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inquiry, much self-examination, real industry in the divine life, true and frequent communion with God, a tender and conscientious Christian walk, and a diligent use of all the appointed means of grace. Need I ask, is not the attainment of such a state, worth all the pains that can be taken to secure it? Yes, unquestionably; and if it were made a distinct object of the Christian's aim, and the proper means to reach it were faithfully employed, it would be realized a thousand times, where it is now seen in a single instance.

The question is frequently asked -is assurance of the essence of faith? to which I must return a brief answer, before leaving this part of the subject.

The scriptures certainly make a clear distinction between a weak and a strong faith; and hence Pictêt has well remarked, that assurance is rather the perfection of faith than its essence. He asks, how does any one become assured of the forgiveness of his sins, or of his gracious state? It is, he answers, only by finding, on a careful examination, that he has a genuine justifying faith. Then, certainly, he remarks, the faith which existed before this examination took place, was a genuine faith, and yet not accompanied by assurance. The truth undoubtedly is, that there are many humble and diffident, but sincere believers, who seem never to have any thing that can be called the assurance of faith, or hope, and this simply and solely because they do not, or cannot, make a right estimate of their own mental acts or exercises. They have not a doubt of the all-sufficiency of Christ, not a doubt of the sincerity and freeness of his offers, and not a doubt that whosoever truly receives and rests on Christ, will assuredly be saved. All that they doubt is, whether they have, for themselves, truly received and rested upon him. They

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have done it in fact, and perhaps repeated it a thousand times; but they have doubts and fears in regard to this fact, from which they hardly ever get free. It is also unquestionably true, that many real Christians have seasons in which they have such clear views of the glorious plan of redemption, and such a freedom to trust themselves unreservedly into the hands of Christ, that while those seasons last, all their doubts and fears vanish-they can say, for the present, that "they know in whom they have believed, and are persuaded that he is able to keep that which they have committed to him." And yet, at other times, these very persons shall be almost ready to condemn themselves as entirely graceless. Nothing but those reflex acts heretofore described, and getting to understand and rely on the unchanging nature of the covenant of grace, can prove a remedy to these alternations of faith and unbelief, of hope and despondency. It must also be remarked, that those who have once, and perhaps long, possessed a good hope through grace, may lose it for a season, through remissness in duty, the prevalence of corruption, falling into some gross sin, the violence of Satanic injections, the occurrence of bodily melancholy, or the withholding of those divine communications which were once experienced-for some reason not perceptible at the time, if ever understood in the present life. Watchfulness, prayer, a sense of our dependance on God, and great care not to grieve the Holy Spirit, are the important duties taught and enforced, by the possibility of losing that blessed confidence toward God, which is indeed the light of lifea possession for which there can be no equivalent, no possible compensation.

4. I am to mention, and it must be very briefly, some of the consequences, fruits, or effects, of saving

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faith. The first of these is-the destruction which faith effects of all self-righteousness, and the giving of the entire glory of our salvation to the rich and free grace of God. There is scarcely a point which the great apostle of the gentiles labours more, or on which he dwells more at large, than that our salvation is all of grace through faith; that all ground of boasting, and all works, and all personal righteousness of every kind, are excluded utterly in the work of justification, which he attributes solely to the grace of faith. The conclusion which he draws from his long argument on this subject, in his epistle to the Romans, and

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which he afterwards dilates most impressively, is in these words [Rom. v. 1.]: "Therefore, being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ." Now, as faith itself is a work-a mental exercise in the mind of the believer-it may be, and has been objected, that here is a work which is concerned in our justification. Concerned we admit that it is; but only instrumentally, we affirm; and that it will be absolutely impossible to reconcile the apostle with himself, if we allow to faith itself, even the smallest degree of meritorious desert in the matter of justification. I have elsewhere had occasion to remark, that faith in its best acts is, like every other grace, imperfect; and therefore that the very act of faith by which a believer is justified, needs pardon for its imperfection, instead of being entitled to a reward for its exercise. simple truth is, that by an act of faith, which, although imperfect, finds acceptance through the merits of that Saviour to whom it looks, he is received or appropriated as a free and glorious gift of God's transcendant grace; every duty, as well as every sin, is renounced as having any claim to the honour of deserving this migh

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ty boon; the crown is placed solely on the Saviour's head, and the believing sinner lies at his feet, to be sprinkled from all uncleanness by his atoning blood, to be clothed with the spotless robe of his righteousness, to be sanctified by his Holy Spirit, and thus, through his unmingled and superabounding grace, to be made meet for the inheritance of the saints in light.

2. It will ever be found, as one of the precious fruits or effects of a true justifying faith, that it both comforts and invigorates the believing soul. That complete renunciation of all self-righteousness which has just been stated, and which is taught in all that you have heard on this subject, never leaves the believer in an abject and forlorn situation. The renunciation which he makes is never constrained, or mingled with reluctance. It is made most willingly, and from a full perception and deep conviction, that it is demanded by reason and equity, as well as by the divine requisition: and now, having taken his proper place-having become emptied of himself-he is prepared to receive from the fulness of Christ, grace for graceto be filled with all joy and peace in believing. In place of the filthy rags of his own righteousness, he now perceives and O how he wonders while he perceives!-that he is arrayed in the righteousness of his redeeming God. Instead of that proud self-gratulation, which used to be excited by some fancied merit of his own, he is now made to rejoice "with a joy that is exceeding great and full of glory," by the views which he is enabled by the good Spirit of the Lord, to take of his interest in the infinite merits of his blessed Saviour; and in feeling the love of God shed abroad in his heart, producing consolations unutterable, and sometimes affording a prelibation of the felicity of heaven. My dear young friends, I am not delivering to you

the fictions of fancy, or truths merely speculative. No, verily; they are truths both solid and practical. Every exercised Christian will cheerfully testify, that the highest happiness he ever knows on earth, is when he is most emptied of himself, and drinks most freely and largely from the fountain of his Redeemer's plenitude. He will tell you, too, with the apostle Paul, that "when he is weak, then is he strong." That he never attempts duty with so much alacrity, nor performs it with so much vigour and so much effect, as when feeling most his own insufficiency, he goes to its discharge, leaning most sensibly on his Saviour-trusting in his strength for the performance, and looking to his power to crown his efforts with success.

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3. One of the consequences of true justifying faith, will always be seen in its tendency to increase every other Christian grace, and to render the believer fruitful in holiness, and in all good works. Faith may be called the foundation grace. It is alone in the work of justification; but it is never alone in the soul where it exists, but is always associated with genuine repentance, a lively hope, a fervent love, and a deep humility; and its natural tendency to increase all these graces is obvious. Never is repentance so evangelical and so tender, as when faith takes her clearest look at the desert of sin in the cross of Christ, and sees its enormity and its pardon in a single view; never can hope be so lively and cheering as when faith lays her firmest hold on the Saviour's unfailing covenant; never can love to God, and love to man be so pure and active, as when faith brings into view all the loveliness of Jehovah's attributes, and especially the love of God in the gift of his son to a

guilty and perishing world; and when the Saviour's dying love, prayer for his enemies with his expiring breath, and his command to love the brethren, to forgive as we hope to be forgiven, and to do good to all men as opportunity offers, are, by faith, brought home to the believer's heart; and never is humility so perfect, so unaffected, and so amiable, as when in the bright visions of faith the Christian sees the condescension of his Redeemer, drinks most largely into his spirit, and desires most earnestly to walk in his footsteps.

"Show me thy faith by thy works," said the apostle James. Genuine faith will always abide this test; nay, just in proportion as faith is pure and vigorous, will the believer be ready to every good word and work. I have no time at present to illustrate this by argument; but facts are better than arguments. In whom, I ask, have been seen, the best and brightest, and most lovely examples, of all social and relative duties? In none, I affirm without hesitation or reserve—in none have they ever been observed to cluster more conspicuously, or to shine more benignantly, than in the decided advocates and practical exhibitors of this very doctrine of justification solely by faith, through the righteousness of Christ. To the names of Howard and Thornton, I could add very many, both of the living and the dead; but observe them for yourselves, my dear youth, both in your reading and in your intercourse with the world; and may the Spirit of all grace add you to the number of those who, through the influence of the faith which you have heard described, shall adorn the doctrine of God our Saviour in all things. Amen.

WITHERSPOON'S ESSAY ON JUSTIFI

CATION.

(Continued from p. 632, vol. ix.) In the fifth place, those who expect justification by the imputed righteousness of Christ, must be induced to obedience, in the strongest manner, by the liberal and ingenuous motive of gratitude and thankfulness to God. That it is the native and genuine expression of gratitude to God, to live a pure and holy life, I suppose will hardly be denied; at least, this the Scriptures represent as pleasing him, serving him, doing his will, honouring him. It is indeed extremely difficult to conceive how God, all-mighty, and all-sufficient, should be at all affected with our conduct, either good or bad; it seems to be improper to say, that he can be pleased or displeased with our actions, or that he hath any interest at stake. Nothing, to be sure, can be more weak and impotent than the injuries offered, or the assaults made upon him, by created beings. As his nature is without variableness or shadow of turning, so his happiness is such as can neither be increased or impaired. And yet, in this way, he himself has taught us to conceive of the matter, that holiness is not only an imitation of his character, but obedience to his will, and its contrary a transgres

sion of his law. These have been the sentiments of all nations, without exception; and after the utmost efforts we can make to exempt him in our minds from all human passions or affections, of joy, anger, or displeasure, we cannot help considering it still as proper to say, such a course of life is agreeable, and such another is displeasing to God, and will pro

voke his wrath.

Is not gratitude then a principle of action that will be powerful and operative? Mankind in general bear witness to this, as they have agreed in all ages to brand ingra

titude with the blackest mark of infamy, and to reckon it among the most atrocious of crimes. And indeed, we find by experience, that it is comparatively stronger, for the most part, than the opposite motives of force or fear. There is a sort of natural tendency in man to resist violence, and refuse submission to authority, whilst they may be won by favours, and melted to thankfulness and gratitude by kindness and love: at least, this may be applied perfectly to the present case, where the bare outward performance, (which may indeed be the effect of fear,) will not be accepted without the inclination of the will. A slavish dread both lessens the degree

and debases the nature of that obedience we might essay to perform. universal principle; This is an and, in particular, while the law of God stands in its force and rigour as a covenant of works, threatening death without hope of mercy, against every transgression, it begets a despondent sloth, and at best serves only to discover our sin and misery; nay, as the apostle Paul strongly and justly reasons, it renders our corrupt affections more inflamed and violent by restraint; "Nay, I had not known sin, but by the law: for I had not known lust, except the law had said, Thou shalt not covet," &c.

But let us now complete this argument, by showing that a believer in Christ is under the strongest obligations, from gratitude, to do the will of God. And how many considerations concur in showing this? The unspeakable greatness of the blessings he receives, no less than deliverance from everlasting misery and anguish, and a right The infinite and affecting condeto everlasting glory and happiness. scension of the great and glorious Giver, who, in mercy to those who could not profit him at all, but on the contrary, had highly provoked

* Rom. vii. 7.

him, laid help for them upon one who is mighty to save. The astonishing means employed in this design, viz. God's "not sparing even his own son, but delivering him up for us all." Well might the apostle John say, "God SO loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him, should not perish, but have everlasting life." But, above all, the sense which he himself hath of his misery and wretchedness. Nothing can be more dreadful than the apprehensions which a convinced sinner hath of his own state: what, and how strong, then must his sense of gratitude be, to him who hath given his Son, and to him who has given himself, for the purchase of his pardon? with what earnestness will he seek after, and with what cheerfulness will he embrace every opportunity of testifying his thankfulness? Will not the name of his Redeemer be precious, even as ointment poured forth?" his laws delightful to him, and his honour dear?

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It is proper to observe here, that the single view of the blessings of divine goodness, which must have the strongest influence, in leading us to a grateful resentment of them, is peculiar to such as expect justification through the imputed righteousness of Christ; viz. their being of free, unmerited grace and mercy. For, though there are classes of Christians who pretend to disclaim the belief of any merit in man, it would be no difficult matter to show, that there are none who do not, by their professed principles, or their usual language, suppose it, excepting those described in the beginning of this discourse. And such not only believe his mercy to be unmerited, but that they have justly deserved his wrath and indignation; nay, and that they continually do so, even in their best state; their purest and holiest actions having

* John iii. 16.

such sins attending them, or such a mixture and alloy of unholiness and impurity in them, as, if they were weighed in the exact balance of justice, would be sufficient to procure their total rejection.

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In how strong a light is this represented by the sacred writers; and how powerful does its operation appear to be upon themselves? They seem penetrated and possest with a sense of the love of Christ, and of God in him, as having sin'ners for its object. Thus the apostle Paul reasons: "For scarcely for a righteous man will one die, yet, peradventure, for a good man some would even dare to die. But God commendeth his love towards us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.' And again, "If when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son."+ What a sense of the love of Christ is discovered by the two following passages of the same apostle! "That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith; that ye being rooted and grounded in love, may be able to comprehend with all saints, what is the breadth and length, and depth and height; and to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge." The other is, "If any man love not the Lord Jesus Christ let him be anathema Maranatha;" than which nothing could more strongly express his own sense of the obligation. It deserves notice also, that the inspired writers do often represent it as one of the strongest arguments against sin, that it is a reproach and dishonour brought upon our Redeemer and Lord. "For many walk, of whom I have told you often, and now tell you even weeping, that they are enemies of the cross of Christ. Seeing they crucify to themselves the Son of God afresh, and put him to an open shame."¶

* Rom. v. 7, 8.
Rom. v. 10.
Eph. iii. 17, 18, 19. § 1 Cor. xvi. 22.
|| Phil. iii. 18.
↑ Heb. vi. 6.

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