Page:God Manifest.djvu/460

 His Divine words, "Without me ye can do nothing,"—"Him that cometh unto me, I will in no wise cast out." This first point has already been treated of, in a general manner, in the preceding Section, under the head of "Acknowledgment." The second of the two points is that which constitutes the proper subject of the present Section, and we have designated it by the general term, Obedience. But the manner in which the performance of this duty—when conjoined with a true faith, or a belief in the Divine Redeemer,—aids in the great work of our regeneration, we proceed, now, more particularly to show.

It is first to be noted, that man's constitution is composed of two distinct systems or organisms, namely, a material organism or body, and a spiritual organism or mind. Each of these systems has its own laws. Now we know very well, that to know and to observe the laws of the material or physical system, is the way to attain and preserve health of body, and consequently a comfortable physical state. In like manner, the way to attain and preserve a state of mental health and consequent peace and happiness, is to learn and observe the laws of the spiritual or mental system. That these two systems are quite distinct, is evident from the fact that a person may be quite healthy in body, and yet be very miserable: this all know by experience. And on the other hand, a person may be in a condition of bodily disease,—may even be long confined to a sick room,—and yet, unless when actually suffering extreme bodily pain, he may enjoy an internal state of peace and deep happiness, which he would not exchange for all outward pleasures: this truth has been