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A
CONCISE STATEMENT
OF THE
PRINCIPLES
OF THE
osſºr ºuis oatuson.
0 H R IS T.
BY JOSEPH MEACHAM.
Together with a letter from
º JAMES WHITTAKER,
TO GIS NATURAI, IRELATIONS IN ENGLAND .
Pºinted at Bennington, Vt. by Haswell & Russell,— 1790.
REPRINTED IN THE UNITED society,
CANTERBURY, N. H.
1847,
f :

INTRODUCTION.
A short information of what we
believe of the dispensations of
God’s grace to fallen man; and in
what manner they found accep-
tance with God, and salvation from
sin in former dispensations, with
particular reference to the present
display of God’s grace unto us.
And in what manner we find ac-
ceptance with God, and hope of
eternal life through our Lord Jesus
Christ, in obedience to the gospel
of his present appearance.
g AS
CONCISE STATEMENT &c.
Addressed to a deaf măm, by his request;
By Joseph MEACHAM, of New Lebanon, N. Y.
-º-
0. First Dispensation.
... We believe that the first light of salvation was
given or made known to the patriarchs by prom-
ise; and they that believed in the promise of
CHRIST, and were obedient to the command of
God made known unto them, were the people of
God and were accepted of God, as righteous, or
perfect in their generations; according to the
measure of light and truth manifested unto them;
which was as waters to the ancles, signified by
Ezekiel’s vision of the holy waters. (Chap. xlvii)
And although they could not receive regenera-
tion, or the fullness of salvation from the fleshly
, or fallen nature in this life; because the fulness
of time was not yet come, that they should re-
4
ceive the baptism of the Holy Ghost and fire; for
the destruction of the body of sin, and purifica-
tion of the soul.
Abram being called and chosen of God as the
father of the faithful; was received into cove-
nant relation with God by promise; that in him,
(and his seed which was Christ,) all the families
of the earth should be blessed; and these earthly
blessings which were promised to Abram, were
a shadow of gospel or spiritual blessings to
come; and circumcision, though it was a seal of
Abram's faith, yet it was but a sign of the morti-
fication and destruction of the flesh by the gos-
pel in a future day. &
Observe, circumcision or outward cutting of
the foreskin of the flesh, did not cleanse the man
from sin; but was a sign of the baptism of the
Holy Ghost and fire, which is by the power of
God manifested in divers operations and gifts of
the spirit, as in the days of the apostles; which
does indeed destroy the body of sin, or fleshly
5
nature, and purify the man from all sin both soul
and body. -
So that Abram, though in the full faith of the
promise; yet, as he did not receive the substance
of the thing promised, his hope of eternal salva-
tion was in Christ, by the gospel to be attained
in the resurrection from the dead.
Second Dispensation. wº
The second dispensation was the law that was
* > given of God to Israel, by the hand of Moses;
which was a further manifestation of that salva-
tion which was promised through Christ by the
gospel, both in the order and ordinances which
were instituted and given to Israel, as the church
and people of God, according to that dispensa-
tion; which was as waters to the knees, Eze-
kiel, xlvii. by which they were distinguished from
all the families of the earth.
For, while they were strictly obedient to all
the commands, odinances and statutes that God
gave them, they were approbated of God accord-
6 I
ing to the promise of life; and blessing was
promised unto them in the line of obedience,
cursing and death in disobedience; for God, who
is ever jealous for the honor and glory of his own
great name, always dealt with them according to
his word; for while they were obedient to the
command of God, and purged out sin from a-
mongst them, God was with them, according to
his promise.
But when they disobeyed the command of God,
and committed sin, and became like other peo-
ple, the hand of the Lord was turned against
them; and those evils came upon them which
God had threatened; so we see that they who
were wholly obedient to the will of God made
known in that dispensation, were accepted as
just or righteous; yet, as the dispensation was
short, they did not attain that salvation which was
promised in the gospel; so that as it respected
the new-birh, or real purification of the man from
all sin; the law made nothing, perfect, but was a
7
shadow of good things to come; their only hope
of eternal redemption was in the promise of
Christ, by the gospel to be attained in the resur-
rection from the dead. Acts, xxvi. 6, 7.
Third Dispensation. . e
The third dispensation was the gospel of
Christ's first appearance, in the flesh; and that
salvation which took place in consequence of his
life, death, resurrection and ascension at the
right hand of the Father, being accepted in his
obedience, as the first-born among many brethren;
he received power and authority to administer
the power of the resurrection and eternal judg-
ment to all the children of men; so that he has
become the author of salvation to all that obey
him. -
And as Christ has this power in himself, he
did administer power and authority to his church
at the day of penticost, as his body; with all the
gifts that he had promised them, which was the
first gift of the Holy Ghost, as an in-dwelling
8
comforter to abide with them forever; and by
which they were baptised into Christ's death;
death to all sin; and were in the hope of the res-
urrection from the dead, through the operation of
the power of God, which wrought in them.
And as they received the substance of the
promise of Christ come in the flesh, by the gift
and power of the Holy Ghost; they had power to
preach the gospel in Christ's name to every creat-
ure, and to administer the power of God to as
many as believed, and were obedient to the gos-
‘pel which they preached; and also to remit and
retain sin in the name and authority of Christ on
earth. r
So that they who believed in the gospel, and
were obedient to that form of doctrine which
W &S taught them, by denying all ungodliness and
wordly lusts; and became entirely dead to the
law by the body of Christ, or power of the Holy
Ghost, were in the travel of the resurrection
from the dead, or the redemption of the body.
9
So that they who took up a full cross against
the world, flesh and devil; and who forsook all
for Christ's sake, and followed him in the regen-
eration, by persevering in that line of obedience
to the end, found the resurrection from the dead
and eternal salvation in that dispensation.
But as the measure of that dispensation was
only as water to the loins; the mystery of God
was not finished, but there was another day proph-
esied of, called the second appearance of Christ,
or final and last display of God’s grace to a lost
world, in which the mystery of God should be fin-
ished as he has spoken by his prophets since the
world began; which day could not come, ex-
cept there was a falling away from that faith and
power that the church then stood in ; in which
time anti-christ was to have his reign, whom
Christ should destroy with the spirit of his mouth
and brightness of his appearance; which falling
away began soon after the apostles, and gradually
increased in the chºrch, until about four hun-
dred and fifty-seven years from Christ's birth (or
10
thereabouts) at which time the power of the holy
people, or church of Christ was scattered or lost
by reason of transgression; and anti-christ or
false religion got to be established.
Since that time the witnesses of Christ have
prophesied in sackcloth or under darkness; al-
though many have been faithful to testify against
sin, even to the laying down of their lives for the
testimony which they held; so that God accepted
them in their obedience, while they were faith-
ful and just to live or walk to the measure of
light and truth of God, revealed or made known
unto them, but as it is written, All they that will
live godly in Christ Jesus, shall suffer persecu-
tion; and so it has been, and those faithful wit- -
nesses lost their lives by those falsely called the
church of Christ, which is anti-christ; for the
true church of Christ never persecuted any, but
were inoffensive, harmless, separate from sin; for
the true church of Christ by taking up their
cross against the world, flesh and devil, and all
11
sin, living in obedience to God they earnestly
contend for the same.
Therefore it may be plainly seen and known,
where the true church of Christ is ; but as it is
written, anti-christs or false churches should pre-
vail against the saints and overcome them, before
Christ's second appearance. *
Let no man deceive you by any means for that
day shall not come, except there come a falling
away first; and that man of sin be revealed, the
son of pedition. II. Thess. ii. 3.
And it was given unto him to overcome them,
and power was given him over all kindreds,
tongues and nations. Rev. xiii. 7.
And this is the state Christ prophesied the world
of mankind should be in at his second appear-
ance. Q. ſ!
And as it was in the days of Noe, so shall it
be in the days of the son of man.
Even so shall it be in the day when the son of
man is revealed. Luke, xxvii. 26, 30.
12
Plainly referring to his second appearance to
consume or destroy anti-christ, and make a final
end of sin, and establish his kingdom upon earth;
but the revelation of Christ must be in his
people, whom he had chosen to be his body, to
give testimony of him and to preach his gospel to
a lost world. O *
Fourth Dispensation. •
The fourth dispensation or day, is the second
appearance of Christ, or final, or last display of
God’s grace to a lost world, in which the mys-
tery of God will be finished and a decisive work
to the final salvation or damnation of all the chil-
dren of men. (which according to the prophe-
cies rightly calculated, and truly understood, be-
gan in the year of our Savior Jesus Christ, 1747.)
See Daniel and the Revelations. In the manner
following. .* J
1st. To a number, in the manifestation of great
light and mighty trembling by the invisible pow-
er of God, and visions and revelations and proph-
13
ecies; which have progressively increased with
administration of all those spiritual gifts, that
were administerd to the apostles at the day of
Pentecost, which is the comforter that has led us
into all truth, which was promised to abide with
the true church of Christ unto the end of the
world, and by which we find baptism into Christ's
death.
Death to all sin, become alive to God, by the
power of Christ's resurrection, which worketh
in us mightily; by which a dispensation of the
gospel is committed unto us; and woe be unto
us if we preach not the gospel of Christ. t
For in finding so great a salvation and deliv-
erance from the law of sin and death in believing
and obeying this gospel which is the gospel of
Christ, in confessing and forsaking all sin and
denying ourselves and bearing the cross of Christ,
against the world, flesh and devil, we have found
repentance of all our sins, and are made parta-
kers of the grace of God wherein we now stand;
which all others in believing and obeying, have
14
acceptance with God, and may find salvation from
their sins as well as we; God being no respector of
persons but willing that all should come to the
knowledge of the truth and be saved.
Thus we have given a short information of
what we believe of the dispensations of God's
grace to mankind, both past and present; and in
what manner the people of God have found jus-
tification, or acceptance with God, which was
and is still in believing and obeying the light and
truth of God, revealed or made known in the day
or dispensation in which it is revealed; for as
the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against
all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men who
hold the truth in unrighteousness or live in any
known sin against him.
So his mercy and grace is towards all them
that truly fear him, and turn from all their sins,
by confessing and forsaking and repenting, which
is the way and manner in which all must find the
15
forgiveness of their sins, and acceptance with
God through our Lord Jesus Christ, or finally
fail of the grace of God, and that salvation which
is brought to light by the gospel.
But to conclude, in short, as we believe and do
testify, that the present gospel of God’s grace un-
to us, is the day which in the scripture is spoken
or prophesied of, as the second appearing of
Christ to consume or destroy anti-christ, or false
religion, and to make an end of the reigning
power of sin (for he that committeth sin is the
servant of sin and satan) over the children of
men; and to establish his kingdom, and that
righteousness that will stand forever. .
And that the present display of the work and
power of God will increase until it is manifest to
all, which must be done in due time; for every
eye shall see him, and he will reward every man
according to his deeds, and none can stand in sin
or unrighteousness; but in that righteousness
which is pure and holy, even without fault before
the throne of God which is obtained by grace,
16
through faith in obedience to the truth of the ey-
erlasting gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ, in de-
nying all ungodliness and worldly lusts; by con-
fessing all sin, and taking up the cross of Christ
against the world, flesh and devil.
We desire, therefore, that the children of men
would believe the testimony of truth, and turn
from their sins by repentance, that they might
obtain the mercy of God, and salvation from sin
before it be too late. *
—le!ºſele=-
A LETTER FROM *
&JAMES WHITNTNAIKERo

JWew Lebanon, JN. Y. Oct. 9, 1785.
I have written to you a letter in answer to aletter
you wrote to me last winter; wherein I have sig-
nified my mind partly to you; it remains now
that I declare unto you my whole heart, which I
cannot tell at present, but it will be a final close
between you and me through time and eternity.
17
Flattering titles I am not about to use towards
you nor to sooth you with lies, but with the truth
will I come forth, whether you hear or whether
you forbear.
Be not so unwise as the Scribes and Pharisees,
who said to Christ, Thou bearest record of thy-
self, thy record is not true; while I testify unto
you what God has done for my soul; blessed be
God forevermore who has separated me from my
mother's womb, and made me a minister of the
gospel in the day of Christ's second appearance.
All earthly profits and pleasures; all earthly
generation and propagation which are the delights
of all men in their natural birth, (professor and
profane) all these, I say, have I forsaken for
Christ's sake, and I have already received an
hundred fold in this present time, according as
the holy Son of God promised in the day of his
first appearance, and much more abundantly.
A death to the man of sin have I found, a total
spoiling of the strong man's goods and redemp-
18
tion from the bondage of corruption; which is
that sordid propensity to, or ardent desire of cop-
ulation with women, which has not been under-
stood in that sense for many ages, but now is
made manifest to all them that believe and obey
the gospel which God has committed to my
trust. a •
I daily feel a fountain of love, life, joy and
heavenly glory flowing in my soul like a river of
living waters, pure and clean; my soul is replen-
ished with rich supplies from the heavenly glory,
and my heart incessantly flows with charity and
benevolence to all mankind; with a broken heart
God has blessed me, and the image of the Lord
of glory is formed in my soul; plenty of the
dew of heaven is distilled in my soul from day to
day, and the divine nature doth infold me like a
delightful sea of pleasant waters, full of glory.
What think ye? If I were to seek friends in
this world, should I not cleave to my own blood?
Should I not make you the objects of my first
19
pursuit? but I am weaned from all terrestrial con-
nections, and in lieu thereof I have joined the
host of heaven. With open vision do I behold the
angelic company of the spiritual world; and join
the melodious songs of the New Jerusalem.
Why tell ye me of your increasing and multi-
plying after the flesh? Your vessels are marred
in the potter's hand and they must be made over
again by regeneration, or go down to the pit. Say
ye it is a command to increase and multiply? but
I say it never was a command to corrupt the earth
and fill it with a double condemnation; and then
plead the command of God to increase and mul-
tiply, as though you had been doing his will.
God has given me the power to increase and
multiply in its true, typical and evangelical sense,
which I go forth to do. I have begotten many
thousands of children and replenished them with
many good things. * * * # , º,
I hate your fleshly lives and your fleshly gene-
ration, and increasing as I hate the smoke of the
bottomless pit, and your pleading the command
20
of God to increase and multiply, to cover your
doleful corruptions, and inverting the order of
heaven. Think ye that I will look towards you
while you live after the flesh, defiling yourselves
with effeminate desires, and profaning the com-
mand of God for a cover ?
It is in my power indeed to help you greatly in
a temporal sense, and many others who live as
corrupt lives as you do this day; as much with-
out God in the world; but be it known unto you
and all men that I will not do it, except you for-
sake your wicked lives and serve the living and
true God, which I have no expectation you will
do, if I should nourish and cherish you as a ten-
der father does his children.
Stay in England till you go down into your
graves, as long as you are for following natural
generation and the course of this world. I know
that your greatest oppression is your living after,
the flesh, which is your own choosing, and is the
very reason why I will not help you though I have
it in my power. Q
21 ~~~
Away, with your looking towards me for help
since you are sunk in my soul for your disobedi-
ence to God and your lying hopes that you are in
favor with him, while you corrupt the law and
trample the gospel under foot. Were it so in-
deed that you had it in your hearts to turn to God
& obey the gospel, I would look towards you with
charity and compassion, and would take care of
you, soul and body; but that is far from you and
it is in your hearts to enlarge your liberty after
the flesh, and to provide livings for yourselves
and posterity; therefore you are but a stink in
my nostrils.
Instead of your having the pardon of your sins,
you are deceived, and I feel that you are pow-
erless, alienated from the life of God and become
carnal, sensual and unwise; therefore as you
have chosen your own ways, see what the god
you serve will do for you, and your false hopes
what they will bring you to.
All we that are of that one community that
22
worship God in spirit and rejoice in Christ Jesus,
being separated from all effeminate desires and
sensual pleasures, are in possession of the only
hope of eternalilife. My God has delivered me, re-
deemed my soul, filled it with heavenly glory and
the power of an endless life, as well as made me
able to help many in a temporal sense; and you
might have been sharers with me in all this un-
merited munificence, had you obeyed the gospel
with me.
Therefore, as you have forsaken God, so I also
forsake you, and will never give you any encour-
agement to come into this land till once for all
you resolve to turn to God and obey the gospel.
I feel the compassion of God to warn you.
What you are losing in this great day of the
second appearance of the Son of Man; you are
losing no less than the only means of salvation
that ever will be offered again in this world. The
power of the gospel does prosper in my soul, in
bowels of charity and compassion for the poor
23
lost children of men; and I would that you be
warned by a faithful friend, not to outstand the
day of God’s final visitation, for the sake of your
false hopes which will leave your souls desolate
and barren, or for the fading things of this life
which are but vanity and vexation of spirit.
O ! that you would hearken! for then there is
the same door for your escape, as for the rest of
the children of men; at which door, if you en-
ter, I feel to receive you with charity.
And the severity of this letter is the charity of
God for your souls, and his abhorrence of your
false hopes. te

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