699 ANDOVER-HARVARD THEOLOGICAL LIBRARY H727 CAMBRIDGE, MASS. PREFACE. I am impressed with a desire to publish this work to spread our views of magistracy and war and other articles of our faith; but especially on magistracy and war; as it appears that many cannot understand on what ground our faith is based. I make no pretensions to scholarship and learning; and in comparison to the great and learned authors, I consider myself a babe. If Christ had not said: "I thank Thee, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because Thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent, and hast revealed them unto babes," Matt. 11: 25, I would not dare to venture upon the task to teach the doctrines of Christ in a view, which is, as a general thing, gainsayed by the learned men of the world. I also feel encouraged by Paul, who says: "For ye see your calling, brethren, how that not many wise men after the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble are called; but God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty; and base things of the world, and things which are despised, hath God chosen, yea and things which are not, to bring to nought things that are; that no flesh should glory in his presence." I Cor. 1: 26-29. I desire that the reader may well consider the sayings of Christ and Paul, and become willing to weigh the arguments advanced in this treatise on the scales of God's word, though produced by a babe; and considered and measured on the basis of literary attainment and learning, • 10-17-57 Goshen - &eneral a man who is foolish, weak, despised, and a nothingness. May God grant that by this treatise it may be manifested that "the foolishness of God is wiser than men; and the weakness of God is stronger than men." I Cor. 1:25. Putting my trust in God I will venture to publish this treatise, to be tested by all classes of men; but we want it tested by the divine detecter, and not by vain and human reasoning, for we are not willing to have the truth tested by a vain and human philosophy. I am aware that I must meet the judge of all nations, and give an account of all I publish. I desire to fix my eyes on God and his word in preparing this work for the press. I will use a great part of the articles on magistracy and war, millennium and holiness, written in German, in 1877 and 1878, and published in the German language in 1880, in a work containing over 600 octavo pages. I will revise and enlarge these articles. The article, "A Mirror of the Manifestation of Spirits," will be original, and I hope will give light on many evil working spirits. Evil spirits can only be tested by the spirit of Christ. The divine unction shall be our detecter, to discern all spirits, according to the grace given unto me. This article is not yet written, but shall be written whilst printing the other three articles, if life and health are granted. May God bless my feeble efforts in publishing this work, so that it may be effectual in leading many souls to receive the truth as revealed in His word, is my prayer. CONCERNING MAGISTRACY AND WAR. No kingdom, either spiritual or secular, can exist without order and government. God is the Supreme Head of all governments and introduced them as circumstances required it. God ruled his angels by divine government, and punished those who transgressed His divine command. The first human beings were also placed under the government of God, and what a blessing if they had suffered themselves to be governed by Him. Without government and order, lawlessness and disorder prevail. If our parents, Adam and Eve had not sinned, murder, adultery, strife and envy had not thereby entered into the world; and then it would not have been necessary to have ordained a secular government. But because Adam and Eve transgressed, and the world became corrupted thereby, therefore it became necessary to institute a secular government, to punish criminals, that the world could be kept in order and that peace should rule in kingdoms and amongst the people. Therefore God said to Noah: "Whoso sheddeth man's blood, by man shall his blood be shed; for in the image of God made he man." Gen. 9: 6. This ordinance was not introduced before the deluge, because there was no secular government instituted before the flood. This civil law was given to |