Startle not, my dear sir, at this idea that is so repugnant to the prejudice of protestants. The principle of substitution is at the foundation of the great work of redemption, and forms a chain of gratitude and obligation of the purest and noblest metal. Jesus died for others, because they could not have saved themselves without his obedience for them. The preachers of righteousness pass through many tribulations, and sacrifice houses, lands, and country, in order that others may become rich both temporally and spiritually; without this order of suffering, the just for the unjust, no man could be saved. Paul says, I rejoice in my sufferings for you, and fill up that which is _behind_ of the afflictions of Christ, in my flesh, for his body's sake, which is the Church. Every man that has the priesthood of Christ may suffer in his measure and degree a propitiatory sacrifice, according to the degree of priesthood with which he is clothed. He may become a subordinate saviour to his fellow-men, Christ being, however, the CAPTAIN of all men's salvation. Hence, the prophets plumply call men SAVIOURS who shall be raised to officiate in Mount Zion. Paul also instructs Timothy how he can _save_ men and himself. This distribution of _saving_ gifts, instead of eclipsing Jesus of the glory of salvation, magnifies his glory, because He is the spring and source of all salvation. God the Father reigns over all, and Jesus under him, and men reign under Jesus as kings and priests. Kingdoms rise up within kingdoms, but Christ is the _King_ of kings. Peter tells how the devout and honourable dead may be saved, who never heard the gospel on earth. He says, the living may be baptized for them, and then they can be judged according to men in the flesh. Says he, "else why are ye baptized for the dead?" Baptism for the dead was better understood in Peter's days than the doctrine of the resurrection. Doctrines are sooner obliterated from the mind than ordinances. But after the destruction of the Temple, and the baptismal font, baptisms for the dead must of course cease, because there was no longer an acceptable place for this ordinance to be ministered. Peter explicitly declares, that the gospel was preached to _the dead_, by which also he went and preached to the Spirits in prison. Now if the gospel was preached to the dead, then mercy, and deliverance, and salvation, were preached to the dead; but these could not be preached to them without the ordinances, because the ordinances of baptism, and gift of the Holy Ghost, are a part of the gospel; for except a man is born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. But if a righteous man is baptized for his departed friend, the law requiring baptism is magnified, and God can justify the departed spirit that believes, and accepts the same.