug ht to con­clude


beeuu se t hei r in cipient clllulIJilies ~ xa~ ­per


llte th elll, thllt 1111 s uh" eqlieut IlJisel'i es will


hr ing' Ihcmto th eir sen ses? What ' is / IIo.. e


COUIIIIOl~ than to sce perv ers e ! ullnuu beings


stuhhol'll, wruthlitl, 111111 IIla, l, for ii tim e, under


th e rod of correc tion ? Ofchnsli selllent it may


ue slIid, as th e poet ' said of'lellrniilg- •


" Small draughts intoxicate the brain.


And drink iog largely sobers us again.,"


It seems to me, thllt th e pU88llge frolll Reve­lati


on pr esents no relll difficnlty.


5. 1\ 1 .1' hrothe.. Sill'S he is " una', le 10 recon­cil


e th e following passages in rhe Old Tellta­lIlent


with th e doctrine of lut ure jll'llbation i"


viz. : 1 ~ lIiuh 38: 18- Psahns 88 : 10, 11, 12­nml


] 15: 17. As th ey 11m qu ot ed at full length


in his leit er, I need 1I0t .. e peat th em .


R emarka. \- Vhllt do cs my br other mean by


th e doclrine offutlJl'e probation? Do es he un­ller


stllud me to hold that th e.. e will be, aft er


Ilenth , u ce rt/ lin age 01' period of duration, dis­tilJ(~


t from all the rest 01 e'tewity, in wl. ieh de­pu~


ted s pi'rits may hllve uti oppo rtu nity to re­puir


th e delinquen cies, ' nnd perf ilI'm the neg­lect


ed dnties of tilis lif:? If so , he mistakes


my views altogether . I do Uot heli eve in any


such futu re probation . The pr esent life is


th e only se ason ofpr obation, 01: us I would ex­pr


ess it, th e only season of mol'llI action, , in '


\ vhi ch munkind can pe.. form th e duties pecu­liur


to II Rtate of flesh and hlood. This stllte


hilS its owu peculiur duties, temptations, trials,


virtues ainl \' ic es: The.. e will, I helieve, be


du ties to perform in all wo .. lds and states of


beiug. The immortal state will huve itll du­ties-


particnlar duties, pl: Culiar to itself, thro'


all its el'e r succeeding ag es. The g eneral du-

Page 54 of Volume 1 from The Practical Christian 1840-1841

Ballou, Adin

1840