21. But whether it be at his resurrection, or after, I do not say; but this much I say, that there is a "space between death and the resurrection of the body, and a state of the soul in happiness or in misery until the time which is appointed of God that the dead shall come forth, and be reunited, both soul and body, and be brought to stand before God, and be judged according to their works;

22. Yea, this bringeth about the restoration of those things of which have been spoken by the mouths of the prophets.

23. The soul shall be restored to the body, and the body to the soul; yea, and every limb and joint shall be restored to its body; yea, even a hair of the head shall not be lost, but all things shall be restored to their proper and perfect frame.

24. And now my son, this is the restoration of which has been spoken by the mouths of the prophets :

25. And then shall the righteous shine forth in the kingdom of God.

26. But behold, an awful "death cometh upon the wicked; for they die as to things pertaining to things of righteousness; for they are unclean, and 'no unclean thing can inherit the kingdom of God; but they are cast out, and consigned to partake of the fruits of their labors or their works, which have been evil; and they drink the dregs of a bitter cup.

CHAPTER 41.

1. AND now my son, I have somewhat to say concerning the restoration of which has been spoken; for behold, some have wrested the scriptures, and have gone far astray because of this thing. And I perceive that thy mind has been worried also, concerning this thing. But behold, I will explain it unto thee.

2. I say unto thee, my son, that the plan of restoration is requisite with the justice of God; for it is requisite that all things should be restored to their proper order. Behold, it is requisite and just, according to the power and resurrection of Christ, "that the soul of man should be restored to its body, and that every part of the body should be restored to itself.

3. And it is requisite with the justice of God, that men should be judged according to their works; and if their works were good in this life, and the desires of their hearts

p, vers. 6, 9, 11-15.

r, see q, Alma 12.

q, Alma 11: 41-45. 41: 2. See d, II. Nep. 2.

8, Alma 11: 37.

a, see q, Alma 40.

b, vers. 6, 7, 14.

were good, that they should also, at the last day, be restored unto that which is good;

4. And if their works are evil, they shall be restored unto him for evil; therefore, all things shall be restored to their proper order; everything to its natural frame; mortality raised to immortality; corruption to incorruption; raised to endless happiness, to inherit the kingdom of God, or to endless misery, to inherit the kingdom of the devil, the one on one hand, the other on the other;

5. The one raised to happiness according to his desires of happiness; or good, according to his desires of good; and the other to evil according to his desires of evil; for as he has desired to do evil all the day long, even so shall he have his reward of evil when the night cometh.

6. And so it is on the other hand. If he hath repented of his sins, and "desired righteousness until the end of his days, even so he shall be rewarded unto righteousness.

7. These are they that are redeemed of the Lord; yea, these are they that are taken out, that are delivered from that endless night of darkness; and thus they stand or fall; for behold, they are their own judges, whether to do good or do evil.

8. Now, the decrees of God are unalterable; therefore, the way is prepared, that whosoever will, may walk therein and be saved.

9. And now behold, my son, do not risk one more offence against your God upon those points of doctrine, which ye have hitherto risked to commit sin.

10. Do not suppose, because it has been spoken concerning restoration, that ye shall be restored from sin to happiness. Behold, I say unto you, wickedness never was happiness.

11. And now, my son, all men that are in a state of nature, or I would say, in a carnal state, are in the gall of bitterness, and in the bonds of iniquity; they are without God in the world, and they have gone contrary to the nature of God; therefore, they are in a state 'contrary to the nature of happiness.

12. And now behold, is the meaning of the word restoration, to take a thing of a natural state, and place it in an unnatural state, or to place it in a state opposite to its nature?

13. O, my son, this is not the case; but the meaning of the word "restoration, is to bring back again evil for evil, or carnal for carnal, or devilish for devilish; "good for that which is good; righteous for that which is righteous; just for that which is just; merciful for that which is merciful; 14. Therefore, my son, see that ye are merciful unto your

brethren; deal justly, judge righteously, and do good continually; and if ye do all these things, then shall ye receive your reward; yea, ye shall have mercy restored unto you again; ye shall have justice restored unto you again; ye shall have a righteous judgment restored unto you again; and ye shall have good rewarded unto you again;

15. For that which ye do send out shall return unto you again, and be restored; therefore, the word restoration 'more fully condemneth the sinner, and justifieth him not at all.

CHAPTER 42.

1. AND now, my son, I perceive there is somewhat more which doth worry your mind, which ye cannot understand, which is concerning the justice of God, in the punishment of the sinner; for ye do try to suppose that it is injustice that the sinner should be consigned to a state of misery.

2. Now behold, my son, I will explain this thing unto thee: for behold, after the Lord God sent our first parents forth from the garden of Eden, to till the ground, from "whence they were taken; yea, he drew out the man, and he placed at the east end of the garden of Eden, Cherubim, and a flaming sword which turned every way, to keep the tree of life.

3. Now we see that the man had become as God, knowing good and evil; and lest he should put forth his hand, and take also of the tree of life, and eat and live for ever, the Lord God placed Cherubim and the flaming sword, that he should not partake of the fruit;

4. And thus we see, that there was a time granted unto man to repent, yea, a 'probationary time, a time to repent and serve God.

5. For behold, if Adam had put forth his hand immediately, and partook of the tree of life, he would have lived for ever, according to the word of God, having no space for repentance; yea, and also the word of God would have been void, and the great plan of salvation would have been frustrated.

6. But behold, it was appointed unto man to die; therefore as they were cut off from the tree of life they should be cut off from the face of the earth, and man became lost "for ever; yea, they became fallen man.

7. And now we see by this, that our first parents were cut off both temporally and spiritually, from the presence

of the Lord; and thus we see they became subjects to follow after their own will.

8. Now behold, it was not expedient that man should be reclaimed from this temporal death, for that would destroy the great plan of happiness;

9. Therefore, as the soul could never die, and the fall had brought upon all mankind a spiritual death as well as a temporal; that is they were cut off from the presence of the Lord; it was expedient that mankind should be reclaimed from this spiritual death;

10. Therefore as they had become carnal, sensual, and devilish, by nature, this "probationary state became a state for them to prepare; it became a preparatory state.

11. And now remember, my son, if it were not for the plan of redemption, (laying it aside,) as soon as they were "dead, their souls were miserable, being cut off from the presence of the Lord.

12. And now there was no means to reclaim men from this fallen state which man had brought upon himself, because of his own disobedience;

13. Therefore, according to justice, the plan of redemption could not be brought about, only on conditions of repentance of men in this probationary state; yea, this preparatory state; for except it were for these conditions, mercy could not take effect except it should destroy the work of justice. Now the work of justice could not be destroyed; if so, God would "cease to be God.

14. And thus we see that all mankind were fallen, and they were in the grasp of justice; yea, the justice of God, which consigned them for ever to be cut off from his pre

sence.

15. And now the plan of mercy could not be brought about, except an "atonement should be made; therefore God himself atoneth for the sins of the world, to bring about the plan of mercy, to appease the demands of justice, that God might be a perfect, just God, and a merciful God also.

16. Now repentance could not come unto men, except there were a punishment, which also was "eternal as the life of the soul should be, affixed opposite to the plan of happiness, which was as eternal also as the life of the soul.

17. Now, how could a man repent, except he should sin? How could he sin, if there was no law, how could there be a law, save there was a punishment?

h, see l, II. Nep. 2.

i, see d. j, ver. 11.

Never be dissolved, or

its parts be separated, so as to disorganize the spiritual personage. k, see c, II. Nep. 2. 1, see b, II. Nep. 2. m, see 2a, Alma 12. -as their bodies were dead.

o, their spirits.

r, see f, II. Nep. 11.

n, as soon P, see 2a, Alma 12. 8, see e and g, 11. Nep. 9. w, see m, See e and g,

u, see f, 11. Nep. 2.1 v, see 2m, Alma 12.
Vers. 8, 9.

x, the life of the soul has no end.

II. Nep. 9.

18. Now there was a punishment affixed, and a just law given, which brought remorse of conscience unto man.

19. Now if there was no law given,-if a man murdered he should die, would he be afraid he would die if he should murder?

20. And also, if there was no law given against sin, men would not be afraid to sin.

21. And if there was no law given if "men sinned, what could justice do, or mercy either; for they would have no claim upon the creature?

22. But there is a law given, and a punishment affixed, and a repentance granted; which repentance, mercy claimeth; otherwise, justice claimeth the creature, and executeth the law, and the law inflicteth the punishment; if not so, the works of justice would be destroyed, and God would 2 "cease to be God.

23. But God ceaseth not to be God, and mercy claimeth the penitent, and mercy cometh because of the atonement; and the atonement bringeth to pass the 2 resurrection of the dead; and the resurrection of the dead bringeth back men into the presence of God; and thus they are 2 restored into his presence, to be judged according to their works; according to the law and justice;

24. For behold, justice exerciseth all his demands, and also mercy claimeth all which is her own; and thus, none but the truly penitent are saved.

25. What do ye suppose that mercy can rob justice? I say unto you, nay; Not one whit. If so, God would cease to be God.

26. And thus God bringeth about his great and eternal purposes, which were prepared 2/from the foundation of the world. And thus cometh about the salvation and the redemption of men, and also their destruction and misery ;

27. Therefore, O my son, whosoever will come, may come, and partake of the waters of life freely: and whosoever will not come, the same is not compelled to come; but in the last day, it shall be restored unto him, according to his deeds.

28. If he has desired to do evil, and has not repented in his days, behold, 2 "evil shall be done unto him, according to the restoration of God.

29. And now, my son, I desire that ye should let these things trouble you no more, and only let your sins trouble you, with that trouble which shall bring you down unto repentance.

30. O my son, I desire that ye should deny the justice of God no more. Do not endeavour to excuse yourself in the