Page:Records of the Life of the Rev. John Murray.djvu/257

Rh this mystical body be finally lost, the Redeemer must, through eternity, remain.

A Law was given, to the complete obedience of which, everlasting life was annexed; but no individual member was ever able to fulfil this Law; it was only the head and members collectively in their glorious head, that was furnished with abilities adequate to a performance of such vast magnitude. Yea verily, we do indeed break the divine Law, in thought, in word, and in deed, and the lip of truth declares, he who offends in one point is guilty of all.

Why then was the commandment so exceeding broad? To convince mankind of imbecility; and that the rectitude they had forfeited, could never, in their own individual characters, be regained. But the plan of Deity was without an error, the revolution of time ushered in the great Representative, or more properly speaking, the Head of the body; and the forfeit was paid, full atonement was presented, the ransom given, and, in this hour of, the prodigal family restored to their original possessor.

To make this truth manifest was the great business of our Promulgator. He was convinced, that only he, who believed, could be saved; and that he, who believed not, was indubitably damned. Hence he has frequently said, he did not believe in universal salvation, because he saw the majority of mankind were not saved. But he was a firm believer in ; because that sacred volume, which he steadfastly, and unwaveringly believed to be the word of God, assured him the price was paid, and the whole human family was redeemed.

It was the neglecting to distinguish between salvation and redemption, which so frequently drew upon the preacher the charge of prevarication, or, as it was termed by Mr. C, hiding. An article of intelligence may be an established fact; it may most importantly affect us; but so long as the mind refuses to admit its authenticity, we are undeniably subjected to all those agonizing apprehensions, which we should endure, if no such fact existed; and it was the salvation from these mental sufferings, which Mr. Murray supposed consequent upon a preached Gospel; in other words, an exemption from those tortures, that consciousness of condemnation, which is most emphatically described, when it is said, He who believeth not, is, or shall be damned.

Yet it is an established truth, that every believer was once an unbeliever; every believer, then, was once damned, and it was only when he became a believer, that he was saved from those countless agonies,