thus humbly and piously disposed is in a state of mind infinitely more safe, and will arrive at the full assurance of faith far more certainly, than the most diligent collector of the mere evidences of Christianity. Knowledge, however, and faith are both desirable, and in ordinary cases increase together. They are twinsisters, and the presence of the one usually pre-supposes or induces the presence of the other.

If further proof be wanted to show that Faith, as used in its higher significations in seripture, is far more than the bare admission of an orthodox creed, the effects attributed to it would decide the point. Saint Peter speaks of it as "purifying the heart;" Saint Paul calls it "the faith that worketh by love ;" and Saint John asserts that it "overcometh the world." Now, is it not demonstrable by facts, that the principle which too often passes current in the present day for Christian faith, is totally inadequate to the production of these exalted effects? Are not the possessors of it oftentimes as impure, as worldly, and as selfish, as though purity, love, and conquest over the world, had never been recorded as characteristics of saving faith?

To the Christian grace under consideration is continually ascribed in scripture the office of purifying us in the sight of God; not however as being an intrinsically good work, or the conditional commandment of a remedial law, but as uniting us to Christ Jesus, and thus making us partakers of the benefits which by his obedience and death he procured for all that believe in his name. No fact is more conspicuous in scripture than that Christ suffered on our account, in order that "as by one man many were made sinners, so by one should many be made righteous." The being made righteous, or its synonyme justification, is an important blessing, implying not merely pardon, but a restoration to all our forfeited privileges as completely as if sin had never existed. The obedience of Christ is the procuring cause of this justification, but faith is the

means or instrument of its application to the recipient; for faith apprehends the Redeemer in all his relations to fallen man; and believing Him to be made unto us "wisdom, righteousness, sanctification, and redemption;" relies upon Him for these inestimable blessings. It appropriates and applies those doctrines which theoretical faith admits only as barren speculations. This observation may be illustrated by a slight review of the three well-known characters which our Saviour bears to the Christian, namely, his Prophet, his Priest, and his King.

As a Prophet, or teacher sent from God, the true believer not only acknowledges the authenticity of his mission, but sits humbly at his feet to receive his precepts. He learns the utter depravity of man, and his inability to merit heaven by the best obedience which since the fall it is in his power to bestow. He becomes acquainted with the necessity of that repentance and change of heart which our Saviour so earnestly inculcated when upon earth. He believes the divinity, the co-eternity, and co-equality of the three Divine Persons in the unity of the Godhead, because the Incarnate Word taught it, both personally, and by his followers under his unerring inspiration.

It

As a Priest, faith beholds the Messiah offering himself a sacrifice for sin, and thus procuring pardon and justification for all who should believe in his name. conceives of this atonement as full, perfect, and satisfactory, to the exclusion of every thing else as the meritorious or procuring cause of redemption; and enables us to rely upon it fully for pardon and acceptance with God. To expect salvation in any other way than as penitent sinners, trusting wholly to the obedience and death of Christ, is to degrade him from his sacerdotal function. Saint Paul in his epistle to the Hebrews expatiates on this eminent character of the Messiah in a manner the most sublime and the most consolatory-the most impassioned, yet the most judi

cious and edifying. Ineffably glorious are the scenes which he has unfolded to the eye of faith! He represents the second person in the Trinity, the co-equal and co-eternal with the Father, as consenting, by a divine agreement entered into from everlasting, to become "a great High-Priest," and "once in the end of the world" to appear to appear" to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself." This covenant, in the fulness of time, was performed, and Christ Jesus was "made like unto his brethren, that he might be a merciful and faithful High-Priest in things pertaining to God, to make reconciliation for the sins of the people.' 99 Thus become incarnate, he "through the Eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God," and "being made perfect, became the author of eternal salvation unto all them that obey him." The sacrifice thus fully performed, and never needing to be repeated, he still retained "an unchangeable priesthood," in consequence of which "he passed into the heavens," "to appear in the presence of God for us." Having prayed and interceded for his followers when upon earth, he now mediates for them in heaven, and as a High-Priest offers up their prayers upon "the golden altar of incense." This doctrine of the intercession of Christ is embraced by faith as an important and consoling truth, from the consideration of which Saint Paul, in his usual method of deriving the most simple rules of practice from doctrines the most sublime, infers that we "should hold fast our profession," and "should draw near to God with a true heart, in full assurance of faith." This heavenly principle therefore beholding Christ Jesus at the right hand of the Majesty on high, interceding on our behalf, teaches the Christian to offer up his prayers in holy confidence and hope, fully assured that his Heavenly Father is able and willing "to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think," through the merits and intercession of our adorable HighPriest.

As a King, Faith receives his commands, and submits to his authority. It expels from the heart every rival power, so that religion becomes the unreserved allegiance of a willing subject. Devotion to God, displayed by a sincere and voluntary, though imperfect, obedience to his will, whether as relating to our creed or our practice, is a necessary result of the full assurance of faith. The gospel thus provides in an effectual manner for good works, by implanting a holy and active principle in the mind which cannot fail to produce them; while it sets aside pride, by making our salvation due, not to them, but entirely to the merits of Christ. The doctrines of "the cross of Christ" are eminently adverse to human vanity. Salvation is represented as entirely an act of grace.

To renounce ourselves,-to conquer all the natural ideas of the fallen mind relative to the attainment of heaven, to trust to the mercy of God conveyed to us solely through Jesus Christ, not for any worthiness in ourselves, but gratuitously on account of his own sovereign favor and loving-kindness,—to rely as humble penitents upon the Saviour of mankind for the application of his obedience and merits to us, as our claim to pardon, justification, and eternal glory, with a firm belief that such reliance will not be in vain,all this, however difficult, however apparently humiliating, however opposed to the natural suggestions of the unrenewed mind, seems to be included in the scriptural idea of the assurance of faith. It cannot therefore excite wonder that so exalted a principle should suppose as exalted an Agent, or that an apostle should in consequence affirm, that "faith is the gift of God." Ignorance may vaguely depend upon the divine mercy, because it does not perceive the heinousness of sin, or estimate aright the justice of God in decreeing its punishment presumption may arrogantly hope to obtain heaven, because it magnifies our supposed excellence, and extenuates our real guilt, till it has formed such a

character as it imagines deserves the Creator's approbation; but for the humble penitent, feeling and acknowledging on the one hand his inherent depravity, his actual transgressions, and his utter unworthiness, (all which will appear more aggravated as his repentance is more profound,)—and perceiving on the other the infinite holiness and inflexible integrity of the Creator, who has inseparably appended misery to sin, -for a person thus penitent and thus instructed, possessing a tender conscience with an enlightened understanding, to enjoy the full assurance of faith, is a paradox, resolvable only on the principles of the Christian revelation. Faith and hope thus implanted where, humanly speaking, despair appeared inevitable, evince themselves to be indeed "the gift of God."

No

It is not unusual, when the necessity of faith is mentioned, to subject oneself to a reproof, as if the importance of good works had been denied; a supposition both ungenerous and unjust. Even could it be proved that the doctrine of justification by faith is hostile to morality, this fact could not efface that doctrine from the Bible, where it appears in characters indelible by human artifice; but it would furnish an argument much stronger than any that has ever been yet suggested, against the divine inspiration of that volume. method therefore of defending the honor of Christianity can be more injudicious than merging or softening down the doctrine of justification by faith in order to inculcate, as we suppose, more forcibly, the necessity of good works. It is the most candid, and indeed the most judicious method, boldly to meet the supposed difficulty, without endeavoring by forced constructions to steal from the sacred volume a doctrine, which, after all our efforts, will still appear too conspicuously to be concealed.

But, in reality, what difficulty is there in the subject, when it is expressly allowed that where there is not morality and obedience there cannot possibly be