| 957 principles, will continue to spread and spread and will rule the nations of the earth, and who is there that can stop its progress? None, but it will roll until there is no room for the evil; then he will be bound and shut up. The principles of the kingdom of God will prevail, from city to city, from nation to nation, until the devil shall be bound and there is no place for him. They killed the prophet Joseph for fear he would spread this principle but it will go and fill the whole earth; this is true and will come to pass as the Lord lives. Amen.
COMMUNICATIONS.
For the Times and Seasons.
REMISSION OF SINS.
Sin is the transgression of law; and remission of sins pre-supposes the satisfaction of justice, in some way, of the law that was transgressed, for the justification of the criminal; for justice is the standard of action in all just law, and no action can vary its claims without law, and no action can vary its claims without violating the force and dignity of that law; and if this is done, it is worse than no law. The justice of a just law, claims the protection of all good subjects; and the infliction of the penalty of every transgression; and without this, justice is not satisfied. If a man sins against a just law, he can never in justice, again enjoy the approbation of that law, short of ample atonement, either directly or indirectly. If he makes his own atonement, justice is thereby satisfied; and it leaves nothing in the mind of the executive, or, one who enforces the law, that savors of forgiveness, and if he receives the approbation of the law, it is because justice claims it: but if another makes the atonement, he then obtains remission by the satisfaction of justice, to be sure in the infliction of the penalty, but unto him it is an extension of mercy, and the forgiveness originating in the mind of the executive, is because the atonement made in behalf of the criminal shall be considered a sufficient one to cancel the crime, or answer the penalty of the law; and he receives the approbation of the law, not because he has merited it, but because mercy has opened the way for the remission of his sin, by the satisfaction of the claims of justice in the infliction of the penalty in his behalf.
Such is the character of all just law, (and that too of necessity) that if there be no atonement for sin, nor infliction of the penalty for transgression, there can be no remission nor approbation of the law that was transgressed.-This principle exists because of the accountability that all subjects sustain to the law by which they are governed. Mankind are accountable to God, if at any time he has given them a law, or commandments by which they should be governed; and that it has been done we are willing to believe. The Lord God commanded Adam, the first man, saying: "Of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die." All men are made partakers of this penalty, not be actual sin, but by nature, being natural heirs of him who did transgress, and also partakers of condemnation and banishment, and all the effects of the fall, like as Adam was; and according to the natural course of justice in the infliction of the penalty upon Adam as transgressor, and upon us as legitimate sufferers with him, there could be no hope in our case: for Adam, in eating of the forbidden fruit, subjected himself to the influence and power of death; and death naturally brings darkness and corruption brings dissolution; and there is nothing in death to re-organize, nor to bring to light; and hence, this penalty is naturally of eternal duration, and man is naturally unable to fulfil [fulfill] it short of eternal subjection. Thus the justice of this law is naturally of sufficient force to hold us in subjection to the powers of death until the penalty is suffered by us, or an atonement made for the remission of the sin of the transgression thereof. But if the penalty is cancelled [canceled] by an atonement made for us, it must be by some being of better character and capacity, otherwise he would have to suffer as long as we, and the desired remission could not be effected at last. If we receive this as a true doctrine of the natural state of mankind in consequence of the fall, we are bound by every consideration of benevolence, love and mercy, to be grateful if there is a door opened for our redemption. the scriptures hold out the encouragement that there is an atonement made in our behalf of sufficient merit to answer the claims of justice, [and reconcile God to us,*] so that we are no longer under condemnation for original sin; and so that we shall be made free from the penalty of the fall, as it is written, "As in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive, but every man in his own order."
Jesus Christ was a suitable being and able to make this atonement in our behalf, and satisfy the claims of justice, because, Firstly, he was the first begotten and best beloved of the Father. [See Heb. 1:6 and Mat. 3:17.]
Secondly, he was able to comprehend the penalty without suffering eternally. [Is. 9:6. Ps. 16:10. and Luke 22:39 & c.]
And Thirdly, he was without sin, and justice had no claim upon him that he should suffer,
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