gaol on the afternoon of Thursday, June 27, and, overpowering the eight soldiers who were on duty, they rushed towards the apartment where these unhappy deceivers were confined, and fired upon them. Hiram Smith, struck by a ball in his head, exclaimed, "I am a dead man!" and immediately expired. His brother Joseph received several shots in his body, and leaped towards the window, but escape was impossible, and he fell before the fire of his assailants; and crying, "O God!" he also died. Elder Taylor was also severely wounded in several places, and his state was considered dangerous. The violent men who committed this frightful outrage immediately fled to the woods, but were not pursued, for there was not sufficient force to arrest them; besides, as they were all disguised, their persons could not be known, though it is conjectured that they were disaffected Mormonites. It is said that there is but one opinion throughout the country in reference to this dark tragedy, and that is, that summary vengeance has at length fallen upon the men who merited it. At the same time, all persons must regret that it occurred while they were prisoners, and when they had a right to expect the protection of the state. The Mormonites will now claim for their prophet the rank of a martyr; when, had he been tried and convicted, he would have died a felon's death, which, it is believed, he most righteously deserved. On the arrival of the news of this event at Nauvoo, "the prophet's" wife and children manifested but little sorrow, and his votaries found it expedient to be extremely quiet, as the inhabitants of the surrounding district have cut off all the supplies of the city, and are resolved that the Mormonites shall not remain in a body in that place. The governor has issued a proclamation, calling out the militia of ten counties to preserve the peace, and 500 troops of the federal government are ordered into the district for the same purpose. Happy will it be if these vigorous measures prevent any further effusion of human blood. But the testimony of history awakens our fears. In the fanatical outbreaks of the Anabaptist Millenarians of the sixteenth century, in Germany and Holland, under Munzer, John Bockhold of Leyden, and other deceivers, it was found that they were so mad in favour of their dogmas, that property and life were violated with impunity, till they were put down by the iron hand of military power; and we dread a similar close to this wild project.

The Rev. Henry Caswall, to whom the public are indebted for this account of the catastrophe, has truly remarked, that "there is something extremely awful in the termination of the earthly career of this daring impostor; and we may imagine his agony when, about to enter upon eternity, he uttered his last exclamation, O God!" At the early age of thirty-nine, after an unprecedented career of villany, he has met with a terrible retribution. He "ploughed wickedness," and "reaped iniquity." "His years have been shortened,”—he has "perished, and come to a fearful end." May it awaken his besotted votaries from their delusion!

SERMON BY THE REV. W. TONG.*

COMMUNICATED BY SIR JOHN BICKERTON WILLIAMS.

Elton, November 3, 1696.

"And such were some of you; but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God.”—1 COR. vi. 11.

You see the words speak of a mighty change wrought upon some of the Corinthians; and that they might be the more affected with it, he minds them what they had been before; reckons up some of the worst of sins, and sinners, and brings it home to them: such were some of you. Then he speaks of that blessed turn which God had given their hearts-but ye are washed, &c. This but is the hinge on which their state turned-a blessed but. When we put a but upon a man, it is usually to diminish him; but this is to magnify men, like that in 1 Tim. i. 13, and Eph. ii. 12, 13. It infinitely concerns every one of us to see that there be such a but some time or other in our lives-such a turn.

Observe here, 1. The nature of this change-washed: both from the guilt, and filth of sin: explained afterwards-both sanctified and justified.

2. The procuring cause of this change-in the name of the Lord Jesus.

3. The author or efficient cause—the Spirit of our God.

That which I shall speak to is the great work of sanctification. “Ye are sanctified." And who is sufficient for it, especially we who know so little of it in ourselves? Archbishop Usher, being written to by a lady for his thoughts about sanctification, deferred his answer, and gave this reason that he found so little of it in himself he was discouraged. "Sanctification is the work of God's free grace, whereby we are renewed in the whole man after the image of God, and are enabled more and more to die unto sin, and live unto righteousness."

I. Sanctification is the work of God, Phil. i. 6. It is hard for a sinner to change his customs, Jer. xiii. 23; much more for him to change his nature and disposition. It is especially the work of the blessed Spirit. The blessed Trinity are so pleased with this work that each will have a share in it. The Father contrives and chooses; the Son purchaseth and redeems; the Spirit sanctifies and applies. See the whole work of salvation, 2 Thess. ii. 13, 14. Justification is an act wrought for us. Sanctification is a work wrought in us. It is carried on by many particular acts, 2 Cor. xiii. 14. To complete the happiness, there is the keeping of all the three Persons in the Trinity. The interest of the Spirit in this work is called communion. It is the

* See the Congregational Magazine for March last, p. 185.

Father's love, the Son's grace; but the Spirit's work is carried on in a way of union. The Father and the Son look towards the soul,-the Spirit comes into the soul.

II. It is a renewing work: Eph. iv. 24, the new man; Ezek. xxxvi. 26, a new heart. It is not merely a restraining work, nor merely a reform-. ing work. It is not a patching up of the old, an improving of moral qualities by education, &c., but it is the putting in of new qualities; Psalm li. 9, renew a right spirit. If David, upon his great backsliding, found he had need of a renewing work, much more have we.

III. It is a work wrought after the image of God: as the tabernacle framed according to the pattern in the mount: as man was created at first after the image of God, Gen. i. Let us make man after our image. One learned man notes not only three Persons in the Trinity, but two makings of man-by God the Father in his image; and then renewed by the Spirit" after our likeness."

IV. It proceeds from the death and resurrection of our Lord Jesus: in the name of the Lord Jesus. When it is expressed, as it often is, by our dying and rising again, reference is had to Christ's dying, and rising, Rom. vi. 4—6. Not only was Christ's dying and rising the pattern of this work, but the purchase of this grace. This grace he holds in his own hands as his purchase; and he is said to be made of God to us-sanctification, 1 Cor. i. 30. He purchased the grace. He sends the Spirit. Is the work of sanctification a building? Christ is the foundation, 1 Pet. ii. 5, and Eph. ii. 20. The Spirit applies the death of Christ to the soul, and then it dies to sin; applies the resurrection of Christ, and then it rises.

V. This work of sanctification is of the same extent with eternal election, 1 Thess. i. 4, 5. Then election was known by this, that the Gospel came unto them "in power." By that it appeared that God had been there choosing before Paul was there preaching, Acts xiii. 48, Eph. i. 4, 5. This doctrine is so plainly revealed in Scripture, that I wonder it should be a controversy. Look at 1 Sam. xvi. 12. One of Jesse's sons after another passed before Samuel; but the anointing oil was never poured out until the appointed David came, and the appointed time. Arise, anoint the chosen vessel, that is he.

VI. Sanctification is a work wrought upon the whole man, 1 Thess. v. 23; wholly, body, soul, and spirit: the soul in all its power and faculties; mind enlightened; heart renewed; the will made to comply, Psalm cx. 2; in the midst of thine enemies, i. e. in the heart of those that had been his enemies: compare ver. 3. It is a work upon the conscience, Heb. x. 22; sprinkled from an evil conscience, a defiled conscience, a condemning conscience. The body sanctified: this is the meaning of Heb. x. 22; the body washed, not by baptism, but by the sanctifying work of the Spirit upon the body.

The spirit sanctified is meant of the natural temper and constitution of

men, which seems to result from something both of the body and soul. We call that the spirit of such, a cheerful or melancholy spirit, &c. These differences of temper are according as they are, or are not, sanctified. Moses had a cool spirit, and it fitted him for the conduct of Israel in the wilderness. Joshua had a warm spirit, fit for war. We should get our natural spirit sanctified that we may have the advantage of it, and may be freed from the snare of it.

VII. Though this work of sanctification be upon the whole man, yet it is not perfected at once. There is a state of infancy in grace, as well as in nature. It is not for want of any power in God that it is not perfected at first; nor for want of any merit or righteousness in Christ. The saints being left in the prison of this world is not to satisfy for part of their debt; nor for want of God's love to them; but that there might be a harmony and agreeableness in the works of God. He could have made the world in a moment, but he did it in six days. He could have brought Israel presently from Egypt to Canaan, but he led them about. If the work of sanctification were perfect at first, the saints would be taken presently to heaven, and then the world would want them. It is for the glory of his own grace that the work of sanctification is not at once perfected. There are graces that are proper to an imperfect, suffering state; as faith, humility, self-denial.

VIII. The great mean of sanctification is the word of God, John xvii. 17, usually by the word preached. See Acts xxvi. 18. When the word is thus made effectual, the Spirit takes the veil from the heart, 2 Cor. iii. 13, 14, &c.; where open face is opposed to the covered face: liberty opposed to muffled with the veil.

IX. Sanctification consists in dying to sin, and living to righteousness. Dying to sin: the habits of it weakened, and sinful courses and practices relinquished. Living to righteousness: living principles of righteousness are infused into the soul, and practised accordingly.

X. Sanctification is a growing work, and shall grow, more and more, till, at last, it is perfect. Not that it grows at all times. The people of God have their languishing days. Though it is not always a sensible growth, it is a work that shall never perish, for it stands upon a sure bottom-the "foundation laid in Sion." It is founded in union with Christ" Because I live they shall live also." There is a common grace by which men may live pretty handsomely before the world; but when the stock is spent the man breaks, and is undone. But believers have a fulness in Christ that they live upon; and if grace given, such grace-giving never fails.

USES.-I. Turn into your own souls, and try if there be any such work wrought there. It infinitely concerns us to be very strict and curious in this inquiry. There is a thing called grace, which will not be found to glory and honour. When the Scripture speaks of true faith, it is called faith unfeigned;" and the "faith of God's elect;"

and the "faith of the operation of God." There is a faith which is rather the faith of men's own operation. So the Scripture speaks of the sincerity of love, love unfeigned. The hypocrite has his hope, therefore true hope is called this hope, 2 Thess. ii. 16; good hope." There is a hope that is not good, that will deceive. When God has been pleased to provide that we might not be deceived, let us not deceive ourselves. A true work of sanctification may be known

1. By its spiritual principles-faith, love, and hope, 1 Thess. i. 3; The love of God shed abroad in the heart leavens the soul. So doth a persuasion of the truth of the Scripture; and a secret hope drawing the soul to rely on Christ, and roll itself upon him.

2. By its universal extent-" holy in all manner of conversation," 2 Pet. iii. 11; God has in several scriptures summed up religion in some few heads; put it in a little compass, as Micah vi. 8; Tit. ii. 11, 12; that we may the better try ourselves by them.

3. By its heavenly tendency. This work is from above, and sweetly draws us thitherwards; delighting in the solemn assembly.

USE II. If upon inquiry we find cause to question whether this work be wrought in us, let us seek out for it with all speed, and with all seriousness. If we be not sanctified, nothing we have is sanctified to us, Tit. i. 15; if unsanctified, we cannot go to heaven, but are undone for ever.

USE III. To those that have experienced this.

ness.

1. In the words of the Apostle, 2 Cor. vii. 1; on perfecting holiSee that this work grow. You have great advantages,-the holy word, holy sabbaths, &c. Be going on. A little holiness should not content you, Phil. iii. 13; apprehend that for which I am apprehended. Christ had apprehended Paul, i. e. taken hold of his soul. And what was the thing which Christ took hold of Paul for? Why, to make him perfectly holy and happy. This was it that Paul would apprehend. He would lay hold on holiness, and happiness. For this he pressed forward.

2. Be ye thankful. Think what you were. "Such were some of you." Many passed by whose natures were no worse than theirs, and, perhaps, their lives better.

Consider 1.-This work accomplishes the grace and goodness of God towards you. It is as the filling up of what was "behind" in God's goodness. You were not happy till this was done. fulfilled all the "good pleasure of his goodness."

In this is

2. It is the fruit of Christ's death. Remember in what fountain ye were washed, Zech. xiii. 1; the water of purification was made of the ashes of a heifer, Numb. xix. It is a rich water in which souls are washed. There is a mighty emphasis in that, Rev. i. 5. In John, xii. 23, 24, the hour of Christ's suffering is called the hour of his being glorified, because that was the way by which his elect should be