The Government of God.

Preface

Chapter I. The Wisdom, Order, and Harmony of the Government of God.

Chapter II. The Government of Man.

Chapter III. On the Incompetency of the Means Made Use of by Man to Regenerate the World.

Chapter IV. What Is Man? What Is His Destiny and Relationship to God?

Chapter V. The Object of Man's Existence on the Earth; and His Relationship Thereto.

Chapter VI. Man's Accountability to God.

Chapter VII. The Lord's Course in the Moral Government of the World.

Chapter VIII. Whose Right Is It to Govern the World? Who Has Governed It?

Chapter IX. Will Man Always Be Permitted to Usurp Authority Over Men, and Over the Works of God? Will the World Remain for ever Under a Curse, and God's Designs Be Frustrated?

Chapter X. Will God's Kingdom Be a Literal or a Spiritual Kingdom?

Chapter XI. The Establishment of the Kingdom of God upon the Earth

Chapter XII. The Effects of the Establishment of Christ's Kingdom, or the Reign of God upon the Earth.

It was Elder Taylor's intention to superintend the publishing of The Government of God in person, previous to his departure for Great Salt Lake City last spring; but the numerous cares attending the French and German Missions, of which he was President; the translation of the Book of Mormon into the French and German languages; the establishment of L'Etoile du Déseret at Paris, and Zions Panier at Hamburg; together with a multitude of other business connected with the welfare of the Kingdom of God, rendered it impossible.

The manuscript was therefore handed to me by Elder Taylor, with a request to superintend the printing of the work, which I have done to the best of my ability.

Considering the disadvantages arising from the Author's absence during the reading of the proofs, I believe it is as correctly rendered, as was possible from a manuscript copy.

The Work is now before the Public, and from one portion at least it will meet with a cordial reception, treating as it does upon the theme most dear to their hearts—the Reign of Righteousness and Peace.

From other portions it will meet with varied reception, but will nevertheless lead the minds of all to contemplate the glory of that time when the Messiah, even Jesus, shall come with all his holy angels, and sit upon the throne of his glory, and govern all nations upon earth.

James Linforth.
Liverpool,
August, 1852.

The Kingdom of God is the government of God, on the earth, or in the heavens. The earth, and all the planetary systems, are governed by the Lord; they are upheld by his power, and are sustained, directed, and controlled by his will. We are told, that "by him were all things created that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers; all things were created by him, and for him: and he is before all things, and by him all things consist."^[A] Collos. i. 16, 17. If all things, visible and invisible, are made by and for him, he governs and sustains all worlds to us known, together with the earth on which we live. If he governs them, they are under his dominion, subject to his laws, and controlled by his will and power.

[Footnote A: I wish here to be understood, that at present I am writing to believers in the Bible. I may hereafter give my reasons for this faith; at the present I refer to the Scriptures without this.]

If the planets move beautifully, and harmoniously in their several spheres, that beauty and harmony are the result of the intelligence and wisdom that exist in his mind. If on this earth we have day and night, summer and winter, seed time and harvest, with the various changes of the seasons; this regularity, beauty, order, and harmony, are the effects of the wisdom of God.

There are two kinds of rule on the earth; one with which man has nothing directly to do, another in which he is intimately concerned. The first of these applies to the works of God alone, and His government and control of those works; the second, to the moral government, wherein man is made an agent. There is a very striking difference between the two, and the comparison is certainly not creditable to man; and however he may feel disposed to vaunt himself of his intelligence, when he reflects he will feel like Job did when he said, (xlii. 6.) "I abhor myself, and repent in dust and ashes."

In God's government there is perfect order, harmony, beauty, magnificence, and grandeur; in the government of man, confusion, disorder, instability, misery, discord, and death. In the first, the most consummate wisdom and power are manifested; in the second, ignorance, imbecility, and weakness. The first displays the comprehension, light, glory, beneficence, and intelligence of God; the second, the folly, littleness, darkness, and incompetency of man. The contemplation of the first elevates the mind, expands the capacity, produces grateful reflections, and fills the mind with wonder, admiration, and enlivening hopes; the contemplation of the second produces doubt, distrust, and uncertainty, and fills the mind with gloomy apprehensions. In a word, the one is the work of God, and the other that of man.

In order to present the subject in a clear